Beasts of Anomaly

Azhaan's breath caught as he took in the sheer chaos around him. The town square was alive with movement and noise, a far cry from the serene meadow where he'd first awakened. Wooden buildings with sloping roofs and glowing runes framed the area, their surfaces pulsing faintly in rhythm with the magical energy of the world. The cobblestone streets were packed with people of all shapes and sizes, bustling from one stall to another, bartering, shouting, and laughing.

His eyes widened as a cart rolled by, pulled by what looked like a massive turtle-like creature with gemstones embedded in its shell. Behind it, a trader shouted to advertise glowing potions, waving a bottle that swirled with liquid light. Above the din, the occasional roar of a distant beast added to the strange, otherworldly soundtrack.

Azhaan stood frozen, overwhelmed. This wasn't just another world—it was a completely different reality.

"Hey, rookie!"

The voice jolted him from his stupor. Azhaan turned to see a group of armored figures lounging near a fountain in the center of the square. They looked like they'd stepped straight out of a fantasy game—scarred, confident, and well-equipped. One of them, a burly man with a hawk perched on his shoulder, waved him over.

Azhaan hesitated, glancing around nervously.

"You lost or something?" the man called, his tone half-curious, half-mocking.

Azhaan swallowed his unease and walked toward them, his steps unsteady. "I, uh… I guess you could say that. I just got here."

The man looked him up and down, his eyes narrowing. "No beast, no gear, no clue," he said with a chuckle. "Figures."

Azhaan bristled at the remark but held his tongue. "Can you tell me where I am?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "You're in Ashenfield, rookie. Adventurer central. If you're here, that means you're a tamer—or at least trying to be."

"Trying?" Azhaan repeated, frowning.

"Yeah. Trying. Because you sure don't look like one," the man replied with a smirk.

A second figure spoke up, a wiry woman with twin daggers strapped to her thighs. "No beast? What are you, bait?"

Azhaan clenched his fists, his frustration bubbling over. "Look, I didn't exactly get a manual for any of this, okay? I didn't ask to be here."

The burly man laughed, slapping his knee. "Relax, rookie. Everyone starts somewhere. But if you want to survive here, you're gonna need more than that attitude of yours. First thing's first—you need a bond."

Azhaan stared at him blankly. "A bond?"

The woman rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Did you hit your head or something?"

Before Azhaan could respond, a soft, melodic voice interrupted. "That's enough, Garrick."

The group turned as a young woman stepped forward, her silver hair glinting in the sunlight. Her amber eyes were sharp but not unkind, and perched on her shoulder was a small, dragon-like creature with crystalline wings that shimmered as it moved.

Azhaan's breath caught. She looked otherworldly, like she belonged in this strange, magical place.

The woman glanced at him, her gaze assessing. "You're new," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah," Azhaan replied, his voice quieter than he intended.

She nodded. "I'm Kaela. And you are?"

"Azhaan," he said quickly, grateful for someone who didn't immediately mock him.

Kaela tilted her head slightly. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Azhaan hesitated. "Not… exactly."

Her dragon chirped, its crystalline eyes fixed on him. Kaela raised an eyebrow, as if the creature had just shared a secret. "Interesting," she murmured, before turning back to him. "If you're serious about surviving, you need to bond with a beast. That's how tamers gain power here. Without one, you're defenseless."

Azhaan opened his mouth to respond, but a sudden tremor beneath his feet silenced him. The ground quaked violently, and a ripple of gasps and shouts spread through the crowd.

"What was that?" Azhaan asked, his voice tinged with panic.

Kaela's expression darkened, her hand resting on the hilt of a blade at her hip. "Trouble."

From the shadows of a nearby alley, a low growl rumbled, sending chills down Azhaan's spine. The crowd parted as a creature emerged—a wiry, twisted thing covered in dark fur, its glowing red eyes locked onto Azhaan.

"Shadow Stalker," someone whispered, their voice trembling.

The beast's movements were erratic, its limbs jerking as if pulled by invisible strings. Its gaze never wavered from Azhaan, who stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Run!" Kaela shouted, grabbing his arm. "That thing's dangerous!"

But Azhaan couldn't move. He was rooted to the spot, his body refusing to obey as the Shadow Stalker advanced. The creature's glowing eyes seemed to pierce through him, reaching into his very soul.

Then, a voice echoed in his mind.

"Strange one… will you take the bond?"

Azhaan's breath hitched. The voice wasn't his own, yet it felt as though it had always been there, waiting.

"What?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

"Decide quickly," the voice growled. "Your fate depends on it."

The Shadow Stalker lunged, and in a panic, Azhaan shouted, "Yes! I'll do it!"

Time seemed to freeze. The beast collided with him, but instead of pain, Azhaan felt a searing heat spread through his arm. He cried out, clutching at the glowing mark that now pulsed on his skin.

The Shadow Stalker stepped back, no longer hostile. Its form shifted slightly, as if adapting to Azhaan's presence, and it let out a low, rumbling growl that sounded almost… protective.

Kaela stared in disbelief. "That… that's not supposed to happen."

Azhaan, trembling and drenched in sweat, managed a shaky grin. "Guess I'm breaking all the rules."