This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

The journey south was tiring from the start.

The heat bore down on them like a heavy blanket, making every movement feel sluggish—not just physically, but also mentally, as the endless desert landscape created the illusion that they weren't making any progress.

Kain, though already accustomed to a warmer than average climate, found himself struggling more than he expected. The dry air sapped his energy, and the constant vigilance required to navigate the sudden arrival of any threats left little room for rest.

Not to mention that the weather at night didn't make it any easier to relax. The temperature dropped drastically after sunset, the desert air turning frigid and biting. The drastic temperature drop forced them to huddle around fires and bundle up under layers of blankets for warmth. When they got further away from the Empire and the Starchasers decided against lighting a fire, so as to avoid drawing unneeded attention, sleeping at night became even more difficult.

The Starchasers, as expected, took the lead in navigating, choosing paths that avoided obvious dangers such as loose sandpits and were able to easily identify areas with unstable ground or potential threats lying in wait. Many of them also had spiritual creatures that specialized in traversing various terrains, sensing threats, and obscuring the traces of travel by their group.

For the Pathfinders, the travel was more difficult. Many Pathfinders spent their time when not on a mission, in a library or archive. When they did go out, they were more used to trekking through ruins, ancient tombs, and forgotten cities, but the vast emptiness of the desert was a different beast altogether.

Since every Pathfinder was paired with a Starchaser as escort, Kain kept close to Serena, their shared history providing a small comfort in the face of the unknown.

The first few days passed in a blur of exhaustion and monotony and the team moved in near silence, conserving their energy and staying alert for any signs of danger.

Kain spent most of his time tending to his contracts, particularly Aegis, who was still recovering. He chose to use some rare elixirs and spiritual plants he had on hand as long as it ensured they were in peak condition despite the harsh conditions.

The peaceful monotony, however, didn't last.

On the third day, disaster struck.

The attack came without warning. One moment, they were moving across a stretch of seemingly stable sand, and the next, the ground beneath them exploded in a shower of dust and giant limbs and pincers.

"Ambush!" Idrias shouted, drawing his weapon in an instant.

From beneath the sand, monstrous scorpions erupted, their bodies glistening with hardened exoskeletons that shimmered under the sun.

They ranged in size from small, dog-sized creatures to towering behemoths that dwarfed even Aegis at his full height. Kain's senses tingled as he assessed the threat—most of the scorpions were weaker than himself, some as weak as white-grade, but many were of indigo or even violet grade, radiating an aura that made his blood run cold. Your next read is at My Virtual Library Empire

"Stay clear of the big ones!" Idrias shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Focus on the smaller ones and keep moving!"

Kain didn't need to be told twice. He called on all of his spiritual creatures, their forms materializing beside him as he prepared to fight. Bea easily controlled the smaller scorpions and used them to intercept the larger ones. Unfortunately, their larger parents didn't even falter in their charge when their children were before them, crushing them instantly.

Aegis, after a few more days of Kain's targeted care, was now a little taller than Kain, but still far from his peak. Thankfully, he was able to temporarily integrate the surrounding stone into himself and provide a brief boost to his strength. Moreover, his much smaller body proved to be surprisingly agile. He wasn't as powerful as before, but his smaller form let him evade attacks with ease, his stone fists slamming into scorpions' legs, breaking their balance.

Kain stayed on the move, close behind him, his spear easily cutting down any of the smaller scorpions that managed to bypass Aegis.

The Vespid Guards formed a loose circle around him and, at his command, assisted his fleeing comrades. Large-scale battles like these showcased the full utility of contracting an insect queen with dozens of underlings.

Particularly, due to the swift flight speed, they helped to evacuate more than one colleague who was severely injured and on the brink of death from fending off the stronger scorpions

For his part Vauleth also did an excellent job of fighting above his level and defending Kain, although he was limited in his movements since the Starchasers had repeatedly stressed not allowing their contracts to fly too high. If their contracts aren't native to the south and are spotted by a large tribe, their entire group may be targeted.

Despite their best efforts, the scorpions weren't relenting. Every time they managed to kill one, more burst from beneath the sand, their numbers seemingly endless. And, worst of all, they weren't tiring.

But they were.

Hours passed, and exhaustion weighed on them. The searing heat, combined with the constant fighting, was draining their stamina at an alarming rate. They were still moving, still fending off the scorpions, but it was clear that at this rate, they wouldn't last much longer.

"We can't keep running!" one of the Pathfinders shouted. "We need to fly out of here! Who cares if a tribe spots us if we die here!?"

"No," Idrias cut in sharply. "Look up."

Kain glanced skyward, his heart sinking as he saw the swarm of vulture-like creatures circling overhead. Their dark forms blotted out the sun, their sharp beaks and talons glinting in the light. Based on their skeletal wings and sickly-green eyes, Kain recognized them immediately:

"Bonewing Stalkers" he muttered in apprehension.

These creatures were infamous in the South. Opportunistic hunters, they thrived by tracking battles and picking off the weakened. They rarely initiated fights themselves, preferring to wait until their prey was too exhausted to resist. If they flew now, they'd be exposing themselves to another deadly threat.

"Great," Kain muttered, his grip tightening on his spear. "Just what we needed."