This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

Kain stirred from his sleep, his mind clouded with fragments of unfamiliar dreams and confusing scenery.

The scenes in the dream were of a seemingly unfamiliar world, but it also gave him a strong sense of déjà vu.

He blinked against the soft light streaming through the tall windows of his quarters, their frames adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures.

The room around him was far from modest—polished wood floors, silk drapes, and walls lined with shelves holding rare scrolls and artifacts. His bed alone was large enough for several people, its frame made of dark lacquered wood inlaid with silver filigree.

Despite having lived in this room for a year, he couldn’t get used to the drastic change in his living arrangements and status after becoming one of the rare beast-tamers.

The faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, a mark of the Vice City-Lord’s estate. As one of Ishvaran’s rare beast-tamers and the personal disciple of the Vice City-Lord, Kain was afforded privileges that few in the city could imagine. Yet, something about the opulence of his surroundings felt… unfamiliar. Even more so than usual.

He sat up slowly, his movements careful as though testing his body for injuries.

‘But I haven’t left the city in weeks. Where would I get injured?’ Kain himself was puzzled by his own behaviour. But he still didn’t stop his puzzling actions.

As he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his gaze fell to his attire. Gone were his usual traditional Ishvaran garments. Instead, he was wearing a set of light armor. The armor glinted faintly in the sunlight, its surface etched with swirling patterns that pulsed faintly with spiritual energy.

Kain frowned, running his fingers over the intricate designs. The armor was far superior to anything he owned, both in craftsmanship and spiritual resonance. “Where did this come from?” he muttered under his breath. He didn’t remember putting it on, but it fit perfectly, as though tailored for him.

He decided against taking it off and instead moved to just put his traditional robes over the armour.

As he adjusted the garments over the armor, something cold brushed against his hand. He pulled back the fabric to reveal a strange badge pinned to the inner armour. It bore the symbol of Auralis’ Eye—a constellation he recognized from countless nights spent gazing at the stars.

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‘This wasn’t here before,’ Kain thought, his brows furrowing. The badge emitted a faint warmth, and an inexplicable sense of familiarity tugged at the edges of his mind. He turned it over in his hand, deciding on whether to keep it or discard it.

Something deep within urged him to hold onto it. Deciding to trust his instincts, Kain repinned the badge to his inner armor before standing and stretching and leaving his room.

The Vice City-Lord’s estate was a sprawling compound of polished stone and towering pagodas, nestled within Ishvaran’s inner district.

It served as both a residence and a center for training Ishvaran’s few beast-tamers.

Kain’s room was among the most luxurious, due to his status as one of the city’s few awakened. Not to mention, the frequency of people awakening has been so low, that Kain was currently the City-Lord’s only active student. All of the other students had ‘graduated’ and took over important posts and positions within the city.

The compound did have other young beast-tamers, but the vast majority of them did not have an affinity strong enough to warrant personal instruction from the Vice City Lord.

Unlike Kain who had like up all 5 stars of the Spiritual Podium—a device used by many of the city-states to measure the potential of a newly awakened’s affinity.

As Kain stepped out onto a balcony at the front of the mansion and open to all residents, the city stretched out before him. Ishvaran was bustling even at dawn, with merchants setting up their stalls and soldiers patrolling the walls.

Below, a group of junior tamers were sparring in the training courtyard, their movements precise but lacking the fluidity of seasoned warriors. Spiritual creatures of various forms darted around them as they play sparred.

“Kain!” a voice called from below. He looked down to see one of the senior tamers waving at him. “The Vice City-Lord is expecting you in the strategy hall.”

Kain nodded, turning to make his way down the stone steps that led to the estate’s main grounds. His boots clicked softly against the polished stone, and as he walked, he passed the estate’s gardens—filled with rare spiritual plants that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.

The strategy hall was a grand chamber adorned with maps and relics from Ishvaran’s history. The Vice City-Lord, Nadia, stood at its center, her presence commanding as always. Her dark eyes were sharp, her crimson cloak trailing behind her as she gestured toward a map pinned to the far wall.

“Kain,” she said without turning, her voice firm. “You’re late.”

“Apologies, Vice City-Lord,” Kain said, bowing respectfully.

“Come,” she said, motioning for him to join her. “We have a lot to discuss.”

Kain approached, his gaze falling on the map. It showed Ishvaran’s borders, with markers indicating recent sightings of spiritual creatures and areas of concern.

“The situation is escalating,” Nadia said grimly. “Scouts have reported increased activity in the eastern forests—rogue spiritual creatures and signs of Abyssal corruption. If the reports are accurate, we may have less time than we thought to strengthen our defenses.”

Kain’s stomach churned at the mention of the Abyss. He had heard whispers of its influence spreading across the region, but the thought of it reaching Ishvaran was unsettling.

“I’ve arranged for additional patrols along the eastern border,” Nadia continued. “And I’ll need you to lead one of them. Take your contracts and assess the situation. If you encounter any Abyssal creatures, do not engage unless absolutely necessary. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Vice City-Lord,” Kain said firmly.

—————-

By the time Kain returned to the estate from his shift on the patrol, the sun had already completely set.

This isn’t your world, Kain.

He shook his head, and forgot about the irrational thought that suddenly sprang up in his mind.