Primal Dawn

“I’ll be heading out today,” Lore said to Peter, just two days after they had arrived. His two wagons were parked outside Shantee, the gate wide open.

“Hopefully the roads are safer on the way back. Less…” Peter’s voice trailed off, suddenly feeling guilty. “Listen, Lore… I’m sorry for what happened on the way here. I was supposed to protect you, and…”

“Your job was to protect the goods, and so you did,” Lore said with a pained smile. “It’s not your fault. Your guilt pales in comparison to my greed. Had I withdrawn from the contract, or pressed for more time to find more guards, things might have been different. Unfortunately, the weight of mistakes is rarely shouldered by those who caused them. Though, I am certain that the trip back will pose little risk compared to our journey.”

Peter raised an eyebrow, momentarily confused before noticing that more and more tamers were heading outside through the gate. Lore stood up and Peter followed, only to recognize the majority of the Tamers who had made up group three climbing into the wagons.

“You’re all leaving?” Peter gasped, mouth wide open upon spotting Levi helping some men haul some of the supplies that Lore had delivered back into the wagon.

Levi nodded. “Winter's at the door. Rand was a bit angry, but he gave us our badges in the end for the time we spent. Time to hit the road and go somewhere a little more… comfortable,” he said while glancing briefly towards the fort.

Peter nodded, still surprised. He spotted Jack in the other wagon and did a double-take, quickly approaching him. “You too?”

“I tried to leave earlier with some friends. But you saw how that turned out,” Jack recalled with a bitter expression. “Hope this time goes better.”

In less than thirty minutes, Lore was waving goodbye to Peter as both his wagons slowly made their way towards the horizon.

“Group one, group two, group three!” A voice shouted from within the fort. Zilas was recruiting, and it seemed he had already laid claim to the now defunct third group. Peter spotted Bryan joining up with them, a Fren standing excitedly nearby him.

Just as Peter cursed his luck, a voice shouted from behind. “Group four! Anyone for group four?” Peter turned to see Kaze looking smug. “Group four!”

With a sigh, Peter approached him. “You’ll not regret the experience. It’s rare anyone outside the church sees one of us fight… and live.” Kaze half-joked. He took Peter’s license and recorded his name and directed him to follow. 

The fourth row’s portal was blue, just like the one from yesterday. Kaze entered first, Peter following afterwards. He kept Kalista and Gaia desummoned, aware of their condition within a certain radius of Kaze. Peter was unsure of why he had that effect. Perhaps it was the sword he carried, or the cloak?

The room that Peter arrived in was massive. Roughly the size of a training field at the Battle Center. The portal was sitting at one side near a wall. Kaze was standing nearby. “Welcome to the Grand Arena!” he said with a bow.

Peter raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t a Dungeon?”

“It is. But row four always looks this way, and I like to call it that.” Peter followed Kaze to the center of the room, where a thin metallic pedestal with a small red button atop it stood. “Once I press this button, all the Primals will come running out. We just have to defeat them all, and then the button will reset, and then we get to do it again!” Kaze shouted excitedly.

“So they just… run into this room?” Peter said as he looked around. He saw four doorways, two on each side. Opposite the side with the portal was a hallway that looked like it abruptly stopped.

“Yup! Easy experience and loot. Just don’t die.”

“Just don’t die. Right.” Peter repeated. He summoned Kalista and Gaia, who could do little to hide their animosity towards Kaze.

“Don’t worry. If you think your primals hate me, you should see the ferals. As long as you stay out of their way, I think they’ll just chase after me.” Considering how Kalista and Gaia looked at Kaze, he was probably right.

“Ready? Let’s~” Kaze said as he pulled his finger back above the button.

“Wait!” Peter held up his hands. “Kalista, Gaia, ready yourselves.” Kalista injured herself and coated her large sword, while Gaia quickly healed the injury. She then turned to Peter and cast Living Armor on him.

Peter nearly protested, but then realized that he was fairly vulnerable in this giant open room. It was highly possible that they’d be surrounded and quickly fighting for their lives.

Living Armor. Rubbing his hand on the thick roots wrapping him, it truly felt like a suit of armor. And… Gaia chose to go without.

Peter bitterly recalled the words of Fira some nights ago. After some thought, he laid down his backpack near the pedestal and pulled out one of the planks of wood dropped from the previous Dungeon. Holding it in two hands, he swatted the air. He was certain he would be nowhere near as effective as Kaze or any primal, but it was something.

Kalista and Gaia looked a little worried, but said nothing. Peter brimmed with confidence.

“Gahaha, you look like a Goblin! No- wait- some sort of Barbarian! Ahahaha!” Kaze laughed.

Peter blushed. “Whatever.” 

“Wait, I have an idea! Try posing with my sword! A real weapon.” Kaze turned the weapon upside down and gestured with the hilt.

Peter glanced to the side. “Come on, man…”

“Just do it,” Kaze chuckled.

Peter nervously reached out to grab the sword. The moment it was firmly in his hands, it began to glow, and he began to nervously exclaim, “Woah woah woah!” 

Kaze just howled.

The weapon, bathed in light, began to grow wider but shorter. In a moment, the hot glow began to fade and a coating of red and black began to envelop it.

“Ahahaha, caveman discovers metal! But red, huh? Wonder where that comes from?” Kaze asked in a half-joking manner. Peter blinked before turning towards Kalista, who seemed just as surprised as he was that a smaller version of her weapon was now in his hand. “Alright, enough’s enough.” A still confused Peter watched as Kaze grabbed the weapon from him and it reverted back to its original form. “That fun’s over. Time for real fun.”

Kaze pressed the button and ran to the left of the pedestal. Peter positioned himself behind Gaia and Kalista on the opposite side.

A giant sliding noise rang out from the four doorways, and soon, Ferals began to appear from each entrance. Peter braced himself as he watched them running in his direction. Just before his primals made contact with them, their gazes jerked to the right.

Peter quickly followed their looks and spotted Kaze running towards them. “Train coming through!” All the ferals were now following him as his steps pulsed with wind, running around the center of the room in a wide circle. As more ferals began to appear, they joined their allies and gradually began to form a shouting, angry mob. 

“Wh-what are you doing?!” 

Kaze laughed. “Choo choo!” With this large of a number, they would easily get overwhelmed. His primals had killed a few of the stragglers who had fallen out of line, but were holding back from engaging the mass, lest they collapse upon them.

Peter noticed that ferals were no longer appearing from the four doorways, save for the occasional loner popping out. It seemed Kaze did as well, as he began to slow down and drag the ferals towards one corner of the room.

“If you like any, better grab them fast!” Kaze shouted as he turned around and gripped his sword with two hands. "Storm of Swords!" With one heavy swing, he launched a small cyclone of sharp wind towards the group. With so many following him it was impossible for them to get out of the way. The harsh winds swirled and carved flesh and bone alike. Kaze soon leaped into the pack and began to cut ferals down himself.

Kalista and Gaia attacked the group from behind, but they only managed to kill a few before Kaze had completely wiped out all the ferals in the room.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Kaze asked with outstretched hands as it seemed to snow blue dust around him.

Peter was in shock. He figured Kaze was powerful. But this… this was beyond his wildest imagination. If it weren't for the fact that the ferals disappeared into blue dust once killed, the room would still be coated in blood and guts. This was a one-sided massacre.

“If I find something I don’t need, I’ll let you take it.” ‘Need’ seemed to be a strong word for a man who proceeded to use a wind ability to blow any items the ferals dropped into a pile before shoveling them into a bag he produced from beneath his cape.

"Sure…" Peter replied awkwardly, still in disbelief. Whatever he thought of the church, one thing was certain. Kaze… no, these seven heroes, he never wanted to get on their bad side.