Primal Dawn

Certainly, Peter knew there were no rules restricting the trading of primals. In fact, in this line of profession it seemed to be fairly common.

Outside the obvious guild which had the ability to provide new tamers with their first primal, tamers traded and tamed primals as they deemed necessary to improve their team's strength. After a primal's first taming, the consensus was that they were more accustomed to the taming process and therefore being bound to humans. Some primals might be resistant to having a new owner, but there were ways to force transfer a primal between tamers so long as both tamers agreed.

I could end my first week as a tamer with two primals, wouldn't that be something! Peter looked at the Goblin. Certainly she's not as impressive as Kalista, but if I tamed her then I could have the two practice with each other before we start going on missions. Kalista does look a bit tired, but we just figured out how to counter Jet's strategy! I wouldn't want to lose Kalista, but isn't this an easy win?

“I...” Peter started.

“Mmm...but Peter. My reward.” Kalista slowly moved one hand down his front and pressed her body against his, while simultaneously giving him a light pinch on his back. Startled, he turned and looked at her.

Kalista's seductive gaze traced from Peter to the Goblin that Jet had just summoned, to Maly. Peter couldn't figure out why Kalista was acting this way. Is she afraid of losing? I mean, she just beat a goblin. They even look exactly the same, wouldn't we beat her the same wa-.....Huh. For some reason, Peter suddenly recalled the faces of squires he had seen before around town, and Kalista's.

Peter ran his fingers through his hair. “Gosh, I was really hoping to get you some more experience today, Kalista.”

Kalista's lips tightened, appearing as though she was considering saying something.

Jet smiled. “It sounds like a yes, then.”

“Yeah but... We just beat your other goblin, so... It would sort of be a repeat of the same battle..”

“Don't worry, I can mix it up a bit.” Jet chuckled. “And besides, the road to mastery is repetition. You'll definitely find more than one goblin out in the wild.”

Peter nervously glanced around the battle center, looking towards the practice fields. “It looks like there's a tamer with a Fren fighting a tamer with a Dryad over there.” Peter pointed. “I think it would help Kalista and I if we observed. There's a lot of untamed Frens and Dryads in the area as well, after all. Getting to know the fighting styles of most of the untamed around here is pretty valuable.”

“More valuable than having two primals to protect you? And besides, real combat experience is better than just watching.” Jet pressed.

“Yeah but..” Peter's mind raced for some sort of rebuttal. “I, uh.” Peter shrugged his shoulders. “I'm not sure if I can have two primals right now. Kalista is a bit possessive.”

“I. Am not. Possessive.” Kalista spoke through clenched teeth, in a voice that startled everyone.

Peter's expression changed to one that would make others think he just soiled his own trousers by accident.

Kalista saw Peter's face, blinked twice, and then hung her head low as she began to enjoy the view of her own feet.

Peter sighed. “Well, that's how it is.”

Jet was silent for a while. “You've got a lot to learn man. Always remember that you're the tamer, not them.” Peter shrugged his shoulders but said nothing. “Well, I guess you're still just a newbie, so there's time to grow. I'm here pretty often. If you ever do change your mind, my offer still stands. See you around.” Jet waved as he desummoned both his primals and turned to leave the battle center.

“Yeah definitely. Thanks for showing me around the battle center!” Jet nodded but didn't turn around.

Kalista waited for Jet to walk through the exit before finally speaking up. “There is something strange about that goblin.”

“The second one?” Kalista nodded. Peter sighed. “Haah. I figured something was bothering you. Come on, I was serious when I said I wanted to go watch those two tamers fight.”

Kalista followed Peter to one of the other practice fields. He grabbed a seat at a small set of bleachers nearby. On each side of the grass field stood a male tamer, shouting orders to their Fren and Dryad respectively.

“Entangling Roots!” A sprout of roots appeared below the Fren's body.

“Dodge it!” The Fren leaped away, evading their grasp.

“Entangling Roots, where it lands!” Roots broke through between the blades of grass and captured one of the Fren's feet.

“Rrgh!” She yelped as she struggled.

“Use 'Hand Shake' on the roots!”

“Fallen Leaves!”

The Fren's paw glowed as it hit it's trapped foot, breaking the roots. A gust of wind and leaves slamming into her chest as she broke free. She let out another yelp.

“Anda!” The owner of the Fren shouted as he gritted his teeth. “You have to keep moving!” The Fren gave a quick nod as it began to run on all fours towards the Dryad, light blood dripping from its chest.

“Again! Entangling Roots!”

“Dodge it!” Anda just evaded the roots.

“Entangling Roots where it lands!”

“Land on your front paws!”

Roots exploded just where Peter had expected Anda's foot to be, catching nothing instead.

“Pursuit!” Anda did a small leap forward as she returned to all fours and began to run fast towards the Dryad.”

“Fallen Leaves!” A vortex of swirling leaves formed before the Dryad's hands and launched outwards.

“Sidestep, but let it scrape you!” The vortex nicked Anda's shoulder but otherwise flew by her. Anda quickly closed the remaining distance between her and the Dryad.

“Now! Hand Shake!” Anda's paw slammed into the Dryad, who let out a pained scream.

“Kya!” The Dryad's owner screamed. “Use Entangling Roots and run away!”

“Enraged Lunge!” As the Kya's spell went off and captured Anda's foot, Anda's skin flushed red and a vicious expression appeared on her face. She gave the Dryad a loud chomp on her upper body. Skin and flesh was torn off as Anda flicked her head, blood splattering across the field.

“Kya, keep moving and use Regeneration!” Kya began to stumble away, nervously glancing back towards Anda as her hands began to emit a green aura. The flesh Anda had torn off began to slowly reappear.

“Hand Shake on the roots!”

“Entangling Roots!” As Anda cleared away one set of roots, another took their place.

“Keep clearing the roots!”

“Keep entangling her!”

A stalemate broke out, Anda repeatedly clearing one set of roots while Kya applied another.

“Kean, I can't anymore.” Kya cried out, in between pants. A set of roots appeared then withered below Anda. Anda finally managed to break the cycle.

“Pursuit!” Anda broke into a sprint.

“Ahh! We surrender!” Kean shouted. The moment Kean spoke those words, Kya collapsed onto the grass.

Upon hearing those words, Anda stopped running and gradually slowed down, a few feet away from Kya. “Kya, are you alright?” Anda asked.

“Yes..” She said in between large gasps. The regeneration effect had stopped, her flesh still exposed and bleeding.

The uniformed Dryad observing the battle rushed towards the two and began to heal both, prioritizing Kya first.

Both Kean and the other tamer began to walk towards the pair while Peter began to clap.

The other tamer took notice of him and nodded his head before turning his attention back towards Evan.

“You two did much better this time!” He shouted.

Anda nodded her head.

“Would it kill ya to go a little easy on us, Deric?” Kean asked.

“Maybe that was easy, haha!” He confidently laughed.

Peter ran towards the group.

“That was awesome!” He turned towards Kya. “You put up a great fight.” She gave a light smile.

“Yeah, all our practice has been definitely paying off.” Kean said. He gently rubbed Kya's shoulder. “I couldn't ask for any better.” Kya's face blushed as the leaves on her body briefly shivered. The uniformed Dryad, now finished healing, turned and returned to her position off to the side.

Kya was the first Dryad Peter had seen without their uniform. Besides her crown of flowers, her outfit essentially consisted of leaves tightly hugging her body. Their shape resembling long gloves and thigh highs. The rest of her of body was bare, save for a loose collection of leaves covering her breasts like a bra with thin root-like straps, and a similar bundle acting like panties covering her nether regions. She seemed somewhat petite, at least next to the other Dryad.

Anda was leaner than the Fren Peter had seen earlier in the day, and unlike the bare naked Primal from before, she was wearing a tight sports bra and shorts combination.

“Hope you're not looking for a practice match.” Deric said, turning towards Peter. “We were going to call it a day after this.”

“No,” Peter shook his head. “I just wanted to watch. I just started out as a Tamer, wanted to get a little more experience before taking on any work. Ah, I'm Peter by the way.”

“I'm Kean.” Kean replied. “He's Deric. That's smart, trying to learn a little before heading out.”

“Wish I had done that,” Deric said to Kean.

“Are you two going to be here tomorrow?” Asked Peter.

“No, we'll be heading out questing tomorrow.” Kean said.

“Oh, alright.” Peter replied.

Kean paused for a moment and shot Deric a look, who glanced towards Peter and Kalista. Deric ended up giving a slight shrug in response.

“Hey, how about you come join us tomorrow? Strength in numbers, and all that.”

“Really?!” Peter couldn't help but raise his voice. “That would be great!”

“Meet us outside the guild at about nine. We'll grab whatever we need then head out.”

The three desummoned their primals and left the battle center together, Peter waving goodbye to the man standing near the entrance. Outside, they went their separate ways. Peter headed towards the inn he was staying at and grabbed a quick meal before heading to sleep. As he stood by the bed and pulled up the cover preparing to lie down, he froze.

Thinking for a moment, he called aloud. “Kalista?”

“Yes.” The voice rang inside his mind.

Peter paused again, then summoned Kalista.

“Your re-” Kalista suddenly picked up Peter and dropped him into the bed.

“Good.” She smiled. “You remembered.”