The journey to Red Fang territory was harsh. Dense forests gave way to jagged ridges, the ground littered with the bones of creatures that hadn't survived the climb. The air grew thicker with every step, heavy with the smell of iron and the distant cries of predators.
Kaela moved with confidence at the front, her spear cutting through the underbrush. "The Red Fang thrive here," she said, her voice low. "This land is as dangerous as they are. Stay alert."
Lira whistled softly. "Charming place. Perfect for a friendly chat."
Mara shot her a sharp look. "This isn't a joke. If they see weakness, they'll kill us."
Reid kept his focus on the winding path, sensing eyes on them from the trees. The Bond stirred, its tone calm and unsettling. "They watch from the shadows, host. Waiting to see if you are prey… or predator."
By midday, they reached a narrow pass where the cliff walls rose like jagged teeth. Movement flickered above—figures crouched among the rocks, their eyes glowing faintly red. Spears tipped with obsidian tracked their every step.
Kaela raised her hand, signaling the group to stop. "Show respect," she murmured. "Do not draw your weapons unless I do."
A voice boomed from the cliffside. "Kaela of the Broken Spear brings strangers to our land. Why?"
Kaela called back firmly, "We come seeking alliance. Your strength and ours together can stand against the storm that comes."
Laughter echoed from the rocks, harsh and mocking. "Alliance? Or are you here to beg?"
Reid stepped forward, his voice cutting through the tension. "We're not here to beg. We're here to prove we're worth standing beside."
The watchers went silent. Then one figure dropped from the cliff, landing in a crouch before them. He rose slowly, towering over Reid, his tattoos glowing like molten veins. "You speak boldly for an outsider."
The Bond whispered, almost gleeful. "This one wants to test you. Good. Break him."
The warrior's gaze sharpened. "Our leader will see you… if you survive the Trial of Blood."
Kaela's jaw tightened. "This is their way. Refuse, and they'll kill us where we stand."
Reid met the warrior's stare. "Tell me where."
The warrior grinned, sharp and feral. "Follow."
They were led to a wide pit carved into the rock, its floor stained dark with the remnants of countless battles. The Red Fang gathered on the cliffs above, their chants rising like a heartbeat. At the far end stood their leader, a scarred woman draped in furs, her eyes glowing with the same fierce light as her warriors.
"You stand in our circle," she said, her voice carrying like a blade's edge. "To earn our respect, you will fight. Not against us—against what we keep here."
A massive gate creaked open, and the ground trembled. From the darkness emerged a beast unlike any Reid had faced: a hulking predator with bone-plated skin and a maw lined with jagged teeth. Its breath steamed in the cold air as it roared, shaking the pit.
The Bond roared back in his mind, its voice thrilled. "Yes! This one is worthy prey. Let me loose, and we will feast on its power."
Kaela gripped the edge of the pit, her voice sharp. "Fight smart. It's killed many who thought they were stronger."
Reid drew his blade, the hum of Veil Rend vibrating under his fingers. "Then I won't think. I'll know."
The beast charged, and the trial began.
The beast's roar shook the stones underfoot, sending vibrations up Reid's legs. It charged with terrifying speed, bone-plated limbs pounding the ground like war drums. Dust exploded where its claws struck, leaving deep gouges.
Reid sidestepped the first rush, rolling to the left as the monster slammed into the pit wall. Shards of rock sprayed through the air. He came up with his knife ready, heart hammering. The Bond surged inside him, almost intoxicated. "Yes, host, yes. Faster. Strike before it turns."
The creature whirled with impossible agility, sweeping its tail like a spiked battering ram. Reid barely ducked under it, the tail smashing through stone where he had stood moments before. He dashed forward, slashing at its hind leg with Veil Rend. The blade bit deep, leaving a burning wound that made the beast scream in pain.
Above, the Red Fang warriors roared their approval, their chants rising in rhythm with the fight. The leader watched silently, her eyes narrowing with interest.
Kaela's voice carried from the edge. "Don't just wound it—bring it down!"
The beast lunged again, its massive jaws snapping inches from Reid's face. He rolled beneath its neck, driving his blade up into the softer flesh there. The creature thrashed violently, nearly throwing him into the wall. Reid hit the ground hard, rolling just as the beast stomped where he'd fallen.
The Bond urged him, voice sharp and commanding. "Let me guide your hand. Give me control, and this ends now."
Reid gritted his teeth. "Not this time."
The creature reared back, preparing a devastating slam. Reid sprinted toward the wall, using a jutting rock to launch himself upward. He flipped over the beast's head, twisting midair to drive Veil Rend down between its shoulders. The blade flared with destructive energy, tearing through bone and sinew.
The beast collapsed with a final, shuddering roar, its body dissolving into smoke as the pit fell silent.
System prompt:
[Trial Completed – Red Fang Respect Earned]
[Bond Surge Controlled – Power Stabilized]
The Red Fang warriors erupted into cheers, pounding their weapons against the rocks. The leader raised her hand, silencing them. "You have slain our beast. You are no prey. You are hunter."
Reid pulled his blade free, breathing hard but standing tall. The Bond purred, pleased. "You see? You don't need them to fear you. They already do."
The leader stepped to the edge of the pit, her voice like iron. "You have earned the right to speak. Come to me, outsider, and we will see if you are worthy of more than respect."
Kaela allowed herself a rare smile. "You've done it, Marked One."
Mara exhaled in relief, while Lira clapped slowly, her grin sharp. "Not bad, hero. Not bad at all."
Reid climbed from the pit, meeting the leader's fierce gaze.
The Red Fang leader stood tall at the edge of the pit, her eyes glowing faintly as she watched Reid climb out. The crowd parted to let him through, their chants fading into an expectant silence. She wore scars like trophies, each one a story of survival, and the way her warriors deferred to her spoke louder than any title.
"You have survived what few dare to face," she said, her voice resonant and commanding. "You killed the beast not with fear, but with fire. Tell me, outsider, what do you seek from the Red Fang?"
Reid met her gaze steadily. "Alliance. The storm that comes will devour us all if we stand alone. With your strength beside ours, we have a chance to survive."
The leader circled him slowly, measuring every word and movement. "You speak as one who leads, yet you are not of us. Why should we bleed for your war?"
The Bond's voice coiled through Reid's mind, its tone silky and manipulative. "Tell her she has no choice. Show her fear."
Reid ignored it, instead saying, "Because this isn't my war alone. The Hollow Maw hunts anything living. It doesn't care about tribes, or borders, or pride. You've seen its signs—you know it's true."
The leader's eyes narrowed, and then she threw back her head and laughed, the sound sharp as steel. "You have a tongue like a blade. You cut with words as well as with your weapon."
Kaela stepped forward, her tone firm. "Red Fang, hear me. I vouch for this one. He stood against the Maw when others ran. He bled for us. He will bleed again."
The leader raised her hand, silencing the murmurs of her warriors. "Then I give you this: we will join you, but only under one condition. You will fight beside us in our next raid. Show us you are not just strong when cornered, but strong when taking what is yours."
System prompt:
[Quest Updated: Prove Worth to the Red Fang – Join the Raid]
[Optional: Impress the Clan Leader for Greater Influence]
The Bond chuckled darkly. "A raid? Finally, a chance to take without asking. Let's show them what real power looks like."
Reid nodded. "Tell me where and when."
The leader smiled, fierce and approving. "At dusk. You will ride with us."
Mara's voice was tight, betraying concern. "A raid? What exactly are we attacking?"
The leader's eyes gleamed. "A council supply caravan. If you fear them, stay behind."
Lira laughed under her breath. "Oh, this just got interesting."
Kaela looked at Reid, her expression unreadable. "This is their way. Accept it, and you'll have their loyalty. Refuse, and we walk out with nothing."
Reid's jaw tightened, but his voice was steady. "We ride at dusk."
The Red Fang erupted into cheers, their chants echoing through the cliffs as preparations for the raid began.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the Red Fang were ready. Their warriors gathered in the torchlight, cloaked in furs and armed with weapons marked by glowing runes. They stood beside lean, scaled beasts that served as mounts, each creature restless and snapping at the air.
The leader raised her spear high, and the chants of her warriors echoed through the cliffs. "Tonight, we ride not for survival, but for dominance. The council hoards what should be ours. We take it back in blood."
Reid mounted one of the scaled beasts, gripping the reins tightly. The animal snarled under him, testing his control. The Bond purred with amusement. "It feels your strength. Show it who commands." Reid gave the creature a sharp pull and it submitted with a guttural hiss.
Kaela rode up beside him, her expression stern. "Stay close. They'll test you tonight, even in battle."
Lira leaned back in her saddle with a grin. "Tests, raids, bloodshed… this is my kind of party."
Mara's voice cut in, steady but laced with tension. "Don't let them bait you into something reckless."
Reid smirked faintly. "I'll try not to disappoint either of you."
The Bond laughed low. "You'll disappoint no one. You'll terrify them."
The Red Fang rode hard through the night, their mounts tearing across the rocky ground. The sound of drums rose behind them, a rhythm that matched the pounding of hooves and hearts. As they approached the caravan's path, the leader signaled, and the warriors split into two flanking groups.
Below, a line of council wagons creaked along the road, guarded by armored soldiers and mages whose glyphs glowed faintly in the darkness. Torches lit the perimeter, but their light did little against the Red Fang's speed.
With a war cry, the raiders struck. Spears rained from the cliffs, and the first line of guards fell before they knew what was happening. Reid leapt from his mount, Veil Rend slicing through a soldier's armor as the Bond surged inside him, flooding his senses.
"Yes! Faster, harder—let them see what you are!" the Bond urged.
The battle descended into chaos. Council soldiers fought desperately, their spells lighting up the night, but the Red Fang moved like shadows, cutting them down with brutal efficiency. Reid carved through two guards, his movements sharper than ever. He dodged a bolt of mana, closing the distance to the mage and striking him down before he could cast again.
Kaela fought like a storm, her spear a blur as she took down three enemies in quick succession. Lira darted past Reid, laughing breathlessly as she struck from the flank. Mara covered his back, her strikes precise and lethal.
The caravan's commander—a mage with golden glyphs—stepped forward, raising his staff to unleash a devastating spell. The Bond's voice turned sharp. "Take him, host. Now."
Reid's eyes narrowed. Veil Rend flared with destructive energy as he lunged, slicing through the mage's defenses. The spell fizzled out as the commander fell, his staff shattering on the ground.
With their leader down, the remaining guards broke. The Red Fang overwhelmed them, seizing the wagons and looting the supplies. Flames consumed the remnants of the caravan as the raiders howled in victory.
System prompt:
[Raid Successful – Red Fang Loyalty Strengthened]
[Hidden Effect: Council Retaliation Imminent]
The Red Fang leader rode to Reid, her eyes blazing with approval. "You fought like one of us. Tonight, you are Red Fang." She clasped his arm tightly, a warrior's bond. "Our strength is yours."
Kaela gave a sharp nod, pride flickering in her gaze. Lira smirked at Reid, leaning in close. "You're getting good at this whole hero thing. Careful, it's attractive."
Mara rolled her eyes but said nothing, though her hand lingered on Reid's shoulder a moment longer than necessary.
The Bond hummed with satisfaction. "Power, blood, and fear. This is the path we were meant to walk."
As the raiders rode back under the moonlight, Reid looked at the burning wreckage behind them. The war with the council was no longer a shadow on the horizon—it had begun.