I woke up before the boy. He had a peaceful look on his face. While he slept, his arm found itself draped over me. The sun was poking through the mismatched boards covering the windows.

  I didn't pay too close attention to the condition of this place. I've got to do something for this kid. Leaving him like this would be a death sentence. It is also a death sentence if I tell anyone I'm a fenris. How am I supposed to end the world?

  I rolled off the bed. Keagan whimpered as he curled into a ball. It finally registered in his mind that I left him. One detail I noticed quickly was that my wounds healed quickly overnight.

  It seems I still have a potent regeneration.

  He woke up and rubbed his eyes. “Morning,” he yawned. “Thanks for last night. I haven't slept that good since I don't know when.”

  I motioned to the room with my snout. “How did you come to own this place?”

  The boy put on a wide smile. “It was cheap. They were practically giving it away.”

  I looked at the ceiling, and I thought I saw a hole in it. “I wonder why.” I turned to leave. “You got something for breakfast, kid.”

  “My name's Keagan,” the boy said as he swung his legs off the bed to put his boots on. “Yeah I've got some bread that should still be good. You want some?”

  I stopped and slowly turned my head to the boy. “Please tell me that's a joke.” He froze. “I eat meat. And you can't just eat bread, you need more than that.”

  “I haven't been able to buy anything yet,” he whispered.

  “And let me guess, you can't afford anything.”

  He tapped his fingers together. “I'm not exactly holding onto extra cash.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What is around for game?”

  “You want to play a game, now?”

  “No,” I growled. “Game, as in huntable animals. What can I kill for food?”

  “Well, those craglins might still be where we killed them,” he answered. “There's not really many wild animals other than fish. We've domesticated all of them. If you're lucky there might be a herbivore monster that's weak enough for you to kill it. Although, the craglins probably chased them away.”

  He then added, “But direwolves can eat other stuff too. Or is it because you're a fenris?”

  I sighed. “It's part of that previous life thing. My soul has been reincarnated. Before, the only thing I could eat was meat, and honestly, I'm partial to that kind of diet. It's simple.”

  “And expensive,” he added slyly.

  I sat at the door. “Let's just eat what you have and you can tell me how this society functions.”

  The boy tilted his head to the side. “Why do you want to know about all that? All you have to be concerned with is getting stronger so we can win tournaments.”

  “These tournaments, are they a way to make money?” I flattened my ears. “What about those monkey creatures, can we sell their hides or meat? You were freezing last night, that's why I didn't bring it up then. How else can you make money? Can you get a job?”

  He scratched the back of his head. “I have a job; I'm a monster trainer. If someone has an odd job, I can commission you out temporarily.” His eyes went wide. “We have to register you as my monster.”

  “Yeah, yeah. It's so I don't get mistaken for a wild monster, right.” I shook my head. “But I haven't agreed to be your monster. You obviously need to start smaller.”

  “But if you register as someone else's monster, they will see your species. They will have access to your entire status.”

  “And?”

  He looked at me dumbfounded. “They’ll kill you, remember?”

  “Oh,” I drew out. “So, I am stuck with you or spend my life as a wild monster.”

  “Why would you say it like that?” He frowned. “I know I don't have much, but that can change, especially with you around now.”

  I hummed to myself. “Look, I've got to think about this.”

  “But…”

  “Let. Me. Think.” I turned and headed out of the room. “Just put on some clean clothes and some food in you.”

  I didn't stick around for a response. Walking through his dwelling, calling it a house was an overstatement. There were three rooms. The bedroom, a bathroom, and the everything-else-room. The only furniture he had other than the bed was a heavily weathered table that was splintering, a metal stove that was held together by the rust, and a single chair that had one leg clearly shorter than the rest.

  This kid is doomed. Yet he believes I'm going to save him from all this. Should I? He's just a kid.

  I can't do nothing.

  A long, slow sigh escaped my lips. “Kid, how much do you need to survive a year?”

  He was kicking on obviously stale bread. “It depends on how much you eat. But…”

  “How much do you need for just yourself?” I annunciated forcefully. “And not just the bare bones. How much would it cost if you bought yourself real food every day?”

  He started stammering. “Uh, about 4,800 gold coins.”

  “What's the fastest way to make money?”

  “Tournaments,” he answered with a little more confidence.

  I sat down and looked out the window. “What's the prize money for winning one?”

  His voice was back to normal. “For F-rank which we will have to start at, 1,000 gold for first place and nothing if you are less than third. Does that mean…” he looked at me with the widest eyes he could.

  I clicked my tongue. “Five tournaments. I'll stay until I won five tournaments for you. Then you can get a new monster, something more your speed.”

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  I could see, and hear, the hope shatter in his face.

  “Why are you so against being my partner?” the boy whispered. “What have I done that you hate me so much?”

  “Look, kid, I don't hate you.” I hung my head. “If it wasn't for me, you'd probably be dead by the end of the week.” Note to self, ask how time is kept in this world. “I don't know how you got yourself in this situation, but I can't, in good conscience, leave you like this. You don't have a plan. You simply aren't ready. I'll give you something to help you start. That's it.”

  The boy squirmed in his chair. “If that's what you think is the right thing to do. But I like you. You're really friendly. My book says that's a good trait for a first monster.”

  I closed my eyes. “One long look at my status and you will understand that you aren't ready for the complicated that I am.”

  He sat up and brushed his pants. “You were saying that you were reincarnated last night. Does that have anything to do with this?”

  “It has everything to do with it,” I answered begrudgingly. “And I'd rather just show you so it will make my story more believable.”

  He scooped up his bag. “Then we need to head into town and register you. That's the only way I'll be able to see it and the only away we will be able to compete in the tournament at the end of the week.”

  I waited for him to open the door as I asked, “which is in how long exactly?”

  “Four days.” He opened the door and slapped his forehead. “Oh right, you don't know how the calendar is.”

  He isn't that slow. I didn't have to ask. Hopefully the kids can learn a thing a two before I leave him to his own devices.

  “There are six days a week and forty-eight weeks a year.” The boy bounced as I followed him outside. “There's tournaments every week, but not always at all ranks.”

  The sun was making things much warmer, and blinding bright as it reflected off the heavy frost from last night. The boy used his magnetic stone to lock his door.

  It seems unnecessary. There's nothing of value. But hey, it's good practice. It was never a problem in my last life, nobody was stupid enough to rob from me or my adoptive mother. They were scared I'd rip them in half. I would have.

  As we walked, the boy was giddy with excitement. There wasn't any reason to stop him, and if I was honest with myself, seeing him smile made me almost believe he wasn't about to die of starvation or malnutrition.

  He talked the whole way, telling me how things worked and a brief history of the discs, like I asked last night. “You see, thousands of years ago, civilization was growing rapidly. Then this huge rock fell from the sky. After that all the monsters appeared and destroyed a whole lot of towns and stuff. Then some gods all showed up and trapped all the monsters in discs.”

  “Hold up, gods? As in, they're real and multiple?”

  The boy shrugged. “Well, those gods disappeared and new ones show up and taught some people how to release and team the monsters from the discs. Then even more good showed up.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “How many gods are there? Who are they? And now importantly, why are they here?”

  He grimaced. “How many? I don't know… a lot. I do know that you can offer them money at their temples for a blessing on your monster. If you get noticed enough, they can give you special quests with powerful and unique rewards.”

  I snorted. “Sounds like I really should stay away from them.”

  “Why? Powerful rewards are awesome.”

  My shoulder burned. “Life lesson number one kid; nothing in life is free. Everything has a cost. These ‘gods’ are using you. Also you don't know me enough yet, but I have a problem with authority and rules that aren't my own. After killing one practically god-like being, I'd rather not pay the price of doing it a second time.”

  Keagan froze.

  I kept walking. “Long story, remember?”

  He started walking and stared up to the sky. “You must've been really powerful and lived a long time.”

  I twitched. “I died when I turned sixteen.” For a moment the boy stopped breathing. “Yes, I was powerful. But it cost me everything I was. In my short life, I had seen and committed horrors you should never experience.” I turned my head. “Believe me, when I say this. You aren't ready. This is for your safety; not mine.”

  Keagan walked silently until we saw the town ahead. “Was it worth it?”

  I held back a tear and responded as flatly as I could. “That's… that's a painful question. Don't ask me that again.”

  “Sorry.”

  I couldn't look at the boy, so I kept walking forward. “You're an innocent kid, don't be too hard on yourself. Just know that some scars run very deep and ignorance is sometimes bliss.”

  I paused and tried to sound as cheerful as I could. “Now, where do we have to go?”

  The boy snapped his fingers. “Registration is done at the Guild’s Branch Hall. This way.”

  He started skipping down the way. My road ahead is too full of blood for you kid. Enjoy your innocence while it lasts. There are things that go bump in the night. And if I am going to be responsible for ending this world, I'd rather you not see it coming. It will hurt less. I've saved one world through sheer dumb luck. I won't have the same luck twice in a row.

  We walked into town and people were dressed in thick leather coats, heavy boots, gloves, hats, and anything to keep them warm. Keagan was severely undressed. Something I will have to fix first thing once I give him some money.

  I couldn't help but notice that there weren't any other races. “Kid, are there humans in this world?” I asked in a whisper as I leaned in close.

  “What's a human?” He didn't keep his voice low like I did. “Is that some kind of monster not in my books? There are only animals, monsters, and kalands.”

  That would mean his species is kaland. Noted.

  “Don't worry about it,” I murmured.

  That only brought to my attention the other important note. People were watching me very closely. Keagan was waving at people with a little too much enthusiasm. They would wave back, but never take their eyes off me. I kept close to the boy. He walked through the streets with a little too much bounce in his step.

  None of the buildings were very large. The town was small and cozy in its own way. By the way people waved to Keagan, it wouldn't have surprised me he knew everyone's names.

  The largest building in the town, maybe the size of a large home, hung a sign different from the rest. There were no special markings, engravings, or stylization; just words.

  “Monster Association - Fiedvell Branch Office.”

  The boy stopped in front of the door and held his hands to his chest. A squeak escaped from him as he vibrated so much his feet shuffled.

  I couldn't hold back my groan as I noted the round door knobs. I nudged the boy to the door with my tail. “Could you use your thumbs and open the door already?”

  “Of… of course,” he squirmed up to the door.

  He paused and took a deep breath before pulling the door open. Exaggerating his steps and attempting to straighten his back so much he learned backwards, I was sorely tempted to smack the boy in the back of the head.

  There was only one person inside the spacious gathering room.

  The open room. was wide and low-lit in the warm glow of hanging lanterns and a massive stone hearth home to a cracking fire. Rough-cut timber beams stretched overhead. The scent of old pine resin and charred wood were the most prominent scents my superior sense of smell picked up.

  Near the hearth, a half-circle of mismatched chairs and thick-cushioned benches. Most of the chairs had been patched, reinforced, or outright cobbled together from other chairs, adding to each one's character. A rack near the fire sat empty and ready to dry cloaks.

  Worn yet well-maintained fur rugs covered sections of the floor. The walls were stacked single cuts of logs with metal banding for reinforcement. One bore a large down banner with the crest of the Monster Association: a gold ring enclosing a stylized red dragon claw, a lion’s paw, and a scaled hoof on a kite shield.

  Opposite of the hearth, a Notice Board dominated the wall—a massive corkboard framed in iron and riddled with small sheets. Some papers curled at the edges. A few looked freshly pinned with neat hand-script. Others were written in red ink or dotted with odd symbols.

  A heavy wooden counter divided the room from the hallway beyond, its surface polished smooth and shiny. A single doorway behind it led deeper into the building.

  Behind the counter sat a woman with sharp eyes and a quill. Her coat was a slate gray uniform—high collar, brass buttons, and a stitched emblem of what I could only guess was the Monster Association over her heart. Her sleeves were rolled to the elbows and a pair of thick spectacles rested low on her nose as she scribbled something into a wide ledger.

  Her hair was a pale green, tied into a tight bun with a few feather ornaments dangling from it. A steaming cup of something similar to coffee sat beside her elbow. She had a face that looked like it scowled more than it smiled.

  But when she looked up, her gaze locked on Keagan. She stopped writing.

  “You actually have a monster?” Her jaw dropped.

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