The world below us seemed so distant, hidden beneath layers of fluffy snow and veiled by a soft haze of mist. Snow-capped peaks of neighboring mountains stretched toward the heavens. Each craggy ridge and icy peak told a story of endurance and resilience, shaped by the whims of the elements over countless ages—they had been around far longer than I had.
It was humbling.
I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the pristine mountain air. In that moment, I felt connected to something greater than myself, something timeless and eternal. Hexarium itself.
“It’s fucking cold,” Casper whined, teeth chattering. He shivered and summoned three balls of light to warm himself.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting only a small amount of golden rays across the wintry landscape. The light, though minimal, danced upon the snow and created a mesmerizing spectacle of glimmering crystals.
“What if the abominals are gone like the rest of the monsters?” Bastian murmured, glancing around before another whimper hit my ears.
“That’s definitely a monster,” Aimon said, following me as I searched for the cause of the noise.
The cold air wrapped around me, awakening my senses to the chilling sound of a baby monster somewhere near us. I trudged through the snow, boots sinking with each step, and my eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of movement until I could find the source of the anguished plea.
A small shape trembled, huddled in the snow.
It was a baby abominal, and it was innocent and defenseless. Its fur, matted with ice and snowflakes, bore witness to its abandonment. The creature was alone and vulnerable, and I felt a sudden pang of compassion for the little thing.
“Over there,” I pointed toward the baby abominal. Compassion surged within me, an empathetic pang that resonated deep within my core. “It’s an abominal young. We need to help it.”
My heart raced as I locked eyes with the young monster, my fingers outstretched in a tentative gesture. The tension in the air was palpable, and the guys watched with a mix of skepticism and uncertainty filling our bond.
“What?” Silas crossed his arms, his brows pulling together in confusion. "Look, muse, we’re here to kill an abominal for its femur bone—not to rescue a baby monster. It's not like it's going to grow up to be a friendly neighborhood abominal, and weneedto forge this weapon.”
“I hate to agree with the asshole, but…” Jasper chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Goddess, they’re monsters.”
“Monsters don’t have empathy or sympathy,” Casper agreed.
“Sorry, bug, but I’m on their side.” Aimon shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his expression conflicted as he stared at the monster young. "We need something it has.”
“It’s ababy,” I whispered harshly, staring at my bonded mages with horror.
Jasper's tone softened, and he exchanged a glance with Casper. "Look, Fawn, we've all seen the darkness in this world. We've seen what these creatures are capable of. And you’ve killed these monsters before—young or adult.”
Its eyes were filled with fear as it whimpered and lowered itself further into the snow.
“I’ve killed a lot of monsters and mages. Senseless killing has been something I’m not guilt-free of. But I’m tired of it…and it’s a baby.” I approached it and knelt down, holding out a hand toward it. “Its femur bone wouldn’t even be big enough.”
“She does have a point there,” Jasper muttered.
“True, but I wouldn’t try to pet it either,” Casper added.
“It’s okay,” I murmured softly. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
The baby abominal leaned in and sniffed at my hand timidly, its bright eyes meeting mine.
I smiled, feeling a sense of warmth in my chest. The baby abominal seemed to be responding to my kindness, something I’d never known a monster to do.
“Its mom must be close,” Bastian said, kneeling beside me and giving the baby monster a drop of antidote potion. “Just in case.”
But the baby just suckled from the dropper, and it didn’t seem to have any effect on it. It was obvious the abominal baby hadn’t been affected by the rage potion.
“Its mom is probably raging somewhere else. You’ve seen what parent monsters have done to their young on rage potion.” Silas crossed his arms.
“Then we’re taking it with us," I declared, turning to face my companions. "We'll figure out what to do with it later."
"You're joking, right?" Silas asked incredulously, eyeing me as if I had lost my mind.
