Kastori Tribulations (The Kastori Chronicles Book 3) by Stephen Allan Read Free Book Online Page B

strength compared to most.
    After a mile, Typhos was out of breath, his hands on his hips and his breathing more like gasping. He saw the mountain would only get worse and that by the time he reached the ursus, he would not even have the physical stamina to cast a fire spell to defeat the beast.
    Maybe I should just turn around. There’s more—
    No. No. No! Get your food, Typhos. Your day. Your feeding time.
    The boy smiled eagerly when he heard a growl. He quickly looked left and saw a small ursus—too small to be an adult. It approached him curiously. Typhos froze. He didn’t know how he had missed this ursus, but it seemed like a gift from the planet on this special day.
    And yet… the ursus didn’t look more than just a couple of months old. Typhos knew, selfishly speaking, he wouldn’t get as much meat out of this creature as he would an adult ursus—and there was no guarantee whatever meat he did get would be as good.
    But a strong impulse overwhelmed him even further—he felt that he could not kill something that could not defend itself. Is this the right thing? Is this a sign of weakness? What would the council see it as? That I showed compassion for something weaker than me? Or that I was a coward when I needed something?
    I don’t really need food at the moment. And let’s be real, I could crush it if need be. But…
    He heard a louder growl as an adult ursus trotted from behind its offspring. Typhos froze, knowing running would only attract the attention of the adult. The baby ursus leaned against its mother, and the elder ursus and Typhos glared at each other.
    I can’t kill either of you. I won’t hurt a defenseless creature, and I would never want anyone—Kastori, ursus, avaint—to lose a parent. I saw what happened with Pagus. I know.
    The ursus kept its eyes locked on Typhos, who slowly backed away, making sure not to make his movements sudden. The ursus snorted loudly and nudged its child in the opposite direction. Typhos turned back down the mountain, though he often looked back just in case.
    He almost gave up on having ursus for his birthday when he decided to give himself one last shot at the edge of the forest. The sun had not yet broached the horizon, though Typhos figured by the time he finished his last search it would become visible. He crouched down at the first tree and cast a more focused spell. Sure enough, about four hundred feet northeast, an adult ursus grazed alone. No longer willing to engage in a true hunt, Typhos walked over, cast the most powerful fire spell he knew, and killed and cooked the ursus within minutes. The sudden kill had charred the creature a bit more than the boy wanted, but the meat brought ecstatic feelings all the same. Worth it. Worth the wait. Always.
    Best start to my birthday ever. Just how the day ought to go.
    After he had eaten until his stomach felt painfully full, Typhos lifted the ursus up with his red magic and brought it back to his outpost. He struggled with the spell, needing to stop more than once—both to recast the spell and because the pain in his stomach required him sitting—but reached home just as the entirety of the sun appeared. He placed the ursus in the middle of the outpost so that everyone could come celebrate with him. He had centered the ursus and crossed his arms, pleased with himself, when Pagus’ tent flapped open.
    “I guess you’re the delivery boy on your birthday, huh?”
    Typhos snorted with a short laugh.
    “You wish,” he said smiling.
    “I’m just messin’ with ya, man.”
    Pagus gave a genuine, full hug to his best friend. Typhos, feeling on top of the world, accepted the hug and patted Pagus on the back several times.
    “I already had first cut, but would you like the honors of having the second cut?”
    “Man, gotta have it all, huh?”
    “Duh.”
    “All right. I would think you would save some for Hanna.”
    “Oh,” Typhos said, momentarily upset but then laughing. “She won’t be here for