Max sat cross-legged on the cold, hard ground of the clearing, his gaze fixed on the wild boar that stood a few feet away. The creature's large, muscular body was still, its tusks gleaming in the dim light. The mountain lion, which had followed them from the woods, rested a short distance away, its golden eyes glinting in the fading sunlight.
Liora's voice cut through the silence, breaking Max's focus. "Patience, Maxiel. You've learned the first lesson well, but now you must take it further. Your ability to control the creatures you tame — it starts here. You've tamed them, but now you must prove that you can bond with them."
Max nodded, feeling the weight of her words. His mind had been spinning ever since she had accepted him as a pupil. The training would be rigorous, no doubt, but he was ready for it. His taming skills, though raw, had been growing ever since he bonded with the wild boar, and the mountain lion had taught him a deeper level of patience and control. He could feel the bond strengthening with each passing day.
Liora stood beside him, watching silently. Her presence was commanding yet calm, and Max could feel the weight of her years of experience pressing on him.
"Start with the boar," Liora said, her voice steady. "Let it come to you. You've tamed it, yes, but now you must connect. You must prove to it that you can be trusted, that you can offer it something it needs."
Max looked down at the wild boar, its dark eyes staring back at him. He could feel the connection between them, but it was still new, fragile. The boar's instincts were still wild — it was always on edge, always ready to charge at the slightest provocation.
Max took a deep breath, his fingers flexing in the air. He focused on the boar, channeling the magic that came so naturally to him now. He felt the familiar pulse of energy in his veins as he opened his mind to the creature. But this time, he didn't push. He didn't force. Instead, he waited.
The boar snorted, taking a cautious step forward. Max held his ground, not moving a muscle. He could feel the creature's suspicion, its wariness, but he also felt something else — a thread of curiosity, of willingness. The boar's instincts told it to fight, to flee, but there was something Max had learned in the past few days: patience was a far greater weapon than force. The boar had to see him as more than just an authority figure. It had to see him as a companion, someone who could offer something it needed — safety, understanding.
The boar took another step forward, its nose sniffing the air. Max extended his hand slowly, palm-up, his movements calm and measured. The mountain lion, still nearby, didn't seem to react, but Max could sense its alertness, watching them with sharp eyes.
Time seemed to stretch, the silence between them growing thicker. Max's focus was on the boar — nothing else mattered. He could feel the creature's hesitation, the tension in its body as it moved closer to him. He could feel the power it carried within its thick frame, the strength of an animal that had survived by its own will in the harsh wilderness. But now, Max needed to prove that he could be more than just a force in the boar's life. He had to prove that he could be a partner, a leader.
Slowly, the boar extended its snout, sniffing Max's hand. For a moment, Max could feel the weight of the boar's massive head, the heat of its breath against his skin. And then, the creature did something unexpected: it nudged his hand with its nose, a sign of tentative acceptance.
Max smiled softly, but his work wasn't done. "Good," he whispered. "Now we begin."
A Lesson in Control
Liora watched the interaction from a distance, her arms crossed over her chest. She said nothing, but her eyes tracked Max's every movement. To an outside observer, it might have seemed like the taming was easy, that Max had somehow charmed the creature into submission. But Liora knew better. She could see the subtle tension in Max's body, the tightness in his jaw as he concentrated. Taming was never easy — and it was never done with just one attempt.
Max sat down on a nearby rock, motioning for the boar to stay. The creature had moved away slightly, its instincts still urging it to be cautious, but the connection was there. It was a start, but Liora knew Max would need more to succeed. He had to take it further.
"You've done well, but now comes the harder part," Liora said. She stepped forward, her boots crunching in the snow as she approached Max. "You've tamed it. But you haven't trained it yet. You need to get the boar to listen to you, to follow your commands without hesitation. And that's where the real challenge lies."
Max nodded, his fingers trembling slightly. The boar's acceptance was just the beginning. He knew it wouldn't be enough. It would take time to build the trust, to shape it into a creature that would fight for him when necessary.
"How do I make it listen to me?" Max asked, his voice steady but filled with determination. He wasn't sure how to proceed, but he was willing to try anything.
Liora's eyes softened slightly, though the sharpness in her gaze never wavered. "Through repetition, patience, and consistency. You don't just tame a beast once and expect it to follow you. You train it to understand your will. But you must be careful. If you push too hard, too quickly, you'll break the bond. You have to give it time. Make the boar see that it can trust you, that your commands will lead to something beneficial."
Max stood, his focus returning to the wild boar. He wasn't sure where to start, but Liora's words resonated with him. Patience. Trust. Consistency.
He approached the boar slowly, keeping his body language relaxed. He didn't want to overwhelm it. As he stepped closer, he raised his hand in the air, signaling for the boar to stay. It looked at him, its dark eyes watching carefully, but it didn't move. Max's heart raced as he repeated the command in his mind. Stay.
For a few moments, there was nothing. The boar's muscles twitched as it remained still, the slightest hesitation in its gaze. Max kept his stance firm but calm, his mind focused on the creature's movements. It was testing him, challenging him to see if he would falter.
Finally, the boar let out a soft grunt, lowering its head in submission, as if acknowledging the command. Max's breath caught in his throat. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.
"Good," Max murmured. "Stay."
Max took a few steps back, eyes never leaving the boar. The creature followed him with its gaze but didn't move. The connection between them was tenuous, but it was growing stronger with each command.
Liora stepped forward, nodding approvingly. "You've done well. But this is only the beginning. The boar will need more. You must be consistent in your commands, and you must always follow through. If you're unsure, you will lose its trust."
Max exhaled, his body tense with the effort. "I understand," he said, though he knew this would take time. This wasn't a task that could be completed in a day or even a week. It would take months, maybe years, before he could master the bond between him and the creatures he tamed.
Liora's eyes softened, just for a moment. "You will get there, Maxiel. But only if you understand that taming is about more than control. It's about forming a connection. You must become the leader these creatures need. Only then will they listen."
Max nodded, determination growing in his chest. This was his path, his responsibility. He would tame them all — and he would create something greater than himself in the process.
A Long Road Ahead
That night, as Max lay in his bedroll beside the fire, the wild boar lying close by, he thought about the lessons he had learned. The work was far from over. He had to train the boar, shape it into something more. But that would come with time.
Tomorrow, he would continue the process, working on the trust and the bond. He had learned a valuable lesson today — that taming was a two-way street. It wasn't just about controlling the beast. It was about understanding it, earning its respect, and being patient enough to build a lasting connection.
The road ahead was long, but Max was ready to walk it. With Liora's training, he knew he would learn to master his Biomancer powers, to control the creatures he tamed and to eventually create the hybrids that would shape his future.
But for now, the wild boar was his focus. And that, Max thought with a tired smile, was a good place to start.