17. Individual Circumstances (II)

The black and white cat climbed up further and batted a tiny paw at the empty air. Katherine took it out and placed it on her lap. She fed it pieces of meat and smiled as it made a string of happy noises.

“You… when did you catch that?” Jean-Pierre asked.

“Yesterday.”

“Yesterday? And you didn’t tell us?” He asked again, “Where did it come from, I didn’t see you even summon it.”

Zachary wondered about that as well. A new summon would result in a flash of light as the soul bond was activated but he didn't see one. She could have summoned the cat before dinner but that would mean that it had been out and hiding for a long time already.

“I never said I summoned her.” Katherine said and stroked the cat’s head, “She got caught in the net trap but I didn’t have to use a summoning card or hurt her. Marble decided to follow me, isn’t that right, Marble?”

“Meow!” The cat replied as if understanding her words.

She scratched its ears to reward its loyalty.

“She followed you?” Jean-Pierre asked suspiciously. He then turned to Zachary, “Are you believing this?”

“It’s… possible? Some wild Ensouled can be tamed and they wouldn't need a card. But it's very difficult."

Taming an Ensouled like this was known as pet summoning. It was an antique method that did not utilize a soul bond of any kind. The Ensouled remained free. It could come and go as it pleased.

This method often relied on raising an Ensouled from infancy to develop feelings of trust and familiarity. It was common among the domesticated species of Ensouled in the Old World. There were also certain people who were born with a natural affinity towards certain species of Ensouled which made taming easier.

Jean-Pierre continued to stare at the cat suspiciously, "Pet summoning, in the New World and in a single day? Nonsense."

Zachary also didn’t quite believe but he didn’t say anything. An awkward silence fell around the campfire as they digested this newfound dynamic. Pet summoning was seen as less reliable by some because one could not ensure absolute obedience through the soul bond facilitated by the summoning card. Pets also couldn’t understand orders and instructions as clearly.

However, unlike card summons, pet summons had no limitation in terms of how long they could stay active. They ate and slept and fought alongside their summoners. There was no firm bond between souls, only an inexplicable sense of connection and belonging between two living creatures that chose to be companions.

The black and white cat named Marble eventually finished eating and curled up in Katherine’s lap. It closed its eyes and purred happily. The two looked exactly like many pet owners and their pets back in the republic. The only hint of uniqueness was the tuft of hair on its forehead.

She stroked her pet and said softly, “You guys are so closed-minded. I just have a thing for cats, ever since I was a kid. I grew up around them. My first proper summon was an ember cat. All of my summons have been cats. And my parents…”

She trailed off as a painful expression flashed across her face. It was gone as quickly as it came.

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She let out a sigh before continuing, “Anyhow, I’ve loved them ever since I can remember. But I wouldn’t say I have any special ability to tame cats. This little girl is just really friendly and obedient. And she won’t disappoint you in a fight. Watch. Marble?”

She leaned down and whispered a few things in its ear. The furball stood up on its four legs, yawned, and abruptly disappeared.

“What!” Jean-Pierre shouted in surprise.

Zachary was also about to shout when he felt a soft weight on his right shoulder. He turned and found Marble a few hairs from his face, its large eyes blinking curiously. It gave him a lick on the cheek and then disappeared again without a sound.

Katherine giggled and patted the front of her shirt which held a wriggling furball. The cat returned to its hiding place and didn’t show its face again.

“Heavens eternal! That was a supernatural ability! That’s crazy!” Jean-Pierre blurted.

“That’s crazy…” Zachary agreed.

Ensouled abilities were usually distinguished according to their elemental affinity. If they did not require an element, they were called normal abilities. However, there was a special class known as supernatural abilities that could not be explained by one, two, or even three elements.

It was understood that supernatural abilities were the amalgamation of all eight elemental attributes. It was a mysterious phenomenon that created strange and fantastical effects that could not be explained by common sense. Ensouled that could use supernatural abilities were themselves supernatural and considered the rarest and most powerful in the entire world.

“Jealous?” She asked.

Jean-Pierre closed his mouth which had been wide open due to shock. He shot her a glare but had nothing to say.

“What about you, jealous?” She asked Zachary.

“I don’t like cats.” He replied flatly.

“Jerk.” She muttered.

“…”

That killed the conversation again. The three of them retreated into their own thoughts, watching the fire die down and the sky gradually darken.

“So…” Jean-Pierre broke the silence as he often did, “We all have pretty good summons. But the most important thing is still the summoner. Surviving a year in this place will be extremely dangerous. I don’t know either of you. Will you two be able to handle it?”

He looked at Zachary and then at Katherine. They stared back at him. Strands of Eternum shifted in between them, reacting to the rising sense of tension. Nobody was keen to volunteer any information. They were still strangers after all.

“Fine, we all have our circumstances that we want to keep to ourselves. I get that. How about this, let’s just share what crimes landed you in this place. Then at least, we’ll have a sense of each other’s ability.”

Zachary nodded and so did Katherine.

“Great, I’ll go first. Jean-Pierre Beaumont. Twenty-three years old. They pinned a serial murder case on me. Three convictions and six others that they tried but didn’t have enough evidence.”

Zachary frowned, “A serial killer?”

Jean-Pierre’s voice became low and dangerous, “Brother, don’t lump me in with those freaks. When I kill people, I kill with purpose and I don’t get caught. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

He grinned and revealed a brief burst of untamed ferocity.

After a long pause, his face brightened again, “But that doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that I am strong. Okay, what about you?”

Zachary coughed and cleared his throat. Even so, his voice sounded hoarse and distant, “Zachary Zhang. Twenty years old. Four counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder.”

Jean-Pierre whistled lightly, “My good brother, you’re even better than me!”

“No, it was only one incident. They tried to gang up and kill me. So, I fought back in self-defense. What I didn’t know was that it was a setup. The trial was over before it started.”

“Shit, that sucks.”

“Yeah.”

The two young men shared a moment of camaraderie due to their similar experiences. Then, they turned towards the last person.

“Katherine Holt. Twenty-four years old. Unfortunately, I’m not a mass murderer like you two. I’m here for treason or so they say. I was in the republic military, with the army. One day, I was dutifully serving the republic and its people. The next, I was a traitor.”

“So, are you really a traitor or was it a setup like Zachary here?” Jean-Pierre asked.

She gave him a piercing glare.

“Ugh… forget I asked. But the military is good enough for me. We have a decent team. As long as we steadily increase our strength, we should be in good shape. So, let’s keep working together.”

Zachary agreed while Katherine replied with the faintest of nods.