Rescue Pursuit

chapter 2

"Call me Anthony!" The boy introduced himself and attempted to bow in respect but winced from the pain in his stomach. "... Or you can just call me Ant or my very own nickname, Ree to your comfort."

Grant couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the boy's second nickname since it sounded very way off from the first name. "Ree?" Grant remarked a hint of amusement in his voice. "Where is that even come from?"

Ree nervously fidgets with his hands, an anxious glint in his eyes. "I don't have a specific idea of where "Ree" might come from," Ree stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "It's just something some folks called me back... back where I'm from."

Grant nodded understandingly, sensing that there might be more to Ree's nickname than he was letting on. He decided not to press further, respecting Ree's privacy.

"Alright, Ree it is then," Grant said reassuringly. "Well, Ree, I'm Grant, and this here is Willow," he gestured to the dragon beside them. "We're just passing through these parts. What about you? What brings you out here all alone?"

"I'm just exploring around the world and practising my gale strike. Like this," Ree said as he unsheathed a white dagger out of his holster and swung towards the pond, a visible wind blade can be seen hitting the water.

"I've been trying to perfect my aim and my focus. I only able to generate from my swings and try to generate out of my feet to make some kind of booster jump."

Grant's smile softened with empathy as he listened to Ree's explanation. "Don't worry, we all have our struggles," he reassured him, as he walked to Ree and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But with time and practice, I'm sure you'll master your abilities. Like me," Grant said, opening his left palm and showing Ree as generating an electric ball. Ree's eyes widened and tried to touch it. Ree's fingers made contact with the energy, sending a jolt of electricity coursing through his body.

"Ow!" Ree yelped, jerking his hand back in surprise and immediately went to the pond, easing down the slight pain with the cool water of the pond. Grant checked on a bit just to see if there was nothing wrong.

They chatted more and Ree revealed that he was raised by an alchemist. He once accidentally drank a small dose of a potion that gave him a bit of power of aerokinesis and had been trying to practise it. Grant then asked about the alchemist but Ree then told him that the old man died by some human hunters.

"Wait, are you a human too?" Grant asked.

"Yeah. A human with slight magic in me." Ree said. Grant then thought that he should help him, but he had a more serious problem that needed to be addressed but even after he finished the problem, he couldn't be alive for too long.

"Hey," Grant turned to Ree when he heard him feel a grip on his shoulder.

"Are you alright, Grant? What's with the long face?" Ree asked. Grant looks away from Ree and thinks again. Moments later, Grant sighed and turned to Ree.

"I could with your magic but I also have a journey that is....quite risky and I also can't help you at all after the journey ended for reasons I can't tell you yet. So, wanna join me on this journey with me?"

Ree's eyes widened in surprise at Grant's unexpected offer, his gaze flickering with a mixture of uncertainty and excitement. He had grown accustomed to facing the challenges of the wilderness alone, but the prospect of embarking on a journey with Grant filled him with a sense of hope and anticipation.

"Join you?" Ree asked, his voice tinged, slightly excited as he processed Grant's words. "But why? I mean, I'm just a kid with a bit of magic and a lot of problems. What could I possibly offer? I am barely able to elevate a pebble." Ree said out of frustration, didn't understand why Grant even wanted him travelling with him.