"Haaaaaa." Loki sighed wondering what he was doing wrong, did he lack imagination or was it about strength or experience.

"Start with something simple."

"Wuah!" Loki was taken by surprise; Frost had ended his shadow fight with Valend and was now standing behind him...he didn’t even notice.

"You can barely be considered G-rank and the amount of actual battle experience you have is practically zip so summoning a shadow opponent is beyond you at the moment."

"....So I’m too weak." He knew it.

"To do what I do yes but that doesn’t mean you can’t start with something basic." Frost brushed off his disappointment and placed his hands atop his shoulders.

"Start by envisioning solid dots on the pillar." He said.

"Dots?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Yes, although simple from this you can eventually turn those dots into lines which can then turn into limbs." Even the most complicated images can usually be broken down into a collection of simple shapes.

"Three dots representing the upper, middle and lower parts of a humanoid body like yours and mine should be fine for now. Spar like you normally do but try to maintain those three dots at all times. Once you succeed in that expand the dots to six, representing the head, torso, arms and legs after that it should come naturally." Once he’s able to see the pillar as something more than just a pillar then the rest would follow.

"3 dots, 3 dots." Loki repeated like a mantra, trying really hard to picture what Frost had just described. Placing three imaginary dots on a pillar wasn’t all that hard but keeping them there and associating them with parts of a person was tricky. Whenever he’d tried a move, attack or think about something other than the three dots they’d vanish.

Within just a few minutes Loki was already overheating, dizzy and mentally exhausted, his drained physical state didn’t do him any favours either.

"Hahahaha relax Loki there’s no rush just take it one step at time. If you’re tired rest and try again later."

"Ok Master." Though reluctant to give up so soon his body was screaming for him to take a proper rest.

Frost couldn’t help but well up with pride as he saw Loki’s stubborn determination and dedication to growing stronger. His heart felt warm and he had the sudden urge to lavish him with praise and gifts but in the same instant he also felt an irritation, not towards Loki of course but to another person in their family who always did anything he could to avoid training and hard work. A menacing expression flashed across his face as Kiba’s image appeared in his mind.

"Loki I know you’re probably tired and hungry, but would you mind helping me out with another request?"

"Hmm of course Master." Even if he lacked the strength to move his limbs Loki would still be willing to help his beloved Master. "What do you need from me?"

"Nothing much I just thought that since you’ve been practising so hard here that we should help someone else experience the joy that comes from such efforts." Frost’s smile was downright evil by this point but such a fact eluded the innocent Loki.

"That’s a great idea Master." Who wouldn’t want to grow stronger and be taught personally by Frost, Loki was therefore in total agreement.

"I’m glad you think so, unfortunately the person I have in mind often does everything they can to avoid such rigours... a shame really."

"They don’t want to grow stronger?" Loki struggled to imagine such a concept, why would anyone not want to grow stronger? With strength you could live longer, happier and protect those who were important to you. He and his sister lost their village, their family and were put in chains and turned into slaves all because they lacked the strength needed to resist.

"No they do, they just don’t like putting in the work." Kiba was lazy but incredibly talented, just a little effort or even just by natural growing he’d become stronger, so he often avoided training, only doing so when forced or when his cushy lifestyle was being threatened for example when the coeurl pups started evolving and becoming C-rank monsters.

"...." Frost’s description created an inkling in Loki’s mind, a familiar face flashing.

"Are you talking about Kiba Master?"

"Yes, a lazy cat that refuses to work despite the ever growing need to." He was supposed to be Frost’s battle mount, his partner in battle yet Frost managed to reach mid B-rank before he even reached upper C-rank. Kiba could no longer keep up in the high tier battles, forced to leave his side and take on lesser adversaries.

".....If he was stronger, then you’d be safer?" Loki eventually asked.

"...Without question." A B-rank riding a B-rank mount was a far different adversary to a B-rank riding a C-rank mount.

"Then we need to make him train." There was a distinct flame behind Loki’s gaze as he spoke.

"My thoughts exactly." The two surrogate father and son started to quietly chuckle, both looking forward to Kiba’s torture.

Lying down on the comfortable floor of the Lunar Maidens private quarters Kiba suddenly awoke with a start, a shiver running down his spine, warning him of incoming danger.

"Hmm Kiba what’s wrong?" Asked one of the Lunar maiden children leaning against his dense, soft fur. He was a calming object for them in this foreign land, a familiar face that helped save them from their torment.

"He has to go to work little one." Frost silently appeared behind them, able to teleport directly inside thanks to the lunar maidens now being considered monsters of the Dungeon.

"Uwah!" Frost’s sudden appearance was surprising and alarming. Many loudly exclaimed before some of the adults promptly bowed and greeted him.

"Greetings Master." Thanks to the energy from the Dungeon core they could instinctively sense a connection with him, a connection where they were the subordinate and he was the revered master. The bond was so strong and intense that they didn’t feel the slightest modicum of rejection towards their submission. A rather shocking development given their past behaviours.

"G...Greetings Master." The children shortly followed their elders, receiving Frost with their upmost grace. Kiba on the other hand desperately looked for an escape route then upon seeing none searched for a scapegoat, someone who’d take pity on him or who seemed to need his presence. That young maiden who was leaning against his fur, clutching it in her hand as she listened to his heartbeat seemed to be the perfect target alas before he could even think of shmoozing her Frost sent a fierce glare in his direction. He shivered and froze in place feeling as though a massive hand was holding him down, grasping his neck like a vice. One wrong move and he’d find himself held by the nape like a naughty kitten.

"Raise your heads, a polite nod or salute is fine." Full 90 degree bows were unnecessary and far too eye catching to be done in public. "Yuna or Neve will come by later to explain the terms your employment as well as hand out your immediate duties but right now I’m in need of Kiba here so you’ll have to say your goodbyes now." The children all looked at Kiba who appeared very pitiful.

"Bye bye Kiba please come and play with us again in the future." There were a few red eyes as they spoke.

"Garow~" The young tiger cub released a weak whimper knowing full well that whatever his cruel master had planned for him would be anything but good.

Frost disappeared as quickly as he came, like a phantom the only proof of his arrival being the now missing Kiba.

Doof!

Frost rudely dropped Kiba from a few metres in the air, placing him in front his co-conspirator Loki.

"Grrrr!" Kiba fiercely growled in protest of his barbaric treatment.

"Watch your tongue you lazy good for nothing!" In response to his choice of harsh language he was rewarded with a swift rap of knuckles across his skull. "I told you that when we got back you’d start training, did you think I was kidding?" Frost’s face was anything but friendly. Just seeing the way he moved, groaned and acted in a pitiful manner irked him, he was so damn lazy.

Feeling that his master was well and truly at his limit patience wise but still dreading being forced into training Kiba turned his focus to Loki. Good old Loki, never failed him, he’d take pity on him for sure.....Unfortunately that adorable face that exuded nothing, but love and affection disturbingly looked a lot like Frost’s.

"..." His head turned between the two of them, the similarity was uncanny....then it hit.

’I’m totally fucked aren’t I’ No one was on his side, no one would defend his way of life, his love for leisure and peace....he suddenly missed Kranor. Druakai who lavished him with affection, fed him all manner of nice treats and never forced him to train his body, such an amazing dad....but then he remembered his surrogate mother Ruby. His love for her was certainly no less than his love for Druakai perhaps even more so but unlike with him there was also a strong level of fear present alongside the love. She never stood for any of his shit, very quick to discipline him....maybe the Dungeon wasn’t so different after all.