Wild Souls: Infinite Frontier

Wild Souls: Part 1

***Wild Souls: Infinite Frontier***, or ***Infinite Frontier*** for short, is the first book of ***Wild Souls.***The arc spans 20 chapters and is followed by***Operation Bermuda.***

In a world populated by people who are granted special abilities and superpowers through the possession of spiritual entities known as Animal-Spirits, teenager Hannah Guiles attempts to locate the legendary Animal-Spirit user Ben Grey in order that she may train under his guidance. In doing so, she hopes to successfully summon her own Animal-Spirit (who refuses to appear), and compete in the **Concrete Jungle Triathlon.** Along the way, Hannah encounters numerous other Animal-Spirit users with a variety of different powers.

The book also details the uprising of a terrorist organization known as the **Collective,** set on opposing the current organization in power, the **Association.** In the course of the story, Hannah and her friends often cross paths with Collective agents set on killing Ben Grey, the apparent strongest Association member. The Collective is led by a man named "Coin", who despises "nature's pyramid" and wishes to destroy the Association.

## Plot Summary

### Animal-Spirits

Before the story begins, a brief introduction explains that the world is populated by people who are granted superpowers through their possession of ghost-like spiritual entities known as Animal-Spirits.

An Animal-Spirit is presumably a version of a spirit animal, from pagan religions, since it centers around the idea of a person having a spiritual animal companion. However, an Animal-Spirit is different in that it does not only relate to its user's personality, but also imbibes them with special abilities that are derived from the animal's own. An example is then provided in the form of "the Dog", which hypothetically grants its user increased stamina, strength, and senses, as well as the ability to cheer people up.

Animal-Spirits come in all different shapes and sizes: some look identical to real life animals, some look more like humans than animals, some are invisible, some are intangible, etc. They are no real rules for how an Animal-Spirit looks, although it will tend to act akin to its user's personality.

### The Boy in the Garden

A young woman checks her phone to make sure she is in the right location before continuing onward down the road. She is revealed to be somewhere in Wales, in a fictional town by the name of Pedrum Village. She is apparently looking for someone. This is confirmed when she stops and tells an elderly woman, who is feeding pigeons, that she is looking for a man named Ben Grey.

The old woman, whose name is Coco, tells the girl she knows of no one named Ben Grey in the village. The girl muses on this, but before she can ask further, Coco cheerily states that she knows of his grandson, a boy named Kaito, who lives right up the street in a small house. Hannah thanks her and continues on her way.

When Hannah reaches the house, she is greeted by the sight of a small boy raking leaves in his front yard. Suddenly, the boy whips around and blitzes toward her, pointing the blades of his rake at her throat. She cries out for him to wait, and he halts. Then, as quickly as he approaches, he returns to his original place in the yard, apologizing for the "misunderstanding" and saying that his name is Kaito.

### Generations of Grey

Kaito invites Hannah, who is still shaken, into his home. Hannah observes that the house, although small, is remarkably neat. However, she notices that there is only one bedroom, which confuses her, as Kaito seems far too young to be living on his own.

Disregarding this, she asks Kaito where is grandfather is, thinking that will provide her with information on Ben Grey. Kaito responds sadly that his grandfather is dead, having died from natural causes two months prior. Hannah is shocked, her search having ended so suddenly, before Kaito states that Ben Grey is still alive. Hannah is confused initially before Kaito explains that Ben Gray is not his grandfather, but his great-grandfather, who is well over one hundred and fifty years old.

As the sun goes down, Kaito prepares a pot of stew. He then makes one plate for Hannah and one for himself. Hannah commends his cooking ability, saying it is some of the best stew she's ever tasted, surprised that someone of his youth could cook so well. Katio gratefully accepts the compliment, and over dinner, regales Hannah with tales of his "Great-Grandpa Ben", saying that he can move mountains and fight off entire armies single-handed.

Kaito tells Hannah she is welcome to sleep on his couch overnight. Hannah, sleepy from overindulgence, gratefully accepts.

### The Rhino Gang

The next morning, Hannah tells Kaito that she is looking to train under Ben Gray in order to successfully summon her own Animal-Spirit. Kaito asks if she is without an Animal-Spirit entirely, to which Hannah responds that she isn't, that it just hasn't shown itself yet. Kaito then asks if she knows at least what sort of animal it is; Hannah replies that she doesn't. Kaito is skeptical, saying that his great-grandfather won't appreciate taking a student without one. Hannah then shouts at him, saying she's tried everything to summon her Animal-Spirit, that it won't come out, and that her entire family sees her as a mistake because of it. Hannah gets slightly-teared eyed, saying that developing her Animal-Spirit was her only chance to make something out of herself, and she somehow messed it up.

Kaito pats her on the arm, saying he'll try to make his great-grandfather understand, and furthermore that everything will be okay. Although Hannah knows he's only saying such things to make her feel better, she acknowledges that it works regardless. Kaito then spends an hour packing for the trip, before telling Hannah that Great-Grandpa Ben is hiding in the Himalayan Mountains, a great distance from Wales. Hannah dismisses this, saying she is prepared to do anything to train under him.

Hannah and Kaito then embark on their journey, waving goodbye to Coco on their way out of the town. As the town disappears from view, Hannah asks Kaito various questions about his grandfather, such as if he'd trained under him personally. Kaito is prepared to respond when suddenly he is sent flying backwards via a hard punch from an unknown attacker. Hannah screams his name in fear, and is confronted by a group of leather-clad gang members, whose jackets all contain a rhinoceros insignia. The leader greets Hannah as "little lady", and informs her that the land around the outskirts of Pedrum Village belongs to the Rhino Gang.

### He Comes

Two Rhino gang members grab Hannah from behind and force her onto the ground. Their leader, who introduces himself as Dobre Horn, states that they require payment in the forms of "goods or services", emphasizing the latter by tracing his hand along Hannah's body. She recoils in disgust, saying that she has no payment. Horn states that the size of their backpacks tell a different story, as other Rhino gang members dump Hannah's backpack out onto the road.

Hannah attempts to stop them, but is quickly stopped and restrained. She calls for Kaito to help, only to see him rolling on the ground, holding his head. She shouts in concern, thinking he is in pain, only to notice that he isn't hurt at all, despite having hit the ground with enough force to cause a noticeable impact. Confused, she calls his name again, asking if he can hear her.

Kaito does not respond, instead rolling around in the dirt with his hands clasped around his head, repeating that he "doesn't want to remember" over and over. He starts convulsing, shouting for something to "get out of his head". The Rhino Gang pauses in caution, with one asking Horn if Kaito is "all there". Suddenly, the ground begins to vibrate, and Kaito begins to yell, straining against something within him. A massive aura erupts around him, lashing out of control and streaking through the surrounding dirt. Kaito's voice deepens as his agonized shouts continue, his eyes lighting up as the aura around him intensifies in strength. Hannah, Dobre Horn, and the rest of the Rhino Gang watch, dumbfounded, as the intensity of the energy building within Kaito reaches a breaking point, detonating out of the boy in a massive explosion that engulfs the area in a blinding light and a subsequent cloud of dust.

When the debris clears, Dobre Horn asks "what the hell just happened", having shielded himself from the explosion by use of his Animal-Spirit, as have the rest of the Rhino Gang (inadvertently protecting Hannah in the process). Kaito has vanished; in his place, they are greeted by the sight of a massively muscular man, crouched on the ground with his face obscured by shadow. His giant body is smoking with the remnants of energy from the explosion.

Horn shoves one of his subordinates towards the man, telling him to "investigate". The man shakily walks towards the crouching giant, telling him to "f\*\*\* right off or face the consequences". The man does not move. Still fearful, the gangster shakily threatens to "f\*\*\* him up" if he does not comply, activating his Rhinocerous Animal-Spirit. In response, the man slams the gangster into the ground with such speed and force that his head nearly explodes, and he lies comatose in a crater made from the impact of his own body.

The man then rises to his feet, his eyes glowing white against the shadow of his face. He turns toward Dobre Horn, and pointing, says "You're next."

### The Elephant

The man slowly walks towards Dobre Horn, who shouts at him to halt. When the man ignores him, Horn grabs Hannah by the back of her shirt and threatens to "crush her" if the man comes any closer. The man stops, Horn cautiously telling him "not to move a f\*\*\*ing muscle". In a blink of an eye, the giant man rushes Horn, grabbing him by the face and slamming him into the ground. He then turns swiftly, to find the rest of the gang has abandoned their hold on Hannah, instead watching him in shock, before one of the gangsters yells "It's the Elephant!"

Quickly, the gangsters charge him, with their Animal-Spirits activated. In response, he crouches low and launches forward, clothes-lining two of them with his forearms and vaulting over another, catching the gangster in the back of the head with a kick that sends the man flying. All three are visibly unconscious after being hit. The man then darts toward three other gangsters, leaving them no time to react before punching each of them in the stomach, knocking the wind out of them. He then leaps backwards and grabs the remaining two gangsters by their necks and slams them into one another, breaking their noses.

As Hannah watches, she realizes that this man must be Ben Grey. After watching the giant man dust himself off, he turns to her, his face revealed as surprisingly youthful for someone of his stature. He looks to be more than seven feet tall, and very muscular. His face is stern, although his most striking feature is that his hair is silver in color, contrasting heavily to the rest of his appearance, which looks far too young to have such a shade.

Hannah shakily asks him if he is Ben Grey. The man pauses, staring at her, before replying, "Not anymore." He then takes a flying leap, which cracks the ground as he lifts off; he disappears back the way he and Hannah came, no loger visible from Hannah's viewpoint.

### Convincing the Boulder

In a bar, a middle-aged man, apparently the bartender, is cleaning out glasses. The bar is empty, save for the giant man from earlier, who, by the looks of the bottles next to him, has drunk a substantial amount. The bartender asks the man, whom he addresses as Ben Grey, if it is time to stop hiding behind alcohol. Ben replies by flipping off the bartender and downing another beer glass, then slamming it onto the bar counter.

The bartender puts the cleaned glass to the side and faces Ben, asking him what he will do next. Ben glares at the bartender, whom he addresses as Simon, saying it won't matter. Simon asks if Ben will go home and ask another witch to turn him into a child, to which Ben replies that if he does, there'd be no way for Simon, or anyone else, to stop him. Therefore, why should Simon care?

Simon and Ben stare at each other for a minute, before Simon asks why Ben had himself turned into a child anyway. Ben replies that it was an attempt to slip out of the chains that were his life. Simon states that a person like Ben shouldn't have any chains, being the strongest on the planet. Ben, with one massive hand, grabs his stool in an outburst of anger, and effortlessly smashes it against the floor, shouting at Simon what his life is, because Ben "sure as hell doesn't know".

Ben, heaving with anger, then grabs another stool and smashes it against the floor in a drunken rage, saying that his life is a never-ending cycle of anger and loss. In addition, no one can end it for him on account of his practically indestructible body. Even he hasn't found a way to kill himself. Simon asks if he's tried, to which Ben spits that he's tried everything he can think of, but his Animal-Spirit, the Elephant, is so strong that even he, its Master, cannot overcome its strength in order to end his own life. Furthermore, an extended lifespan is an apparent side effect of the Elephant's power. Therefore, Ben has been stuck living a tortured existence for the past two hundred years, letting people into his life only to watch them be ripped away from him by the "cold hands of death" as he remains in his prime.

Simon and Ben say nothing for a time, the wreckage of the stools around their feet. Simon then approaches him, saying although he can't understand Ben's pain, he can offer a way out. Ben scoffs at him, saying the only thing Simon can offer him is more liquor. Simon tells Ben is wrong, not only because the bar has reached its closing hour, but also because of "her". Simon gestures towards the bar's windowed doors, through which Hannah can be seen. She has fallen asleep on the bench outside, apparently refused entry into the bar by Ben.

Ben scoffs again, asking if the girl who can't even summon her Animal-Spirit is a way out. Simon says that she isn't, she's only a chance; it's up to Ben to turn her into a way out. Ben stares at him for a short time. Simon then claps him on the arm, bids him goodnight, and walks out of the bar, the lights turning off behind him. Ben is left alone in the darkness.

A few minutes later, he walks out into the night, and looks down at Hannah, asleep on a bench. He then wakes her up by calling her "kid" and asks if she wants to become his student, to which she excitedly accepts, thanking him profusely.

### The Cafe

Ben and Hannah walk along a sidewalk in a city, Hannah repeatedly trying to ask Ben questions about his training methods that he shuts down before she can speak. She eventually stops, put out.

Ben halts in front of a cafe, entering after a brief inspection. Hannah follows him, not daring to ask anymore questions. As he enters the cafe, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the door, his entrance is met by a collection of surprised gasps at his size. Despite the fact that he takes a place at the back of the line, the others (already in line) scatter out of the cafe, seemingly not wanting to cause confrontation. This goes either unnoticed or ignored by Ben, who strides to the counter and asks for a single cup of black coffee. The barista shakily tells him that his order will be ready in a few minutes. Hannah then goes to the counter and tells the barista not to worry, as Ben is not a harmful person, and that she will take an iced coffee as well. As she walks to their table, Hannah recalls what Ben did to the Rhino Gang, and thinks that her comment may not have been entirely truthful.

Hannah and Ben take their seat, before Ben gets up once again. Hannah watches him, only to find that he grabs a newspaper and returns back. Without saying anything, Ben opens the newspaper, and reads. They are served their drinks in silence, and Hannah drinks hers without talking. In a sudden action that makes Hannah jump, Ben barks at her what the "Collective" is. Hannah is confused, but tells him she doesn't know either. Ben humphs, saying that the newspaper describes the "attacks by the organization known as the Collective" as "increasing in recent weeks", and that he isn't aware of this organization.

Hannah pulls out her smartphone, much to Ben's surprise, and looks up the Collective, saying she knew much about them from the news feed. Ben asks her what on Earth she has in her hand that can allow to do something so quickly, to which Hannah asks if he knows what a smartphone is. Ben replies that he's never heard of such a thing. Hannah informs him that smartphones are devices that allow people to make calls, browse the internet, and do a variety of other things. Ben stands up suddenly and strides out the door, saying he needs one of his own.

Hannah watches him leave in silence before returning to her phone, which shows on its news feed that Collective attacks *have* increased, and that agents are beginning more and more often to take to the streets. One report from the local police say that the agents, in traditional terrorist fashion, tend to attack public hubs. As soon as she finishes reading it, Hannah hears a voice asking "May I sit with you?"

Hannah looks up to see a young woman, about her age, dressed in a strange outfit consisting of a purple, short-sleeved collared shirt, black shorts/suspenders, a black bow tie, purple knee-length socks, and a black bow tie. The girl also has very long and straight black hair. Hannah is caught off guard by her gaudy outfit, so much that it takes her a minute to reply "Sure" and gesturing to Ben's seat, now empty.

The girl introduces herself as Allison, and Hannah responds in kind. Allison asks Hannah if the food in the cafe is anything special, as she was thinking of buying some lunch. Hannah thinks to herself that it's odd anyone would be ordering lunch at 10 A.M., but tells herself that it would be rude to judge someone she just met. As she watches Allison peruse the menu, Hannah suddenly has the odd thought that Allison is dressed like an evil waitress. She grins at the thought, but says nothing.

Allison asks if the BLTs are anything special. Hannah replies that she doesn't know, as she's never eaten at the cafe either. Allison apologizes, having assumed she was a regular. Hannah wonders how in the world she looked anything like a regular, but before she can think anything more of it, Allison tells her that she saw Hannah come in with a huge, hulking man. Hannah responds that it was Ben Grey, to which Allison in surprise asks if it is the real Ben Grey - legendary fighter and Master of The Elephant. Hannah, slightly smug, replies that not only is it the real Ben, but that she herself is Ben's student. Allison replies that she envies Hannah, wishing she could train under Ben as well.

Hannah then shrugs and picks up her own menu, telling Allison slightly pompously (without looking at her), that she can ask Ben to train her once her own training is complete. Allison says nothing. Hannah looks at the menu, her eyes landing on the "Buffalo Chicken Club", when she is suddenly struck by an unseen assailant's fist. The punch carries itself through Hannah's menu and into her face, catching her off-guard and knocking her out of her chair.

Hannah blinks, disoriented, on the ground, wondering who attacked her. She is given her answer by the sight of Allison, who stands over her prone body with her hands clenched in fists and a devious smile on her face. Seemingly unfazed by the gasps of the other cafe diners, Allison announces loudly that she wasn't aware Ben Grey had a sidekick. "However," she continues, "it will make things that much easier to bring him down!"

### Allison Salerma, the Sea Serpent

Hannah, still on the ground, realizes with a jolt that Allison might be a Collective agent, even though she isn't much older than Hannah herself. Allison continues her monologue, stating that she and the others knew that Ben Grey would be highly difficult to take down on his own, but since Hannah has come into the equation, she will make a perfect hostage to use against Ben. Hannah asks who "the others" are, and Allison, in reply, proclaims "Who else, idiot? The Collective, of course!" She re-introduces herself as Allison Salerma, saying that it is now her top priority to capture Hannah and ensure a Collective victory.

Hannah states, suddenly, that she surrenders, although she doesn't move. Allison replies that Hannah must think she is stupid, because she clearly is up to something. Allison then demands Hannah summon her Animal-Spirit, so that she can at least have the fun of a good fight. In response, Hannah kicks their table at Allison, sending the coffee towards her eyes. Allison activates her own Animal-Spirit, which outlines her in an aura of bright purple energy. She swiftly evades the coffee, which splatters to the ground in front of her without a drop actually touching Allison herself. After dismissing her Animal-Spirit, Allison sarcastically laments Hannah's futile effort, only to find that Hannah has fled out the door of the cafe, having used the coffee as a distraction.

Allison growls in displeasure, and re-activates her Animal-Spirit, pursuing Hannah. Allison darts out into the busy town street, where she spots Hannah trying to escape into an alleyway in the opposite street. Allison, once again outlined in an aura of purple energy, easily darts between passerby and passing cars, arriving in in the alleyway far quicker than Hannah had. However, when she arrives, she sees no trace of Hannah in the alleyway. She quickly looks to the right, and is greeted with Hannah atop one of the adjacent building's stairwells, on the second level from the bottom. Hannah then throws a clay flowerpot, presumably from one of the building's windowsills at Allison. Allison then, in a blur, strikes the flowerpot with such force that it shatters before it lands on her.

Hannah freezes in surprise, during which Allison takes the time to tell her that her Animal-Spirit is the **Eel**, which grants her increased speed, reflexes, agility, and flexibility. Allison then proves her point by vaulting off a crate, grasping the bottom of the stairwell, and swinging herself over the side and onto the first level with little effort. Hannah, who is only one level above, wastes no time in running up the rest of the stairwells, not knowing what she'll do when she reaches the roof but nonetheless not slowing down. Allison, still in hot pursuit and helped by Eel, begins to close the distance between them.

The story then briefly shifts to Ben in a smartphone store, irritated with an employee that none of their technology can scan his thumb on account of the size of his fingers.

Hannah makes it to the roof of the building first, closely pursued by Allison. Hannah runs across the top, but stops herself when she realizes that she can't jump between it and the next building. Allison asks mockingly what the matter is, as Hannah should just be able to activate her Animal-Spirit, unless she is without one - in which case, she shouldn't even breathe the same air as someone like Ben Grey, let alone be his student. Hannah angrily rushes Allison, saying that even if she could summon her Animal-Spirit, she wouldn't even need to use it on someone like Allison. Hannah throws numerous punches, none of which land, at Allison, who laughs, calling her technique "sloppy", while effortlessly dodging Hannah's attacks and striking her fast and hard in the torso and face, eventually exhausting Hannah, who begins to bleed from her nose and mouth.

Allison then concentrates her power into her left leg, and sweeps Hannah's feet out from under her with a kick. She then grabs Hannah by her collar and drags her to the edge of the roof, planning to asphyxiate her by hanging her over the side of the building. She tells Hannah that if she tries anything, she'll drop her. Hannah attempts to free herself, but her strength is gone. As Allison prepares to hang Hannah over the side, she suddenly vanishes. Hannah struggles to her feet, glancing around to see what has happened, but finds no answers.

Allison, on the other hand, finds herself several hundred feet in the air, trapped in the vicelike grip of Ben, who has apparently leaped from the ground into the sky and snatched her along, rescuing Hannah in the process. As he reaches the top of his leap, before he begins to fall, he tells Allison that if she tries anything, he'll drop her.

### The Salerma Mansion

Hannah and Ben ride in a taxi, with Hannah on the right side, and Ben on the left. Hannah, whose nose is bandaged asks where they are driving. Ben replies that they are driving to the Salerma mansion, as he has business with them. Hannah asks if the Salerma mansion is owned by Allison's relatives, to which Ben responds that it is, and he has a great dislike for them. Now that they have pledged allegiance to the Collective, he will personally put an end to their operations.

Hannah inquires why Ben has such distaste for the Salerma household, and he replies that it is because the Salerma household is run by the matriarch Selena Salerma, who has numerous children, although she has never married. Originally, Ben continues, Selena slept with men who had strong Animal-Spirits, then killed them afterwards. Then, after having the child, she would wait for two years to see if an Animal-Spirit developed itself. If not, the baby was abandoned in the wilderness to die. Nowadays, she uses samples from sperm banks.

Hannah is quiet. Ben finishes by saying that Selena Salerma is a sociopath, and so he is going to do what he should have done years ago. The taxi stops in front of a large, dark, old-style mansion, whereupon Ben pays him and asks him to remain close, but also to drive off if he is danger. The taxi driver, bewildered, begins to drive off, but Ben stops, saying he has to retrieve his luggage from the trunk. He does so, and removes Allison, who is bound and gagged, glaring at both of them. Without using gentleness, he rips Allison's gag off her mouth, and asks if this is the right mansion.

Allison attempts to spit in his face, but misses. Hannah, looking at the mailbox, notices the name "Salerma", confirming their location. Ben throws Allison, still bound and shouting curses at them, over his shoulder, and he and Hannah walk up to the mansion's entrance, adorned with statues of Greek heroes. Hannah thinks she catches someone watching them from a window, but dismisses the thought.

Ben knocks loudly upon the door, which, after a brief pause, slowly opens to reveal its gigantic interior. They are greeted by a butler, who asks them how they are doing and who they are here to see. Ben responds that he is here to see Selena, whereupon the butler states that Selena only takes people with pre-ordained appointments. Ben laughs, stating he is an old friend, and pushing past the butler with ease. He beckons Hannah inside.

Hannah drags Allison behind her into the spacious opening room of the mansion, where a giant stairway leads to unknown areas behind. The butler tells Hannah to remain behind, before leading Ben up the stairs to a spacious sitting room, to where Selena Salerma sits, stroking a cat, in an armchair. Upon seeing Ben, she greets him warmly, to which Ben responds in kind, although the butler sees "their eyes betray nothing".

Hannah then stuffs the gag back into Allison's mouth, narrowly avoiding the latter's attempt at biting her. She then hears something, and looking to the