Mozrael came back wearing a black knee-length dress paired with a scarf as the dress was sleeveless. It wasn't her normal length since Jade was a bit shorter than her. The outfit though simple made her feel more at ease.
"Is this okay?" She asked Aramith, still feeling embarrassed.
Aramith scrutinized it a bit then gave his honest opinion. " It's okay. Maybe I haven't noticed it but Black suits you quite well."
Jade, studying the two suddenly approached them. "I never asked, but where are you from?"
"We-" Mozrael started but was cut off by Aramith.
"We're from the outskirts of the Vermillion Kingdom." He replied quickly.
Never reveal your true identity to a complete stranger. He remembered the words from long ago
"Then you must be really special where you're from. Which Academy do you attend?" Jade asked again.
"We don't," Aramith replied smoothly."You don't?""We were homeschooled," he added, brushing past the subject like it didn't matter.
The first was a lie, but he told the truth about them not attending any academy. They were homeschooled, and directly tutored by Gebreth, who'd advised them on countless times, giving them pointers in different aspects of life- he was their mentor.
Attending an academy would be nice, but fearing their attributes might be an issue, they were prevented from going to one. The Vermillion Kingdom had one of the best academies one could ever dream of attending but since the place was to help them in cultivating and honing their skills with using their attributes, they had to be held back. And with the complex political issues, things could get nasty real quick.
"I see. But do you ever intend on attending one?" You two seem very capable. You could come to our Aca-"
Whack! "Ow!"
"I believe going to an academy, would be up to them. Maybe you want them to go learn, but what if they're not interested or have some other reasons?"
For the first time, Lynnor sounded rather sensible.
Jade rubbed her pained head. " Leave me alone, I'm going home."
"Not until we catch that beast," Lynnor pulled her back, and Aramith became defensive.
Lynnor waved him off "Oh don't worry, I wasn't talking about you. There's an actual beast around here somewhere we're looking for."
So I was never their target?
"We should be heading back now," Aramith pulled Mozrael aside.
"I know you might be in a rush, but maybe you could wait till tomorrow? I can bet you have no idea how to get out of here."
He consented with Mozrael but they couldn't decide whether to wait till the next day. Jade and Lynnor seemed like nice people, but then he didn't know them well enough to fully trust them.
"Well, it's simple. We're heading out to hunt a beast. You can follow if you're interested. That would mean you're waiting to leave tomorrow, or you could leave if you want to run back to your mommy," Lynnor left with Jade before they could answer.
Whether it was intentional to make them quickly decide or not, her simple act of leaving without waiting for an answer made them decide to go with them.
Aramith was constantly on edge but Mozrael seemed rather accepting of the two.
Lynnor and Jade showed their experience as they tracked down the beast, showing signs of the beast recently appearing in the places they passed- scratch marks, footprints, and fur left in the dust, the signs were many and Aramith was starting to realize what they were hunting down was something much larger than he imagined. A greater beast that would be difficult to deal with. He couldn't help but wonder why they wanted to hunt it down so badly. The thing hadn't caused them any harm so what was their reason for hunting it down?
"At last I have found my target!" Lynnor exclaimed from atop a tree.
She screamed something that sounded like a battle cry and a scream of irritation then jumped down.
"I'm not staying here," Jade said and quickly perched herself atop a branch. Aramith and Mozrael exchanged looks, shrugged, and then followed Jade's example.
They watched as the beast made its way to them. It was a large wolf that stood well over 12 feet at the shoulder. Its fur was as black as the darkest shadow and its red beady eyes shone with the bloodthirst of a predator. A low growl from deep within its throat made the air vibrate as it took slow steps forward. It focused its eyes on the three in the trees, then back at Lynnor.
She stood there grinning like an idiot then did something that confused everyone.
"I love how magnificent you are. Beautiful black fur that matches my clothes, and oh those eyes are to die for! Be my pet."
She suddenly pulled out a flower.
?
?
?
?
Its stalk was a beautiful silver color with green leaves that had black veins which pulsed subtly. The flower itself, a deep purple at the base that faded into a faint lavender color had tiny blue specks that glowed with the light striking it. Within its center lay a tiny core that emitted a faint glow.
Aramith was confused. "Is that a wolfsbane?"
Mozrael confirmed with a nod, and Jade folded her hands with pride.
"That wolf is nothing to her. She can even kill it with the flower," she bragged.
Meanwhile...
The wolf stared at Lynnor with a startled expression impossible to picture with such a large beast.
"Hey, I said be my pet, now submit! This here is a wolfsbane and you should fear it. All wolves can die from a single sniff. And if you don't want things to get difficult, go on and bow to me," She raised her head with pride.
What she said was something Aramith had read before, though that book also mentioned that the thing was all a myth, looking at the reaction of that beast made him start to suspect it could be true. The beast before them was at least comparable to someone at the gold gate. If the flower was able to make it submit, then that would mean it had more value than they gave it.
The wolf, as if suddenly realizing what Aramith was thinking suddenly barked and slashed at Lynnor with sharp claws that seemed to cut through the air itself. Lynnor evaded easily, jumping onto a tree branch.
"You choose the hard way, huh? Fine, then we'll do just that." She took out a small mortar and pestle and in all seriousness, started grinding and crushing the flower. Her hands moved with a speed that was hard to follow.
She put the equipment aside and held a small ball that contained the whole of the flower, crushed and put together. The ball had a soft rubbery feel to it as she pressed lightly.
"Jade, give me!"
Jade, immediately understanding Lynnor, tossed a dagger to Lynnor.
Lynnor quickly spun and threw it at the wolf. It cut into a paw, causing it to yelp. The moment its jaws came open, Lynnor threw the ball into its mouth. A flicker of fear crossed the beast's eyes as it howled at Lynnor. It made a gagging sound, trying to cough out whatever it was Lynnor forced her to eat but to no avail.
Everyone waited in suspense.
But nothing happened. The beast didn't transform, it didn't suddenly get weaker or friendly, and it didn't look like it would die.
Lynnor's expectant smile started to fade and turn into a frown. She Jumped down.
Her mood changed instantly to the opposite.
"You stupid animal! Are you even a wolf? You have no idea how difficult it was for me to get those wolfsbanes and you just ate it! Give it back! Now!"
She stretched out an arm, waiting to collect her flower. The wolf was startled and didn't know how to react. It was stuck between running off in fear and attacking the crazy woman.
"I thought I was talking to you?! Give. Me. My. Wolfsbane!" The wolf growled and lunged at her but she easily dodged and went back up a tree.
"The stupid thing doesn't even understand human language! How dumb!"
It barked at her but anyone would swear that beast would have made a different choice if it knew what was coming next.
"Jade!" Lynnor screamed. Without hesitation, Jade threw a bow and quiver to Lynnor.
"Stupid animal!" She shot an arrow at it. The speed and precision was unmatched, and the arrow was buried more than halfway in the beast's thick skin. It howled but Lynnor didn't care at all. She started raining arrows and insults at the wolf, chasing and dodging the wolf as it moved desperately.
Thwack Thwack Thwack!
"Stupid animal!"
Thunk Thunk!
"Overgrown dog!"
Squelch!
"Ugly beast!"
Fwick!
"Flower thief!"
Shlunk!
"Disgusting glutton! "
Arrow after arrow hit different parts of the beast, mostly the back. The three spectators felt bad for the beast, but what could they do? She was surely turning the wolf into a porcupine and after seeing that, who would want to be in her way?
"Jade!" She called out again after finishing the arrows.
"I don't have anymore."
"You're lucky I have no more. Now gimme my flower and I'll let you go."
The wolf was angered. Dark smoke started to emanate from its back and it attacked Lynnor.
She dodged.
Its back arched several inches higher as it attacked again. She easily dodged it again, but it kept lunging at her, gaining speed with each attack.
Aramith observed the wolf's movement as it attacked. He felt a prickling sensation under his skin as his body resonated with the wolf.
It wasn't just the beast that was changing. Something deep inside him... stirred. No, it responded.
He could feel his power flowing through him, starting to get aggressive, and he could feel his body was about to move on its own under the influence of the power.
When the power took control, he had no way of doing what he willed.
A strange discomfort settled in his stomach. Mozrael noticed it but before she could speak, he shook his head and then whispered under his breath.
"Eclipsing void" His eyes were intensely focused on the wolf as he spoke. Mozrael was unable to react before thick darkness exploded from the wolf, pushing them off the trees they were perched on, and enveloping them. The darkness felt like a fog, heavy and pressing against them, restricting their movement.
All three girls fumbled in the darkness, their confusion evident—but Aramith remained still. Unbothered.
He had created this shadowed void instinctively, a perfect cover. The others wouldn't see. They couldn't.
The thought came clearly into his mind—alien, yet familiar. The beast had absorbed something it was never meant to touch. A shard of his power.
Left unchecked, it wouldn't just pose a threat. It would become something worse.
He didn't know how he knew that. But in that moment, he didn't need to. The knowledge wasn't his—it was the power's.
It whispered what to do, moving through him like a second will.
And just like always... when that sensation came—when it chose to guide him—his body obeyed without hesitation. He couldn't resist. He never could.
Not when it wanted to act.
Not when it truly wanted. It always came with risk—because when it stirred, it wasn't just power. It was hunger. A will of its own.
His heart pounded.