Kaara saw The Wolf’s grip tighten on her weapon.
“Father, I'm tired, can we go home already?” A boy with white hair spoke up.
The Grand Duke’s hand left her chin, a dramatic billow of his toga as he returned to his children, “I must be getting back to my own eldest child. I’ve been blessed enough to celebrate two birthdays today with my children. Do consider my offer, will you? If not as The Grand Duke, then as a fellow parent.”
“I will consider your offer, milord.” She said in a dangerous tone.
The Grand Duke smirked, “Good, then I shall retire for the night. Enjoy your time here in my city.” He put a hand on Tiksu’s shoulder, “You are invited to join us in our manor. And if the three you’ve brought with you can open the door they will be most welcomed as well.”
“You’re too kind, milord,” Tiksu said, unmoving.
The Wolf glared, watching him walk away. Kaara was glaring at him too. Did he really think she couldn’t figure out how to use some stupid door?
The boy with white hair took one last look at Kaara over his shoulder. He looked just like the wulviir Kaara rode in on.
“I can care for my son from here. The five of you should get going. Wouldn’t want to insult the Grand Duke by denying his invitation.” The Wolf said as she bowed her head to Kaara, “I will find a way to repay you for what you did, I swear on my honor as a knight.”
“Oh! Don’t worry about it,” Kaara thought for a moment, looking over her shoulder to see Tiksu and the others already heading up the mountain. She leaned in and whispered, “Actually, if you could. We’re short on Malaki hunters at camp, and they don’t wanna ask nobles for help, but Venator Knights are different right?”
The Wolf smiled, palming Kaara’s head, “You needn’t say anything more. I know a few people who might be able to help.”
“Thank you!”
“Kaara! Hurry up!”
“Coming!”
There were so many steps to Mt.Xirxus. And Kaara had never seen houses so beautiful and massive before, “These are some fancy ass tents!” She shouted.
“Houses.” Tiksu corrected.
It had likely taken some skilled earth architects to build such magnificent estates so closely incorporated into the mountain’s frame.
There were even caverns which gave them more space, and Kaara had to wonder how far those caves and tunnels went. She also had to wonder how the mountain had not crumbled if it had been hollowed out like that.
The Xirxus family had already launched ahead. Seemed like the white haired boy wasn’t the only one who wanted to get home.
Kaara heard bells chiming at the top of the mountain. She recalled hearing them when she first got into the city, but she hadn’t realized where the chimes had come from until now.
By the time they had scaled the steps there was only one person waiting outside.
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He had dark gray hair and a face that always seemed to rest in an impish smile. Despite that, Kaara could sense how sad he was.
“You three can wait outside or try to get in through these doors. It’s their way of filtering out the weak.”
Hearing that sounded like a challenge to both Rorik and Arik who wanted to test themselves.
“I’m gonna wait here with the mopey boy!” Kaara said even though she also wanted to prove she could open these big dumb doors.
Tiksu demonstrated how to open it, summoning a surging tidal wave and chiming the second bell. Tiksu’s specialty was tracking and support among the hunters, but even he was incredibly strong.
Kaara acted as the cheerleader, but her cheers came out in a monotone despite her intentions, “You can do it, Arik! I believe in you.”
“Why do you sound so sarcastic? I can open it!”
“You won’t fuck this up, you got it…”
“Hey!”
The gray haired boy laughed dryly, “As if a colorful wild berry tart like you could open the doors.”
That only made Arik try harder, it seemed. Violent winds whipped through the mountain air.
Arik was among the strongest of Kaara’s generation.
The first bell chimed with a gale of wind, much to the chagrin of the mopey boy Kaara sat next to.
Rorik was next. Kaara had never seen him so focused on something. Even when he fought Rux. Why did he care so much about what nobles saw as strength?
Another chime from the first bell.
The gray haired boy clenched his fists looking as if he might cry.
“What’s wrong?” Kaara asked.
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with. And don’t sit so close to me, wild girl.”
Kaara scooted closer and hooked her arm around his neck, “Aw cmon! We’re both waiting out here together right?” Kaara was trying to sound friendly, but she sounded like she was going to murder him, “I saw you with the others, you’re Tiger man’s son right?”
“T-Tiger man?! He’s not a lowly human, he’s far beyond a man. A god even! I’ll have you know his name is Kadmus Xirxus, head of the house Xirxus, A Godslayer, descendant of- womp wah wom wom wompapa womp…”
Kaara was nodding along with a deadpan expression. Why did it feel like she was being lectured by her mother right now? Regardless, Kaara had a decade of training for this exact challenge!
She might have been exhausted, but even she could overcome the trials of the Xirxus noble house too. She stared at his chin intently, nodding along, even adding in the occasional “Oh!” in response.
“Good, now that you know, I am the child of that xio,” He puffed out his chest, “Tulos Xirxus second born of-”
“Then why are you out here if you’re his kid?”
Critical blow!
“Don’t interrupt me I’m-”
“Is it cuz the doors are too big? Maybe I can help you open it?”
Another crit!
“Well no, you see, the challenge is sacred and-”
“Oh, then can you open it for me? I’m kinda beat up, but I wanna hang out with Rorik and Arik.”
Triple crit!
“I… can’t open the doors.”
“So they’re just gonna leave you out here? Why not have someone from the inside open it for you?”
He clicked his tongue, “Yeah, right? Isn’t it dumb? I used my brain to get it open the first time, but my dad won’t let me back in unless I can brute force my way through! So boring.” Tulos splayed out on his back, “But it’s fine, really. I’ve wanted to get out of there ever since I can remember.”
There was a bittersweet look in his eyes. Kaara joined him in laying down, “Oh, you can see the stars up here!”
Tulos gave her a look, “What, you don’t always see them?”
“No it’s not that, I just thought you guys caught all the stars and sent them back up to make those pretty explosions. But now they’re back.”
It was Tulos’s turn to nod and listen along.
“So what’re you gonna do if you can’t get back into the house?” Kaara asked.
“I figured I could just leverage my connections and owe some lesser merchants a favor for housing me. It’ll be a more humble life, but at least I’m free.”
“What about coming with us?”