Chapter 6
AN/
So I went on a hiatus without telling anyone and I thought I would upload the first half of chapter 6 thats been on my computer for 2-3 months now. Just something to hold you over for now. Hopefully I’ll get back in the swing of things.
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Leon
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Sigh. What to do what to do. I gave a long lazy stretch high upon my tree branch as I contemplated my problem. Tomorrow I would turn 15 and officially be a man in the eyes of my tribe. It’s also the time when I will officially be apart of the packs hierarchy structure where I must fight for my place in the pack. But I’ve already realized its useless. While most of the tribe has tolerated my presence these last 15 years, their is no way they will allow me to climb the ladder of the pack. Not an outsider like me, not a freak like me. No, tomorrow they will come at me to kill. I might be able to fight off the first few challengers but I can’t defeat the whole tribe. My only option is to leave.
“Are you all not one people?” The wind whispered. I was use to that, the voices that no one else could hear. They seemed to come from the depths of my soul. Wanting me to change the tribes, to unite them, to become strong. What a joke. What can I do? If my own tribe won’t even accept me, how am I suppose to get the other tribes to follow me. No, it’s time for me to leave this place.
Tasting the air I caught a familiar scent. Looking out to the distance I could just make out the figure of my only friend in the tribe. Emily cautiously walked towards me, each step slow and deliberate, pausing ever few seconds to sample the surrounding scents. Her frizzy brown hair came up to her shoulders and her milky white eyes were unfocused and empty. A year older than me and blind from birth, she did not have an easy life in a tribe that valued strength. “Leon, I brought you lunch.” she said as she held up a picnic basket. “Great, I’m starved.” I launched off the tree branch and landed in front of her. As she began to unpack the picnic I couldn’t help but be surprised at the assortment of food.
“What’s all this? Where did you get this from?”
“It’s your birthday tomorrow so I bought some of the food the elves traded with the tribe.”
“The elves?”
“Yeah. It seems their forest has been a lot safer as of late so they’ve been venturing out and trading with the different beast tribes.”
Hmmm, the elves. Maybe I’ll go visit them. It might be interesting to live among the elves and fairies. The wind shifted allowing me to catch a scent of someone I did not want to encounter today. Marco and his lackeys made their way to us. They were the bullies of our generation who seemed to have it out for us. Two years older than me, they loved to flaunt their strength.
“The two runts of the tribe out here on a romantic date. Ha. If you two mated we would be up to our armpits in weaklings.” Marco announced as his friends laughed at his joke.
I just sighed. “What do you want Marco.”
“I just came to tell you that I can’t wait for tomorrow. I can finally put you in your place. Although if you beg me Emily, I might keep his face in tact for you.”
“Your not wanted here. Leave.” I said as Emily stared at the ground blushing.
“Haha. See you tomorrow runt.” I watch as Marco left.
“Don’t pay them any mind.” Emily continued staring at the ground before looking in my direction.
“But what are you going to do. They intend to kill you.”
“I know.” I took a bite of one of the fruits from the elves. We ate in silence before I spoke up. “I’m leaving the tribe. Maybe see the elves or the human cities.” Emily was quite for a while.
“I understand.”
She gave me a fragile smile as she got up. “You can come with me if you want.” I said.
She shook her head. “No, I would only get in your way.” She started to make her way back the way she came. “Just come see me before you leave. I want to say goodbye.” As she walked away I smelt the tears running down her face.
Telling my parents was difficult but they understood. I packed up my few belongings and waited for tomorrow. It was right before sunrise when I started to make my way to Emily's. I had just enough time for a quick goodbye before the tribe started waking up. Approaching her house the first thing I noticed was the lingering scent of blood around her house. With a swift kick her front door flew off the hinges and I headed inside. I followed her scent to her room where I found Marco and his friends standing over her blooded corpse. Her face was covered with blood and her chest was caved in. We beast tribes can stand a lot of damage and can eventually heal most injuries but her listless body only showed signs of death.
“Leon,” Marco said as he raised his blooded hands and made his way towards me. “We were just getting ready for round two. Come back in a few hours. Hahaha.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. Emily was dead and their was nothing I could do about it. I opened my eyes and looked at Marco standing across from me. Before he said anything my hand shot out, back handing him into the wall. His two friends watched as Marco slammed against the wall before turning back towards me. Too late, I was already upon them. A quick kick sent one flying against the wall leaving me ample time to deal with the remaining one. He growled at me and sent a fist towards my face. So slow. Bears were not know for their speed, not like me. I ducked below his strike and tackled him to the ground. The others were already recovering so I had to make this quick. I opened my muzzle as he tried to pry me off him and ripped open his throat. He died in seconds. I looked at the other lackey and smiled at him, showing off my blood stained teeth. He back pedaled in shock which was all I needed as I leap at him and started landing blows. A few quick punches to his chest had him gasping for breath and a sharp punch to his chin left him dazed and confused and totally vulnerable.
I grabbed hold of his head and gave it a sharp turn. The snap was audible as I laid eyes on my last opponent. Marco. My father may not have been very high on the pecking scale but he was a warrior of the tribe and taught me what he could. Marco roared in rage as magic wrapped around him. Fur grew around him, his mouth already elongated grew longer by the second. Fool. As if I’ll let you turn. As his arms snapped and transformed causing him to collapsed on the floor I raced over to him. In three steps I was on him striking at every available space. Stuck in-between his transformation he could do nothing as I repeatedly bashed his face until it was nothing but mush. Barely breathing, I went to work dismantling him. Taking out his legs then his arms. I struck and I stuck, letting out the rage I had onto him. He was dead long before I was finished.
Looking at Emily’s body I just could not believe how messed up the tribes were. How can this be allowed, how can they accept this. She never hurt anyone and she couldn’t even defend herself. “You’re all one people. Unite the tribes.” Shut up. I crush the voice with my will. I don't want to lead these people but I won’t let something like this happen again. If they can’t act right on their own then I’ll make them. They can either follow me or die.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.
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Prya POV
“Staring at me won't make me get this any faster.” Aquiris said.
The water fairy was sitting across from me eyes closed, in deep meditation. Or at least she was suppose to be. We were sitting in the meditation hall of the handmaiden temple that the elven king made for us. Eight cushions were placed in a circle with an altar dedicated to a specific element standing behind them. A small fire blazed in my alter behind me while water streamed back and forth in the fountain alter behind Aquiris. Suddenly a knock sounded at our front door.
“Perfect timing, I’ll go make us lunch.” Aquiris said as she bounded out of the room followed by a stream of water coming from her altar.
I sighed before standing up. The fire behind me leaped at me and wrapped around my wrist like a living bracelet. “After lunch we are continuing the lesson!” I yelled.
Opening the door I come face to face with the captain of the royal guards. An older looking elf but no less dangerous than his younger companions.
“Marcus, good morning. We are just having breakfast. Won’t you join us.”
“I’m afraid not.” He smiled at me. “I’m here to give you a message. The king would like the handmaidens advice on a personal matter. If you have the time of course.”
“We always have time for the king. We will leave now.” Heading for the kitchen I yelled for Aquiris. “Aquiris!!!”
“Oh!” I reached the kitchen in time to see Aquiris wrapping a towel around her bleeding finger.
“What happened?” “Nothing, Nothing. I was cutting some fruit when you called. You scared me for second and I cut myself.”
After getting Aquiris bandaged up we heading for the palace. As we reached the throne room, I noticed it was unusually empty. Normally when the king was there you can find all sorts of nobles, advisors and guards coming in and out of room. Today their was only the king, the young prince that would be turning ten soon and the captain of the royal guards.
“Your majesty. How can we be of service.”
“Prya, I’m glad you were able to make it. To be honest we are a little lost and you two are the only ones that might be able to figure out what has happened. As you know my son is to be tested soon to check his magical affinity. The mages can sense the magic in him and has confirmed that he has great potential to wield magic but when we decided to check his affinity early, well, the result are dumbfounding.”
The king waved his hands to his guard captain who produced a glass ball with a refined mana stone inside of it. A classic method for determining ones elemental affinity.
“Son, show the handmaidens what happens when you add your mana.”
The boy stepped up took the glass ball in his hand before concentrating. The ball Glowed slightly but nothing else happened. Odd. When you place your mana into the glass it should show you what element you have the highest potential in. All magic is elemental based and the fact that the glass had a reaction at all proves he is a young mage. But if we were to go by these results it would see as though he has no elemental affinity. I’d never even heard of something like that.
“Odd isn’t it. We have tried other methods to test the affinity but they have all come up empty. Since you two are the closest anyone has ever seen when it comes to the elements I thought you might have some insight.”
“Sister, perhaps a direct link might yield results” Aquiris said.
“Yes, that is probably the only thing we can do. We both have a high sensitivity to our specific elements. We might be able to sense what type of affinity his magic leans towards if we concentrate enough on it. Honestly, I don’t think this has much of a chance. This will only work if he has a fire or water affinity. Even if he doesn’t have an affinity it won’t slow him down too much. He can still use any magic he wants, only it will take a little more work than some others. Hold out your hands.” I told the boy as I walked towards him.
I placed my palms on top of his and began concentrating on the mana he held and if their was a connection with the fire element.
“ Send a steady stream of your mana into my hands. It doesn't have to be a large amount just take your time, were in no rush.”
After a while sensing his mana I had to give up. Either I wasn’t able to sense his fire affinity or he just didn’t have one.
“I guess it’s my turn.” Aquiris said as she stood next to the boy and placed her hands over his.
It was not even five minutes when I noticed the frown on Aquiris’s face. Tentatively she retracted her hands from the boy before shaking them out.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
“Huh. Oh no.” She answered before placing her hands back over the boys. Again not five minutes pass before she pulled her hands away and frowned.
“What’s wrong? Is something wrong? Is it more serious than we thought?” The king franticly said.
“ No, no. Prya can I check something with you? Come over here. Yes give me your hands and send me a steady stream of your mana” I did as she asked. After a while she frowned again.
“What is it?”
“I can’t explain it but when he sent his mana to my hands the cut on my finger stopped hurting.”
“What?”
“When we did the same thing I still felt the throbbing cut on my finger but with him I don’t feel any pain at all.”
“What are you talking about. That doesn’t even make sense.”
“I know but I can only explain what I feel” Aquiris said with a determined expression.
How can his magic do something like that. Again, I’ve never heard of something like that before. Perhaps a experiment. I reached down my leg were I kept a small dagger and made a small cut on my arm. Not to deep be enough to feel.
“What are you doing!” multiple people screamed at me but I had to see for my self.
I went to the boy and asked him to do as he did before. Just like what Aquiris was saying I felt a noticeable lack of pain when he sent a stream of magic to me. In fact the cut started to itch. Odd. I have never hear of any elemental magic able to take pain away from someone. Perhaps, this is the birth of a new element?