Chapter 67

The Bonfire to the Heavens

The festivities started easily enough.

It began with a bonfire.

Well not just any bonfire, but a magically enhanced fire. While not fully able to grasp the use of elements, the fact that Frank could feel the different elements at all was huge.

Watching the great flames that began with but tiny cinders, first at first. But then as soon as both Prentip and the elusive Avian Shaman both worked the flames in unison.

It was a give and take, Prentip provided the energy and baseline fuel to be burned. While the Avian Shaman used air and wind generated by his wings. Wings that he was able to manifest from his arms without fully shifting into the form of a bird.

That sight alone was impressive, made doubly so when Drava came over to explain.

“See those wings, that is a sign of full acceptance of the beast. That is the ultimate form of dominance for any shifter to achieve,” Drava spoke directly into Frank’s ear. As she did, her words caused an involuntary shiver to run down Frank’s spine due to the closeness and intimacy of the gesture.

At this reaction, Ravena seemed to grow incensed as she angrily retorted from Frank’s other side, “yes, when you are chosen by the great spirits, you too will learn to accept your fate. Either being free and the protectors of the earth, or you will be given a lesser role.”

The comment was clear, and a direct challenge to Drava, as it was without a doubt that of all the shifters that Frank had noticed until now, the wolves were definitely more attuned to the earth.

This balance and symmetry with the Earth is likely why the wolves felt such a strong attraction to Frank.

It was obvious from the way they all worked with him, to the way they showed differential treatment to Frank over the other new future pack members.

To make matters even more interesting was the fact that the Aviary tribe had made it a habit of sticking around and watching Frank and the others during this month long lead up to the full moon.

“You see that, we still have over a few hours until the moon will reach its zenith, but until then we must light the way for all spirits to find us.” Drava continued, as she pointed to the green flames that were coursing higher and higher into the air.

At its base, Frank understood that green flames were not necessarily hotter, but rather meant that chemicals were added to the flames. While these might be toxic to mortals, or beings that had not undergone the process of adapting to negative energy types. To Frank the green flames felt smooth.

He couldn’t quite place his finger on why there was a change, only that there was.

Part of the changes that Frank felt were due to how easy it was to take in and adapt both forms of energy now that they were burnt down to their base components.

In this, Frank found that while he still couldn’t control the flames, he could feel the effects of the charred earth that was left behind. There the faint chemical fires did two things. First, the green fire infused harsh chemical residue into the earth, making it corrupted, or at least what Frank used to consider being corrupted.

The second, and seemingly oddest part of these flames was that by burning away the impurities, while part of the lands were corrupted, the other half were cleansed.

At its heart, this ceremony, of starting late in the evening, gathering kindling and lighting it ablaze with odd shaman energies somehow created the balance that all shifters seemed to harp upon.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Drava asked, her words and mouth so close that Frank could almost feel her lips caressing his ear.

“Yes, very much so,” Frank responded, slightly tilting his head away. Not because the attention from Drava was unwanted, but rather the response from Ravena on his other side became increasingly hostile.

Tension.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

At first Ravena’s whole body tightened, but then relaxed subtly at the way Frank moved away. Rather than rising to the obvious bait that Drava was now setting for Ravena, she instead went with something else.

“What do you see, when you see the flames?” Ravena asked.

Hearing that, Frank turned his head and stared directly into Ravena’s deep dark eyes. Eyes that seemed to dance under the shifting gaze of the green flames that seemed to cover the surrounding area. Flames that Frank was certain were now visible from miles around.

As he locked gazes with Ravena, Frank wondered if his eyes gave him away. The look on Ravena showed that she was expecting something deep and profound from this question. How he knew this, he didn’t quite know. For a moment, he thought about switching the subject, asking something along the lines of what made her ask this, but ultimately decided to answer with the truth.

“I see the balance, the flames both purify part of the land, while infusing corruption into the other half.” Frank explained, using the words and terms that both this society and his former society both seemed to use.

Then pausing for a moment, Frank pondered about the idea of his former society? Just having that thought, one that his mind seemed to easily accept made him pause for a moment.

Had he moved on?

It had barely been over a month, right? Well closer to two or more months now since he was tried, convicted, and sent off to die. Only to then have to deal with people actually trying to kill him.

With so much going on, Frank didn’t really have a moment to sit down and think.

But that was what this ceremony was, the last step in completely renouncing his former life and accepting his new one.

In his last life, or the society before this one, he had seen great things. Though he had a lot of issues and doubts that he faced along the way.

Why was it that out here, in a gathering of complete strangers that he felt both accepted and at home. No, home wasn’t quite the right word, for he could move about the area and feel just as safe and secure. Then the better word came to mind. He was at peace.

His mind, and body had time to relax, to fully heal.

Better still, with the shifters, he found it was that perfect middle ground that he himself had already started journeying upon. That realm of balance, one capable of adapting and progressing to meet the way the world would eventually end up.

The only downside in this balanced approach was that they lacked the true strength that came from fully embracing on of the two ends. By choosing to straddle both positive and negative energy, and being able to move about freely on either, they gave up true power.

Though in a way, the ability to survive in either territory was an exceptional power on its own.

Due to this ability to realm walk, or go onto either sets of lands, the shifters were often employed as the brokers between both sides.

Also, the shifters were also the ones who were employed to explore enemy areas and provide details to different generals and leaders.

Hearing this, Frank found out that it was actually members of the shifter tribe who provided the details necessary for the Dark Queen’s forces to raid his academy with such choreographed precision.

They were even the ones who found out the attendees and when the optimal time to strike would be.

It was due to this intelligence gathering and brokering that the shifters themselves did not need to partake in the actual battle.

This was the role of the shifters, a needed role, but one that Frank realized might become obsolete once the humans were completely irradicated.

“Everything okay?” Drava asked to the back of his head, as now even Ravena seemed to be shocked.

Frank who had apparently got too lost in his own thoughts blinked and was about to respond in the affirmative, but then paused.

“No,” Frank responded honestly. As he did, he found his body rising up, an automatic reflex to feeling incoming danger.

There was something off, something that his mind and other senses were trying to warn him about, but he could not quite place his finger on what exactly was happening.

“What is it?” Ravena asked.

Shaking his head, Frank closed his eyes and lowered his head as he let his mind filter out the distractions and focus on where his mind was noticing the disparity, the incongruity. Yet, the more he felt, the more he realized he couldn’t quite explain his unease. Then he relaxed his mind and let his powers seep out into the earth, where he asked the earth itself if it felt anything.

That’s when the earth responded.

Tension.

Frank felt the ground rumbling, warning him of an invasion. No, not just one invasion, but multiple invasions.

Forces from miles away were all gathering, no charging forward, their pace exceptionally quick, but also measured in their pace. But not just from one side or direction, but from seeming every direction at once.

Worse, some were staggered, only now seeming to come into range of Frank’s senses. Senses that had seemed to grow exponentially.

Feeling so many threats all charging forward, Frank shook his head dismissing the suddenly deep connection to the earth and explained.

“Forces are coming, hundreds, no maybe thousands? From all directions!” Frank called out, then turning to Prentip he shouted, making sure the old shaman heard him.

At first Erloche and the other warriors seemed to get agitated by this sudden disruption. But all Prentip did was raise one old gnarled hand and with but a raised finger waiting for patience calmed the masses, and then seemed to focus as he too closed his eyes and lowered his head.

This time Frank could see glowing blue lights appear from the eye sockets of the old man. Seeing the act, and realizing how familiar the movement of the old man was, as he just performed a similar action he turned to Ravena.

Ravena seeing his movement from the corner of her eyes turned to once again lock gazes with Frank. Then as if able to somehow read his mind, she responded.

“Similar,” Ravena responded with a nod.

“Similar?” Frank parroted back.

“Yeah, but your eyes glowed brown, but no less intensely,” Drava explained from Frank’s left side. Once again, her face and mouth close to the side of his face, but not as close as she had been a moment ago as she now seemed to have to bend over his massive shoulder to achieve the same form of intimacy.

Turning his head to his left, he locked gazes with Drava, who all but seemed to burst into smile at the sudden attention from Frank.

Seeing the excitement, Frank paused, and then almost asked, but instead chose to just watch for the moment. Once again, as if seeming to understand the question that Frank was attempting to ask, before his mind could fully form the words, Ravena responded, once again pulling Frank’s gaze away from Drava.

“Yes, glowing eyes is a sign of one who is destined for greatness,” Ravena began, but was cut off by Drava.

“It is also a prerequisite for being considered a shaman,” Drava added.

“A shaman?” Frank asked, his mind working quickly as he was now able to answer a lot of the underlying questions that had plagued him since he first got here. The stares from Erloche and those that Frank considered the old guard of the clan’s shaman. The sudden attention from both Drava and Ravena, both powerful females who held a massive amount of sway in their respective tribes.

“Yes, and when you are given the choice of which tribe to choose, know that choosing my tribe will only bring us together,” Drava explained.

Click.

And with that one statement, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place.

“There is a choice?” Frank asked.

“Not always, but there can be,” Ravena answered somewhat frightened. There was a faint worry in her words, as if she was worried that Frank might choose something completely different.

Then before Frank could get lost in that thought, Prentip’s glowing blue eyes suddenly cut out as his body suddenly rose in a form of tension. Then with a tone filled with conviction and power he spoke about his findings.

“Everyone prepare yourselves…”