Peter and Seb

Sternenberg, Switzerland

The impromptu dinner dragged on for an hour or two before everyone had their fill and retired to their chambers. Peter’s kids led the young Leo, Evan, and Heidi to their rooms after having gotten acquainted at the table during the dinner. To Peter’s surprise, they kicked off well. Especially that mud kid Evan. Even though he slightly smelled of fear, he did not stop answering his daughter's questions in what Peter considered a sly manner.

When they were alone in the dining room, Peter got up from his seat and motioned for Sebastian to follow him to his cabinet. Shutting the door behind him, Peter pointed to a couch at the far wall, next to the large cedarwood table, and went to the drinks cabinet to pour them a glass of whisky.

Handing a glass to Seb, he asked, “A free mage, huh?” Peter sat down at his office table and threw his boots on it, not caring much about the rows of documents on it. He could never adjust to a farmer's life after all these centuries. To sit in the office and take care of the business did worse than trigger his already bad temper.

Seb looked at his glass and thought before saying, “Yes. But not any free mage. Alea’s heir, by the looks of it.”

Peter’s eyes widened, and he asked, “Are you sure? How is that possible? She never had children, or Iscariot would have eradicated her line from the face of the earth.”

“That we know of,” Seb answered calmly after having had a sip of what seemed at least a hundred-year-old whisky. “After all, he was the only one who could unlock her treasure vault and access her recording crystals.”

Peter rubbed his chin with a finger, where a claw formed - a habit he had when he got excited. “So you found it, huh? Her cabin along with all the treasure she left?”

Seb looked at him and decided to be frank, “Yes. I spent the better part of the decade searching for it. When I found the cabin, I could not get it to open up. I knew I had the right place but no key to it. Then the kid showed up, as if by fate. And on his first hour on the property - you know what he did? Opened the vault. Just like that!” Seb pulled up his fingers and snapped them.

Peter looked at the older mage and thought for a minute. A free mage was one thing. They came in many shapes and sizes, many, many years ago. Now there were none. And the kid? He was an enigma. Barely over twenty, but already at least a green core. No. Not green, something vast. Like an endless well, though with the smell of a green core. ‘What is he hiding?’ Peter thought and decided to ask.

“What is up with the kid? He smells wrong somehow. A free mage, yes, but his power? It's off the charts, at least from what I could tell.” Seb looked at the old wolf and barked a laugh.

“Nothing can be hidden from that old nose of yours,” he stated, taking a more familiar speech with the old Alpha, as he had given them sanctuary and threw a feast. From the outside, it might look like good manners, but old Seb knew that wolves did not greet mages among them and did not throw impromptu dinners like old friends. No - he wanted something.

“It is simple. He is not only related to Alea, but also shares her power,” Seb said grinning and awaiting the Alpha’s reaction. As expected Peter’s eyes widened, and he breathed quietly, “Chaos affinity? Are you sure?”

Seb nodded at the wolf and sipped his drink, looking at him suddenly lost in thought. Peter remembered why Alea was feared at her time and why he came to respect her. Not only had she saved his neck more than once during the squabbles with the Church when he was a young pup, she always left the Church mages terrified. Terrified of one thing - losing their magic.

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All she had to do was wave a hand, and that was it. The mightiest of spells snuffed out, cores went dim. He knew, she hated every second of it and remembered every mage she disabled. As she confided in him, not being able to share her worries with the Conclave. The Church, on the other hand, never lost any sleep over the number of the wolves or Conclave members they slew. Not talking about the commoners.

He gathered himself and asked Seb, “So what is the plan? Surely you understand that we are not the best people to teach the pup?”

Seb nodded to him, having expected this question, and said, “I know. I think the best we can do now is to provide a safe place for the boy to continue his training from the recording crystals. He has been growing at an astounding rate so far, forming his first spells in mere hours after having seen vague instructions. All of that can easily go to shit if he loses his dedication and starts stressing out.”

Peter nodded to the old mage, knowing too well that many mages failed to advance, not only because of lack of resources but also due to clouding of the mind. It was the main reason many commoners back in the middle ages were not able to grow their spark of magic. Everyday life of being poor, the need to take care of the farms, and doing menial jobs left its weight. Not many humans could carry it.

“As for his chaos affinity - he is not aware of it. For now,” Seb continued. “And I am hoping to leave it be for the time being and find a way for him to train it properly. Do not want to risk crippling his core or mine, for that matter.”

“That makes sense,” the Alpha nodded to him again and sipped on his whisky, savoring the Glenfiddich taste. The small information dump provided by Seb and the glass of liquor seemed to calm down his initial excitement. Peter recognized that there was one card he had not pulled out yet and decided to keep it a secret. ‘Let’s see how the pup does. Then maybe I can introduce him to her,’ he thought before getting up from the table, planting his boots firmly on the wooden floor of his office.

“Do I have your backing in the matter, Peter?” Seb asked to confirm. It never hurt to be too careful with the wolves, especially with Alphas, and double-check with them in a straight manner.

“Yes, you do,” Peter nodded to Seb and looked him in the eye. “Though, I expect you will need to earn your keep. And before you ask - no, I do not expect that you will need to help us defend the property from Church mages. They stopped visiting us back in 2020 when the whole virus circus kicked off. Too busy, no doubt, to mislead the masses back in the mainland, to come to our doorstep for their yearly checkup.”

“Ah, yes. That,” Seb said with a sneer. “You have had your fair share of problems because of that, no?”

Peter barked a laugh that sounded like a small thunderclap and responded, “Not me, mind you! You know how it is - cannot leave the property often without the girlies in white getting stressed out by the big bad wolf walking among the mortals, no. My boys, though - yes. Who are they to order us around? Got right on their nerves. Imagine how hard it is to keep your temper around the little brainwashed muds in town, asking you to comply with bullshit.”

Seb nodded in understanding, “I understand very well. Had my fair share as well. Though I could usually wave my hand Yoda way, and they forgot I was even there.” He grinned.

“Yoda what?” Peter asked, baffled.

“Never mind,” Seb responded, not willing to show his disappointment at the display of lack of culture from the old Alpha. After all, not everyone was privy to what muds called pop culture. “Getting back to what you expect of us. What do you have in mind?”

The old Alpha grinned and said, “Oh, nothing much. Helping us on the farm. Here and there. I cannot go out in the open and explain to my boys why you are here. Nor parade the pup around with his learning crystals. Have to keep up appearances. So I will explain as it is - you are looking to have a small retreat at our ranch and learn the trade. Take care of the animals. That sort of a thing.”

Seb wanted to facepalm himself but refrained and merely groaned. “You do not expect me to participate, no?”

“Of course not,” Peter responded. “Just the kids. Or the kid. I saw how that Evan kid kicked it off with Stefanie. Would not want any accidents to happen while I am not looking, so I need to keep him busy.”

Seb grinned at the thought of Evan’s face tomorrow when he will explain what is expected from him.