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November 22 1999, Beacon Hills
Areum materialized in front of a giant tree stump, its gnarled bark a testament to its age. She tilted her head, her eyes narrowed in skepticism.
"This is it? Are you kidding me? You're still connected with this broken stump?" she said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement.
She circled the stump, her fingers trailing over the rough bark, her gaze sweeping over the sparse, green grass that clung to the ground around it.
The green grass surrounding the stump began to stir, undulating like waves in a gentle breeze. It coalesced, twisting and turning, forming a figure of Yggdrasil's avatar, a shimmering, green-tinged apparition of the towering tree.
"Yes, and this nemeton has great potential and more stories than you think." Yggdrasil said.her voice a calming murmur that seemed to emanate from the very earth beneath them.
She focused her power on the nemeton, infusing it with a vibrant, green light. A crack spiderwebbed across the center of the stump, revealing a small, glass jar filled with wriggling flies.
Areum's eyes widened, a flicker of curiosity passing across her features. She continued to circle the stump, her gaze never leaving it. She cradled her baby in her arms, her touch gentle and reassuring.
"Nogitsune? Another crazy one who didn't understand their powers. What a pity," Areum said, shaking her head.
Her gaze flickered to the jar.
She knew the nogitsune had abandoned its physical body to become stronger, to absorb the pain of the world, to transcend its limitations.
But its potential, the ability to control space itself, fascinated her.
"Tsk, tsk," she clicked her tongue in annoyance. She had seen many nogitsune in her life who were so eager for strength, so desperate to escape their limitations. Sadly, only a few could access its true potential. It was the second rarest type of kitsune, a creature of immense power and hidden depths.
She then heard whispers in the air, attempting to influence them to open the jar, to release the nogitsune's power. Areum raised one eyebrow.
"He can still use illusions while being sealed. How old is this one?" she asked Yggdrasil. She wanted to know just how long this creature had been trapped.
"A thousand years or more. Without its physical body, it's hard to tell,"
Yggdrasil said.
"But the one who sealed this guy was a thousand-year-old nine-tailed Tengoku Kitsune, with the help of an alpha wolf in 1943" Yggdrasil then let the jar fall back into the stump.
"Two rare kitsune in one town is rare. Looks like this town will become more lively in the future,"Areum said, looking at Yggdrasil with a spark of mischief in her eyes.
She was intrigued. The town, its powerful nemeton, its trapped nogitsune, was a place where anything could happen.
"Are you planning to make this nemeton recover? With your powers, it would be easy." Areum said, her voice teasing.
Yggdrasil sat down on the stump, its rough surface surprisingly comfortable beneath her.
"I will, if you will let him stay here," Yggdrasil said, her gaze unwavering. She understood Areum's skepticism, but she knew this was the right place for the baby.
Areum looks at son first as she contemplate what was better.
"Okay, this town has gotten my attention. This little one will stay here. Is the Tengoku still here?" Areum said, her curiosity piqued. She thought, 'It will be fun to bully—no. To teach another kitsune again.' She had always been wanted to train another Guardian level kitsune, to see how far she could push things. It was in her nature, the legacy of the Kitsune.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"She's gone to another country. Only the alpha remained here." Yggdrasil said, pouring her power into the nemeton. The green glow intensified, pulsing with energy.
"Two alphas in one town, and they didn't fight. Looks like this town is really interesting," Areum said with a smirk, her gaze fixed on a particular direction. Yggdrasil, sensing her thoughts, followed her gaze. The air hung heavy with anticipation, the silence punctuated by the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds.
"Let's go," Yggdrasil said as her grass avatar slowly dissolved into the ground.
Areum smirked. She wanted to play a prank, to see what kind of havoc she could wreak in this town. The idea of stirring things up, of seeing how far she could push these two alphas, was too tempting to resist. But then she looked at her baby, who was starting to stir in her arms.
"Too bad," she muttered, her playful mood momentarily dashed. She glanced in another direction, her eyes shimmering with a mischievous light. The town held so many possibilities, so many secrets to uncover.
And then, just as quickly as they had appeared, they vanished, leaving the ancient nemeton alone in the quiet woods.
A minute later, in a different part of the forest, a large wolf with brilliant red eyes materialized.
Its fur was a rich, black color, its gaze piercing and intelligent. It was Talia, a powerful alpha, her wolf form radiating a potent energy that sent a shiver down the spines of all those who sensed it.
She shifted, her form transforming into that of a woman, her body bare, her features sharp and striking. She surveyed the ground, her keen senses picking up every detail.
"Talia, what happened?" Peter, her younger brother said as he caught his breath as he ran to catch up with her. His gaze, usually bright and playful, was now laced with concern
"Someone was here, and the nemeton regained some power" Talia said, her voice a low growl. She sniffed the air, her eyes flickering as she detected a faint, yet unmistakable scent.
"Fox," she said, her voice sharp and clear. She turned, her red eyes fixed on a specific direction, her gaze mirroring Peter's. They both knew what it meant.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the trees.
Satomi Ito, another alpha, with a quiet intensity, appeared, her gaze sharp and unwavering.
She nodded to Talia in greeting.
"Satomi, is your friend back?" Talia asked, her voice a whisper, her eyes never leaving the woman before her.
Satomi Ito shook her head.
"No, I was attracted by the nemeton calling," Satomi explained. She sniffed the air, detecting the same fox scent that had drawn Talia and Peter to the area.
The nemeton that recovered was acting as a beacon for the supernaturals making them attracted.
"Looks like we will have many supernatural creatures coming this time, in beacon hills this time." Talia said, her gaze shifting to Peter, a flicker of grim determination in her eyes.
"Go, back home and tell the others to prepare"
Peter looks at the two alphas, knowing they want to talk alone peter nods before his eyes turned blue then running back.
As Peter vanished into the trees, Talia looked at Satomi, a mix of apprehension and frustration on her face.
"Did it get out?" Talia asked, her voice a low growl. She knew what was sealed in the nemeton. It was a dangerous entity, one that could wreak havoc if it were released.
"No, but the nemeton has gotten stronger. If it has something to do with the kitsune we smelled, then I don't know. There are many types of kitsune, and I don't know how many have the ability to do this," Satomi Ito said.
her thoughts racing, trying to remember the powers of each kitsune. There were countless legends, countless stories, and the Kitsune were some of the most elusive and enigmatic creatures.
Talia Hale frowned, her gaze fixed on the nemeton.
"Let's deal with the upcoming visitors first, before we figure out what's happening to the nemeton," she said.
She knew the nemeton would attract other supernatural creatures now that it had recovered, but that also meant trouble for them. The nemeton was a beacon, and they needed to be vigilant.
Satomi Ito nodded, her face serious,
her eyes flickering.
Although her pack was Buddhist, they were fierce protectors of their territory. They would defend what was theirs.
Then she looked at Talia, who stood before her, naked and unfazed by her exposed state.
"When will you find clothes that can adapt to your wolf form? You can't just keep getting naked like this," Satomi said, shaking her head at Talia's indecency.
(A/N: evolve wolf is legit strongest version of wolf in teenwolf Tv FYI)
Talia offered a wry smile,
her expression tinged with embarrassment.
Although she was a strong alpha, she couldn't help but feel a little sheepish under Satomi's scrutiny Who was the oldest wolf she met.
"I'll go find some. I just haven't had enough free time lately," Talia said. She knew Satomi was right, but she had been focused on other things, things that were far more important than finding clothes that could shift with her werewolf form.
"And call your friend. If she knows other kitsune, maybe she can help us figure this out. I'll leave first."
Talia shifted, transforming into a massive wolf, Black fur, her eyes blazing with a fiery red light. She turned and disappeared into the forest.
Satomi sighed, watching her friend go. She knew Talia was right. They needed help. This was bigger than any of them, and they needed all the knowledge they could get. She turned to her phone, dialing Noshiko's number, her heart heavy with apprehension.
What they didn't know is that it was all a prank orchestrated by Areum. She had deliberately left behind a scent trail, a subtle manipulation of their senses, so they could smell her presence. Otherwise, with her powers, she could have easily vanished without leaving a single trace.
•-----•-----•-----•-----•
Beacon Hills, Orphanage
Yggdrasil and Areum materialized outside the orphanage, a quaint, brick building with ivy creeping up its walls.
Areum, ever the trickster, immediately began reading the minds of everyone employed there. She did it subtly, a whisper of her power, ensuring that none of the staff even noticed her presence.
She quickly assessed the situation. The orphanage was decent, well-maintained, and the staff seemed genuinely caring. She smiled, satisfied.
This was a good place for her son.
She then controlled the matron of the orphanage, subtly manipulating her thoughts, directing her to come outside. As the matron emerged, Areum put her son down on the porch, a gentle touch caressing his cheek.
She looked at him, her expression a mix of sadness and pride.
"Goodbye, little Lucian," she whispered, kissing his forehead one last time. She stepped aside, allowing the matron to approach.
The matron, surprised to see a child at the front door, hurriedly took the baby in her arms. She didn't notice Areum beside her, as Areum had cast an illusion, making it seem as if the matron saw a name card, a subtle manipulation of her senses.
"Lucian, is that your name, little guy?" the matron said, reading the imaginary name card. She smiled at him, a warmth radiating from her.
"Welcome home, little Lucian," the matron said as she turned and went back inside the orphanage, the baby cradled safely in her arms.
Yggdrasil and Areum watched for one last time. Then, just as quickly as they had arrived, they disappeared, leaving Lucian in the care of the unsuspecting staff.