Ciel P.O.V.

“Is this what you want?” I questioned unconvincingly.

“Yes.” Claimere Freslia answered impassively.

Her eyes glued on the gruesome spectacle before us.

Krigsain and Iru were intentionally funneling all the shadow wolves toward Ikrei. We were controlling the flow and at this moment, we were only allowing one to come through at a time. Freslia was keeping the shadow wolf pack leader, the alpha, under control at a distance with her kinetic powers.

“I do wonder how they truly work.” I analyzed.

Most high ranking member of hidden or secret factions keep their trump cards under wraps. Most kinetic powers were referred as mana manipulation by the Magi, blessings by the Malgrunians and Zurians and finally will by the Andurin. They all work slightly different from each other and the general term is kinetic energy power.

“Is it an orgon crafted artifact? An ancient relic? I can’t quite figure it out.” I was thinking inwardly when Ikrei went tumbling down again.

It was his fifth bout with a wolf, he was bleeding constantly.

“Support!” Shouted Freslia.

Within the space of seven breaths Iru was treating Ikrei, treating him just enough for him to continue fighting without bleeding. Freslia and my bow kept the panthers and beast monkeys at bay.

Freslia took point while Ikrei was being healed and she gave a dashing display of blade dancing. Her cloak fluttering in the moonlight amidst the growls and howls of the fearbeasts. She left the wolves untouched. The beasts cowered. They started retreating.

“Krigsain!” Screamed Freslia and like a bolt he left the final dying bear behind and went after the alpha wolf, the leader of the pack. The alpha shadow wolf tried to flee turning into a shadow and escape through the darkness into the forest.

Although I know Krigsain, he always manages to surprise me. Today was no different.

Somehow, he seemed to catch the shadow of the alpha wolf as his gloved hand glowed bright blue in the obscurity of the forest. With a strong full body weight pull he threw the shadowbeast and the howling creature fell just a few steps from Ikrei.

“Amazing!”

“What a man, brutish! Definitely brutish!” My thoughts distracted me from the job at hand.

In less than ten breaths Freslia was standing behind the wolf unmoving. Her countenance was fierce but she exuded calmness. Krigsain and Iru returned to their slaying party. I stayed back as emergency cover and support. Bow at the ready.

“Not bad for a bookworm!” Said Krigsain loudly as he praised Iru.

“I could do you a nice new haircut you know, flaming mane style.” Retorted Iru.

They are fighting fearbeasts at Andara in the middle of the night and still have the time to jest around while I have to be fully focused. I couldn’t help but feel a little bit envious.

“Envious!? Me? Envious of what exactly?”

Focus, no idle thoughts, concentrate Ciel!

By the time I looked back the alpha wolf was circling Ikrei baring his teeth, ready to pounce.

The snarling beast readied its attack.

“He is frightened; he can’t do it like this”. I shot a warning arrow at the beasts’ feet just before he was going to attack to protect Ikrei.

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The wolf howled looking in the direction the bolt had come from. Freslia was staring at me with disapproving eyes.

“This is too much. Why?” I pulled down my bow in confusion.

The wolf made a blind side attack. By this point, all of Ikrei’s sides were basically blind spots.

The wolf turned into a shadow and sent Ikrei against the rocks that were on the side of the cave. The alpha could have rushed Ikrei, pushing him down the ridge and into the precipice. The wolf was toying with him.

Another rush and Ikrei managed to shield himself a little. He still was battered against the rugged wall.

Another shadow attack, a blur stroke the boy’s body, sending him to the stony floor coughing up blood.

One more strike. Same result.

The wolf waited. Slowly stepping around him, it wasn’t a hunt. It wasn’t a brawl. A crippling, that’s all this was.

The only thing that was surprising was that Ikrei’s bloodied body didn’t seem to faze him. He said nothing. His eyes seething with resentment. His eyes were locked with Freslia’s, she didn’t look away.

He attacked thoughtlessly screaming wildly. He had gone berserk. No sense, no form, no chance.

The wolf countered and Ikrei fell. He had blacked out.

The alpha wolf sprinted past Freslia in retreat. She stood glued to her spot without reaction only looking at the fallen boy.

“What happened here? Did she arrange all of this?” I was pondering in a trance.

Confusion was written all over my face.

“Iru deal with him, hurry.” Freslia said.

“Krigsain, Ciel let’s wrap things up. With me.” She moved giving the order.

Leaving the convalescing chicken coop behind we went on a rampage.

I was angry, I could not, cannot and will not comprehend what is going on inside the head of the woman in front of me.

I strung my bow with fury killing anything within my range in one shot. This was the first night I experienced the frightening prospect that is Claimere Freslia, the Deathbringer.

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“How is he?”

“The treatment went well, a couple of days of sleep and we will be on the move again.” Iru answered.

We were having a makeshift dinner dish with the scraps from the battle inside the cave. Not bad not good. Freslia was the cook this time. Why would she offer to do it? I wondered. I couldn’t hide my distaste for the offering upon learning about it.

“Hey, Krigs, what was that out there? We let your trainee get gashed and tortured.” I said whispering to his ear.

“I know what you are thinking just let it go goldilocks.” Krigsain said as he chomped down his bowl.

“Iru say something will you.” I pleaded.

Iru was reading another one of his books when he looked up from it to face me.

“This is shock therapy. Extreme but whist, I think.” He was joking.

“I’ve never seen training like this before. This will break any of you. Get serious guys.”

There was no answer, Iru went back to his book. Krigs kept eating.

“Krigs, help me a little will you, help me understand.” I said imploring.

“Benefits, we get benefits. I get something I want, Iru does as well. You?” Krigsain smiled mischievously.

“He’s not our friend, brother or anything other than a very promising acquaintance allegedly, of course. I know it is harsh, inhumane even. We are taking the Claimere at her word. Not that we could do any better.” Iru explained without lifting his eyes from his book.

“Benefits? What’s in it for me?” I was intrigued.

“Don’t pry to much or you won’t get any. You already have a master craftsman bow.” Krigsain replied.

“You can go ask the Claimere for explanations, she’s just standing guard at the entrance. Go ahead busybody.” He suggested.

After his words, I decided to do just that. I walked over to the cave’s entrance were lady Freslia was overseeing things.

“Madame, may I have a word?” I said putting the straightest posture I could summon.

“I know what you are thinking. Just ask away little one.” She told me not once glancing at her side.

“Why is this necessary? It seemed like plain torment.”

“He is too old to go through the Rite of Passage you guys went through. He needs to awaken in a certain manner under certain conditions and it MUST happen.” She said flatly still looking forward.

“I’m assuming you are not going to explain any further, are you?”

“I am only doing this in deference to your lineage and a debt towards your grandfather. It’ll be good for you to stick with our sleeping beauty over there.” She said pointing at Ikrei.

“What’s in it for me, Claimere?” I questioned.

“How much do you like Krigsain, Ciel?” She fired a question back.

I was numb at her words, I had no response.

“I’ll help you. Now, if you want to be of service go tend to our suffering companion for a few hours. Iru is tired and Krigsain needs to stand guard.”

“You rub me I’ll rub you kind of thing, just between girls, alright?” She said with a devilish smile.

I was speechless, dumbfounded and shocked. Strangely my feet moved by themselves were the anguishing boy was laying.

“That was quite the offer.”

“I like Krigsain?”

Looking down on the sleeping chicken coop I deliberated for the night.

I truly felt sorry for him. Still, I went along with the Claimere just like the boys.

“Your brother’s keeper, huh?”

If this keeps up I might just be turning into a selfish bitch.

“Is there a difference between a Claimere and a Zigur? She’s brutal and we, her followers, are cowards.” I said whispering to myself.

The cloth in my hand was filled with Ikrei’s perspiration as I tried to keep his body temperature stable.

“I hope she’s right about you chicken coop, awaken before you break, you hear.” I muttered in his ear.