Chapter 9 – My Wolf

“My name is Lumina.” I told the Elf, once again finding myself in her large room while in my Beast-man form.

Scribbling down those strange runes atop the parchment, she briefly looked up, “A wonderful name,”

While previously I had become rather annoyed at her dismissive attitude, I quickly came to realise this was just her way. Her life was one spent absorbed by her strange, mysterious work, working her feathered pen feverishly across the rough parchment as she wrote.

Lightly scampering toward her desk, I stood on my toes and peeked over the smooth, wooden surface.

Silvia paused, her brow slightly raised as she asked, “Yes, Princess?”

I longed to learn exactly how to write these runes, and expressed my wish the fair Elf.

“Well…” she pondered, “I could teach you, but I am a harsh tutor. I will not allow you much rest, nor will I tolerate repeated mistakes while you remain my student.”

Her eyes took on a harsh air, an air even I believe could make my mother think twice.

However, I am not my mother.

I nodded immediately at her words, which only elicited a small scowl from her.

“I don’t deal in nods, Princess. Either it is a yes, or it is a no.” She scolded, “Use your words.”

“Yes!” I corrected, enjoying watching the scowl turn into a gentle smile is doing so.

“Good.” She paused for a moment, resting her head on her hands before continuing, “I expect you here every night, starting now, I am too busy during the day to divert my attention from my work.”

“Every night?” I confirmed, ensuring no complaint entered my tone.

“Yes, every night.” She flicked her wrist in the direction of the exit, “Now shoo. I have work to do.” I obeyed her orders and left her room, surrendering myself to the maze like halls of the den.

Excited over the coming lessons, I found myself skipping down the halls. My mind going blank as I contently enjoyed the sensation of getting lost in the den’s winding depths.

I abruptly turn a corner and abruptly fall straight onto my butt. I rub my forehead gently, easing the blunt pain pulsing through my head as I look up.

What stands before me is a familiar sight.

The black-haired Beast-man stands before me, displaying the same aggression as the day I first met him as he looks down upon me. His plain, brown eyes seem to radiate a strange pressure, attempting to oppress whatever they happen to gaze at.

While still exerting this strange oppression he reaches his hand out to me, silently urging me to take the offered support. I oblige and take his large hand, alarmed at the size difference of my own.

I bring myself to my feet, watching the Beast-man’s muscles lightly coil as he hoists me up.

We both stand there, profiling each other’s body, and assessing the other’s strength.  

We quickly finish our assessment and then bring our stares to the each other’s eyes.

I feel my body tense as I do so, each individual muscle coiling in preparation to fight for my life.

This response wasn’t that of logic or reason. It was that of pure, unfiltered instinct.

I felt a strange presence alongside my core, a power that is strong and wild.

While still on high alert, I gazed my mind’s eye upon this presence and found…a wolf.

Its fur was a pure, soft, and sleek white, with ruby eyes of pure bloodlust.

I examined the wolf and found a strange feeling, and feeling as though you were looking in the mirror, and found a wolf staring back at you.

Examining the power of the wolf, I found a strange discovery. Her power, was a near identical match to my own.

Coming to the only conclusion I could, I let my instincts take over. I let her take over.

She is my wolf, and I her dragon.

She is a part of me, and yet, she is me.

I ripped myself away from my core and felt her stalking behind my eyes, pulsing her wild power towards the frightening Beast-man that was before me.

I noticed my hair start to stand on end and my canines grow larger.

I felt my eyes grow more feral as she backed me up, and, upon looking in my reflection in the Beast-man’s eyes, saw my eyes glow the blood-red colour of my wolf.

Abruptly, the hostile presence the Beast-man was emitting cut to a halt. As if it was never there to begin with.

The once stoic expression he displayed was quickly overtaken by one of pure joy, and surprisingly…he smiled.

I felt my wolf immediately stop supplying me with power, both of us utterly shocked at the strange change of demeanour.

“So you do have a wolf.” Was all the Beast-man said before walking off, quickly disappearing within the maze of our halls.

A wolf? I thought.

Using my mind’s eye I seeped my gaze alongside my core, scanning the void for signs of the wolf. Yet, I found only traces of its magic and of course my core.

Where did she go?

I closely examined my pulsating power and found my answer.

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Tightly concealed in my light, was my wolf. She lay inside the walls of my power, sleeping soundly within the sole warmth of the endless surrounding void.

It was as if her wild power was contained inside, suppressed by the pure draconic force that lay within me.

Interesting…

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“Wrong.” Silvia said, followed by the sharp snap of her cane meeting wood.

I was within her room yet again, learning the language of the strange runes.

“This language,” she explained before our gruelling lessons truly began, “is the commonly accepted script used throughout Draconia.”

I was brought back to reality with another snap, “Wrong.”

“It comprises of various runes, each comprising of a sound that every being is capable of producing.”

Another snap, “Wrong.” She stretched over me to correct my error, “You use this rune here. Producing an ‘ah’ sound.”

“In using these sounds, we create various words, sentences and structures. First however, we must teach you your runes.”

A soft snap this time, “Wrong. That is a common mistake however. You stroke the quill like so…” She deftly demonstrated.

I quickly grasped the sounds and which runes accompanied them.

Which, to my joy, greatly impressed Silvia. Not long after demonstrating my ability we had moved on to sentences, which Silvia spoke aloud then asked me to convert into the proper runes.

“Ok, that is enough for now. It is rather late.” Silvia said.

I translated her words, sure I made no errors as I did so. However, I heard a snap.

“Did you not hear me, princess?” She glanced at my translation before continuing, “Well, in a way I suppose you did. No errors at least.”

Reading the words on the parchment, I blushed, “Sorry,” I said.

Silvia laughed in response, “It is fine, little one.” Ruffling my hair she added, “You made great progress today, Princess. You should be proud.”

I gave a bright smile at her praise, leaning into her hand as I did so.

“Off with you now. It’s late.”

I ran over to the door but turned before exiting, “See you tomorrow, Silvia.” I said.

I noted her warm smile once again, then skipped out the door.

I started weaving back through the dimly lit halls, making my way back to my room that I noticed a strange call echo in my mind.

Using my mind’s eye I retreated within myself, trying to drive out the invading force, yet my resistance was quickly proving futile.

I felt the pressure curl into a ball as it ripped down my spine, down my limbs and eventually, towards my core.

I quickly followed suit, racing towards my core as I followed the terrifying power.

As I found my target, I was met with a strange sinister aura bashing against the light that was my power.  

Terrified, I tried to grab the black fog, attempting to wretch it away from my beloved core. However, I was met with failure, my incorporeal fingers sliding through the mist.

With each hit I felt my real body convulse in pain, it feeling as though my nerves were set on fire.

I cried out in pure, unrivalled pain as I felt cracks form within my core, the steady pulse of power slowing with each passing second, and each passing blow.

Smash

The assault continued.

Smash

More cracks formed on my core.

Smash

My power was on the brink of breaking, as I prepared for the final assault.

…

But nothing came.

I returned my gaze to my core to find my wolf standing in front of my power, wrapping protectively around the fragile cracks.

Her sleek, white form standing alone against the mist, she growled at it, pushing her wild power out in waves. Little by little the mist dissipated, fading away, and retreating into the void.

With a huff my wolf sighed, relieved at the passing of the mysterious threat.

I gave a weak smile, my pained body now relieved over the safety of my power…and my life.

A dragon is magic according to Mother. Without it, I am sure we would cease to be.

As I felt my adrenaline fade quickly, and  my body succumb to the pain, I saw the one thing that could truly relieve my worries approach – Mother.

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Author Note:

Another chapter! Yayyyy.

I planned out this scene at the end pretty much right after the creation of the concept of the MC and her powers. I was tearing my hair out over how to write the scene as imagined in my head, and in the end, got this result.

Hope it isn't too bad, took me quite a few tries before I was able to write it properly.

Anyway, like always, give me any feedback you like. Good or bad. :)