--------///----Eclina's POV----\\\--------

While i was sleeping i thought i felt someone poking me but i didn't want to get up so i ignored it. Then i got poked again and tried to swat whatever it was but when i hit whatever it was, i felt like i hit a mountain. When i opened my eyes i saw an orange sky and someone i didn't know towering above me and looking at me with a tired look on his face. The silver and white fur and the purest white claws i've ever seen wasn't something i knew but the more i looked into the silver eyes of the massive wolf i started to remember what happened before i passed out.

I started to remember how papa ran all the way from Reina's parent's castle and brought me here because mama told him to do it...

~ And now that i think about it mama had just thrown me without warning me! I'll get her back for that!.. ~

But thinking more about what happened i could remember what Mr.Leviathan said, and how scared i was when i saw the rift but after that and even now, i don't feel scared. He said something about a "Garris" and even mama told papa to take me to "Garris" so is this him? I don't feel like i'm in danger despite being alone with him, while i've been thinking about things i didn't notice him trying to talk to me, i only noticed when he poked me again.

(Garris) " Are you listening little one? "

(Eclina) " ... Um. No. "

(Garris) " Haaah. Then i'll start over so please pay attention this time ok. "

(Eclina) " Ok. "

(Garris) " Now then. I am Garris, the current elder for the lycans and the first tempest wolf, i've been entrusted with your training and your safety. Im not sure how long it will take for you to accurately grasp your training and how quickly you will be able to progress with your elements but we'll have time. "

After Mr.Garris was done talking i couldn't help but start thinking about what it all meant.

~ I know about how im supposed to train for the opening rifts but how was he going to train me? We only share light and air so what can he do to help me with my fire and earth? Is he going to teach me control like Elaine mentioned before? There's no point in thinking about things when i can just ask.~

(Eclina) " How long do you think it'll take? How are you going to help with the elements we don't share? Are all tempest wolves as big as you? " 

(Garris) " The first two questions are good and to answer them in order, I believe it shall take at the very least, six years for you to be able to master all your elements to the point that using them becomes second nature. For the elements of fire, earth, and darkness, i will send you to an area of the forest where beasts proficient in those reside and give you the task to begin to hunt them. By seeing and experiencing those elements for yourself you wiill be able to learn faster then i will be able to help you with them.

I will only send you to areas that i know you will be capable of fighting in. However if you are still being trained by the time the first rift opens then i will send you to areas with beasts that may be stronger then you and leave you in their care as i will be going to help supress the invaders. And for your last question, no, not all tempest wolves are my size. The very most they can reach is ten feet on all fours however the females can reach twelve to fourteen feet. I am the size i am because i became the first tempest wolf, and lycan elder. Those two accomplishments are what led to me becoming the beast you see before you today. "

While Mr.Garris was talking he had laid down like Mr.Fenrir did the first time we met. I was tempted to climb onto his paw and lay down there instead of on the grass but i managed to stop myself. When Mr.Garris said i would fight other beasts at some point i got a bit worried about if i could do it or not... But i wanted to live up to Mr.Fenrir and everyone's expectations... I'll do it. I will live up to their expectations as best as i can do. Mr.Garris brought me out of my thoughts when he nudged me a bit and said.

(Garris) " What're you thinking little one? "  

(Eclina) " Nothing! "

(Garris) " Anyway, now seems a good time to see where you stand in regards to elemental development. Get ready little one, you have around eight hours until nightfall in which i will direct you towards an area of the forest for you to hunt. "

(Eclina) " Ok!.. But what about mama and papa? "

(Garris) " What about them? " 

(Eclina) " Will i get to see them again? "

(Garris) " Why wouldn't you? Your mother is capable to come and go here whenever she wants and Martiq can just avoid any and everything to come here if he wants. If i sense them coming then i'll tell you and give you some time with them. "

When Mr.Garris said that i couldn't help but be happy. A part of me was scared i wouldn't get to see them anymore but when Mr.Garris told me i would still get to see them if they came by was enough to make me happy.

(Garris) " Now first i want you to start out by showing me what you can do with your fire element. I know you have only manifested your elements recently so only show me what your capable of and don't try to strain yourself. "

(Eclina) " Ok. "

After we finished talking i closed my eyes and tried to focus on my fire element, but i haven't had time to try connecting to anything other then my darkness so i didn't know how i was supposed to do that. I tried feeling for my fire in the way i would try for my darkness but their too diferent. When i feel for and connect to darkness, it feels like i'm reaching out to a part of myself that's always waiting for me to use it, always there in the background no matter what. Even though i've manifested them i haven't made them my own considering everyhing that's been happening. Mama would always say that we would have to be in a safe area before trying to connect to our elements after we manifest but it's been at the back of my mind until now.

As i tried to concentrate on myself and reach inside to connect my elements to me i saw a scene that looked like where i was in the forest from when i manifested, the plain area that surrrounded the tree seemed just like it did in person yet my elements floating in the air and no Mr.Garris showed me that this wasn't reality. Infront of me i saw a small flame that alternated between the lively bright red to a calm orange which despite it being infront of me i wasn't afraid of it. As i walked up to it, the flame washed over me and i couldn't help but feel the rush of power that flowed over me when i took in my fire element.

I felt strong, stronger then i've ever been, but i knew this wouldn't be enough for me if i had to go against the rift from earlier. As my fire coursed through me i started to learn how i could use it, how to protect myself with it and how to hunt with it. But as i kept gaining information i felt something in me change, it felt like i was changing inside and out. I felt a fire engulf me but before i could feel more i heard Mr.Garris shouting for me and his voice was getting louder and louder until i was brought out of my forest and face to face with Mr.Garris.

(Garris) " Little One what was that! I said show me what you can do but why did you use... Wait... Why do you have another tail? "

When Mr.Garris said that part i was confused... Until i turned my head and saw another tail wagging behind my normal one. Like my first one, it was covered in black fur except for the middle and tip as those were bright red and seemed to be flashing with a dim flame.

(Eclina) " Wha?! B-but why? Mr.Garris am i going to be ok? Am i going to die? What's happening to me? "

(Garris) " ... I have not the slightest clue on what just happened. At most this is something unique to you however the other new progenitors may be experiencing something similar. Sit down and tell me how do you feel? "

I was still worrying about my sudden tail growth but i believed Mr.Garris would tell me if i was going to be in danger. So i decided to do what he told me and sit down. As i did that Mr.Garris brought one of his claws up to my body and it started to glow white as i felt a warm energy flow over me. Unlike how it felt when my fire was engulfing me, the light felt soothing and it helped calm me down.

(Garris) " I don't feel anything wrong with your body... It feels as if you always had two tails yet i know you haven't... Hopefully Fenrir has the answer to this situation. Do you feel like you can move it? "

As i looked back to my new tail i conciously tried to move it and not even a few seconds later it was wagging along with my other tail. It felt natural, as if i could always do it.

(Eclina) " But how? What do i do with it? "

(Garris) " I'm not exactly sure but why don't you try using your tail as a medium for your fire? It grew because of it and it seems to be waiting to be used. "

(Eclina) " But how do i channel my fire into my tail? "

(Garris) " Feel for your fire just like you did earlier but direct it towards your tail. If my light tells me you've always had that tail and it feels natural for you to have it then i don't see why it shouldn't be a problem for your tail to act as a medium. "

(Eclina) " Um ok. "

As i closed my eyes i slowly found myself back infront of the tree where my elements floated. But this time there was a difference, my fire seemed more... Alive? It seemed to be burning brighter then it was earlier and i could feel it being drawn to my new tail. When i walked over to it, the flames washed over me again but instead of my whole body being bathed in them they were starting to get absorbed into my new tail which started to glow bright red at the tip and at the red part in the middle.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

When it was over i saw my tail shining a bright red almost like the sun. I couldn't tell why these weird things were happening but it didn't feel like it was anything bad. When i started to move my second tail i saw a small streak of flames trail behind it. I tried to reach out to it but i couldn't so i gave that up then i tried to angle it closer to me but that didn't work either... I tried other ways to try to touch it but none of those worked either. When i finally gave up i remembered what Mr.Garris said about using my tail as a medium to use my fire with.

When i gave it a try i felt my tail activate? The more i focused on my tail the stronger the feeling of it activating felt. When i focused on that feeling i suddenly felt like i could use my fire as if i had always had it. When i opened my eyes back in the real world i saw Mr.Garris looking at me with a brow raised like he was intrigued. 

(Garris) " Now that's unexpected. If i hadn't known better i would've assumed you were born with fire as your innate element. Based on what your showing with your fire, if your other elements alter you in a beneficial way then you may not need six years of training to be capable of defending yourself. But still, what will you become if you continue to gain tails? "

(Eclina) " Ummm now what do i do? "

(Garris) " How do you feel? If you feel tired then you can take a break. If you feel that you can continue going on then i want you to try connecting to another element. "

After what just happened i felt full of energy. I could keep going for days with how much energy i felt i had.

(Eclina) " I can do it! I don't feel tired at all. "

(Garris) " Then pick which element you'd want to connect with next and see what happens. But first make sure to extinguish the flames on your tail. "

(Eclina) " Huh? "

Looking back i saw my new tail had a fire burning brightly at the tip while the red on the tip and center were radiating just as bright as the fire itself. I hadn't even noticed the fire was still burning. Focusing on the fire i did what i would do with my darkness and try to make it disappear. It didn't even take long, as soon as i thought for it to go away it did. Looking at it, the fire seemed to be sucked into may tail which had gone back to the dim colored flame glow it had from earlier. After that had happened i just kept looking at my tail not sure what to make of it.

When i closed my eyes and found myself back into the...

~Actually... What am i going to call this place? If i'm going to keep coming back here then this place needs a name. But what exactly do i name it? It has to be a good name... But what? ~

While i was thinking about it i couldn't help but stare at the tree and think about what Mr.Fenrir called the other side.

~ Elysium? So should i call it something like that? Ummm, Sylum? Yea. That sounds good. ~

Now that i figured out what i was going to call this place it was time to start my next connection.

~ But which element should i connect to this time? Fire gave me a new tail so what would my other elements give me? I don't know what they'll do to me if i connect to them, is it going to be safe?.. Mr.Garris is here and he can help me if i need it... And he's said i was fine... I... I can do it. ~

Making up my mind despite the small bit of nervousness i felt in my heart, i walked over to my earth element, which looked like a perfect sphere of stone, and reached out to it. I felt it wash over me just like the fire did, but instead of the rushed feeling of power and energy i felt earlier, i felt solid. I felt like nothing could hurt me no matter what but i knew better. As that feeling kept growing it suddenly stopped and i could feel something in me changing. I was trying to focus on it and as i did i could tell what was changing. 

I felt my skin getting sturdier, my claws and teeth growing sharper and more durable and i could feel a new tail growing on my right besides my fire tail. When it was all over i looked at my claws which seemed to have a certain hardness that they didn't have before. I licked my teeth and felt a kind of resistance that wasn't there before. I looked back and saw that my new tail was right where i thought it was. Looking at it i saw that it was almost identical to my other two except for the brown tip and center with the color for my earth element. But for a second i thought my tails seemed different... They seemed... Rounder? Fluffier? 

Seeing that it was done i took some time to explore my new body in Sylum... Until i remembered this wasn't real and i would have to do that in the real world. So i closed my eyes and focused on going back to the real world which i did. When i opened my eyes i saw Mr.Garris looking at me in the same way as when i first grew my fire tail.

(Garris) " I see you've gone for your earth element this time, and there's even a new tail to come with it... You also feel different... Well then, show me what you can do. "

Nodding at what Mr.Garris said, i closed my eyes and started to focus on my earth element. Just like with my fire element i felt my earth tail activate when i started using it. When i opened my eyes i saw a coat of earth encasing my legs, and turning my head, my whole body. It looked and felt thin yet i could tell it was strong. I felt i could keep this on for a few minutes at the least before i would have to de-materialize it.

(Garris) " It seems this is a repeat of what happened with your fire element. If i didn't know any better then i would assume this was just how you were born. From that display you have a moderate amount of proficiency with fire and earth... If your air and light elements are anything like your fire and earth are then you really wouldn't need six years... But you'll need to spend time on your darkness to make sure it doesn't fall behind them. "

Nodding at what Mr.Garris said, i went back into Sylum and prepared to get my air element connected to me. As i walked up to my air element, which looked like a see through ball of air, it washed over me just like my fire and earth elements did. This time i did what i had done for my earth element and tried to focus on what was changing in me and how these changes could help me. I felt my body, and more specifically my muscles, get more compact. But at the same time i felt like i was getting... Smaller? I also felt my body feeling lighter then it was before. I could even feel my new tail grow to the far left of my original tail. And just like the other two i started gaining knowledge on how to use my Air element to the fullest.

Unlike my other two connections this one took more time and it felt like minutes had gone by compared to the seconds that my fire and earth elements worked. As the time flew by i felt like my body was done being changed. and when it did i opened my eyes in Sylum. Looking at myself i saw what i had felt earlier. I saw that my legs looked thinner, my body seemed smaller, and my tails seemed rounder and fluffier then they were at the start. I was confused at what just happened so i focused on going back to the real world and asking Mr.Garris about it. 

When i felt i was back, i opened my eyes to see Mr.Garris' head inches away from me. I wasn't ready to see something like that so my instincts flashed and took over me... I jumped up and shrieked at the top of my lungs in shock... And nothing else... Definetly not in fear... DEFINETLY NOT. Seeing my reaction, Mr.Garris backed his head away and cleared his throat.   

(Garris) " Sorry about that Little One. I just couldn't stop myself from making sure i was truly seeing what i did. "

(Eclina) " Wha? What did you see? "

I got a few feet away from Mr.Garris from my jump but i was only now noticing that. Mr.Garris was still directly infront of me when i came out of Sylum but after my jump i was maybe five to seven feet away? Could i do that before? I don't think i could get that far before. While i walked back over to Mr.Garris, i noticed he was looking at me with glowing white eyes and a focused glare.

(Garris) " To start at the beginning, when you begun to connect to your air element you were encased in a... Cocoon, for a lack of a better word, of air. At first i didn't think much of this. But as the minutes piled on and you had yet to emerge i became worried. So i imbued my eyes with air in order to see what was happening inside, and what i saw was baffling. I missed a portion of the process however when i had begun to see through the cocoon, i saw your body seemingly shrink, given it was at a slow pace it was still at a visible rate.

As the minutes kept passing you began to change in more, obvious ways. Aside from your obvious shrinking and thining, your skeletal structure has changed and become more durable and more lean to accomodate your new frame. Your face has become more... Cute? It's become somewhat rounder and softer looking. Before you stood at three feet however now you stand at what i'm assuming is two feet three inches. Despite shrinking down, you've become stronger then you prieviously were. I'm still not entirely sure what is going on but whatever it is, it's beneficial to you. "

While Mr.Garris was talking i was looking myself over and when he said i got shorter i got wide eyed.

(Eclina) " Nooooo! "

Mr.Garris who obviously wasn't expecting my sudden outcry, looked to me worried.

(Garris) " Are you okay little one? What's wrong? "

(Eclina) " I'm supposed to be the oldest, how can i be shorter then my brother and sister?! "

(Garris) " Ahh. I see. Keep your chin up little one, among beasts that gain the primordial element there are some that are capable of changing their size. So all you have to do is wait until you manifest it. "

(Eclina) " Really! When does that happen? How come i've never heard of it? "

(Garris) " I-it happens naturally... Just work hard and do your best and you'll manifest it in no time. And not many beasts manifest it so maybe that's why you've never heard of it. "

(Eclina) " Yay! Anyway, I'll be back and... Wait... Does that mean you have it Mr.Garris? And i thought we couldn't manifest other elements after the first time? " 

(Garris) " Yes i do have the primordial element. And before you ask, yes i am capable of changing my size but it is very energy consuming for me to use it and just not worth the difficulty to use. However that is only in my case, there are others who can do it as easy as breathing. And while we can manifest elements after the initial time, it is very difficult for beasts to do so. Depending on the beast they may have an easier time but it generally will require a decade around that, or consuming something with that specific element, for a chance to manifest it... However with your specific constitution i wouldn't be surprised if you manifested more elements. " 

(Eclina) " Ouu. Did you ever try to do that? "

(Garris) " Try to manifest more elements? "

(Eclina) " Yea. "

(Garris) " No. I had thought about trying to manifest metal yet i was never able to do it. "

(Eclina) " Aww. Well i'll be right back! "

(Garris) " Ok. After you manifest your light i'll let you sleep for now and hunt tomorrow. "

(Eclina) " Why tomorrow? "

(Garris) " With all that has happened, i'm not entirely sure where to send you to hunt. This will also give you more time to train your elements and test your new body if you choose to do so. "

(Eclina) " Ok! "

With that done i closed my eyes and focused on going back to Sylum. When i was back i took a moment to breath and prepared myself to connect to my light element. As i walked into it, i felt it was over me and just like Mr.Garris' light, it felt nice and made me feel calm. When i started to focus on the changes going on in my body, i felt my new tail growiing next to my first tail and right between it and my air tail. When it was done there wasn't a gap between them anymore and other then that i wasn't sure what else changed. From the knowledge i gained from connecting with my light, i knew i could heal faster and heal someone else but other then that i wasn't sure what else happened. 

When i opened my eyes i saw my tails swaying with my body and my light tail which unlike the other tails, had a majority of white fur except for the parts of where it connected to my black fur which had three and what i'm assuming was a fourth line going from the base of my tail up towards the tip where they stopped and all connected and formed a ring right before the tip of my tail. I wasn't sure why this tail was different but i didn't mind it, i thought it looked nice.

As i closed my eyes and focused on coming back to reality i managed to do it instantly which was new but good. When i got back, Mr.Garris looked at me and nodded.

(Garris) " It's different then your other tails, i don't need to be capable of rationanl thought to understand that, but how is it? Do you feel anything... "

Before Mr.Garris got his last word off, something felt different, we looked around and noticed the forest had gotten quiet... Which it wasn't like that a moment ago. We both looked to each other and then we looked to the tree as we both heard the sound of it creaking open.