“Just tell me already,” Galliard asked for the millionth time as he looked up at his brother. “I know you know where she is.”

“I have no idea what you are talking about so stop badgering me about it,” Wrath bit out in annoyance, a tone he took so often with his younger kin it no longer affected the boy. “I could not possibly care less whether or not that girl is alive.”

That was not a complete lie, Wrath honestly did not care about her or her safety, what he cared about was the annoying cries of his sister if something was to ever happen to her. Since the day Gabriella had brought the twins home with a couple of lashed pups to join the clans' Wrath had been suspicious of them. His sister was foolish for trusting them in his mind. He on the other hand did not, not as far as Galliard could throw them. Which was not very far, truth be told, to begin with.

They were once a part of the Fang Brotherhood until they’d helped Gabriella escape from their grasp when she was kidnapped all those years ago. That would have probably made Wrath adore them…if it was not for the fact that they had been the ones to kidnap her from the Ember region in the first place. He recognised their scent the second they were introduced, Gabriella's room had been covered in it. They were kept in the dungeon for over two years until the previous Lord of Wrath was satisfied enough to trust them but had it been up to the current lord of Wrath he would have removed their heads the moment they’d revealed themselves.

“Fine play coy,” The little prince snorted at his elder, unmoved. “You and I both know you know exactly where she is.”

“Would you pay attention to what you are doing?” Wrath sighed at his youngest kin.“I would rather not wait for the twin moons to pass because you slipped and fell in.”

“You care about me.” Galliard smiled teasingly at his brother from the raised platform he stood on, his form hazy from the heat of the lava below.

“Do not let it get to your head,” The Lord of Wrath grunted back in response, “I just have better things to do.”

“How much longer until these monsters come?” Galliard glanced as some of the molten rock burst upwards, coating a section of the ground he stood on. “I have been standing here for ages.”

Almost as if his words triggered it, the stone beneath him began to shake, as if hit by an earthquake. Galliard was forced to use his magic to steady himself, lest he fell from the raised dais he had created. That same dais split open a moment later, the lava pouring out of the hole created. From within it burst an unending swarm of magical beasts. Some flew into the sky and swirled around his head like a furious living tornado. Others crawled out of the hole with grasping claws or slithered around the platform as if the molten rock was nought but water. Galliard's eyes went wide in shock, he had never seen so many different monsters in one place. The prince looked over at his older brother and found nothing, the man had disappeared from where he had been floating just a moment ago. He cursed at him under his breath, promising himself he would get back at his eldest sibling for leaving him there one day.

“Alright, you can do this.” He whispered, trying to reassure himself, the sound nearly lost in the cacophony of noise surrounding him.

Even as the words left him, he could not help the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach at the thought. Would it not work, or perhaps not work in the way he expected it to? Wrath had told him what this test would entail and that it would help determine how powerful he would be as a battlemage in the future. But the sight of so many otherworldly, some already turning to face him, was truly daunting now that he was in the centre of it all.

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Power started to flow into him from the monstrosities surrounding him, he could feel it moving around him like it was searching for something. After a long moment that seemed to last aeons, it suddenly stopped and so did the beasts. Those that flew around him dropped to the steaming earth to stare at him. Mighty serpents rose from the lava, meeting his gaze, and he stared back at the massive snakes. Those that had crawled their way out of the hole in the dais sat on their haunches, their eyes glowing and changing colours. A sea of beasts so long that he could see no end in sight, even with the eyes of a Blessed. He waited there for over an hour as the magic violated every cell of his body before they parted to make a path for his chosen companion.

Galliard held his breath in anticipation as he waited for the beast to reveal itself to him. His mouth dropped open in disbelief at what looked to be a wolf cub as it started walking towards him. His heart sank as he imagined the reaction his brother would have once he laid eyes on the beast gifted to him as his companion.

The little prince let out a sigh but stopped himself from running his hand down his face in anger. He looked at all the great and formidable horrors around him. Then looked at the little one sitting in front of him with an excited wag of its tail.

How am I to use this tiny thing in battle? He pondered to himself grimly, thinking about his supposed future as a battlemage. What use would this little emerald-furred thing that did not even come to his knee be in the middle of a melee?

It was too late to give the pup back, he was not even sure if that was possible in fact, once he stepped foot onto the stone he signed a contract to it with his soul. One overseen by the fire Goddess, Atrea, the first daughter of Xal and she would not take kindly to him breaking such an oath. The other beasts began to depart as the Goddesses' will had become apparent. Many started to fly back into the pit, others clawed their way back into the primordial element or sunk back into the molten waves. Even as they departed and the cracked stone shut he never once took his eyes off the pup as it came closer and rubbed itself against his leg. It was warm, but not uncomfortably so, especially compared to his current surroundings.

“Since I have you now there is nothing I can do.” He bent down and scratched the top of its head where a patch of turquoise in the shape of flames stood out on its dark green fur. “If nothing else my sister-by-law will appreciate you.”

Galliard stopped the affectionate action to stand back up, the wolf-like familiar looked up at the boy with big grey eyes and cocked its head to the side. Even though it was not done in a condescending way the action reminded him far too much of Wrath. As if he was summoned by the thought of him alone, like some sort of mortal horror story, he appeared with a loud crack.

The teen looked up and locked his gaze onto his older brother who was looking down at the creature but did not speak a word. Galliard prepared himself for his brother to break out into a fit of laughter but was left confused when silence was the only thing that followed.

“Get it over with and laugh already.” The lordling sighed, steeling himself. “I have disappointed you once again.”

“I dare not laugh at what a primordial Goddess has chosen for you.” He hummed for a moment staring at Galliard’s familiar, before meeting his brother’s gaze. “If this hound is fated to stand by your side then so be it.”

Galliard waited for the punchline, but none came, leaving him perplexed. He quickly concluded that Syrin must have talked to him beforehand and asked him not to tease him about his companion in advance. Even though they married to avoid infighting between the clans, his brother was forced to pick a bride so soon after his father’s death he still showed her the respect she was due as Lady Wrath. He admired his brother, for that if nothing else, since he was the lord of the clan he could have treated her as nothing but a necessity. A doll that was meant to birth his children and nothing more. He would have gotten away with it too, none of the other Lords or Ladies would care if he was a good husband after all, only that he fathers children to continue the bloodline and avoid the situation they were currently in.

The young prince studied his brother's body language, trying to see if he could guess his emotions through that, but he gave nothing away. He never did, when he chose to be as such. Yet another thing Galliard envied about his brother, his own emotions often drove his actions and not always for his benefit.

The cub looked between the two brothers, its eyes held an air far wiser than one would expect. Sizing the older man up as she searched for any signs of hostility towards her master, but she found none. She could sense the unfamiliarity between the two but there was also a sense of fondness even though it was ever so slight.

“Let us test out your new familiar.”