Overview: This story mixes fantasy elements with incestuous themes. There will be fights and a proper explanation of how the magic system works, later in the story. I will just introduce the main characters and some terms.
Gelodesh: Northernmost kingdom of the continent.
Ostorth: Capital of Gelodesh.
Ryhor: Smallest of the three cities of Gelodesh.
Samantha Tygrine: Ruler of the Kingdom of Gelodesh.
Suzanne Tygrine: Twin sister of Samantha Tygrine. Marshal of the Gelodesh Kingdom.
Miranda Tygrine: Eldest daughter of Suzanne Tygrine.
Rose Tygrine: Younger twin of Miranda Tygrine.
Lily Tygrine: Daughter of Samantha Tygrine.
Raymond Tygrine: Younger twin of Lily Tygrine.
Shania Mosel: Lover of Raymond.
awaken: When a person connects his/her magic pool to natural magic pool, gaining an attribute elemental or otherwise
...
Glossary will be published shortly, along with the maps. Do take a look. Thank you.
***
Raymond found himself lying in a luxurious bed. He was dressed in extravagant, silk garments that were much different than his usual clothes. Instead, he was dressed akin to something a king would wear to his bed. He looked around the room in confusion and was bewildered by the unknown and grand scenery. He quickly surveyed the room and could not remember anything about where he was or how he got there.
Where is this? How did I get here?
"Hey, is anyone there? Where am I?"
When no one answered his calls, even after shouting at the top of his voice for three or four times, Raymond decided to go around and see if he could find anyone to get answers about where he was, how he got there, and why he was there.
He followed the light and found himself in a room with a balcony. He looked out of the large, floor to ceiling window and confirmed that he was in some kind of a palace. The palace seemed to be in the middle of a very big and ancient city. He could not remember ever having heard or read about it, and it was clear he was somewhere foreign to him.
This city is far bigger than Ryhor. I don't think even Ostorth has buildings this big and majestic. This looks like a palace an emperor would live in.
Raymond panicked at the weird situation in which he found himself. He went around different rooms but could not find a single person in the entire palace.
Where the hell am I? And why is the whole palace empty!? Where are all the people?
He decided to raise a commotion in the hope that someone, anyone, would hear him; he started breaking the glass windows and tearing down the paintings. He suddenly stopped when he caught a glimpse of a figure entering the room. He turned around and was struck dumb by what he saw. There stood a woman dressed in pure white, adorned by jewels and pearls. Her long, shiny black hair fell down to her waist. Her aura was so noble, her skin so fair, her face so beautiful; she looked divine and so familiar...
Mother?!
But not quite...
In his panic, Raymond stepped to the woman and shouted out his questions all at once. "Who are you? Where is this? How did I get here?"
"We don't have much time left. You have to awaken soon or it will be too late." The woman spoke as if she was talking to an apparition. Raymond was driven mad by listening to the same few sentences again and again. No matter what he said, the woman repeated the same mantra, over and over.
"STOP! What the hell is wrong with you? Answer my questions or else..."
Suddenly the woman passed by Raymond and peered out the window. She signaled for him to come to her.
Raymond grumbled about her attitude but went towards her anyway. The woman was pointing outside the window, imploring him to look where she directed him. He jumped back in horror when he gazed towards the city. The scene outside scared him like never before. The city was covered in a cloud of black mass. Flames were burning the houses everywhere. Black clouds were gathering, blocking the sunlight from coming down. It looked as though the world was about to end.
Raymond's face turned pale. He turned towards the woman, wide-eyed.
"Ray!"
"You have to stop it before..."
"Ray. Ray, wake up!"
"... it's too late," the woman said; her voice sounded faint and distant.
"RAY!"
Raymond woke up with a start. Lily, his twin, was holding his shoulders and looking at him with concerned eyes.
"Are you alright?"
It was a dream. Just a dream.
Raymond took a deep breath and hugged Lily tightly. She was caught off guard but hugged him back after a moment. She thumped his back a few times and asked in a concerned voice, "bad dream?"
"Yes."
"It's alright now. I'm here."
"Yes."
Lily brought her face close to his. Touching their foreheads, she stared at his eyes softly.
"Don't practice your magic too much. It will happen on its own. Trust me."
"Okay."
"Let's go. Today, the Council is meeting a little earlier. Miranda will get mad if we make her late for that."
***
Raymond rode on his horse alongside Lily. He thought about the dream once again and the scenes of widespread destruction and darkness played through his mind which made him shiver at the thought of them ever becoming real.
I have to awaken soon. That dream was too real. He trembled and an uneasy thought crept up in his mind. I wonder who that lady was, she looked eerily similar to mother...
He was frustrated and very downtrodden because he hadn't been able to pierce that gap to go from a half-awakened warrior to an awakened warrior. It had been nearly three years since he was stuck at that stage.
When he first became able to channel his mana outside his body, he was so glad that he had left behind the masses, those who would forever be magic warriors. Going from a magic warrior to a half-awakened was tougher than the following process of progressing to an awakened warrior. It was like a stigma on his soul, to be the weakest in his family and always have to live through their heroic tales, unable to write his own.
"Hey, do you have to go with Rose today?" He turned to ask Lily as he recalled the upcoming hunt. The hunt, a weekly event during these few months to manage the increased numbers of magical and prime beasts in the vicinity of the city borders, had been a thing of longing for him.
"After lunch," Lily uttered.
***
Miranda looked out into the yard; a carriage was waiting for her. She felt a little nervous at the fact that it was supposed to be her first day as the Council President, and she was already running late.
Where are those three? They are always late for lunch.
She let out a sigh at the tardiness of her sister and cousins. Then her thoughts turned to Raymond, who at age of 21, was still not able to awaken his magic. She was worried about him and thus had made his favorite meal for lunch to cheer him up a little.
"I hope he doesn't get too depressed."
A moment later, she scoffed at her words.
"How depressed can he be? He's dating that fucking bitch. I swear, I will kick her out of the city, her troupe too. Setting her sights on my Ray, that fucking slut."
Suddenly, Miranda heard footsteps from the corridor, which broke her train of thought.
"Miranda, we are in the dining room."
Finally, they are here.
...
Raymond stared at the array of dishes, all of which were his favorite, set out on the table. He was floored by the attention to detail and effort she must have put into making all the dishes. "Miranda is the best," he exclaimed in delight.
This earned him a jab to his ribs. As he turned to Lily, he saw Miranda walking towards them and decided to get his revenge at a later time.
"Miranda, you have outdone yourself, and on such a busy day too. You're the best..."
He stopped midway and readied himself to receive another jab. When it didn't come, he turned to Lily, who just rolled her eyes at his obvious attempt to rile her up.
"Enough, you two. Did you see Rose anywhere?" Miranda asked them as she took her seat at the head of the table. Raymond and Lily both seated themselves at her left. Raymond answered her as he reached out to grab a bun.
"We didn't see her. She must be hanging out with her recent "lover"; that idiot."
"I have to get ready for the meeting soon. I'm already late." Miranda paused and looked at the two of them with an accusatory gaze. Seeing that both of her cousins were dodging her eyes, Miranda decided to let it go and continued, "let's just start without her."
Just at that moment, Rose barged in through the door, apologizing. "Sorry for being late. I was practicing."
Raymond saw the haggard look on Rose's face and couldn't help but get annoyed and comment offhandedly. "Oh, were you riding Antonio? I mean, riding with Antonio?"
Rose glared at Ray. "Ha ha very funny," she replied in a deadpan tone.
Miranda, who was trying to stifle a laugh, quickly interjected. "Okay, you two. Be civil. I'm going to get changed," and she left the room to go to her inner chambers.
"Just you wait, Ray; once I'm back from the hunt, I will teach you a proper lesson. It's been a long time since we last had a spar."
"Oh, will you have enough energy after your spar with Antonio?" Raymond snickered at his own joke.
"You're on fire today, aren't you?" Rose got up and crossed over to Raymond's chair when Lily suddenly pulled her away.
"We should go. We have to reach the camp by evening."
"Alright..." Rose turned to Raymond and said through clenched teeth, "humph! Today's your lucky day." Since Raymond kept his mouth shut this time, she walked away after Lily.
"Try not to sleep with an-" Raymond quickly dodged the oncoming dagger before he could finish his sentence.
That girl is crazy, scares me to death.
Raymond let out a sigh of relief as he turned his attention to the exquisite dishes Miranda had prepared for him.
Finally, I can enjoy the meal in peace. Oh, Miranda, you are awesome.
...
Raymond was looking out at his sister and his cousin, Rose, as they readied their gear and horses. As he watched them ride out towards the forest, he couldn't help but feel frustrated at his own lack of competence. He muttered, disappointed, "If only I had awakened the same as them; I would also go on the hunt and maybe find some treasure. Humph."
Raymond could still remember when all three of them awakened, during the same week, like it happened only yesterday. The first was Rose, followed by Miranda the next day. It was a very exciting time for all four of them. He would follow around his two cousins more than ever, trying to learn some tips from them about how to use the new power.
Though a few weeks later, it came as a great surprise to him and everyone else when Lily also awakened and became the youngest person to do so in the past 400 years of their kingdom's history. Even the kingdoms to the south of them, the major military powers, did not have someone like Lily who had awakened to their attribute three years earlier than the usual age of 17.
Raymond had been beyond ecstatic when he had watched his sister and cousins practicing their techniques with their new element. They could unleash their potential of magic properly by using the elements they had awakened. He would dream of having the same element as Rose, the most destructive of all the major elements: fire. He would watch in fascination as Rose would light up her long sword in a flame and attack with a force that would leave the training ground scorched.
While Rose had the fireelement, Miranda awakened to the most versatile one: water. Miranda, proficient in a number of weaponry (sword, spear, mace, ax, shield, etc.) was the most suitable one among all four to awaken the waterelement. Though they were twins, Miranda and Rose had elements that countered each other and were unsuitable to form a traditional two-man hunting party. In Raymond's mind, it was very fortunate, or it could have led to disastrous consequences had those two ever formed a team.
Raymond inspected the beautifully crafted spear sent by his mother as a gift to Miranda for taking charge as the president of the Ryhor City Council. It was a finely crafted piece of magic equipment and one which was hard to buy just by throwing money at it. He let out a chuckle as he imagined Lily holding the same spear.
Lily, who had awakened the earthelement, was never interested in weapons and quite clumsy using them. The only weapons she used were either knives or gauntlets. She would focus more on her magic than fighting techniques. Raymond always thought about the earthelement that while it was very strong for defense, it was too rigid and slow to be used effectively in offense. This hindered her ability to fight as the vanguard.
"At this point, any element would do, even the earth element is fine. I have already progressed from a magic warrior to the half-awakened state, still... no matter how hard I try or how good I am with my sword, it isn't enough to fight with someone who has awakened. Unless I have an element, all my magic power is useless." Raymond muttered, dispirited.
I should go see how Shania is doing with her new song. His thoughts turned to his most recent girlfriend. He was thankful that she was always ready for a romp in the bed. Yes, I should definitely go. After the meeting starts, I will slip out.
"Anyway, I have not been with her for two days. She must be starving for some action by now," Raymond snickered. "That vixen!"
"Ray! Come here."
"Coming," Raymond responded to Miranda's shout and walked towards her room.
***
"How do I look?" Miranda asked as she did a little twirl in front of Raymond, who had just entered the room.
Raymond stood near the door, his mouth wide open, staring fixedly at Miranda. Standing in the light coming through the window, she looked radiant. He had always thought that Miranda was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, but he could not remember if she had ever looked this beautiful before. She was dressed in a long, white and golden gown, which complemented her almost six-foot frame very well. Hidden beneath the gown were her long legs, covered in trousers. Her thin waist was accentuated by the tight, red, jeweled belt. Her long, fair arms, covered in the full sleeves, were tying up the golden breastplate.
He noted that the breastplate was tight and could not cover the ample breasts of Miranda. Her soft flesh spilled out of the sides and gave rise to a large amount of cleavage. He then slowly looked up from the dizzying sight of her breasts to her red thin lips and her straight nose. Her light blue hair was done up in a fancy bun with a lock of hair falling down to her cheek.
Raymond stared intensely into the blue eyes of Miranda and found his stare returned with equal intensity. He walked towards her in a trance. He was unaware of what he was doing and where he was, lost in her eyes. He raised his hands and placed them softly on her cheeks to cup her face. He slightly raised her face and leaned down to press his lips onto hers.
...
Miranda, caught off guard by the sudden boldness of her cousin, stood frozen as she watched his lips slowly leaning towards her own. She felt a jolt race through her entire body, her heartbeat quickened; she felt the world stop around her. Her eyes closed, and she let herself go as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
She leaned into her cousin, her crush, her secret dream lover. His tongue danced around her teeth and she invited it in. She felt tingly all over as her tongue came in contact with his. Her face began to heat up as she was inhaling Raymond's scent, mixed with the earthy smell from training in the forest. She wished for the world to forever freeze at that moment. Nothing else mattered, not the council, the city, their family... nothing.
Her heart raced even faster as she felt one of his hands exploring, inching towards her breasts. She had wished for this, dreamed of this moment. She started to press more fervently at his lips, the same lips she would often put medicine on, the same lips she would stare at when she knew no one else was around: her cousin's lips. Then it all stopped, she felt him taking his hands off of her.
Miranda opened her eyes in confusion to see the panicked look across Raymond's face. She tried to pull his head down towards her bosom, to soothe him, as she had done so often, yet with such different meaning.
"I um...I have to... I have to go."
"Ray, wait-" Miranda grabbed onto his arm, trying to hold him back. The surprise of his sudden boldness had passed and given way to delight and fulfillment. So now, as he tried to run away from her, as he had done so many times before, especially when it came to matters of the heart, she didn't want to let go. It felt terrible to have something she had dreamed of for such a long time so close to coming true and yet be yanked out of reach at the last moment. Regardless, her hand lost its strength when she gazed at his fretful back.
"I have some work!" Raymond commented behind his back and took off, once Miranda slackened her grip.
Why did you stop? Why do you worry so much? What are you afraid of? Miranda traced a finger over her lips, delving in the taste of Raymond's tongue. A beautiful smile flitted across her face as she breathed in the smell of Raymond's lingering scent.
Miranda took off her breastplate, replacing it with a larger and more modest one, and turned around to look at herself in the mirror. She fixed her hair in a tight bun, getting rid of the loose strand of hair. Giving herself a once over, she nodded at her sharp and imposing look, a far cry from the earlier kind and caring image she displayed for her cousin.
Miranda was fretful, she was angry. It wasn't because she didn't like the advances from Raymond, far from it. What she didn't like was the hastiness of the situation. She was angry at her lack of self-control and also because he left her hanging.
"I won't let you run next time, Ray." She softly spoke and marched outside towards the carriage, a sheathed sword in one hand and the other holding her gown up.
***
Fuck... What did I do? Fuck... Fuck! Why didn't she stop me?
"Ughhh..." Raymond let out a frustrated groan. He briskly stepped towards the theatre troupe in the middle of the main market. Since Miranda had joined the council two years ago, there was rapid progress around the market and all over the city. The roads were cleaner and better, the buildings and houses were more uniform and getting bigger. Earlier, Ryhor was just a glorified base and a border-of-control measure. Now it was slowly changing and becoming much more like the capital of their kingdom.
"Things would be beyond awkward. I should just stay with Shania for the next few days," Raymond grumbled as he walked towards the market. The shops in his path were mostly busy with maintaining their equipment and products, and city guards were on their regular duties, patrolling around the market and city walls.
Occasionally, merchants and guards would nod their heads in his direction, respectfully. Usually, Raymond would return their greeting with a smile, but today he couldn't care less. He would only take a second look when he saw someone with an exceptional weapon, which displayed their importance, or in other words, their power.Raymond quickly reached the theatre grounds and moved towards the troupe's camp. He half-heartedly greeted the familiar faces on his way to Shania's room. When he reached it, he didn't wait for a second and barged inside. Hurriedly, he shut the door behind him, no longer able to control his urges.
After a frantic few seconds of looking around, he found Shania lying on her bed under the sheets. He could tell it was her by the long, red hair draping over the side of the bed, touching the floor beneath. Quickly getting rid of his soft armor and his clothes, he slid in behind her and forcefully pulled her into him.
Shania jerked away to look at the intruder, only to find Raymond staring at her naked form hungrily. A teasing smile came upon her lips; she lifted his chin by her finger and offered her breast to his mouth. Overcome with lust and desire, Raymond pounced upon her, pushing her down on her back and trapping her under his large frame. He took her nipple between his lips and sucked at it, hard.
...
Shania was surprised at his horniness; yet, she welcomed it wholeheartedly. She had missed him these past few days.
"Umm..." She let out a lusty groan at his rough handling of her. She could feel his need and desire by his actions, and his urgency made it that much hotter for her. Her pussy tingled, first by the thought of being ravaged and then because of the lack of attention. She pressed his head with force and ran her fingers through his short black hair, desperate to reach down and graze her finger over her craving pussy but barely held back. The animalistic desire of Raymond was a thing to behold, and she just wanted to immerse in the irresistibility of it, like a flute being played to his tune.
Raymond shifted from one breast to the other, kissing, biting, sucking, and leaving both of them red and swollen. He moved on to her neck and kissed her soft lips, her face.
Shania could feel the increasing wetness between her legs and could not ignore it any longer. She tried to get up, only to be pushed and held down by the weight of Ray's hips. His hard cock trapped between their stomachs leaked because of the friction. Their eyes turned towards the throbbing cock and the glob of pre-cum spreading over her stomach. Gradually it trickled down and dripped over her exquisite bellybutton.
"Mmmmm!" She moaned sexily as the hot secretion pooled between their bodies. His hot breath, the piercing gaze by which he stared at her vulnerable form, made her shudder with lust and want. He humped slowly, his eyes fixed on hers, and smeared the pre-cum all over her skin.
"Fuck!" Shania shivered at the image of being taken so powerfully by that perfect cock. The feel of his teeth on her swollen nipples and the slurping sounds made by his tongue stoked her fire of passion.
"Lick me! Please!" she pleaded. Raymond obliged to her request. He fervently licked her nipples and then stopped, took her tits in his palms and mashed them tightly. Smirking at her, he dropped a thick glob of saliva on her erect nubs.
"Oh my lord! So filthy!" Shania thrashed uncontrollably at the unreal vision. The moment the air hit the saliva, chills coursed over her red-hot skin. Raymond bent down and spread the saliva all over her wondrous tits, making them wet and red under his assault. Shania loved it; she loved the nastiness and his unexpected nature.
"Ugh" She moaned when a pop resounded from the sheer force of the suction as his mouth left her tits. His palms remained clamped around her breasts as he blew over them. Her olive skin glistened in the light, and the slight red made it that much more beautiful and naughty.
"You like it!" Raymond commented and thrust his cock over her skin.
"I love it, you fucking horny stud!" Shania purred. And it was true. She hadn't met someone so hot who was also that skilled in bed. More often than not, she let him do the work while enjoying the fascinating ride that it was.
"Fuck! Ray!" She moaned a little absentmindedly as she traced his shoulders and biceps with her fingers, leaving marks all over his muscular back and arms.
"Ah!" A grunt of pleasure escaped Raymond. "You're a vixen, you know that? Scratching my arms like that. Are you marking your territory?"
"On someone like you?" Shania quipped to try and keep the blush from showing on her face as Raymond exposed her thoughts.
"Did I make you blush?"
"Don't be so cocky- Uggh" Her words turned into a long groan of pleasure when he rubbed the tip of his pulsing cock over her engorged clit.
"Don't be what?" he asked while lifting up her chin, a smug look written across his face. She couldn't believe how hot that act made her. It was as if the cockier he was, the more she liked it. He animatedly licked the drops of sweat rolling down her cheeks and her lips; and then made a show of smelling her neck. "Intoxicating!"
"Oh Fuck! I can't take it!" Shania couldn't handle the growing need in her pussy. She reached out with her hand, sliding it down towards the source of her wetness, only for it to be caught by him. He pulled both of her hands behind her head and pinned them down using his left hand. The pressure of his fingers on her wrists, as well as the intense stare, warned her against jumping ahead, but it only served to increase the deep ache in the depths of her leaking love hole. She reined in her want and nodded slowly to acknowledge his control.
"Yes just like. Be good now!"
Shania closed her eyes at those words. The provoking feel of his touch, the intense scent of his muscular body, the heady taste of his skin, and the lustful groans of his constant need, they stirred her up like never before.
She could only thrash her head sideways, again and again, as Raymond circled her puffed up pussy lips with his fingers. She could feel an onrush of juices threatening to shoot out from her. Her breathing quickened, and she squirmed violently. She was close, infinitesimally so. The stuffy feeling was increasing by the second and the release of her valve were his fingers.
"Oh baby! Please!" She tried to seek it, seek that final touch, so she jerked her hips upwards to meet his fingers just a moment sooner.
"No," Raymond ordered, taking his hand away from her wet pussy.
"Dammit!" Shania screamed. It was going to be a momentous climax; she knew it in her heart. The denial was excruciating, but she didn't have to wait long.
"Oh... Yes!" She moaned as she felt Raymond's cock enter her pussy. She was in heaven. All the energy left her body as she felt it slide to its full length inside her wet, tight cunt.
"Fuck me..." She moaned unintelligibly as he started to rock his body. The deliciously slow strokes to her dripping cunt kept her on the verge, ready to pop. It was a feeling so out of this world that she was overwhelmed by it. She was on the edge, and he kept her there.
Abruptly, in a bout of confusion and zeal, she found herself on top of him. "Yes!" She grunted as her ass settled over his crotch. Her clit, mashed against his hip and sent jolts of delight to her core. She ground her hips with no abandon, and her juices spewed out, making sloshing sounds. "Ah!" She gurgled breathlessly, when suddenly her eyes widened as his cock hit the fabled spot inside her cunt.
"Fuck!" Shania groaned lustily owing to the myriads of incredible sensations running through her body in all directions. Her eyes glazed over while she frantically rode his cock. Fervently, she flicked her clit and increased the pressure on her nipples, as her full weight came down on his rock-hard cock.
She screamed, "aah," as her climax hit her. The moist pussy walls tightened her hold, and she ground her clit fiercely against his waist. Her hair became frazzled and saliva dripped down her lips. She convulsed on top of him as the juices overflowed their union and trickled on the bed sheet.
"I'm- I'm..." Shania panted. The orgasm had hit her soul and made her shudder to her core. Her pussy felt filled and content. Gradually, her mewls stopped as she cooled down. She, still a little muddled, observed that Raymond had a distant look in his eyes like he had flown somewhere else, or maybe he was taken aback by her actions. She brought his motionless arms to her neglected breasts, "Speechless, huh?" Snorting at him, she made him pull her needy nipples.
"My turn," Raymond growled. Shania noted that his voice sounded unnatural, though in the fog of unrelenting pleasure, she really couldn't focus on that with the sensations coursing through her body.
Raymond flipped her onto her stomach and grabbed her waist firmly. He then lined up her leaking opening with his pulsing tool and entered her fully in one forceful stroke.
"Ooh..." Shania suppressed her voice by biting on the sheets. She felt him going faster, slamming his hips against hers as his breathing turned into pants of desperation.
"Ah! Ah!" Raymond fell into a rhythm: hard and fast. He gathered her long red hair in a tail and wrapped it around his hand, using it to pull her up so she was on her hands and knees with her head thrown back. He took her breasts in one hand and frantically rubbed her clit with the other.
"Yes! Fuck me! Fuck me like an animal! Fucking fuck my cunt!" Shania grunted before Raymond muffled her voice by placing his rugged palm over her mouth. He was relentless in his thrusts and uncompromising in his strokes.
It was like her body was a taut string, stretched in all directions by the waves of pleasure crashing against her soul. She loved the feel of being taken with such passion and raw desire. And, for the second time in less than five minutes, she experienced the very familiar feeling of being ready to burst.
Raymond roughly brought her body up. He jerked frantically as he grunted, "take it all!" His arms held her by her breasts and pressed her to his chest. The pressure increased on his pulsating cock because of the slight angle that had been created as his hips crashed against her ass. As she leaned back on him, her head rested over his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his back. On her knees, her red hair covered his face and made him greedily breathe in her enchanting aroma.
"Yeees..." Shania screamed as Raymond blasted volleys of cum deep inside her. It felt as if a volcano had erupted in her soaked valley, carrying with it hot and burning lava of semen. "Ooh!" She moaned as his fingers brushed over her sensitive nipples. Every inch of her body throbbed in the wake of his furious thumping. Inevitably, she went limp in his hand, devastated by their combined orgasm. Sleep overtook her shortly thereafter.
When she woke up, she was groggy. She felt a dull ache in her pussy, a reminder of the hard pounding she took only a few hours earlier. She glanced at Raymond, who was sitting by the window, gazing at the sky as if lost in deep thought.
"It's good that I sleep naked. I don't think my clothes would've survived the assault."
...
Raymond chuckled at her comment. He turned to face her and smirked at her disheveled state. Her round and firm breasts rhythmically fell up down with her lazy breathing. They were big, beautiful breasts and quite the handful.
As he gazed at her olive skin, he was taken back by the golden hues that adorned her body as the light of the setting sun touched over her. His tongue rolled out to lick his lips. The few strands of her long hair, damp with sweat, were sticking to her forehead invitingly, making her look ever the enchantress in alluring glory. Her narrow waist and wide hips, typical of the young theatre performers, were laid bare and vulnerable.
The extraordinarily tempting long legs and the incredibly spankable round ass slowly came into his view as Shania got up and walked up to him.
"Yes. Very."
Not as beautiful as Miranda though... Raymond was shocked at the disagreeable timing of that thought about his gorgeous cousin. He tried to shake away the image of Miranda from his mind but, as ever, found it impossible to do so.
"Can I stay here tonight?"
"Sure," Shania agreed instantly, but then asked skeptically after a moment's pause, "will it be alright though?"
"What do you mean, alright?"
"You know, with your sister and cousins?"
"Oh, yes. It will be fine. Lily and Rose are not in the city tonight and Miranda..." Raymond faltered at the mention of Miranda, "she should be busy with the council work..."
"Is that so..." Shania smiled a naughty and purposeful smile. "Maybe I can call over the two new girls, Elena and Nina, for some fun games tonight," she smirked as she grabbed his dick through the pants. "Got enough for three horny girls?"
"Why don't I show you now?" Raymond growled and pushed Shania towards the bed.
*Knock. Knock. *
"Ray, there's a messenger waiting for you." The thin voice of a woman came through the door, interrupting the two.
"Ugggh. Why at this time?" Raymond climbed down the bed and walked towards the mirror in the room. "I'll see you tonight?"
"Don't keep us waiting!" Shania yelled after him.
***
Raymond was circling the small garden outside of Miranda's room. He was too scared to go inside and too ashamed to run away again.
I should just apologize and beg for mercy, plain and simple. That should definitely work.
I'll just say... I'll just say... What do you even say when you are in love with your own cousin?
Raymond was caught in the same vicious cycle ever since he got the message earlier today. "Lady Miranda has called for you to discuss a matter of grave importance. You must meet her by nightfall at the latest."
Should I tell her the truth!?
Yes... That will go over well, he thought sarcastically.
"Miranda, when I saw you in that dress, I couldn't control myself. I realize now, I'm in love with you. I realized this while I was balls deep in Shania." Raymond cringed at the memory when he had to flip Shania over because of the guilt and shame he felt for his unholy thoughts about his wonderful and pious cousin.
Yeah, right. Maybe I should just make an excuse and fall to my knees and wait for my inevitable punishment. Or, I could just pretend it happened because I had problems with my training. I was exhausted and confused since my mana pool was empty.
Anyway, Miranda is the "kind one". She's always loved me. She's the one who always took care of me. She couldn't possibly hate me forever. Could she?!
Raymond pacified himself by drinking a glass of water.
Thank goodness, it wasn't Rose instead. I would've been dead by now. He let out a hollow chuckle at the absurd thought of doing something similar with Rose. Humph. Not a chance. So what if she's hot? I wouldn't go near that body.
He slapped himself, terrified at this sudden thought.
Something terrible is going on. Maybe the dream is real; maybe the world is ending. I think I am going insane. Maybe those dark clouds and disastrous scenes were nothing more than a sign of the craziness that's become my life!
"Focus, focus," Raymond reminded himself for the umpteenth time. He psyched himself up for the last time and entered her room, waiting for the barrage of accusations and insults.
When nothing happened for a long time, he finally dared to take a peek. Miranda was sitting on a chair, gazing at him, smiling at his plight.
So beautiful. He stopped himself, feeling a blush starting to form.
"Um... Miranda...um... I'm sorry-"
"We'll discuss that later." Miranda interrupted Raymond before he could apologize.
Raymond stared at her in a daze. He was suddenly at a loss and didn't know what to do next.
"My mother's coming tomorrow."
"What?!" Raymond shouted as his mood turned 180 degrees in an instant. He grabbed Miranda by her arms and asked in glee, "Aunt Suzy is coming?"
"Yes," Miranda replied, as she pushed his face away from hers. "You should wipe that smile from your face. Did you forget what she said to you last time?"
A horrified look of realization came upon Raymond's face, and he gulped in discomfort.
"You remember now." Miranda scoffed, then continued speaking. "Be prepared. You are going to be one sorry nephew after she is finished with you."
"Oh no," Raymond mumbled as he looked up at the ceiling. "I'm dead."
###Raymond dragged himself out of his bed. Early morning rays streamed in through the large window in his room.
There's no use in thinking about it anymore. Aunt Suzy will be here in a few hours. I should get my training in before she arrives...
Troubled by the indifferent behavior of Miranda, Raymond had little-to-no sleep the previous night. He felt exhausted and drained of energy. He regretted his actions of the day before but couldn't think up a proper way to rectify his mistake. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were before... before he kissed Miranda.
"So impulsive... sigh..."
He lazily donned his usual training gear of light, leather armor, arm guards, and leather boots. Satisfied with his preparations, he glanced in the mirror at the corner of the room; his skin looked pale, dark circles colored underneath his eyes with purple and black tints. His short, dark hair was unkempt. He quickly combed through his hair and put on the cloak over his muscular shoulders. His six-foot tall frame was well hidden under the cloak. He picked up the broadsword that he kept by his bedside and left the house.
***
It was a quick ride on his horse to the northern outskirts of the city. On his way, Raymond passed by the guards on patrol of the city. A few of the shops were open, preparing for the day ahead.
Many young warriors walked towards the northern gate. Raymond guessed they were doing the same as him, getting in their early training before the day starts. Most people in the city, whether a man or woman, had some proficiency with weapons. But less than one in twenty of the populations were awakened individuals.
This number was actually unprecedented in the continent. Though Gelodesh was a kingdom rooted in military origins, it still could not justify the large number of awakened in the population. The average number of awakened individuals in any of the large empires in the continent amounted barely one in forty, well below the average of Gelodesh.
The kingdom-wide policy of compulsory magic training for individuals below the age of 21yrs, as well as the unique geography, played a major role in inflating this number. Nonetheless, the percentage of awakened warriors/individuals was unusual.
"Fucking cold!" Raymond grunted gazing at the white scenery in the distance.
Gelodesh was situated to the northern edge of the continent. To its north lied the cold, snow covered forests. The Northern Forest, as it was called, received heavy snowfall every winter and remained blanketed almost the whole year. As one went deeper into the forest, the number of prime beasts increased exponentially.
The Army base situated inside the forest reported several sightings of prime beasts during the summer. The hunt traditionally took place in summer, which was carried out to clear out these beasts that had wandered out from the depths.
Raymond mused about his cousin and sister. "I wonder how deep Rose and Lily went..." His tone was of intense longing. The path to the depths of the forest, visible out of the gates, reminded of the things he had missed.
The Northern Forests was largely an unknown factor in the continent's history. Before Gelodesh was established as a kingdom, no one had explored it, and the farthest expedition had only probed some tens of miles into the depths, stopping at a large lake, known as Badafloat.
When Raymond reached the gates, a number of people, who were just about to go out of the city, had lined up for inspection. It was done so that the city council could keep track of the nearby tribes' people coming inside the city.
Raymond rode to the front of the line where the guards on duty quickly let him pass through. He noticed that many of the guards were training their formations. A number of army captains were present as well, overseeing the drill.
Must be in preparation for my aunt's arrival.
"Good Morning, Sir Raymond," someone shouted in greeting towards him.
Raymond stopped his horse at hearing a somewhat familiar voice. He turned around to find a young man, not much older than himself, walking towards him at a brisk pace. The man had a powerful aura about him, typical of an awakened individual.
However, Raymond wasn't the least bit intimidated, and although he couldn't accurately tell the level of the man, he was sure his cousins were far stronger.
"Morning, Captain Fjord. What a pleasant surprise to meet you here!"
"It's always a pleasure to meet you, Sir Raymond," the captain replied curtly.
"What's this "Sir" business!? You have awakened your attribute now, so there's no need to address me as such." Captain Fjord only smiled politely to Raymond's remark.
Raymond shook his head, "Well, do as you please," he said distantly. "Is this all in preparation for my aunt's arrival?" Raymond asked, gesturing to the ongoing drill.
"Yes, sir. The marshal is set to arrive in a few hours, and we want to show her that the Ryhor base is not slacking off," Captain Fjord replied in a proud manner.
"How is the hunt going?"
"It is going very well. Lady Rose and Lady Lily have been a commanding presence. The morale of soldiers is always high when they are around."
"Good... good ..." Raymond muttered, a look of longing covering his face. He turned and rode off without saying anything more.
...
Captain Fjord sighed in sympathy towards Raymond's predicament. He could still remember a few years back when he wasn't an awakened individual, just an ordinary guard. He would watch Raymond reverently, occasionally greeting him when he was placed on duty for inspection. Raymond had always been polite to him, a little impatient to get going for his daily training but polite regardless.
What a pity!
Captain Fjord shook his head and rejoined his ranks in overlooking the training drill.
***
Raymond was lost in his thoughts as he slowly rode through the road going north towards the forest. It would take him a bit of time to reach his base, as he liked to call it, at the rate he was going.
He felt troubled by the apathetic response of Miranda towards their kiss. He had wanted so much to apologize, but in the end, he chose not to do so. Miranda had seemed distant, and he couldn't work up the courage to talk to her. All of the elaborate plans he made during the walk from Shania's place to his home were ruined when she told him about his aunt's arrival.
After recovering from the initial shock of the news, he chickened out. During dinner, he had again tried to speak with Miranda; however, he got unnerved by the disappointed look on her face as he broached the topic.
As if all this was not enough, he was forbidden to go out and meet Shania. He was sure Miranda was punishing him for his actions, and he was beyond himself with worry. He felt tortured by Miranda's sudden coldness and couldn't catch a wink of sleep.
This is so fucked up. I should not have kissed her. She's never been this... she didn't even say a word. This is so...
"I hope she comes back to normal in a few days, otherwise... otherwise, I won't know what to do," Raymond muttered dispiritedly, as he interrupted his own thoughts.
For as long as Raymond could remember, Miranda was the one who spoiled him the most. She was never angry with him, never fought with him, even as children. He could deal with the violent and moody Rose. He was used to the aloofness of Lily. But he had a hard time dealing with this behavior of Miranda, even if just for a day.
It had always been the four of them together, earlier when they lived in Ostorth with his mother and then later when they moved to Ryhor.
It was almost a year after the three of them had awakened in the same week that they moved to Ryhor. So much had changed during that one year. Rose, who upon awakening her fire element, instantly became popular with the army officials. She started spending much of her time in the army headquarters, making Raymond jealous of her attribute and her newfound popularity among the warriors.
Lily, who was already the quietest of the bunch, became even more withdrawn. Most of her time would be spent on her magic training or reading through the records. Though she still made time for Raymond, it was not the same. Unlike Rose and Miranda, their twin cousins, Raymond and Lily were always close and used to do things together. Suzanne even used to joke about how Raymond and Lily were the only actual twins in the family.
However, Miranda had never changed; she remained the same kind, loving, caring cousin. She would give him pointers on his training, bring him some snacks, or just drag him to the markets to accompany her. Being royalty, much of their life was restricted. Their interactions with kids their own age were also limited. Miranda was his beacon of light through all the dark and lonely times in the royal capital.
After they first came to Ryhor, Rose reveled in the spotlight of being a rare fire element warrior. Rose, who was the wild child of the family, enjoyed the freedom of being away from the eyes of her mother and aunt. In contrast, Miranda had taken responsibility for the four of them.
It had been very difficult at first, living alone without any assistance from servants. Their traditional training called for them to be absolutely independent. It was odd in a sense, for the royalty of a kingdom to learn to do those things, but it was undebatable and non-negotiable for all the awakened warriors to partake in it. Raymond was affected the most since he was the youngest and had yet to awaken his attribute. He loathed this "tradition" of leaving the palace, living alone after one awakened their attribute.
It was during that time that Raymond realized how much Miranda cared about him. She would be on a constant lookout to make sure he was alright, that his training was not compromised, and that he was adjusting well. Sometimes that came at the expense of her own training, which prompted Rose to chide Raymond for being "such a baby".
Clang...
Raymond was pulled back to the present by the sound of metal clashing.
"Huh. What's this!? A prime beast?! This far out?!" Raymond quickly rode towards the source of the sound.
A few warriors were trying to bring down a beast which looked much like a bear.
"Oh! Only a magical beast," Raymond sighed in relief.
Clang...
"Phew! What a scare!" he remarked and wiped the sweat off his brows. He observed the party trying to kill the beast. They worked well as a team. Three of them carried swords, while one particularly large man carried an axe. From the auras they were releasing, Raymond could tell there weren't any awakened ones among them. He remained seated on his horse, a good distance away so as to not distract their teamwork.
"Looks like they'll be fine. Some prime beast must have driven it out here. Four warriors against a single, Razor-Clawed Bear is definitely overkill..." Raymond muttered. He took his leave from the scene without alerting the party of his presence.
The Razor-Clawed Bear was a common magical beast in the Northern Forests. It had very sharp claws and considerable vitality. Though Raymond was confident in his ability to kill a Razor-Clawed Bear single-handedly, if he ever encountered its mutated counterpart, the Violet Horned Bear, his best option would be to flee from it... at least until he had awakened.
Prime beasts and magical beasts were worlds apart in strength. A single prime beast could easily overpower a small herd of magical beasts. Any party hunting for a prime beast must have more than a couple awakened beings in their ranks, else they could all be easily wiped out.
During the summertime, many prime beasts came out towards the outer parts of Northern Forests, pushing hordes of magical beasts to flee further outside and towards the city.
"I have to be careful; Lily mentioned something about unusual activity from beasts..."
People in Gelodesh earned most of their money by hunting these magical and prime beasts. The kingdom was scarce in natural resources and lacked significant agricultural lands. Magical beasts, though small in number, could easily take care of most of their needs. They were, of course, hunted for meat, but they also provided material for weapon processing, leather and hide for armor and, in some very rare cases, for obtaining magic stones harvested from the beast's corpse.
Summer was the ideal time to hunt and stock reserves. Though warriors could still hunt magical beasts in other seasons, it became difficult and the risks increased steeply. The Northern Forest was the only place to hunt for them, and it was very dangerous to go in when the snow had yet to melt. It was extremely hard to fight and sustain in that environment even for an awakened warrior, and a few of the magical beasts would become incomparably strong during that time.
The kingdom allowed for hunting, and the material obtained was owned by the party or individual. The tax was also nominal in regard. The beasts hunted by the kingdom were traded for the supplies needed, and the necessities thus obtained were rationed to the commoners. Typically, the army hunted only the prime beasts, leaving the magical beasts for the common people.
***
Raymond felt motivated after watching that scene of a few warriors hunting a magical beast. He sped up his steed and quickly reached his base.
"I have a good feeling today!" He dismounted and tied the horse to a nearby tree and went inside. The base, as he liked to call it, was nothing more than a cave he had carved out on a small hill.
The cave was a comparatively long one and provided him with a peaceful environment. He had already filled it with a futon and a blanket in preparation for a rainy day. He sat down in a comfortable, cross-legged position.
"Alright, let's try one more time to form the connection; maybe I will get lucky and awaken my attribute." Raymond psyched himself; for him, this was his daily ritual before he attempted to awaken.
Awakening, as it was known, entailed using the mana present in the atmosphere to give a shock to the mana pool. When successful, a half-awakened warrior, such as Raymond, would be able to evolve their mana pool and awaken their attribute.
Raymond circulated all his mana to his mana circuit. "Easy..."
Mana control, the ability to circulate mana, was the fundamental block for undergoing an evolution of the mana pool. As without sufficient proficiency in it, the process of awakening could backfire and blow up the body of the half-awakened warrior.
"Easy..." His mana was flowing vigorously and sweat covered his skin. He breathed deeply and slowly made contact with nature's mana. "Easy..." Just when it seemed like the mana present around him, nature's mana, would invade his body and fry his mana circuits, he channeled all his own mana back inside the mana pool.
"Fuck!" He screamed and fell down.
It was a resounding failure. The impact brought about by the sudden contact was not sufficient, and he couldn't use it to evolve the nature of his mana pool. "Fuck! So painful!"
"Why! Why do I always fail?!" Raymond had sufficient confidence in his ability to manipulate and control mana inside his body, but he was baffled by his continued failure to awaken. He exercised precise control for each of his attempts but still came up short. "I easily progressed from a magic warrior to a half-awakened warrior, so why am I stuck on the easier step?!"
A human became a magic warrior after he was able to manipulate the mana inside his body. The number of them wasn't small, and they made up the majority of numbers in any kingdom's army. The next step for a magic warrior was to become able to interact with nature's mana. A very large portion of them could never do it, could never reach that step to become half-awakened warriors.
"Arggh! So frustrating!" Raymond was infuriated as he waited for his mana to recover. He had been proud, proud of his achievement to be so accomplished in mana control. Though Lily was miles ahead of him in that regard, he could disregard it as a freakish case. However, he felt like a complete failure, unable to reach that next step. His heart felt heavy and sad as he inspected the condition of his mana pool. "Just fucking evolve already!"
Evolving the mana pool was the necessary step to cross the divide between a half-awakened warrior and an awakened warrior. The first thing required for evolving was to have a jam-packed mana pool. After that, the individual must have an apt level of mana control. It was essential because without it the individual wouldn't be able to fully circulate their mana through their entire mana network.
"I am convinced the problem is not with my mana circuits, so I don't understand why the fuck I still can't awaken!!" Raymond punched at the wall until his hands felt numb.
Circulation of mana and then aiming for the split second that the entirety of it interacted with nature's mana was what he needed to do to evolve his mana pool and awaken his attribute. However, he kept failing again and again.
"Fuck! I can't give up!" The pain from the earlier try had passed away. The impact on his mana pool had also stabilized. He thought about happy memories, such as awakening the fire attribute, to cheer himself up for another try. "Okay... Okay... I can do it!"
Attribute and evolution of the mana pool were closely linked. The instant when the entire mana of a half-awakened came in contact with the nature's mana, they had to promptly circulate it back to their mana pool, lest a mishap occurred.
That moment, that split second, was when the attribute of an individual was decided, and they would become an awakened. Because of this mutation of mana inside the mana pool, it would undergo an evolution. Although the chance to awaken an attribute different from one's clan members was small, it wasn't unheard of.
"I can't be the only one left behind... no way, dammit!" There was a feeling of desperation inside Raymond, even as he tried to calm his mind. "Definitely, I will do it too! I'll also awaken!"
A half-awakened and a magic warrior didn't have a lot of difference in strength; however, it was completely opposite in the case of an awakened. And that was where the desperation stemmed from for Raymond. The feeling of being powerless and inferior drove him to unrest."Fire! Fire! Fire!" He constantly murmured to himself, as if doing that would somehow help him succeed this time around. "I will..."
The difference between an awakened warrior and a half-awakened warrior was more than just having an attribute to their magic. A half-awakened could partially channel their mana outside their bodies and both can use body strengthening magic, along with the magic warriors, but once an individual awakened their attribute, they could completely manifest their mana outside of their bodies to use it in a physical form.
Raymond's heart was still a bit chaotic due to his anxiousness. To calm himself, he thought about the only person whose memory could always bring a smile to his face: Miranda. He thought about her azure hair and her beautiful eyes, the image of her kind face was enough to cheer him up. "Miranda..." he sighed.
Raymond mused as he steadied himself for another try, "I don't know how she did it...!"
It was a well-known fact that the bigger the size of the mana pool, the harder it was to make it undergo evolution. Raymond, who had a considerably large mana pool, paled in comparison to Rose and Miranda, both of whom had an absurd amount of mana. Lily, who was the prodigy of the family, made up for it with her techniques and efficiency.
"Ready!" He shut his eyes and breathed out heavily. Fully composed and concentrated, he circulated his mana. "Let's do it!"
...
"FUCK!!!"
This time, too, it resulted in failure. Raymond cursed in frustration. He lay twitching on the futon, gradually recovering from the pain of the impact to his mana pool. His mana, which was going crazy inside him, was turbulent, due to the aggressiveness of nature's mana, and all the attributes mixed in it. He felt drained and weak, as one did whenever they tried to use the entirety of their reserve mana. It would always leave them with some repercussions. That was also one of the reasons why awakening was such a dangerous process.
After a lot of time passed, he finally felt ready to try again. He lightly slapped his cheeks and took a deep breath. "Alright, final try. This time it has to work!" He bullishly remarked.
"Go!" Raymond forcefully circulated his mana, and then... he blacked out.
"Still a failure," Raymond mumbled after he regained consciousness. "At least there was no weird dream like yesterday..." He was still shaken by the dream he had the previous day and the creepy lady in it who looked eerily similar to his mother.
He rose from the futon and picked up his cloak to wrap it around himself. He thought about giving it one more try but gave up in fear of doing permanent damage to his mana pool.
Leaving the cave, he looked up at the mid-morning sun. A cold breeze blew through the forest, prompting him to pull the cloak tighter. "Fire element! If I awaken my attribute as the fire element one, it would be best! Won't have to deal with this fucking cold all the time..."
Raymond was lost in imagination before he realized he was close to being late. "Uggh. It's time to get back. Won't do me any good if I'm late for Aunt Suzy." He mounted his horse and made his return towards Ryhor.
***
There were a good number of people gathered outside the eastern gate of Ryhor. Army troops and city guards had lined up in their respective formations by the roadside. This road connected Ryhor to the other border city of Gelodesh: Purvoth. Marshal Suzanne Tygrine, who was about to arrive at Ryhor, spent most of her time in Purvoth.
For the longest time, there were only two cities in Gelodesh, The royal capital of Ostorth and the border city of Purvoth. Gelodesh shared its border with only two other kingdoms, Beltran to the east and Gervaland to the south. Though the three kingdoms had formed an alliance now, Ostorth in the south and Purvoth on the east were strategically located, well equipped to deal with any potential threats.
"Uhm..." Raymond cleared his throat as he clumsily stood beside Miranda. Just behind the cousins were the members of the Ryhor City Council, and further behind them were the major figures of the city, like the nobility and surrounding tribes' heads. Off to the other side of the road, army soldiers and city guards waited patiently. The four council members, excluding Miranda, were engaged in a discussion in hushed voices.
All the patriarchs and matriarchs of noble families in Ryhor were in attendance. Raymond looked around impatiently to take note of who was present. He smiled at the familiar faces of the council members. There were the Erickson sisters, Ronald Smith and, finally, Thomas Wilson. Representatives from all the trade associations were present, including Theodore Henry, who was the head of Henry Trade Association's Ryhor Branch.
Lena Erickson and Brenna Erickson were matriarchs of the Erickson Family, one of the more prominent noble families, evident by the fact that both of the council seats reserved for local families were occupied by them for the current term. The two sisters were initially commoners and led normal lives, until Lena, the elder of the two, awakened the wind element. She quickly rose through the ranks at the Ryhor army base.
This was not an unusual sight in Gelodesh. Many of the nobles of Ryhor did not have a storied past, historical presence, like the "real" nobles from the continent. But the whole city was shocked around three years later; Brenna awakened the much sought after fire element. Their fortunes quickly changed after that. Now retired from the army, together they had established the Erickson family as one of leading noble families in the whole of Gelodesh.
Ronald Smith and Thomas Wilson were appointed by the queen as the council members and did not originally come from Ryhor. Ronald Smith was from humble origins, but Thomas belonged to the famous Wilson family of Ostorth. The Wilsons had been loyal retainers of the royal family for many generations and held many of the important administrative positions.
"Miranda..." Raymond thought this was a good opportunity to gauge Miranda's present mood. He was sure, even if she wanted to ignore him or punish him, she would have to be civil while she stood in front of the city. Being the Council President, she had to welcome Lady Suzanne Tygrine, Marshal of Gelodesh, with every bit of respect one would otherwise reserve only for the queen herself. But all his hopes were dashed when Miranda only gave him a cursory glance before ignoring him altogether.
Dejected, he surveyed the audience around him and couldn't help but doubt the real intentions of the many gathered here to welcome his aunt.
Sure, she is coming here after a long time... but this is too much, he thought about the beautiful figure of his aunt. Putting on all this façade just to catch a glimpse of her, huh? With revulsion, he cursed at them in his heart.
...
A luxurious carriage drawn by horses, flanked by riders to the front and back, slowly came into view. The audience quieted down at its sight. All discussions ceased, and all focus turned to the approaching riders. A lot of the men hurriedly brushed their hair and tidied their clothes. Raymond, chief among them, asked Miranda in a low voice, "There's nothing wrong with how I look, right?" Unnerved by her glare, he could only brood in silence.
The gleaming metal carriage and its escorts came to a stop. The riders dismounted their horses and lined up at attention to the side. All eyes focused on the wooden door of the carriage. A fair arm extended out of the door and pushed it open.
A tall woman climbed down from the carriage. Her silver mantle fluttered in the gentle breeze. She lazily fixed her thin, golden headband to rein in her blowing, long, light purple hair. The enchanted, silver, flexible armor-vest was a snug fit over her body. Her breasts threatened to spill out from under her full-sleeved silk blouse. The black skirt barely reached down to her knees, giving a glimpse of her blemish-free skin. Her long legs were covered in knee-high stockings, complete with leg greaves and leather boots.
Mesmerized by the sheer beauty and aura radiating from his aunt, he firmly believed that she was the sexiest creature in the world. There was a certain aura around her, her every action and gesture oozed of sexuality. But behind the casual and teasing attitude lay immeasurable power waiting to be unleashed. Arguably, the strongest person in the kingdom, she was a well-respected and feared individual, even in the surrounding kingdoms.
Suzanne slowly raised her hand, adorned by the silver arm guards, and motioned for the army and city guards to disperse. She commanded the scene with ease, her almost casual manner was unlike any other army marshal. Raymond was rooted to the spot when she turned towards him and smiled her teasing smile, as only she could. Raymond was lost in her deep blue eyes, unaware she had arrived right in front of him.
"Pretty?" Suzanne asked, leaning forward and gazing into Raymond's eyes.
"Very." Raymond could only absentmindedly nod and mumble in response.
Suzanne squealed. "Oh. You, Sweetie! You sweet, sweet boy. Come here!" She pulled him tight into her embrace. Raymond was jolted awake by the frivolous behavior of his aunt. He blushed in embarrassment, ashamed at his goofiness. Feeling the beginning of arousal, he squirmed in horror, and struggled to get out of the hug, sighing in relief when she finally let go.
Miranda, who stood beside them, clenched her fists. No one noticed her as she mumbled something to herself, all the while glaring at her mother and her bumbling cousin.
"Miranda! Oh! My beautiful daughter, you are looking wonderful." Suzanne lightly hugged Miranda and quickly let go, as she regained her former demeanor of a war veteran.
"Welcome to Ryhor, Mother." Miranda greeted her mother without an overt passion in her voice.
The Erickson sisters, at their first meeting with the marshal in their capacities as council members, nervously welcomed Suzanne, along with the rest of the council. Suzanne lightly nodded in acknowledgment and moved towards the anxious noblemen. Once all of them had completed their round of light greetings and welcomes, Suzanne said a few words of encouragement and congratulated them for the progress shown in Ryhor.
Suzanne glanced at the crowd of merchants. She started when she saw Theodore Henry was also among the crowd of merchants.
"What a surprise! I'm honored by the presence of Henry Trade Association, coming to welcome a mere marshal of a small kingdom such as ourselves." Suzanne's tone was dry and unenthusiastic.
Theodore smiled jovially. "Indeed, it is. The Henry Trade Association is honored by this opportunity. We don't dare doubt the strength of the Tygrine Family." He continued in the same even tone, "We are humbled to be allowed to be present to welcome the mighty marshal."
Suzanne stared at him intensely for a brief moment before she looked away. She waved her hand and called for a horse to be brought to her. She glanced at Raymond before she rode off on the horse towards the city gate. "Let's go, Sweetie!"
...
Raymond was confused at the weird exchange between his aunt and Theodore Henry. He was also impressed by the fact that Theodore maintained a jovial smile throughout the conversation. It was seldom people didn't get flustered while talking to Suzanne. Most people, overwhelmed by her powerful aura and her beauty, would either stare too long or look anywhere but at her. He raised his eyebrows at Miranda to ask if she had any idea but was again rebuffed.
OH. MY. GOD. SHE IS DRIVING ME INSANE.
Raymond could only shout out in his heart in frustration. He was on the verge of tears because of the extraordinary levels of guilt he felt, as well as, for being ignored to such an extent.
Miranda sighed, "Come. We'll talk later," and then signaled for him to follow behind her.
...
Theodore, who watched the exchange between the two cousins, smiled mysteriously. "Interesting. Maybe there's some truth to the rumors after all," he mused to himself as he departed for the city as well.
***
Suzanne was silently contemplating the strange actions of Theodore Henry, in no mood to appreciate the new décor of her daughters' house. When she saw Raymond and Miranda walking in, she leapt in joy and embraced Raymond in a tight hug.
"Sweetie, did you miss me?"
"Of course I missed you. How can I not miss my aunt? My only aunt. I will be a madman if I don't miss my most beautiful and radiant Aunt Suzy," Raymond replied in an exaggerated fashion.
Suzanne did a quick twirl, showing off her voluptuous body. She had already taken off her armor and greaves. Dressed in a simple silk blouse and skirt, with her legs covered in high stockings, her curves were on full display. Raymond was entranced by the sight.
"Say, Sweetie, how do I look?"
"Like a goddess descended to the mortal realm." Raymond seemed prepared this time. He didn't make a fool of himself like he had done previously. "Like a swan flying across the moonlit sky," he added exaggeratedly.
"Oh, Sweetie. You flirt." Suzanne squealed in joy. "You know, it's not right for a nephew to flirt with his aunt like this," she teased.
"It's also not right for an aunt this beautiful to tease her nephew," Raymond smirked.
"You are just incorrigible." Suzanne lightly swatted his shoulder, enjoying their exchange.
Miranda, pushed to the background, left the room after she declared in an angry voice, "I'll be back with some snacks."
Suzanne glanced at Miranda's back, then back to Raymond and asked, "Sweetie, is something wrong with Miranda?" Raymond did a poor job of hiding his discomfort. A look of realization came upon Suzanne's face after she watched him noncommittally shrug his shoulders. "Oh. Maybe..." she continued, her voice growing confident, "No. It must be that."
Raymond had an unbelievable look on his face like he was panicked about a secret being revealed. He, almost inaudibly, asked, "What is it?"
Suzanne seated herself beside him and stared into his eyes, "I came here as soon as I heard..." Her voice turned grave as she resumed. "A war has started." She paused for effect. Satisfied with the almost soulless look on Raymond's face, she continued, "Kyrgstan has declared war on Zekovia. We have to make our own preparation. This could either be a huge opportunity or a huge disaster," she added in an equally somber tone.
Miranda, back with a tray of snacks, sat down on the opposite sofa to the both of them. She was skeptical of this news. "Mother, are you sure it isn't the other way around?" she asked in apprehension.
"I'm sure. That is, in fact, the most intriguing part." Suzanne glanced at her daughter with a meaningful look. Then both of them were lost in thought.
...
Raymond heaved a huge sigh of relief. Whew, that was scary. I knew Miranda wouldn't tell anybody. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I will make it right tonight! I will beg for forgiveness, then we shall see if she doesn't allow me back in. Raymond, lost in his own fantasies, missed the conversation about the war. When he saw the serious, frowning faces of Miranda and Suzanne, he was taken aback. What happened? What did I miss? No longer able to bear the heavy atmosphere, he lightly joked, "It doesn't matter to us. They are far apart from our kingdom."
Suzanne questioned, shock apparent in her voice, "Sweetie, do you seriously believe that?"
"What? Don't tell me we are affected?" Raymond was sure his aunt was being playful, as usual. But he was confused by the shocked look on her face. He turned to Miranda for an explanation who just smiled drably at him, clearly in no mood to explain anything to him. Losing conviction in his own words, he cleared his throat. "Will someone please tell me if I'm missing something here?" Raymond nearly yelled out.
Suzanne apologized with her gaze. "Miranda will explain it to you later." She then proceeded to check his progress in evolution of his mana pool by placing her palms on the front and back of his chest.
"I don't understand, how you are still stuck at half-awakened state... Why are you still unable to awaken?" Suzanne seemed baffled by what she found. "There's no damage or problems with your mana pool, so why?" She paused before adding, "In fact, you should've already been able to awaken your attribute..."
She stared into his slightly fearful eyes and informed him of her decision. "Well, since it has come to this, we can't wait any longer... we will use that method..."
While Raymond's face turned aghast, his aunt continued, "In truth, that's the main reason I came here, even before going to Ostorth."
"Can't we wait? I think I'm really close," he pleaded.
"With the situation in the continent changing suddenly, we can't wait for one more year till you are 22. When will Rose and Lily get here?" Suzanne concluded in somewhat of a sorry tone and asked Miranda when Raymond gave her the pitiful eyes.
"What? Rose will do it?!" Raymond shouted out loud and jumped from his seat. He was beyond scared by the fact that Rose would be the one he would have to fight to accomplish that method. Not Rose! She will kill me! This will be her chance. I HAVE to get out of this, somehow. He pleaded with his aunt, "Miranda can do it." Suzanne only shook her head in denial.
Well, maybe it's better if Miranda doesn't do it. With her current mood, she may actually kill me.
Raymond whined, "But it doesn't even work in most cases. Everybody would be using it if it worked". He made one last attempt to change his aunt's mind.
"Though it doesn't work for most people, it will work for you. You can control your mana better than many of the awakened warriors, and you have yet to even awaken your attribute... I'm sure it will work." Suzanne continued, "Where is Rose-"
"MOM, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" An annoyed voice interrupted Suzanne.
Rose barged in the room, Lily in tow, and headed straight for her mother. She stood in front of her mother, her hands on her hips.
Suzanne laughed and hugged her in response. "Oh, you big baby. I would've told you if I had the time." The joyful mother also pulled in the silent Lily to make it a group hug. "Say, how was your hunt?"
"It was good. The number of prime beasts has grown since last time, but they were no match for Lily and me," Rose replied in an excited tone. "Listen, there was this one-"
"Wait," Suzanne interrupted before Rose could launch into her story, "I have important news." She gestured for all of them to take their seats, "Kyrgstan declared war on Zekovia."
"What?" There was a combined gasp from Lily and Rose. "Are you sure?" Lily spoke her first words since entering the room.
Suzanne slowly nodded her head to that question, and as a result, a look of distress and agitation flashed through Lily's face.
Raymond, observing their reactions, was alarmed. WHAT? Them too!? Am I the only one who doesn't get it? Suddenly, his eyes bugged out. OH MY GOD. Am I the stupid one in the family? He intensely stared at Rose. Surely I can't be the stupid one, right?
"What's the big deal? Will somebody explain it to me?" All eyes turned to Raymond. But what hurt him the most was the disdainful gaze of his redheaded cousin.
Rose started laughing. "Does Little Ray-Ray not understand?"
Raymond was infuriated by the nickname. He wanted to retort, but he held himself back. You can't provoke her now. She doesn't know she will be the one fighting you. She will take out all her frustration in the fight if you provoke her now. He ground his teeth in silent fury and waited for the explanation patiently.
Rose was surprised by his reaction or lack thereof on hearing his nickname; she decided to ignore it, thinking that he was just eager to know the reason.
She took on the look of a wizened veteran. "Listen, plebe. This involves a total grasp of all the political intricacies and maneuvers going on behind the scenes." She paused to counter any comment that might come out of Raymond's mouth.
However, she suddenly lost interest, when she saw his expectant gaze. "Miranda, you explain it," she said, leaning towards Suzanne and hooking her arms on her mother's shoulders.
"We don't have the time for it now. I'll tell it to you after your fight with Rose."
Rose, who was rubbing her cheeks intimately on her mother's shoulder, jumped out to stand in front of Miranda, she asked in an animated voice, "What? Are we doing that?".
"Yes."
Rose started laughing at the top of her lungs. Miranda's reply had confirmed her suspicion. "So, that's why you were silent." She circled around him once, as if examining her prey. "Don't be scared Little Ray Ray. I'll make sure your bones are left intact," and she started laughing again.
Raymond harrumphed and turned his head away from her.
***
Raymond rode his horse with Lily to the left of him. Up ahead, Rose rode in the carriage along with Suzanne. They had already left the city through the north gate. At this pace, they would only take about half an hour more to reach the army base.
Raymond had mixed feelings about going to the army base. He would no doubt encounter many familiar faces, which would be something to take pleasure in. But at the same time, this would also serve as a reminder that he, a man already twenty-one-years old, despite being royalty, was still unable to awaken his attribute. Raymond peeked at Lily's aloof face; it brought him a sense of tranquility to see it the same as ever. He chuckled to himself, Come hell or high water, Lily's unfazed.
"How was the hunt?"
"Okay," Lily replied. She seemed to hesitate before answering him. "There's an unusual increase in the number of prime beasts this year."
"Oh." Raymond nonchalantly asked, "any problems?"
"No. Nothing in particular."
They both turned quiet after this exchange. Raymond felt nervous about his upcoming "fight" with Rose. He wondered if it could be even called that. More like, Rose bashing me up.
"Do you think it will work?" Raymond asked, breaking the silence. He was referring to the method they were about to use in order to awaken his attribute.
"No." Lily gave a succinct response.
"No? What do you mean, 'no'? If it won't, why even use it?" He cried out, upset at the prospect of being beaten black and blue without any cause or reason.
"It won't work yet," Lily replied in a composed manner, unfazed by his outburst.
Raymond chuckled at the lack of explanation on her part.; He then chuckled at himself for expecting anything more. How typical! You would think she has to pay taxes on each word she says.
"Lady Lily, ye of the few words, will you please elaborate the reason behind your skeptical answer to this humble brother of yours, for he is still far away from reaching the heights of your profound wisdom and all-encompassing ability? He is feeling quite aggrieved at his cruel and merciless treatment in the hands of his mean aunt and his exceptionally wicked cousin." Raymond dramatically pleaded to his twin.
Lily was unable to stop a hint of smile from creeping up on the corner of her lips. She took a moment before she voiced her thoughts while gazing straight ahead. "She is not strong enough to make it work... This method is based on the prime beasts' ability to burst out with a final splendor in the face of absolute danger. She'll have to simulate this same feeling of danger in your fight."
She paused to catch her breath before continuing her explanation. "This could work if she was actually stronger than she is, or if her control was precise enough. But not at your current level of strength."
Raymond tried to make sense of her words. So it won't work because I'm too strong for it to work, and he grinned at the conclusion. He reproached himself for being so pleased just because of that little praise. I don't know if I should be happy about it or not. It was only a few moments later when Raymond realized what laid waiting for him. If Rose isn't strong enough, that means Miranda and Lily are also out of consideration. Then... Raymond suddenly shouted, "NOOOOOO..." almost falling off his horse.
The riders flanking the two of them nearly stumbled at his loud shout. They were only pacified after Lily signaled for them to continue, that everything was alright. She ordered the riders to quickly inform their commander, who was leading in front, that they would catch up with the others later.
Raymond, finally coming out of his stupor, asked Lily in an urgent tone. "It's Aunt Suzy, isn't it? She will do it in the end, right?" He further despaired when Lily did not say anything in return.
"Just kill me. That's going to hurt like hell. First, I have to contend with Rose who, I'm sure is licking her lips at her chance to bruise me up, then the terrifying Suzanne Tygrine is next in line!? Do you know how much damage a single lightning attribute awakened does by just standing on the field!? Just kill me now. Why bother with the entire charade!?" Raymond muttered dispiritedly.
He was shocked when he glanced at Lily, who had a thin smile on her face. "You are enjoying this, aren't you?" He followed along and chuckled at the absurd situation he found himself in.
"Tell me, why don't more people use this method?"
"There are various reasons," Lily replied. She hadn't seemed intent to continue anymore until Raymond launched in another tirade of her praises. "Okay, okay, I will tell you," she added. "The method itself is very hard. You must have precise control of your mana for it to work. And that's not the problem with you. If someone possessed your level of technique, they would have already evolved their mana pool, awakened their attribute, and progressed even further. I don't think Rose can give you the sense of danger required for it to work."
"So, what you mean to say is, though it is only useful for unfortunate, poor souls like me, it won't even guarantee anything! Fuck! Why don't I find someone better than Rose to help me!" Raymond exclaimed in frustration.
"For common people, it is hard to find even any ordinary awakened to accompany them in their, sometimes very long, quest to awaken by using this method, much less an awakened strong enough to actually be able to help them."
"Hmmm...." Raymond felt quite fortunate that ultimately his own aunt, his Aunt Suzy, the famous and feared Marshal Suzanne Tygrine, would be there to help him awaken. Though it would be quite painful and may take considerable time to recover from the trauma, it's all worth it.
"Uggh... Why can't she directly fight me? Why do I have to fight with Rose first? She's going to take revenge for all the times I made fun of her. I'll be lucky to even survive-"
Lily scolded Raymond before he could complain any more than that. "Whatever you might think, she cares about you deeply." She continued in the same reproachful tone. "If she was not scared that she would really hurt you, you wouldn't even have to fight Aunt Suzanne."
Raymond was surprised by the intense reaction of Lily to his usual ramblings. What's gotten into her all of a sudden? She never reacts like that. He dismissed it as her just being on edge due to the upcoming fight. After all, he will be fighting Rose in a real combat, and it will involve real danger.
Uncomfortable by the now awkward silence between them, Raymond decided to lighten the mood. "So, if you can deduce all this by yourself," he teasingly smiled as he stared into Lily's eyes, "Do you mean to say you know more than Aunt Suzy?" he questioned her, his smile growing to a grin.
"When it comes to you," Lily answered in an even tone, as if stating a fact.
Raymond was dazed by her response. "Stop. You're going to make me blush," he muttered and sped away.
Lily gently smiled as she watched an embarrassed Raymond flee from her.
***
Raymond walked inside the spacious training grounds of the army base. The entire training grounds were empty, presumably by order from either Suzanne or Rose. It was the first time Raymond had seen the whole grounds empty; usually it was occupied by soldiers either practicing their spells or honing their weapon techniques.
He was shocked by the sheer size of it. Whoa, I never could've guessed it's that big. He could see all types of different weapons lined up along the walls, separated by their types.
Most of the spell and magic training rooms were locked. The ones that were open were simple enough to not pique his interest. There were three grounds for weapons training, two for close combat and one for ranged combat. He picked up a long bow, examining its detail. Nobody uses a bow in our family. Maybe only mother with her wind attribute. He put it back when he heard his aunt calling for him.
He followed the voice to the biggest sparring arena. It was nearly double the size of all the other ones. He rushed towards his Aunt Suzanne, who stood near the entrance with an extremely beautiful blonde woman. Raymond reined in his usual cheekiness and waited for his aunt to make the introductions, guessing the unknown woman, who appeared to be of the same age as his aunt, must be an important character to be able to stand beside her.
"Sweetie, let me introduce you to one of my most favorite people. This is Lady Ingrid Beltran. You must know her as the most famous healer in the whole of Beltran."
Raymond politely greeted her and asked to be excused to prepare for his fight. He found Lily waiting for him by the weapon rack. He quickly moved towards her, shaking her by her shoulders, "Did you see? She even brought along THE Ingrid Beltran with her, the light attribute possessing healer with mythical abilities. She already suspects I'm going to be half dead by the end of all this. Do something."
"I can't do anything."
Raymond gave up. There was nothing else to do other than serve himself up to get slaughtered. He demurely picked up a sword with a blunt edge and replaced it with his own sheathed broadsword, which hung at his waist. He gave Lily one last pitiful look and marched up towards the center of the arena. He stretched his muscles while anxiously waiting for Rose.
Rose entered the arena with a long sword in hand. Raymond lifted his face from his bent down position to gaze upon her. Her red, almost crimson hair, came down to her waist. A black, leather hair band on top of her head held back the bangs from falling on her face. A green sleeveless, crop top, and green trousers were the only pieces of clothing on her tall frame. Her fair skin, a shade darker than her twin, Miranda, was smooth.
There were no visible signs of any cuts or scars that could be found on it. Her ripped stomach and bellybutton were exposed for his eyes to feast upon them. Her slightly wide hips and thick thighs especially suited her long legs covered in leather boots, up to her knees. She took long strides towards the center of the ground with an air of nobility, the pride of an expert
He almost fell into a stupor, gone were all the worries of getting beaten up, gone was all the nervousness about the result, gone was all the anxiousness to awaken his attribute. At that instant, his mind was dominated by a single thought: She is HOT. He, though, quickly snapped out of it, chuckling at himself for being so entranced by a sight he had seen many times before. Apparently, this is who I am now, a deviant. A pervert; one who lusts after his own cousins.
Finished with his routine, Raymond picked up his sword with his right hand. He circulated his mana into his mana circuits and used body strengthening magic. It would raise his physical ability and make him contend with Rose a little better.
Rose didn't seem to have used body strengthening. She appeared confident that her superior ability and natural physical advantage due to being an awakened warrior, rather than a half-awakened warrior like Raymond, would be enough.
Body strengthening magic, it was the only magic spell that could be used by magic warriors and half-awakened warriors. It helped them in fights as it increased the sturdiness and power of their moves. Awakened warriors generally didn't like to use it, as it consumed a lot of mana.
When Raymond realized what she was doing, he was angry to be underestimated yet also happy that he could give her a surprise. He pointed at her and sneered in provocation. "Be careful, I have developed a new killer move."
"Like the last time!?" Rose replied, a smile blossoming on her face. "Or maybe like the time before that!?" she taunted, her smile growing into a full grin.
Before Raymond could get in his own quip, his aunt's shout interrupted them. "Alright, stop it, the both of you. Rose, remember, don't use any spells, only physical attacks. And Raymond, try to maintain the balance for as long as you can."
"Come at me, Little Ray Ray," Rose taunted one last time. Her whole demeanor changed in a matter of seconds, the look of a veteran warrior, ready to battle the opponent, on her face. She steadied herself in a defensive stance.
Raymond gauged the distance between them to be nearly 20 meters; he took his stance, his left leg forward, bent at the knee. His right foot pushed to the ground, his elbows in line with his knees. He tightened his two-handed grip on his sword. Raymond circulated all of his mana into his arms and legs. He dashed forward towards Rose. He reminded himself: The trick is to maintain it at this level without actually releasing the mana.
He covered the distance between them instantly, I can only use it at the rate of my natural recovery. He brought down his broadsword from up behind his shoulders, its full weight carried behind the diagonal slash. His fast move was easily blocked by Rose.
Raymond jumped back, increasing the distance between them. And when the pressure is high enough, I will instinctually try to release all of it. He readied himself to charge in once again. I just have to wait for that moment... Fuck! This should help to produce some impact the next time I try to awaken, or else.... He once again dashed forward, this time bringing his sword from below his waist.
Rose was almost caught off guard by the unusual move; it was difficult to execute, especially for a tall man such as Raymond. She almost lost her stance; her sword almost left her palms...almost. Her physical advantage still proved too much for Raymond to overcome with his low constitution. She easily kicked him away, increasing the distance between them yet again.
"Is that your "new killer move"?" Rose sneered at Raymond.
He was unfazed by her comments and dashed to his right, trying to circle around her. He closed the distance between them and launched his sword with force. He increased his speed behind the sword, using it as a decoy. Just as the sword was about to reach Rose, he shifted to his left and dived towards her exposed back.
The redhead easily parried the rotating sword coming at her but was unable to avoid the elbow strike to her back. Her sword left her hands due to the impact on her shoulders. She swiftly turned around, barely able to defend against the kick to her stomach. She flew off but regained her balance midair, avoiding the fall on her butt.
...
Ingrid Beltran was shocked at this display; she could hardly believe what was happening in the arena. An awakened was upended by a kick from a normal warrior!? What power! What ingenuity! She turned to her right and said, "Suzanne, your nephew is something else. I don't remember ever witnessing such a scene in my lifetime." Ingrid's surprise was evident in her voice.
Suzanne, who appeared to be immensely proud of her nephew, stated, "He certainly is a special one."
...
Lily, standing some paces to the left of her aunt, did not share in the same excitement as the two ladies. She watched on, unconcerned, aware of the result of this "fight". She was confident that Rose wasn't strong enough for this method to be a success, and it was made clear by the earlier exchange when he had taken her by surprise and skillfully disarmed her.
...
"Ha-ha. You've done it now." Rose cackled in anger. She did not bother with the sword in Raymond's hand and charged in unarmed. Her hair dancing behind her, she launched into a flurry of strikes with her elbows and knees, not giving him a moment's rest. Her moves got faster and more powerful with each strike. With a look of madness in her eyes, she roared with laughter.
Raymond was unable to contend with the swiftness of her attack. He couldn't bring down his sword in time to defend against her punches. His sword flew off in a long arc due to the strike on his arm. He could only contend unarmed.
This girl's crazy. Laughing like a madwoman, Raymond thought as another punch came his way, followed by a kick to his thighs. A wave of pain ran through his body. His arms almost lost all their strength. His legs stung.
Another round of elbows and knees later, Raymond couldn't help but accept defeat in his mind. I can't take this anymore, I think most of my bones have cracked. Fuck. I'm barely able to control my mana.
Raymond neared his breaking point, his face bloodied, and his whole body black and blue from the intense beating. He couldn't even lift his hands anymore. All of his energy was focused on standing there and controlling his mana. He felt a sudden impact in his mana pool. Now! He shouted the command in his mind. He tried to release it all... a moment passed, and then he fainted on the spot.
***
It was late in the afternoon. The sun was about to set. Raymond lay asleep on his bed under a thin blanket. A noise outside his door woke him up. He groggily opened his eyes. Taking note of his surroundings, he concluded that someone must have brought him home. It must've been Lily. He felt dispirited when he gazed at the bandages wrapped around his left leg. His spirits further suffered when he confirmed his failure by checking his mana pool. Well, she predicted as much.
He slowly examined himself and was grateful to find that there was no swelling on his face or anywhere else for that matter. The feeling of nausea and a headache was at a manageable level. He silently thanked the beautiful Ingrid Beltran for doing such a good job of healing his injuries. After making sure all was well, considering, he let out a volley of curses at his fate for not awakening, even after that intense round of beating.
*Knock. Knock*
Rose entered the room before he could react to the noise, and came up to his bed.
"Shift," she demanded and ordered him to make a place for her. Raymond rolled his eyes at her but quietly shifted to one side. She slipped inside his blanket and laid her head on the same pillow as him. Finally settled, she asked, "How are you feeling?"
Raymond was speechless by her actions. It had been years since they had shared the same bed. The last time they did this, he was fourteen-years old. He silently stared at her, waiting for an explanation.
"It must be alright if you are not whining," Rose muttered, not meeting his gaze.
Raymond had half a mind to kick her out. Exasperated, he asked through gritted teeth, "is this some new way of gloating I'm unaware of?"
"Didn't you want to know about the war between Kyrgstan and Zekovia? Miranda is busy. So...."