"H-Himzavaick, please wait!" I backed away with both of my hands up defensively.
He limped towards me, glaring as his chest heaved heavily.
"Usynlig!" I desperately called out, glancing at the door.
Damn. I forgot she left a few minutes ago.
Himzavaick raised his hand, and thick wooden vines wrapped around my throat. They gripped my arms, forcing me to kneel as they mended into the ground. I could feel them shackle my ankles to the floor. I thought my arms would pop out from their sockets from the sheer force of the vines tugging them in the opposite direction.
"Otilia, come." He darkly demanded.
She materialized right next to him, with her head bowed in obedience.
"Summon Jacintha now." His glare remained on me.
Otilia nodded. Her eyes turned bright white as they lit up. It didn't take long before they faded back into their original shade.
"She's coming now." She quickly glanced at me.
"H-Himzavaick, I-" I struggled to speak, feeling the vines press up against the cartilage in the front of my throat.
"I have not permitted you to talk." His voice lowered.
His tone frightened me. I clenched my jaw and closed my eyes to try and calm myself.
"Otilia, why did you- Oh god, Lis-an!" Usynlig ran in front of me with her arms out.
"Let her go. It's gone. The savage wasn't able to fully take over."
"And you're certain of this?" I felt his eyes peering into me.
"Yes. Now please, let her go and lay back down before your condition worsens." She calmly approached him.
He let out a breath, releasing me from the vines. He struggled to keep himself upright.
"Himzavaick!" Otilia ran to him, helping him to a chair.
I roughly coughed, holding my throat.
"See, if I wanted to, I could've killed you. But it seems that mercy will soon be my downfall." He winced, leaning back in his seat.
"I would've thought that pride of yours would be the one to take you out." Usynlig pulled a chair close to him, taking out several jars with little black and blue balls.
She placed them on a small side table. They had a fabric lightly fastened over the rim, but only one of the jars had a red-stained cloth.
"What is that?" He shook one of the jars.
"Looks like rat shit."
"It's medicine to help with the pain and to decrease your chances of getting an infection from the bite wounds on your arm." Usynlig's scrunched her nose, giving him a look.
I was too ashamed to get up. I couldn't even bring myself to look in their direction. So I just knelt on the ground, with my eyes glued to the floor.
"I don't want 'em. You always make yours so bitter." He turned away.
"That's because medicine shouldn't have any sugars in them. But, just for you, I added in a bit of honey so they would suit your tastes."
"Enough to cover the bitterness?" He squinted at her.
"Yes." She forcefully smiled.
Why does it suddenly feel like I'm watching a mother doc on her child?
Was I the only one feeling tense?
"Jacintha, we should discuss what happened."
I jumped a bit, still not fully ready to face my demons.
Otilia bowed and faded out of the room.
"You are right. So, should we start as to why you put Lis-an in that death trap?" Usynlig's smile vanished as she sternly looked at him.
"I had to see what it was. The moment you walked in here, I sensed something within you." Himzavaick looked at me.
I glanced up, meeting his softened gaze.
"By something you mean," Usynlig choked on the word.
"Yes. When I looked into her, something else looked back. It was dark and wanted to make itself known." He sighed.
"The only way to confirm what I felt was to put her in a situation that would cause it to show itself."
"By almost killing her?!" Usynlig stood up.
"It wouldn't have killed her! As soon as it pushed her into a fetal position, the vines would've softened and eventually fallen away."
Usynlig's harsh gaze eased.
"I had no intention of harming her. If I had, I would've killed her the moment she stepped onto my land."
"Still, you could've used another method." Usynlig pushed back her hair.
The two of them bickered back and forth while I nervously played with my fingers. I was debating on whether or not I should tell them about what it said to me.
Its words kept replaying in my mind like an annoying song. I don't know what to do with what it told me. But maybe Himzavaick and Usynlig will know. Maybe it could be a clue as to why this all happened. I chewed on my bottom lip, trying to summon the courage to open my mouth.
I rotated my shoulders, cracking my upper back as I took a deep breath.
"It, it talked to me, the creature that took over my body. It was trapped inside a cage as it threatened me." My voice shook more than I thought it would.
"What did it say?" Himzavaick sat up.
"It said, 'I am your only means of true freedom' and that I will lose control. It's only a matter of time." I picked at the fabric on my pants.
"Damn it!" The gnome hit the table.
"What does that mean?" Usynlig's usually calm demeanor now looked panicked.
"It would seem that our halfling here is maturing faster than expected. Which means she doesn't have time to play around anymore. Her savage side has made itself known and is unlike any kind I have seen before." He opened one of the jars and chewed a couple of the medicine balls.
"When fighting your savage side, it took its time to calculate an attack. It was intelligent, whereas a normal vargulf would only act purely on instinct and aggression." His face darkened into a scowl.
"T-then, what should we do next?" Usynlig sighed, combing back her hair.
"All we can do is prepare her as much as we are able to. One thing that is certain is that we don't have time to waste. We must put into motion the plans we have discussed. This brings me to my next point." He looks directly at me.
"Firstly, I do not hold you accountable for what happened. I was the one who poked at the lion with a stick. Simply put, I had it coming. So don't blame yourself. In time I will heal. But that doesn't mean I will just let you off with a slap on the wrist." He winced as he limped off the chair and over to me.
"I understand." I nodded.
"Because of my injuries, I cannot perform my daily task here in the forest. So starting today, you will be staying here, and assisting me with them."
"S-staying, here?" My eyes widened, darting between Usynlig and the gnome.
"Your punishment will be to help me tend to the forest until I am fully healed."
Considering how I nearly killed him, I'm surprised he didn't do the same to me.
I mean, he almost kind of did though.
"Halfling," He offered me his hand.
"I never considered myself as royalty, so there's no need to kneel before me." He smirked.
"Hm?" I tilted my head.
It took a moment for me to understand what he meant.
"Oh! My knees, right?" I looked to him for confirmation.
He burst out laughing as he pulled me to my feet.
"Will, uh, will Usynlig and Star be staying here with us too?" I shook my legs, trying to shake away the prickling feeling that ran up to my thighs.
"No, she has her own stuff to take care of. But don't worry. She'll visit three times a week to help you with your lessons."
"Lessons?" I helped him to a bigger, softer chair in the corner of the room.
"Himzavaick, I think we should talk more about this before-" Usynlig looked uncomfortable.
"Do you not understand? We are wasting time. She needs structure. Not everyone can chaotically learn like you, Jacintha."
"I understand that. I just want to do what is best for her. We can't just push all of this on her."
"If not now, when? Huh? When it's far too late for any of us to save her?" He sighed.
Usynlig walked over to the front window.
"If you want to truly help her, treat her as a student rather than a child."
"She's only seven. The drawbacks to most of these spells can be excruciating to handle." She folded her arms.
"Then it's a damn good thing she has you to help her through that. She doesn't need another mother. She needs a teacher, a mentor to guide her and give her the tools she needs to survive."
Usynlig glanced at me. Her eyes were filled with worry.
"If you can't do that for her, find someone who can." He spoke sternly.
The two fiercely held each other's gaze. Like they were psychically battling it out.
I admit it is a lot to take in. Not only did my vargulf make itself known, but it is also a variant. And on top of that, I now have less time to prepare for my maturing phase.
Is it just me, or are the Gods having a little too much fun with my life? I can't help but feel like they don't want me to make it out of this alive.
But as messed up as all of this is, I guess I can consider myself lucky to have these two looking out for me. I honestly can't say I would've made it this far without Usynlig. So,
"If I'm going to learn about mastering witchcraft, it has to be you, Usynlig. I believe you will give me exactly what I need. Otherwise, my parents wouldn't have entrusted you with me."
Their eyes fell on me. Usynlig teared up as she smiled, nodding excessively.
"Now that that's out of the way, we need to make a schedule for all her studies. Later, I will contact a guy I know who can better train you in all things wolf-related."
"Who?" Usynlig placed her hands on her hip.
"He prefers to keep his identity hidden. He's a rogue omega who has been helping other halflings. Not to mention he has more knowledge on wolves than we do."
"Really? He's helped them survive?" My eyes widened with hope.
"That's right."
"How many?" Usynlig squinted at him.
"Somewhere around ten or twelve, granted he only started doing this for a few years." He shrugged.
"How do we know he can be trusted? There are many out there searching for Lis-an." She went into the kitchen, placing a pot of water over the fire pit.
"I have worked with him on a few cases. Trust me, he will not betray us."
"I don't like the idea of inviting a man we don't know over to help us." She placed different herbs into a tiny cloth bag before adding them to the pot.
"What? Do you not trust me?" Himzavaick looked at her.
"You know I do." She sighed.
"I can discern a good person from a bad one. If I couldn't, then I'm in the wrong line of work." He chuckled lightly, holding his side.
"I hope you're right." She stirred the pot.
"Um," I cleared my throat.
"Why is he a rogue omega? Did he get kicked out from his pack?" I sat in the middle of the room on his fairly clean rug.
I found the floor to be a bit more comfortable than the chairs.
"No. In fact, he is still in a pack, he just doesn't agree with their teachings. By helping halflings, he is going against the authorities and the pack leader. That's why people call him a rogue. But do you know why they call him an omega?"
"Is it because he's weaker than an alpha?" I crossed my legs finding myself a little excited to know more about this rogue wolf.
"Is that what they are still teaching you guys?" He exhaled roughly.
"If you intend to succeed in this world, there is one thing you need to know. That change is the gear that spins the earth. Back in the days before the war and the treaty, wolves were put into factions. Ranking from alphas to omegas and everything in between."
The sweet scent of blueberry tea filled the space as steam rose from the pot.
"The belief was that each wolf is born into a class. So they were raised according to the class they were given at birth. Alphas were the more active, healthier ones, while betas were calm and great plan-makers. Omegas were seen as passive creatures that were weak and easily defeated."
Usynlig placed a teacup on the table near Himzavaick. She sat on a chair close to me, sliding over a cup. I gave her a slight smile and a nod as a thank you. She gently brushed back my hair, sipping on the steaming tea.
"I don't quite understand what you are trying to point out." I blew over the cup.
"Okay, let me put it this way." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out two seeds.
"Say that these represent two wolves." He held one in each hand.
"They are the same kind of seed. Both are healthy, and both are capable of growing. But one is told that they are an omega. We tell them they are weak and unable to do what an alpha can do. So, we close them off in this box of classification." A little wooden box forms around the seed in his right hand.
"Alphas are free to grow knowing they are given privileges an omega will never have. While omega are held within parameters that make it almost impossible to let them grow." The seeds in his palms begin to bloom.
Little green sprouts broke through the outer shell. One quickly grew and twisted into a small bush that hung passed his fingers.
"Can you tell me what you see?" He showed me his right palm.
It was the same size expect for a few sprouts that peaked out from the cracks.
"That one couldn't grow like the other one because it's trapped."
"When you trap a being in a small box, you are refusing to let them grow. Omegas hold just as much power as any alpha. Theirs remain dormant within them because they believe that they are born without it. Like this seed doesn't know it can grow to be bigger and fuller if it wasn't inside a box. Just like how you believed you were sick and trusted the medicine that was given to you because it was what you were told." He placed the bushes on the side table.
"Our words can build nations and destroy them." He sipped at the tea, wincing as he swallowed.
"So by telling a wolf that because it's an omega, it's weak, they are lying to them? Manipulating them to be lesser than they can be?" I clenched my fists.
I've read plenty of books at home about wolves and the classes we are all born into. They called it natural selection, and at the time it made sense.
Why would they put information in a book that wasn't correct? If it's written, it must be true. They made a whole series on the subject.
It didn't help that my dad never spoke about it either. Even when I asked him about which class I was in, he always just smiled and kissed the top of my head.
"That way of thinking was damaging and foolish. It served no real purpose than to give a certain breed of wolf an upper hand in the pack." He swirled the tea around in the cup.
"Then, how is it now? Because it seems that all the reading I did when I was younger was a waste of time." I rolled my eyes, sighing heavily.
"I wouldn't see it that way." He smirked.
"Learning about the past is the best way to prepare for a more promising future. Once we learn of our mistakes, we can do better not to repeat them."
"I guess so." I grumbled lowly into my cup.
"Nowadays, things like being an alpha, beta, or omega are merely just a mindset. Alphas are protectors, leaders, and guides of their pack. Betas are the creators and the brains of the pack. Omegas are those who prefer to be a lone wolf. They are free-spirited and introspective creatures who thrive on their own. There are many types, and you will learn about them later on. The main thing to take away from this is that the experience is different for each wolf. Some find their strength in a pack, and some find theirs in themselves."
So the reason this man is called the rogue omega is because he's a lone wolf who breaks the law.
I bet he chose that name because it sounded cool.
"Ha! Look, I just gave you your first lesson. You are welcome." He proudly placed his empty cup down.
I rolled my eyes, holding back a giggle.
"But is he willing to help me?" I tried my best not to burn my tongue on the scolding liquid.
How did he chug it so fast?
"When he finds out about you, he will come running. Plus, he owes me a favor."
"Has everything been settled?" Otilia walked down the stairs carrying Star.
"Yes. And thank you again for watching our little one." Usynlig hopped up from her seat and went straight for the baby.
"It's no problem. Just glad I can help." She smiled at them, glancing over at me.
I feel like she wants to tell me something.
Is it something she can't say in front of the others?
I hope she didn't see me lose control. I don't want her to think differently of me.
"Himzavaick, make sure you take the medicine three times a day with each meal. If you are in pain, take the ones in this jar with the red cloth." She rocked Star, pointing her elbow at the jar.
"Yup got it." He nodded.
"Lis-an, please make sure he takes them." She turned to me, sighing.
"Wait, you're leaving already?" I hurried onto my feet.
"Unfortunately. But don't fret, Lille-en. We will see each other again soon. I know he can be annoying,"
She's calling me Lille-en again. She usually does that when she's worried.
"I heard that." He groaned.
"But he means well. I know he will take good care of you." Her smile was soft and filled with warmth as she petted my hair.
I was getting used to being by Usynlig's side. I didn't want her to go. I don't see why she can't stay here with us too.
I looked towards the ground, trying to keep my anxious heart hidden.
"Hey," She gripped my chin, raising it.
"This isn't goodbye. It's just a goodnight. Because, like always, the sun will rise, and it will be another day and another goodnight."
I smiled, rolling my eyes.
She just had to leave with that.
I walked them outside, feeling a little more at ease.
Goodnight. I like the way she uses that word as a promise that she'll come back.
She waved Star's tiny hand at me before opening the portal. It pained me to see them disappear into the light. But I know this is for my own good.
Even if I can't see it that way, it's what I will keep telling myself until I do.
"Come on now, there's no time to waste." Himzavaick came by me, cradled in vines.
"Where are we going?" I watched him sit in his vines as they moved him around.
"First, we'll get you something hearty to eat, then you shall tend to the forest in my place."
"We're starting that now?" I ran to catch up to him.
"The forest has been left unattended for far too long."
"It's only been an hour or two."
"That is way too long."
I couldn't help but sigh at the thought of being put to work, especially after everything that's happened today.
"I know, it sucks, right?" He slowed down to a more comfortable walking pace.
"No, it just-" It seemed like my chest was filled with a cluster of sighs.
"Every action has a consequence. Whether it's intended or not, things will happen because you chose to do something. Always keep that in mind."
I nodded.
Okay, Lis-an, we can get through this. Everything that will happen to us will be used to teach us. If I want to use this gift my parents gave me to its fullest, I must survive my maturing phase. This is no time to be moaning and complaining about every little thing.
"Chop, chop! You have weeds to pick. And let me tell you, they really hate to be touched." He laughed manically as his vine quickly carried him through the trees.
I let out a whine.
Mom, dad, give me strength.