It didn't take long before the wound on Greymont's waist fully healed, not even leaving a scab or scratch. Only the fur didn't grow back, leaving four long lines of exposed skin on his waist.
The liveliness in his eyes brightened as he felt a burst of explosive energy surge through his body. All of the pain and discomfort, the weakness, the feeling of his life fading away all vanished. With a puzzled look in his eyes he stood up, moving his gaze back and forth between Maeli and Craig. He then tilted his head to look at his waist, noticing the completely healed injury. "What... How were you able to heal me?" His voice trembled in disbelief. His gaze fixed on Maeli. "Such powerful healing Magic!" He exclaimed in excitement and praise.
Maeli narrowed her brows subtly in confusion. She didn't use any healing magic. All she did was use a purification spell to clean the infected wound. She didn't know any healing spells to begin with and had never trained in healing magic in her entire life. She shook her head, "All I did was purify your infected wound, I don't know any healing magic." She clarified.
If she didn't use any healing magic on him then, how was he healed? And, how did he recover so quickly? Greymont looked at Maeli with confusion in his eyes, then at Craig then back at Maeli once more. "I don't understand. If you didn't use healing magic on me then what was that warm current I felt surging through me, bringing back my strength?" He asked, remembering the sensation coursing through him.
It suddenly occurred to him that it originated from his chest, where Craig's hand had been placed onto his body. The realisation was the truth, but the idea that it had something to do with Craig felt ridiculous. His gaze locked onto Craig who gave him a quick vague smile, that almost seemed like just a twitch of his cheek muscles.
"Warm current?" Maeli asked with a pondering gaze. "The purification spell does create a bit of warmth as it technically, burns away the impurities."
Greymont however paid no attention to her and kept his gaze locked onto Craig. 'He's hiding something, this human. I knew he was strange the last time we met when I got light headed from using my focused sight.' He instinctively activated his focused sight in order to verify if the same thing would happen again. His pupils shrunk as his gaze focused and immediately, Craig's figure turned slightly transparent. Unlike the last time however, when he suddenly felt light headed, this time was different. He could see a bright glow on the left side of Craig's chest, in place of his heart. The immense aura he mentally picked up from it made him feel like willingly submitting his all to serve it. It felt holy and almost, omnipotent.
Greymont's eyes widened in shock, causing him to even take two steps back. "This is..." Only two words escaped his mouth as he sunk into speechlessness, averting his gaze and deactivating his focused sight. Looking at Craig with his normal gaze he asked, "You... who exactly are you? Why is there such a power hidden within you?" He was stumped for answers.
Maeli looked at Craig in curiosity, wondering what Greymont's sudden outburst was about.
Craig had already anticipated that something like that would happen if he used his power on Greymont. He pressed himself up to his feet and smiled. "Do you remember that we mentioned being on a mission to save a friend? Well things turned out a bit differently than expected."
He gave Greymont a rough idea of what the mission was, how it came to be and the result. In his opinion, Greymont could already be considered a friend, else why would he have saved his life. If he had sided with Rakan that day, they would be dead.
Craig used the same excuse he had told Maeli to explain whatever power Greymont supposedly saw inside him.
"The fairies and spirit medicine huh." Greymont muttered as he pondered on everything Craig had just told him. He didn't know much about the fairies so he had no reason to doubt Craig's words but for some reason he felt it to be untrue. There was a lot more towards the power within Craig's body than just a simple 'Spirit Medicine'; whatever that was.
Craig also didn't know what Greymont experienced when he used his focused vision, so he had no idea that his claims were at best, doubtful.
Feeling enlightened, Maeli looked at Craig and asked, "So then, it was the spirit medicine that healed him?" she had marvellous look on her face. Previously she had doubted whether the so called spirit medicine would truly work or if Craig really had it for that matter. If what happened really was because of it then there was an abundance of hope for A'ina after all. However, as she thought about it, she suddenly felt that the medicine could have lost all its potency after healing Greymont. Her expression dimmed significantly. "Although, if it really was the spirit medicine does that mean it has lost some of its power?"
Craig shook his head, displaying uncertainty. "I don't have an answer for that. In the first place I didn't do anything so if it was the spirit medicine then, it acted on its own." He lied. "Secondly, based on how it's been feeling the entire time," He placed his hand over his chest. "I don't think it has grown any weaker."
When he put it like that, there was really nothing that Maeli say. She could only hope that when the time came to treat A'ina, everything worked out for the best.
"What happened here Greymont?" Craig Changed the topic. "Earlier you said this wasn't done by Rakan... then, who did this?" Craig asked, pretending to be in the dark about the whole thing. He couldn't just ask about the creature he'd seen in Greymont's memories. Again, it was best to keep that incident to himself, at least for now.
Greymont lowered his head and exhaled deeply through his nose. He remained silent for a moment as his eyes flickered as if reliving the event. "It was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Its deep blue eyes and claws, and..." He paused and sighed. "All I can say is that it was tall and hairy and strong. It stood like a man but it looked like... Like a wolf. It must be some new kind of Transcendent, or maybe, maybe its been here all along." He shook his head and slammed a paw into the ground. "I was no match for that thing. All my people were slaughtered in an instant." Tears began streaming down the sides of his face as he trembled emotionally. He was in pain, much deeper than the pain the injury had brought him. The loss of his entire pack, his entire family.
Maeli gazed around at the corpses, a pity filled expression saddening her face. She walked over and knelt beside Greymont, wrapping her arms around his furry neck. She looked up Craig, unsure of what to say. She wanted him to do the talking.
Craig knew all too well what Greymont was going through. He knew what it felt like for everyone around him to be Slaughtered without mercy. He had felt the deep, burdening pain of loss and heartache, and kept on living. "It's going to hurt like this for a long time you know." He said looking in Greymont's eyes. "That pain that you're feeling right now, can either become your burden... or your driving force. Speaking from experience, I wouldn't advise you to let it become your burden." He extended his hand before Greymont's face. "Together, let's turn it into your driving force. I'll help you hunt that bastard down till you see it draw its last breath with your own eyes. That..." He paused with a hesitant look in his eyes that slowly solidified into determination. "Is a promise."
He'd failed to keep his promises before, by letting those he'd promised to protect end up dying on his watch. This time around, he didn't believe that he would allow the same thing to happen again. He was determined to keep the promises he made going forward.
Greymont looked into his eyes for a moment. He had the strange sensation, that he was staring into the eyes of a leader, a king. He felt the weight of Craig's words from the look in his eyes. Thus, he raised his paw and placed it onto Craig's palm. "Revenge should never be the answer... However, I guess that all depends on the question being asked."
Craig nodded with a smile. "I like the way you think."
"Thanks, for the comfort." Greymont said to Maeli as she let go of him. "Your touch, reminded me of her you know." The her in this case, being the elf who saved his life. "Those slim gentle hands of hers." He closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the memory. What better way two disturb himself from the pain he was feeling. Upon reopening them he looked around. "Help me gather their bodies and make a fire. I won't leave them here like this and there's no time to bury them all."
Craig and Maeli looked at each other and nodded.
A few hours later, the three of them stood some distance away from a massive raging fire. The flame seemed to connect to the heavens as if the souls of the wolves were reaching to it. The fire raged like this for quite some time, seeming like there would be no end to it.
"We can leave now." Greymont eventually said as he turned around and began walking away from the forest of stones. The place he'd called home for his entire life. The view of his back and his slow steps painted an image filled with sorrow. It didn't seem as if he was planning to return. At least, not until he got his revenge.
Craig and Maeli looked at each other and looked at his departing figure in silence. They didn't say anything and followed after him. Their horses were waiting for them a short distance ahead where they had brought them during the cleanup.
After mounting their horses they rode into forest with Greymont alongside them, leaving behind the ever raging bonfire.
Some time after they left, a wolf walked out of the forest into the open with its gaze locked onto the fire. It was Rakan, who was drawn here by the smoke and intense raging flames. He cautiously gazed around before approaching the fire and circling around it. In doing so he noticed all the blood splattered all over the place. "Blood? Hmmm, what happened here?" He closed his eyes and sniffed the air a few times before they suddenly snapped open. "That elf was just here." He said to himself, walking around trying to pick up a trail.
As he did, the continuous residue of blood gave him an uneasy feeling. "Did she return with company to Slaughter Greymont's entire pack?" His jaw split into a grin as he suddenly laughed and shook his head. "Greymont, oh Greymont, do you see the true colours of the world now?" His laughter died down into a subtle chuckle as he finally picked up trail to follow. "Only a single aura is here besides Greymont's and his pack's. It belongs to her, there's no mistake. Let's find out what really happened here." He dashed in the same direction Craig and company had left in some time ago.
They had no idea that while they were rushing to return to the Bamboo forest, Rakan was rushing to catch up to them.
It had been a while since Maeli used conceal on herself and with the recent event she hadn't yet remembered to do so. Craig was also distracted with a lot going through his mind so he didn't pay any attention to it either. It wasn't until night fell when they stopped to rest near the outskirts of the forest that she remembered to cast conceal on herself.
Depending on how long they decided to rest for, Rakan would certainly catch up to them.