Night falls amidst the noise of crickets and the slow night breeze. As darkness consumes the forest a lone figure can be seen. Her breath was ragged as if she had run from a very far place while her head would go left and right as if trying to find something. Finally, this figure approaches a corpse whose body is damaged heavily.
A fur with a mixture of white and brown was dredged in blood accompanied by marks from a tough battle. The head was squashed and dug up. Marks of claws and knives can be seen that went through the head and skull of the said corpse.
"GRRR!" A growl escapes from her seeing the corpse, unrivalled fury escape from her.
The wind suddenly became intense kicking the dust around while the trees began to sway as if dancing. The ground shook as mana began to surround her creating a yellow aura around her.
"AWOO!"
A painful howl was heard as the figure grieved.
"SNIFF!"
"!!!"
She circles around the area not smelling any scent from the preparator. All she could identify were the corpse's scent and some insignificant beast. This causes the figure to be in more pain nothing could make her feel better. She couldn't protect him nor could she avenge him.
However, she won't give up easily in this vast forest there has to be something that could tell her what happened. And so this figure ran using all her might she went towards the innermost layer of the forest hoping for an answer to her questions.
Inside one of the caves of Afra forest lies a den full of bats among these giant wing creatures was a Baron rank beast.
The figure arrived there risking her own safety.
"Hmm?...you are?" A voice echoes on the walls of the cave making the voice more mysterious.
"It is I" the figure replies telepathically.
"Hmmm?... It seems you are here for the hunter" The voice rang again.
"A hunter!...so it's a human.....I know you can hear everything that's been going on inside the forest so I'm sure you have identified the hunter"
"I did I heard everything.....and based on the sounds I have heard ...the hunter is a boy"
"Impossible how can my.."
"It is what I heard....you must be careful that Hunter has dozens of spirits guarding him. You won't be able to approach him my suggestion is for you to give up. Start another pack one that can hunt every hunter"
"GRRR!"
The figure growls loudly scarring the lower-rank Ink bats this makes the voice hostile.
"I answer your question yet you dare do this....wolf do you wish for a fight "
The figure which is hooded by darkness slowly steps into the light from the moon. White fur with a shade of brown while scarlet red eyes that seem to reject everything. The female alpha of the ivory wolf pack revealed herself from the shadows not looking intimidating from a Baron rank Ink bat.
"Revealed to me the voice of the hunter and I shall leave"
Instead of answering a light thud can be heard then from the mouth of the cave a small pitch black bat flew out. This bat was strangely domineering and despite its size its mighty attitude can be seen.
From the bat's body, a light came out. This light began to morph transforming into a humanoid figure. Jet black hair with ruby-like eyes the king of the Ink bats assumes his human form.
"Let me reveal to you what I heard" Black from head to toe the humanoid bat approaches the female alpha. Gently he raised his hand to touch her head, however.
"Hmmm?... I can't reach you" he could only say trying to reach the head of a 10-meter beast.
With an exasperated expression the wolf had no choice but to assume her human form. A glowing light started to envelop the alpha.
That light eventually disappeared revealing a slim figure of a woman. This woman has a pair of wolf-like ears light brown hair and scarlet red eyes.
"Now I can reach you" he extended his hand again and touched her forehead.
A purple magic circle emerged from his fingertips it was small however if you look closer you will see multiple rings inside the magic circle.
~"GRRR!?"
A bewildered growl escaped from her alpha. For a moment she felt pain hearing his growl like this.
~"Activate" a childish voice echoed in her mind. At first, she couldn't believe how could her alpha die from being a kid.
Then sounds of magic being cast and gunshots erupted making her wince in pain. The sounds were too unbreakable for her.
"Ugh!"
The female alpha couldn't help but step back then more voices and sounds came to her.
~"What was that!?"
~"Damn it!"
~"What's this?"
~"Black magic"
She frowns trying to focus her senses. Slowly she tries to form a picture from the sounds she is hearing until a sound when her weak.
~"Foolish human cub!"
Then a sound of lightning strikes in her mind accompanied by a low painful growl.
~"Enchant!"
The female alpha began to feel dreadful she could feel how the ending was nearing.
~"PANG!"
~"BOOM!"
The ground shook and she heard the usage of the skill Wind Howl.
~"Hear it comes"
~"I am really unlucky"
The boy could only say not sounding nervous or scared.
~"Wow he cancels the debuff and uses it to increase his stats... I am impressed"
~"GRRRR!"
~"You will regret this!" A howl was released unlike the previous attacks this one looked like a tornado ravaging everything in its way. Using the sound she could picture how dust kicked off while the ground became misshaped.
~"Activate!"
~"How does it feel about receiving your attack ten times the strength"
"!?" She was shaken hearing those words now she realized how the male alpha died.
~"GRRR"
The alpha growls trying to stand up but his legs can't move due to his wounds
~"Bulan don't waste any more time....we need to leave"
"NO!" She shouted however huge screams echoed throughout the forest making all nearby beasts escape. The body of the Ivory wolf alpha tried to resist as his body began twitching however soon enough he drew his last breath.
"My mate" she mumbled
Her body trembles hearing everything. How he fought and how he struggled to survive, everything she heard including his last breath.
"Argh!" His painful cry made her heart bleed. It was the last thing she could hear no more sound no more breaths. He died and she wasn't able to do anything what angered her most was the state his body was left with.
"That boy I will find him" she whispered while clenching her fist.
"You better be careful, that boy has an army of spirits ready to protect him at any moment"
"I'll remember that... thank you"
Soon she disappeared through the darkness, the silent breeze became her mask while the moon became her guide. Calmly she walked out of the forest setting her goal in sight.
While the forest began to be engulfed with tension the territory of the wizards was still the same as before, calm before the storm.
"Apollo there is something I need to tell you"
Isabella said while she and Apollo walked towards her room.
"Is it about the banquet"
"So you know about it"
"The other wizards and witches have been talking about it so it's almost impossible for me not to learn it"
"I see so it was like that"
"Do I have to go back?"
"No, you won't I am the only one who will return to the duchy. You will stay here and be one of the wizards representing the tower"
Apollo stopped for a bit and looked at her a bit confused.
"I will?" He said while keeping his expression controlled.
The truth is he doesn't really mind going back however if he gets agitated he might accidentally create a bomb and blow up the mansion again. And that's what his mother fears the most. She knows what kind of wound the Lionheart duchy let on him. The result of that wound created the current Apollo.
"Yes, you will stay here until the banquet begins and don't worry I won't ask for you to come and mingle around. Just talk to the people you find comfortable with"
Apollo couldn't help but smile knowing how concerned his mother to him. He doesn't mind meeting his family however it will be better if he doesn't. After all, he wasn't particularly sure if he could control himself if ever he saw them.
"Before I leave I will give you something"
His mother said entering her room.
"Sit here Apollo"
His mother's room can be said big since other than a bedroom there is also a living room, dining room, kitchen and a small lab.
Apollo sat down on the couch just like his mother said quietly he waited.
"Maybe I should have taken the dessert Uncle Thomas wants to give me" Apollo lamented while remembering the dishes served inside the dining hall.
While the boy thinks about what kind of dessert he should ask for breakfast a door suddenly clicks causing him to look towards his mother's room.
"I wanted to give this to you as a gift"
She gave him a wooden box littered with beautiful inscriptions.
"Hmmmm?" Apollo was confused but still took the box from his mother's hand.