Chapter 13: The Encounter with the Challenging Woman
Riven stood in the bustling courtyard of the tamer's guild, his fingers tracing the worn hilt of his sword as he waited for his next assignment. It had been weeks since the sparring match where he'd truly felt like he was starting to grow. His bond with Nyx had deepened, but it still felt like there was something missing, a part of himself that he hadn't quite found yet. As much as he'd tried to hone his skills, there was a lingering feeling of uncertainty.
Today was supposed to be another training session. But something in the air was different, a shift in the atmosphere that made him uneasy. He couldn't quite place it, but there was a palpable tension hanging over the courtyard, something that didn't sit right with him.
Nyx, standing beside him, seemed to sense it too. Her blue eyes darted around, her ears flicking as she noticed the change in the air. Riven stroked her fur gently, trying to steady himself. He wasn't sure why, but something told him that today was going to be different. That today he was going to meet someone who would challenge him in ways he wasn't prepared for.
As if on cue, a figure appeared from the edge of the courtyard. She was tall, her movements graceful and unhurried, yet there was an undeniable aura of confidence around her. The way she carried herself made Riven immediately aware that she wasn't just any tamer. There was something about her that exuded power, though it wasn't the kind of power that Riven was used to seeing. It wasn't the raw strength that came from dominating a beast or the calculated precision of a skilled tamer—it was something different.
She approached them, her eyes locking with Riven's as she spoke, her voice smooth yet challenging. "I've heard about you, the boy with the wolf. You're gaining a reputation around here, though I'm not sure it's the kind you'd want."
Riven straightened, unsure of how to respond. The woman wasn't being hostile, but there was a sharpness in her tone, an edge that made him cautious. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"Is that so?" She smiled faintly, her lips curling into a knowing expression. "You rely on your beast too much, don't you? Everyone in the arena sees it. Nyx fights for you, but you don't truly control her, do you?"
Riven's chest tightened. Her words were cutting, but they weren't completely untrue. He had been working on himself, trying to become less dependent on Nyx, but it hadn't been easy. The wolf was always there for him, always at his side, and he had come to trust her instincts more than his own.
"I control Nyx," Riven said, his voice more defensive than he intended.
The woman laughed, the sound light and almost mocking. "You think so? You think she's just following orders? Or maybe she's making her own choices, and you're just along for the ride."
Riven's stomach dropped. He hadn't considered that. Of course, Nyx was intelligent—she often made decisions in the heat of battle that he hadn't planned for, and most of the time, they worked out. But did she really make those decisions on her own? Or was he just too focused on giving her commands to notice?
The woman leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "You see, Riven, the problem isn't just about being strong. It's about understanding what true power is. You're not a master just because you hold the reins. A true master knows when to let go."
Riven felt the weight of her words, and a sense of unease crept into his thoughts. Let go? How could he possibly let go? His bond with Nyx was everything to him. It was his strength, his foundation. Without it, who was he?
"True power?" he asked, his voice a little quieter now. "What do you mean by that?"
The woman straightened up, her gaze drifting toward Nyx, who was now watching her intently. "True power comes from understanding. Understanding your beast. Understanding the freedom they have. You see, the more you try to control them, the more you deny them their own will. The more you suppress their nature, the less you both become."
Riven blinked, trying to process her words. "You're saying I shouldn't control Nyx?"
"I'm saying that you should let her choose. Let her be free to make decisions on her own, just as you make your own choices. In doing so, you both grow stronger. The bond between a tamer and a beast isn't just about domination. It's about trust. Respect. Freedom."
Her words rang in his ears as she turned to walk away, leaving Riven standing there, stunned and unsure of what to think. What she said made sense on some level, but it also went against everything he had been taught. He was a tamer—a master of beasts—and that meant controlling them. That meant holding the power in his hands.
Nyx, sensing Riven's inner turmoil, nudged his side gently with her nose, offering him comfort. He looked down at her, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. Was he really suppressing her? Or was she simply doing what he asked because she trusted him?
"I don't know," Riven muttered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know what to believe."
The woman's voice echoed in his mind, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen something in him that he hadn't. He had always thought that power came from mastery, from control, but now he wasn't so sure.
"Are you ready to learn?" the woman's voice echoed again in his thoughts, though she was no longer standing in front of him. "Are you ready to let go?"
Riven glanced at Nyx once more, and for the first time, he didn't immediately issue a command. He let her stand there, side by side with him, without the need for words. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time, truly understanding her.
The thought of letting go was terrifying, but perhaps it was something he needed to do. Perhaps it was time to stop seeing Nyx as just a tool, and start seeing her as a partner, someone with her own mind, her own choices, and her own power.
---
That night, as Riven sat alone in his room, his thoughts swirled around the woman's words. He thought back to the many times he had relied on Nyx's instincts to guide him in battle. He had always trusted her, but had he truly understood her? Had he really given her the freedom to make her own decisions?
The idea of letting go seemed impossible. How could he trust her without control? How could he trust himself without Nyx's strength to back him up?
But what if true strength came from understanding each other, from the bond of mutual respect and freedom?
He didn't have all the answers yet, but he knew that his journey was far from over. And perhaps the most important lesson he would learn wasn't about his own power—it was about the power of letting go.
The next day, he found the woman again. She was seated in the same place where he had first seen her, a distant look in her eyes as she observed the training grounds.
"Do you understand now?" she asked, not looking at him, but her voice filled with quiet expectation.
Riven nodded, a sense of clarity beginning to form in his chest. "I think I'm starting to."
The woman smiled faintly. "Good. The real challenge is learning how to let go. But don't worry. You'll figure it out. Just remember, the power to command is not the same as the power to lead."
With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Riven alone with his thoughts, and a new challenge ahead of him.
End of Chapter 13.