《The Evolution Chronicles》


 Chapter 1 - Mian

    "Go find yourself your own food, freak!" A rock hurled at Mian''s face as he was chased from the group of children who gathered around the deer carcass that was laid before them. A frown was etched onto his face as he watched them through his multi-colored eyes. His stomach growled deeply, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. He wasn''t intimidating, nor strong enough to fight his way through the mass of younger, but stronger demi-humans that gathered around to eat.


    The guardian that was assigned to watch their group eyed Mian with a critical eye, daring him to complain. A low whimper escaped Mian''s lips when the adult only scoffed, her bird-like beak clacking together in irritation. He couldn''t help the wrench of pain that he felt in his heart when she ignored his plight. He was used to it, but it still hurt.


    Wandering out of the cave, Mian decided that he would try his luck hunting. He wouldn''t let it get to him, eat away at his mind and heart. He was stronger than this. After all, if he was weaker, he wouldn''t have survived for nineteen years on his own.


    The brown walls of the cave opened up, giving way to the open forest that stretched for miles all around. Mian''s multicolored ears twitched and swiveled in different directions as the sound of birds chirping drifted into his ears. A smile graced his soft face. Perhaps he would be able to catch a couple birds. Birds tasted nice.


    With a soft huff, he began down the path, his feet carrying him in practiced movements. He tried his best not to make a sound after giving some space between himself and the cave. He had done this enough times to know that noise scared away the nearby animals.


    *Rustle*


    A bush rustling a few meters away from him alerted him. He squatted quickly, hiding his multicolored figure behind a rather large tree. His left white ear swiveled as he peeked from behind the tree.


    *Rustle*


    A small hare hopped its way into the small clearing, its nose shaking about as it sniffed for any possible predators or some food to fill its belly. Mian eyed the hare critically, his own senses sharp, and looking out for any possible threats that might be waiting for a prey to pounce on the hare, and then it would pounce on them together.


    After waiting a few moments, the hare made its way to the base of a bush, poking its head around. It''s hind leg tapped a couple times as it did, before it reared its head from the bush it poked it into, a small vegetable stuffed between its teeth.


    In that moment, when it was most vulnerable, Mian took his chance! The muscles in his legs twitched, energy bursting within it as he shot out of his hiding place, his blunt claws already reaching out towards the frozen hare.


    Just before his claws could reach it, a dark form blurred past him, snagging the hare! Mian reared, his mind reeling from the sudden change. The moment his feet touched the ground, he spun, facing the figure that had snatched the hare. The moment he did though, instead of anger, all he felt was fear. Angry eyes glared down at the young multicolored demi-human, making him shrink back on himself, his white and blue stripped tail twisting around his right leg.


    "What are you doing out here on your own, pup?! Don''t you know you aren''t supposed to leave your group? I''ll see to it that you are punished severely, Mian. Now leave!" The large, male, panther-like demi-human hissed at him. Mian fled the moment he was told to, lowered on all floors so he could cover as much ground as he could. He feared the older man would use his claws on him, and he wasn''t looking forward to feeling any toxins. Black demi-humans spelt bad news when it came to toxins.


    Mian hurried into the cave, shifting back to two feet as he stepped in. The first thing he heard was the hushed whispers, and when he rounded the corner, all the voices disappeared, as all eyes turned to him.


    He had been found out. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt a certain pair of eyes burn into the back of his head. With his head down, he turned to face the direction those eyes glared at him from.


    "Mian." The guardian''s voice sliced through the silence like a scalding hot rod through ice.


    "Yes, ma''am." He whispered.


    "I can''t hear you! Speak up!"


    "Yes, ma''am?" Mian spoke up a little louder. The sound of footsteps reached his ears, and a few moments later, the guardian''s scaled feet came into his field of vision that was facing the floor.


    "Where were you? The Patriarch came to check on our group and you were missing. Don''t tell me you went hunting all on your own again." Her voice was lowered to a threatening whisper that just dared Mian to confirm her words. And of course, he knew he had to answer her, for the punishment for ignoring his superiors was far worse than anything he could have put on him this afternoon.


    "I was out- Ahh!" Before he could complete his words, a vicious swipe of the guardian''s hand raked his face with her talons. Molten fire rushed through Mian''s veins as her toxins slipped into the scratch mark that had been inflicted by her talons. Although she didn''t hit with the intention of breaking his skin, her non lethal strike was still enough to puncture his especially thin skin.


    Mian''s body writhed on the floor as his own healing enzymes did their best to combat the foreign toxins. Saliva pooled at the back of his throat as his mind blanked, his vision going blurry with dark spots appearing and vanishing every few moments.


    The other children watched from the sides of the cave as this happened, none of them having the courage to check if Mian would be okay. No one wanted to feel the toxins of an adult demi-human.


    After ten agonizing minutes, each moment filled with an intense pain rushing through his body, Mian''s healing enzymes had finally done enough work to dull the pain, if only slightly. When Mian managed to gain some semblance of control, he picked himself up from the ground, crawling away to a secluded corner. There, he curled up on himself, and let the tears fall.

 Chapter 2 - Flare

    "Have you settled on who we are sending out to investigate the site?" A gray furred wolf-like demi-human asked from the raised stone throne he was sitting on. Furs lined the seat and draped over the back of the throne. His sharp blue eyes pierced through the hearts of the other demi-humans that were seated around the throne.


    "Yes, Patriarch." They replied as one.


    "Good. We need to investigate the crash site as soon as possible. If something valuable is found, it would be best for us to get out hands on it before the humans." He growled out the word ''humans'' as though the word was physically hurting him. His hand absently trailed over the scar that ran over his right eye. The injury had nearly blinded him, and it took the better half of a year to heal, even with his extremely active and powerful healing enzymes.


    "Send out the team. I want a report in two days at most." He waved the demi-humans away. When they left his throne room, he sighed, his head leaning against his hand that had been raised to prop him up.


    "Humans..." A twinge of pain pricked his heart.


    ...


    "Mian! Where are you?!" A squeal woke Mian up from his restless slumber. His body ached, and the force of someone colliding against him didn''t do much to help that pain.


    "Flare..." Mian groaned as he sat up. His eyes were still red from his ordeal, but overall, he was feeling better after being left to rest. Although, his stomach was still empty.


    "Mian? Are you okay?" The small, cheetah-like demi-human looked up at him. "Toxins?" His eyebrows furrowed as an anger grew in him. Even Mian could feel it. The presence of someone who would grow to be strong in the pack in the future.


    "Calm down, Flare. I was the one who messed up." Mian hugged Flare and ruffled his messy head fur. The move instantly made the anger in the air dissipate as Flare struggled to get free. Mian laughed as the younger boy took a few steps back, smoothing out his head fur.


    Flare was one of the younger demi-humans in the pack. His mother had passed upon his birth, the strain to give birth to such a strong pup too much for her body to handle. After that incident, his father had been killed by a stampede during a hunt. It was quite sad, but life was sad, overall.


    Flare was a cheetah-like demi-human, taking his looks from his mother, and his strength from his father. He looked like a typical cheetah, only that he walked on two legs, as was normal with all demi-humans, and that he sported a mane of light, soft fur that ran down from his head to the middle of his back. Mian always used it to tease him, but if anyone else tried that, then they would have to suffer through a lot of Mian''s beatings.


    Flare was only nine years old, while Mian was nineteen. Flare had met Mian one night when Mian had been suffering through the toxins of one of the pack guardians. Flare had been furious, but there was little he could do. As a child, whose toxins hadn''t even developed, he couldn''t go about provoking the adults.


    "That''s what you always say. ''I''m the one who messed up.'' We both know that''s not true." Flare returned to the conversation, knowing that Mian was trying to avoid it.


    Mian sighed before opening his arms for Flare to hug him, which the younger boy eagerly did. The two of them remained sitting there, in the small, dark cave. Mian had his head over Flare''s his hands running through the younger boy''s mane.


    "Things will get better someday. I know it." Mian smiled when he felt Flare nodding against his chest. The two of them moved to a laying position, situated on some soft furs that Flare had managed to get for Mian. After a while, they were fast asleep.


    "Flare?" A whisper sounded through the cave some time later. The voice of the person was deep, and reverberated through the cave, but had a soft undertone to it, to make sure he didn''t wake up the sleeping demi-humans.


    A few moments later, a gray head popped through the entrance of the cave. The Patriarch of the demi-human pack sighed when he saw the two boys laying together. This wasn''t the first time he had seen them sleeping together. Flare was too attached to Mian, but that also caused the Patriarch to grow fond of the weak nineteen year old.


    Retreating from the cave, the Patriarch made his way back to his chambers, deciding to let them enjoy their time together. He would need Flare to return to his training the next day, but he didn''t mind the little boy enjoying himself for now. He had promised Flare''s parents that he would take care of the little pup, and that was exactly what he would do.


    The Patriarch slipped through the hides that were hung above the entrance to his chambers. The bear hides swung back into place as a smaller white head popped from around the corner.


    "Daven." The smaller, white female demi-human came into the open space that was the living space of their chambers. They entertained whatever guests they had in this area. She wrapped her slender arms around his middle, prompting Daven to smile warmly at her. She barely reached up to his chest.


    "Where is Flare?" She looked around him to check for the hot headed pup.


    "He''s with Mian." Daven replied, hugging her to him.


    "Mian? Isn''t that the weak pup that causes trouble all the time?" A frown creased her brows.


    "Kira." Daven chided his mate. "He may be as weak as an omega, but you shouldn''t think of him that way. I believe it had to do with malnutrition in his early childhood. He was nearly dead when we found him, and we only barely saved his life. That may have been what caused him to grow up weaker than he should."


    Kira sighed softly. "You''re right, I''m sorry."


    "It''s fine. Let''s go to bed. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be busy.." He took her hand and led her into their sleeping chamber.

 Chapter 3 - Mission

    "Mian, come here." Mian hurried towards the guardian of his group. During the day, the younger ones were spread up into groups to be watched over by ''guardians'', older members of the pack.


    "You''re going out." She said, her arms folded beneath her brown and black wings. The owl-like demi-human had always been a bit of a puzzle to Mian. She was obviously a bird type of demi-human, but she stayed with them who were of the feline kind.


    "Out?" He asked hesitantly.


    "Yes, out. Guardian Brian just came over. He will be leading a small party into the wilderness to explore a potential site of resources. You are on that party." She eyed him up and down before hurriedly urging him out of the cave. She led him a ways into the forest until they came upon a small group of fifteen demi-humans. All the demi-humans in the party were young, all within the age range of eighteen to twenty three. Mian even knew quite a few of them from the group.


    He kept his eyes low as they approached the group, feeling multiple pairs of eyes fixed on him. His eyes didn''t even try to travel in Brian''s direction. Brian was the black furred demi-human that had chased him back to his group the day before when he was hunting. He could feel the older man''s glare trying to bore through his soft skin, and he was sure that if given the chance, Brian wouldn''t hesitate to bore his sharp claws into Mian''s skin.


    "Took you long enough." Brian growled in Mian''s direction.


    "Sorry, I had to find Mian." Mian''s guardian, Ophelia apologized and pushed Mian a step forward so he was standing with all the other boys. They all towered over him, even those that were younger than him. Their muscles were well built, and buffed them up, unlike his own wiry frame. He felt like crying.


    "Let''s get going." Brian turned and began leading them into the forest after a short conversation with Ophelia. The boys all followed him, with Mian falling behind them. Of course, it didn''t take long for a conversation to start up between the boys.


    "What''s ''he'' doing here?" Mian heard one of the boys at the front murmur.


    "I don''t know, maybe bait for anything we need to trap. He''s so scrawny that I doubt he could do anything to a wild animal." Someone replied.


    The boys began to chip into the conversation one by one, and soon enough, their voices rose, no longer trying to cover up their mocking comments. Tears pricked the corner of Mian''s eyes, but he held it in. He wouldn''t show weakness to any of them. They weren''t worth it.


    "Hey, don''t you think that isn''t fair? He didn''t ask to be born the way he was." A particularly large demi-human who was walking at the back, just a couple steps ahead of Mian spoke up. Mian knew him. His name was Dion, and he was the next in line for the position of Patriarch, after the current one stepped down, which wasn''t for at least ten more years. Dion had just turned eighteen a few months ago, but he was already large enough to have you mistake him for someone older.


    "A little teasing never hurt anyone, Dion." One of the older boys replied sharply.


    "Fine, do whatever you want." Dion sighed and shrugged when he saw that Brian wasn''t going to step in. He always knew that Mian wasn''t exactly liked in the pack, but he didn''t think that even a guardian would be so childish to let something like this happen right in their presence. He huffed and took a peek back at Mian whose shoulders had drooped even lower. The smaller boy looked close to tears at this point.


    Dion took a few shorter steps, startling Mian when he suddenly fell in step beside him. He could feel Mian''s nerves, just as much as he saw tiny stands of fur lifting up from Mian''s shoulders. The pup was obviously scared.


    "Are you okay?" Dion was almost whispering to avoid scaring Mian too much, which he still failed to achieve in the end. Mian stumbled as his body froze for half a second, only avoiding face-planting the rough ground thanks to Dion''s arm slipping around his middle to hold him up.


    Heart pounding, and fear running through his veins, Mian froze up in Dion''s grasp. His skin prickled where it came in contact with Dion''s thick fur, waiting for the pain of toxins which never came. Peeking up, he noticed that Dion was also peering down at him, looking at him like one puzzle that needed to be solved.


    The group ahead hadn''t noticed what happened, thankfully. Mian didn''t need any other thing to be teased about when he returned home.


    "Are you okay, pup?" Dion asked, his left ear flicking. Mian caught a glance of gray fur lining the inside of the younger boy''s ear.


    "I-I''m fine. I just..."


    "It''s okay, don''t worry about it." Dion set him back down on his feet. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Don''t take what they say to heart, okay?"


    Mian nodded rigidly, his body still tense.


    "Well, do you mind if I walk with you? I don''t really get along with assholes all that well." Dion smiled at Mian, showing off his white, glistening canines. Mian just averted his eyes and nodded with a gulp of saliva.


    "What are the two of you doing, wasting time back there?" Brian''s voice cut through the silent air. Mian''s head snapped up so quickly that Dion would have thought that he had heard a predator rounding the corner to attack a litter of pups.


    They quickly hurried up to join the group after noticing they had fallen back quite a bit. Dion scoffed when one of the other boys raised a brow at him after noticing that he wasn''t going to join up with them at the front, and leave Mian alone at the back.


    This was going to be a long, annoying trip.

 Chapter 4 - Run

    The party travelled for the greater half of the day, walking until the sun was well on its way setting in the west. They stopped to take a break, and Brian left the group to go hunt for something to eat. He didn''t want any of the younger ones to come so that they wouldn''t mess it up, and he left the older ones to watch over camp in his stead.


    (Fun Fact: The sun only rises from the east and sets in the west on 2 days of the year. Although that doesn''t really apply here because this isn''t Earth xD).


    Mian sat a fair distance away from the other boys, and of course, his new friend, Dion had taken the liberty of Mian''s shyness to take the spot beside the smaller boy, as Mian didn''t have the heart nor courage to refuse him.


    Dion tried to start up conversation, but Mian''s shaky, one word responses made that difficult.


    "So, I''m just eighteen, how old are you again?"


    "N-nineteen." Mian replied simple, and didn''t try to add anything to his statement. Dion sighed and rubbed his snout in frustration. Mian was too closed off for him to get close to. It frustrated him to no end.


    The two of them sat down in relative silence, the only sounds coming from the boys in the distance who were speaking amongst each other. After some time on the journey, they had stopped talking about Mian and moved on to other topics. Dion turned his attention to them as they brushed over topics that piques his interest. Topics like the females with the best looking fur, or the cutest ones.


    "You can go join them if you want." A voice slipped into his ears, drawing him out of the small trance he had slipped into. His ears swiveled and twitched for a couple of seconds before he realized that it was Mian who spoke.


    "What?" Dion was at a loss. He wanted to go sit with the other boys, but it was quite obvious that they wouldn''t welcome Mian within their presence. "Are you sure?" He peered down at Mian.


    Mian also peeked up at him, tilting his head slightly. "I know you want to go. They''re your friends. I''m not. I don''t really mind." He shrugged and averted his gaze. Dion was conflicted upon hearing Mian''s words, but it truly seemed as though Mian wasn''t going to be opening up to him any time soon, while he already had friends who were ready to speak to him.


    After a bit of thought, Dion let out a sigh before getting up. He rested a hand on Mian''s head. "Thanks, Mian. Don''t worry, I''ll come back." He smiled slightly before he hurried off to join the other group of boys.


    Mian sighed when he saw how eagerly Dion left him to meet the other boys. It couldn''t be helped, though. He knew he wasn''t exactly the best person to be around. The only person who didn''t mind being around him, and who he himself didn''t mind being around was Flare. The little pup had grown on him.


    He smiled slightly when the thought of a pouting little cheetah demi-human popped into his head.


    Just then, the bushes on the far side of the camp rustled loudly. Everyone''s ears perked up as they turned to face that direction. The tall bushed shook more and more before a frantic Brian burst into the clearing with a look of panic on his face.


    "Run!" He barely managed to get out before he bolted past them. Everyone froze in shock for a fraction of a second before bolting into action. If even their guardian was hightailing it, then what the hell were they still doing there?!


    Frantic demi-humans ran through the clearing, forgetting all their supplies in their hurry to escape. The bushes which Brian had burst through shook violently, spurring them on even further.


    Mian was half frozen in shock, his body responding a bit later than the others. He looked around frantically, his eyes connecting with the deep gray eyes of Dion for a split second before a cat-like demi-human pushed Mian out of the way. The smaller boy quickly got up to his feet, running in a different direction from everyone else, not because he thought he could survive on his own, but rather, out of fear.


    He ran, and ran, and ran. And by the time his feet hurt, he finally slowed down, his lungs burning, and his eyes prickling with tears that he would not shed.


    ''What were those? What on earth could have made Brian run that way? What could make their guardian abandon them in such a way?'' These thoughts kept swirling around in his brain. He sat down, his knees pulled up to his chest, and his tail curled around his legs as he laid his head on his knees, trying to regain control over his breathing.


    After taking some time to calm himself and get his spiraling emotions under control, Mian finally stood up. His soles twanged slightly with pain, but he ignored it. It would only take a few more minutes for his feet to heal whatever little damage they had gotten while he ran for his life.


    Mian concentrated his ears, trying to listen for anything that could help him. Some food would probably go a long way...


    He could faintly hear the sound of a running stream in the distance, not too far away from him. Some fish would be nice, and he would also get some water to drink. Patting himself down, Mian began the trek in the direction he had heard the stream. The forest was relatively quiet, the occasional sounds of insects and birds chirping filling the air.


    After about five minutes of walking, Mian finally approached an opening in the dense brush. Beyond the opening was a stream of water than ran downhill. He nearly jumped out of the cover of the brush, but quickly held himself back. He peeked down the left and right, and utilized his poor senses to try and locate any potentially dangerous creatures.


    After making sure there was none, he finally stepped out of the forest.

 Chapter 5 - Strange Sights

    Clear, blue, sparkling water flowed through the river. The water was so clean that Mian thought he might have hit his head as he was running and he was dreaming. It just didn''t look real to him. There were no proper words to describe what he saw.


    Hesitantly, Mian knelt by the bank of the river and dipped his fingers into the flowing water. His eyes shot open as a sharp twang of cold ran up his spine. He sighed in relief as the feeling travelled through his entire body. The feeling settled in the soles of his feet, soothing them, and cooling the down, and even the residual pain of the toxins he had been inflicted with the day before had vanished from his body.


    Taking a good look around the clearing once more, Mian contemplated his choices before giving in to what his body wanted. He slipped into the water, his mind reveling in the feeling of pure ecstasy he got from having the pure blue water come in contact with his skin.


    A little dirt rose from his fur when he entered the water, but disappeared in mere moments as the current carried it away. Mian remained seated on a rock at the bank of the river, submerged up to his shoulders. He felt great. He threw his head back and let out a sigh. He hadn''t felt this good for years. No, he hadn''t left this good in his life!


    His stomach grumbled, bringing him out of his trance like state. He looked around him, examining the clear water for any signs of fishes, or any other creatures. He found none, and even the bottom of the river was surprisingly bare. It was odd in every sense of it, but for some reason, it didn''t register in Mian''s mind that he should be a bit more cautious. He swam up stream, hoping to get something to put in his belly before he tried to find the other boys, and rejoin with the group.


    In the water, he was like a completely different person. Feline demi-humans usually had issues with water, so very few of them bothered with swimming, only learning what was necessary, but not trying to pursue any further achievements in swimming. Mian was different.


    His body moved from side to side as he mimicked the fishes that he always watched in the stream that wasn''t too far from the pack''s main hunting grounds. He had found that it was easy for him to swim, unlike most of the others. He had kept this information to himself of course. He didn''t need to be teased about anything else.


    When he reached the point of the flowing river where the water tipped over an edge and began flowing down stream, he jumped over the ledge, splashing into the lake where the water ran down from. Coming back for air, he had his breath stolen from him the moment he opened his eyes.


    Beautiful, colorful plant life dotted the surroundings, giving the area around the lake an overwhelming sense of beauty. Mian gaped at the sight, his eyes eagerly taking everything in, but that wasn''t what got the most of his attention. In the center of the lake, a large egg shaped boulder was sticking out of the water. It was so large that Mian could see where it touched the bottom of the lake, a dozen meters below the surface, and even then, it still stuck out several meters into the air.


    Cautiously, he swam closer to the rock. By the time he reached the boulder, nothing had happened, so he hesitantly placed his clawed hand against the base of the boulder. He slowly started to climb its surprisingly smooth surface, his hands occasionally scrambling to grab hold of any uneven spot on the surface.


    After an agonizingly long period of time, he finally reached the top, his chest heaving. With a deep breath, he climbed the final stretch, and came to the very top. By now, he had noticed that the crystal clear water that formed the lake and flowing stream constantly gushed out of the top of the boulder where there was an opening. He peeked into the opening, and was stunned yet again by what he saw.


    He saw no blue water that gushed out from some underground reservoir, but instead, flowing gold magma in the center of the boulder. He opened his mouth to gasp, but was choked by the magma as it rushed at him, forcing its way through his lips and down his throat. He lost his footing, and fell into the pool of golden magma, vanishing beneath its surface...


    ***


    "WHAT?! What do you mean, ''you don''t know where they are''?!" Daven''s voice bellowed throughout the cave. Rage was thick in his voice, and his mere presence was enough to make Brian cower in fear, his shoulders shaking.


    "I gave you ONE job! Just one damn job! And you come and tell me you don''t know where the boys I sent you out with are?! Dion was with you, no? And you couldn''t even try to secure the safety of the next Patriarch of your pack?" Daven''s claws extended as he took a threatening step in Brian''s direction. "Tell me, who else was on that party with you?" His voice was deceptively calm as he spoke that last sentence.


    "I-I..." Brian took a few moments to collect himself before he began listing the names of the other boys on the party. The Patriarch''s shoulders tensed when he heard Mian''s name.


    "You took Mian out with you?" He whispered. Brian gulped as the temperature in the room dropped a few notches. "YOU DAMN IDIOT!" He raked his claws down Brian''s side, forcing an agonizing howl out of the man''s mouth. Although Brian was strong, when compared to the Patriarch, he was just a mere middle ranked member of the pack. His toxins and healing enzymes were like those of a mere child.


    The black demi-human rolled about on the floor, clutching his bleeding side while Daven stormed out of the room, leaving the former to stew in the agonizing pain. It was the least he could do.


    "Organize a party of the pack''s strongest dominant hunters.. Let''s go get our boys."

 Chapter 6 - Evolution?

    Gold... And then black... The colors kept switching between each other in Mian''s eyes as he struggled to get himself under control.


    Thud!


    He felt himself come into contact with something solid and flat beneath him. It took a few more moments for him to get himself under control, and when he did, he looked around him. The floor beneath him was a pitch black color, while everywhere else was a flowing gold.


    "Where am I?" He asked himself.


    [Welcome, Host.]


    A smooth, feminine voice echoed through the space around Mian. He jumped, his eyes and ears darting around, trying to detect the presence of anyone other than himself.


    [Do not be alarmed, Host. I mean you no harm.] Upon hearing the words of the mysterious voice, a cool, soothing feeling entered Mian''s body. It reminded him of the feeling he had gotten from the river, but stronger... more effective. His body reacted to it and instinctively calmed down.


    [Now that the Host is calm, I shall go on to introduce myself. Please, refer to me as Hana. I am the bearer of a gift upon the beings of this planet, and you have met the requirements to receive this gift. Please brace yourself.]


    The next moment, before Mian could react, the gold that swam around him suddenly shivered, before rushing at him. He would have tried to run, but there was no possible way for him to do so. He was instantly covered up in a layer of flowing, golden magma that solidified around him, freezing his motions.


    By the time Mian opened his eyes again, he was laying at the side of a depression in a large clearing. When he looked around, he finally recognized where he was. In the center of the depression, the massive twenty meter tall boulder stood proudly. All the water that was around it had vanished, leaving a dry, rocky depression in the earth.


    Slowly, he stood up. As someone who knew how poorly his body performed, he noticed the changes at once. His body moved in a smoother fashion, and he felt as though he had much more energy stored within him than before. He took a look at his body, and immediately noticed the physical changes.


    He hadn''t grown a foot taller, nor had he suddenly gotten buff. No, it was something much more simple, but still very odd and astounding. His once black and white fur was now crossed by wavy blue fur. The blue fur was only present in thin streaks that ran across his arms, torso, and legs. Perhaps they were present elsewhere, but he had no way of knowing for sure.


    [Congratulations on your awakening, Host.] A voice suddenly spoke right by Mian''s ear. He yelped and jumped into the air, landing a few feet away. He turned his way this way and that, but wasn''t able to see anyone. Suddenly, a cool chill ran through his body, soothing him and taking away the tension in his body. He remembered this feeling as that which he had felt when he was in that black and gold place.


    [I see you remember where you have felt this sensation. Are you calm now, or do you need me to administer another dose?] The soft voice of Hana spoke to him.


    "I-I''m calm now." He whispered. If this mysterious being meant to do him harm, then Mian felt that he would be dead by now.


    [Good. I shall give you a basic explanation of what is currently going on. Firstly, you have been chosen as the bearer of the Evolution System. With my assistance, you shall learn how to wield the supreme powers to allow yourself, and those you select, to evolve, and reach their fullest potential.] Hana explained.


    "Evolution?" Mian knew the concept of Evolution. It had been taught to every demi-human as part of their compulsory learning curriculum that they had undergone at a young age. He had been taught that every living creature had only a miniscule one in a million chance at Evolution, and that even the few times that they might experience this legendary phenomenon, their evolution might end up being useless. Imagine a demi-human getting a claw evolution that turned their claws from sharp and pointed, to curved and blunt. An Evolution could very well be detrimental to the one undergoing such a change.


    [Yes, Evolution. Does the Host require a five minute crash course through the basics of Evolution?] Hana was surprisingly patient with Mian, something that he very rarely had the chance to experience in his nineteen years of life.


    "No, no. I understand what Evolution is. But, what is this ''System''?" He tilted his head in confusion.


    [The Evolution System is a ''helper'' or rather, a medium, through which you can express your powers of inducing Evolution. With both I and the System, you will be able to command the power of Evolution however you wish.]


    Mian nodded as Hana explained a few more things. He had a few questions for her when she was done.


    "So, Hana, how exactly do I induce my powers of Evolution?" He asked. By now, he had moved to a cross legged sitting position a few feet from the bank of the former lake.


    [You can induce the power of Evolution by spending Evolution Points.]


    "What are these Evolution Points, and how exactly do I gain them?" Over time, he had become more comfortable speaking to Hana, and he had become much more open, the stammer in his voice having filtered out a long time ago.


    [Evolution Points are the exchange tokens that you will need to induce Evolution. They are a manifestation of pure natural energy. You can acquire Evolution Points by killing and consuming creatures that have a certain probability of evolving in their life time.]


    Mian remained there for the better part of an hour, throwing questions at Hana. His mind had long shed all apprehension he once held to the ethereal, mystical voice.. Her receptiveness and the way she remained patient with him made him view her in a new light.

 Chapter 7 - The First Step To Power

    Flare''s heart burned with sadness and pain when he heard what had happened. The Patriarch had tried to keep it from him, but he had overheard him when he was yelling at Brian.


    Mian was missing.


    Flare refused to talk to anyone, not even Kira, the Patriarch''s mate. He had avoided everyone like a plague for the past half day, and intended on doing so. The Patriarch was about to leave the cave, along with a full complement of powerful dominant demi-humans. Flare hoped to be a dominant when he grew up, so that he could protect Mian from the bullying he was always subjected to.


    Flare sulked his way back to his small chamber. A small, self contained space that he had been given by the Patriarch. That was one of the few places where he could really be on his own, aside from when he was in Mian''s arms. He didn''t know why, but whenever he was with Mian, no one came to bother them.


    He pushed the thought back as he stepped through the hides covering the entrance to his room. He didn''t expect someone to be there.


    "Flare, where have you been?" Kira, the Patriarch''s mate asked as she stood up from the small pile of soft furs that served as Flare''s bed.


    "Outside. I wanted to be alone." He shrugged, folding his hands behind him so she couldn''t see him fidgeting.


    "Oh, Flare. My baby boy. Come here." Kira swept forward, enveloping Flare in her arms. She pressed his head to her shoulder as he slender arms wrapped around him. "I didn''t want you to find out this way. It''s alright. Daven will find him."


    "Why?" Flare held onto her as his tears finally slipped from his eyes. "Mian isn''t even a dominant. He shouldn''t have gone on such a dangerous mission."


    "I don''t know. I don''t know. But it''s alright. Daven will handle it. He''s already organizing a team to go out and look for the boys." Kira whispered into the young boy''s ear. She held his shaking form until he passed out from exhaustion. Carefully, she set him down on his pile of furs before slipping out of his room and hurrying through the cave.


    Upon getting to the main chamber, she found her mate, along with ten other strong dominants. There were eight males and two females in the team, aside from her mate.


    "Daven." She walked up to him. His hardened eyes turned soft upon seeing her. She stopped by his side and gripped onto his large bicep. "Bring back Mian, no matter what it takes. Flare is taking it hard. He isn''t himself. I don''t want him to break, Daven. He''s the closest thing I can have to a son of my own." She peered up into his eyes with her crystal blue ones.


    "Don''t worry, Kira. I''ll find the boys, and I''ll bring them back. No matter what." She nodded firmly at his words and stepped back, going to stand by the side of the room while he finished up his preparations.


    The dominants were very intimidating, each of them reaching above two and a half meters in height. The Patriarch himself was close to three meters himself. Each of them were kitted out in strong but lightweight metal armor that perfectly fit their contours, each molded to fit their body so well that they might as well have been wearing light clothing.


    "Let''s head out." Daven nodded his head at Kira once more before leading the dominants out of the cave. A small crowd of demi-humans had gathered around to see them off, standing at the mouth of the cave until the group of eleven had disappeared into the distance.


    Kira stood inside the cave, her hand placed over her heart. She hoped that it would be well with her mate, with Dion, and also, with Mian.


    ...


    "Status." Mian called out, the way Hana had instructed him to. A mental wave of information streamed into his mind''s eye. Before him, an almost see through illusion that didn''t get in the way of his vision appeared.


    [Status]


    Name: Mian.


    Race: Demi-human - Feline


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 100


    Stamina: 50


    Evolution Points: 0


    ---


    Mian examined the information that was provided for him critically. He knew how to get Evolution Points, but he had no idea how to find creatures that had a chance at evolution.


    "Hana, please how do I find creatures that have a chance at evolution? It would be troublesome if I had to kill every creature I see only to get a small amount of points." He was quite concerned about this point.


    [The host can use the Evolution System to scan nearby creatures and identify their chances at evolution. Please, take note that not all creatures will provide the same amount of natural energy that can be transformed into Evolution Points. Creatures with a greater chance at evolution will always provide more energy than those with a lower chance.]


    "I see." Mian nodded his head sagely when he heard the System''s response. "Oh well, I guess I should start on my way back." He got up from his seat. He was currently in the center of the large boulder which had been the source of all that water from before. He had learned that the water he had swam in was not ordinary water, but a manifestation of condensed natural energy. Other creatures had tried to enter it, but had all perished, but Mian was lucky, and that was why he was now the wielder of the Evolution System.


    Night had come and gone, and Mian had used the boulder as a resting place to hide from the dangers of the night. Now, with the sun high up in the sky, and the day well underway, he was ready to return home.


    Climbing out from the top of the boulder, Mian was momentarily blinded by the bright light that flashed over his face from the sun. He shielded his eyes and looked away from the sun before drawing away his arm.


    Yup, the sun was up.

 Chapter 8 - Dion

    Pain. Pain was all he felt when he drew in those harsh, shuddering breaths. Dried blood caked Dion''s side, a souvenir from his scuffled with the dominants that had attacked their camp. He had taken down a couple of them, but a stronger one had forced him to flee. The toxins still burned, but his healing enzymes had done most of the work of neutralizing the toxins.


    He needed to wash off the blood around the injury and let it heal properly, then he would try to find Mian. The other boys could take care of themselves. That pup wouldn''t last more than two days out here in the wild.


    "Damn Brian. Some guardian you are, leaving us for dead." He grumbled as he pushed aside a branch that was dotted with bright greens leaves. His side strained as he did so, forcing him to grit his teeth as his vision swam. It seemed like the one that left the injury was quite strong.


    He continued on, step after step. It was easy enough, making sure your foot just stayed ahead of each other. At least, it was simple enough until the pain got too much.


    Dian collapsed to his side, his breath raspy as the full force of the toxins settled in. It had been roughly over a day since their camp was attacked. He hadn''t eaten anything, and his body lacked the energy to help him combat the toxins and heal the injury.


    His eyes drifted close, even as he actively fought to retain his consciousness. But the harder he tried, the harder he failed. After a couple minutes of fighting the darkness, it finally consumed his mind.


    ***


    Mian wandered through the twists and turns, figuring out all the kinks in his body. He hadn''t run into any animals yet, but he had found plenty of berry bushes along the way. He didn''t know if it was just a stroke of luck, but he had also found a small bag nearby, which he had used to pack a whole lot of berries into. Now, he was energized, full, and had a small supply of food for when he was stuck in the forest.


    "Hana?"


    [Yes, Host?] The ever present, soft, and dutiful voice of Hana drifted through his mind.


    "Um, I just noticed, but I feel stronger, better, than before I gained the System. Is there anything different with me, aside from gaining the System?"


    [Yes, Host. Your base stats have all been boosted, and you are roughly twice as strong as you were before you came in contact with the System. Until after your first Evolution, you will be unable to view the exact changes within your body.]


    "Oh, I see... Twice as strong, huh? Not too strong, but at least, I''m not as weak as before." Mian shrugged and continued on his way through the forest.


    *Rustle* *Thud*


    The sound of something rustling nearby, followed by a dull thud. Mian''s fur bristled as he waited for something to come barreling out at him, but after waiting for a few minutes, nothing happened.


    Against his better judgment, which told him to turn around and run, he slowly approached the cluster of bushes from the side, intending to go around them, and not run headfirst into the jaws of a hungry beast.


    When he peeked around the top of a cluster of thick bushes to the side, the first thing he saw was a black tail. The tail twitched weakly, as though its owner was trying to fight off inevitable death.


    ''Oh no! Don''t tell me some strong predator is finishing off one of he boys from the pack!'' The thought ran through his mind. He was about to turn tail and run when he heard a groan that sounded familiar to him.


    "Ugh..."


    Mian''s ears perked up upon hearing the voice that was laced with pain. He leapt over the bush he was hiding behind, rushing forward. He wouldn''t let Dion die!


    The sight that greeted him was vastly different from what he had expected. Dion was laid out on his side, his eyes droopy, but distant. Thick, dried blood was caked in his fur, proof of a very deep injury that he had struggled to heal.


    Mian knelt by his side, his hands hanging a few inches above the injured boy''s body. He wasn''t sure what to do.


    "H-Hana... Help me. W-what should I do?" Fear crept through his voice, and the stutter that wasn''t there when last he spoke had returned. He was once again that weak, powerless demi-human from a day ago who couldn''t do anything but get pushed around by others.


    [There is only one thing you can do at this moment, Host. The only way to administer treatment in time to prevent this demi-human is to transfer the pure, natural energy stored within your body into his. This way, his natural healing process will become multiplied by at least three times.]


    As usual, Hana''s assuring advice soothed his heart.


    "How do I do that?"


    [Just will the Evolution System to do so, and it shall be done. But, please do note that after doing this, depending on how much energy was used up, your body will become weaker until that energy has been restored. Aside from waiting for the natural absorption process, consuming plants and animals serve as a good way to replenish energy.]


    Mian nodded along with Hana''s words. There was no time to waste. He concentrated his mind, pulling on the energy that was gathered inside him. In his mind''s eye, a visualization appeared. Within his body, in the very center, just by his heart, a glowing ball of golden energy floated there, a manifestation of pure, unadulterated nature energy.


    ''As long as I will it...''


    He mentally tapped on that ball of energy. A stream of golden energy broke off from the constantly turning bundle of energy and followed his guiding mind. His consciousness returned to his surroundings and when he regained clarity, what he saw left his mouth hanging ajar.


    A band of golden energy rotated around him in a one meter radius. The band of golden energy constantly let out tiny wisps of light that showered down upon Dion. Slowly, the pained look on his face began to fade away, replaced by a kind of exhausted look that belied the pain he had gone through.


    "Rest." Mian murmured as he pulled Dion''s head onto his lap.. They were decently covered behind these bushes, and he guessed there was enough time left in the day for them to return to the pack lands before sundown, depending on when Dion woke up.

 Chapter 9 - Humans

    Mian carefully dragged Dion to a more obscure area where it would be more difficult to spot them. They were surrounded on all sides by thick bushes. Only if an animal got close, would it then be able to sniff them out. Either that, or a demi-human that had a good nose.


    With a pained, split mind, Mian stood up. He needed to check if there was a river somewhere close by. If there was, then it would be best to drag Dion there so that he could wash out the blood caked in his fur. Its presence increased the chances that they would be found by predators.


    Hesitantly, he crawled out from underneath the bushes. His eyes darted left and right as his ears swiveled in all directions.


    The coast was clear!


    He darted out of the undergrowth, and began his search for a stream. Time passed as he combed the surrounding area. An increasingly large bubble of frustration began building up within Mian''s chest before he finally heard the sound of running water.


    Yes!


    He made for the path where the sound came from. Peeking through the bushes at the edge of the tree line, he spotted that this stream looked much more normal than the one that was created from an abundance of natural energy.


    He stepped out of the shadows and shuffled to the bank of the river. A dip of his fingers was all he needed to know that the water was ordinary. Quickly he stood up and hurried back to where Dion was hidden. Upon getting there, he breathed a sigh of relief. The younger dominant was still unconscious.


    He didn''t need to be awake, because Mian was sure that the trip to the river wouldn''t be comfortable at all. Taking a deep breath, Mian bent down and hefted Dion''s heavy body over his shoulder, his doubled strength working double time to support the weight. Quickly, he hobbled through the forest and to the river he had checked out earlier.


    Easing Dion into the water, Mian noted the sigh that escaped the larger boy''s lips. He smiled slightly, glad he could be of help. He dutifully ran his fingers through the fur that was matted with blood, working away at the dirt that had caked beneath. The water around them turned red, making Mian twist his mouth. The blood was so much.


    His worry built up as he worked his way through the matted fur. Although Hana had told him that Dion''s healing abilities would be multiplied threefold, he still worried. That Dion''s healing ability had been boosted didn''t mean that he was immediately okay. All that dirt and blood that had dried between the cuts would remain as a hindrance to his healing for as long as they were there.


    After fifteen long minutes of sifting through Dion''s fur, Mian had gotten through it all. By now, Dion had begun to shiver softly in Mian''s arms. Mian lifted him out of the water and laid him down on a rock that was right under the sun, but a bit of a distance from the stream.


    Mian decided to use this moment to wash up as well, his lean fingers also sifting through light fur. A few minutes later, he walked out of the river and sat down beside Dion. His fur was lighter than the dominant''s, so within a couple of minutes, he was completely dry.


    He glanced over at Dion to see the larger boy laying on his side. He shuffled over to the dark haired demi-human''s side and pushed aside the fur on his side.


    Hiss!


    He drew in a sharp breath upon seeing the deep gashes that were surrounded by pink flesh. He could see the tissues and flesh knitting together at a visible pace to the naked eye.


    "Oh God." Mian gasped as he saw the injuries. Three deep gashes that dug deep beneath Dion''s ribs and into the flesh. It was bad. Really bad. But the good thing was that it was healing. Quickly. Washing out the dried blood from the wound had helped out a ton and all they just needed now was time.


    *Rustle!*


    The sound of bushes parting startled Mian to his feet. He turned, facing the tree line, just as humans came out, their swords held before them and firm looks plastered over their faces.


    At the forefront of the humans, a man garbed in a deep red coat stood, his hand on the hilt of his sheathed sword. He was fairly young, with firm but soft features.


    "Capture them. I don''t want them too badly hurt." He spoke with a firm, no nonsense tone. The men around him responded to his command, moving forward at once.


    Mian watched them with frantic gazes, unsure of what to do.


    [The System senses increasing distress from the Host. It has been determined that the Host is in a dire situation. Self defense protocols activated. Forceful takeover of Host''s body has been carried out.] Hana''s voice recited in Mian''s head, but unlike the usual soft voice, she sounded so stiff that even Mian feared what she meant by all what she said.


    A strange feeling overcame Mian as he felt his control over his body be taken away from him. He felt as though he was only just a passenger in his body. A strange calm came over his mind as he watched the humans come closer.


    Closer... Closer... Clo-


    He moved!


    He dashed at one of the humans, his blunt claws bared. The human jerked back, surprised that such a small statured demi-human would make a move against him. His shock didn''t last long though, as he quickly held up his sword to block the strike from Mian''s claws. He pushed back, throwing Mian a couple meters back, but wasn''t given any reprieve as Mian kept on coming, over and over again.


    "Hold on, Rick, I''ve got the black one. Mare''s coming!" A voice yelled over Mian''s shoulder. He risked a glance backwards to see a man lugging Dion over his shoulder, and immediately, that calm that surrounded his mind was gone. He lunged at the man, only to receive a solid hit at the back of his head.


    "No-" He fell to the floor, his vision black, with a human standing over his body.

 Chapter 10 - Captivity

    Mian slowly regained his clarity, faintly aware of the glaring pain that existed at the back of his head. He groaned as he peeled open his eyelids, and the first thing that he saw was the dull gray stone bricks that were right before his eyes.


    "Ugh..." He groaned and forced himself up into a sitting position. His hand automatically went to the back of his head where the source of pain originated from. His fingers came in contact with the dried blood that had been matted into his fur. He sighed and leaned forward again. Everything he had heard about humans was right. They were all bad people and wouldn''t hesitate to attack any of the other races that populated the planet.


    Footsteps sounded outside the cell, causing Mian to perk up. Three men rounded the corner, with two of them being covered up in the metal armor that Mian had caught glances of at certain points back in the cave. Two armored men flanked a single man in the center. Upon closer inspection, he realized that he recognized the unarmored man in the center. It was the same man who had led the other humans to capture them.


    They stopped outside the cell. "Open it up. Let''s get him to the other one. He''s too noisy and keeps shouting, perhaps being together will calm him down." The unarmored man said, his bottle green eyes running over Mian. "No quick movements or we will put you down, understood?" He turned to Mian and raised a brow. His stern features reminded Mian of all the scolding he got from his guardian back at the cave.


    Mian meekly nodded and bowed his head as the armored men stepped in, grabbing each of his arms and hauling him up to his feet. With a shove, they pushed his forward, the unarmored man taking up the rear. They walked with him, turning down a couple corners, until they reached a dead-end corridor with some yelling and growling coming from the end of the corridor. He tried to hurry up, but stopped when he was held back by one of the guards.


    Finally, they arrived in front of a cell that was similar to his. Made of dull gray stone, and fixed with iron bars to block out the front. A black demi-human was pressed up against the bars, baring his teeth to any who tried coming close.


    "Dion?" Mian''s eyes widened when he saw the younger boy. Dion responded in a similar manner, his movements stalling before his forehead was met with the butt of a sword, sending him stumbling back into the cave from the force of it. Quickly, the iron bars swung open, and Mian was shoved inside. The bars swung back in place, and with a loud clang, were locked tight to prevent them from escaping.


    "Dion! Are you okay?" Mian knelt by the black demi-human.


    "Mmm, I''m fine. It just hurts." Dion sat up and rubbed his forehead. The hit had split the skin, but the injury had already healed. All that was left was the swelling. That didn''t stop Mian from fretting over him though. He pushed apart Dion''s thick coat, peering at the pink skin underneath.


    "It will be okay, I guess. But aside from that, how is your side?" He asked. He moved to Dion''s side. He pressed his hands against the area where the injury was and Dion flinched. Parting the fur, he saw that the cuts had closed, but the area was still quite swollen and bruised.


    "I''ll be fine, don''t worry." Dion batted away Mian''s hands, smiling at the worried nineteen year old. "I''m just tired, aside from the aching. All I need is some rest, and I''ll be good as new."


    "All you need is rest, yet you were causing such a ruckus a few minutes ago?" Mian raised a brow. Dion only laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. He laid down on his good side, facing the iron bars of their cell. There wasn''t much they could do but wait for the humans to come and tell them what they planned to do with them.


    ***


    Daven stopped in a clearing where the scent of his pack members lingered faintly around. The trail had gone cold, with directions from Brian, who had sulked the entire way there, making sure to steer clear from the Patriarch, unless it wasn''t possible.


    He picked around, along with the other members of the small task force that he had put together. After a bit of searching, he picked up a scent that rang alarm bells.


    "Humans. Humans have been here." He turned to the others and hurried over with the piece of cloth that had human scent on it in his grasp. "The rogue pack that attacked you must have been working with the humans. Damn mutts!" He gritted his teeth.


    He stormed through the clearing and snatched Brian around the neck. "This is all your fault! I gave you one job! One job and you mess it up!" He pushed Brian away from him, sending the smaller dominant tumbling through the dirt. He turned around and started sniffing at the air.


    "This way." He turned and shifted to all fours, darting through the bushes. The others followed closely behind, with Brian struggling to keep up with them. None of them cared that he was lagging behind. If they couldn''t find the next patriarch of their large pack, then he would be in a lot more trouble.


    After a while of running, the group broke through the tree line, arriving at the banks of a running river. The scent of humans was thick here, and it was relatively fresh. Not only that, but the scent of Dion and Mian lingered around, as well as the thick scent of blood.


    Daven shifted to two feet and stalked around the bank of the river. He soon stopped at a patch of rocks and knelt. He picked up a couple of pebbles. Splatters of blood stained the pebbles there, but there were no other signs of a struggle.


    Lifting a pebble up to his nose, Daven sniffed for a moment before finding out whose blood it was. Mian''s. He gritted his teeth as he thought of humans bullying the poor omega.


    "The humans have them." He stood.. "And we''re going to get them back."

 Chapter 11 - Sir Adam Henshaw

    Two days passed swiftly. Mian and Dion were seen to by the guards who watched them, and were given meals twice a day. It was on the third day that a change happened. The green eyed man who had captured them showed up again. He stopped before the cell with a sharp gaze, watching the two of them like a predator.


    "Behave yourselves. Anything else and I put you down. Understood?" His brow quirked upwards as he stared them down. They nodded their heads and stood to the side as the man opened up the cell. Unlike before, he wasn''t with his two escorts. The only guards present were the two that were assigned to watch them.


    "Come. And be quick about it." He turned on his heels and started down the hall. The two young demi-humans shared a look before hurrying behind him. They fell into step behind him as he led them through the prison complex. They soon arrived before a stairwell.


    "My name is Adam Henshaw. Sir Adam Henshaw. I am a noble of the Henshaw family." He began speaking while leading them up the stairs. "My family oversees the demi-human games. That is where you will be put to use. Try not to die." With that said, he went back to ignoring them. Mian and Dion processed what they had heard in silence.


    When they were growing up, they had been taught that human society was ruled under a hierarchy that set certain prominent families to rule over a particular scope of land, property and people. These families were then ruled by an ultimate family, often referred to as the Royal Family. This system of ruling was known as a Monarchy.


    It seemed that this ''Sir Adam Henshaw'' was from such a family.


    They remained quiet until they reached the top of the staircase. There, another set of guards stood, their faces hidden behind their head gear. They straightened up when they saw him come up the stairs.


    "Sir!" They saluted by banging their fists against their shiny chest pieces. A golden insignia was imprinted onto their armors, swirling around the torsos of up to the necks of their armors. The insignia was a depiction of a golden dragon, with its tail swirling around their torsos, and its head on their chests with its fangs bared. It was quite intimidating, but also eye catching as well.


    "At ease." He waved them down. They nodded and turned to open the thick metal door that they guarded. When it was open, Adam turned to look at the two demi-humans before leading them through. It was as though they stepped into a whole other world.


    Sounds of men yelling and people running about to do their duties hit the two demi-human boys like a train. They hadn''t heard anything when they were on the other side, so the change was pretty shocking.


    When they looked around, aside from humans, they immediately spotted something else that was more eye catching - demi-humans. Demi-humans were everywhere, but not as free as the humans. They were locked up in cells, but these cells were much better than the one that Mian and Dion had spent a bit over two days in.


    Large, bulky Weretigers, Werewolves, and the like all stared at the two newcomers. Their old, intimidating eyes that held the look of an experienced predator lit up when they saw the two newly captured demi-humans. New meat never lasted long in the arena. They would probably be killed in their first or second match, especially the smaller omega.


    "Eyes straight. Ignore them, they''re trying to intimidate you." Adam''s voice cut through Mian''s mind when the eyes of the demi-humans started to make him feel uncomfortable. "They won''t be your opponents in the demi-human games. You will start with more simple challenges."


    That gave Mian a little bit of assurance, but still, he would have preferred not fighting at all. Sadly, he didn''t have a choice in this situation, nor if he wanted to evolve and get stronger.


    Throughout everything that had been happening, Mian had never forgotten that he had gained something that could possibly help him leave his lowly status as the only omega in the pack. He was wondering where he could get the opportunity to hunt for creatures and animals that held even a minimal chance at evolution, but this demi-human games had just solved his biggest problem. Although, not without introducing him to an even larger problem. He had no idea how he would escape from captivity here. The demi-human games were always known for brutality and its incredibly high fatality rates.


    The Demi-human Games. These games were quite simple actually. It was a concept brought up by an ancient human king who had gotten bored watching gladiator fights between humans. He then concocted a plan to capture demi-humans and force them to fight against animals, each other, and even humans. It was brutal, and also served as the beginning of the rising tensions between demi-human and human societies.


    Perhaps if he could survive long enough to get enough Evolution Points and induce an Evolution, he would be able to find a way out of his current predicament.


    "Here you are. For now, the two of you will be partners in the opening games. We can''t have you dying too soon." He stopped by an empty cell that was set aside from the others. He opened it and ushered them in, watching them with a levelled gaze.


    The two of them slipped past him and into the cell. At the corners of the cell, two cots were spread out on the floor.


    "Food will be brought to you the same time it always has been. Prepare yourselves. Your first match is tomorrow." With that said, Adam turned on his heels and walked away.


    "We''re in trouble." Dion sighed and dropped onto one of the cots. Mian just worriedly looked around. Their first match was tomorrow. He had no idea how he was supposed to prepare himself for it.


    They were screwed.

 Chapter 12 - History Of Topor

    Topor was a massive world. It was populated by a wide variety of creatures in different eras throughout its existence. First, the Old Ones, or the Lizardmen. This race of powerful reptilian demi-humans were known for their ferocity and mercilessness. Whenever they acted, it was always in an aggressive manner that more likely than not, was intended to subdue another race that was starting to rise up. Their rule lasted for a very long time. Close to a millennia passed before their firm hold over the planet began to waver. The other races began rebelling and working together in order to push against the control of the Old Ones. Eventually, after a century long war, the Old Ones were finally defeated, and were greatly weakened.


    Thus came the end of the Old Era, giving way to the next, the Era of War. During this era, which lasted for two centuries, no race took on a completely ruling position over the others, but were constantly fighting over land and resources. This Era was one of the most bloody eras known to the world. Constant wars and scuffles between countries and communities were as common as houseflies.


    Two centuries later, the world finally achieved some semblance of stability. With no singular powerful race lording over the others, a fragile balance was achieved and maintained. At least, for a time.


    Over the next century, one of the races on the weaker ends began to balloon in number and strength. This race was known as the human race. They were known for their weak body, and even weaker mind, but their leaders... Their leaders were something else. Mighty powerhouses that were capable of wiping out entire squadrons of demi-humans with a wave of their arms. These men and women grew to be feared over time.


    The first was that broke out was known as the Cold War. This was the bloodiest of them all. Not even the war that led to the end of the Old One''s supremacy was as brutal as this. Both humans and demi-humans suffered through this war, but it was ultimately the humans that came out on top. Their prodigious ability to procreate and multiply came into play here. They had a nearly endless amount of soldiers to combat the forces of the other races.


    After the Cold War, the human race finally became the dominant leading world power. Although small scuffles between the demi-humans and the humans were inevitable and happened every once in a while, there were no main wars to dethrone the human race, and the situation was mostly stable.


    At least, until now.


    A decade ago, the first ''Skyfall'', as it was tactfully referred to as, happened. A Skyfall was an event where small meteors ranging from the size of a bull to the size of a boulder would rain from the sky. These asteroids that rained down during the Skyfall were in no way ''simple''.


    Throughout the past decade, there had only been five Skyfalls. Each of these monumental events had granted great powers to the ones who had discovered the asteroids. Three Skyfalls had occurred in human occupied territory, while the other had occurred outside it. With this advantage, the humans had been able to solidify their advantage over the other races once again.


    Of the two that happened within the territories of other races, one had happened in the territory of the Old Ones. An old Lizardman had stumbled upon a bed sized asteroid that glowed with a bright blue light. Upon contact with the rock, he had gained insight from what he referred to as Higher Beings, and through that insight, he had been able to perform miracles. Other races sometimes referred these miracles to as magic.


    As for the second asteroid, it had ended up in the hands of one of the Werewolf packs in the farthest reaches of the world, where the grip of humans wasn''t as tight. The asteroid had come in the size of a carriage, and glowed with a bright gold color. It had gifted the ability to tame beasts to the Werewolf who had come in contact with it. That Werewolf soon tamed the lands around those mountains.


    The humans had received similar gifts from the Skyfalls. Beast Taming, Magical Insight, and Greater Strength. The three humans that had received these gifts had become the pillars of human society. With their combined might, humans were able to hold their own against the powerhouses of the other races.


    Now, a week ago, yet another Skyfall occurred. This time, it landed in the territory of the Northern Continent of Topor, a land occupied by a mix of demi-humans, but mostly those of the canine category. The human power that resided on the continent sent over multiple parties to investigate the site, and possibly get yet another gift, but they had turned up empty, meaning that yet another Skyfall had fallen to the hands of the demi-humans. As of now, it is not known what kind of gift has been bestowed upon the demi-humans, only that with this gift, they may be able to spark a second Cold War, and perhaps threaten the rule of humans over this world.


    -Excerpt from The History of Topor, by Sir Donald Rivington of the Golden Tower.


    Adam sighed as he read through the chapter of the book that he was holding. It had just been updated with the last paragraph today. Sir Donald Rivington reigned from the Golden Tower which had its headquarters in their territory.


    The latest Skyfall was supposed to be his moment to shine. He had earned that privilege through years of hard work, but it seemed all his effort was for naught, as he had lost it to the demi-humans. At least, he had captured a couple of them in order to satisfy his fury.


    With another sigh, he turned and looked at the two bull beasts that were currently duking it out in the arena below.. He would have to keep himself entertained with this for now.

 Chapter 13 - Plan Of Action

    Daven sat down on his throne, his head propped up by his right arm. His mind swirled with complex thoughts as he tried to think up a way to save the two missing boys. Although he cared less for Mian, his little boy, Flare, and his mate would surely never let him hear the end of it if he dared abandon the weak omega.


    He sighed again and ran a hand over his snout. There was a way. But it had been so long since he tried anything like it.


    "Daven." His mate''s soft voice drifted into his ears. They twitched slightly as he turned over to see Kira looking at him with a concerned expression. When he laid eyes on her pure white fur, he felt a throb of pain as he thought of how disappointed she would be if he saved on Dion, and left Mian to the humans.


    "Kira." He held out his hand to Kira. She gingerly took it and sat on the armrest of his throne, her other hand resting on his shoulder. "You are tense." She murmured under her breath as her small hands moved to his shoulders to ease the built up tension that left his muscles bunched up.


    "You never came to our chambers." She whispered, her eyes downcast.


    "I am trying to avoid running into Flare." He replied, placing his larger hand over her smaller one.


    "Then this is the worst place to hide. He could just run by and see you." She smiled slightly, although it was a sad one.


    "I know... But I just don''t know what to do." The boys were taken by the Henshaw Duchy. They have most likely been kept so they can be used in that disgusting game the humans like to play with their demi-human slaves." Daven''s face twisted with disgust when he mentioned the games.


    The games had been going on long enough for the demi-humans to get a wind of it. It had increased the tension between them and the humans even more ever since.


    Kira grew worried.


    "If Mian is put in those barbaric games... The boy won''t last." She whispered the last part.


    "Don''t worry, love. I will handle it." He pulled her close and gave her a kiss. The two of them spent some more time there before returning to their chambers. The moment he stepped into their chambers, he noticed the small yellow pup that was curled up in a corner, a heap of soft furs covering him up.


    Flare was fast asleep, having expended his energy waiting for Daven to return from wherever he was. Daven smiled slightly and walked over to the pup, kneeling by Flare and patting his head. Flare growled lowly before sinking deeper into the furs and covering his head.


    "Such a feisty little pup. I''m glad we have him." The patriarch and his mate smile before retreating to their bedroom for the night.


    ...


    "What are we going to do?" Mian asked, fiddling with his thumbs as he kept his gaze fixed to the ground.


    "I don''t know... Rest. Tomorrow, we will see what the humans will pit us against. Hopefully it won''t be too strong." Dion shrugged from his own cot.


    Mian sighed and laid down on his side, facing the wall.


    "Mian?" Dion whispered hesitantly.


    "Hmm?" Mian hummed to show he was listening, bur didn''t turn around to face the dark furred boy.


    "Um, I''m sorry. If you had not tried to save me back in the forest, you wouldn''t be here right now." He clenched his fist in frustration. His thoughts were true. If Mian had been more selfish and not tried to help the person who had shown him kindness, then he would never have been captured by the humans. Dion was sure that he could hold out through the games for some time, at least until help came for him. He was sure that the patriarch would send help, as he was the next in line with the Alpha hormones.


    Alpha hormones were a substance that was released by the next Alpha that was destined to lead the pack. Normally, these hormones do not surface until around the age of twenty to twenty five, but for Dion, they had surface just after his eighteenth birthday. The signs were quite easy to spot, as the individual in question would be moodier, and crankier than usual. And aside from that, the present Alpha usually noticed the presence of the hormones as long as the one bearing them came close enough.


    "It''s fine." Mian turned to face Dion with a tight smile. Although he was smiling, Dion could see the pain in Mian''s eyes. The boy himself wasn''t sure if he would make it through the game tomorrow.


    "Good night." Dion nodded and Mian returned to his position facing the wall with a head full of stray thoughts. He thought of how he would make it through the match they had the next day with a grim look on his face. His capture had completely drained him of all hope. Not even the excitement of his new found abilities was able to cheer him up. After all, what good were the abilities if he was dead?


    After a while, Mian finally drifted into a light sleep that was plagued with restlessness and bad omen. He felt ill at ease through it all, occasionally waking up in the middle of the night, panting hard, and eyes wide open with fear. He felt as though a blade hovered over his neck ready to behead him at any moment.


    Eventually, morning rolled by and the two boys were woken up by the violent clanging of two metal plates against each other. A stern looking guard went about, walking through the entire hall slowly in order to wake up each and every one of the captives.


    Mian sat up and rubbed his sore eyes. Glancing to the side, he saw that Dion was already awake. The two of them looked at each other grimly.


    The time had come.

 Chapter 14 - The Arena

    The two demi-human boys waited for some time before the guard came around to their end of the hall. He glanced at the two of them with a look of mild annoyance before speaking.


    "The two of you, come with me. Try anything and you die a dog''s death, got me?" He grunted as he turned the key in the lock of their cell. The two boys nodded to show their understanding as they stepped out of the small cell.


    The guard turned on his heels and started walking without even sparing a glance to see if they were following. It seemed he was quite confident in the abilities of the human guards that were posted throughout the entire holding facility.


    They passed through a different hallway from the one that Adam had led them through the day before. They were taken to a holding area that held just then. The guard then turned to face them with a cold smile.


    "You''re up first. Since its your first time, you will be paired together. After a few matches we''ll split you. Put on a good show." He gave them one last savage grin before turning around and locking the metal doors that barred their way out of the holding area. Before them was a large wooden door that had beams of light filtering into the small room from outside.


    Dion could vaguely hear the loud voices of humans. One particular voice sounded much louder, and each time the owner spoke, the other voices in the background would cheer louder than before.


    Before long, the cheers outside had quieted, but that only made the sound of Dion''s fast heartbeat even louder in his ears.


    "And here we have our two latest additions! Welcome them into the Arena for their debut. It is either their blood, or the blood of their foe!" A gruff, loud voice bellowed through the air as the two young demi-humans hesitantly stepped out of the open doors.


    The crowd went wild upon seeing their two new play things step into the light. They had gotten used to the older fighters, and were eager to see some fresh meat in the arena.


    "Fight! Fight! Fight!" The crowd kept roaring at the top of their lungs, as the two demi-humans stopped moving.


    Mian stared, his heart frozen cold, as he saw the massive amount of humans that had gathered up in the stands. The way that they all looked down at him hungrily made his skin squirm, and his fur feel stuffy.


    "And for their opponent... Well, we don''t want them to die too quick, so we won''t be pitting them against any other demi-humans, or humans. Instead, we are going to use..." He trailed off for suspense as the doors on the other side of the arena began to open up.


    "Roar!!!" A loud roar blanketed the arena as the wild beast that was being held within the holding room was let free. A dark furred bull bounded forward, its eyes bloodshot as it stared at the two slabs of meat that the humans had presented it.


    "Our two new demi-human fighters will be paired up against the notorious Kanou! Will they defeat their opponent, or will Kanou''s horns be dyed in blood yet again?!" The spectator kept on droning about the specifics of the match to the audience, riling them up until their cheers reached a crescendo.


    Dion stared at the bull with a leveled gaze. He was confident he could take it on, one on one, but the only variable here was Mian. The omega was weak, and would be the weak link in their team. The saying, ''A chain is only as strong as its weakest link'', came to mind.


    ''Damn it all to hell!'' Dion swore as he thought back on his foolishness from three days back. If only he hadn''t stayed to fight those other demi-humans, then he wouldn''t have been so badly injured that Mian needed to care for him.


    "Mian," He mumbled loud enough for Mian to hear him. "When the fight starts, run back to the door we came from. I''ll handle the bull." He told Mian. The scared boy nodded hastily as he took a step behind, ready to spin on his heels at once.


    "Are you ready for this match?!" The announcer roared to the crowd.


    A heated wave of energy suffused the entire arena as the crowd yelled back one loud, "Yeah!!!"


    "Then let the match begin!!!"


    With that said, the chains that were strapped around the bull''s neck fell free, allowing the bull to run free. It roared to the air, stomping its feet angrily, before setting its sights on a target. The dark haired demi-human that stood before it was its first target. Next, it could go after the two colored demi-human.


    "Over here, you big bastard!" Dion roared out to get its attention, digging his feet into the ground for purchase. His insult seemed to catch its attention plenty as it let out a sharp breath of air through its nostrils before throwing itself in his direction, charging at him like an arrow set lose from a tightly strung bow.


    Dion''s eyes widened upon seeing how much momentum was behind it. He immediately threw himself out of its path, dodging right at the last moment just before it shot past him. The bull came to a stop, spinning around to find its dark furred target. It spotted Dion on the ground, but just before it could charge again, a small rock smacked against its thick skull.


    "Hurr?" It turned slightly, fixing its red, crazed eyes on Mian.


    "Over here, big lug!" He waved his arms stupidly in the air. He couldn''t let Dion die, because Dion was the only one among the two of them who could fight the bull and kill it.


    "Hurrrr!" The bull let out a guttural roar before bolting in Mian''s direction.


    Upon seeing the bloodthirsty bull raging in his direction, Mian immediately turned and fled.


    ''I''m going to die....''

 Chapter 15 - The Arena (2)

    ''Come on, come on, come on!'' Mian cried out in his head as his legs scrambled for purchase in the tough floor of the arena. The hardened stone beneath his feet crunched as the tough pads of his feet pressed down on it. A power that was not there a couple days back exploded within him as he propelled himself forward at a speed that was enough to keep the raging bull away from him for the time being.


    ''Hana! Help me!'' He cried out internally, mentally sending his pleas to the miraculous system that resided within his body.


    [The Evolution System has detected that the host is in imminent danger.] Hana''s comforting voice suddenly rang out in Mian''s mind, bringing with it a flood of relief that washed over his wildly beating heart.


    ''Yes, of course I''m in danger! Help me!'' He cursed and swore as he ran along the curved wall of the arena.


    "ROAR!!!" The bull let out a guttural bellow as its eyes turned blood red.


    [Scanning threats in the immediate vicinity... One threat has been found.]


    -Berserk Blood Bull.


    -D Class difficulty.


    -This creature has the Blood Berserker Ability that allows it to draw upon its blood to vastly enhance its base stats.


    -This creature will consume the blood of its fallen foes and preys in order to boost its strength.


    -Chances of winning the current confrontation: 34.7%.


    ___


    [Due to the immense gap between you and your current foe, the functions of the System will be temporarily unlocked, despite you not fulfilling the unlock conditions. The safety of the host comes first before anything else.]


    As Mian''s mind went over the mental projection that had popped up in his mind, he kept on running frantically. By this time, Dion had already gotten up and was coming around to intercept the bull. His muscled bulged at the seams of his skin, his fur bristling wildly as he prepared to pounce on the creature that threatened their safety.


    Just as he did pounce, Mian felt a flood of energy burst through his body. He suddenly gained a boost of speed as a foreign force seemed to take control of his body. As Dion landed across the back of the Blood Bull and sunk in his claws, Mian turned around, facing the bull that was barreling straight at him!


    "What are you doing? Get out of the way!" Dion saw this, and with wide eyes, shouted for Mian to jump out of the way. Mian ignored him, however, his mind on something entirely different. Before his eyes, an almost invisible line of information seemed to float.


    [Evolution Points: 7.]


    This Berserk Blood Bull that was coming at him like a speeding chariot seemed to have undergone evolution at least once, and still held a probability of undergoing yet another evolution. Because of this, the bull had a whooping seven Evolution Points available! If Mian could kill this bull, then all those points would land in his lap, instantly empowering him in more ways than Dion could imagine!


    Mian took a moment to gulp in his fear as he readied himself. A second later, he exploded forward, the newly empowered muscles in his legs bursting with energy as he threw himself at the bull! At the last moment, he threw himself to the floor, sliding beneath the bull''s stampeding hooves in one smooth motion.


    "Raaaarrr..." The bull intended to roar, but instead, it gave out a drawn out half groan, half wheezing sound as it threw its head up. The next moment shocked not just the crowd, but even Dion, and Mian himself!


    A huge fountain of blood burst forth from the throat of the bull as it collapsed onto its side, with Dion smoothly jumping off it. He stared at the dead bull for a couple more seconds before turning to his newest friend with shock evident in his eyes, slowly walking towards him.


    "Since when could you do that?" Dion asked with wide eyes as he stared at a harshly breathing Mian. Mian''s claws were covered in drops of blood, the split second of his claws in the throat of the raging bull having been enough to cover them in the thick blood.


    In the short moment where he had slid beneath the bull, his hand had shot up, dragging his barely sharp claws through the neck of the bull. Normally, his blunt claws wouldn''t have been enough for him to pierce the tough hide of the bull, but with the motion and momentum that propelled the both of them forward, digging his claws though the thick hide was just plausible.


    "I-I..." Mian was a bit lost for words as the high of his adrenaline rush faded from his body. The rush of the moment, combined with that boost of energy, and the temporary calm that had enveloped his mind, all thanks to the Evolution System had been what truly enabled him to do what he had done. On a normal day, he would have been too much of a coward to do anything remotely close to that.


    "...And the winners are the pair of demi-humans!" The announcer''s voice suddenly cut into their conversation. The crowd that had previously gone silent at the death of the Berserk Blood Bull suddenly erupted with a wave of cheers, momentarily deafening the pair of demi-humans that were standing at the edge of the arena.


    "The blood of their fallen opponent has bathed the floor of the arena, marking the first kill for the day! As usual, that warrants an extra meal, so rejoice, demi-humans! You get a free meal!" The man roared, his voice cracking as he kept pushing it to the limits of what it could do.


    "Please return to your corner of the arena. Your next match will be tomorrow. Rest well, because your opponent will be even tougher!"


    With strained minds and muscles, the two boys retreated through the doors where they had emerged into the arena from, each with different thoughts on their minds.

 Chapter 16 - Evolution Points?

    Mian sat down, staring intensely at his open palms that rested against his thighs. At least, that was what it would look like to any outside observer. In actuality, he was staring at the semi translucent screen that hung before his eyes.


    [Evolution Points: 7]


    ''Hana?'' He called out to the voice that accompanied the Evolution System that he had gained.


    [Yes, Host?] The soft, feminine voice of the System replied to his call.


    ''Can you explain how these Evolution Points work again? I want to be clear before I do something I might regret.'' He sighed internally. All of this was stressing him out, along with the strange looks he got from Dion.


    While he was immersed in his thoughts, he absently rubbed at his back, the soft skin underneath his fur having been bruised when he slid under the bull.


    [Evolution Points can be seen as the essence of Nature Energy that has been hyper-condensed, giving it a vibrant quality that can boost the growth of living beings. Normally, this Nature Energy is scant and free roaming, but through miraculous means, the Evolution System is able to condense this energy and make it available for you, the Host.]


    She first started by explaining how Evolution Points came to be, before moving on to the mechanism through which they worked.


    [Evolution Points in general can be gotten from both the surroundings, as well as through other living beings that have the potential to Evolve in their lifetime, no matter how miniscule the chances may be. Although, depending on their chances of Evolution, and how many times they have Evolved, the Evolution Points that you can derive from them will vary.]


    [For your first Evolution, all your parameters and stats will be automatically handled by the Evolution System, so you do not have to worry about it. You will only be able to adjust and set what should take priority from your second Evolution onwards.]


    ''I see...'' Mian took everything in, needing a couple of minutes to process everything. ''So, how can I... Evolve?''


    Instead of replying him, a screen popped into his vision, startling him.


    "Hey, you okay? You look quite shaken up over there." Dion''s hand landed on his shoulder, giving him yet another start. "Whoa! Take it easy, Mian." Dion held up the flailing boy to keep him from falling down.


    "A-ah! Thanks, I''m okay." Mian regained himself and gave Dion a reassuring smile. "I''m just tired and sore. The fight took a lot out of me."


    "Oh, you can get some rest, then. I''ll wake you up when they bring over some food." Dion returned the smile before retreating to his cot. Mian nodded meekly before laying down, turning to the wall. He returned his attention to the screen that was still blinking before him.


    [Do you want to begin Evolution? This will take one hour, and you will be unconscious for the duration of the Evolution. This Evolution will cost you 2 Evolution Points.]


    [Yes/No.]


    Mian understood that he was supposed to choose one option. Without thinking twice, he instantly chose yes, giving his confirmation.


    [Evolution Phase will begin in ten seconds. You will be unconscious for the duration of this Evolution.]


    As Mian heard this, he braced himself for whatever might happen. His many years of experiencing pain under his group guardian had already shaped his mentality in a way that he almost always expected pain.


    As soon as the ten second mark went by, Mian immediately felt as though his mind was being drowned in a pool of murky water, his vision going blurry, and his ability to think becoming almost nonexistent.


    ''What...'' His train of though was cut off as he completely lost consciousness.


    ...


    In the other corner of the room, Dion just sat, his mind reminiscing on the arena battle that the pair of them had gone through only about twenty minutes ago. His blood still boiled in his veins as he recalled the whole fight. He did not want to admit what his mind kept telling him, but he had no choice.


    He had been useless.


    During the entire fight, from beginning to end, he had not done a single noteworthy thing that was worth even an ounce of praise. Mian had been the one to do everything.


    ''If this is how the future Patriarch is supposed to be, then what different am I from everyone else?'' The dark furred boy pulled at his head fur as he scolded himself.


    Even Mian, the outcast of the pack, the one and only omega ranked demi-human in their massive pack had been able to do something.


    He turned to stare at Mian''s back, recalling that exact moment. How Mian had bravely turned to face the rampaging bull while Dion was still trying to regain his bearings on the bull''s back. When Mian had bravely charged at the bull, throwing his safety to the side as though it was nothing. And finally, when Mian had slid underneath the bull to slit its throat.


    ''If I had some time to think, I could have done the same!'' He tried to convince himself that he could have done the exact same thing if he had been given enough time to think.


    Eventually, he finally acquiesced. He admitted to himself that under that amount of pressure, pressure that was formed from the fear of death, he would not have been able to clear his head and think up a simple way to kill the beast. He admitted his shortcoming.


    But as he did so, he felt a new flame ignite within himself. A flame that burned for growth.


    ''I shall grow stronger. I must grow stronger! Smarter, faster, wittier! I will be able to stand on the same level as Patriarch Daven some day. Just not now...''


    He would grow, and when he grew, he would outshine every other demi-human in their pack! With this admission, and drive for self growth, Dion was sure that he would be able to do outstanding things in the future. But first...


    They had to find their way back home.

 Chapter 17 - First Evolution

    While Dion was busy with an internal debate and finding himself, Mian was going through an entirely different thing.


    Although he could not hear or see anything, his body was rapidly changing on the inside, but barely showed any signs of it on the outside.


    His muscles bunched up, and became much denser. His eyes sharpened and cleared up. His ears also became much better, making it much easier for him to pick up on tiny sounds. His skin grew slightly thicker and harder, and his fur coat grew a tiny bit denser and more vibrant. His claws became sharper, and the toxins that were stored in his fingertips grew more potent. All in all, he had become a stronger demi-human.


    All this happened within the span of an hour, the miraculous properties that the Evolution System was able to give handling the abrupt change without harming Mian at all.


    All these changes were taken care of in just a single hour.


    When Mian opened his eyes, it was not of his own volition, but that of the System.


    [Evolution process completed. You have become better than ever before, and this is just the beginning.]


    Hana''s soft voice roused Mian.


    [Your Status menu has been updated.]


    Mian''s eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing the bright blue irises that he had borne since he could remember. His groggy mind slowly cleared up, and he eventually sat up after a couple of minutes. The first thought to cross his mind was his Evolution before he lost consciousness. That was when he noticed the screen before him.


    ''My Status menu?''


    [Yes, Host. You were formerly unable to view your entire status prior to your Evolution. This has been rectified, and full control over your status menu has been handed over to the Host.]


    Hana dutifully explained.


    ''Ah, I see. How do I view my status?'' He asked. He was slowly becoming accustomed to the anomaly that was the Evolution System.


    [Just will your status to be shown to you. You can also utter a mental command it will assist you in any way.]


    ''Okay... Um, Status?'' With uncertainty and nervousness, Mian called upon his status page that was provided by the Evolution System. It was then that he remembered that Hana had gone over this same thing with him before. He resisted the urge to palm his forehead. He felt so dumb.


    [Status.]


    Name: Mian


    Race: Demi-human - Feline.


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 110


    Stamina: 55


    Strength: 25


    Agility: 30


    Evolution Points: 5


    ---


    ''Ah? Strength and Agility?'' Mian immediately noted the two new stats he had gained, when he compared it to the last time he had viewed his status. He had gained the Strength and Agility stats after his Evolution.


    ''Hana, what did my stats look like before I gained the Evolution System?'' Out of curiosity, Mian asked. He wanted to know how different he was when compared to before all this had started.


    [One moment. Let me draw on the System''s logs...]


    A few seconds passed in relative silence as Mian waited for Hana to finish whatever it was she was doing. He curiously glanced over to Dion, only to find the boy fast asleep with a relatively plain expression on his face. The only thing that would marred it from being a peaceful expression was the faint crease between his eyes.


    With a sigh, he turned his attention back inwards, to the prompt he had gotten.


    [Results have been obtained. Your stats before you gained the Evolution System is follows...]


    A new screen popped up before him.


    [Status (Invalid)]


    Name: Mian


    Race: Demi-human - Feline.


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Good


    Energy: 30


    Stamina: 20


    Strength: 10


    Agility: 15


    ---


    [Upon making contact with the stream of natural energy that was created at the site of the Evolution System, your base status was recorded in the System''s logs. These stats are now irrelevant, but will be kept in the records.]


    Some of what Hana said did not make complete sense to Mian, but he ignored it, getting the gist of what she was saying.


    ''Wow... I was so weak.'' He couldn''t help but be surprised at how much his body had changed between now and before he had gotten the System.


    After going through a few more things, Mian finally decided to check out what was physically different after his Evolution.


    He flexed his arms slowly, feeling out the changes within him. When he looked over his body, he immediately noticed the changes. He noticed that his fur coat had filled out some more. This would be helpful when winter came around. He would not need as much animal fur to cover himself up.


    The next thing he noticed was his slightly sharper claws. Although any middle rank in the pack could still give him a run for his money with the sharpness of their own claws, he was still happy with the change. It meant he could hunt easier now, and defend himself from the lower ranks in the pack.


    That was when a bulb lit up in his head. He had just thought up a brilliant idea!


    ''Hey, Hana. You know I''m in a pack, right?'' He asked.


    [Yes, Host. I am aware of that fact.]


    ''Ah, good. Since you know about that. I was wondering if you could help me with something.''


    [And what would that be?]


    ''Please, according to the pack rankings, can you compare me to them? I want to know what rank I am now.''


    [Alright. Give me a moment.... The required data has been compiled.]

 Chapter 18 - The Power Of Ranks

    [The required Data has been compiled.] The screen before Mian switched with another. This new screen was slightly different from the others, in the fact that it had a realistic image of himself in it!


    Mian tilted his head as he examined the miniature version of himself that was spinning on its axis within the screen. His black fur, along with the random splotches of white were streaked with lines of wavy blue fur. His slightly raised head fur was still the same, the tuft of fur remaining stubbornly upright. He looked at the replication of his multicolored eyes, one was blue and the other was brown. Three streaks of pink, raised skin could be seen, just atop his short snout, a reminder of why he should never stand up to a pack member that was of higher rank than himself. Omegas should remain at the bottom.


    His hand drifted to the scar, and remained there as he let his eyes move on to the lines of information that was beside the image of himself.


    [User Pack Ranking.]


    Name: Mian


    Rank: Lower Rank


    Rank Privileges: Slightly Enhanced Toxins.


    ---


    The differences were stark. Previously, before his first ever boost from the Evolution System, and his very recent first Evolution, Mian had been a simple, weak omega. Now, after all he had gone through, he had finally left that measly rank behind!


    He was now a Lower Rank!


    Although that did not sound like much, Mian was still incredibly happy and proud of himself. He was the only omega in the pack, but there were already several lower ranks in the pack. Now, he was no longer the only one, the odd one out.


    He clenched his fists as he exhaled, looking upon his slightly sharper claws. The difference was negligible to some, but to him, it was spectacular! He had also noted the other line of information in his ranking page. It had mentioned that his toxins were now slightly enhanced. To him, even a slight enhancement was great news.


    Before, he could barely affect a squirrel or bird with his toxins, and the few that had managed to escape after hs had scratched them never experience any problems after a couple of hours. Now, with stronger toxins, he was sure that his scratches would have some extra effects.


    ''This is incredible...'' He thought to himself. All in all, this was a great improvement. Although he still resembled the same weak, cat-like demi-human, he was stronger.


    "Hey, you okay?" A voice jerked him back to the present. Mian jumped up and turned, barring his claws and fangs in a vicious snarl. He might have been weak, but he was not helpless!


    "Whoa! Whoa!" Dion stumbled back with his arms help up in surrender. "Take it easy, I didn''t mean to startle you." He apologized as he slowly let his arms down.


    Mian swallowed down a lump of fear, his hackles lowering slowly. His tail had gone rigid, and was still taking its time to relax. He sent a sharp glare Dion''s way before huffing and collapsing back down onto his thin cot.


    "You scared me. Try not to do that again." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. His heart was beating so quickly in his chest that he thought it might jump out through his throat.


    "Sorry. I''ll do that next time." Dion grinned and scratched the back of his head. He walked back over to Mian''s cot and sat down beside the multicolored boy.


    "You don''t look so good. Is something bothering you?" He asked, peering down at the older, but smaller boy. "Ah, sorry. Of course something is bothering you. We are being held captive." He palmed his forehead when he realized how stupid his question sounded.


    Mian chuckled quietly before turning to face Dion, donning a serious expression.


    "I want to find a way to escape." He looked up solemnly at Dion, his multicolored eyes serious. Right now, it just looked like a child was trying to intimidate his senior. The size difference between Mian and Dion was quite large, as Dion was roughly two heads taller than Mian. Dion was not a cat-like demi-human, but was a wolf-like demi-human. His snout was longer than Mian''s and he resembled a massive wolf that walked on two legs.


    The moment he heard Mian''s words, his eyes immediately bulged outwards. "Are you serious?!" His voice let Mian know what Dion thought about his suggestion. Mian was faintly disappointed, but he didn''t let that change his mind.


    "Yes, I am. We can not stay here and play their games. We are not animals!" Mian whisper-yelled at Dion, his anger flaring. He truly felt insulted by the sick games the humans were conducting here. And the fact that so many of their kind was here, trapped, also greatly irritated him.


    Dion sighed deeply, his hand nursing his forehead.


    "Mian, I know how you feel." He took hold of Mian''s forearms. "But we can not act recklessly. We haven''t even been here for up to a week. Think about it. They will be expecting us to do something stupid. They probably have guards stationed everywhere, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. The moment we try to escape, we will be captured!"


    "If we get caught, then I have a pretty good feeling we will never get out. Let''s wait for a couple weeks. By then, they would have let down their guard, and then we make our move." He nodded with a firm gaze.


    Mian sat down, looking at him for a few moments as he let the words sink in. They made sense.


    "You''re right. I''m in too much of a hurry." He rubbed at his forehead. "I just don''t like being here."


    "It''s okay, we''ll make it out okay."

 Chapter 19 - Turbulent Times

    "The Henshaws? Damn those slimy bastards!" Daven slammed his fist on his stone throne, breaking off bits of grey stone. His eyes were fiery, and his voice was laced with anger. They had spent the past two days tracking down the humans who had captured two of their pack mates, and they had finally made some progress. Unfortunately for them, the ones who had captured Dion and Mian were the most powerful group of humans in the Northern Continent.


    Daven rubbed his forehead in frustration as the scouts before him lowered their heads. They were just as pained as him. It was very unrealistic of the to look to a frontal battle with the Henshaws. They had one of the most powerful humans in the world right in their kingdom. A Pillar of Humanity. Perhaps there were now two of them.


    Daven sighed again. Not only had they lost the opportunity to empower their pack, but they had also lost their future Patriarch. Everything was just spiraling out of control.


    "Patriarch!" A yell came from the entrance of the main chamber. Daven sighed internally as he felt another problem arrive at his doorstep.


    "What is it?" He resisted the urge to glare at the lean Werecat before him. The scout was currently breathing harshly, trying to regain his breath.


    "P-patriarch! Bad news! The Henshaws are mobilizing an army!" The brown furred female demi-human sputtered, panic in her eyes. Daven immediately perked up at the mention of an army.


    "What direction is this army marching in?" He sat forward and narrowed his eyes at the scout.


    "They are heading straight for us!"


    "Damn it! Those useless humans dare!" Daven shot up from his throne, an ominous aura bursting free from him. He had wanted to avoid battle with the humans due to the presence of their Pillar, but now that they were marching on his territory, he no longer cared. If the humans were marching on them, then they had no choice but to go to war.


    "P-patriarch..." A choked whisper reached his ears, drawing him out from his inner deliberation. He raised his eyes, and the scene before him was one that slightly irked him. The scouts before him all bore choked expressions, and he could almost see their flushed cheeks from underneath their fur.


    He took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly. He was surrounded by weaklings.


    Shaking his head, Daven withdrew his Mystic Force. Mystic Force was a magical force that represented the bloodlust of an individual. Normally, only beings of great power could utilize the Mystic Force that had formed within their bodies. Daven was one of these individuals, as well as several dozen dominant ranking pack members in his pack.


    He sat down on his throne and waved away the scouts surrounding him. "You are dismissed. Inform the Council members that they are all needed here." The moment he gave the order, the scouts immediately scrambled, trying to get out before each other. Daven scoffed at this. He thought his Navira Pack was better than this. Apparently, a lot of weak will high ranking demi-humans had made it into some good positions.


    It was fine, the war would toughen them up. He just hoped that they would become strong enough without dying out there. The loss of even a single member was one that would pain him immensely. Although he thought they were weak, they were his pack, his family in a sense.


    Daven sat down in silence for a couple of minutes, the only sound accompanying him being that of his claw tip tapping against the armrest of his stone throne. His ears twitched slightly as he heard the sound of hurried footsteps echo through the caves. The voices came next, just before a dozen demi-humans made their way into the main chamber. Daven eyed them as they stopped before the throne, bowed their heads, and then sat down on the soft furs that were spread around the throne, facing him.


    "Council." He spoke.


    "Patriarch." They returned.


    "We have a grave matter on our hands." He cut straight to the chase. This was a matter of utmost importance, and there was no need to beat around the bush. "Balvan, please explain the situation." Daven turned to look at a dark brown furred Werewolf that sat at the edge of the semicircle that the council members had formed before him.


    Balvan, the leader of the Scout Regiment, bowed his head and cleared his throat. He stood up, before angling his body so that he could face both the Patriarch and his fellow council members.


    "I will not waste time with the usual talks and greetings." Balvan''s voice was deep and smooth. It carried his rank and power through the air in minute vibrations that everyone could feel. He was powerful. Very powerful. "The First Battalion of the Scout Regiment, Arm One, discovered the traces of a large army heading our way a few hours ago." As he spoke, the look on everyone''s face grew grave! They knew what an army meant. It meant war.


    "Under my command, we traced this army back towards the borders of the Henshaw Dynasty. The army of soldiers heading our way numbers at least fifteen hundred soldiers, of varying ranks. We can expect at least half of those soldiers to be the average soldiers, those that were just newly recruited into the human army. Perhaps they mean to bathe them in blood and sharpen them. The remaining half of that army, though... The remaining half of the army should range from the level of a lower rank, all the way to the level of a strong middle rank. Perhaps a few warriors might be as strong as one of our high ranking members, but there is no way to be sure."


    "They have hidden their tracks well, and have chosen to take the long way around, instead of directly cutting through the forest to attack us. This move of theirs has bought us roughly a week to prepare.. And we must make the most of it."

 Chapter 20 - Turbulent Times (2)

    Mario absently scratched his his cheek as he looked around the camp. Soldiers were walking around, all in full body armor. Some wore chainmail armor, some others chose to wear leather armor, while a few chose to go for metal plates covering their bodies. He himself was wearing a simple set of leather armor that had the Henshaw Dynasty''s insignia emblazoned on the front and back. The Insignia was simple. It simply depicted the image of a dragon rising to the sky while breathing out a pillar of fire ahead of it.


    Mario was enlisted into the Henshaw Dynasty''s military a week ago. He wasn''t sure why, but one thing he was sure of was that he did not want to go to war. Especially against demi-humans. He did not see the point. Demi-humans were just another race of sentient beings. They lived lives just like humans, albeit a bit differently. Just because they were covered in fur and had a resemblance to animals did not give anyone the right to freely hunt them.


    But alas, he had no choice in the matter. He was just an ordinary low ranking member of the militia that was urged to join the march to the demi-human pack just south of the dynasty''s territory. In a few days, they would be reaching the lands of the pack, and a huge battle would break out.


    "This is stupid..." A voice spoke up beside Mario. He looked up to see who it was before sighing.


    "You said it all, Fabio. This is stupid. Why do we have to fight the demi-humans who have been living peacefully in the wilderness for so long? They have not done anything to us." Mario shook his head as he discussed with one of his closest friends, Fabio. They both shared the same views on the treatment of demi-humans.


    When the both of them were younger, they had attended the demi-human games out of curiosity. They could not even sit through one match. What they saw disgusted them. Pitting two demi-humans against each other in a bloody death match, all just to satisfy the sick desires you had was disgusting. They could not stand the sight of the demi-humans tearing into each other like mad men, all just to survive to until the next match. It was sickening.


    *Ring*


    A bell rang through the camp. Everyone''s ears perked up. It was lunch time. Most of the soldiers here were once civilians. They numbered around a hundred, while the rest were spread out amongst other battalions. Each battalion numbered from a hundred to one hundred and fifty men. They were split up because it was unwise to gather over a thousand soldiers in one place, especially when your enemies were demi-humans. Who knew what plan the demi-humans might cook up. It would be better if only a couple of the battalions were attacked at first. That way, the rest would be able to prepare and help out in whatever way they could.


    Mario and Fabio made their way over to the large makeshift cooking area where food was being shared around. They might not have been here of their own volition, but that did not mean they would starve themselves. Only an idiot would do that to prove a point. They would rather have enough energy in their system to put up a fight when necessary.


    "Herbivore food again." Fabio scrunched his nose when he saw the green paste that was put into his bowl. "Can''t they serve some meat for a change? We are in the damn wilderness for crying out loud. Lots of wild animals to hunt."


    Mario grinned. "Eat healthy for a change. I''m sure your sister would tell you that."


    "Oh, shut up. You need to eat more meat. You and Faye are always yapping about eating healthy. More meat is healthy, I tell ya." Fabio pointed his spoon at Mario.


    Mario raised a brow and crossed his arms. "You sound like your grandfather."


    "Which one?" Fabio eyed him slowly. "I have a lot, so be careful."


    "Pff." Mario scoffed before turning back to his bowl of food. "More than one. They all started to sound the same the older they got. You''re supposed to take in less meat the older you get, but those men were all about meat. Meat this, meat that. All you carnivores."


    Mario slid his spoon into the paste, scooping up a spoonful and downing it. Fabio just stared at him, before turning to his own bowl. He dipped the spoon inside the paste, and a squelching sound reached his ears.


    "Good Heavens... What I do for my country." He shook his head before taking a spoonful of the paste.


    "You are being patriotic. We fight for our country." Mario patted him on the back before returning to shoveling the paste down his throat. Even he was tired of the food here. It was the same thing ever since they had left the borders of their dynasty. He liked to eat vegetables, but some meat would be nice once in a while.


    When they were done eating, they returned their bowls back to where it would be washed up, and retreated to their tents. They didn''t share the same tent, but it was not a problem. They would just stay outside until they needed to sleep. They weren''t on night duty and they were glad about that.


    The two of them continued to speak, completely clueless about the real threat they were about to face. While they knew demi-humans were strong, they had not yet seen the true might of demi-humans. The demi-humans that were used in the demi-humans were of the weaker end. Most of them were lower ranks, with a few middle ranking demi-humans mixed in between. They had never seen the power of a high ranking demi-human, not to mention a dominant.


    If only they knew how many dominants were preparing for war, then they would immediately desert.


    "Let''s get some sleep, Fabio.. I have a feeling we''ll be up early tomorrow."

 Chapter 21 - The Enemy We See

    Life in the pack was busy for the rest of the week. Daven and his Council made sure that they were able to get out every possible advantage they could use over their enemies. The humans were physically weaker than a demi-human, yes, they knew that. But that did not stop the humans from using their vastly superior numbers as an advantage.


    The dominants, along with every other member of the pack that was fit for war, were roused. Training, and other sorts of preparations took place in order to ready them warriors. Yet, they only had a single week to prepare for the impending war.


    Soon enough, that week came to an end.


    Dizen stood taut, the muscles in his back bunched up as he peered over the steep cliff. He could see the human army, marching from afar. From where he was, they only looked like tiny specks in the distance, but over the course of the day, they would get closer, and closer, until they reached the ambush point set up by the pack.


    <Report, Dizen. What do you see?> A deep, commanding voice boomed at the back of Dizen''s head. Rakon, the second leader of the Scout Regiment, and one of the Councilmen that had a seat on the Patriarch''s Council was speaking to him through a telepathic communication channel that he had formed between the top members of the Scout Regiment. Each of the top members of the Three Arms of the regiment was connected to this channel. It was an ingenuine ability that few in the pack held. Rakon was praised as a genius, and was promoted to the positions of both Councilman and Head of the Scout Regiment.


    <Dizen, reporting. From what I can see, the human army is two dozen miles out. With their speed, they should make it to the ambush point by nightfall. They are already too close to our lands to camp out so they will most likely keep marching to us.>


    His report was short and on point, adding all the major details that were of importance.


    <Good job. You may retreat to the back line for now. A scout from the First Battalion will be arriving to take over from you so you can prepare for the battle ahead. Rakon''s voice sounded pleased, but didn''t lack that stern undertone it was known for.


    <Yes sir.> Dizen managed to get a reply in before he felt the touch of his superior vanish from his mind. He remained there for a few more moments as he went over the discussion with Rakon. It was an honor to be directly connected to such a powerful figure, and Dizen felt proud of himself. He had one goal in this life, and that was to grow strong enough to create, and lead his own Battalion of the Scout Regiment. If possible, he would even be the head of an Arm, and get a seat on the Council.


    With the thought of how close he was to accomplishing his goals, Dizen turned around and took off down the hill, completely oblivious of the lean figure that was completely covered in dark armor.


    ¡­


    Daven stood still as Kira strapped on the chestpiece of his armor, the straps clicking into place behind him. She placed the corresponding piece against his back and clicked it into place.


    "I''m worried¡­" Her worried voice came from behind him. He could hear the faint tremors in her voice as she spoke. "I don''t want you to go to war." She leaned against him, her body shaking ever so slightly.


    Daven sighed and turned around, embracing his mate. Her small white head leaned against his chestpiece, preventing her from hiding her face in his fur.


    "Kira, my love, don''t worry about me. If anything, you should be worried about the poor humans who are going to be standing in my way on the battlefield." He held her tightly, placing his chin on her head. "Don''t worry. I will make it back."


    "But¡­ What if a Pillar is present? What happens then?"


    Daven''s grip tightened around Kira instinctively. If a Pillar was present on the battlefield, then the chances of him returning were close to nothing.


    "You worry too much, dear. A Pillar is too valuable for the Henshaw dynasty to send over. Doing that would leave their territory too defenseless." He whispered to convince her, though he did not even believe in his own words. The chances of a Pillar showing up was quite high, about seven out of ten, if the dynasty was launching this offensive for the reason he thought. The recent Skyfall.


    He was not sure why, but ever since he heard of the army heading their way, his thoughts kept drifting back to the Skyfall.


    ''Is this somehow related to the Skyfall? But they should already be in possession of it.'' He thought to himself. ''Unless¡­''


    His heart suddenly tightened at the possibility. The possibility of those two boys still being alive, and even possibly having the bounty of the Skyfall with them.


    ''But¡­'' His inflated hopes were popped by the sharp needle called reality. ''If they were not captured, then they would have returned. If they were captured, then there is a high chance the humans already know that they have the bounty of the Skyfall.


    So many thoughts ran through Daven''s mind that moment that he himself almost felt overwhelmed by the sheer force of them.


    "Everything will be fine.." He whispered as he ran his fingers through his mate''s fur.

 Chapter 22 - The Enemy We Know

    "It''s been a week, Dion. When are we doing it?" Mian grabbed hold of Dion''s wrist as the dark furred boy was walking back into the small room that led into the arena proper. They had just finished yet another match. This was their seventh day here already, and Mian was getting irritated. He knew that he agreed they would wait a while, but that didn''t mean he would do sit by and let a year pass him by.


    "Calm down, Mian. We will do it soon." Dion pried his wrist free and continued walking away. His shoulders were tense as he walked down the route that led back to their holding cell.


    "When is soon, Dion? I nearly died today!" Mian hissed as he jogged to catch up with Dion. "If you are planning on letting me die so you can escape on your own, then let me tell you now; It won''t work."


    Dion turned sharply and Mian ran into him. He grabbed a hold of Mian''s shoulders and shook him.


    "Are you listening to yourself, Mian? How could I leave you here? After all you have done for me? I won''t even be alive right now if you hadn''t saved me back in the forest!" He stared down at Mian.


    Mian brushed his hands off his shoulders quickly, as though Dion''s touch was scalding. "I might have saved you, but that doesn''t mean that you will suddenly turn around and start treating me like your lovely younger brother! Until just over a week ago, I''m sure you probably didn''t know I exist."


    "Heavens, Mian. Calm down. I think we need to have a talk. A serious talk." Dion rubbed his head, and turned away. He walked down the path, leaving Mian standing there as he stared at Dion''s departing back.


    "Oh heavens... What am I doing? I finally make a decent friend and I''m doing what? Pushing him away? Stupid Mian!" He smacked his head as he berated himself.


    "Hey! Get back to your cell, mutt!" A guard came down the path behind him and yelled. Just the tone of his voice was all it took for Mian''s anger to dissipate. He yelped and took off down the hall, running all the way to his shared cell with Dion. Dion looked up when he came in before turning away to face the wall.


    "Dion... I''m sorry for snapping at you like that, but I''m just so frustrated. I hate being someone''s plaything." Mian sighed as he sat down on his cot. The guard waiting by their cell locked the door before walking off. Mian glanced at him with a frown. There had been less guards hanging around here as of late.


    Dion kept quiet, so Mian continued.


    "I''ve been bullied all my life by the very people who are supposed to protect me. I finally get out, only to get captured and be subjected to this. You don''t expect me to just take it as it is, do you? How can you blame me?" He held his head in his hands and shook it slowly. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes. He had always been good at holding back his tears in front of people, but it seemed his control over the dam of tears was going slack.


    "I''m just tired, Dion. I want to be free..." The tears finally broke out, slipping past his eyes. His body shook as he tried to regain his composure but failed. A pair of arms suddenly enclosed him, making his body go stiff for a second. His mind barely registered the scent of Dion before he finally broke down, crying.


    It wasn''t easy for him to have held himself together all this while. Through the constant worry, through each and every fight. He had thought that he would die. He felt as though an invisible axe was always hanging over his head, threatening to behead him if he slipped up in each match.


    The two remained there for a long time before Mian finally got a grip over his emotions. He sat back on his ankles, wiping at his puffy eyes with the heels of his hands.


    "Sorry about that. I''m such a mess." He whispered, turning away.


    "Hey, it''s okay. I''m such an asshole. I shouldn''t have treated you the way I did. I forgot how rough you have it compared to me" Dion sighed and sat back too. "Get some rest. I''ll wake you up when they bring some food. We can discuss about the rest later, okay?"


    "Okay." Mian nodded and laid down, facing his side of the wall. Instead of immediately sleeping though, he simply closed his eyes as he turned his consciousness inwards.


    ''Hana, let me see my Evolution Points. They should have stacked up to a reasonable level after all those fights that we have been through.'' He called upon the system. If Dion was telling the truth, and they were about to make their move, then he felt it was best if he was at his strongest. He would be very much useless if he was simply a weak lower rank that was closer to an omega than anything else.


    [Evolution Points: 14]


    While taking part in the battles that had been thrown their way, Mian had always managed to make sure he landed the last hit on the creature, so that he could absorb the natural energy stored within them and convert it to Evolution Points.


    None of the other beasts had had nearly as much natural energy as the Berserk Blood Bull. This was because the bull was a special creature that grew through consuming the blood of its fallen foes.


    In a way, the action of consuming the blood of its foes was like taking in impure natural energy. Because of this, over time, the bull had gained a decent accumulation of natural energy within itself. This energy had then been transferred over to Mian upon its death.


    ''How many Evolution Points will my next Evolution cost?''

 Chapter 23 - The Enemy We Know (2)

    [Your second Evolution will cost you seven Evolution Points for an optimal Evolution, Host.] Hana''s ever helpful voice replied Mian.


    ''Hmm, that''s quite good. I''ll be left with seven Evolution Points after my Evolution.'' He thought to himself. But that was not all he had noted from Hana''s reply.


    ''An optimal Evolution? What does that mean, Hana?'' He curiously asked. It would be best to know all the ups and downs about his latest Evolution before going through with it. That way, he could know it anything would be detrimental to himself.


    [Let me be clear.] She began, [An Evolution can happen in two different ways. Firstly, there is the choice of undergoing an optimal Evolution. During this Evolution, every parameter of your physical body, as well as your internal energy reserves will be raised and elevated. This is the Evolution that will benefit the Host in every way possible with no set backs or side effects...]


    ''And?'' Mian urged Hana to carry on after she paused.


    [...There is also the sub-optimal Evolution. This Evolution does not elevate all the parameters of your body, but instead forcibly raises one of your stats to a very high degree for a short period of time. This change is not permanent, only lasting for a few seconds to a few minutes. Of course, there are other disadvantages to this. The backlash caused from forcibly raising your stats could range from losing your consciousness, all the way up to permanent damage to your physical body.]


    Hana dutifully went over all the things that Mian needed to know about the two types of Evolution he had access to. Mian listened carefully as the seconds and minutes ticked by, slowly absorbing all the new knowledge he was just getting to hear about.


    ''I see... Very well, then. There isn''t much suspense to what I''ll choose, I guess. Let''s go for the optimal Evolution, Hana. Evolve me.''


    [This Evolution will cost 7 Evolution Points, and will render you unconscious. Do you wish to proceed?] Just like the last time, the system asked for his confirmation.


    ''Yes.''


    As soon as Mian gave his confirmation, his vision swam, before turning dark.


    ...


    Dion kept his eyes open, watching Mian from his spot on his cot. His face was half hidden by his knees that he had pulled up against his chest, as he sat in silence.


    He felt a bead of sour emotions plant itself in his heart. He had been treating Mian very wrongly for the past week, and he felt bad about it. He forgot Mian was not one of those other dominants that he used to compete with back in the pack. When he had seen Mian land all those killing blows to their beastly opponents throughout the past matches, he had felt a flame of competition get lit up in his heart. That caused him to treat Mian like an opponent, and rival, instead of just a fragile friend.


    "I''m such an asshole and bad friend." He sighed before laying down in his cot. There was literally nothing else to do aside from sleeping and resting, after their match for the day was over. Some demi-humans were let out to somewhere that wasn''t a match, but Dion had no idea. The only other place that they could go to was the toilet, and he highly doubted that they would spend hours there like they did. Instead, he believed that there might have been some sort of recreational area around here somewhere.


    Dion sat down there for the next two hours, thinking over his plans. He had not told Mian yet, but he planned on making his escape tonight. To him, it was the best time to conduct a perfect escape.


    Over the past few days, he had noticed that the number of guards patrolling had gone down drastically. At first, he had thought it was just part of his imagination, but after monitoring the number of guards for a couple of days, he had finally determined that the number of guards around had truly gone down by several notches. The guards who remained were roughly thirty percent of the numbers that were once posted here!


    "The perfect time to strike will be at sunset. The security will be lax around then. It will be the perfect window to escape."


    After running over the primary escape plan, he finally laid down on his cot to rest his tired body. The fight today had been drawn out and very taxing on him. If they managed to pull off this escape and return to the pack, then the first thing he would do is to ask for a week off from pack duties.


    A few minutes later, Dion drifted off into a light sleep. His ears constantly twitched as he slept. Any slight sound by their cell would wake him up from his light slumber. That made it easy for him to react if someone tried to sneak up on them, not like anyone could in this place. The humans didn''t even bother with trying to be discreet when approaching cells.


    The skin between Dion''s eyes wrinkled ever so slightly as the thought of the vile humans that captured them passed through his mind. He was sure that they were also related to the running of this torture house.


    He couldn''t understand how the humans gained satisfaction from seeing other sentient beings that were like them fighting it out to the death. Even in demi-human packs, one rarely saw a battle to the death. Most times, it was just a simple spar, or the winner would back off from the fight without dealing fatal damage to their opponent.


    This was one of the reasons he disliked humans. They were not much different from advanced savages who took part in savage acts to sate their inner desires, and what he was witnessing only fueled that opinion of them in his eyes.


    ''They are the enemy we know.''


    Dion whispered that line that had been told to him by the Patriarch when he was still in his teens just before his mind was claimed by sleep.

 Chapter 24 - Escape!

    Dion woke up Mian for their meal some time later. It was nothing fancy, just some decently cooked chunk of meat from the raging boar that they had taken down in their earlier match. Mian dug into the food happily, eating like he hadn''t seen food in over a week.


    "Slow down, will you? If you eat that fast, you might choke." Dion laughed as he used his claws to cut out another piece of meat.


    Mian instantly slowed down his pace. "Sorry, I''m just very hungry all of a sudden." He whispered before stuffing yet another piece into his mouth.


    "Maybe you have finally hit your growth spurt. Soon, I won''t be able to look down at you again." Dion chuckled and Mian grinned back at him. The two returned to silence and finished their meal.


    "So, I have a plan on how to escape." Dion leaned forward and spoke up. He had thought over this plan for a while, and believed it would succeed.


    Mian''s ears immediately shot up as soon as he heard Dion''s words. :You do?"


    "Yeah." Dion shuffled forward and placed his hands on his knees. "The best time to escape will be at sunset. At that time, the guards will be at their weakest. From what I''ve seen, they tend to slack off more by that time before those on the next shift come and take their place. That''s when we strike. I''ll call the attention of the guard that''s posted in our corner, and then knock him out when he gets close enough." He gave Mian the short version of his plan, explaining quickly.


    Mian nodded, but had a thoughtful look on his face. "What about the others? We can''t leave the other demi-humans here to continue to suffer." When Mian spoke, a determined light shone in his eyes.


    Dion had already expected this question from Mian. He smiled to himself. Even with all Mian had gone through over the years, he was still a kind hearted boy. This world needed more people like him.


    "I do not plan on leaving them either. After we knock out our guard, we will take his keys and unlock all the cells in this corner. Then we''ll go around and to the same to the remaining guards and cells. What the other demi-humans plan on doing is up to them, but at least, we are giving them a choice. Is that good enough for you?" Dion quirked up a brow at the end of his question.


    Mian smiled and nodded happily. Even though most of the demi-humans will not choose to follow them, at least some would. That would lead to a much larger amount becoming convinced and joining them. They had the numbers on their side, and it would be pretty much impossible for around thirty to forty guards to stop hundreds of middle and low ranking demi-humans.


    "It''s good enough for me. Sunset it is."


    The two of them agreed on the plan before sitting back and resting as though they hadn''t just plotted a way to overthrow the order of an entire dynasty. The havoc that this demi-human would wreak across the Henshaw dynasty would undoubtedly lead to a lot of bloodshed and confusion.


    To be honest, prior to this, Mian might have been much more sympathetic to the humans, but after his experience, watching as the human masses cheered for his death, he had grown cold to them. That spot in his heart that believed humans could be trusted had long since dried out and withered to dust.


    As they each got absorbed in their thoughts and plans, Mian turned his attention to the benefits of his latest Evolution.


    [Status]


    Name: Mian


    Race: Demi-human - Feline


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 150


    Stamina: 60


    Strength: 30


    Agility: 35


    Evolution Points: 7


    ---


    [User Pack Ranking]


    Name: Mian


    Rank: Lower Rank


    Rank Privilege: Slightly Enhanced Toxins.


    ---


    ''My rank is still the same as before, but I feel stronger nonetheless...'' Mian unconsciously clenched his fist and flexed his muscles. Dion caught sight of it, but just brushed it off as Mian''s nerves acting up.


    ''It doesn''t matter if my rank is the same. Any growth in my strength, no matter if it''s marginal, is welcome. Anything that can help me survive the upcoming trials...'' Mian''s passion was stoked, and he was ready for the escape operation that they would carry out by sunset. He was ready to escape from this place, though, he was not sure if he was ready to return to the pack...


    ''Those are worries for another time. Now, all I have to focus on is getting ready for the escape.''


    With those words, Mian pulled himself out from his ocean of thoughts, bringing himself back to the present. He looked around with the intention of preparing, only to realize that there was nothing to prepare. He had no belongings at all here.


    Mian shook his head, feeling like slapping his forehead.


    ''Stupid.''


    With bated breath, Mian turned his eyes to the tiny window that was at the top of their cell. It was intended as a way for light to shine into the cell, but right now, it would serve the function of being their countdown timer.


    Right now, it was still in the early afternoon. There was still lots of time before sunset even reached, so Mian was in for a long wait.


    "Calm down, Mian. You look like someone told you that you were going to be executed. If you act too suspicious, then we might have to delay." Dion chuckled lightly as he observed Mian.


    "Sorry." Mian shook his head and took a deep breath. Nothing could go wrong.. He needed to make sure he kept himself together.

 Chapter 25 - Escape! (2)

    The time had come. Sunset was upon them. Mian peered down the hall, waiting for the guard to come around the corner. With his improved hearing, he could hear the voices of the two guards that were assigned to this corner chatting out of view.


    The voices stopped, and Mian quickly sat back. He shot Dion a look, and the black Werewolf nodded from his cot. He shuffled over to the side of the door, laying down so he was closer to it, before closing his eyes.


    The guard came closer, and Mian stuck his arm out through the gaps between the bars of the cell.


    "Um, hey?" He waved, managing to catch the attention of the guard.


    "What do you want, mutt? Or should I call you a cat? There isn''t that much difference, you are all just wild animals." The man scoffed as he stopped by their cell.


    "Um..." The insult had caught him off guard, but he quickly regained his wits. "I need to go to the toilet."


    "Really? Is that it? Pff, go in your cell." The human rolled his eyes and turned to walk away.


    "Really? Is that it? You do know that if I mess up the place, you''ll suffer it for the rest of the night, right?"


    The man froze for a moment, thinking it over, before finally groaning. "Ugh, fine. You keep your dirty paws to yourself, you hear me?" As he spoke, he messed with the keychain that was hanging from his hip. He unlocked the door and swung it open, stepping aside to let Mian through.


    Mian hurriedly passed, but just as the guard was about to swing the cell shut, a firm hand gripped his wrist!


    "What-" His words were cut short as he was tugged into the cell so hard that his shoulder popped out of its socket! Dion clamped his other hand around the man''s mouth before punching the daylights out of him! He snatched away the keychain from the unconscious guard''s hands, before stepping out of the cell and locking it. He exchanged a look with Mian before nodding.


    "Let''s go."


    The two of them walked the short distance that separated the cells, before coming to a stop before another cell that held two sleeping demi-humans. Dion quickly searched the keys, before realizing he had no idea which one was the right key. With a curse, he just inserted one random key into the lock before turning it. The lock clicked silently as it was unlocked by the key!


    "Yes!" He whisper-yelled. The sounds of the keys had woken up the two demi-humans, who stared at Dion and Mian with shock in their eyes. Without waiting for the two to react to what was going on, Dion quickly informed them of what was going on.


    "We are breaking out. Join us if you will, I don''t care, but just know that we are giving you a chance." He turned away without a second thought. He made his way to the next cell, and the same thing happened, but it seemed like they had heard the earlier conversation, because they were already getting up to escape.


    Dion had unlocked most of the cells when the sound of footsteps sounded just around the corner. He reacted sharply, his instincts and mind roaring at full speed as he exploded into a sprint, arriving at the corner just as the guard did.


    The only thing Dion made out was the eyes of the guard, wide with shock, before his massive fist slammed square into the unprotected face of the guard! This incredibly sharp movement had caught everyone off guard!


    Dion panted as he recovered from the incredibly short, but powerful burst of movement. The exchange didn''t even last two seconds, yet he felt as though he had just finished running from a Berserk Blood Bull around the entire arena.


    Snapping out of his daze, Dion quickly grabbed the guard, hoisting him over his shoulder and dumping him in one of the open cells. He then went to open the remaining cells in the corner before turning to the released demi-humans.


    "I''m going to repeat this just this once. We are breaking out now. If you have noticed, the number of guards are basically down to nothing right now. I don''t know why, but I am not letting this opportunity pass me by. I will not remain here to be some human''s play thing. I would rather die than continue this stupid farce. That said, whether you want to join us in escaping or remain here, is your choice. I won''t force anyone to join us." He looked among the curious gazes of the demi-humans around them. Mian stood a step behind him, feeling a little intimidated.


    "I''m coming with. I''ve been here for nearly a year, and I can''t even remember this place being this empty. I''m not letting it waste." A male demi-human stepped forward. He was roughly two and a half meters tall, but that was not the eye catching feature that made him stand out.


    Demi-humans came in all sorts of shapes and sizes.


    The demi-human before them was not a canine, nor feline, but instead, a lizardman! The sharp reptilian gaze of the lizardman was trained on Mian who was behind Dion. After a few moments, it raised its gaze to Dion before nodding.


    "I thank you. I am forever in your debt." He bowed his head before turning to face someone in the crowd. Another demi-human stepped forward. This time, it was a male bird-like demi-human. He greatly resembled an owl.


    "Many thanks, young prodigies. My partner and I here were captured during our travels. We have long since wanted to escape, but have never gotten the chance. If not for this risk you took, we may never have gotten the chance to be free again." It also bowed to the two of them.


    With these two as examples, more and more demi-humans began to join the cause. Soon enough, everyone had agreed to join, and the two young demi-humans that started this whole plan had a small army at the tips of their fingers!

 Chapter 26 - Escape! (3)

    "Get them!"


    "The demi-humans are escaping!"


    The enraged voices of the humans rang out as hundreds of demi-humans flooded out of the holding facility of the demi-human games arena. Some bird-like demi-humans flew above, while the others stuck to the ground. There were even a few blue-skinned ones that were apparently from the sea.


    Mian was intrigued when he heard this, but he had no time to think about it. They had to secure their freedom first before he would be able to think of the sea.


    Right now, Mian was right in the middle of the moving mass of demi-humans, with Dion running at his side to make sure the weaker demi-human did not trip and get ran all over. Dion had to slow down considerable in order to allow Mian keep up with him. If he was moving at full speed, then he would not even be in sight anymore. Right now, as it was, Mian was already showing little signs of fatigue.


    "Do you need me to carry you?" Dion asked. He had noticed that their entire group had begun to slow down, keeping pace with the two slowing boys in their center.


    "No. I can do it!" Mian panted as he continued running.


    ''Status!''


    [Status]


    Name: Mian


    Race: Demi-human - Feline


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 150


    Stamina:40/60


    Strength: 30


    Agility: 35


    Evolution Points: 7


    ---


    Currently, they had already made it quite far from the arena, but if they kept on moving at this pace, then the humans would sure catch up, and that would complicate things. Because of this, Mian began considering something he did not think he would consider so soon.


    ''Hana! I need a sub-optimal Evolution. I need a boost to my Agility stat!'' Mian called upon his ever helpful companion, Hana.


    [Are you sure, Host? The Evolution Points that will be used up for this sub-optimal Evolution can not be regained after its effects have worn off.] Hana''s voice sounded concerned.


    ''Yes, I''m sure! I would rather escape here with my life intact, and no Evolution Points, than risk getting recaptured!''


    [Very well. I will begin a sub-optimal Evolution that will boost your agility by seven points temporarily. You will not lose consciousness during this period of time.]


    A moment later, Mian felt a tingling sensation run through his leg that nearly made him trip. He quickly regained his balance as he felt a new found energy flow through his body. He concentrated that energy into his legs, and in the next moment, he shot forward, temporarily leaving Dion behind in the dust.


    "Huh-What?" Dion was momentarily stunned before increasing his speed. The demi-humans around him also did the same. When they caught up with Mian, they could see that the boy was having a much better time keeping up with the speed of everyone.


    [Status]


    Name: Mian


    Race: Demi-human - Feline


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 150


    Stamina:40/60


    Strength: 30


    Agility: 35 (+7)


    Evolution Points: 7


    ---


    [Your current boost from the sub-optimal Evolution will only last for ten minutes before its effects fade away. The Evolution Points spent will not be regained.]


    Mian mentally thanked Hana before turning his attention back to the present. A few dozen meters ahead, the tall, dark gates of the city stood, blocking their path. They had immediately set for the gate ever since they left the arena, and thanks to the directions from the flying demi-humans, they had managed to not get lost.


    The group slowed down to a stop just before the gate, and several demi-humans broke off from the main group, storming into the guard building and the hollow parts of the wall to find a way for them to open up the gates.


    "I''ve found it!" A burly, brown furred werewolf yelled. He pulled up a lever, and the gates started rising up, making a passage for the demi-humans to filter through.


    "Freedom!"


    "It''s been so long..."


    "I''m so happy to see grass and trees again!"


    The demi-humans slowed down as they made their way out of the gate. Their reactions were different, but it there were any emotions that were common among them, they were happiness and relief.


    "Come on, people, I know you haven''t seen grass in so long, but please, we need to keep moving!" Dion clapped his hands and yelled out loud. His voice snapped the other demi-humans out of their trance like state, and they quickly composed themselves.


    "Sorry about that. It has just been so long since I was captured." A woman wiped a stray tear from her eye. "My boys would probably be all frown up by now." She finally could not hold in the pain and her tears spilled out. A few other around them also began to shed some tears.


    Dion sighed with frustration, but managed to get himself under control. He tried imagining being in their position. He would have been overwhelmed himself.. Shaking his head, he put a hand on Mian''s shoulder, before turning to walk towards the forest.

 Chapter 27 - Ambition Or Greed?

    Within every living being, there resided the... desire... to become something greater. Something better than what they currently were. This desire was widely referred to as Ambition. The urge, the need, to strive and toil in order to propel oneself to greater heights.


    Ambition was the driving force that led to the development of today''s society. Without ambition, there would be no innovation, no creativity. In fact, without ambition, very few people would even look forward to the next day. Without ambition, there would be no future.


    However.


    Ambition could easily be mistaken for something else. Something much deeper. Much more sinister. Something that could drive a being insane with the need for something.


    Greed.


    As living beings, humans also bore that urge to be something greater than whatever they currently were. They always sought to attain greater benefits. To propel themselves above others. But this desire could often become twisted along the way.


    It was much easier for a being that had ambitions to become greedy. That was often the case when it came to humans.


    They were greedy for land. They were greedy for resources. They were greedy for power.


    In short, one could say that the human race could never be satisfied. It was a nigh impossible feat. One that no one saw the possibility of accomplishing.


    It was because of this same greed that the Henshaw Dynasty was currently waging war against the demi-humans, spilling innocent blood, and wasting the lives of their men.


    The Henshaw Dynasty... was overwhelmed by Greed.


    ...


    Daven stood atop the steep cliff, overlooking the ongoing battle. Cries of war, and cries of pain mixed and danced in the cool morning air.


    The ambush had gone well. Too well, in fact. The humans had lost about a tenth of their forces, and two-tenths of their forces were injured and could not participate in the current battle. Right now, the demi-human army was matching up and even starting to suppress the human army, but the humans had also started bringing out their elites.


    The skill that was being showcased and used by the human elites was clearly a huge margin above that of the normal soldiers. This was why they were referred to as Elites. It would take at least two dozen normal human soldiers to pin down a true Elite. That was just how good they were.


    Daven wince when he saw the head of a demi-human fly through the air. His fist clenched even tighter, and blood stained his gray fur.


    "Send out the High Ranking warriors, along with half of our dominants. Let us show the humans that we will not be pushed around so easily." Azreal, the council member who took the lead of the army when the Patriarch himself was not able to spoke to a messenger what was standing a few feet from him. The messenger nodded and vanished down the hill.


    "Filthy humans. They will pay for each and every demi-human soul that has fallen today." Daven hissed out. He could barely keep his anger in check. As a leader, this was a very bad trait, but one could argue that Daven had never been angered to this point before.


    The effect of mobilizing the high ranking warriors and half of the dominant warriors could immediately be seen on the battlefield.


    The slowly advancing wave of humans had stalled, and the screams of the humans rang out more frequently. Slowly but surely, the human army came to a standstill once again.


    "The deployment of the high ranking and dominant warriors has proceeded well. The human army had come to a stop." Azreal gave Daven the latest update on the situation.


    "Wait... I can see something strange." Hando, the third and most powerful head of the Scout Regiment put a pause to any rising spirit. He leaned forward ever so slightly, squinting his eyes to get a better look. This move prompted a collective look of confusion among the other council members.


    Hando had the best sight among every demi-human in their pack, including Daven, the patriarch himself. Some members of the pack even referred to his eyes as God''s Eyes. Because of his unique vision, Hando was almost impossible to beat in a fight. It was almost as if he saw your next move before you even made it, making it easy for him to react and counter his opponent.


    For Hando to squint in order to see something, then that meant that whatever was eluding him must be either aware of his presence, and have a means to block his vision, or that the entity that was eluding him was extremely powerful. Powerful enough to render his eyes almost useless at long distances.


    "Patriarch. We have a problem." Hando eventually spoke up. His words caused a pit of dread to form in the bellies of everyone in earshot.


    "What is it, Hando?" Daven asked. He already feared the worst...


    "A Pillar is presently on the battlefield."


    ***


    [The effects of your sub-optimal Evolution will wear out in forty seconds.]


    Mian did not have the time nor energy to respond to Hana''s helpful warning. He kept running at full speed, throwing up small clouds of dust wherever his feet landed. The massive group of demi-humans had not stopped running since they made it through the gates of the city. They had ran all the way through the open plains surrounding the city, and into the vast wilderness that spread forth beyond the plains.


    Surprisingly, none of the demi-humans had chosen to leave the group, instead following the direction that Mian and Dion were running in, so they could meet up with the pack. Whatever happened from there would be up to them.


    "Hey! Something is wrong!" Up above, the owl-like demi-human who had been second to join the escape plan called out to the runners below. "I see smoke up ahead. Something big is going on!"


    Upon hearing his words, most of the demi-humans began slowing down. None of them wanted to run had first into possible danger!

 Chapter 28 - War

    Mian and Dion stared at the distant hills with wariness. The pieces of the puzzle slowly came together to form a coherent image in their minds. The reason why the defenses of the human city was so poor was because they were waging war against their pack. A weight settled on their minds when they came to this conclusion.


    "We need to turn back!" Someone called from behind.


    "No! I am not turning my back on my pack! You can turn around if you want to, but I am pushing on ahead!" Dion snapped as he turned to glare at the dog-like demi-human.


    "Flipping mad man! Don''t you see what is going on in front of you?! If you go in there, chances are, you will never come out!" Another demi-human snapped at Dion.


    The words of those two demi-humans began to cause stirs within the ranks of demi-humans. No one wanted to run head first into their graves. They all valued their lives, and although the two young demi-humans had saved them, they were hesitant at risking their lives for a battle that they might still lose.


    "We are willing to help." The lizardman and bird demi-humans stepped forward with their chests proudly puffed.


    "Where we come from, we were taught that a kind deed must always be repaid with another. Karma is real, and we do not want evil breathing down our shoulders for not repaying the kindness shown to us. We will walk with you to battle." The lizardman pounded on his chest and the owlman nodded his head.


    Dion nodded gratefully to the two of them. As a dominant werewolf, and a future alpha at that, he could feel their strength. They were in the upper level of the middle ranks. They would be a force to be reckoned with against normal human soldiers.


    Just like before, as soon as someone showed support for the two young demi-humans, others started to come around.


    About fifteen minutes passed before everyone came to understand their various stances. Roughly sixty percent of the freed demi-humans chose to assist, while the other forty percent were either too reluctant to go ahead, or decided to remain neutral, which was basically the same as leaving the sixty percent to fend for themselves.


    "Let''s go." Dion ordered when the choices had been made. He and the roughly two hundred demi-humans that supported him began sprinting towards the distant location of the battle.


    ...


    "Bernard! Hold on!"


    "Don''t just stand there! Kill it!"


    "ARGH! HELP ME!!!"


    The cries of different warriors on both sides resounded through the battlefield. Several trees were lit on fire, and illuminated the darkness of the night. The war was in full swing!


    When the two hundred-plus demi-humans suddenly appeared at the back of the human army''s formation, an imbalance suddenly appeared! The ranks of the humans devolved into chaos as their throats were ripped out and their arms were torn off.


    A Werecat that resembled a jaguar pounced on a human, driving him to the ground. The jaws of the demi-human clamped shut around the head of the demi-human, resulting in a cascading fountain of blood.


    Blood rained and stained the once brown earth red. The cover of grass over the forest floor had long since been stamped into grass paste, and was not matted with the blood of hundreds.


    So many brave soldiers and warriors had already fallen by now, but the battle was nowhere near its end.


    The humans were too greedy to retreat, while the demi-humans were fighting for their homes. Defeat was not an option!


    It was because of this reason that the demi-humans fought in an especially savage manner. None of the warriors present on the battlefield were afraid of death. If it looked like they were going to die, then they went all out in their attacks, bent on taking down at least one more human with them.


    Because of this, the humans were constantly losing more and more men on their side, while the demi-humans began to push them back with even more fervor.


    It was at this moment that the Pillar that was with the army decided to reveal himself.


    A lean man that was dressed in black armor walked through the battlefield. A path was carved right through the fighting men for him to pass. This was not the intention of the demi-humans, but whenever one of them got in his way, they would immediately be killed in the blink of an eye.


    "Stop right there!" A domineering voice that shook the air with power rang through the battlefield as Daven appeared in the path of the lean figure. The man''s eyes opened as he raised his head to look at the gray furred demi-human before him.


    Daven was covered in his armor, and a light blue glow surrounded his claws.


    Tap. Tap.


    The sound of two more figures landing behind him reached the ears of the human Pillar as Rakon and Azreal landed behind him. The two of them were donned in similar protective armors just like their Patriarch.


    Azreal''s dark fur shone under the orange glow that was released by the burning trees. His gray fur bristled when he was pinned with the gaze of the Pillar, but he did not waver. It was either he fought to stop this Pillar, or his home would be lost. The choice was easily made. He would fight.


    On his back, an almost two meter long sword was sheathed. If it weren''t for his superior height, then perhaps the sword would have been too long for him, but that was no problem.


    As for Rakon, the white furred demi-human stood back from the two main fighters. He was there mainly for support even though his battle prowess could almost match the two warriors staring down the Pillar. He was there to link their minds together in order to create a seamless network of mental communication. With every passing second, his long ears twitched as he noted several different details on the battlefield.


    This was it.

 Chapter 29 - War (2)

    When the demi-humans saw their Patriarch, along with two of their most powerful demi-human leaders appear on the battlefield, their morale shot up drastically. If it was to be scaled, then the boost of morale would almost resembled a vertical incline.


    The demi-humans began to fight with even more ferocity than was thought possible. Claws tore through skin, and sharp teeth dug into flesh. An endless amount of blood was spilled.


    The humans did not falter in their attack, though. They had a Pillar on their side. That was enough for their morale to remain constantly balanced without ever dropping. Although there were a few humans that stumbled before the demi-humans'' new wave of attacks, that did not mean much when the bigger picture was taken into consideration.


    "Demi-humans..." The Pillar suddenly spoke, making the ears of the three powerful demi-humans facing him all swivel to him with rapt attention. "Your kind disgusts me. Why did the Gods ever think of granting animals the ability to think? I would have greatly preferred if you remained as dumb animals that would never try to bother humans."


    With each word he spoke, Daven could feel the disdain he held for demi-humans. It twisted that hot lick of flaming anger anger and hate that he held for the humans.


    <The connection has been set up, Patriarch.> Rakon''s voice sounded in Daven''s head.


    <Good. We will coordinate our attacks with this connection. We must not let him get a whiff of our plans, understand?> Daven replied, speaking to both Councilmember behind him.


    <Yes, Patriarch!> The two of them replied together.


    The three of them made their plans quickly. It was not much different from what they had already discussed before deploying on the battlefield. Daven and Azreal would engage the Pillar in frontal combat, while Rakon would support them and jump in for occasional strikes when it was safe. He was too invaluable to their pack for him to fight a Pillar in a reckless manner.


    At a seemingly random moment, Daven and Azreal suddenly shot forward at the Pillar. In one smooth motion, Azreal unsheathed his sword and held it before him, while a pale blue light manifested around Daven''s claws. A pale golden light also manifested around Azreal''s blade.


    This was actually a manifestation of their Mystic Force that increased or reduced the power of whatever it was imposed upon according to the will of the user.


    In the hands of the two powerful demi-humans, the Mystic Force turned into a sort of force multiplier that increased the lethality of their strikes!


    Just as they were about to land their hits, the body of the lean man suddenly seamed to become bloated. A huge cloud of smoke and dust shot into the air as the three of them clashed. Rakon dashed around the cloud of dust, his mind constantly scanning into the center of the fight as he waited for an opportunity. The dust could do little to hinder his vision at his level.


    The dust cleared, and the figures of the two demi-human warriors and the human Pillar became visible to all.


    The Pillar that as once just the height of an average human, and was shorter than Daven by nearly half a meter had suddenly grown to match Daven in height, and his muscles had swollen to match those of a powerful demi-human. His lean figure from before was nowhere to be seen!


    Each of his attacks were able to match those of Daven and Azreal, and even push them back after each collision. It became very obvious that the Pillar that they were currently engaging was the Pillar that wielded Greater Strength!


    Sparks flew as the man wielded not one, but two greatswords in his hands, swinging and twisting them like they were weightless. None of Daven''s nor Azreal''s attacks managed to break through his outstanding defense, but at least they were managing to keep his occupied for the time being.


    Rakon pulled out two long, jagged daggers from their sheaths on his lower back. They had a thin line that ran along their blades. He was waiting for the right moment before he would strike. He could see that his Patriarch and colleague were currently working toward that end.


    <Now, Rakon!> Daven''s voice roared urgently through the mental link.


    Rakon''s eyes narrowed as he shot forward. A light red line of light ran through the thin lines on his dagger as a light red aura surrounded the blades. He slipped between the space that Daven had created in the Pillar''s guard, reaching the human in an instant.


    The blades instantly dug into the human''s armor, sinking into his skin and carving through his flesh. Rakon hurriedly dashed past the Pillar, and through the space maintained by Azreal in order to distance himself from the battle.


    A gust of wind blew Daven and Azreal away from the Pillar as the man swung his swords in a circle, forcing them away.


    Blood dripped from the edges of his armor, staining the ground below. He easily ripped off the top part of the armor with a scoff and revealing his upper body that was covered in light scars.


    "It has been quite some time since I was last injured. I guess my mother was right. I should have never thought of playing with my food." He chuckled at his own joke.


    "Tell me, what are your names? I shall remember them as one of the few people who have been able to injure me." The man traces his scars as he spoke. "Each of these scars are named after those who have injured me."


    "And you call us savages." Daven scoffed and spat on the ground. "Enough playing around. Let''s end this!" The large gray Werewolf''s muscles tightened and bunched up in preparation for the battle that would soon get into full swing. He knew that the Pillar was just playing around with them earlier to test their strength.. Whatever happened from now on would decided the course of the battle.

 Chapter 30 - War (3)

    "PATRIARCH!!!"


    Azreal''s yell managed to get through his lips just before Daven''s body hit the muddy ground below that was soaked with blood.


    THUD.


    A fountain of blood sprayed into the air as one of the two greatswords that the human Pillar planted itself into the ground. The ongoing battles around them came to a complete standstill as the demi-humans and humans around them saw what happened.


    A powerful figure had fallen!


    ...


    Some time before...


    Mian followed behind Dion as the newly arrived demi-humans tore through the back of the human ranks. They were disorderly, but it mattered little, as their enemies were caught by surprise, and had been thrown into disarray upon their arrival.


    Of course, Mian saw a golden opportunity the moment he stepped onto the battlefield.


    ''Hana, if I were to kill a human, would I be able to gain some Evolution Points?'' He quickly asked.


    [A human''s chances to experience Evolution are almost nil. It will take at least five to ten humans to accumulate enough Natural Energy and condense it into a single Evolution Point.]


    Hana replied casually.


    A single thought was born in Mian''s mind when he heard that response. So, he was basically in a field full of wheat for him to harvest!


    Even as a lower ranking pack member, Mian''s physical body was already much stronger than a single human being who''s body was not empowered in any way. Using his superior body, he would easily be able to cause havoc in the human ranks.


    With those thoughts running through his mind, Mian dashed toward a human who was being pushed back by a demi-human. His claws extended out of the tips of his fingers and he directly slashed the throat of the human!


    Mian felt nothing when he did this. If it was in the period before he got captured by the humans, then he surely would have hesitated, but after his time being treated as some sort of entertainment to their sick minds, he had completely turned his heart over and planted the human race in the dark part of it that he never knew existed. For he knew that if the humans were given a similar chance, then they would not hesitate to kill him!


    Because of these reasons, Mian was easily able to kill the human before him, before turning to another and stabbing him right under his chin with his claws.


    His vicious and merciless actions surprised Dion and the other demi-humans who were used to seeing Mian being timid.


    They quickly regained their focus though. Now was not the time to wonder why one of their own was participating better than they thought. In fact, his performance was for the best!


    [Evolution Points: +1]


    After killing five human soldiers, the System informed him of his gain of a single Evolution Point. Mian was ecstatic, but he did not let his joy make him lose concentration. He was in the middle of a raging battlefield. Losing his focus could lead to his death.


    He continued to pounce on distracted human soldiers that were confused and entangled with the demi-humans that had appeared from their back. He did not need to worry about running into anyone too strong because all the strong humans were currently trying to force back the high ranking and dominant demi-humans that had joined the battle.


    [+1]


    [+1]


    [+1]


    His Evolution Points kept on climbing steadily as he cut down humans left and right. The demi-humans who had suddenly found their opponents getting mowed down by the timid low ranking demi-human could not really complain. It was not as if they lost something. After all, they had no idea what Evolution Points, and they had no way to access it. An enemy brought down faster only gave them time to handle others.


    "Good job, kid." One burly middle ranking Werewolf with dark brown fur gave Mian a nod before bounding forward to tackle a human kitted in heavy armor. Mian simply ignored that confrontation. His claws were not sharp or strong enough to break through the thick layers of armor. In fact, even the human that was encased in the armor as heavily affected by its weight. His steps were slow and heavy, as though he was dragging an entire oxen behind him.


    More and more humans fell at his hands, and soon Mian couldn''t suppress the slight smile that had been pulling at the corner of his lips when he saw the number of Evolution Points he had at his disposal.


    [Evolution Points: 21]


    Mian had continuously mowed through the plain, weaker humans that he had found, and some humans that were stronger. Those stronger humans seemed to have more Natural Energy gathered within their bodies, and so they directly gave Mian a whole Evolution Point.


    But now, he could no longer exploit this advantage of his. The only humans around him were now those who either matched or surpassed him in strength. The strength that they displayed was enough to force back even those at the peak of the lower ranks, and even some middle ranking demi-humans.


    "Mian, are you okay?" The familiar voice of Dion sounded behind Mian. He had not even noticed his approach.


    "I''m fine, just a bit helpless." Mian chuckled wryly as he turned to face Dion. Blood dripped from Dion''s claws. With a sniff of the scent of the blood, Mian was able to tell that it belonged to a human.


    "Good, you can stick with me. I''m stronger than most of these demi-humans so I can help with the stronger humans. You can help whenever you see the chance, but don''t risk it."


    Mian nodded at Dion''s warnings. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a roar reached their ears. The roar was violent and contained dense waves of powers. But there was two things that they could feel from that roar. Pain and anger.


    In the distance, about a hundred meters from their position, a pillar of blue light shot into the air.

 Chapter 31 - War (4)

    ''I messed up.''


    That was the only thing Daven could think of as he watched one of the giant greatswords of the human Pillar bear down on him. He could see the savage smile on the face of the man from where he stood. That smile was burned into his mind as the sword came down. But just before it could hit him, Daven heard the voice of his subordinate ring through his mind.


    Azreal''s voice boomed through the mental link just before Daven felt an immense force slamming into him and forcefully removing him from the trajectory of the blade. A fountain of blood bloomed and painted the floor and Daven''s gray fur red.


    He stared wide eyed as Azreal collapsed to the ground clutching the bleeding stump that used to be his arm.


    THUD.


    Azreal''s severed arm dropped on the muddy ground beside him, drawing his attention to it.


    ''No.''


    <No.>


    "No."


    Daven''s mind seemed to explode when he registered what had happened. Azreal had sacrificed his arm in order to save his life.


    "NOOO!!!" Daven shot to his feet, letting a blood curling roar burst through his throat. He felt a fire that he had once felt before light up in his veins. A fire that sang for the blood of humans.


    Daven curved his fingers and let his claws stretch out to their full length. Eight inch long claws grew out from each of Daven''s fingertips as he made a clawing motion at the Pillar. A giant, ethereal clawed hand formed beside him and slammed into the Pillar who simply raised both of his swords in a blocking motion in the path of the ethereal claws.


    CLANG!! BOOOM!!!


    The sound of their clash rang through the battlefield, followed by a black figure shooting back and demolishing multiple trees in the path of his flight. A cloud of dust expanded in the distance when he managed to stop his flight. Daven shot right after the human Pillar, a savage light shining in his eyes.


    To most people, Daven would look like he had lost his sense of reasoning, but in truth, Daven was aware and in control of everything he was doing. He had realized that fighting safely against the Pillar would only prolong their inevitable defeat. Already, Azreal, one of the strongest Dominants in their pack had fallen in battle, and it was obvious that the Pillar was not yet going all out against them. If things continued that way, then it was obvious that they would lose the battle.


    Because of that, Daven had decided to use one of the few trump cards that belonged to his pack. This trump card had been gifted to them by another demi-human pack. The pack where the lizardman that had been able to claim a Skyfall was.


    In this world, where the demi-humans were constantly at odds with the humans, most demi-humans had learnt that it was for their best interest if they stuck together. Because of that, the demi-humans in possession of Gifts from the Skyfalls tried their best to help the others with resources and other things that they could help with.


    In that aspect, the lizardman could assist in a much more direct manner than the Werewolf in possession of the Gift of Beast-taming. He had provided multiple packs and clans a method to temporarily display an overwhelming amount of power through his Miracles.


    Some time ago, he had gifted Daven a small token. The token resembled an azure crystal that had the head of a wolf carved into it. That token contained an immense amount of power that was capable of doubling the power of the being that used it.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him into the battle.


    Right at the moment when Daven had realized that Azreal had sacrificed his arm to save him, he had crushed the token in his hand without thinking twice. The moment he crushed it, an immense amount of energy flowed into his body, filling him with unbridled power that he had never felt before.


    A sharp, guttural roar that throbbed with power left his throat as he let the world know that he was alive. And then, he pounced.


    Chunks of rock and muddy earth were ripped out of the earth as the ethereal claws ripped into it in an attempt to maim the Pillar who easily dodged out of the way. He was no longer holding back his strength.


    A deep, orange glow that had some flickers of black energy running through it covered both his greatswords as he lifted them up above him and drove them into the ground.


    HUMMMMM.


    A strong vibration shook the earth as an immense amount of force was transferred into it.


    CRACK!


    The earth splintered, and ruptured, before large chunks of rocks were blown into the air, throwing everything and everyone in that area into disarray.


    ''Dammit.'' Daven thought grimly. ''I have to use it.''


    He jumped back and stretched his arm before him while flattening it horizontally. A deep blue glow formed around his hand, with its edges sharp.


    ''Savage Art: Severing Claw!''


    He felt a huge amount of energy leave his body as he swung his arm, sending a large wave of sharp, condensed energy in the direction of the Pillar. A few unlucky humans were caught in the path of the wave of energy, and were promptly sliced into half without any resistance!

 Chapter 32 - War (5)

    A wave of ethereal blue force cut through the battlefield at an extremely fast pace, approaching the human Pillar that was wielding two greatswords at once.


    The man glared at the wave of energy before crossing both of his swords before his chest. The golden-brown energy that surrounded his blades flared for a moment, before erupting into a dazzling, blinding wave of light that forced everyone to turn away their gazes, lest they go blind.


    When the curtain of light finally dimmed, the form of the Pillar was revealed. The sight of him sent the hopes of the demi-humans currently fighting down into the pits of their bellies.


    Not a single scratch marred his body, and his armor was still intact, but instead, a coating of golden-brown energy had formed around him, granting him a protective aura.


    "No, dammit!" Daven couldn''t help but curse under his breath when he saw that his attack had basically no effect on his enemy. The Pillar still stood tall and proud, not even showing any signs of discomfort.


    While Daven was going through a dilemma, someone else on the battlefield was also going through some tough times...


    "We need to get out of here! Can''t you see what is happening all around us?!" Dion yelled at Mian as he pulled the smaller boy away from the area of the battle. Even he as a dominant would barely stand a chance against the forces that were tangled in battle there, not to mention Mian.


    "I-" Mian struggled to speak as his eyes kept drifting towards the orange glow that cut through the darkness of the night, alongside the flames around them.


    [Evolution Points: 99,999...]


    Mian could barely think the moment Hana had shown him the amount of Evolution Points he could get just from absorbing the orange shell of Natural Energy flowing around the Pillar. Just a simple touch was enough to push him to a dominant ranking demi-human, and even have some more spare energy left.


    "Snap out of it!" Dion suddenly jerked Mian and shook him, bringing him close to his face. Mian could see the little splatters of blood that had gotten matted into Dion''s fur from how close he was.


    "I don''t know what has been going through your head this past week, but frankly, I''m not in a situation where I can afford to care, but get your act together or you are going to die!"


    Dion''s words seemed to snap Mian out of the daze he was in, but before he could respond, both of them immediately felt a sharp chill run down their spines, and the fur on their backs lift up. Dion quickly shoved Mian backward just as a wave of dark blue energy cut through the space between them, rupturing the earth and sending huge chunks of it everywhere.


    "MIAN!" Dion reached out as the shockwave from that attack pushed them apart. He quickly lost his footing though, as the earth beneath him began to swell and break apart. An unbelievable amount of pure, unadulterated Natural Energy was running through the earth where they were standing, a result of the battle between the two powerful monsters that led the fights on both sides.


    Mian lost sight of the large, black furred dominant that had been protecting him since they were captured by the humans, and was forced to think of how to make his escape without losing his life or any of his limbs. He needed to make it out of this whole.


    BOOM!!!


    An explosion occurred not too far away from him, and Mian barely managed to dig his claws into the ground just before the shockwave reached him.


    Just then, a crippling wave of pain erupted in his abdomen.


    ''What?!''


    [The backlash from your sub-optimal Evolution has begun to show its effects. To stop or delay this, the Host will need to absorb more Natural Energy and use it to supplement your body.]


    Hana''s clear voice cut through the pain and cleared up Mian''s mind. A wave of cool energy flowed into Mian''s body as Hana injected something to calm down his thoughts into his body.


    ''Thanks...'' Mian thanked Hana mentally as he dug his claws into the earth further. Another explosion rang out, followed closely by another.


    ''W-where do I get more Natural Energy?! There is nothing here I can absorb!''


    [I beg to differ, Host. In fact, I have already shown you a suitable source of Natural Energy. All you need to do is get in contact with it, and I will handle the rest. But please, do note that if you intend to proceed with absorbing such a huge store of energy, then there will be adverse consequences.]


    Hana''s words poured a bucket full of cold water over Mian''s hopes.


    ''Is there really no other choice? I am already getting tired of all these consequences and backlashes!'' Mian complained.


    [Host... You see to misunderstand some simple concepts. Let me explain something to you. There is no opportunity that comes in this life that is without risk. Every opportunity, no matter how simple, or extravagant it looks, is not without a risk. The question is - Are you willing to take that risk? With greater risk, comes greater rewards. Or would you rather end your journey here?]


    Mian took a moment to go over what Hana had told him. She was right. Every opportunity came with a risk of equivalent danger.


    ''I...'' He stole a glance at the area where the explosions were originating from. Even just a single hit from one of those powerhouses would be enough to obliterate him.


    "I will do it. I will grasp this opportunity with both hands, and make the most out of it!" Instead of responding in his mind, he instead chose to speak out his words, so his ears could hear them, and in turn, his body would respond to them.


    [Good. Now, brace yourself. The next explosion is going to be different.]


    Hana informed him, but Mian could have sworn that he had heard an undertone of satisfaction in her voice.

 Chapter 33 - War (6)

    Before Mian could question Hana on her tone, another explosion rocked the splintered earth, forcing him to dig his claws even deeper into the earth, not that it would help much.


    "What?!"


    Mian gasped as he felt a strange force acting upon his body. The stones and rocks around him began to lift into the air, and his body reacted in the same manner, lifting up from the ground as the force that kept him grounded disappeared.


    ''Hana! What''s going on?!'' He asked urgently as he struggled to keep his claws fixed in the ground.


    [The forces of the universe that acted upon this world has become warped in this area as a result of the excessive fluctuations of Natural Energy in this area. As a result, the gravity that was keeping you and other objects and beings grounded has been greatly affected... Please, brace yourself, Host.]


    ''Wha-!''


    Before he could even process what Hana said, an immensely powerful suction force suddenly drew him toward the center of the ruined battlefield, where his Patriarch and the human Pillar were engaged in grueling combat.


    "AHHHH!!!"


    The force pulling him only let him go when he was only a dozen meters away from the sight of the fight.


    Daven saw Mian''s body flop to the ground some distance from him, and his eyes widened, surprised that one of the missing boys that he had been worried about had suddenly appeared right in the battlefield, but that was the least of his worries.


    If Mian was here, then there was a huge possibility that Dion was also somewhere close by. That also meant that the future Patriarch candidate was in danger. The thought of losing both of them was something that he dreaded, but he would not get a chance to save them. All because of the Pillar that he was fighting.


    The human Pillar had also noticed the arrival of Mian in the vicinity, and a cruel smirk found its way onto his face when he noted that Daven had paid attention to the weak demi-human.


    The man turned decisively, spinning his swords in a wide arc, and effectively forcing Daven back a couple of steps. The next second, he waved his sword, and a wave of golden-brown energy was sent in the direction of Mian.


    Everything from when Mian landed there, all to when the human Pillar had sent the wave of energy in his direction, had all happened in just a couple of seconds. Mian had yet to even regain his wits by the time the wave was released, and was thus unable to react. However...


    [Forcefully taking control of the Host''s body.]


    ... There was someone who could react.


    Through the System, Hana forcefully took over the controls of Mian''s body, bending it in an odd way, and stretching his open palm toward the incoming wave of Natural Energy. The black clad human barely had the time to raise a brow in confusion before an explosion detonated, sending another plume of smoke up into the air.


    "Mian!" Daven roared when the smoke extended into the air above them. He felt a tiny part of his heart crumple upon witnessing the death of the young omega. Because of Mian''s closeness with Flare, he had begun to develop a soft spot for the omega. Now, he was dead!


    Before Daven could entertain any more negative thoughts and emotions, he felt a sudden spike of energy run through the air, and make his skin prickle. A third powerhouse had descended onto the battlefield! But the area where the powerhouse had come from was something that greatly confused him.


    The dust obscuring the area where Mian''s most likely mangled body was was blown away, as though carried away by an invisible force, revealing the three meter tall figure of a strange demi-human.


    The demi-human was covered in black fur on one side of his body, and white fur on the other side. The most remarkable and eye-catching feature of this demi-human was however, not his black and white fur, but instead, the bright gold streaks of fur that ran along his entire body. The lines of gold seemed to pulse with energy as he breathed in and out.


    And most shocking of all, were his golden irises.


    "...Mian?" Daven whispered in shock. He could not recognize the being before him, but his gut instincts pointed at the frail little omega that he had known for over a decade.


    A cool, haze surrounded Mian''s mind. He felt his actions, but could not control them at all. He already knew that Hana had seized control of his body, and now that he thought of it, it was quite frightening that she could randomly take control over his body whenever she wished.


    Through that cool haze that surrounded his mind, he stared at both his Patriarch and the human Pillar that had been locked in combat with his Patriarch, and immediately dismissed Daven. His enemy was the human.


    "Humph! If you think that blocking that slash was enough to make me doubt myself, then you have yet to see true power, you disgusting cretin!"


    The armor clad human roared.


    "Greater Strength! Second Phase!"


    As he called out that line, the Natural Energy that had gathered in that area seemed to go into a frenzy, whipping around and ripping through the already ruined battlefield. The entire battle around them had long since come to an end the moment the two powerhouses started going all out. There was little their subordinates could to to influence the battle. Only the victor of their fight could tell them how to proceed.


    "Mian! Be careful, this man is a beast!" Daven tried to warn Mian, only to meet a blade coming down right before him. He used all his might to dodge that slash, but was unable to completely dodge the wave of energy that was emitted from the slash.


    "ARGH!" He cried out in pain as he dropped to the ground, clutching his cut, bleeding shoulder.. A long, deep gash, that cut straight through his collar bone was left in the wake of the wave of energy.

 Chapter 34 - War (7)

    The wave of energy that had been emitted from the blade of the human continued forth, on a straight course toward Mian.


    Even with the impending energy slash of doom that was bearing down on him, Mian felt no fear. He did not even feel the slightest hint of nervousness.


    No.


    All he felt was pure, unadulterated power and confidence. He could win.


    With a calm motion, Mian raised his right arm up, putting it on the path of the approaching wave of energy. His fur was ruffled as the force of the violent wave of energy reached him first, and then, in the next moment, the wave of energy reached him.


    But then... It disappeared.


    The threatening wave of energy that had completely torn through Daven''s shoulder disappeared from right within Mian''s grasp!


    "What?! Impossible!" The human sputtered as his eyes grew as wide as saucers upon seeing his attack vanish into nothing.


    Mian directed his gaze to his open palm, closing and opening it as he felt a new rush of energy flow through his veins.


    [Evolution Points: 15,532]


    He had already gained an immense store of Evolution Points from just those two attacks. How many waves of energy had the human Pillar released earlier? It had already surpassed a dozen. That was basically a hundred thousand points gone to waste.


    Mian erupted into a laughter that startled both Daven and the human pillar that was clad in black armor. The man''s face contorted in rage as he saw Mian casually brushing off his attack and burst into a fit of laughter. It was degrading for something he always regarded as beneath him to belittle him.


    "YOU SCRAGLY PIECE OF CRAP!" The man burst out in rage. "HOW CAN YOU DO THAT?! LET ME TEACH YOU A LESSON!"


    After that outburst of rage, the man lunge forward, his two swords at the ready by his sides. Mian was already prepared. A substantial amount of Evolution Points that ere in his possession was spent all at once!


    [Evolution Points: 7,120]


    Mian felt as though he could lift the world atop his shoulders when the Evolution Points turned into raw power. He too, lunged forward to meet the human midway. Ten five-inch long claws grew out from his finger tips. Each of them glistened and looked as deadly as the sharpest blade.


    CLANG!


    Claws and swords clashed multiple times as they exchanged blows, shocking both the human and Daven. Not even Daven had tried to block even one of those slashed directly, yet Mian was meeting each blow, and diverting it easily with his claws, while also gaining ground on the human.


    Unknown to them, each time Mian clashed with the swords of the powerful human, he siphoned more and more Natural Energy from the energy shell that covered the human.


    Daven just watched all this from the area where he had retreated to in fear of getting hit by either of them. Aside from Mian, he was the only one able to notice that the golden-brown shell of energy around the human Pillar was dimming with every clash between the two fighters.


    [Evolution Points: 30,033]


    Mian kept playing along with the human. In the man''s rage, he had failed to notice that his strikes no longer released energy waves, and that he energy cover around him had long since dimmed.


    It was at that moment that Mian got a prompt from Hana.


    [Greater Strength Gift detected. The Evolution System will now absorb this Gift.]


    Mian felt his world shift, and his vision shake, and thought his was losing consciousness. That feeling only lasted for a moment though, and Mian was able to regain his bearings quickly, but that moment of disorientation was enough for the human to capitalize.


    In a moment''s notice, he had already swung his blade toward Mian''s head, aiming to cut it in half and put an end to the demi-human who had dared to make him look weak.


    Only for his sword to be stopped by Mian''s hand. The man looked at his sword, only to notice that the golden-brown cover of energy had completely vanished. In place of the bulky muscles that once covered his arms, all that was left was stretched, slacked skin and withered muscles.


    "What..?" Even his voice seemed frail. He stumbled back, and fell onto his back, drawn by the sudden weight of his blades. He had suddenly reduced to his former stature, but even worse. His body lacked the energy that once filled it, and his armor felt heavy and suffocating.


    "What did you do to me?" He whispered. "This is impossible! I can not lose! I CAN NOT LOSE TO EVOLUTION''S MISTAKE!" He yelled with a crazed light in his eyes.


    "Evolution''s mistake?" Mian scoffed. If his king, demi-humans, were truly Evolution''s mistake, then he doubted that he would currently be in possession of the Evolution System. After all, he still remembered it clearly. When Hana had told him that the System had deemed him worthy.


    If he was truly Evolution''s mistake, then he would have died the moment he touched the water, just as Hana had told him that the other creatures that had been unworthy had died.


    "If I am truly Evolution''s mistake, then I should be dead." Mian voiced his thoughts, resulting in a spike of wild emotions in the human.


    "GAAAHH!!! I WON''T LOSE! GREATER STRENGTH! THIRD PHASE: GOLDEN GLADIATOR!"


    The human finally lost the last thread that held him together. As he called out yet another phase of the Greater Strength Gift that was quickly fading from his body, a sudden spike of Natural Energy flared about him, surrounding him in a bright golden corona of energy. His body regained the energy it had lost rapidly, and the formless energy around him took the shape of golden armor. Indeed, he was a golden gladiator.


    Startled by the sudden move, Mian leapt back, only just dodging the swipe of the golden sword that was aimed for him. His eyes narrowed as he saw this. The man was not yet out of commission.


    A corona of golden Natural Energy covered his extended claws as he lunged forward to face the enraged man in direct combat. His claws clashed with the swords of the man continuously, and he even got a few good slashes in.


    That said, the human Pillar was in no way weak. All those years of experience he had on him were put to use here. He had never needed to go all out ever since he received the Greater Strength Gift, but today, he went all out.


    He cut, and slashed, and lunged. His swords split through the air, and dug through the ground. But even with all the missed opportunities that he had to end his enemy, he still managed to slip in some hits.


    His blade cut through Mian''s skin, piercing through his flesh, and spilling his blood. A satisfied grin spread across his face at that, but he couldn''t feel it.


    Before he could raise either of his swords again, they dropped to the ground, along with both him arms.


    "Ah? My... arms..." He looked at the bloody stumps of his shoulders where his arms were connected only a few moments ago, before shifting hs gaze to the demi-human standing before him.


    "I..." He never finished his statement. Before he could get the next word out, he felt his vision go hazy, and his body grow distant.. Darkness was all that followed.

 Chapter 35 - Dawn

    Mian retracted his claws when the head of the dead human Pillar dropped to the ground. The man''s body lay crumpled at his feet, oozing blood that the ground could not soak up, as it was already saturated from the earlier bloodbath.


    Slowly, he turned to take a look at the ruined battlefield. All he saw was overturned earth, and bodies of humans and demi-humans alike. A waste.


    Yes, a waste. A waste of precious lives. All caused by the greed of humans.


    [Your body will now shut down in order to repair the damages caused by overexertion and multiple sub-optimal Evolutions.] Hana''s voice cleared up the fog that had clouded Mian''s mind after the battled ended.


    ''Oh. That''s right. The backlash...''


    Mian''s line of thought trailed off as his vision grew fuzzy and tilted over. The last thing he saw was Daven running over to him before his mind went blank.


    ...


    Daven rushed over to Mian''s unconscious form while clutching at his damaged shoulder. He knew that such an injury would never truly heal completely, and that he would no longer be as powerful as he used to be, but that was nothing compared to coming out of this battle with his life intact.


    When he reached the fallen boy, the first thing he noticed was that the lines of golden fur all over Mian''s body was returning to the pale blue color that they once were. Even Mian''s form that had grown significantly more bulky during his fight with the human Pillar had returned to its barely two meter stature.


    Daven picked him up as though he was carrying glass, ignoring the spike of pain that travelled down his spine from moving his injured shoulder.


    By chance, Mian''s palm just happened to rest over the wound when Daven settled him, startling the gray furred Werewolf. Daven flinched, but the pain he was expecting never came.


    Ever so slightly, he pushed aside Mian''s hand, only to see raised, reddened skin where a deep gash once was.


    "Impossible..." Daven whispered in astonishment. "Just what is going on...?"


    While Daven was standing in place, pondering about what had happened in the past minutes, a sudden flash of light reached his eyes. He turned slightly to the side, gazing upon the rising sun.


    Dawn had come.


    ...


    "MIAN! Mian, can you hear me?!" Dion called out as he searched the ruined battlefield. He had been blown away during that final bout between the powerhouses of both armies, and currently had no idea where his friend was, or whether he was even still alive.


    Daven passed both demi-humans and humans who were going about, looking for their comrades. No one had the mind to fight at the moment, and both sides were waiting to see which of their leaders made it out alive. The winner of the war would be decided at that point.


    Dion stopped when he heard the sound of footsteps beyond a cloud of smoke. He hurriedly rushed through the cover of smoke to see who was at the other side, but was let down as he did not find Mian.


    Instead, he saw the lizardman and owlman who had assisted him in convincing the escaped demi-humans to join the fights.


    "Kid. You''re alive. What about that little friend of yours?" The lizardman asked as he swung the arm of his companions around his shoulders. Blood dripped down the side of the lizardman''s face, but he ignored it as though it was not even there.


    Dion''s ears flipped to the side of his head as the lizardman asked about Mian.


    "... I don''t know." He replied sadly.


    "What? But I thought you two were together? How did you lose sight of him?"


    "It was during the final phase of the battle. We were blown apart and I lost sight of him. I don''t even know if he''s alive."


    "Dammit. He must be alive. I doubt that kid with that fire in his eyes would die so easily." The owlman scowled and kicked a chunk of rock.


    Just then, the sound of firm, but careful footsteps reached their ears.


    "Dion? Is that you? I can smell you." The deep and familiar voice of Daven reached Dion''s ears, causing him to spin around. He smiled when he saw his patriarch, but that smile turned into a grin when he saw Mian''s unconscious frame in the grasp of the patriarch.


    He would have been worried if he did not see the steady rise and fall of Mian''s chest, and hear the faint sounds of breath coming from him.


    "Dion, you''re alike. I was worried sick." Daven sighed deeply when he saw his successor. He had truly been worried about Dion, and he had no way to tell if Dion was still alive, since Mian was not conscious, and could not answer his questions.


    "Patriarch... I-" Before Dion could finish his sentence, he found his face buried in the rough fur of Daven''s side as the patriarch pulled him into a hug.


    "A lizardman and an owlman. I do not recall ever seeing you two in my territory before." Daven studied the two demi-humans who were locked in conversation with Dion before his arrival.


    "It is an honor to meet the Patriarch of the pack that has raised two wonderful and brave young demi-humans." The lizardman bowed his head slightly. "I am Sekk''rah, and these two brave souls saved me and hundreds of other demi-humans from our cells of captivity in the Henshaw Dynasty."


    The lizardman, Sekk''rah, was truly grateful to Mian and Dion. If not for the risk they took, he would still be sleeping in a dirty cell, with no hope of ever being free again.


    "Oh?" Daven was taken aback as he looked from the unconscious boy in his arms, to the strong dominant that stood beside him.


    "I see. Very well, then. Would you and your companion be interested in staying with us to rest and recuperate? Every other demi-human who has assisted us is also welcome." Daven raised his voice at the last part of his sentence, making sure that everyone heard him.


    Upon knowing that the winner of the battle was the demi-humans, every non-human being still awake roared to the sky and cheered.

 Chapter 36 - Ceasing Hostilities

    Upon hearing of their defeat, the humans immediately gathered into small groups, keeping their backs against themselves and pointing their weapons outward.


    The demi-humans gathered around them, but before another fight could erupt, Daven''s voice sounded out once more.


    "Leave the humans. We can take their city later now that they are without the protection of a Pillar. Let us return home."


    With that said, all the demi-humans relaxed. In truth, most of them were just tired, and forcing the humans to fight for their lives at that time would just result in unnecessary casualties that could be avoided.


    Even the humans could only sigh in relief. They were in no condition to fight, especially with their morale being so low. They had just lost their Pillar, and that would have some very long lasting effects on not just them, but also on every human in the world. The balance had been tilted, and it would only be a matter of time before the demi-humans acted upon this change.


    "Retreat!" Someone among the humans randomly yelled. This person was Fabio. He had been lucky to survive this battle, and would love nothing more than to return to his family. Mario stood a few paces away from Fabio. His side was dripping with blood through his fingers that were pressing upon his open wound.


    No one blocked the path of the retreating humans, letting them disappear through what remained of the forest where the battle had taken place.


    "Now that the humans are gone and hostilities have been temporarily ceased, let us return home." Daven nodded from where he was and turned in the direction where the pack lands were located. It would take them roughly two hours to get to the caves and buildings, but he did not mind it. The warriors who had survived through this battle deserved every bit of rest they could get on the way back. They would return later to handle the dead.


    ...


    Some time later, on the borders of the pack lands, a small, yellow furred demi-human with a puffy mane running around his neck and down his back peeked from between the trees.


    This Werecat was Flare. He was anxious about the outcome of the battle, and decided to wait where he would be able to see anyone coming towards the pack.


    Flare idly flipped a small pebble in his hand in a moment of boredom. Just as he tried to catch it, it hit the tip of his finger before bouncing forward and rolling out of reach.


    "Ah, crud." He cursed before reaching for it.


    That was when his eyes caught the procession of injured demi-humans emerging from the tree line ahead. At the forefront of the procession, an extremely familiar gray furred Werewolf.


    "They''re¡­ back?" Flare trailed off as the pebble fell from his grasp. "They''re back! We won!" He jumped to his feet and turned to run back to the pack in order to announce the joyful news, but the demi-human held in Daven''s arms stopped him in his tracks.


    "Mian?" He instead turned to run toward the approaching group of demi-humans.


    "Mian! Mian!" Tears pooled in his eyes as he continued running forward, almost tripping a couple of times before finally reaching the approaching warriors.


    He immediately jumped into Daven''s arms and on top of Mian''s chest, hugging Mian''s unconscious form.


    Soft chuckles and sounds of laughter spread through the group as they saw this, and Daven bore a fond smile as he looked at the pair.


    "Don''t worry, he''s still alive." Daven told Flare in order to allay his worries.


    Then he carried the two boys all the way back to the pack, where the remaining members were awaiting their return.


    They were all welcomed with open arms and smiles, but Daven could spot the pained and sad looks among those who were family of the fallen. His heart went out to them, but there was little he could do. He might be powerful, but he was not God. He could not bring back the dead.


    After setting Mian and Flare to rest in his chambers, with Kira to watch over them, Daven ordered for all members of the pack, including their guests to be present in the main chamber of the pack where he planned to give a speech.


    When he got there, Daven looked through the extensive cavern, counting more than a thousand heads. Truly, his pack was populous.


    "My people, demi-humans large and small alike, it is with great joy that I return to tell you that the humans have been beaten back!" He began. "Although we have lost a lot of very precious pack members, they have not died meaningless deaths. They have bravely fought and defended their pack. It is the greatest honor that a demi-human can die for their pack''s sake. Their lives and deaths shall be forever honored. And so, it is in their name that we shall conquer the Henshaw Dynasty''s capital! We shall run the humans out of their homes! And we shall plant our names over their houses."


    Daven''s words resonated through the crowd. Although they had lost precious family and friends, they would honor their sacrifices.


    "And also, I wish to thank the graciously demi-humans who had chosen to assist us during our times of need. Your great deed shall not go unrewarded or unnoticed. We are indebted to you." He nodded as Sekk''rah.


    "And finally, I am glad to announce that we have also regained our two greatest talents. Dion, the future Patriarch, and Mian, our most treasured member of the pack. It is with great pleasure that I intend to announce the placement of young Mian as a Council member!"


    At first, the crowd was glad that Dion had returned, but then, Daven''s next words shook them to their core!


    Mian, the weak Omega. A Council member?!


    No one could believe it. Had their Patriarch incurred some brain damage during the battle?! Why else would he make an Omega a Council member?

 Chapter 37 - Waking Up

    Mian groaned lowly as he stretched open his eyelids. He could feel a soft warmth against his side that clung tightly to him.


    "Mian...? A small, but very familiar voice called out beside him. "Mian? You''re awake?!" Flare jumped up beside Mian and placed his hands on Mian''s scrunched up face.


    Mian groaned again as he forced his vision to focus. He could make out Flare''s grin through his blurry vision.


    "Flare?" Slowly, ever so slowly, Mian got up into a sitting position and rubbed at his sore eyes. His memories began rushing back to him, arranging themselves in an order that he could understand.


    He remembered joining the forest battle with around two hundred other demi-humans. He remembered slowly mowing through the opposition, and then, he remembered the power that flowed through him as he battled the human Pillar.


    "We won..." He whispered as a small smile spread over his face, and his features warmed up. His bright blue eyes twinkled as he recalled the figure of Daven rushing toward him as he lost consciousness.


    "Yeah, we did." Flare concurred from beside Mian with a grin of his own. "What exactly happened out there? Because some crazy stuff has been happening ever since you go back." He asked with a puzzled look.


    "Hmm? How long have I been out? It feels like just a few hours." Mian scratched his neck, wondering how long he had been unconscious for.


    [Welcome back, Host. You have been unconscious for three days and fourteen hours.]


    Hana''s voice popped into Mian''s head with a surprising freshness to it.


    ''Oh, Hana!'' Mian thought happily just as Flare gave his own answer.


    "Um, I think you were unconscious for about three and a half days or so... I think." The little Werecat began counting on his fingers.


    [Your Status is as follows:]


    [Status]


    Name: Mian


    Race: Demi-human - Feline


    Age: Nineteen


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 920


    Stamina: 720


    Strength: 250


    Agility: 300


    Evolution Points: 99,999...


    ---


    [User Pack Ranking]


    Name: Mian


    Rank: Middle Rank (High)


    Rank Privilege: Enhanced Toxins, Minor Leadership Talent, Minor Mystic Force.


    ---


    ''Good Heavens... Middle Rank?! Minor Mystic Force?! Just how did these get here?!''


    Mian could not help the shock he felt upon seeing his Status. He went from being a Lower Ranking pack member to being a Middle Ranking pack member that had a high status, even among the middle ranking members. That was just insane!


    ''Hana, how did this all happen?'' He asked the only one who could know what was going on for some clarification.


    [Host, during the battle with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift, your body was under an immense amount of strain. Because of this, your body was constantly being enhanced and reinforced with Natural Energy in order to prevent it from collapsing on itself. Some of these enhancements have become permanent, thereby forcibly raising your ranking and power.]


    ''Wow...'' He let out a deep sigh as he let her words sink in. It seemed handling such vast amounts of Natural Energy was incredibly hard.


    Speaking about Natural Energy and Evolution Points, Mian could only gawk at the amount of Evolution Points he had. In fact, would he ever need to absorb any more points again? Surely, this much would be enough to propel him to the top of the world!


    [By the way, Host.]


    ''Huh? What is it?''


    [Because of the forceful raising of your rank and power, your body is currently unstable. Although your health is at its best, using more Evolution Points to boost your body in the short term might cause irreversible damage to you. Because of that, you will be unable to use Evolution Points to Evolve your body for the next year.]


    ''...What?! But-but-but!''


    He had no words. In fact, he could not even think of any reason to protest. He had basically sealed off his ability to Evolve for the next year in order to keep his life.


    Just as he was absorbed in his thoughts, the fur hide that covered the entrance to the room was pushed to the side. A petite white Werewolf stepped into the room with a bowl of food in her hands.


    "Flare, food is read- oh! Mian, you''re awake!" Kira''s eyes widened upon seeing Mian awake. "Daven! Daven honey, come in here, Mian is awake!" She called to her mate as he hurriedly came beside the bed of furs and placed the bowl of food down.


    "He''s awake?" Daven''s deep voice came a moment later as his large, gray form appeared by the doorway. He grinned a toothy grin when he saw Mian and Flare sitting together.


    "Mian! How are you? You must be hungry." He made his way into the room before taking the spot beside Kira.


    A memory came to Mian. The memory of Daven clutching a bloody gash that ran through his shoulder.


    Mian''s eyes unconsciously moved to the spot where the wound was, only to see pink, raised skin. Daven caught his eyes as he watched him.


    "Ah, yes, we have something we need to talk about." A strange look passed over Daven''s face. "But that can wait until you eat and refresh yourself." The patriarch grinned at the boy who had saved his life.


    With that, the man got up and left the room. His hand unconsciously went to his shoulder where his recent injury was. Unknown to Mian and the others, a pained look crossed his face. In his heart, he truly hoped that Mian could repeat the incredible feat that he had done when he healed his shoulder.. Because a friend truly needed such a miracle to help him heal, otherwise, the strength of the pack would never be as it was.

 Chapter 38 - Council-what Now?!

    After Mian had gotten his fill, he finally stepped out of the Patriarch''s chambers and headed into one of the main tunnels that led directly to the main chambers. Earlier, a messenger had come to tell him that his presence was needed in the main chambers.


    With a hand, Mian pushed aside the animal hide that obscured the chamber and stepped it. The moment he did, the furious whispers that rang through the room went quiet at once. Twelve pairs of eyes stared him down, threatening to bore through him just by their intensity alone.


    "Mian," Daven''s voice cut through the tension. "Please, come and take your sit beside me while I introduce you." The large, gray furred Werewolf patted the spot beside him.


    With a seed of nervousness beginning to bloom in his heart, Mian made his way across the room, trying his best not to appear nervous or pressured. His Rank Privilege, the Minor Leadership Talent, had miraculously given him some much needed backbone and a boost in confidence that he sorely needed.


    After a dozen seconds that seemed to drag on forever in Mian''s mind, he finally sat down beside Daven and on the opposite side from the twelve extremely powerful dominants. He knew of them, even if he had never seen them before. They were the twelve council members.


    "Let me introduce you all." Daven spoke. Mian noticed a strange air passing through the ranks of the council members but passed it off as his budding nervousness.


    "Let me start with Balvan." Daven began. He motioned to the dark brown furred Werewolf that was to the far left. "Balvan is one of the three Heads of the Scout Regiment. He is in charge of most of our scouting and information collecting activities in the pack. He is extremely reliable and is trusted for the validity of the information that he relays to us." Daven nodded at Balvan, who had a plain and unbothered look on his face. The Werewolf studied Mian with sharp, probing eyes that made Mian''s fur prickle.


    "Next is Rakon." Daven motioned toward the white furred Werewolf. The man also studied Mian with his brilliant blue eyes. His long ears constantly twitched, as though irritated by some strange sound that Mian could not hear. "Rakon is the second head of the Scout Regiment. He is in charge of a brilliant, magical mental network that is able to link the minds of very important people, allowing for a very easy flow of information."


    Mian''s eyes lit up when he heard the term ''mental network''. Perhaps it was similar to the means that Hana used to speak to him.


    "Next is..."


    Daven dutifully introduced Mian to each and every demi-human there was in the chamber at that moment. The third head of the Scout Regiment, the head of their workforce, and others. But he intentionally left Azreal for last.


    "Last but not least, Azreal." A strange look that no one noticed passed through Daven''s eyes. Mian turned his gaze to the dark furred Werewolf. The powerful man''s fur shone under the light that seeped into the chambers, making it look like he had doused himself in oil before coming here, but in fact, his shiny fur was all natural.


    "Azreal is the head of our warriors. He is in charge of mobilizing out warriors to face any threat that is being directed at the pack..." Daven trailed off before letting out a sigh.


    "Mian." He spoke up. His voice held a different tone to it than before, however. The tone of his voice compelled everyone to turn their attention to him.


    "Yes, Patriarch?" Mian hurriedly turned to face Daven, prying his eyes away from Azreal''s bandaged stump of a right arm. It seemed he had lost it just recently.


    ''The war...'' Mian thought grimly to himself.


    "Do you know why you are here now, receiving all this information?"


    "No, Patriarch." Mian shook his head.


    "Very well, I will tell you then... Your performance in the war was splendid. If it were not for you, then I would have very well died, and we would have lost the war. Because of that, I have decided to make you a member of my Council. Mian, you are now a Council member."


    "I-what? Sorry, hat?! A council member?!" Mian stumbled over his words as he tried to comprehend Daven''s words.


    Before Daven could reply though, someone else cut in.


    "Excuse me for cutting you short, Patriarch, but I truly wonder how Mian could have possibly done anything against the Pillar and at the same time, save your life."


    The one who spoke up had been Azreal. The one-armed man watched Mian with eyes that threatened to slice through him.


    "It is quite simple, really." Daven shook his head with a twisted smile. "Mian fought the Pillar."


    "IMPOSSIBLE!" The council members erupted! "How could a mere middle rank fight a Pillar when three of the most powerful dominants in the pack failed to match up?!"


    "Silence!!" Daven''s voice boomed across the room. While he was usually quite tolerant towards his council, he would not have them discredit his words so easily.


    The room turned silent in an instant. The pressure that Daven radiated seemed to do the job of shutting them up. Surprisingly, that pressure washed over Mian''s mind like it was not even there, surprising even Daven himself who had forgotten about Mian''s weakness for a moment. The image of Mian going toe to toe with the Pillar had already cemented Mian''s powerful figure in his mind.


    The gray furred Werewolf turned to Mian with a solemn look on his face before speaking.


    "Mian... Now, truth be told, I do not know how you accomplished what you did back there, but I am truly grateful. Without you, I would be dead right now, and even after I survived, my strength would have been completely halved as it was." Daven''s hand unconsciously went to the scar on his shoulder, dragging the gazes of the others present.


    Truth be told, when they had seen that injury, they were confused. Before the battle, there had been no injury there, and anything gotten from a powerful figure like the Pillar would have surely taken longer to heal, but Daven had returned with a completely healed wound.


    At first, they had assumed that their leader had experienced a breakthrough in his power, raising him to an all new height, but upon hearing his words at them moment, they began doubting their former conclusions.


    "Mian, I do not know what miracle you performed, but please, help Azreal regain his arm, in the same way you helped me."

 Chapter 39 - The Gift

    At first, everyone was confused. Astounded. Then Daven''s words finished processing in their heads and the council members erupted.


    "What?!"


    "Are you trying to say that-"


    "What do you mean?!"


    Daven shook his head, feeling more than a little embarrassed at the behavior of the council that every pack member viewed with respect, and one day hoped to become part of. They were making a complete fool of themselves before their newest member. They too, soon realized this and quieted down. They looked at Daven expectantly, wanting an answer from him.


    "Now that I have your attention, let me explain." Daven began; he turned to Mian. "Mian, do you know what a Gift is?"


    "Gift? I''m sorry, but I don''t understand what you mean. I know what a gift is, but I think that the gift I know and the one you mean might be two different things." Mian replied honestly. He had an idea of what the Patriarch was talking about, but he decided to wait for a better explanation before he confirmed his theories.


    "I figured. Let me start from the beginning. Ten years ago, a phenomenon that would mark the change of the world occurred. An asteroid from beyond the skies came crashing down into our world. This strange... rock came with some unbelievable effects. It granted powers beyond what we could imagine onto certain people. Those who first made contact with these rocks were granted Gifts. These Gifts allowed them to push the boundaries of what we once thought was our limit. With these Gifts, the society of all nations throughout the world was flipped on its head. No one challenged a nation that held a Gift bearer."


    "Now, a couple of weeks ago, another asteroid crashed down in our territory." As Daven said this, Mian''s eyes widened. "Yes, another asteroid bearing a Gift." He nodded.


    "A mission to inspect this was given to Brian, a Middle Ranking Werewolf. I personally picked the most promising prodigies of your generation to escort Dion in his journey to claim this Gift for himself, but something went wrong. You were attacked on your way there, and some things led to another. In the end, I believe you might have stumbled upon this asteroid and gained the Gift contained within it. Does anything within my story ring a bell?"


    Mian was surprised when he heard Daven''s explanation. He easily recalled that after his flight from the sight where their group had been attacked, he had wound up in a clearing with a lake at its center and a large boulder filled with golden liquid. Everything about that moment had been miraculous, and fit the explanation that Daven had provided.


    Mian decided to be honest with Daven. After all, if it was not for Daven, then he might not even be here today, and aside from that, he did not plan on keeping some things to himself, lest he would be unable to be himself and carry out some of the plans he had already begun to brew ever since he woke up.


    "Your words do ring a bell..." Mian admitted. "I did indeed run into a massive boulder in the middle of the forest. And I suppose that I had gotten a Gift from that boulder." He nodded.


    "Do you mind telling us what exactly this Gift is?" Daven pressed on.


    It was at that point that Mian realized that letting them know every detail of what he could do would be quite foolish. After all, he was still a middle ranking pack member, while everyone present was a powerful dominant. If they decided to restrain him and make him do things against his will, then it would be very bad for his future prospects.


    Mian trusted Daven, but even still, he was still hesitant. All through most of what he could recall since the pack had taken him in, he had been bullied and mistreated. That naturally left him with quite a bit of distrust towards most members of the pack. Even if Daven were to stand on his side, who knew if the entire pack would turn against them?


    Mian let all his worries and thoughts come out and run through his mind in that moment. He just couldn''t risk it.


    After some more moments spent thinking, Mian finally decided.


    "My Gift is Energy Manipulation."


    "Oh?"


    The eyes of the dominants around him widened as they heard this. Even Daven nodded as he thought about it.


    Naturally, none of them were strangers to the energy that existed all around them, especially when dominants as powerful as them interacted with it on a daily basis. The Mystic Force that they were capable of projecting around them was also a manifestation of energy in the end.


    "Would it be possible for you to heal my arm with that Gift? After all, Energy Manipulation is still fundamentally different from healing." Azreal was the one who spoke up this time. He wanted to be hopeful, but he still decided to be reserved so as to be less disappointed if Mian was unable to heal him.


    Instead of answering Azreal, Mian directed the question inwards.


    ''What do you think, Hana? Will I be able to help him regrow his arm?'' He asked the dutiful assistant that had stuck with him through the tough times he had experienced as of late. She had been immensely helpful in helping him find his way in regards to the Evolution System, and Mian was not sure if he would even have up to half the power he currently possessed if he had embarked on this journey without her.


    [As a matter of fact, Host, you can heal his arm quite easily. All you need to do is will Natural Energy to concentrate in the area that you need. While doing this, you need to do it with the intention of healing him. This will imbue the Natural Energy with healing properties that will vastly speed up the healing process. You should already be familiar with this, as you have done this once before, if subconsciously.] Hana replied sharply.


    Mian''s mind drifted to the time he had helped heal Dion''s injury back before they got captured, and a small smile graced his features, drawing the attention of the dominants around him.


    "As a matter of fact, I can.." Mian finally answered Azreal with shining eyes.

 Chapter 40 - The Gift (2)

    Azreal laid on a raised wooden platform in the middle of the main chamber where the Patriarch and his council members were gathered. They all stood a few meters away from the platform, as they examined what Mian was doing. The young demi-human in question was the only one who stood directly beside the platform.


    Azreal had unwrapped the bandages that were tied around the stump of his shoulder, revealing the bright red swollen flesh that had remained. In fact, it was actually not as bad as Mian had thought it would be. The wound looked as though it had already begun to heal over, and would become a permanent mark on Azreal for his loss in battle.


    Thankfully, Mian could help.


    "So, how exactly are we going to proceed?" Azreal asked and turned his head to face Mian who stood at his side.


    "Um... Just brace yourself. I have no idea if this will hurt, but you should still be prepared in the event that it does." Mian advised and raised his hands above Azreal''s severed shoulder.


    He did exactly as Hana instructed him. He willed the Natural Energy that was present in the surroundings to gather around Azreal''s shoulder with the intention of healing it.


    As he did so, specks of golden light began to appear in the air above the wooden table, drawing the attention of the council members to them. They all watched with amazement in their eyes as the specks of golden light began to converge on Azreal''s injury. To them, this was a spectacular moment. They were able to watch one of their own utilize a Gift. Because of this, they were already envisioning making Mian into a Pillar to support their own demi-human society, and then grow even more from there.


    They had been forced to limit their growth in order to avoid sparking conflict between themselves and the Henshaw Dynasty, but as that conflict had already come to pass, leading to the loss of the Dynasty''s Pillar, and them gaining their own Pillar, they believed it was time to resume their upwards trend.


    While the council members were lost in their thoughts and fantasies, Mian noticed something was wrong.


    ''Hana, why do I feel as if something is wrong?'' He asked Hana mentally.


    [That is because something is wrong. You are only utilizing the sparse Natural Energy in the environment. While normally, that is enough for simple injuries, it is insufficient to repair the damage done to the arm of this dominant Werewolf. You will need to consume Evolution Points in order to properly heal him.]


    Mian understood what Hana said quite easily. It was reasonable for the requirement to heal such a grave injury to be Evolution Points.


    Evolution Points were the highly concentrated and condensed form of Natural Energy. It was only natural they were much more potent than the stray Natural Energy that was present all around.


    ''How many Evolution Points will it take to completely heal him arm?''


    [Exactly two thousand and three Evolution Points. While reconstructing the tissue and flesh is not a big deal, building his bones and allowing them to be able to withstand the amount of Natural Energy that a powerful dominant like him is able to wield will take the most amount of the Evolution Points that will be used in the reconstruction.]


    The interaction between Hana and Mian took place in just a few seconds. That was too short of a time for anyone to notice anything. Mian immediately allocated the amount of Evolution Points that would be needed to regrow the arm.


    A dazzling flash of light temporarily blinded everyone present, only subsiding a few seconds later, but the sight that their eyes welcomed was something that would forever be imprinted in their minds.


    When the light subsided, Azreal sat up with wide eyes and a slack jaw. His right hand clutched his left arm that he thought had been lost forever. The skin and fur of the arm still felt tingly and sensitive, but that was a small price to pay for getting back the lost limb.


    This act was enough to convince everyone who still doubted, that Mian was worthy of a seat on the council.


    Even Daven was caught in a daze. He had seen plenty examples of both humans and demi-humans alike wielding Natural Energy, but this was the first time he had seen it being used for something other than destruction. It was so new that he almost felt compelled to relinquish his seat as Patriarch to Mian, but his mind soon reasserted proper thoughts and pushed away the stupid, mindless ones that had swarmed his line of thought just a moment ago.


    "Amazing!" Azreal exclaimed with a new light in his eyes. He looked at Mian with a deeply seated and new found respect. Truly, the young demi-human was worthy of a spot on the council among the most powerful dominants of the pack.


    "Now that you have all been convinced of Mian''s ability, I hope you all will show him nothing but kindness and acceptance as he embraces his position on the council." Daven smiled and patted Mian''s shoulder.


    Mian''s smile faltered at that moment as Daven''s words contradicted with his future plans, but he held back his words.. He would bring it up at a later date, but for now, he would stay with the pack and enjoy being around those who were close to him.

 Chapter 41 - The Gift (3)

    Mian sat at one of the highest points atop the mountain area where the pack lands were located. He studied the sunset with a deep gaze, basking in the warmth that it cast over his skin. The sound of soft footsteps drew his attention from the sun to look at the person who had come to see him.


    Dion took the empty spot to Mian''s right and mimicked Mian''s actions, letting his gaze settle on the distant plains that surrounded their lands. He had a lot on his mind, but he had no idea how to voice it all. When he tried to say one thing, something else would want to come out first, leading him to resemble a fish out of water as he opened and closed his mouth without ever saying anything.


    "Take a deep breath, and try again." Mian said without turning to face Dion.


    Dion did as he said and took in a deep breath, before releasing it and speaking up.


    "Mian... What exactly is going on?" Dion asked.


    In truth, he still had no idea what had happened in the past weeks. Firstly, they had been on a mission, then they had gotten randomly attacked by an unknown force. After that, they had gotten captured by humans, only to escape, and then run into a full blown battle between their pack and the humans who had captured them. And by some miracle, they had won against a human Pillar. And finally, Daven had announced Mian as part of a council. Everything was just way out of whack from his perspective!


    "What''s going on?" Mian repeated the black furred dominant''s words as he leaned back on his arms. "To be honest, I''m not too sure either. It''s all happening too fast. So fast that I can''t even keep up... But that isn''t going to stop my plans." He turned and grinned at the dominant that looked at him with wide open eyes.


    Dion was truly confused. He clearly remembered that Mian had been just a simple omega when they had first met. But over their time in captivity, Mian had slowly changed. He had turned from a kid who could not even maintain eye contact to someone with a true backbone. Not only that, but the omega had turned into a middle ranking pack member, and a powerful one at that! Mian was only just a step away from being regarded as a high ranking pack member.


    It was all too fast!


    When Dion faced Mian, he noticed that Mian''s mind seemed distant. Something was off, and he could just about place his finger on it. Dion recalled that Mian had been bullied a lot before. It was not hard for him to place two and two together and figure out why Mian seemed distant.


    "You plan on leaving, don''t you?" Dion asked lowly as he turned to look over the plains that had begun to darken as the sun vanished over the horizon.


    "Yeah, I do. I just want to be away from everyone for a while. I don''t plan on staying away forever. Maybe just a few months or a year." Mian shrugged.


    "The wilderness is dangerous, Mian. Even a dominant might have a hard time out there sometimes." Dion remarked.


    "I know. But I will not change my mind. I have already decided." Mian said with a firm undertone lining his voice. He was not changing his mind no matter what his dominant friend said to try and convince him.


    Dion sighed deeply. "Does the Patriarch know?"


    "Yeah, he does." Mian nodded.


    Daven was already aware that Mian intended to leave the pack for a while. It was almost impossible for him to have missed Mian''s change in mood when he was speaking with the council members about his position on the council.


    The moment he had dismissed them, he had confronted Mian on his intention to leave. After listening to Mian, although he was reluctant, he had eventually agreed to the young demi-human''s request.


    Daven would understand why Mian felt the need to explore the wilderness on his own for a time. After all, before he became the Patriarch of his pack, he had also been a lone wolf. He travelled alone until he had by chance met an old lizardman, and the old lizardman had made him realize that having people he could trust was a nice feeling and assurance to have at all times. That was how his pack came to be.


    While he agreed that having people you could trust around you was assuring, he also agreed that there were times when you would feel the need to be alone, lest you stagnate and lose the drive that pushed you forward.


    "Be careful on your journeys. The wilderness is not safe, and is strife with dangers. We will be waiting for your return." The gray furred Werewolf had told Mian, giving him the permission to leave the pack without being branded as a rogue.


    "I have a feeling that things will be quite bland when you leave." Dion sighed again. "Do you think the Patriarch will let me tag along for this adventure?"


    "No, I doubt he would. Besides, how can I leave with my mind at rest when the best of the pack will be following me? I need someone to stay back and make sure Flare stays safe." Mian grinned widely.


    The two of them remained there for some more time until Daven stood up to take his leave. He stretched a hand out to Mian and helped pull up the smaller demi-human.


    "Stay safe out there. I don''t want to have to come and save your back side." With those words, Dion turned to return to the caves in the mountain.


    Meanwhile, a different sound was drifting through Mian''s mind.


    [Greater Strength Gift granted.]

 Chapter 42 - Leaving

    "You are... leaving?" Flare asked slowly as he looked up at Mian. His bright eyes shook ever so slightly as they began to water.


    "Hey, it''s okay. I won''t be gone for too long." Mian pulled Flare into a hug. He patted the smaller Werecat on the head as he waited for him to calm down.


    Ten minutes later, Flare pulled back while wiping furiously at his puffy eyes.


    "Why do you have to go? You only just got back!" Flare glared at Mian, not understanding why the demi-human he saw as an older brother was thinking of going on an adventure in the wilderness.


    Mian sighed deeply. He felt guilty for leaving Flare so suddenly after he got back. The young dominant had been scared that he was dead during his time in captivity, and now, he was pulling another stunt and intended to disappear for a year or even longer.


    He finally recollected his thoughts and sighed deeply.


    "It''s something I have to do. I can''t explain it, but I just want some time away from all the stress of the pack. A little freedom can go a long way. I just need some space." Mian shrugged helplessly. He truly had no ay of properly explaining how he felt to the younger demi-human.


    But Flare was smart, so he easily understood the reason Mian felt like leaving for some time. Mian had been bullied for most of his life, and ever since Flare first met Mian, he had been in that situation.


    He still remembered how he and Mian met. He had been exploring the caves in the mountain when he heard the sounds of crying coming from a small opening. Upon crawling into the opening to inspect the sound, he had seen Mian clutching his arm where a few gashes could be seen dripping blood.


    At first, Flare had been confused upon seeing Mian bleeding, but he soon understood that powerful toxins were running rampant through his blood stream and causing him unimaginable pain.


    Flare had truly felt for Mian and had gone out to find Daven, who had used the healing enzymes in his saliva to heal the injury and Purge the toxins.


    (A/N: I have not really brought up the issue of the healing enzymes that demi-humans possess. You will see more mentions of this in Volume Two, but I guess it is self explanatory. You can say it if you don''t understand in the comment section.)


    Ever since that moment, Flare made sure to check up on Mian everyday. He would sneak away food for Mian since he knew that Mian was always bullied out of eating with the others, and he would also sneak some soft furs away to help Mian get through the winter or any particularly cold period.


    It was no surprise that Mian was considering leaving for some time.


    "Fine! When are you leaving?" Flare finally managed to get his emotions under control and gave Mian a hard look.


    "Um¡­ In a couple of days, I guess." Mian replied with a strained smile.


    "Fine. You just have to promise to spend the time you have left with me, or I''ll make sure you never leave!" Flare stuck out his tongue as he pounced on Mian to give him another hug.


    "I promise. I''ll spend the remaining time I have left with you." Mian laughed and patted Flare''s head.


    Unknown to the little Werecat, Miam had already left a gift that would help him in his growth.


    [Are you sure, Host? This dominant will already be a dominant in the middle tier.]


    Hana asked for confirmation of Mian''s wishes.


    ''Yes, I am sure. Do it.''


    [Allocating Evolution Points to Flare. Demi-human rank raised from Dominant(mid) to Dominant (high).]


    A couple of days later, a small gathering of demi-humans, no more than a dozen gathered around one of the more obscure exits to the mountain.


    Daven and Kira stood at the front, comforting a crying Flare.


    "I''ll miss you." The little dominant said sincerely. His sharp attitude was nowhere to be seen at the moment as he wiped his eyes.


    Mian stepped forward and caught the little dominant in a tight hug.


    "It''s okay, I won''t be gone for too long. You can''t get rid of me so easily." He smiled as he helped wipe the tears from Flare''s eyes.


    "Be careful, Mian. Always make sure to set up camp in safe places." Kira spoke up with a soft smile on her face. Daven nodded beside her. He had already spoken to Mian and had no other words to tell him.


    "Don''t get lost, Mian. We''ll be waiting right here when you get back." A black furred Werewolf, Dion, spoke up with a smile of his own.


    "Don''t worry, you guys are worrying too much. I can take care of myself." Mian grinned and waved before turning to leave. A couple of council members were present and nodded respectfully at Mian before retuyto their duties.


    Flare burst into tears again when Mian disappeared between the dense vegetation of the forest.


    Mian had left. To start a new chapter of his journey. To see the next adventure that laid on his path.. But he will be back.

 Chapter 43 - Adventure

    A week had passed by quickly as Mian made his way out of the pack''s lands. He made quick progress as he travelled in the opposite direction of the Henshaw Dynasty, heading in the direction of the sea that separated the Northern Continent from the rest of the world.


    His journey was relatively quiet and uneventful, but that was not bound to last. On the evening of the seventh day of his journey, Mian accidentally stumbled upon a small settlement of mud and wooden houses that occupied a large clearing the middle of the forest.


    A mix of male and female Werewolves stared at Mian with shock and confusion evident on their faces.


    "Stranger! Identify yourself!" A loud voice boomed across that area of the clearing as a large, three meter tall Werewolf ran toward him with a spear in its grasp. The Werewolf radiated an intense aura of fierceness that showed that he was an experienced warrior who could face Mian if need be.


    With a single glance at the Werewolf, Mian was able to determine his rank and where his power stood. Of course, that was possible thanks to Hana. While Mian could easily tell that he was a high ranking Werewolf, he could not pinpoint his exact ranking. That was where Hana was able to step in and help.


    [Appraisal]


    Species: Demi-human - Werewolf


    Pack Ranking: High Ranking (Mid)


    ---


    (A/N: I made a small change to the ''Species'' tab. I''m not sure how many of you will notice it, but I still want to point it out.)


    Hana quickly gave Mian a short and summarized run down on the Werewolf''s status and Mian nodded mentally.


    "Hello, I mean no harm, I am just a traveler." Mian innocently raised his hands and revealed a helpless smile as he introduced himself.


    The older demi-human fixed him with a deep, scrutinizing gaze that seemed to want to burn through Mian''s skin to find out if he held any ulterior motives against the small settlement. After some time though, he finally reduced the intensity of his stare.


    "Follow me, I wil take you to our leader." The man eventually said before escorting Mian through the clearing, and to a large wooden building that was situated on the opposite side that Mian had emerged from.


    The building was built in an elaborate manner, and resembled a modest mansion. Mian guessed that the Patriarch of this medium sized pack had decided to take that area as his home.


    A series of armed guards in the middle and higher rank were posted around the mansion. Mian was unable to spot even a single dominant demi-human throughout the journey to the mansion. He figured that they probably lacked the strength, and the dominants were scarce, or that the dominants had gone out on a dangerous mission. He could not be sure without getting more information.


    The guards around the gates of the mansion straightened their backs and stomped the butts of their spears on the hard ground when the Werewolf leading Mian came into range. A few curious glances were shot at Mian, but ultimately diverted because he was with a high ranking member of their pack. Also, he was simply a middle rank, it would not be too hard to put him down if there was a need for it.


    A simple looking door led into the mansion, and the Werewolf led Mian through it, down a few corridors, and straight to a room on the ground floor. Mian studied the walls and took note of any peculiar object he saw as he walked through the corridors.


    He saw paintings and drawings of Werewolves of varying colors and ages. The names of the various Werewolves were carved into the wooden frames that held their paintings, marking them out as important figures that Mian guessed had to do with the founding and growth of the pack over time.


    The Werewolf knocked on the door and waited politely. A few moments later, a gruff voice came from the other side of the door.


    "Come in."


    The voice was unmistakably male, and carried a hint of power and wisdom in it. The man leading him immediately bowed his head as an unrestrained look of respect and adoration appeared on his face. He gingerly turned the door knob and the door pushed open without a single creak.


    The wooden door opened to reveal a large room. Small shelves lined the walls, brimming with books of all sizes and colors. Mian took in the room with wide and interested eyes. He knew what books were, but he had never seen so many of them. Even his ability to read was below average.


    "Do you like my collection? I am quite proud of myself for gathering all this knowledge despite the poor background of my pack."


    The same gruff voice that had given them permission to enter the room spoke out. Only then did Mian take note of the large mahogany table and large wooden chair that was draped with furs.. Sitting on the chair, a three meter tall, black Werewolf with a vertical scar running through his left eye smiled at Mian.

 Chapter 44 - Adventure (2)

    The dominant Werewolf studied Mian with a careful gaze. His single eye raked over Mian''s multicolored boy for a few more seconds before settling to stare in the middle rank''s bright blue eyes.


    "We have not had a visitor for quite a while, so I hope you do not mind the poor welcoming you have received. Most travelers either converge at the Henshaw Dynasty or the large pack up north." The man said. "Please, sit." He gestured at the chair opposite him on Mian''s side of the table.


    When Mian sat, he nodded before waving away the high ranking Werewolf that led Mian there, leaving only the two of them there. Mian began to feel a bit nervous because of the silence that had enveloped the room.


    "I never thought that Daven would let a middle rank stray this far from his pack alone." The dominant Werewolf eventually spoke, causing Mian''s eyes to widen.


    "You know my Patriarch?" He asked as he leaned forward.


    "Know him? Of course I know him! In fact, we could be considered good friends a while back!" The man burst into laughter. His deep voice boomed through the room and the air shook. He didn''t even try to hold back his aura. That aura washed over Mian as if it was just a slight breeze, claiming the attention of the dominant.


    "Ahem. Forget about my affairs with Daven in the past. Let me introduce myself," He leaned forward ever so slightly, " My name in Han."


    "I''m Mian, it''s nice to meet you." Mian smiled slightly. While introducing himself, his mind couldn''t help but think back to only a month ago when just having someone look at him would make him fear for his safety. He had come a long way in the past month, and his growth in strength surely played a part in it. His ranking, as well as his ability and the fact that he had beaten a powerhouse, had all helped in making him more sure of himself.


    "Mian. It has a nice ring to it." Han stood up from his seat and walked around the table. "Walk with me? I can tell you more about my pack as we go." He stopped by Mian''s seat.


    Mian was surprised. He did not expect that Han would have no doubts about the reason he was here, and even propose to tell Mian more about the pack. It was quite abrupt, but Mian would not let go of such an opportunity to know more about the pack led by one of his Patriarch''s supposed friends.


    He stood up and followed Han out of the room and back into the hallway. Han led the way with his hands folded behind his back.


    "You see," He began, "This pack is only just a few decades old. Much younger than your own pack. The pack was not originally founded by myself, but my predecessor, an old Werewolf who passed away a few years back." Han bowed his head slightly when he mentioned the founder of the pack, just as they stopped before the first painting that was closest to Han''s office.


    The painting depicted a white Werewolf that stood up proudly with a hint of defiance in his eyes. Mian could see that the work and dedication that had gone into that painting was in no way little, as it took a lot to be able to express the feelings and emotions of the Werewolf through a painting, yet Mian was able to feel that defiance.


    Underneath the painting, carved into the wooden frame that held it, was the name of the founder of the pack.


    Adam Belmun.


    "This is the founder of our humble pack. He was once a slave that belonged to humans before he was bought from his former owners. The one who had taken him in was an old lady who had a soft spot for demi-humans. She had let him go freely, and is the sole reason why we exist today."


    Mian listened quietly, but a question bloomed in his mind. He was unsure whether he should ask it, but the way that Han opened up to him made him consider asking it.


    "You have a question, yes? I think I already know what it is. You want to know why our founder has a second name." Han easily guessed what was on Mian''s mind, surprising the younger demi-human.


    The thing is, demi-humans usually never bothered with a second name. Their first name was enough for them. Only very few demi-humans usually had a second name and it was usually something important or symbolic.


    Han continued. "Our founder''s second name was the name of the woman who had freed him. He held a great deal of respect for her, and every other human he had encountered who held no enmity against demi-humans. That is the reason why he had a second name. As a matter of fact, I myself bear this name."


    After giving his explanation, Han began leading Mian through the corridor again. They stopped at each painting and Han explained who the painting depicted and the reason why the Werewolf in the painting was there in the first place.


    It was at that point that Mian noticed another thing. The paintings were only those of Werewolves. There was no other demi-human in any of the other paintings.. That raised a huge question mark in his mind.

 Chapter 45 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack

    Han continued to lead Mian through the mansion, showing the various paintings and explaining their origins. From the first dominant of the pack, all the way down to the mother of the founder''s first son, an then down to the son himself. The history of the pack seemed quite rich.


    But even as time slowly ticked by and they went through over half of the mansion and examined different portraits, he still caught no sight of any other type of demi-human. A few warning bells began to ring at the back of his head as he kept on pondering on this matter.


    "...And finally, this is me." Han stopped before a large painting that was triple of the size of the others. Han''s features were clearly expressed in every line of the painting, down to he crooked scar that covered his left eye.


    Under the painting, carved into its wooden frame, was Han''s name. Han Belmun.


    "As the Patriarch of this pack, it is part of my responsibility to bear the name of our founder. No Patriarch can take on this role without bearing the Belmun name." Han continued his lecture, but Mian held little interest for that. Instead, his mind was elsewhere.


    ''Hana, please can you scan Han? I need to see any information that is important to me. You can filter out the rest.''


    [One moment... The result of the scan is as follows;]


    [Appraisal]


    Name: Han - Belmun


    Race: Demi-human - Werewolf


    Age: Forty two


    Health: Good


    Energy: 4,670


    Stamina: 2,220


    Strength: 3,090


    Agility: 2,780


    -Expand/Collapse.


    [Pack Ranking]


    Name: Han - Belmun


    Rank: Dominant (Low)


    Rank Privilege: Boosted Toxins, Strong Leadership Talent, Mystic Force.


    ---


    [Warning!!! Negative Status Effect has been detected! Running diagnostics.]


    [Status Effects]


    Negative: Memory Binds, Muscle Binds, Emotion Binds, Thought Binds.


    Positive: None.


    ---


    A status page that Mian had never seen before popped up within Mian''s mind as he examined the portrait of the Belmun Patriarch. His eyes widened and his train of thought came to an abrupt stop.


    ''Hana. What is all this? Negative Status Effect? Memory Binds? Muscle Binds? This doesn''t make sense.''


    He already had a clue of what was going on, but he decided to be sure of it by asking Hana. His mind struggled to believe that the humans'' influence had already seeped so deep into the demi-human society.


    [Host, from my scans, I have found that some strange and obscure energy has been infused into the body of this dominant demi-human before you in order to suppress his mind and body. It is also very likely that he has undergone an extremely intensive brainwashing to suppress his memories. I recommend you leave his presence immediately, or else, something unpredictable might happen.]


    ''I can''t leave now or it will look suspicious I will just play along for now.'' Mian responded before turning his attention back to Han. His discovery had led him to believe that the humans had taken control of this pack through some very strange means. That put him in danger, but he would at least try and see if he could help them.


    Eventually, Han''s tour had come to an end.


    "Let my people treat you to our hospitality for your stay. I can not let a pack member of my good friend go without allowing them to experience some of our delicacies. Please, hold on a moment." Han stopped by the staircase that led upstairs before clapping loudly.


    A middle ranking pack member at the lower tier came hurrying from one of the side passages at the sound of the clap.


    "Take our guest to one of the empty rooms upstairs, and prepare a meal for him. He will be staying the night, or even longer if he wishes." Han smiled at Mian at the last part of his sentence, making a shiver run down Mian''s spine. His knowledge of the truth of the pack, coupled with that smile was enough to scare him.


    The Werewolf led Mian up the stairs and down a corridor to his left. Doors were placed on either side of the corridor, but the pack member ignored them all and led Mian to the end of the hall before opening the door.


    "Here is your room. Your food will be here soon." She bowed her head slightly before hurrying away.


    Mian looked on after her before shaking his head and walking into the room. The room was spacious, but not even half as large as his Patriarch''s chamber back in the pack lands. A small bed was placed opposite the door, right under the window, and a bedside table was placed right beside it.


    Mian immediately went to sit on the bed. Nothing else contained in the room caught his attention. There was too much on his mind to be bothered by those small things.


    ''Adventure... I wanted an adventure.... And I got caught in a stupid conspiracy!''

 Chapter 46 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (2)

    A knock on the door of the room pulled Mian out of his train of turbulent thoughts. He jumped off the bed and rushed over to open the door, revealing the middle rank that had led him to the room. She held a tray of food in her hands.


    "Ah, thank you." Mian gingerly collected the tray and waved her off before closing the door and returning to the bed. He then continued t ponder about the situation before turning his attention to the tray of food. An idea formed in his mind.


    ''Hana, is it possible for whoever is behind this ploy to have passed something through the food or water?''


    [Let me run a scan...]


    Mian dawdled and laid down as he waiting for Hana to run through the possibilities and tests taken from the food that he had been given. After ten minutes, Hana finally got some results.


    I have confirmed that the water that you have been given contains some strange and foreign substances. To run a more in-depth test, I will need you to ingest this water.]


    Hana''s words left Mian speechless. He had to put himself in danger in order to find out how the members of this pack were put under control of a strange force.


    After giving it some thought, he eventually sighed. ''Will I be able to avoid being put under control of the foreign substance?''


    [I will need a few minutes, but yes, I can clear your system of any foreign substance.]


    ''Good.'' Mian let out a relieved sigh after he confirmed that Hana could clear any negative status condition that he would gain if he consumed the water. After that, he only needed a couple of minutes to prep his mindset before immediately drinking half of the cup of water.


    He remained in place after keeping the cup aside, trying to find out any strange thing that would happen to his body. He waited for a few minutes but was unable to take notice of anything.


    [Purification process complete. I have analyzed the foreign substances contained within the water, and I am also working on an antidote. I will need five days to complete this antidote.]


    ''Purification? Did I even get affected by the drug? I didn''t feel anything!'' Mian complained.


    [This drug was made to be immensely difficult to detect. A master alchemist must have been behind its creation. It is only normal that you would fail to notice its effects. Not even the Patriarch of this pack was able to notice it invading and subverting his mind and behavior.]


    Hana replied him with a strange tone. It seemed that she was teasing Mian for thinking he was an all powerful existence now that he had defeated a Pillar. Her words quickly humbled his mind. In truth, he had never really seen himself as all powerful, even after defeating the former wielder of the Greater Strength Gift. He had just simply thought that he would be able to sense the drug invading his system because of his greatly enhanced senses. He had gone from being an omega with extremely weak senses and strength, to becoming a middle rank demi-human in the higher tier of that rank; all in the span of less than a month. The change was too jarring. He had simply overestimated his new senses.


    ''Alright, so what can we do about this drug?'' Mian casually ignored his embarrassment as he focused on the more pressing matters.


    [I suggest we find the source of water that this pack survives on and purify it. We might be able to make the effects of this drug wear off over time if we can handle that.]


    Mian nodded. He agreed with Hana''s suggestion, but it seemed he would need to stay there for a much longer period of time than he initially thought. Gaining access to their water source would most likely be difficult, as he was an outsider.


    Night came soon after the duo had arranged some of their priorities. Mian would remain in the pack''s territories for some time in order to gain their trust, and then when he was able to access their water source, Hana would carry out the purification process. They could only stop their planning at that point since they had no idea what would happen after the purification process.


    When morning came, Mian was woken up y a series of knocks on the room door.


    "Coming..." Mian yawned as he stood up from the bed. At first, he was confused by the knocks. He had yet to become accustomed to living outside the caves of the packs where anyone could just walk into another person''s chambers and kick them in the stomach to wake them up. Mian had been through quite a few of those himself.


    When he finally opened the door, he was met by a surprising sight. Han appeared outside the door, with a slightly shorter male behind him. Aside from the fact that the Patriarch himself had come to wake him up, the only other thing that caught Mian''s attention was the young man behind Han.


    "Mian! How as your night? I hope you rested well!" Han began with a cheery tone. Mian couldn''t help the smile and small nod that followed the question, even though he knew that Han was not really acting himself.


    "Um, my night was fine.. I guess?" He replied awkwardly.

 Chapter 47 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (3) - Daniel

    "What?"


    "Nothing."


    Mian turned his face away and returned his attention to the smooth stones that crunched underneath his feet. His mind played the encounter he had with the pack''s Patriarch only a few minutes ago as he tried but failed to distract himself.


    ...


    Mian''s gaze went to the figure standing behind Han, and he couldn''t help the surprised breath he drew in.


    A young man that was nearly two meters in height stood behind Han with an annoyed look on his face. The most remarkable thing about this man was the fact that he was not a demi-human, but he also was not a human. At least, that was what Mian could find out with the little information he could glean from his figure.


    The young man has the skin of a human, with no fur covering his body. The only thing that made him stand out from average humans were the sharp, furry ears atop his head, and the tail that slowly swung from side to side behind him. He wore human clothes but left his forearms and his calves uncovered. Lean, firm muscles pushed against the skin that was left exposed.


    "Mian, this is my son, Daniel. You should both be around the same age, and I was hoping you could get along. He can show you around our pack lands." Han introduced the young man behind him with enthusiasm. The positivity he radiated was in stark contrast with the uninterested look of his son.


    Daven soon left Mian and Daniel alone to handle themselves. Daniel limited himself to snort before waving for Mian to follow him. Even though he was young, he was still a dominant, albeit at the lower end. He considered pairing him with a middle rank as an insult to his pride.


    They quickly left the mansion and began to wander through the massive clearing where the pack was situated. Mian guessed it to be about half of the pack lands of his pack. That was just how big the pack that Daven built was. Han''s pack paled before that comparison.


    Before they could get anywhere, Daniel suddenly stopped and pulled Mian into one of the small spaces between two buildings, surprising Mian. He shoved Mian against the wall and glared down at him.


    "Look, I don''t know why my dad is making me show an outsider around, but make sure not to get to comfy. Things won''t turn out well for you if you do." He eyed Mian from top to bottom once again before stepping back and making space for Mian to stand up.


    "W-what was that for?" Mian tried to add some steel into his voice but failed. Daniel just eyed him again before snorting and walking out of the narrow space. Mian sighed, feeling confused, before following Daniel out. He felt like that was supposed to be a warning, but he was not sure what it was all about. He simply continued following the boy. He had his on plans after all.


    "That is our farm. It takes up nearly half of our territory. We depend more on agriculture than on hunting, and it has paid back its worth in spades." Daniel pointed at a vast field that had a wide variety of crops planted on it. Mian could spot a few dozen figures spread out in the field, doing farm work.


    Daniel continued to point out various areas until they reached the edge of the clearing. Mian could faintly hear the sound of running water as they made their way forward, causing his eyes to widen. He was surprised that he would be able to get in contact with their water source so soon.


    When they reached the river, Daniel promptly pulled off his clothes and dove into the water, startling Mian. He laughed loudly when he saw Mian''s surprised look.


    "What? Did you think this was where we got our water that we use from? This is just where we swim. Our main water source is upstream." Daniel explained. Mian nodded before taking a spot at the bank of the lake. Smooth pebbles littered the bank and he played with them underneath his feet.


    [Host, I have found something of value.]


    Hana''s voice suddenly popped into Mian''s head, startling him. He nearly slipped into the water, causing Daniel to snort in disdain. Mian ignored him and focused on what Hana said.


    ''What did you find? Does the drug run through this stream?'' Mian had already thought of the possibility that the drug also ran through this stream after Daniel exposed that this was just a swimming area. Hana''s words only served to increase his suspicions.


    [As a matter of fact, yes, the drug does run through this stream, but I also have some other information to share.]


    ''Go on...'' Mian urged.


    [Firstly, I have run some scans and have come upon the possibility that we can find the source of the drug upstream. Secondly and most importantly, I have run some scans of the Beastkin, Daniel, and I have found out that he is not affected by the numerous negative status effects that most of the pack members here are under.]


    ''What?!'' Mian''s mind exploded and he quickly turned to look at Daniel who was still swimming in the river.


    "What?" Daniel caught his gaze and narrowed his eyes at him.


    "Nothing." Mian turned his gaze to the smooth pebbled beneath his feet as he thought about what Hana had told him.


    ''What do you think about the situation? And why do you think he is not affected?'' Mian quickly directed a couple of questions to Hana.


    [Well, there are many reasons as to how this came to be. Firstly, it could be that he is affiliated with the culprits that are behind this scheme. On the other hand, it could be that he has simply just developed a resistance to this drug. We will have to come in contact with the drug and Daniel himself to be sure. His behavior might also hint at something.. I suggest we play along and watch him for now.]

 Chapter 48 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (4) - Drug

    Mian and Daniel eventually left the stream after they had stayed there for over an hour. Daniel seemed to be more relaxed and less tense after his swim, but that didn''t mean that he had become more approachable. He still remained closed off from all of Mian''s attempts to befriend the Beastkin. Any attempt he made was quickly shot down by a snarky remark. The only times they spoke was when Daniel started the conversation himself.


    "Follow me, I''ll take you to the spring where we get our water." Daniel motioned for Mian to follow him after putting on his clothes, and began leading the way up the hill where the stream flowed from.


    Mian hurriedly got up from where he was inspecting a few fishes in the stream and hurried after Daniel. He had been waiting for the chance to inspect the water source, and the time had finally come.


    The pair made their way up the hill slowly. Daniel was not in a hurry to take Mian to one of the more sensitive spots of their pack, but he had little choice in the matter since his father ordered it.


    Soon, they got to the top of the hill here a pile of boulders were piled on top of each other in the distance. A large waterfall cascaded over the rocks underneath the boulders, falling into a basin of land at the bottom of the terrain before running further down as the stream that Mian and Daniel had left behind.


    "Wow..." Mian whispered as he leaned forward to look down over the cliff where he stood. That turned out to be a mistake.


    Mian felt someone shove him from behind and he lost his balance, only managing to catch a glimpse of Daniel''s emotionless face before completely losing sight of the top of the cliff.


    "AHHH!" A scream left Mian''s lips as his body was forced to endure the rush of wind that blew past him as he fell. He only managed to cover his head before he collided with the surface of the water and sunk even deeper.


    SPLASH!


    He vaguely heard another splash ring out not too far from him before he felt something wrap around his waist and start tugging him deeper underwater. A moment of darkness washed over Mian''s mind before he suddenly found himself in an empty space that had air.


    "Cough-cough!" Mian coughed up mouthfuls of water. He turned around slowly and tried to get up, but froze when the figure of Daniel appeared in his sight.


    "Y-you! You tried to kill me!" All forms of sluggishness fled from Mian''s body as he leapt back to increase the space between himself and Daniel, only to fall into water once again.


    After a few seconds of struggling, Mian finally managed to pull himself back up on the wet rocks where Daniel sat comfortably with crossed legs.


    "Are you done?" The young dominant quirked his eyebrow as he tried to suppress a laugh. Mian watched the Beastkin with a complicated gaze as a series of thoughts ran through his mind at an insane pace. He was trying to figure out if Daniel suspected him of something, but he was unable to come to a conclusion.


    "So," Daniel began. "I think we have a matter we need to talk about." The former disdain had cleared completely from his expression and was replaced by a stifling seriousness.


    "What are you talking about?" Mian tried to act clueless but Daniel promptly cut him off with a harsh glare.


    "You are not affected by the drug." Daniel stated plainly, causing waves of shock to erupt within Mian. Mian could barely control his expression, but Daniel still managed to pick up the tiny clues.


    "Oh? So you are also aware that there is a drug. Good, we can start from there, but before we start, let me make it clear that I am on your side. I also want to get rid of the drug." Daniel waved his hand and stretched it out to help Mian out of the water. Mian hesitantly took Daniel''s outstretched hand and used the help to pull himself out of the water. He immediately collapsed on the wet rocks. He was tired and worried, and being drenched made it even worse.


    The duo spent several minutes in silence. The only sound they could hear was the sound of drops of water hitting the rocks in the back of the cave.


    "Sorry for being such an annoying brat. I had to make it look like I was annoyed when I was actually happy or they would start to suspect me. It''s been a long time since a traveler came by our pack." Daniel eventually spoke first, drawing Mian''s attention to him.


    Mian sat up and tilted his head as he faced Daniel. His ears laid back against his head as he thought of a proper reply.


    "It''s good to know that not everyone here is affected. At least there is someone I can work with to handle the drug that''s affecting everyone." Mian replied. "How exactly did you even know about the drug? Do you know who is behind this whole scheme?"


    "I could ask you the same thing. You have barely been here for a day, but you already know about the drug. For all I know, you could be connected to the people behind this."


    Mian simply shrugged at his words and waited for Daniel to continue, which the other boy eventually did after a sigh.


    "I developed an immunity to the drug when I was a child. I think it has to do something with my Beastkin nature. I can''t be sure since I have never met anyone else like me, but that seems to be the only plausible reason. I am the only Beastkin in the pack, and I am also the only one who has a resistance to the drug. I can also smell the presence of the drug, that is how I was able to tell that you were not affected." Daniel explained before turning to Mian to listen to his own explanation. He was curious as to how Mian was able to resist the effects of the drug.

 Chapter 49 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (5) - Purification

    "I''m... immune?" Mian finally replied when he felt Daniel''s gaze on him.


    Daniel quirked a brow at Mian and fixed him with a disbelieving look. He did not believe even the tiniest bit of Mian''s lie.


    "I''m serious." Mian stressed. His Gift made him immune to the effects of the strange drug''s energy, so he was technically speaking the truth.


    "Yeah, and I''m the culprit behind the drug." Daniel snorted and folded his arms, but Mian refused to change his words. He couldn''t just say that he had a Gift after all. That would surely lead to something that he could not predict.


    "Oh, dammit all!" Daniel eventually swore out loud and threw his head back. "Fine! Let us say that you are immune as well, do you even know how to take care of the drug?" He leveled a glare at Mian.


    "Maybe?" Mian raised his hands and shrugged. "Perhaps I can do something about it, but I will have to see it first. Do you know where it is?"


    Daniel studied him for a few seconds before snorting and waving for Mian to follow him, and then promptly diving back into the water. The act surprised Mian, but he quickly recovered and followed after Daniel.


    When he dove into the water this time, he was able to examine his surroundings, unlike the last two times that he had been in the water. An underwater world expanded before his eyes when he focused them. It was not too vast, but remained much more diverse than the sparse and bland variants that Mian had explored in the ponds and lakes that were around his pack lands.


    He soon regained his focus. He did not have time to waste, and Daniel was already swimming into the distance. He quickly followed him, swimming closer to the waterfall and into a cave that was fixed into the rocky wall at its side. They then proceeded to climb upwards until Mian could see the water falling down from the top of the waterfall through some tiny cracks in the walls around them. They had emerged from the river and were now climbing to the peak of the waterfall.


    "Over here." Daniel stopped at a small opening that was the size of Mian''s head. Mian peeked inside it and was instantly able to spot the odd object that was inside the hole. It was a white, circular mass of some strange crystal like substance.


    "What is this?" Mian asked as he stretched out his hand to touch it.


    "Don''t touch it!" Daniel instantly reacted and pulled Mian''s hand out of the opening. "That''s the drug. I don''t know how it got there, but it''s turned this entire river into some endless source of mind controlling water." He explained.


    Mian studied the crystal orb for a couple of minutes as different thoughts went through his mind. He exchanged ideas with Hana multiple times before settling on the simplest and most direct approach. He stretched his hand back into the hole and placed it on the crystal orb.


    "What-!" Daniel didn''t manage to finish his sentence before a blinding white radiance expanded through the cave and forced him to shut his eyes. It took him an entire minute to let his eyes recover before he was able to open them again after the white radiance had died down.


    "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" He promptly shoved Mian out of the way and looked into the hole where the crystal formerly was. In its place was a transparent crystal layer that prevented water from rushing through the now empty passage.


    ...


    A few moments earlier,


    Mian stared at the crystal drug and a stream of information flowed into his mind from Hana.


    ''Are you sure I can absorb this thing? I thought we were going to purify it?'' Mian asked Hana, full of doubt. Upon scanning the drug, Hana had told him that it would be possible for him to absorb the drug and gain some Evolution Points out of it, along with an ability, depending on the exact properties of the drug.


    [Positive.] Hana replied easily. Mian sighed before placing his hand into the hole and on the crystal drug.


    ''Absorb it.'' He mentally willed. He felt his hand sink into the surface of the drug before a blinding white light erupted from within it. By the time the white light faded, what was left of the drug was a flat, transparent panel that blocked the flow of water from the rushing river above. It prevented the water from rushing into the cave and overwhelming the two boys.


    "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" The next moment, Daniel arrived beside him and pushed him away so he could inspect the hole, but Mian paid little attention to that. Instead, his concentration was turned inwards.


    [Absorption complete. 4,329 Evolution Points gained. One of your abilities has Evolved.]


    ''4,329 Evolution Points. That''s a huge catch!'' Mian exclaimed, but his attention was soon claimed by something else. ''A new ability? Show me.''


    [Abilities]


    Minor Mystic Force


    Minor Leadership Talent -> Influencer.


    ---


    Mian noted that his Minor Leadership Talent had evolved into an ability called Influencer. The name of the ability made its effects clear, but Mian still asked Hana just to be sure.


    [The Influencer ability grants you the power to influence those around you. The people who spend their time around you will be more inclined to follow your footsteps and act as your subordinates. This ability is mostly passive, but it can also be activated by consuming energy. An active usage will cause immediate effects, while a passive usage will only show effects after a certain amount of time has passed.]


    Mian mentally took note of that effect before focusing on his surroundings. He noticed that Daniel had put some space between them and was eyeing him warily.


    "W-who are you?" The young dominant hesitantly asked. "Are you behind the drug?! I''ll kill you!" Daniel''s entire demeanor changed as he arrived on the most likely conclusion as to why Mian was able to manipulate the drug.. Anger appeared in his eyes as claws stretched out from his fingertips and sharp teeth appeared from the edges of his mouth and he suddenly pounced at Mian.

 Chapter 50 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (6) - Antidote

    "Stop!" Mian called out as he raised his hands to block Daniel''s charge. A dense, blue barrier of energy appeared before him and fended off the attack, forcing Daniel to bounce back against the hard, rocky wall.


    "Ah!" The young dominant cried out and glared at Mian, but his look of anger faded to one of hesitation upon setting his eyes on the barrier of energy that had manifested between him and Mian. A few moments passed before a look of understanding dawned on Daniel''s face. He understood it all now.


    "You have a Gift, don''t you?"


    ...


    "Ow!" A pained cry rang out through the wet cave that was situated behind the raging waterfall.


    "Oh, suck it up. You''re a dominant, a small scratch like this isn''t supposed to hurt. Besides, you should be thankful that I''m willing to help out." Mian scolded Daniel as the younger dominant kept on complaining about his aching back.


    A pale gold light shone from Mian''s palms as he passed them over Daniel''s exposed backside. A couple dark spots were scattered across his back, a sign of the injury he had gotten when he slammed against the rocks a few minutes earlier. He was slowly healing the dominant''s injuries. He could heal it immediately, but he wanted Daniel to suffer a bit for being harsh to him through the entire day.


    Daniel grumbled under his breath and gritted his teeth to endure the burning sensation that ran through his back. A few moments later, the sensation faded, signaling Mian''s job as done.


    "Good as new." Mian announced and sat back to watch how Daniel would react. He reacted just as Mian guessed. He went from shocked, to amazed, to down right awe.


    "This is awesome! My back hasn''t felt so good in ages!" Daniel exclaimed and spun around to face Mian. An obvious hint of respect was present in his expression as he faced the older demi-human. "Um, thanks. And, I''m sorry for being so rude earlier." He scratched his head as an embarrassed look came over his expression.


    "It''s fine. I''m used to being around arrogant demi-humans." Mian shrugged before looking around. "That aside, what do we do now?"


    He asked that question both to Daniel, and to Hana.


    [We wait. The crystalline layer that is preventing water from flowing into this cavern is the result of the antidote to the drug. It will release an agent that will purify the remains of the drug that is running through the water, and remove the effects of the drug on those who ingest it.]


    "I don''t know. I never actually imagined what I would do when the drug was dealt with. I guess we can wait to see its effects?" Daniel shrugged his shoulders. He was not even sure of what he was going to do after taking care of the drug that plagued his pack. He had never imagined that he would be able to take care of it so quickly.


    "Alright, I guess we can wait. Do we wait here, or do we go back?"


    "Let''s go back. We can''t have them suspecting us or something might happen." Daniel said.


    The two boys quickly made their way out of the cave and the river. In less than ten minutes, they had resurfaced on the bank of the river, not too far away from the waterfall.


    "I never thought I would actually get to this point." Daniel sighed as he let himself float through the water. He had squeezed out his clothes and hung them on a tree in the distance to dry out. Mian just settled for lying down on a rock to dry out his fur.


    "I don''t understand how you can be so relaxed. Does it not bother you that we could be found out any moment?" Mian turned to face Daniel with a questioning look.


    "It''s been years. I''ve long since stopped being fidgety and all that. It wasn''t until you came around that I started feeling some pressure." Daniel shrugged and started swimming around in the water. It had been a while since he could feel free in front of someone. Other times, he felt restrained because he didn''t know who was watching.


    The duo spent hours there before they were forced to return to the town before anyone would come looking for them.


    ...


    "Did you two have a nice time today?" Han asked as he eyed the two boys who sat on the sides of the table where they ate their food.


    "Mm, It was alright." Daniel nodded and proceeded to shovel another slice of meat into his mouth. Han shook his head and turned to Mian who only gave an affirmative nod with a small smile.


    "It was okay. Daniel was a... decent guide." Mian delayed his words, as per the plan he and Daniel had come up with before returning to the pack.


    Daniel had explained that he usually acted and behaved cold and unapproachable most times. He was only warm toward a few people, so they had formulated their plan with that in mind. Daniel would act uncaring whenever they were around others, but he would revert to his normal personality when they were not under supervision. They would stick to this plan until they began to see signs that the antidote that Mian had created was working.


    "Oh? Sorry about that, my son can be quite hard to get close to at times." Han sighed and shook his head before reaching for the cup of water that was beside his plate. Both Mian and Daniel tensed at that sight and fixed their gazes on Han''s hand. Time seemed to move slowly in that moment as seconds turned into hours.


    Han picked up the cup and gulped down half of the water before retracting the cup and sighing. His movement suddenly froze and his eyes grew distant for a brief moment before returning to normal.


    "Ah, water. As satisfying as ever." Han sighed as he dropped the cup and continued his meal. The two young boys could only sigh in their hearts.


    ''Ah, water.''

 Chapter 51 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (7) - Changes

    It all started with one of the younger pack members falling ill. It was quite an unusual happening, as demi-humans did not usually fall ill unless they were afflicted by toxins, or they were just plain weak. Even Mian rarely fell sick unless he had toxins in his body back when he was still without his new power.


    At first, everyone just simply brushed off the events as one of the more rarer happenings, but they began to take it more seriously when even more pack members fell ill. The strangest thing about this event was that the afflicted members of the pack regained their health over a few days, and the supposed virus had no symptoms.


    Soon enough, waves of ill pack members began to pop up, but they soon recovered. Han immediately instructed the pack to isolate those who were afflicted with the disease in order to try and contain it, but it proved to be pointless, as even those who had not been exposed to the sick still fell ill.


    Next, the Patriarch himself fell ill.


    ...


    "The water source? That is plausible, but we have already sent out our best physicians to examine the water. There is nothing strange about it and no one is showing any reactions to the water. Not even my senses have been able to catch a whiff of anything."


    Han was currently discussing with one of his advisors on the matter that plagued their pack.


    "Even you, Patriarch." The elder shook his head as he examined Han''s body, checking for anything that stood out of place. The elder''s name as Huan, and he was the chief physician of the pack. He held a complete authority over the medical resources of the pack.


    "I am afraid that no one is safe from this virus. If even you, our strongest member, has fallen to it, then there is little hope that the rest of us can resist it." The elder concluded as he stepped back from Han''s bed. The man was a middle rank Werewolf with light brown fur and some white streaks running through the fur.


    "We can only see hope in the fact that those who have recovered have showed no signs of falling ill again." Han nodded his head as he let his body relax into the soft bed underneath him. His body felt drained of all energy, as though it was intentionally flushing out all the energy that was stored in his cells.


    "I will return to my duties now, Patriarch." Huan bowed his head and turned to leave the room.


    "Wait, Huan." Han stopped the elder. "How is my son? Daniel?"


    "Daniel is doing okay. He is on his was to complete recovery, along with that his friend, what was his name?" Huan squinted as he tried to recall the name of the young middle rank that had been hanging around with the Patriarch''s son as of late.


    "Mian." Han helped him out.


    "Ah, yes, Mian. The boy is also doing alright." Huan nodded his head, but a bit of hesitation appeared in his eyes. Hesitation that Han easily sensed as he was paying attention to the elder''s actions.


    "I sense your hesitation, old friend. What are your thoughts?" Han leaned up from the bed and balanced his weight against the headboard.


    "I... The young middle rank is on my mind, Han." Huan began, resorting to a less formal reference for his old time friend. "That young middle rank... I sense a bit of mystery around him. Perhaps he is the cause of this illness?" He did not hesitate to share his opinion of Mian.


    "Hmm..." Han sighed and shook his head. "I doubt it. I could not sense anything from him when he first arrived, and it has already been a couple of weeks since he arrived here. It would have been more reasonable if this illness had arrived as soon as he did."


    After sharing his thoughts on the matter, Han and Huan remained to continue their discussion for some time before they separated.


    ...


    "Is it working?" Daniel asked Mian as the two of them sat on a small patch of grass underneath a large tree just outside the Patriarch''s mansion.


    "Mm, it is. Those people who have fallen ill don''t show signs of being under the drug''s influence." Mian nodded.


    The two boys had used the excuse of needing some fresh air to be granted the permission to leave the mansion. Han had told the guards to keep an eye one them and the guards diligently carried out those orders. Even now, a couple of middle ranking pack members were standing some distance away.


    "That''s great. That means that dad will soon be back to his usual self." Daniel sighed deeply. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest. He had tried to envision this event for a long time, but had never been able to. He was never able to figure out a way out of his dilemma. But now, thanks to Mian, everything was beginning to clear up.. He finally felt that the Belmun pack would have a future.

 Chapter 52 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (8) - Truth

    Mian followed after Daniel as the two boys hurried through the Patriarch''s mansion. A servant had only just informed Daniel that the Patriarch had woken up from his slumber a few minutes ago, and that the signs of the illness were not present. Upon hearing that, Daniel had been in so much of a rush to see his father that he had nearly left Mian behind.


    "Hurry up!" Daniel called back without turning around as he hurried up the stairs and through the corridor that led to Han''s room. Mian only sighed and shook his head before hurrying up. He could not blame the boy. His father had been under the control of some strange drug for several years, preventing him from truly being himself around anyone.


    "Dad!" Daniel burst through the room door and froze in his tracks when he felt multiple pairs of eyes on him.


    "Please, wait outside, son. I have to take care of this." Han smiled just as Mian came to a stop behind Daniel. His eyes widened when they saw who was inside the room. A trio of humans stood before Han''s bed with stern expressions over their faces. But that was not enough to cause the waves that were set off within Mian. No, what caused those waves was the familiar face of the human who had captured Mian some time ago.


    "Well well well, look what the cat dragged in," Adam Henshaw drawled as he crossed the space between Mian and himself. He stopped just before Daniel before glaring at the dominant. "Move." His voice was authoritative and his eyes threatened to bore holes into the dominant.


    "No." Daniel didn''t back down from the threatening man. He squared up his shoulders and stared Adam in the eyes. His action drew a surprised look from the three humans in the room. They were used to getting what they wanted from the pack with no problems in the past.


    "What nonsense is thi-!" Before Adam could complete his sentence, a solid fist connected with his nose and flung him to the ground. Wide eyed, Adam''s escorts quickly drew their swords to defend their master, but two large hands appeared on the sides of their heads and slammed them together, immediately knocking them out.


    By the time Adam regained his wits, he found Daniel stepping on his chest firmly to keep him from standing up.


    "What is this? What is going on?!" He exclaimed, looking from the bodies of his unconscious guards, to the faces of the two demi-humans and one Beastkin surrounding him.


    "You slimy bastard!" Han exclaimed and jabbed a clawed finger at Adam. The human paled when the claw stopped just a few inches away from his face. He dreaded finding out what it felt like to have a dominant''s toxins running through his veins. He had used it as a torture method before, but having it used against him was something he would rather not experience.


    "How is this happening?" Adam still demanded an explanation.


    "Let me guess, you must be the one behind the drug in the waterfall?" Daniel scowled and pressed down harder on his chest, causing the man to cough and wheeze. Adam''s eyes went as wide as saucers when the drug and its location was mentioned, and Daniel immediately pounced on that opening.


    "Oho! So you do know about the drug? I guess we''ve found out culprit, Mian." The young dominant turned to Mian and grinned widely, showing off his sharp canines that glistened in the light that shone in the room through the windows in the room.


    "Drug?" Han spoke up from where he stood beside his son.


    "Yeah, some idiot," Daniel put more pressure on Adam''s chest, "Planted some weird drug in the waterfall and let it pollute the water and affect the entire pack. I''m not sure what the drug does, but Mian here does." He jutted his head in Mian''s direction.


    Upon hearing that, Han put on his most intimidating face and turned to face Adam. The sight of the powerful dominant looking down on him made fear run through the entirety of Adam''s being, but he managed to hold himself together. He was a noble, and no random mistake of a Patriarch would make him cower.


    Adam opened his mouth to insult the demi-humans, but a sudden snap rang out through the room, and Adam''s head swung back. His eyes glazed over and his head hung back. The punch had knocked him out.


    Two of the people still conscious in the room turned to face Mian with incredulous looks.


    "What was that?" Daniel asked. For the couple of weeks that he had known Mian, he had never seen Mian being violent. In his opinion, Mian was a harmless little kitten who couldn''t hurt a fly. Yet, he would have to reevaluate Mian after seeing him knocking out a human with a single punch.


    "I''m just repaying him for his terrible hospitality. He kept me in a cell for over a week and used me as part of his entertainment in his ''Demi-human Games''." Mian explained as he cracked his knuckles. The punch had hurt, but he was happy that he was able to trounce the cocky human.


    "Demi-human games?! These bastards have some guts." Han exclaimed at the side. He was livid when Mian explained what the Henshaw Dynasty had put hundreds of demi-humans through. Not to mention those that had even died in the middle of their ''games''.


    "Tie him up. We will squeeze out every bit of information we can from him by the time he wakes up.." Han declared.

 Chapter 53 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (9) - Exposed

    When Adam regained his consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the lack of light. He tried to move, only to find out that his arms and legs were bound to the chair that he was sitting on.


    "What is this?! Who dares?!" He exclaimed loudly as he began to struggle. His struggle continued for a full minute before eventually coming to a stop when the sound of the doors to his cell opening reached his ears. He turned and glared hatefully at the trio that had stepped into the cramped space.


    Mian, Daniel, and Han stepped into the cell where Adam was being kept with stern expressions over their faces. The issue was quite severe. From Adam''s reaction to Daniel''s earlier words, they were easily able to understand that Adam''s group, or perhaps the entire Henshaw Dynasty, was behind the scheme to take control of the entire pack.


    During the few hours that had passed since Adam was captured, Daniel and Mian had taken their time to fill Han in on what had actually happened to the pack. They explained that the most likely reason to Han''s fractured memories was the side effects of the drug.


    Finding out that he had been under the control of some humans for entire years had dealt a heavy blow to Han''s confidence as a dominant. His boiling rage was only barely just calmed down by his son, or else, he might have crushed Adam''s head with his own hands.


    "You!" Adam lunged at Mian the moment he saw him, but his binds held him back. "I should have killed you back then! You despicable little animal! Gah! Just wait till I get my hands on you!" He continued to struggle until a controlled punch from Han shut him up


    "Remember where you are, Henshaw. I will not hesitate to show you how to behave as a captive." The Patriarch glared at Adam, who visibly wilted under that glare.


    "Ahem, we have questions for you," Daniel cleared his throat and stepped forward. "It would be best if you complied with us. That approach will save your sanity, at the very least."


    Adam shook in his boots when he understood the kind of situation he was in. Not even his affiliation with the Henshaw Dynasty could save him at this point. He had pissed off two strong packs, and was now a prisoner of one of them. His chances of getting out of this unscathed were slim.


    "What do you want to know?" Adam grudgingly asked.


    "Quite simple, really. We want to know what you were planning by planting that drug in our water source." Han asked while Daniel went to fetch some chairs from the corridor outside the cell. They all took a seat in front of Adam when he returned.


    "How can you even be sure that I am the one behind it?" Adam scowled deeply, but all three of his interrogators ignored the question and kept on looking at him. "Fine. I was planning on taking over this pack and making it a secret force for my Dynasty." He finally gave in and spilled the beans.


    Upon hearing that, Mian sat up straighter in his seat. Adam''s words sparked a memory that had settled in the back of his mind to life.


    "I have a question." Mian spoke up, drawing the attention of both Han and Daniel. Adam looked up at the demi-human that was the same height as him. Mian and Adam were similar in height, but Adam was much more buff when compared to Mian. Still, that did not change the fact that a Mian was able to knock him out with one blow.


    "Were you behind the attack on a group from my pack? Just after the Gift arrived." Mian narrowed his eyes as he awaited Adam''s response. During his period of captivity shared with Dion in the cell of the demi-human games, Dion had told Mian the reason he had gotten injured during the attack. He revealed that some Werewolves had been part of the attack on their group, and he had clashed with one of the dominants among the attacking group.


    Adam''s eyes widened with shock when he heard Mian''s question. He diverted his gaze and bit on his lip. Mian did not need anything else to figure out that Adam was indeed behind the attack.


    "How did you do it? I already have a theory, but I would rather hear it from you." Mian pressed harder on the issue. He guessed that Adam had used the Belmun pack to carry out the act, but he wanted to be sure that there were no other packs out there that were under the control of the Henshaw Dynasty.


    "I made the Belmun pack do it." Adam admitted.


    "Is that all? Are there no other packs like this one that is under control of the humans?" Han asked. He wanted to know more about the matter that Mian had brought up.


    "There are seven others... All this is part of a project to take over the demi-humans in the Northern Continent, making humans the overlords here." Adam eventually sighed. He saw no point in holding back information that might spare his life.


    The three non-humans in the room went still at that revelation.

 Chapter 54 - Tales Of The Belmun Pack (10) - Plots And Plans

    The revelation from Adam about the plan of the Henshaw Dynasty set off a shockwave in the minds of his interrogators. The fact that this had been going on for many years meant that the demi-human society was riddled with moles and spies that were under the control of the humans.


    As the first pack to be relieved from the control of this drug, and the only ones with this information, the Belmun pack had a duty to spread the news and do something about this issue. Or else, if the Henshaw Dynasty utilized these packs that were under their control, then the entire demi-human society of the Northern continent would be turned over on its head.


    If they were able to carry out this plot, then they could very well spread this drug between the human society of the various landmasses across the planet, spelling doom for all demi-humans.


    "So, how are we going to handle this?" Daniel asked when the three of them had retreated to a separate room to discuss the information that they had acquired from Adam.


    "We?" Mian couldn''t help but ask. He was currently alone, and as much as he wanted to help people, it would still take time and manpower. Both of which he had a limited amount of. He himself was barely enough to free one relatively medium sized pack, and he would never have achieved such a feat so quickly if it weren''t for Daniel actively helping him.


    To handle seven other packs would be tiring and extremely time consuming, especially when the factor of travel was taken into consideration. Only Adam and those involved would know where the packs that were involved were.


    "Yes, ''we''. Don''t you understand how big this is? With your help, and out people, we can handle this issue before it gets out of hand." Daniel fixed Mian with a stern look. One that Mian wanted to bend to, but decided to steel his spine instead.


    "I understand how serious this is, but we are talking about a whole Dynasty. I''m a simple middle rank. What I can do against a Dynasty is almost laughable. Not even the entire Belmun pack will be able to completely handle the Henshaw Dynasty." Mian argued.


    "And how can you be sure of that?"


    "Because my pack just fought a battle against them a while ago. It was bloody, and we almost lost. We had to fight against a bloody Pillar!" As Mian got more riled up, his words also became more colorful.


    Han''s furry eyebrow rose at that point.


    "You fought against the Pillar of the Henshaw Dynasty? And how are you still alive? How did you pack survive?" The older demi-human grew interested in the story of the war.


    "My Patriarch, Daven, killed him." Mian answered after a moment of thinking. They already knew that he had a Gift, but that didn''t mean he had to tell them everything. If they planned on keeping him against his will, then they would greatly underestimate him, and hive him a chance to use his abilities to escape.


    "Your Patriarch is Daven?" Han looked shocked, and Mian was left confused before understanding. Han''s memories from his time under the effects of the drugs were still fragmented. It seemed that the memory of his discussion with Mian was not yet clear.


    "Yes, I told you this before, but you were under the effects of the drug back then. That''s why you can''t remember." He explained.


    "I am aware of how much of a powerful Dominant Daven is, but who knew he would be able to match a Pillar? The again, the Greater Strength user had only just gotten the Gift a bit of a while ago. It''s no surprise that he has yet to understand how to use it to its full potential." The man began murmuring to himself and Daniel rolled his eyes. Han was much different than before.


    ''The drug must have messed with his behavior.'' Mian thought to himself.


    "If your pack is that strong, then maybe they can help us!" Daniel continued the argument after finding new ground to argue upon.


    "We fought with the Henshaw Dynasty, but our casualties were immense. We are still recouping!" Mian pushed back.


    The two boys kept arguing that way for minutes before Han cleared his throat to get their attention.


    "Mian," He started. "I know that your pack has gone through a rough time recently, but we truly need your help. If we don''t take care of this threat, then the entire demi-human society might as well be doomed to slavery and death."


    Han chose his words carefully, saying things that he knew would tug on Mian''s heart strings. Eventually, after some time trying to persuade the younger demi-human, he eventually succeeded.


    "Fine. But we will only help with the other packs. Taking down the Henshaw Dynasty is not my decision to make. You''ll have to talk to my Patriarch yourself." Mian grudgingly agreed to assist them.


    "Haha, that''s fine. I''m sure I can coax my old friend into joining the cause. As long as we get enough help from enough packs, then we can handle this quickly enough." Han nodded.


    He soon sent a guard that was standing outside the room to gather all his available advisors. A few of them had fallen sick, while those that were available had already regained themselves after the effects of the drug were flushed from their system.


    Soon enough, three Werewolves entered into the room where Han, Daniel and Mian were discussing. Huan was among them, along with a middle-aged female Werewolf, and a younger looking male Werewolf.


    "Patriarch.." The three of them greeted respectfully at the same time while bowing.

 Chapter 55 - 55 - The Return Journey

    "I still don''t fee comfortable with this." Mian mumbled to himself as he balanced himself atop his horse that was walking along a path in the forest.


    "I''m telling you that this is for the best. You worry too much." Daniel chided from his spot on his own horse that was walking beside Mian.


    "You two kids keep bantering and making noise all day. Keep it down." One Werewolf that was assigned to escort them on their mission commented from behind the duo.


    "Oh, let them have their fun. They are still kids after all." Han added, and everyone in the group burst into a ift of laughter, except the two boys that were the topic of their discussion. The two boys just scowled and glared at Han''s back from where they were.


    It had already been a week since the group set off from the Belmun pack''s territory. They had chosen to take the path that was used by the occasional travelers, making it a longer journey than the one Mian had taken to get to their pack lands. It would take about two weeks for them to get to their destination.


    The journey proceeded with no mishaps. They made occasional stops to rest and hunt, and before long, they found themselves on the border of the pack lands belonging to Mian''s pack.


    Before they could move too deeply into the territory of the pack, a series of heavy footfalls reached their ears just before three demi-humans burst through the dense vegetation on the sides of the path.


    "State your business!" The Werecat at the front stated as his eyes scanned the demi-humans they had stopped, before stopping on Mian''s figure.


    "C-councilman!" He quickly straightened his back and bowed his head slightly.


    Everyone from Han''s pack was visibly startled by the reaction of the demi-human, while Mian made his way through their group to get to the front.


    "Tell the Patriarch that I am here with a few visitors to discuss an important matter." He ordered with a leveled tone. He felt a surge of cool energy flow through his veins as he spoke, and Hana confirmed the source of that energy.


    [Your ranking perk, Influencer, is enhancing your ability to speak before those who see you as a superior figure. This ability is less effective on those who do not recognize your superior status, but it will still have a passive effect as long as they are exposed to your presence.]


    Hana explained a few more important points concerning the Influencer ability before retreating into the depths of Mian''s mind.


    "Yes, councilman." The high ranking Werecat nodded before instructing one of his subordinates to rush to the main grounds of the pack and pass the information to the Patriarch.


    "Let me escort you." He proposed before taking the lead at Mian''s nod. After that short interaction, Mian returned to his horse that he had left beside Daniel''s.


    "You didn''t tell me that you were a council member in your pack!" Daniel whisper-yelled at Mian and gave the demi-human a playful shove.


    "The matter never came up." Mian replied with an easy smile. Mian and Daniel continued to engage in their playful banter, while Han and the other Werewolves from his pack merely sent a few curious glances in Mian''s direction every once in a while. Han already had an idea that Mian''s status came as a result of his possession of a Gift, but the other Werewolves had no idea what merited a middle ranking demi-human the status of a council member.


    "The pack has undergone some major changes while you were away." The high ranking Werecat that had chosen to lead Mian''s group began to explain how much had changed in the time that Mian had spent away.


    The pack had resumed its formerly halted expansion now that the Henshaw Dynasty had been pushed into a passive position thanks to the heavy defeat that had been suffered at the hands of the pack. They had met very little hindrances in their expansion, and only now did their members start building on the conquered land to properly take over the area.


    As they continued their journey deeper into the territory, they began to see more signs of passage, and eventually came upon groups of demi-humans who didn''t hesitate to show their respect toward the high ranking demi-human, and also Mian when they recognized him.


    That reaction from others surprised Mian. While he wasn''t surprised that certain strong demi-humans were aware of him, and might have been informed of his feats in the war, he didn''t expect Daven to have shared that information. It was either that, or the pack had finally accepted the fact that he was one of the most influential people in the pack.


    The group travelled for three more days before eventually reaching the large mountain that served as the center of the pack. A medium sized delegation of demi-humans waited for their arrival there, with a couple dozen high ranking demi-humans, and the entire council, along with Daven and his mate, Kira. Mian could also spot Dion and Flare waiting beside the Patriarch and his mate.


    "Mian!" The small Werecat exclaimed with joy and pounced on Mian the moment he dismounted his horse.


    "Oof! You''ve grown stronger." Mian laughed as he embraced the smaller boy.


    "It''s just been a bit over a month. I haven''t gotten that strong." Flare grinned widely and shoved Mian''s arm.


    "Big words for a dominant." Mian replied and riffled the boy''s fluffy head of fur.


    "Hey!"


    "Who are these?" While the two boys were going through their little reunion, the others had made their way closer, and Dion was the first to speak up.


    "Ah, these are-"


    "There''s no need for introductions, Mian. I am already quite familiar with our guests here." Daven spoke up while eyeing the Werewolves from the Belmun Pack.


    "Long time no see, Daven. Did you miss me?" Han stepped forward and flashed the Patriarch of Mian''s pack a wide grin.. "You''ve done quite well for the Zelan pack."

 Chapter 56 - Old Friends

    The two Patriarchs stared each other down before bursting into a fit of loud laughter.


    "It''s been a long time, Daven. How have you been?" Han approached the stronger dominant to exchange a hug.


    "It''s all been good and fine until a while ago. Thankfully, we pulled through and have gotten stronger than ever!" Daven exclaimed happily. Of course, the only hindrance that they had faced lately was the attack of the Henshaw Dynasty, and the newly acquired strength was in the form of Mian.


    "What about your pack? Last I heard, you had gained enough strength to be classified as a medium sized pack." Daven eventually asked, but the response he got was not what he expected. A dark look immediately came over the faces of everyone, including Daniel. It was then that most of those who had come to welcome them noticed the Beastkin.


    "What''s wrong? Let us head inside and we can discuss this." Daven waved them in. The high ranking demi-humans that were part of the welcoming party were dismissed, but the rest of the council, along with those from the Belmun pack followed Daven as he led them to the main chamber where he held his important meetings.


    "Hey," Dion tapped Mian on the shoulder after those who weren''t required for the meeting had left. He had wanted to approach his friend earlier, but had held back out of respect for the two Patriarchs who were conversing.


    "Hey, how are you?" Mian smiled as the larger dominant fell into step beside him.


    "I''m doing okay. Who is that?" Dion jutted his jaw at Daniel who was walking just a step behind his father. The young dominant had a stern look over his face and paid utmost attention to his surroundings.


    "That''s Daniel, the son of the Belmun pack''s Patriarch, and also a friend I made while I was away." Mian explained, making sure to keep his voice low. A tense atmosphere hung over the group, and he feared drawing unnecessary attention to himself.


    "Oh?" Dion eyed Daniel with a bit more focus than before. "I hope he was treating you well."


    Daniel''s ears twitched at the front before he turned to shoot an annoyed look at the black furred dominant. Dion met Daniel''s eyes with a blazing glare of his own, but the group reached the main chambers before it could turn into something more intense.


    Daven led the crowd into the middle of the chamber before walking to his raised throne while the others sat down on some soft furs that were conveniently placed out for those who sought an audience with the Patriarch.


    "First of all, before we begin, I must welcome our council member back from his travels. Welcome home, Mian." Daven nodded at the young council member while Kira smiled at him from her seat on the arm of his throne.


    After welcoming Mian, Daven turned to face his old friend with a concerned look.


    "Tell me, Han. What is it that weighs on your mind so much?" He leaned forward and let his gaze roam over those from the Belmun pack. Han exchanged a look with his son before nodding.


    "We have an issue that will determine the fate of the entire demi-human society of Topor. That is why we have come all this way - to seek your help." Han began his explanation.


    "The entire demi-human society? What is the nature of this... issue?" Daven sounded skeptical. For Han to declare that this issue could threaten all the demi-humans in the world, then that either meant he was delusional, or that the matter was that bad.


    "I believe you have dealt with the Henshaw Dynasty in the past..." Upon hearing the name of the Dynasty that had caused huge losses for the Zelan pack, Daven''s mood immediately soured. They had lost a lot of good men and women during the short but decisive war that the Henshaw Dynasty had forced upon them, and it still pained him till this day.


    "What about those despicable humans?" Daven couldn''t help but let the contempt he felt for them slip into his tone. While he could barely tolerate humans before, it was even worse now. "Don''t tell me they attacked you too?"


    "Well, in a way, yes, they did." Han admitted.


    "In a way?" Daven leaned forward. His interest had reached its peak and was about to burst.


    "Yes, they have been working on a strange drug that can subvert the minds of demi-humans and make them do their biding."


    Han began to describe the properties of the drug and what it had done to his pack. As he spoke, the expressions of the members of the Zelan pack twisted more and more. They could barely believe that the humans had been able to plant such a drug that was nearly impossible to detect.


    "I can''t believe this! How did you find out about this drug?!" Rakon exclaimed. As one of the members of the pack with the most sensitive senses, he wanted to find out the signs that would allow him to know if the pack was already under such an influence.


    "Truth be told, so far, I only know of two people who can detect the presence of this drug. My son," Han motioned to Daniel, "And your own council member, Mian."


    Everyone''s eyes turned to Mian at that point. Even Dion looked at him with a surprised look. The boy in question gave thought to a few things before deciding to be honest with everyone.


    "As most people here already know, I am in possession of the Gift from the latest Skyfall. It is because of this Gift that I am able to perceive the influence of this drug. The one with the more natural ability to find this drug is Daniel." Mian explained and they all listened attentively.


    "The ability to sense negative status effects if an innate ability of the Beastkin. They know when someone is poisoned, sick, or under the control of a drug.. Daniel had been working on a way to handle the drug when I came along, so most of the credit of this goes to him."

 Chapter 57 - Catching Up

    A long and heated conversation ensued as the Belmun pack revealed what they knew about the drug to the Zelan pack. Han had gotten his best interrogators to squeeze out as much information as possible from Adam, so they had a veritable stash of information that could help them when it came to their endeavors concerning how they would deal with the issue. At that point, the information that was given by Mian and Daniel was little, so Daven decided to send them away.


    "Dion, please show Mian and Daniel around the rest of the area. I''m sure they must be eager for a good rest." Daven smiled and returned to the conversation that the other dominants were having. Dion nodded and got up to leave, and the two other boys followed after him.


    "Where are we going?" Mian asked as the trio made their way through the winding tunnels.


    "We''ll drop Daniel at his chambers before I show you yours." Dion explained.


    "Oh, I already know where my room is. Why don''t you show Daniel where his is while I head to mine." Mian offered, but Dion burst into a fit of laughter when he heard that.


    "Your old room has been claimed by a lower rank, and have you already forgotten the rank you hold in the pack, ''Councilman''?" Dion smirked as a dumbstruck look came over Mian''s face.


    "That''s why I''m in charge of taking you to your room. I''m sure you would get lost on your own."


    After explaining to Mian, Dion finally stopped in front of a cave that had a large animal hide covering it''s entrance.


    "Here we are." He pushed aside the hide, revealing the expansive room with a raised platform that was covered in soft furs.


    "Wow¡­ this is nice." Daniel whistled as he made his way through the room. I thought that living in a cave would be hard, but these furs are even softer than my bed." He commented after taking a seat on the bed.


    "You can get settled. I''ll show Mian his room." Dion turned around and took Mian arm to drag him away while Daniel continued admiring the cave he was given.


    It didn''t take long before the two friends ended up in front of Mian''s own chambers, and Dion didn''t hesitate to push Mian into it.


    "Whoa! Take it easy!" Mian scolded the large dominant when he regained his balance.


    "Ah, sorry, I was just curious about what happened when you left, and I didn''t know if it would be alright to ask in front of Daniel." Dion explained himself with an awkward laugh. Mian gave him a dead stare.


    "Really? You could have just asked, I doubt he would have minded." Mian shook his head with a small laugh as he sat on the edge of his bed. Dion also took a spot on the edge of the bed before bringing up Mean adventure with the Belmun pack.


    "Start off with how you stumbled upon them."


    .


    .


    .


    "That was¡­"


    "Surprising." Mian completed Dion''s sentence for him with a laugh.


    "Yeah, who would have ever thought that they were behind the attack on our group before we got captured. I knew demi-humans were behind it, but the reasons behind the attack were completely different from what I expected." Dion nodded along with Mian.


    The two boys continued sharing stories with each other for a while more. Ever since the ordeal that they had shared in the cells of the demi-human games back at within the walls of the Henshaw Dynasty, they had bonded on a deeper level than what they would have been able to accomplish if they tried to befriend other members of the pack. It was only something that those who had been through a life threatening ordeal would understand.


    "Mian?" At a certain point, a small fluffy head popped through the hide that covered the entrance to the room. Flare looked around with his sharp eyes before they narrowed down on Mian and he rushed through the room and straight at Mian without a second thought.


    "You sure have grown stronger." Mian grunted after the smaller boy finally stopped trying to squeeze him to death.


    "You keep saying that. It''s barely been three months since you left, there''s no way I became that strong." Flare rolled his eyes and huffed in an annoyed manner.


    Mian used the small window of opportunity to take a look at Flare''s Status. He was curious as to whether anything changed in the short time he had spent away.


    [Appraisal]


    Species: Demi-human - Werecat


    Pack Ranking: Young Dominant(Low)


    ---


    ''Still nothing. I guess it''s still too early to see any changes. Evolution is supposed to be a gradual and slow process after all.''


    When he saw that there had been no changes in his time away, he simply blamed it on the fact that natural evolution was a slow process. He simply gave it a slight boost with his abilities.


    "You little runt, barging in here and forgetting to greet your seniors." Dion playfully flicked Flare''s forehead and ruffled his head of fluffy fur, eliciting a line of long groans and complaints from the young Werecat.


    "I told you not to mess with my mane! Only Mian gets to do that!" Flare yelled and swatted away Dion''s hand. The two kept on bickering while Mian took another chance to ask Hana some questions.


    ''Hana, how far has Dion''s assimilation with the Greater Strength Gift gone?''


    It took a few moments, but Hana eventually replied.


    [Considering the fact that he got the Greater Strength Gift through a different method than usual, and the fact that he is unaware of the potential lying within himself, it will still take some more time before the Gift manifests in him. Approximately four months to be exact.]


    Mian nodded mentally when he heard Hana''s words, he wasn''t the least bit surprised by that. He had already known that the assimilation would take time. But he was glad that the Zelan pack would get a new powerhouse in the next four months.. There would be a high chance that they would be able to stand their ground in the Northern Continent with no opposition.

 Chapter 58 - Humans And Problems

    "And how do you suggest we g about this ''cleansing''?" One of the Zelan pack''s council members, Arya, asked. The whiskers around her mouth twitched as she tried to wrap her head around the atrocity of a drug that the humans had been cooking up.


    "It''s simple, really. We need more manpower so that we can go about with examining the packs around the continent that might have been put under the influence of this drug. While Adam Henshaw has already provided a detailed map and description of the packs, who knows whether the dynasty has begun expanding their plans." One of Han''s council members from the Belmun pack explained.


    The two Patriarchs remained quiet as they listened to their subordinates speaking. The Belmun pack would need the help of the Zelan pack, which was the largest pack in the Northern Continent, if they wanted to carry out this cleansing operation safely. Even just the addition of fifty high ranking demi-humans would be enough to make the operation many times safer.


    "We will help in this endeavor." Daven eventually spoke up, silencing all the demi-humans still speaking as he did so. "Getting rid of this threat will do not just us, but the entire demi-humans society around the world a great deal of good. Plus, we will also cement our pack''s name as the strongest force in the Northern Continent."


    The demi-humans present couldn''t help but nod their heads at that. Taking out the Henshaw Dynasty, which was currently known as the strongest force in the Northern Continent, would pave the way for the further development of the demi-human society as a whole in the area. Every pack would be able to experience a sporadic growth that they had been suppressing for many years.


    "We still have to protect our territory, and also continue our expansion, so the workforce we can allocate to the task will not amount to much." Daven continued as he ran a finger over a light scar that crossed over the top of his nose. "We will assign fifty high ranking demi-humans, ten dominants, and, of course, Mian, as you have stated that he is crucial in purifying the source of this drug."


    The group continued to hammer out details and discuss their plans for a couple of hours more before Daven finally called for the end of the meeting. A few high ranking pack members came in to escort the guests from the Belmun pack to their quarters to rest in while Daven and Kira took it upon themselves to lead Han to his own room.


    "I can''t believe what these humans have been getting up to these days. How did they create a drug that can so perfectly control a demi-human''s mind?" Daven exclaimed as they walked.


    "I bet they have a lot of experience with experimenting on our kind." Kira whispered as a shiver ran down her spine. "Do you remember all those demi-humans that Mian and Dion freed from the dynasty? Who knows how many of them might have been used for such evil purposes. I can only imagine how horrendous the casualties must have been."


    As soon as she completed her sentence, all three of them stopped in their tracks.


    "No... You don''t think that there might be some moles in our pack, do you?" Kira hesitantly asked her mate.


    "Dammit." Daven abruptly cursed and increased his pace, forcing Kira and Han to do the same. While walking, he reached out with his mind to connect with the mental connection that the high ranking members of the pack had.


    <Azreal! Rally twenty dominants from your force to gather all the demi-humans that were freed from the Henshaw Dynasty immediately.>


    <Of course! If I may ask, what is wrong, Patriarch? > Azreal''s response came almost immediately.


    <We might have spies in our ranks. We need to rally them immediately so Mian and his friend can take a look at them and expose any moles that might be among them. > Daven quickly explained before moving on to warn other important pack members about his decision.


    Before long, they had reached the chambers that were assigned to Han.


    "Sorry, old friend, I have to handle some sensitive matters concerning my pack." Daven smiled wryly as he apologized for ditching Han when they had a lot to catch up on.


    "It''s alright. I understand, these are sensitive times for us all." Han nodded before retreating behind the hides that covered the entrance to his room.


    "I can wait in our chambers. Be careful." Kira smiled at Daven and leaned up to leave a peck on the side of his face. Daven nodded and returned the sign of affection before turning around and walking the way he came from. Before long, he found himself back in the main chambers, and he didn''t hesitate to take a seat on his throne to wait for those he had called for. He also used that opportunity to send one of the guards to find Mian and Daniel; they would need the two boys to identify anyone who might be under the influence of the drug.


    It didn''t take long before a crowd of demi-humans flooded their way into the main chambers. It was a good thing that the chamber was big enough to contain hundreds of demi-humans, because the sheer amount of them was enough to make the place look small. Roughly one hundred and fifty demi-humans of various kinds made their way into the main chambers while voicing their displeasure at being abruptly summoned to the main chambers, but they all went quiet upon seeing the stern look that Daven was giving them.


    It was at that point that a demi-human that Daven was fairly familiar with stepped forward with a worried look on his face.


    "Patriarch Daven, is there a problem? Why have you summoned us all to this place?" Sekk''rah asked Daven. Ever since the group had been assimilated into the Zelan pack, the lizardman had taken up the role as the leader of that small faction.


    "Sekk''rah, it is good to see you again, friend, but I am afraid that we have some problems." Daven replied to him with a level tone.


    "What might this problem be?" The lizardman asked.


    "As much as it pains me to say, I am afraid that there might be some moles for the humans within your group."

 Chapter 59 - Matters Beyond Our Control

    Daven''s revelation left Sekk''rah and the other gathered demi-humans speechless. Confused glances were exchanged between themselves before Daven decided to elaborate.


    "We have just recently found out that the Henshaw Dynasty has created a drug that is capable of subverting the minds of demi-humans without alerting anyone of its presence. I hope you can understand the reason for my worries now." Daven explained to the crowd and they slowly calmed down when they got his point of view.


    "We... understand your point, Patriarch." Sekk''rah eventually spoke, "But it is a bit hard for us to wrap our minds around it. To think that we might be under the control of humans even after everything." The lizardman shook his head and clenched his fist.


    Just at that moment, four demi-humans stepped into the main chamber from one of the side entrances. Daven looked over and nodded when he saw who it was.


    Two guards escorted Mian and Daniel into the spacious cave before bowing their heads and retreating back out of the cave where they had been stationed before being sent to call the two young boys.


    "Mian, Daniel, please come here." Daven waved them over before repeating what he knew about the situation. Daniel was not too familiar with what had happened with the demi-human games, but Mian was, and so his reaction was much more pronounced. He understood what he had to do right away.


    Mian left Daven''s side and made his way towards the crowd of demi-humans that had gathered in front of the Patriarch''s throne. They all knew who he was and also held deep respect and familiarity for him. After all, they had gone through the same ordeal in the demi-human games, and he had helped them escape from that doomed fate.


    Mian stopped before Sekk''rah and smiled at him. The lizardman had proved to be a great ally during their escape, and Mian would gladly help him now.


    ''Hana.'' Mian called out to his companion that had been with him since his journey of Evolution began.


    [Understood.]


    Even Hana understood Mian''s intentions without him saying anything. She had spent enough time with him to understand how he thought, and was easily able to carry out his wishes.


    Mian closed his eyes for a second and opened them again. A golden brilliance shone out of his eyes and onto the demi-humans before him, eliciting a series of surprised gasps.


    The demi-humans were aware of Mian''s position on the council, but they had thought that his position was as a result of his help in freeing the enslaved demi-humans from the Henshaw Dynasty. It was only now that some f them truly understood the reason for Mian''s lofty position. The golden radiance that shone out of Mian''s eyes clued them in to the fact that the young demi-human possessed a Gift!


    [I have detected fourteen demi-humans with a faint presence of the drug within them. Carrying out immediate purification.]


    After a few moments, Hana announced the results of her scan and immediately proceeded to cleansing all signs of the drug in those that she had found. The golden radiance around Mian intensified for a few moments before fourteen beams of light shot out of his figure and enveloped the fourteen demi-humans still affected by the drug.


    The bright rays of light startled everyone at first, but they calmed down when the rays simply passed through them and flashed deeper into the crowd. All except one, at least.


    A single beam of golden light shot straight at Sekk''rah, stunning the lizardman, but it simply went right through him, before landing on the demi-human behind him.


    "Lindo?" Sekk''rah spun around, shocked. The demi-human who stood behind him was his long time friend, the Owlman who had travelled with him before their capture by the dynasty.


    Even Lindo himself was surprised. He scanned the golden glow surrounding his body with surprise before an overwhelming sense of weakness overcame him and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.


    "Lin!" The lizardman rushed to his friend''s side and held up his body. "What is happening?!" He turned to Mian when he noticed that all of those who had been enveloped in the golden radiance had lost their consciousness.


    "They are simply undergoing a direct purification phase." Mian replied, but his voice sounded strange. A second, colder voice overlapped with his own, giving it a surreal feeling that made everyone want to bow their heads while he spoke. Not even Daven, the strongest person present was able t escape that feeling, but its effects were more muted on him.


    The radiance that shone through the entire chamber lasted a few more minutes before dying out completely.


    "Ugh..." Lindo groaned as his consciousness returned to him. Similar sounds rang through different areas of the cave as everyone that lost their consciousness woke up. The golden light leaking out of Mian''s eyes also receded, letting their colors return to the normal blue colors that he had been born with.


    A dizzy feeling overcame Mian when clarity returned to his mind. He remembered what had happened after calling upon his powers, but he felt as though he had simply been a spectator in his own body while that whole process had been carried out. The feeling was similar to when Hana would take control of his body, but also strangely different. He couldn''t put his finger on it, but now was not the time to get lost in his thoughts.


    "The matter has been handled. There is no trace of the drug among any of them now." Mian turned to face Daven who studied him curiously.


    "I see. Thank you." Daven heaved a silent sigh of relief. He was glad that they were able to tackle the issue so quickly and without any chances of anything going out of hand.


    The demi-humans behind them eagerly embraced each other. In the short instance where several of them had lost consciousness, the panic that they felt had spiked.. They had already lost good friends and companions in the battle against the Henshaw Dynasty, so losing more in a seemingly safe place would have been too much for them.

 Chapter 60 - Winding Down

    A couple of days passed by quickly as the tense atmosphere in the pack dissipated. Daven had frequent meetings with Han and the higher ups of his pack, while those who would be involved in the mission were selected and given time to prepare themselves. There was no time to waste.


    While their leaders were holding important meetings, a small group of younger demi-humans and a Beastkin took that liberty to loosen up and wind down.


    "Don''t push me- ahhh!" A yelp rang between the wet rocks, followed closely by a loud splash and loud laughter.


    Flare''s drenched head popped out from the water at the bottom of the waterfall and he glared up at Mian and the two other boys who continued to laugh from above.


    "I told you not to push me!" The young Werecat yelled and waved his hand at them before turning and swimming t the rocky shore close by. A loud splash reached Flare''s ears before a wave of water washed over him and pushed him underwater.


    "You little brat!" When he resurfaced, the first thing he heard was Dion''s loud swearing and Mian''s happy laughter. The black furred Werewolf tried to wipe away the water from his face, but his thick fur prevented him from doing that so he eventually gave up hope on that.


    A small scuffle erupted at the top of the platform where Mian and Daniel remained as they tried t push each other down. Mian lasted quite a while, but Daniel won in the end, pushing Mian off the platform before jumping down right behind him.


    By that time, Flare had smartly left the river, avoiding being bathed by another wave of water. Unfortunately, Dion was too slow, resulting in him being overwhelmed by the massive wave that was generated by their combined dive.


    The three boys soon started wrestling in the water, and Flare used that opportunity to jump right into the middle of that fight from a raised platform, causing another wave of commotion. Even though he was much younger than them, Flare was able to fit right into the group. He was never left out of any of the activities the older boys began and was always able to keep up with them.


    .


    .


    .


    "You''re heavy." Mian complained as he balanced Flare on his shoulders. He was currently in charge of carrying the young dominant as the group made their way to the top of the mountain where the pack was situated.


    "That''s not true. You just aren''t as strong as Dion." Flare countered as he picked a strand of fur from Mian''s head.


    "Don''t do that. It stings." Mian scolded him.


    As the two were busy bickering, Dion and Daniel maintained a spot in front of the group where they had a conversation of their own.


    "-Hurt him and I''ll make sure you are in for a world of pain." Dion whispered in a hushed tone and clenched his fist as he directed a warning t Daniel.


    "I should be the one threatening you. He''s your pack mate. You will most likely have much more opportunities to carry out horrible actions if you wanted to hurt him." Daniel rolled his eyes and folded his arms while walking forward without pausing.


    Before Dion could reply, Daniel cut him short.


    "Look, I don''t ever plan to hurt Mian. He did a lot for me and my pack, I''m indebted to him. How could I ever think of stabbing him in the back? I would sooner turn into a rogue before I betray Mian''s trust." Daniel exclaimed in a hushed tone.


    (A/N: A rogue is a ''feral'' demi-human that has completely embraced their more beastly instincts, and therefore are wild in their actions, attacking both humans and demi-humans alike without thinking.)


    "Good. Because I will personally hunt you down if you hurt Mian." Dion finalized his stance before settling down. The slightly threatening aura that had built up around him dissipated as the tone of his voice returned to normal.


    "We should be close." He announced as they rounded a rocky corner.


    A flat expanse spread before the group, and gasps escaped from Daniel and Flare. Mian and Dion were already familiar with this spot so they were not as surprised, yet that did not remove the charm and beauty of the site.


    In the center of the wide expanse, a five meter large pillar extended from the smooth rock. At the top of that pillar rested a small green gem that had been embedded into the dense rock.


    "What is that?" Flare gasped and leaned forward from his perch on Mian''s shoulders.


    "That," Dion stepped forward to inspect the pillar, "Is the Heart of Zelan, the very core of our pack." He explained while the others stepped forward. "Our Patriarch carved this pillar with his own hands and fixed that gem in its center on the day the Zelan pack was created. It''s more of a meaningful memento than an actual heart, but you get what I mean."


    "That said, we didn''t come here to gawk at this pretty gem! We came here to eat!" Dion suddenly exclaimed and raised the woven basket that he held in one of his hands. He had packed it full of meat, fruits, and a few other things before they began their eventful day out.


    "Food!" Flare cheered before jumping off Mian''s shoulders, nearly throwing the middle rank off balance.


    "Be careful or you might hurt yourself!" Mian scolded, but the little Werecat just ignored him and ran over to Dion who was busy setting up a large blanket that had come from somewhere Mian wasn''t bothered to find out.


    The four of them were soon seated in a circle on the blanket with the basket at their center, and Dion quickly took out the variety of food that was inside the basket.. Kira, the Patriarch''s mate, had personally taken it upon herself to prepare that picnic basket, so there was a lot to eat.

 Chapter 61 - Dispatch

    A few more days passed in silence as the higher ups of the two packs discussed what they would do to handle the matter at hand. It didn''t take long before they reached an agreement though.


    Mian was outside the caves of the pack, eagerly examining a squirrel that hung off a tree and stared down at him when Dion came jogging through the trees, looking for him.


    "Mian! There you are. I''ve been looking for you for a while now. Daven and Han want to see you, I think they have finally come to a decision on how we''re going to handle the matter with the humans." Dion exclaimed before he noticed the intense look that Mian was giving the squirrel and the squirrel was also giving Mian in return.


    "Oh, Dion. What''s up?" Mian asked when he noticed Dion''s presence.


    "The Patriarch is looking for you... What are you doing?"


    "Oh, I was just testing something on this little fella." Mian explained and motioned at the squirrel. It squeaked before jumping from the branch it hung off of and onto his shoulder.


    "Squeak!" It faced Dion before squeaking again.


    While Dion tried to wrap his head around why a squirrel would be willing to hang around in the presence of predators, Mian was busy thinking about the changes that he had influenced in the squirrel.


    [Appraisal]


    Name: ??


    Species: Dark Wood Squirrel


    Age: One


    Health: Perfect


    Energy: 40


    Stamina: 20


    Agility: 30


    ---


    Mian was pleased with what he saw. Ever since he had lost the ability to evolve himself for the time being, he had always wondered how else he could leverage his incredible abilities. It turned out that he could also evolve simple animals, and not just other demi-humans. He felt quite stupid for not figuring it out before, now that he thought about it.


    The two boys soon returned to the caves, but with a third individual in tow. The dark brown furred squirrel squeaked curiously from its perch on Mian''s shoulder as it examined the demi-humans that the boys passed by. A few people threw curious looks at the animal, but soon ignored its presence.


    "Mian, Dion, please take a seat." Daven turned to face the boys for a short moment after they entered the main chamber before returning to his former position.


    Every important member of both packs that could be present were present. Even Daniel was there, as he would also be needed to take part in the mission. When everyone was confirmed to be present, Daven finally commenced the meeting.


    "I''m glad everyone is here. It is time for us to address this important matter that will decide not only our fates, but the fate of every demi-human on Topor." Daven met the eyes of every demi-human in the room, Werewolf and Werecat alike. There were even a couple other types of demi-humans present.


    "The Zelan pack shall assign thirty dominant demi-humans and fifty high ranking demi-humans to this endeavor. While we have much more at hand, they are currently busy with overseeing the expansion of our pack. It would be unwise to send them out in out sensitive period." Azreal announced the Zelan pack''s commitment to the matter.


    "The Belmun pack will assign fifteen dominants and twenty high ranking members." Han spoke up. "While we can assign more, that would basically be the same as stripping our lands of all our powerful pack members. I hope you all can understand." He finished with a wry smile.


    Everyone gave understanding nods. Not only did the Belmun pack have a small population, they had recently undergone a large overhaul that left them in a sensitive position. If they were to direct too much manpower to external activities, then they would leave themselves vulnerable to outside attacks.


    "Good. Since we have that settled, then we will send out the team tomorrow. They will circle through the territory of the Belmun pack in order to pick up the team of the Belmun pack before traveling ahead and moving straight for the closest pack that is provided on the map." Daven began tracing out the path that would be used for travel between the packs.


    Everyone agreed and they began to make further detailed plans on how they would act. There was an urgent need to address their plans before they set out as it would take more time to get messages sent between the team and the packs after they had set out for their missions.


    "Everyone is dismissed. Go and prepare for the mission tomorrow." Daven eventually called for the end of the mission half an hour later.


    Mian got up and left, with Dion and Daniel right behind him. Dion''s presence there was because of his Alpha and Patriarch training. He was going to be an Alpha, and also the next Patriarch after Daven. Understanding how to handle the duties of the Patriarch was an essential part of his training, and as such, he was expected to almost always attend any important meetings that the future of the pack hinged upon.


    "Are you coming with us?" Mian asked the black furred dominant. Dion hummed in thought before responding.


    "Hmm, I don''t know. I still have my Alpha training to do, but the Patriarch might let me go so I can get some valuable field experience. Who knows?" The large boy shrugged before continuing, "I have a meeting with him later this evening, so I can ask him there."


    "You will most likely come with us." Daniel chipped in, his furry gray ears swiveling atop his head. "If you plan on being a good Patriarch, then field experience will be vital to your training." The fifteen year old nodded sagely, making his sharp features look more delicate than usual.


    "And how would you know that?" Dion turned his attention to the Beastkin.


    "Common sense." Daniel rolled his eyes with a smirk.


    "You little runt!" Dion pounced on Daniel and caught him in a headlock.


    "Hey! Let me go!" The two boys began to wrestle, much to Mian''s entertainment.

 Chapter 62 - Dispatch (2)

    The groups of just over sixty demi-humans left the territory of the Zelan pack the next day. Han and his escort from the Belmun pack were among them, along with Mian, Daniel and Dion. Surprisingly, Dion''s name was first on the list of the members of the taskforce that was sent from the Zelan pack to assist in the mission.


    They made quick progress and were able to go quite far by the end of just the first day, covering almost a fourth of the distance between the two packs.


    "At this speed, we will get to the Belmun pack''s territory in a bit less than four days." One of the Werewolves from the Belmun pack spoke to another from the Zelan pack.


    Other members of the taskforce were having similar conversations. They were eager to see what the Belmun pack looked like, as they had never gotten the chance to directly interact with other packs. Only their scouts made contact with the neighboring packs once in a while.


    While the various demi-humans were busy discussing about the upcoming mission, the leaders of the taskforce were also going through a similar discussion.


    "I can''t thank you enough for making this possible, Mian." Han smiled at Mian as he, the high ranking members of his pack, Dion, Daniel and Mian sat around one of the many fires that were made so that the members of the taskforce could spend the night in warmth.


    "It''s nothing, Han. I couldn''t just stand by and let the humans do whatever they wanted to my kind." Mian humbly replied.


    "There''s no need to be humble, kid. I''m pretty sure that if it was me who found out about this plot, my head would have been bloated with so much pride by now that I would barely be able to think." A member of the Belmun pack patted Mian firmly on the back let out a hearty laugh.


    "I need some fresh air." Daniel abruptly shot to his feet before walking away from the group. He soon vanished from sight and blended into the darkness of the forest.


    "I''ll make sure he doesn''t get into any trouble." Mian stood up and followed in the Beastkin''s direction.


    "I''ll watch them both." Dion sighed and trudged after the two younger boys, disappearing into the darkness and leaving the adults shaking their heads.


    "Kids these days..."


    .


    .


    .


    "Daniel, hey slow down!" Mian called out to Daniel as he weaved between the trees.


    "You are walking too slowly if you think you can catch up with a dominant." Dion''s voice suddenly whispered beside Mian''s ear before Mian was hoisted over the large dominant''s shoulder.


    "Wha-!" Before Mian could react, the black furred boy broke into a run, dashing past trees and hoping over short bushes. In a matter of moments, they had already caught up with Daniel, showcasing how fast Dion could move, even with obstacles on his path.


    The dominant Beastkin sat at the edge of a cliff, letting his legs hang over the edge.


    "That''s dangerous, you know." Dion commented as he lowered Mian to his feet. Mian made sure to flick his ear in retaliation for not warning him before lifting him and running through the forest with him.


    "Ow, that''s sensitive." Dion mumbled and rubbed the ear as he took a seat at Daniel''s side. Mian mirrored his action, sitting on Daniel''s other side.


    "Care to talk?" Mian asked while looking ahead into the sky. The gray moon that hung in the sky looked especially bright at that moment.


    "About?" Daniel replied with a monotone voice.


    "About what''s bothering you. We are your friends, we will always be willing to listen to what''s bothering you so we can help you." Dion answered the question.


    Although the two of them had known each other for a short amount of time, they had already established their stances and found mutual ground where their goals coincided with each other. Aside from that, with Mian there, there was little chance that they would be anything but friends, especially when they both wanted to make sure that they stayed on his good side and protected him.


    "What''s bothering me..." Daniel muttered and let his head hang low as he sorted through his thoughts.


    "I want a bit of recognition..." He finally spoke after a while of silence. "I spend years trying to figure out how to get my pack back, yet no one recognizes all the work and effort I put in. I don''t feel appreciated. It''s not fair." A single tear made its way down Daniel''s cheek and dropped onto the back of his had that was folded on his lap.


    When they heard his words, Mian and Dion finally understood what Daniel had been going through for the past few days. They even felt a bit stupid for not noticing it earlier when they spent most of their time together.


    "Dan..." Mian whispered and placed a comforting palm on Daniel''s shoulder. "I''m so sorry."


    "You shouldn''t be sorry. It''s not your fault I feel this way." Daniel shook his head.


    "I should have still known. Recognition is something I''ve been denied all my life. I''ve always been seen as the worthless omega who managed to catch a stroke of luck and be found by the Patriarch of a powerful pack. The scorn I received for my weakness was something that pressed on my so much that the moment I got some proper recognition, everything else faded to the background. I''ve been taking all the credit for something that would not have been possible if it wasn''t for you. I''m sorry for that. I''m sorry for ignoring how important what you did for me was. I''m sorry for stealing all the recognition for your hard work."


    By the time Mian had finished speaking, he was holding a vulnerable Beastkin in his arms who was on the verge of a breakdown. Daniel was barely holding himself together. He didn''t care about getting recognition from everyone.. All he wanted was some recognition from his father.

 Chapter 63 - King Fredrick Henshaw IV

    Hurried footsteps echoed against the fine tiled walls of the long hallway that Bernard passed through. The flag of the Henshaw Dynasty hung off the walls at regular intervals, reminding him of who he served.


    "Stop. State your business." Bernard stopped before the pair of guards that stood on either side of the large and imposingly decorated double doors that led to the Royal Hall.


    "I have a message for the King; let me through." Bernard stiffened his spine and stared down the two guards. Although he was technically a simply messenger, he had spent enough time around the King to have interacted with much more powerful figures than those Royal Guards. They may have been powerful, but he was not intimidated, and they knew it.


    The large doors slowly cracked open just enough for Bernard to slip through, which he quickly did, before they closed shut once again. The messenger didn''t tarry and hurried straight to the set of thrones that were conveniently placed on the other end of the massive hall. Large pillars that were so wide that it would take five grown men holding hands to completely wrap around it, were spread at regular intervals, holding up the finely decorated ceiling that was full of intricate carvings and paintings that exulted the Henshaw name.


    "My Liege." Bernard knelt down on one knee when he finally arrived before the throne of the king.


    Five thrones of varying sizes were arranged side by side on a raised platform. These thrones could easily be removed and changes, but there was barely a need to do that unless the throne changed hands.


    On the largest throne that was placed at the center sat a lean man that was draped in a red and green robe with golden flourishes. An extravagant golden crow with a small hexagonal ruby sat upon his head of golden blonde hair.


    King Fredrick Henshaw IV was a proud man, and every action and thought he made was proof of it. His garments were excessively expensive, and whatever decision he made was sure to provide him immense benefits to himself whether immediately, or in the future.


    Of course, he had the right to be proud of his bloodline. The Henshaw ancestor had claimed this land when he had migrated to the Northern continent in the time of the Cold Era where the Old Ones had oppressed every other race on the planet. That ancestor had taken charge of the other humans the moment the rule of the Old Ones had started to shake, and had fought back.


    In the end, his gamble had paid off, and he had used that opportunity to claim the most fruitful land of the Northern continent and thus named it as the Henshaw Dynasty. The dynasty had reigned over the Northern continent ever since without any problems.


    Until now.


    "Bernard, speak." King Fredrick Henshaw IV spoke when he set his eyes upon his loyal servant.


    "My liege, I come with news concerning the whereabouts of Sir Adam." While he spoke, Bernard didn''t raise his head, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the King''s high class shoes.


    "Oh? Has he been found yet? That unruly child. I will make sure to punish him so that he can learn a lesson from this and behave better next time." King Fredrick sat up in his throne.


    "...My liege, I am afraid I do not have the news you seek." Bernard hesitantly replied. "Sir Adam was last reported to have set out for the territory of the Belmun pack, one of the packs that is under the influence of our Herder Drug."


    "Oh, of course, I remember that he insisted on having those filthy mutts as part of his shadow force. He should have at least told me before he left." Fredrick frowned. "Send out some lesser messengers to contact him. I want him back here before the end of the week." He passed his will.


    "At once, my liege!" Bernard waited for a couple of seconds before turning around and rising to his feet. Throughout the short meeting, he had managed to avoid eye contact with the King. It was a concrete rule to always avoid eye contact with the King. The last servant that accidentally made eye contact with the King had spent a week in the torture chambers before being returned to the servant quarters covered in wounds and bruises.


    Bernard quickly left the Royal Hall, walking down the halls with hurried steps until he arrived at an open room that served as a hub for all the messages and letters coming to and from the castle.


    "Bernard, here to see me?" A lady who was at the far corner of the room, tending to a messenger bird asked while she petted the bird.


    "No, Estelle. I am running an errand for the King." Bernard replied curtly, walking through the room and to a table with a stack of papers and some pens laying around. He took a seat and began to compose a short but precise letter with his fine cursive handwriting. He stated the wishes of the King before rolling it up and sealing it with a wax stamp that depicted the Royal Emblem. That wax stamp would place maximum priority on his letter and make sure it got to its destination in time.


    He then walked over to one of the many bird cages in the room and took a messenger bird before approaching the open window and tying the letter to its leg. Without further ado, he set the bird free, watching it fly off into the large main city of the Henshaw Dynasty.


    The messenger bird would make its way to the main department where messenger birds that were leaving the dynasty were kept, delivering its message before returning to the castle to wait for another similar task.


    After glancing into the distance for a while more, Bernard finally retreated from the window, and went off to carry out his other duties.

 Chapter 64 - The Henshaw Dynastys Royal Family

    Crown Prince Alaric sat down on the sill of one of the larger windows in his father''s study and stared out into the distance while slowly swirling the wine glass in his grasp.


    "Cousin Adam has gone missing." He spoke up, addressing his younger siblings that had gathered in that corner of the large room with him. They were holding one of their usual meetings to discuss the various affairs that directly concerned them, and the disappearance of their cousin was one such matter. It had already been a week since the messenger bird to the Belmun pack had been sent out. It never came back.


    "Father is not happy." One of the other princes present spoke up. His name was Silveros, a name gotten because of his sparkling silvery eyes, and he possessed the signature blond hair of the Henshaw bloodline. He was the second child of King Fredrick Henshaw, preceded by his older brother, the Crown Prince.


    The current reigning King of the Henshaw Dynasty had five children. Those children consisted of three boys and two girls, of which the girls were the youngest.


    "I told you. It was only a matter of time before those animals found out about the drug, and now we''ve lost little Adam." Princess Vera complained with a soft pout present on her lips. "If you want to deal with the animals, you do it the hard way. There is no need o games and tricks!"


    "Big sister, those aren''t animals. They may not be like us, but they are obviously a step above animals no matter how you look at it." Princess Lena, the baby of the Henshaw Dynasty complained about the way her sister referred to the demi-humans.


    "Baby sister, you should watch what you say about those creatures. They are nothing but mistakes born from crooked evolution. Also make sure never to say that before father. He is sure to frown upon that." Alaric scolded Lena.


    "You can''t say that, Alaric! Big brother, tell him that the demi-humans are more than wild animals." Lena turned to the third son of the King, Brendan. Unlike his siblings and father, Brendan sported the same silver hair that their mother had. His eyes fluttered open momentarily, revealing his sharp, bottle green eyes for a short instant, before they closed shut. With that simple gesture, he had expressed his stance to remain neutral in the argument.


    "You meanies!" Princess Lena squinted her eyes before sitting back down with crossed arms and a cute pout. She leaned against Brendan, despite the fact that he had just chosen not to support her. She knew that he supported her, but he had simply chosen not to voice his thoughts, lest a heated argument might break out between the siblings.


    Brendan lightly nudged Lena with his elbow but kept his eyes closed. They were quite close among the five siblings because of the similar mindset that they shared. Brendan had already made it clear that he would not be partaking in this discussion, but no one minded that.


    "Do you think Little Adam was captured or..." Princess Vera trailed off. There was a lot of bad blood between the demi-humans and the Henshaw Dynasty, so the chances of the demi-humans torturing one of the direct relatives of the current ruler of the dynasty was quite high.


    "There is no way to tell, but there is a high chance. We will have to wait until the task force we sent out to the Belmun pack gets there before we can find out anything more. Hopefully, Adam is just being a little rebellious. If not, then we will have a serious issue on our hands." Alaric''s face looked grave.


    If Adam had been captured by the demi-humans, then there would be two major issues. Firstly, it would mean that the demi-humans would be in possession of a high value member of the Henshaw Dynasty. If it were just a simple soldier, then it would be a small matter, but Adam was directly related to the King of the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Secondly, not only would the demi-humans be in possession of an important person, this capture would also mean that the drug upon which countless hours of sweat, blood and sleepless nights had been spent, would have been all for nothing. The drug would be utterly useless if it was of no effect on the target audience it was made for.


    "Do you think father is aware of this?" Vera asked.


    "Of course he is!" Silveros suddenly exclaimed. "How can our wise father not be aware of this? He is King for a reason, otherwise the Council would have done something about it long ago." He proudly concluded.


    Even though the King was known to be all powerful and great, in truth, he had a council of advisors that took on the major roles of managing the Dynasty. This council was known as the King''s Circle.


    The King''s Circle consisted of highly knowledgeable individuals that had carried out patriotic acts or had proven their competence and ability to handle great and important roles and decisions in the absence of the King''s words.


    "Enough." Alaric''s voice silenced his siblings'' bickering. "Father is already aware of this, and has provided the taskforce that is on its way to the Belmun pack with stellar equipment. In fact, a General is also part of the taskforce!"


    "A General?!" Lena sat up quickly with a gasp when she heard that. A General was the equivalent of a dominant demi-human in the lower tier of the rank. Such an individual was a force to be reckoned with on their own, not to mention when they were accompanied by several other highly trained warriors who were strong in their own right.


    From what she had heard from her own sources, over half of the members of the taskforce we''re strong enough to rival high ranking demi-humans. Such a talk was enough to decimate a small sized pack if given the right resources and equipment!

 Chapter 65 - Bonfire

    "We are getting close to the Bolvar Tribe''s territory." A dominant scout from the Zelan pack spoke up to his companion, who quickly left to go and relay the information back to the main body of the taskforce some distance behind.


    The taskforce had made its stop at the Belmun pack, picked up the members who were eligible to join, and then set off again to the territory of the closest pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug.


    The Herder Drug was the name of the special drug that was capable of subverting the minds of demi-humans. In the time that Han had spent away from the pack, the further interrogation sessions of Adam Henshaw had led to him exposing the name of the drug.


    So basically, the humans had planned to herd demi-humans as though they were simple livestock. That was the idea behind the Herder Drug''s name.


    Han nodded his head when the message was delivered by the scout and turned to the demi-humans around him.


    "Just a few more hours and we''ll be within the Bolvar Tribe''s lands." He announced. "Make sure to keep your guard up, we have no idea what we are going to meet when we get there!"


    ...


    "What... Is going on here?" Han asked in surprise when he saw the scene that was spread out before him.


    Just some time ago, they had finally crossed the borders of the Bolvar Tribe''s lands, but surprisingly, they had not been intercepted by scouts or any other force that should have been left to safeguard the land''s borders. Instead, the area had been devoid of almost every trace of life, leaving some members of the taskforce to doubt whether their target still existed in this area, or had moved away.


    Only after hours of searching that they had finally come upon a strange scene. The scene that left every member of the taskforce speechless.


    A massive bonfire glowed in the darkness of the evening, painting the surrounding trees in its orange glow. A large amount of Beastkin and demi-humans were gathered around the bonfire, dancing and singing as though they had no worries in this life.


    But that was not what caught the attention of the members of the taskforce. No. What caught their attention was the small group of humans that were leisurely sitting and drinking at the center of the circle of half naked, dancing bodies.


    The men all had two Beastkin women who were wearing very few articles of clothing, while the women were surrounded by Beastkin men that were in a similar state of undress. It was obvious that the Beastkin and demi-humans were not in their right state of mind for them to be acting in such a manner with humans. It was almost as if they were worshiping the humans!


    The lecherous men''s hands roamed over the bodies of the well endowed young ladies that they had chosen to have a good time with that night, while the women allowed the male Beastkins'' hands to explore the various contours of their bodies.


    Such a sight was especially sickening to watch when the members of the taskforce added in the fact that those Beastkin were not in their right senses.


    The leaders of the taskforce momentarily gathered together to put together a plan of action. Based on the information gotten from Adam Henshaw, there were only six people in the team that had been assigned to the Bolvar Tribe.


    Even if Adam had been truthful, there was still a chance that the figures had changed. Adam had been missing in the human society for over a month. There was always a chance that precautions had been taken, and the number of people assigned to each team had been increased. Because of this possibility, they had to make sure their plan was foolproof, and would allow for as little loss as possible.


    "We can not just charge in there and attack them. The hundreds of Beastkin and demi-humans of the Bolvar Tribe are all under their control, so running in there with a mere seventy warriors would be akin to suicide." One person spoke up.


    "I propose our archers take shots at them. That seems to be our best bet in this situation." Another member of the meeting Han was currently holding proposed.


    "If we miss the first shots, then the humans can just use their captives as meat shields. My gut tells me that it won''t work out so easily."


    Ideas flowed back and forth as they tried to come up with a plan that would serve them best. What they wanted was the least possible casualties on their side, and possibly the side of the Bolvar Tribe. With lower casualties, then their prospects of having more people join the taskforce and complete the mission would increase greatly.


    Han sighed and rubbed his eyes. He subconsciously turned to an demi-human boy who looked out of place among the various powerful demi-humans that were currently discussing.


    Mian was seated between Dion and Daniel as the three of them listened to the ideas that were being thrown around. Suddenly, Han called for silence and decided to ask what the boys thought.


    While the adults had been arguing on how to proceed, Mian had also been thinking on how to handle the matter through his own methods.


    ''Hana, what are the chances of me being able to handle this whole matter by myself when I go all out?'' He asked his helpful companion that had been with him since the beginning of his evolutionary journey.


    [By ''all out'', I am guessing you mean using Evolution Points to boost your body?] Hana replied dutifully.


    ''Yes.'' Mian replied. The sight of how the humans were manipulating Beastkin and demi-humans alike had struck a chord within him.. He felt an incredible sense of disgust, and was willing to do his very best to free those that were under the control of the humans from their predicament.

 Chapter 66 - Bonfire (2)

    [Sorry, Host. I am afraid that your body can not withstand that amount of strain, especially in its current state where you are unable to use Evolution Points to Evolve yourself. But, there is another way...]


    By the time Hana finished explaining her plan, Han suddenly asked Mian if he had a plan on how to handle the matter.


    "I have an idea, although it might not be what you expect," Mian answered.


    "Go on."


    "Dion, Daniel, and myself will head closer to the bonfire, and then I will empower them using my Gift. The three of us should be enough to shake things up a little. When Dion and Daniel have managed to catch their attention, the rest of the taskforce can strike from behind to put down the humans."


    Han rubbed his chin as he considered the plan that Mian had proposed. "How sure are you of this plan succeeding?" He asked.


    "At least 80% sure, sir." Mian stated confidently. In truth, he had just included that the taskforce would join the attack when Dion and Daniel distracted the demi-humans and Beastkin under the humans'' control, but he planned for the two of them to charge straight into the circle of bodies and strike down the humans as quickly as possible! With the strength that he would be temporarily granting them, such an act would be exceedingly easy.


    "If you say so, then I can agree to your plan. It''s not like any of ours have a greater chance of succeeding with no casualties." Han nodded his head and turned to the other leaders of the taskforce. They too, had no complaints.


    Before long, Dion and Daniel found themselves standing at the edge of the small camp that the taskforce had made some distance away from the raging bonfire.


    "Are we really going to do this? I feel a little nervous." Dion scratched the back of his head as he looked at the tall fire that reached up into the sky in the distance. It was rare for a dominant to admit their fear, or even nervousness, but Dion had fearlessly done this because he felt comfortable with the two other boys that stood beside him.


    "Yup, we are. Well, you two are. I''ll just stay a bit far away." Mian nodded while admiring the scene. "Are you guys ready?" He asked.


    "Ready as I''ll ever be." Daniel breathed.


    "Ready!" Dion concurred.


    "Alright, brace yourselves. You are going to get an immense boost in power, but it won''t last forever. You guys just need to run down there, shove your way through the demi-humans and Beastkin, and strike down the humans. The rest of the taskforce will be close behind." Mian explained the plan to them. They understood that his current plan was a bit different than what he had told Han, but they trusted him enough to brush it off.


    If Mian believed that they could accomplish that much with the power he was granting them, then they could accomplish that much.


    Mian placed a hand on each of the boys'' shoulders before channeling his powers.


    [This blessing will only last for five minutes. It would be best if they make the most out of this time.] Hana gave some last minute advise that Mian didn''t hesitate to pass on to his friends.


    "You guys only have five minutes. After that, you will revert to normal."


    A corona of golden light enveloped the two boys'' bodies after Mian had passed his warning. Streaks of deep, golden lines made their way across the boys'' bodies as a feeling of unbridled strength coursed through their veins.


    Yes. This was the same ability that Mian had used to defeat the Pillar of the Henshaw Dynasty some time ago, but instead of using it on himself, he was using it on someone else.


    Hana had told him that although he was unable to use this ability on his own, he could temporarily grant it to others. As long as those who were bestowed with this blessing were strong enough in their base forms, then they would be able to withstand the strain of this ability much more easily than Mian had.


    They would still be able to retain some fighting ability, unlike Mian who had lost consciousness after the ability had worn off from him.


    Feeling this strength coursing through their bodies, both Dion and Daniel understood that it was time for them to carry out their portion of the plan. They immediately dashed forward with all their strength, looking like two dark comets as they cut straight through the darkness of night, and straight at the crowd that encircled the bonfire.


    In just a few moments, they had already crossed over half of the distance between the camp of the taskforce and the bonfire. That was when the strongest among the members of the Bolvar pack sensed that something was wrong, but it was already too late for the to react.


    By the time they turned around to face the threat head on, the two dominants that were under Mian''s blessing had already crossed the clearing that the bonfire was in, and shoved their way through the crowd!


    All this happened in less than a minute, stunning everyone who was watching from the camp.


    "What is-?!" Before the leader among the team of humans could react to the sudden change of pace of their slaves, his throat was already slit by an impossibly sharp claw, leading to a fountain of blood spraying from around him.


    He turned around in pure shock, taking in his surrounding on his dying breath. His eyes widened as he saw that his companions had equally slit throats, and that was when he realized that his throat had also been slit.


    Before he could do anything more, life left his body, and his eyes lost that shine of life, turning dull and empty.


    Thud!


    As one, the bodies of the humans who had been at the center of the mass of demi-humans and Beastkin fell to the ground, dead.

 Chapter 67 - Overbearing Display!

    Less than a minute after Mian had bestowed his blessing upon his two friends, they had already completed their goal!


    The two boys had simply rushed straight at the crowd in the distance with all their might, mindful of the time limit that they had, and then, instantly found themselves within range in a few short moments! The change was too jarring, but they couldn''t stop. They needed to put an end to the lives of the humans who dares to treat their kind as slaves.


    In another instant, they had appeared before the men and women and methodically struck them down without encountering any sort of opposition. In truth, they had expected to have been met with at least some kind of basic resistance, but the humans had easily crumbled under their attacks.


    At first, they were shocked, but then a sense of awe washed over them as they realized how powerful Mian''s blessing was.


    "...WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" A pained and angry roar cut them out of their thoughts. They turned to see over two hundred rage filled glares fixed on their bodies. At the forefront of the mass of Beastkin and demi-humans, a half naked Beastkin that looked to be in his twenties or so, eyed the two boys with unrestrained killing intent.


    The two boys raised their arms, ready to protect themselves at a moment''s notice. They had managed to take down the humans easily, but now they would have to deal with the fury of over a hundred furious demi-humans! They needed to hold on until help from the taskforce arrived, and they were not sure how long it would take, considering the fact that they had deliberately set up camp far away in order to prevent themselves from being found out by those they were spying on.


    "RAAARRR!!!" As one, the enraged Beastkin and demi-humans around them roared aloud. The flames burning a small distance away shook and swayed, as though influenced by the united roar of the angry beings.


    "Shit." Dion managed to curse before the Beastkin that had spoken to them lunged at him.


    .


    .


    Some distance away, Mian hurriedly ran through the bushes and trees that separated the taskforce''s camp from the bonfire.


    ''Crap, I didn''t know they would become that fast.'' He thought to himself with a wry smile on his face. He had no idea that a boost like that would raise the speed of the two boys to that level. He had thought that although they would be fast, the main body of the taskforce would not be too far behind.


    Those thoughts were thrown to the cold winds the moment the boys had set off. Mian could barely blink before they had vanished from his sight and dashed down the hill.


    Not too far behind him, the remaining members of the taskforce had abandoned the camp and began rushing down the hill. It was quite the sight.


    One moment, the scouts had been keeping their eyes on the relatively calm collection of people around the bonfire, and in the next moment, the humans'' bodies were on the ground, lifeless, with two large and familiar figures standing by their dead bodies.


    "T-the humans...!" One scout cried out in shock, "They are dead!"


    "What?! Say again!"


    "The humans are dead! Dion and Daniel have taken care of them!" He repeated.


    "What?!" Han hurried rushed up to the edge of the cliff where they could safely overlook the bonfire. And true to what the scout had said, the bodies of the humans could be seen at the feet of his son and the future Patriarch of the Zelan pack. "How is this possible?!" Han was dumbstruck. The taskforce was still preparing to go down and support the boys in their mission, but surprisingly, they had already downed the humans without any help from them!


    "Quickly! Everyone, rush downhill to help them. We don''t know how long they can hold up against that amount of enemies without applying lethal force!" Han quickly gave the order and the entirety of the taskforce rushed out so that they could get to the bonfire in time. That led to everyone abandoning their posts and leaving the campsite unsupervised. While this could be dangerous in any other situation, they had no time to think about the repercussions of their actions at this moment. At most, they could just send some demi-humans back to the campsite to clear up the place after they had subdued the raging tribe.


    .


    .


    Dion hastily raised his arm to block the vicious swipe that the strong dominant Beastkin had aimed at him. Surprisingly, the claws of the man barely sunk an inch into his flesh before being stopped completely by the dense muscles that hid beneath his skin.


    His reaction was on point. A solid, black furred fist slammed into the face of the Beastkin, sending him hurtling to the side, unconscious. One single punch had knocked out a dominant that was of the same rank as himself!


    Dion had no time to ponder upon his amazing feat as half a dozen more Beastkin threw themselves at him. His punches were quick and decisive, knocking out all of the raging tribesmen that hurled themselves at him.


    Daniel was in a similar situation just a few meters away from Dion, but unlike his friend who preferred to tank all the incoming damage, Daniel focused more on dodging the approaching Beastkin and demi-humans before doing away with them. But he made sure to be careful not to kill any of them by accident.


    The two of them methodically struck down all approaching hostiles, making sure not to go too far. A pile of bodies eventually started to surround them, forcing them to restrict their movements.


    It was at that time that they felt the strength that had filled their bodies for the past minutes begin to draw away from them.


    "Dan! We need to get out of here!" Dion called out to his companion. The gray haired Beastkin nodded with furrowed brows as he threw a female demi-human to the side as though she was a rag. He didn''t mean to be so rough, but he was against a wall already.


    The two boys turned around to flee when a sudden golden halo shone around them. The bodies of the raging tribesmen instantly froze, before slumping to the ground. All of them were unconscious.


    "What?" Daniel muttered, just before the figure of a black furred demi-human with blue streaks running across became visible at the other end of the bonfire.


    "Good job." Mian grinned widely at them. He then turned his attention back to the unconscious members of the Bolvar tribe. The golden light that illuminated their bodies seemed to intensify ever so slightly as Mian poured all his attention into guiding the cleansing energy that currently flowed through their bodies.


    At first, Mian had planned to simply apply the same method he had used on the Belmun pack, but when the taskforce had seen the extent to which the humans were able to control the minds of the tribesmen, he had decided to directly purify the bodies and minds of the victims of the Herder Drug.


    Dion and Daniel moved to secure either of Mian''s sides in order to safeguard him from any unseen threats that might have been lurking in the dark. They wanted to boy to be able to pour all his attention into his ability without worrying about his surroundings.


    Mian sighed internally as he saw this before doing as he was supposed to. With Hana''s help, he poured all his energy and mind into guiding the flow of energy in the surroundings and in the bodies of the tribesmen around him without worrying about anything. He knew just how strong his two companions were, even without his blessings, and they were a force to be reckoned with on a normal day. Aside from that, the taskforce would soon be arriving, as they were not too far behind him when he had arrived.


    Time slowly passed by as Mian focused on his work and his two companions guarded him closely. Not too long after Mian began his work, the first demi-humans of the taskforce hesitantly emerged from between the cover of trees and darkness.


    The reason why they had emerged hesitantly was because of the massive amount of bodies that they had noticed was gathered in the clearing where the bonfire raged.


    To think that only three young boys had done this... There was only a single thought on their minds.


    ''What an overbearing display!''

 Chapter 68 - The Bolvar Tribes Predicament

    One by one, the tribesmen of the Bolvar Tribe began waking up from the sudden slumber that had befallen them.


    "What... is happening?" One of the many Beastkin that laid on the floor, sat up warily, while holding his head. A dull throb pulsed at the back of his head, and a wave of dizziness forced him to remain on the floor, instead of getting to his feet. This Beastkin was the same on who had tried to attack Dion, and his name was Ezra. He had a head full of brown hair, with streaks of black hair intertwined with it.


    (A/N: Who noticed that those who were affected by the Herder Drug this time included Beastkin? Doesn''t that ring some bells?)


    Ezra had only recently become the Patriarch of his tribe after the sudden, unexpected, and mysterious passing of his father some weeks back. It had been a sudden shift, one that was supposed to be too great for him to handle at a time, but surprisingly, the matter had mysteriously settled itself.


    The tribe had readily welcomed him as their new Patriarch, and life had carried on as normally as it should have. Or at least, that was what the tribesmen were made to believe. Unknown to them, they were already under the control of a powerful variant of the Herder Drug that not even Adam was aware of. This variant of the drug was able to affect even Beastkin, as it was made specifically for them.


    Ezra tried to recall why he, along with other members of his pack were laying on the ground, around a bonfire, but the throbbing at the back of his head turned into a painful spike of pain that jabbed into his brain whenever he tried to force the thought process.


    Slowly, he got to his feet, examining his surroundings. The first thing he noted was the dozens of demi-humans that stood around his unconscious tribesmen. He was not able to recognize any of them.


    "Intruders! What have you done to my people?!" Ezra took a fighting stance. The sound of his voice drew the attention of the other Beastkin and demi-humans of his tribe that had woken up.


    "Calm down! We did not harm your people in any way!" Han immediately stepped forward. Ezra''s eyes narrowed the moment Han stepped forward. From the way the older demi-human held himself, along with how no one objected to him taking the lead, it was quite obvious that he was in charge of the demi-humans who remained standing around his tribesmen.


    "Then what is going on? Are you trying to take over my tribe?!" Ezra didn''t back down at all. The continuity of his tribe was at stake, and he knew that letting possible enemies have such a huge advantage over him was not good at all.


    "Let me explain what is going on." Han tried to appease the young leader of the Bolvar tribe, and quickly explained what was going on. Mian had already informed him that they were no longer under the effects of the Herder Drug, so he could be liberal with his words without holding anything back.


    A few minutes later, a deep frown was etched onto Ezra''s face after listening to Han''s words.


    "How can I believe you? If what you say is true, then that means you might also be in cahoots with the humans." Ezra looked upon the members of the taskforce with distrust.


    "I assure you that we are here to help." Han stressed their stance.


    "I still don''t believe you. For all I know, you might just be the pets of another human faction that just wants to get rid of the ones who were in charge here." Ezra was playing hard. He was tempted to trust them, but he had to think not just for himself, but for the rest of his tribe. Even now, there were still quite a few members who had yet to regain consciousness.


    "And what should we do to make you believe us?" Han asked. He preferred to settle this without trying to force the Bolvar Tribe into a tight spot. Gaining the help of the tribe willingly would be a lot better than forcing them to help.


    "How are you able to cure the effects of this drug? If it was that easy, then my people would not have fallen prey to it." Ezra pinned Han with a steady gaze. Han returned his gaze without fail until the voice of a familiar demi-human spoke up.


    "That would be because of me." Mian, along with his two companions walked up to Han''s side.


    .


    .


    "I see... So, you are a Gift bearer." Ezra muttered as he stared closely at Mian. They were currently seated close to the raging bonfire. The bodies of the humans had been disposed of in the forest, and the blood on the floor had been buried up.


    "I was thinking that the humans would have claimed the latest Skyfall. Who would have guessed that our kind would be able to one-up those prideful bastards." The young Patriarch chuckled.


    When Mian had stepped forward to introduce himself, he had subtly commanded Hana to influence the surrounding air. She had released a gaseous substance that instantly calmed the members of the Bolvar Tribe.


    Yes. It was this same substance that Hana had initially used in order to calm Mian down when he first came into possession of the Evolution System.


    The introduction of that calming agent had instantly made things easier for Mian and Han. The leader of the taskforce had urged Ezra to allow them to speak away from others while the remaining members of the taskforce focused on making sure that the tribesmen of the Bolvar Tribe were okay.


    Mian had then explained that he was a Gift bearer, and that he had the ability to dispel the effects of the drug. He had not explained the specifics of his Gift, but through a few superfluous shows of his abilities, he was able to convince Ezra.


    "Ezra, if you don''t mind us asking, what is the last thing you remember?" Daniel asked. One of the common symptoms of those who had just been freed of the effects of the drug was that their memories would be fuzzy for a time. That was why Daniel had been as polite as possible when asking if Ezra could share his memories.


    "My last memories..." Ezra places a hand against his forehead. "...My father... My father''s death." After some thought, Ezra finally arrived at a memory that he could recall before everything got blurred.


    Ezra began his story...


    "A couple of weeks back, my father suddenly passed away. It was sudden and unexpected, but everyone seemed to take it in stride. Our local physicians were not able to find anything off in my father''s body, so they chalked it up to the will of the heavens."


    (A/N: Yes, of course, there will be some mentions of some vague beliefs of the inhabitants of Topor every once in a while. They need something to look up to after all, but these beliefs will firmly remain in the background.)


    "And so, power was thrust into my unready arms." Ezra breathed a deep sigh. One that was filled with tiredness as resignation. He knew that he had to step up and lead his people, but ultimately, he was not ready at that point in time.


    "From what you have told me, I am inclined to believe that my father''s death was caused by these despicable humans, yes?" A fire surged in his dark eyes, increasing the intimidation factor that he already possessed ample amounts of.


    Ezra was a powerful dominant in his own right, aside from he fact that he had the Alpha genes, which were very rare. If given enough time to grow, then his strength might even rival Daven''s!


    This was a great feat, as demi-humans of such strength were extremely rare. Daven was able to trade blows with the former Greater Strength Gift bearer, if only for a short amount of time. For someone else to be able to replicate this feat was incredible!


    "It is quite possible." Han nodded. He agreed with what Ezra had said. Perhaps the Herder Drug was having minimal effects on the former Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe, and so they had simply decided to remove him from the picture.


    The chances of them finding out the truth were quite slim, as both the former Patriarch of the tribe, as well as the humans behind this scheme, were now dead.

 Chapter 69 - The Bolvar Tribes Predicament (2)

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you ant?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 70 - Greater Strength

    When everyone was seated in the study, Ezra asked them to go over what they had already said before, so that Caesar could understand what had happened.


    By the time Han was done with his explanation, Caesar was nearly in tears. Although he had already figured out that the humans were behind what had been happening for the past month, he was still overwhelmed when he heard his thoughts being affirmed. He was also lad that his brother was back to normal, and that he could finally be himself again, now that the humans had been taken care of.


    "What about Freya? Is she back to normal too?" Caesar suddenly asked.


    "No, not yet. I will work on freeing the others later. I need to rest for now. Cleansing all of the others took its toll." Mian shook his head in response.


    Everyone nodded in understanding. From their perspective, wielding such enormous power must have truly done a number on Mian. They agreed to let him rest enough before they gathered the children for him to purify them.


    While the group of demi-humans and Beastkin were speaking amongst themselves, a squad of humans had gathered around the base of a random tree, not too far away from the spot where the bonfire had been raging several hours ago.


    "Crap." A deep, male voice cursed just as a black boot kicked the dirty arm that had been dug out from the ground, along with the bodies of three men and two women.


    "This is bad. His Majesty won''t be happy." Another man spoke up.


    These two men were Brutus and Brody. They were the leaders of the taskforce that had been sent out by the Henshaw Dynasty to investigate the Belmun Pack. Brutus was the General that was assigned to lead the mission, while Brody was his second in command. They had been unable to find Adam and his team, and had then decided to follow their secondary orders to inspect the other groups of demi-humans that were under the control of the Herder Drug. This mission had brought them all the way to the lands of the Bolvar Tribe, where they currently were.


    "What do we do now?" Brody asked Brutus. His beefy arms were crossed over his chest, and he looked down upon the dead humans with disgust.


    "Send a messenger bird back to the Capital. When that is done, we will continue our journey to the nearest pack that is supposed to be under the control of the drug. If they are not under its control, then we will head back and report in person. If they are, however, then we will wait and see what is causing this." Brutus grunted out. His voice was deep, and grated on the ears of those who could hear him.


    He was deeply disturbed by the recent happenings. First, Adam''s disappearance, and the Belmun Pack showing that they were not under humans'' control, and then, fining the dead bodies of the members of the team that was supposed to be in charge of the Bolvar Tribe.


    What struck his as the strangest thing was that the bodies had yet to decay, meaning that their deaths had only just been recent.


    ''Could someone else be behind this?'' The General thought to himself as he overlooked his subordinates carrying out his orders.


    .


    .


    Time passed swiftly in the underground city of Delmore. A couple of days after the return of the adults'' proper mentalities, they gathered up all the children in the city hall, a large building that was built for the purpose of passing on major announcements.


    As soon as all the children were gathered in the hall, Mian quickly cleansed them and left them to their parents to take care of after assuring them that their kids were now alright.


    After that was done, Mian was then led to the main source of water to the pack, and then he cleansed it as well as refining the source of the contamination into a purified crystal orb. It was almost the same as the one he and Daniel had discovered in the Belmun Pack, but was slightly different, as it was made in a way that was more effective against Beastkin. It had also netted him a lot more energy than before.


    ''What? 7,000 Evolution points?! That''s a much greater haul than the last time!'' Mian was ecstatic when Hana informed him about the gain in Evolution Points that he had gotten. Although he had a huge store of points already, having more of it would never be too bad.


    Same as with the Belmun pack, the Bolvar Tribe got their water from a natural spring that was not too far from the underground city. Buried underneath the rocks that laid at the bottom of the spring, they were able to find the white crystal that contaminated the water source, and Mian quickly cleansed it, before replacing it with a small crystal that would dissolve over time. This crystal would act as a purifying agent to cleanse the rest of the water.


    He made sure to do this when no one was looking, because someone might misunderstand, and suspect him of trying to do the same thing as the humans. Although he could take his time to explain what he was doing, he would rather not handle all of that trouble.


    After that, they all retired to their assigned rooms in order to rest. The higher-ups would discuss on how to move further after this, while they would wait for their decisions.


    "What do you think is going to happen from here on out? It seems the humans had thought this out quite well. They must have developed a lot of variants to this drug to deal with all the different races."


    "We''ll probably keep moving. Han and his advisors can handle all the brainstorming. I''ll just do what they ask, as long as its reasonable." Dion replied.


    The two boys from the Zelan pack, Mian and Dion, had chosen to room together. As they had known each other for much longer, Mian felt more comfortable in the dominant''s presence. Daniel had chosen to stay with his father instead.


    "Hmm, you are probably right. I''m only here because of my Gift. The lowest ranking person in our taskforce, aside from myself, is a high ranking demi-human." Mian puffed out an annoyed breath. He wished he could be stronger, aside from his Gift, but he was smart enough to know that he would not even have a sliver of the strength he currently wielded, if he had not gotten his hands on the Evolution System. In fact, he would have still being getting thrown around back in some hidden cave where his oppressors would make sure the Patriarch would never hear his cries.


    Dion wanted to tell Mian that what he said was not true, but found himself at a loss for words. Mian''s words rang true in his ears. If it weren''t for Mian''s Gift, the boy would most likely not be here. In fact, he doubted that they would have survived that ordeal with the human Pillar back then.


    The two boys remained in silence for a while longer before Mian spoke up.


    "I wasn''t planning on telling you so soon, but... I decided that you should know. At least, so that you can utilize it sooner instead of groping around in the dark when it shows up."


    "Hm? What are you talking about?" Dion turned over in his bed to face Mian with a confused look on his face.


    During the short minutes that the two had spent in silence, Mian had decided reveal to Dion that he had passed on the Greater Strength Gift to the black furred dominant. It would be better for Dion to be aware of it, so that when the signs of the Gift awakening within him begun to show up, he would know what to expect.


    "You remember that human Pillar''s Gift, right?" Mian asked. Dion nodded in reply, and Mian continued with his explanation. "You know, with his death, it''s only normal for his Gift to be lost, right?"


    "Where are you going with this?" Dion sat up in his bed, slightly perturbed. Mian sighed and also sat up, rubbing his face. He was thinking of how to explain to Dion that he had taken the Greater Strength Gift, and passed it on to him.


    "Well... Before he died, I took his Gift, with my own, and then I passed it on to you. So now, you have the Greater Strength Gift..." Mian blurted out the words.


    "What?!"

 Chapter 71 - Fleet

    While the demi-humans and Beastkin were busy planning their next moves within the Bolvar Tribe''s territory, the humans were already taking a step ahead of them.


    "How did this happen?!" King Fredrick slammed down his fist on the table before him. He was currently seated in his study, alongside his first son, Prince Alaric, and his wife, Queen Esmeralda.


    "I do not know, Your Majesty." The messenger that had been unlucky enough to get tasked with delivering the letter to the King shuddered as he was pinned with King Fredrick''s scorching glare.


    "Get out of my sight, you lowly worm!" King Fredrick spat, his current image being the polar opposite of what he showed in public. The servant quickly turned around and fled from the study, leaving the members of the Royal Family to themselves.


    A stifling silence filled the room before Prince Alaric sighed. "At least Brutus was able to find them before it was too late."


    "Indeed. There must be more to this, or else the demi-humans would have acted sooner. From Brutus'' letter, the bodies were still fresh, meaning that they must have been killed recently." King Fredrick nodded in agreement.


    The two men began brainstorming and exchanging ideas, while Queen Esmeralda remained seated in silence. She was similar to her two children, Lena and Brendan, in that they frowned upon the unnecessary oppression of the demi-humans. She believed that such violence and hate was not necessary when the demi-humans had nothing to deserve it, but exist.


    After a while, the two intelligent men arrived on a possible explanation to what was ruining their plans.


    "You don''t think..." Prince Alaric trailed off.


    "...That this is the work of the demi-human that snatched the last Gift..." King Fredrick continued the sentence for his son. As the realization dawned upon them, they were finally able to settle upon a possible reason as to why their plan was falling apart.


    The fact that the Gift they had set their eyes on was lost to their enemies, as well as the fact that they had lost their only Pillar seta great flame of anger and resentment in their hearts.


    "At once, send out a troop of warriors to support the teams that are handling the other packs and tribes. We must not let them fall, or else..." He trailed off. He didn''t need to complete his sentence to get his point across. If they lost their grips on all those packs, then they would immediately face a backlash that could very well topple them from their seat of power.


    The Henshaw Dynasty was at its weakest at this moment, and they could not allow their enemies to get the better of them.


    .


    .


    While the King of the Henshaw Dynasty and his Crown Prince were busy cursing the demi-humans, a massive fleet was currently sailing through the sea, with the shores of the Northern Continent as their destination...


    Malim stood on the deck of the flagship of the Harondian Giants, the elite legion of the Kingdom of Haron, with a slight smile tugging at the edges of his lips. The chilly winds of the sea brushed by him, whipping around his long red hair in a frenzy.


    He raised a telescope to his right eye so that he could spy the distant lands that awaited their arrival.


    "Sir Malim! A message from Sir Delk!" One of the crewmembers suddenly shouted from behind him, pulling Malim away from his musings.


    "Oh! Why, what a wonderful time to send a message." Malim replied with a wry smile before jumping down from the higher vantage point he stood at, and onto the main deck. His fine shoes clicked against the strong wooden boards when he landed, before he promptly set off toward the lower floors of the warship.


    There, another crewman handed Malim a smooth brown scroll, which he quickly unfurled and threw into the air in front of him.


    Surprisingly, instead of falling to the floor, the scroll simply caught itself in the air, before it started to glow with an eerie white light.


    Malim simply stared at the glowing scroll, and soon after, faint writings appeared on the scroll.


    ~


    An update. The Bolvar Tribe has broken free of the hold of the Henshaws. I can only attribute this feat to the new Gifted.


    ...


    Malim continued to read as letters kept on appearing on the surface of the scroll. After a couple of minutes, the message came to an end, and the scroll rolled itself back up before dropping to the ground.


    The crewman that stood nearby quickly picked up the scroll and ran off to store it, leaving Malim to his thoughts.


    ''Hmm, this new Gifted. Is he already that good with his Gift? I recall it took Sir Delk a couple of years to get used to controlling his powers.'' Malim thought to himself as he made his way back up to the main deck.


    He walked over to the side of the ship before looking down into the water.


    "Oi! Shark!" He called out to the blue waters that foamed at the passing of the mighty warship.


    "What?!" A harsh voice rang out. The voice was rough and thick with irritation, and also carried a hint of a slur in its undertone.


    Not long after the voice replied Malim, a shark fin raised itself up from the water, before the fair, but well built back of a male showed itself underneath the fin. The back was covered in all kinds of faint scars that had healed over the year. Each scar told a different story, stories that told of the strength of the bearer of those scars.


    Splash!


    A mighty, blue tail fin appeared over the water for a split second before slamming back down with a lot of force; enough force to splash water all the way up to where Malim stood.


    Thud.


    Followed closely by the splash, a thud sounded beside Malim. He turned to see a huge, blue haired man staring down at him with sharp onyx eyes.


    "Don''t call me a shark. You know my name." The blue haired man grunted out, that slight slur still present in his speech.


    The blue haired man''s name was Tide. He was notorious for being known as a deep sea hunter among his kind. Although he looked, and sounded much older, he was only just twenty two. His bearing made him seem much more mature, and because of that, he was able to contract a lot more business opportunities than his peers.


    Tide took part in a trading business where his kind, the Merfolk, traded rare and precious resources, and scarce materials of species of underwater life, for money and other similar materials that could only be found on the surface.


    Not only trading, but also hunting and mercenary-like jobs could be handed out to the Merfolk who were into this line of business. For example, perhaps a Merfolk offended a human or someone from a race that was bound to the surface. The offended party could hire a Merfolk as a mercenary to hunt down the one who offended them.


    It was exactly in that area that Tide specialized in. However, this time, Tide was hired for a job that was a bit different.


    "Cover yourself up." Malim had anticipated Tide''s possible actions, and already had a towel ready for him. He handed over the towel and waited for the Merman to cover himself before speaking again.


    "Sir Delk has sent an update on the mission." Malim informed Tide as he led the way up to the highest point of the deck, just at the front of the warship.


    "Oh? Please do speak up, I already miss the water." Tide snorted. He would rather not listen to the update, but he didn''t have a choice considering who his employer was.


    The famous Sir Delk.


    Sir Delk had become rather famous for his abilities in the past decade. Very few people and organizations dared to mess with him, or stay on his bad side.


    A chill ran up Tide''s spine when he envisioned that lax and unbothered smile that the lizardman always wore on his face. He too, would rather not get on Sir Delk''s bad side.


    "The Bolvar Tribe has been freed of the control of the Herder Drug, leaving only five more packs and tribes under its control. We will focus our attention on the one furthest from the Henshaw Dynasty. The talismans and pills given to us by Sir Delk should be able to keep up immune from its effects, no matter how strong it is." Malim explained as he lifted the telescope he held back to his right eye. In the distance, he could spy a dark mountain. They were close to their goal.


    Very close.

 Chapter 72 - A Warring Tribe

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.


    Before his body hit the floor, the Werecat spun in the air, expertly landing on his feet, before bowing his head with that same empty look, and then walking out of the room.


    "Damn agile cats!" The red-headed woman swore.

 Chapter 73 - Haircut

    WHOOSH! THUD!


    With a mighty thud, the anchor of the Midnight''s Tragedy struck the seabed, firmly anchoring the beautiful warship to the shore.


    "We''ve made it, men!" Malim announced to his crew as he jumped down from the deck of the warship, down to the sandy beach they had docked at.


    Orders were yelled, and men and women ran across the deck. Before long, the various other ships that could claim a space on the beach had anchored themselves, while those that were unable to claim a space for themselves remained in the sea, while sending boats to deliver the soldiers to the beach.


    Swish!


    The waves close to shore turned a little violent before dozens of men and women emerged from the water. The looks of these people varied widely, but if there was one thing that they had in common, it would be that they were Merfolk!


    At the front of the procession of the Merfolk, Tide stood, with his arms folded. Some crewmen from the warships quickly came bearing clothes for the Merfolk to put on. When they were in their other form, they had no need to wear clothes, as their scales and whatnot covered up their more sensitive parts, but when they changed into a human form, they would lose that covering.


    "Malim, is this it?" Tide noticed the leader of this expedition and walked up to him. Malim turned to meet his fellow leader with a broad grin.


    "Indeed it is, Shark! We have set foot on the Northern Continent after several months of travel. Ah, how I miss the land!" Malim was all smiles as he spoke. Although he was used to the sea, he still liked being on steady ground every once in a while.


    Tide snorted at the human''s excited reaction. He turned around to face the distant mountains, whose tops were hidden away by the clouds. A dense fog spread out beyond the beach, making it difficult to see into the distance. It was still quite early in the morning, and it would take some time before the fog cleared.


    "Oi, Monkey!" Malim turned back to the warship and called out. Not long after, an annoyed sound rang out, just before a small, brown blur flew by Tide''s face, and slammed right into Malim''s forehead.


    "Don''t call me a monkey, you disgusting creature!" An angry voice yelled from the warship. There, a two and half meter tall monkey-like demi-human walked out from the cabin and jumped down onto the beach.


    The male demi-human wore a pair of loose slacks, but left his chest bare. Thick, reddish-brown fur ran down the sides of his chest, and up his neck, before crowning his face. He indeed looked like a monkey, but he was very far from it.


    Mohawk was a Wereape. His kind were based mainly in the Central Continent of Topor, and this was basically the first time he and his people were setting foot on the Northern Continent. It was rare to find Wereape in places that were cold, so they generally stayed away from the Northern Continent because of how cold it got during the winters.


    Mohawk was one of the High Generals of his people. He was sent to assist the mission given to this massive army by Sir Delk, on behalf of the Wereapes that formed the Crescent Arc Empire, back in the Central Continent.


    By taking part of this mission, and even possibly completing it, Mohawk would be able to bring back an immense amount of benefits and prestige back home to his people. The honor of carrying out such a mission was enough to make Mohawk drool over it. By the time he got back home, he could only just imagine the amount of prestige he could gain as a person. Finding a spouse and caring for her would definitely not be a problem. In fact, he could even have multiple spouses!


    While Mohawk was distracted by his thoughts of money, luxury, and fame, he suddenly felt a strange feeling atop his head.


    Mohawk''s hand blurred as he immediately sought to catch the hand of the despicable human who was digging around through his bright red hair. He ultimately failed, as Malim was just as quick as him in pulling away his hand, and distancing himself from the frightening Wereape.


    "Dammit, Malim! Watch yourself; I am not your plaything!" Mohawk turned to face the laughing man with a smoldering glare. His bright red eyes seemed to glow as he stared burning hot daggers at Malim.


    The reason why Mohawk had gotten his name was because of his hair. Ever since his birth, the hair on he top of his head, which had always been longer than the hair on the sides of his head, had always stuck up, pointing upwards, like a Mohawk. As such, his parents had named him ''Mohawk''.


    At first, Mohawk had been a laughing stalk among his peers, but he quickly shut them up through the use of his superior strength and agility. They never stood a chance among the Wereape prodigy of their generation.


    "Ah, come on now! Your hairstyle is so cute!" Malim exclaimed, and Tide watched on with boredom, picking his ear. Even after all this time, Mohawk still carried his signature hairstyle, a one foot tall Mohawk adorning the top of his head, while the sides were shaved low.


    "You insolent- Argh!" Mohawk grunted, before he burst with rage. His lean body swelled with supreme power, and his firm muscles filled up with unbridled strength. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished from the spot he was, and had appeared before Malim, one fist cocked back, and ready to punch the living daylights out of Malim.


    "Oh?" Tide looked on with mild surprise. While he knew that the leader of the Wereapes was definitely not weak, he was still quite surprised at the level of strength that Mohawk was displaying, and he guessed that this was just at least half of what the Wereape was capable of displaying!


    While Tide enjoyed the show, Mohawk continued to chase Malim around the beach, while hurling insults at the sly and slippery human. Suddenly, someone approached Tide.


    "Rip!" A slim woman with accentuated curves called out to the large Merman. Tide turned upon hearing his nickname. His colleagues often referred to him as Rip, short for Riptide. He had no idea where the nickname came from, but it somehow stuck, and he took a liking to it.


    The lady who had approached him was known as Ariel. She had a head of purple, spongy hair, a unique trait of her species. She was a Cecaelia, a branch of Merfolk, who had features of octopi, instead of fish.


    "Ariel, what can I help you with?" Tide asked, pushing back his still wet hair from his eyes.


    Ariel''s eyes twinkled in delight as she watched the tight, defined muscles on Tide''s chest stretch, and contract. She giggled a bit, before speaking.


    "Now that we are here, what next? Do we go ahead and attack the Henshaw Dynasty, or do we help those under the control of the Herder Drug?" Ariel asked a serious question.


    Despite her playful looks and behaviors, Ariel was actually a very skilled and professional hunter in the Merfolk community. She was not too far behind Tide on the ranking board of Merfolk mercenaries in the human guild halls.


    "I still don''t know; Malim had not yet shared any of his plans, but I believe we will first head to the Kraetor City that is not too far from here." Tide waved his hand and one of the men nearby brought over a recently updated map of the Northern Continent. The map depicted everything clearly, and the two were able to see where they were, and how much land separated them from the Kraetor City.


    They were at the southern part of the Northern Continent, and the Kraetor City was just a few days'' travel from their current position.


    "Sir Delk was sure to guarantee us that this area would be a blind spot in the routine patrols of the scouts from the city. But even then, he pointed out that there is a massive hollowed out cavern in the side of these rocks that can hide out fleet." Tide pointed at a large cliff that sat to their right.. If the information that Sir Delk had given them was correct, then this area would be a great place for them to set up a beachhead.

 Chapter 74 - Pep Talks Are Unimportant!

    Mohawk continued to chase Malim around the beach for a while more, while Tide and Ariel continued to discuss more important matters concerning their mission here on the Northern Continent.


    They oversaw the offloading of equipment onto the beach, from the ships, and the setting up of the beachhead, and then they directed the warships into the hollowed out cavern that Sir Delk had told them about, after checking them out first.


    "Wow, Sir Delk really knows his stuff. Are you sure he has yet to visit the Northern Continent?" Ariel whistled upon setting her eyes on the spacious cavern.


    The rocky ceiling was high above the ships, and the spacious width of the cavern allowed multiple ships to sail into it side by side. It was large enough to serve as their harbor for now. In fact, if they so wished, they could very well launch a campaign to conquer the Northern Continent, using this area as their base.


    "That''s what he said." Tide murmured in response as he too, examined the cavern.


    The pair of them were currently standing atop one of the many warships that had been brought into the cavern. Only a couple of warships remained outside the cavern, but they would remain there, just in case anything awry happened to the ships in the cavern.


    A silent thud drew their attention to the back of the ship. There, Mohawk had landed with ease, and was also inspecting the interior of the cavern.


    "Are you done playing around?" Tide smirked at the annoyed look that Mohawk shot his way.


    "Shut up, or I''ll beat your ass next!" Mohawk sneered at the blue haired Merfolk before he finally approached them. He gave Ariel a curt nod, which made her cheeks heat up. Mohawk was a very good looking man, and Ariel had a soft spot for men with such sculpted looks.


    "The men are busy setting up the beachhead. It will be some time before we will be able to strike with our full force, but despite that, Malim wans to send out a smaller strike force to Kraetor City. He says Sir Delk has predicted it to be our target''s location." Mohawk informed the two other demi-humans about the latest developments.


    "Sounds good. With the forces the Kraetor City will be able to provide us, we can sweep across the remaining packs with ease, and then focus our attention on the Henshaw Dynasty." Tide nodded. Ariel remained quiet as the two men discussed their plans.


    "So who will lead the strike force deeper into the Northern Continent? Malim said we can decide that between ourselves." Mohawk asked when he finished explaining their plans. He blew on his finger that had been digging through his ears, a slight frown marring his expression.


    Tide and Ariel looked between each other, before shaking their heads.


    "We work best in the water, and while Kraetor City has lakes and rivers surrounding it, we still won''t be at our best." Tide answered.


    "It will be best if you led the initial strike, as you will be the most effective." Ariel concurred. While she was eager to let loose on the naughty humans who had plans of being the overlords of the Northern Continent, she knew that her time was not yet right. The time when she and her spectacular abilities would shine had yet to come.


    "Hmm, if you insist." Mohawk tried to sound as though he was not too excited, but the wide grin that spread out over his face betrayed his true emotions. He was eager to test his mettle against the natives of the Northern Continent.


    The Northern Continent had only just been colonized by some minor forces that had emigrated from the other continents of Topor.


    Because of how recently the colonists had moved here, their development was lacking quite behind that of the other continents, making them some of the weakest forces on the world. Mohawk was eager to fight them and see how far they had developed since then. After all, the forces that were present on the continent had been here for less than two decades.


    According to the information they had on hand, Kraetor City was one of the major powerhouses present on the continent, along with the hostile Henshaw Dynasty. Topping the Henshaw Dynasty would leave only the Kraetor City and a few powerful packs as the major powerhouses on the continent, and because of their crucial help in letting them get their freedom from the oppressive humans, the powers left standing will be indebted to them.


    "Hahaha!" Mohawk erupted into fanatical laughter as he imagined all the benefits that he could bring the Crescent Arc Kingdom, back on the Central Continent.


    He did not notice the strange looks that his maniacal laughter garnered him from the people around him.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by in preparation before the initial strike force that was led by Mohawk departed from the beach. The strike force consisted of three hundred demi-humans and humans. The demi-humans varied in species, while the humans only took up about forty percent of the total amount of manpower in the strike force.


    "Alright, people!" Mohawk yelled out loud to get the attention of the people that were placed under his command. An oppressive aura rolled off his shoulders in waves as he commanded the full attention of hundreds of people. No one made a sound while he stared at them, and although there were over a dozen other dominants present in the strike force, none of them thought of trying to disrespect Mohawk.


    The Wereape stood atop a large rock that gave him a nice view of the people under his command. He had his signature red slacks hanging from his hips, and a small, red jacket around his back. The jacket was too small to cover him properly, and was left open, but he preferred it that way. On his back, a long, red metal staff was secured firmly, his main weapon of choice. He looked imposing, as though he could easily sweep away all opposition.


    After a long five minutes of examining his underlings, Mohawk finally spoke.


    "We are the initial strike force of our army, I am sure all of you know about this already. I am not good at giving pep talks or morale boosting speeches, so I will get straight to the point. When we leave here, we will march straight to the walls of the Kraetor City! And we will sweep away all opposition!"


    Mohawk''s voice boomed across the clearing as he addressed his subordinates. Although he did not say anything too inspiring, the fact that such a powerful figure was taking the time to speak to them was enough to light up a flame in the hearts of the various people of different backgrounds.


    While the people taking part in this mission were of various races, their employer had taken the extra time and care to pick humans who had no misgivings or animosity towards demi-humans of any kind, and also to pick demi-humans who had nothing against humans.


    Because of this extra care that was taken, everyone worked together smoothly like a well oiled machine.


    By the time Mohawk''s speech was over, the spirits of his men had already peaked, and reached the high heavens above. As one, they all looked up at the authoritative figure of the Wereape that was about to lead them into battle.


    "Let''s move!" With the order given, the men and women, human and demi-human alike, all marched as one into the forest that laid between them and the Kraetor City.


    Mohawk himself took to the tall trees, using his incredible agility and dexterity to maneuver through the thick, plentiful branches of the trees. He, along with several other Wereapes, would act as the scouts of the strike force, seeing as they had some of the best scouting abilities among everyone there.


    With the scouts at the lead, the strike force soon disappeared in the morning fog that obscured the vision beyond the beach.


    .


    .


    "They have left." Malim spoke to himself as he watched the strike force disappeared in the fog. A scroll immediately rose from within the side bag that hung from his shoulder. The scroll glowed as a few lines of writing appeared on its surface.


    ~


    ''Good. They should be able to meet up with the taskforce that is about to launch an attack on the city within a day''s time. According to my prediction, they will be able to meet up with them just before the taskforce leaves their camp.''


    ~


    "Mmm." Malim nodded and the scroll rolled itself up and tucked itself back into his side bag before losing its glow.


    ''I wonder how things are going to turn out..'' Malim thought to himself.

 Chapter 75 - Magic Scroll

    A couple of hours quickly passed as the strike force continued its journey deeper into the lands of the Northern Continent without rest.


    Mohawk raised a closed fist, and one of the scouts with him immediately turned around to inform the strike force to stop. The High General peered through the thick vegetation that would prove difficult for anyone to see through, with ease. In the distance, he could spy a couple of Werewolves looking around with seriousness. They seemed to be doing their job very well, without slacking off, but unfortunately, Mohawk''s exceptional sight made him able to spot them from afar, while they could not even get a whiff of his presence.


    "We''ve found them." A wide grin spread across Mohawk''s face.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by as the leaders of the taskforce comprised of different packs contemplated on what to do concerning the Kraetor City. Even after those days passed, they still had no idea how they would topple the city, so they decided that they would simply skip the Kraetor City, and head for one of the smaller packs that was supposed to be next on their list.


    They quickly gathered up their things and prepared to set off for the next target on the list, but were soon forced to a stop before a surprising amount of potential enemies...


    "Who are you?" Han asked as he stood at the forefront of the taskforce. As their leader, he would not allow himself to hide behind his subordinates, and would rather face all opposition head on.


    "Ah, don''t be so tense." The demi-human that stood in front of the small army that barred the way of the taskforce raised his arms in a sign of peace, trying to calm down the members of the taskforce. The demi-human resembled a monkey, and was wearing some strange clothes. A metal staff hung from his back.


    "Explain yourselves. If you chose not to, then we shall take you as enemies." Han narrowed his eyes. Although he was putting up a brave front, inside, he was sweating buckets.


    ''Dammit! Did the scouts of the city find us out and send out a force to wipe us out?'' Han cursed bitterly in his mind, but retained his calm exterior.


    "We are a band of soldiers that have been hired to help you in your goal of freeing the various powers that have been put under control of the Herder Drug, and toppling the Henshaw Dynasty." Mohawk dropped his playful attitude and replied seriously.


    "Mercenaries? Who hired you? Why have I not heard of this?!" Han was surprised by the words that Mohawk had spoken. If their side had indeed hired mercenaries, then surely, he would have heard of this news by now.


    "Allow me to introduce myself. I am High General Mohawk Armstrong, of the Crescent Arc Kingdom that hails from the Central Continent." Mohawk introduced himself to Han and the members of the taskforce, giving them a great shock.


    "What? The Central Continent?!" Han was given another shock.


    Han was no fool. Although the Belmun pack was among the weakest packs in the Northern Continent, he was still very well informed. Because of how well informed he was, he also knew that the level of development on the Northern Continent was still far behind that of the other continents, as the Northern Continent had only just recently been colonized.


    He was also aware of the major powers that ruled the various continents of the world, and was easily able to recognize the name of the Crescent Arc Kingdom. The Crescent Arc Kingdom was one of the top three powerhouses in the Central Continent, and with its power, it could easily sweep over the forces in the Northern Continent.


    "Please, let us settle down and discuss this properly. It is a long story..." Mohawk suggested.


    .


    Following Mohawk''s suggestion, Han and the others reluctantly agreed to discuss. He explained more about who they were, where they came from, and of their mission to the members of the taskforce. There were a few issues though.


    "If you came all this way to help us, then that means your employer must be quite powerful and influential." Han raised a doubtful brow. "Who might this employer be?"


    Mohawk placed a finger on his chin as he thought of how he would answer that question. After a bit of thought, he decided to be honest and forthcoming with them.


    His eyes scanned the various members of the taskforce as he put his thoughts into words, before stopping on a seemingly random person. This demi-human was a bit weaker than the other members of the taskforce, but Mohawk did not dare look upon him lightly. If what Sir Delk had told them was true, then this person should be on the same level as Sir Delk - A Gifted.


    The demi-human that Mohawk was looking at was a Werecat with a strange coat of fur. One side was white, while the other was black, and faint streaks of blue travelled up the boy''s body.


    After a few more moments of inspection, Mohawk finally turned his eyes away from Mian and faced Han. Then he spoke.


    "Our employer is indeed powerful, and influential. Perhaps you might have even heard of him. He is the one and only Sir Delk, the High Priest of the Severed Wing School." Mohawk told them with a smile.


    Han felt as though a bomb had gone off in his mind. Of course he knew who Sir Delk was. In fact, he thought that the title given to the powerful individual was incredibly underwhelming, and unfit of belonging to such an esteemed person.


    A slight smirk spread across the faces of the members of the strike force led by Mohawk. They could see Han''s barely concealed surprise, and were secretly gloating. They felt that Han was shocked that he had been watched by the great lizardman who wielded the Gift of Magical Insight. From their perspective, unlike themselves, Han would most likely never be able to come in contact with a person of such prestige. They all conveniently forgot the fact that they themselves had not come in contact with Sir Delk, and had instead been contracted by either Malim, Mohawk, Ariel, or Tide.


    "You mean..." Han trailed off.


    "Yes, I mean the Sir Delk who received the Gift of Magical Insight." Mohawk nodded.


    A strange look came upon Han''s face when Mohawk affirmed his thoughts. He was confused as to how they had managed to catch the attention of such a person, and also as to how he knew about the affairs of the Northern Continent that were supposed to be a secret as of this point in time.


    "You must be wondering how he knew of your situation, yes?" Mohawk asked, and Han nodded. This revelation had left him even more confused as to what was going on. If Sir Delk did know about the things happening on the Northern Continent, then was it safe to assume that the majority of people in important positions on other continents also knew about them too?


    Upon seeing Han''s response, Mohawk fished out a scroll from his pocket and threw it to Han. Han caught it easily and unfurled the scroll, but was stumped at what he saw. It was empty. The Belmun pack''s leader threw a questioning look at the Wereape, but Mohawk just gestured for Han to look again.


    Han focused on the scroll once more, and was surprised to see that tiny letters had appeared on the once black scroll. He read the words, noticing that the letters were appearing as though someone was writing them right at that moment.


    This form of communication was one that was often used when passing very sensitive information to important people. It ensured that only the intended recipient of the letter was able to read it. The only ones who cold afford it were the wealthy, or politically powerful people. Naturally, this was not only because it was an expensive thing to get your hands on. It was also because there were only two ways to get your hands on such a scroll.


    The first was either from the Gifted human that possessed the Magical Insight Gift, while the second was through Sir Delk, the lizardman who possessed a similar Gift.


    ~


    Hello there, Patriarch of the Belmun Pack. You must be wondering what sort of thing has fallen upon you, but rest assured, these men and women are your allies.


    You may have heard of me, the writer of this letter. I am Sir Delk, the High Priest of the Severed Wing School.....

 Chapter 76 - Sudden Attack!

    Han read on in bewilderment, surprised and shocked that he was holding one of Sir Delk''s invaluable creations in his hands.


    ~


    With the help of my Gift, I have taken notice of the plight of your people, in particular, the young demi-human who bears a Gift.


    Young Mian is still inexperienced, and as such, has yet to find out all the nuances of his Gift. Because of that, he can not be of full help to your cause, and as such, I have sent out a force to help you overcome this challenge that hangs over your heads.


    Do not worry, Mohawk and his people will assist you to the best of their ability, and their presence will ensure that innocent blood is not spilt.


    The composition of the resistance you shall face from the Kraetor City''s defenses include...


    ~


    Han spent a couple more minutes digesting the information that had been provided to him, particularly the defenses of Kraetor City. He sighed in his heart, relieved that this information had gotten to him before the taskforce had even thought of making a move on Kraetor City. They would have to contact the Zelan and Belmun packs, as well as the Bolvar Tribe. This would require a full mobilization of their forces.


    But then, Han recalled the small army that was led by the powerful Wereape. As a strong dominant himself, he was easily able to feel the power difference between himself and Mohawk. There was no doubt that the Wereape could easily wipe the floor with him.


    Naturally, Han respected the strength that Mohawk wielded, and could tell that with the help of his small army, they could very easily push their way through whatever it was that the humans had prepared for them.


    "Are we really going to do this?" Han asked when he rolled up the scroll. He moved to hand the scroll back to Mohawk, but the Wereape refused to collect it. That would remain as a means for Sir Delk to contact the natives of the Northern Continent.


    "Of course! Those humans don''t stand a chance!" Mohawk laughed heartily. "Although they have made decent preparations for an attack, they have no idea that a force as large as ours will come knocking on their gates. They believe that a hundred demi-humans might come attacking, at most."


    Han nodded, "Then we should at least assign roles for the upcoming battle. We can not just charge in blindly."


    Following this statement, they began planning, placing teams into positions where they would be best suited to attack the defenses of the city from.


    "I will personally sneak past the city walls and strike from the back when they least expect it." Mohawk announced what he would do while the rest attacked and drew the attention of the enemy.


    "We will try out best to avoid unnecessary deaths, but we will also do what we must." Han nodded. He would lead one of the groups to attack from the side of the city, while most of the members of the army led by Mohawk would go for a frontal attack at the gates of the city.


    After their preparations were made, the army set off across the lake, in towards Kraetor City.


    .


    .


    Adas stood upon the balcony of Kraetor City''s Seat of Power, the building where the leaders of Kraetor City set up their offices. Her bright red hair waved around as a stiff breeze blew by. A few steps behind her stood a demi-human with black fur and a splash of red fur atop his head. He was the current leader of the City, but under the effects of the Herder Drug, he had relinquished his power to Aileen.


    "Moses," Adas called, and the Werecat, Moses stepped forward enough to enter her line of sight. "Has there been no movement from the demi-humans who seek to attack Kraetor City?" She asked.


    "No, master. Our scouts have failed no locate anything amiss, and there have been no changes to the terrain around the city''s walls." Moses answered her with a subservient tone of voice. His blank eyes remained firmly planted on his feet as he spoke.


    Just as Moses finished speaking, the sound of a massive explosion reached their ears, and the ground shook. Screams echoed through the city as they came under the attack of an unknown assailant.


    Startled, Adas looked at the city gates, which had once been intact, only just a few moments ago. The massive gates were now blown open, with one gate having been completely hewn off its hinges. The massive iron bars that had supported it from the inside had not been spared, the bars having been melted into nothing more than useless metal slag.


    "What is going on?!" She screamed in anger. "Moses! Command your soldiers to put a stop to whatever is going on there! I want the heads of those who dare to attack my city!"


    With a simple nod, Moses jumped off the balcony of the building, and landed on the ground two stories down. He immediately set off to the army barracks to rally the full force of the city.


    Moses was strong demi-human in every right. He had the rank of a dominant in the middle tier, which was a great thing, but his strength was not the only reason why he became elected to lead the Kraetor City. It was all down to his brains. He had a unique and excellent sense when it came to management of resources, and under his guidance, Kraetor City had become much more prosperous in recent times.


    However, all his expertise in management came down to nothing as an invisible metal staff slammed into the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious. His body was just about to hit the ground when it suddenly stopped, held up by an unseen force.


    Mohawk quickly handed the unconscious body of Moses to one of his subordinates that had snuck into the city during the initial chaos. They would handle the issue of hiding away the unconscious Werecat while Mohawk dealt with more important matters. He would single handedly make sure that the forces defending the city at the walls would not get any reinforcements while the army he led was attacking.


    After a few minutes of waiting, the effects of the potion he had taken to make himself invisible wore off, revealing him in all his simian glory. His open jacket fluttered in the wind just as a dozen armed soldiers came running down the main street that led to the city''s gates.


    Upon setting their sights on Mohawk, they could immediately tell that he was an intruder, as they had never seen anyone of his species before.


    "Halt, intruder!" The leader of the squad called out and brandished his spear. His squad mates did the same and moved to surround Mohawk. It was their mistake, though.


    The members of the squad were only just middle ranks, with their leader being the strongest among them, at the high tier. Mohawk was a dominant at the high tier. There was an immensely vast gulf between them that separated their strength, and not even triple the amount of enemies he currently faced would be enough to bring him down.


    As the city guards moved to attack him, they were shocked to see the red, metal staff that was strapped to Mohawk''s back suddenly flash, and appear in his hands, before promptly whacking them in the faces. Each and every one of them was promptly knocked out cold, sporting a slight bump on the sides of their heads.


    Mohawk just grunted slightly after knocking them out. If he had truly intended to use his full strength, then their heads would have most likely caved in from the force he could apply.


    "What is going on here?!" A few roars of anger could be heard in the distance as even more city guards came running down. There were also some stronger demi-humans, along with several humans mixed into the approaching force of reinforcements.


    Mohawk braced himself and got into stance for the incoming battle. He would go easy on them, but not too easy. After all, he needed to make sure no one sneaked past him and approached the gates of the city. The other teams that he had spread out would stop any others from taking another path to the walls.


    An intense brawl erupted the moment the city guards came within range of Mohawk''s metal staff.

 Chapter 77 - Sudden Attack (2)

    Violence erupted at the gates and walls of Kraetor City. The residents of the city were all frightened, and all ran through the streets of the city, heading towards the underground bunker that resided beneath the city''s Seat of Power.


    The red-haired woman that commanded the city looked on in bewilderment as the entire city sunk into chaos.


    "Sir Adas!" Another human ran onto the balcony in panic. The red haired woman turned back with a fire in her eyes. She was furious. Who dared to attack her city?!


    ''Sir'' Adas, was the name of this red haired woman. The name was not entirely suited to a woman, and often confused people who had yet to hear of her for the first time, but she like it that way. She enjoyed throwing people into a loop with her name.


    "What, Ferril? What?!" Adas screeched at the young man who had ran onto the balcony.


    "T-the city guards! They are locked in combat with a strange demi-human! They can''t support the defenders at the gate, and we are losing ground!" The man urgently relayed the information that he had found out.


    "What? How is this happening? How can one useless demi-human stall the entirety of the city guards?! Reroute the guards and have them go around him. Make sure some guards stay back to delay him while the others make their way to the gate-"


    Before Adas could finish her sentence, another explosion went off, sending a powerful gust of wind billowing through he streets of the city. Her haired whipped about wildly and she stumbled forward, barely managing to brace herself against the young man before her.


    Ferril''s face turned red when he felt Adas'' front press up against his chest. Despite how tense the moment was, he could not hold in the urges he felt as a young man.


    Adas quickly pushed herself away from the flustered young man before letting out a frustrated scream.


    "Forget it! I''ll do it myself!" She stomped through the room and picked up a pair of metal gauntlets that she had stashed in the corner of the room.


    Seeing this, Ferril''s face blanched. He asked, "A-are you going out there?"


    "Of course I am, you dimwit! Go tell the others to ready up and head out to support me as soon as possible!" With that last yell, Adas turned around and left the room through the balcony, dashing in the direction of the main street that connected the barracks to the city''s gates.


    .


    "Hmm, weak." Mohawk scoffed as his index finger dug around his ear. He pulled the finger out after a few moments, then eyed it with a scowl, before blowing on the finger and wiping it on the butt of his slacks.


    Just then, his ears twitched as they caught the sound of hurried footsteps racing towards him. With a quirked brow, Mohawk spun his staff around as he too, turned around, slamming the end of the staff on the solid floor, just as he made the turn.


    "There you are!" A red haired woman stopped a few meters away from Mohawk.


    "Hmm, you have red hair. You must be strong." Mohawk grinned widely. He almost resembled Malim''s carefree self with the way he was behaving at that moment.


    The reason why Mohawk said that Adas was strong was because of himself. Because of his own personal strength, he identified everyone with red hair as someone who ought to be strong. The moment he saw Adas'' own head full of red hair, he felt as though she would live up to his expectations.


    "Who are you? Why are you attacking Kraetor City?!" Adas asked as she stared down Mohawk. From the multitude of city guards she could see surrounding him, she knew he was strong.


    Not too far away, she also spotted the body of Moses. Upon seeing how a dominant like himself had been taken down so simply, without signs of struggle, she had no choice but to admit that the Wereape before her was stronger than herself. She would have to put her hopes up and wait for the reinforcements that her human colleagues would provide in time.


    "Oh, me? I''m not attacking the city, per se. I''m just ridding it of foul humans who only wish its downfall." Mohawk''s grin turned twisted and stern. He raised his staff and held it in a battle stance. He would definitely not take it easy on Adas.


    Likewise, Adas got into stance, holding out her arms in front of her. The dark gauntlets glinted as light briefly flashed across their surface.


    .


    .


    While Mohawk was having a standoff with Adas in he city, a much bloodier fight was being fought at the city gates.


    "Bring down fire on them!"


    "Pour down the barrels of acid!"


    "Don''t let them cross the gates!"


    The cries of the city guards rang out along the tall walls of the city, but no one paid heed to those who were calling out, as they were being sieged from all sides.


    Mian remained at the back of the attacking forces as he watched, waiting for another wounded person to be carted to the back. His job was to make sure no one died on his side, and he was reluctantly able to accept that some innocents might die on the side of the city guards.


    "Sir Mian!" One of the members of the strike force under Mohawk''s command called for Mian''s attention. Over the course of the fight, they had come to know his name. Of course, they added the honorifics of their own volition after finding out that Mian possessed a Gift.


    People who possessed Gifts were held with such high esteem that they could single handedly decide how a nation was to be run, and the majority of the citizens of that nation would immediately throw their weight behind their declaration.


    All the major human nations had the backing of one of the Pillars of Humanity, and in the rare case, even two of them!


    The Greater Strength user that had died at Mian''s hands had supported the Henshaw Dynasty in a similar way. The only issue was that he had only recently come into possession of the Gift, so he was not able to make full use of the abilities he had been granted at that point in time.


    Because Mian was in possession of a Gift as well, the soldiers from the Central Continent had come to hold a great deal of respect towards him.


    The injured body of a human was deposited before Mian, and he immediately set to work on healing him. The man had terrible burn marks marring the side of his face, and the right side of his body. Mian guessed that he was unfortunate enough to fall victim to a barrel of acid.


    "Stay still." Mian ordered when the man moved to roll around. His face was scrunched up in pain. The man tried his best to stop his movement as Mian set to work on healing him.


    Halfway through the healing process, the men quickly brought back another person for healing. His arm was grievously injured, and Mian could even see his bloodied, and cracked bone from where he was sitting.


    ''Dammit. This is worse than I thought!'' Mian couldn''t help but swear internally as he witnessed the amount of bloodshed and carnage that a battlefield could bear. This was not his first time seeing such, though, but he still could not stand the sight.


    Mian''s mind briefly flashed back to the time when the Zelan pack was repelling an attack from the Henshaw Dynasty. He remembered the dozens of demi-humans who had lost their lives, and he remembered the humans bodies that he had to jump over in order to get through the battlefield.


    But the one thing he most vividly remembered was the moment his claws sliced off the head of the human Pillar. He could still remember the shock that had been evident in his eyes for just a short moment before life fled from him.


    With a sigh and a shake of his head, Mian moved on to the next person who needed his help and set about to healing him.


    Within minutes, the man''s hand was good to go, and his health was at its best. He only had to deal with a little dizziness that came about from his earlier loss of blood.


    "It will be best if you rest a bit before heading back out.." Mian advised as he helped the man to a place where he could rest.

 Chapter 78 - Sudden Attack (3)

    *Pant* Pant*


    Adas sucked in painful breath after painful breath. Her red hair was frayed atop her head, and some strands stuck to the sides of her face, thanks to the blood that ran down from her head injury.


    "You are surprisingly good at evading." Mohawk complimented the injured woman with a solemn nod. He acknowledged her capabilities, but that did not mean that she had what it took to defeat him. In fact, she had yet to land a hit on him all through their duel!


    Adas remained quiet as she eyed her powerful opponent. She never stood a chance, contrary to what she first thought. In fact, she believed that he was just playing with her in order to entertain himself!


    Just as she was about to throw herself at her opponent once again, a sudden yell made her stay her hand.


    "Sir Adas!" The familiar voice of one of her colleagues reached her ears and she was finally able to breath a sigh of relief.


    Half a dozen humans armed with various weapons and kitted out in their trusty armor reached Adas'' side. She was immediately taken to the side to rest while the others continued her stare down with her simian opponent.


    "Be careful... He''s strong..." Adas managed to wheeze out before any of them could engage Mohawk in combat.


    "Duh. We are not blind." The man in the lead replied with a clipped tone. He clearly was not happy seeing Adas in such a state.


    "Are you done yet? I still have to beat your asses and head over to the city gates." Mohawk snorted at the humans as he idly picked his ear. The humans found it insulting, how he dared to disregard them as though they were not even worth a second of his attention.


    "Arrogant monkey!" Sebastian, the man who stood closest to Mohawk, exclaimed with rage. His anger did not only stem from the fact that Mohawk was ignoring them, but also from the fact that he had beaten up Adas.


    For the longest time, ever since they were just young recruits in the Henshaw Dynasty''s Army, Sebastian had long since been infatuated with Adas. He was drawn in not only by her looks, but also by her wild and hot-blooded character. Seeing her all bloodied and beaten up lit up the blood in his veins.


    "... Monkey, you say...?" Mohawk froze in place when he heard the words that came out of Sebastian''s mouth. Sebastian grinned savagely when he saw that his words had an effect on the demi-human before him.


    "Hahaha... Let me show you what a monkey can do, then... Exceed Break!" Mohawk straightened out his back and returned the savage grin that his opponent was showing him, before speaking the words that he rarely did. The reason why he never really used this ability during a fight was because the fight tended to end too quickly after he went all out.


    Exceed Break was a special skill that very few were able to learn. It was an ancient skill that had been utilized by the champions of the Old Ones back when they were the overlords of the world. The skill unleashed all the latent and untapped potential that was stored within their body, allowing them to display an overwhelming amount of power for an extended period of time.


    It was because of this skill that the Old Ones had managed to maintain their tight grip over the world for such a long period of time, until the entire world rebelled.


    Now, Mohawk was using this skill. His muscles inflated, and he grew an additional foot taller. He looked like a beast that had crawled up from the darkest, scariest place on the world. Very few people knew that he possessed this skill, and he was keen to keep it that way, unfortunately for the humans before him.


    "Die!" Sebastian roared as he lunged at Mohawk. The Wereape expertly spun his staff, bringing the shaft up to deflect Sebastian''s strike, before spinning it again to hit Sebastian''s head. The result was quite different from what everyone but Mohawk expected.


    Splat!


    Sebastian''s head exploded into nothing but tiny bits of flesh, bone, and clumps of brain matter. Just like that, the powerful man that could rival a high ranking demi-human, was dead.


    The other humans present only watched on, frozen in shock and fear, as Mohawk walked towards them. His feet easily avoided the blood that was pooling around Sebastian''s corpse as he neared the five remaining standing humans, his eyes dead and devoid of emotion.


    Whoosh~


    The sound of his staff cleaving through the air sounded five more times, and the bodies of five humans dropped to the ground, all headless.


    Finally, Mohawk pointed the bloody end of his staff at Adas'' frozen body.


    "How would you prefer to die?"


    Adas'' body shivered as she stared at the bloody end of the staff that was pointing at her with teary eyes.


    "...I don''t want to die." She whispered just as the first tear slid down her cheek. Mohawk just stared at her with an unsympathetic gaze before swinging his staff at her head, and all went dark.


    .


    .


    The battle raged on for an hour more, before eventually reaching a conclusion. The attacking forces had overwhelmed the city guards, and stormed the city, forcing those who were still left to surrender.


    The citizens of the city could barely believe what had happened. A force of a few hundred demi-humans and humans had completely overrun and defeated the mighty Kraetor City.


    They far outnumbered the attackers, but were not able to use their numbers to their advantage. What stumped the guards who had surrendered at the city''s gates, was that their reinforcements had never come..


    Mian walked into Kraetor City with a glum look over his face. His mood only soured more as he saw the copious amount of blood that was splashed across the ground at the city gates. Quite a few people on the defending side had perished, even though they had tried their best to go easy on them.


    "Mian, over here! Some people need your help!" Mian spotted Dion over at a crumbled section of the city wall, trying to raise up a larger piece of the wall that had fallen over the guard house that once used to be by the gates. The building had crumbled in the initial explosion that destroyed the gates, collapsing atop the heads of those who were inside.


    Mian hurried over, along with some other soldiers who were nearby, and assisted Dion with pushing away the rubble. In the collapsed building, a trio were unconscious, while only one person was still clinging onto his consciousness. He groaned and moaned in pain as his trembling fingers clutched the metal rod that had stabbed through his abdomen.


    When the light of day breached the darkness that had formerly overcome his vision, he blinked, but his sight was still blurry.


    "...S...save... Fabio." The man groaned out before coughing up a mouthful of blood.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll save him." Mian rushed over to his side while casting a glance at the others who had been under. He was easily able to confirm that they were still alive, and in less danger of losing their lives compared to the man who was before him.


    "Dion, come and help me cut this rod at its base. I don''t know if I can cut it cleanly." Mian waved over the large dominant who readily extended one of his sharp claws and sliced the rod at the point where it emerged from the man''s abdomen.


    "Dammit. This is going to be tricky." Mian briefly cursed before instructing Dion to quickly, but gently lift the man from the rod. Immediately, a copious amount of blood gushed from the grievous injury.


    Mian didn''t waste time, and immediately set to healing him. A corona of golden light enveloped his body as Mian poured a great amount of Natural Energy and Evolution Points into his body. Minutes passed in this manner as the man''s body remained enclosed in the cocoon of golden light. His injuries swiftly healed, leaving only a faint scar on his abdomen where the rod had pierced through. As for the other lighter injuries, they simply faded away, leaving no sign of ever being there.


    "Ahh..." When the man was completely healed, he let out a groan of tiredness. The amount of blood he had lost was sure to keep him bedridden for a while as he recuperated.


    After confirming he was now okay, Mian moved on to the others and proceeded with healing their injuries.


    Broken arms, torn muscles, and cracked bones were healed in mere minutes as Mian put his all into making sure he could save their lives.

 Chapter 79 - Conspiracies

    While Kraetor City was being conquered by the combined forces of the natives of the Northern Continent, and the soldiers sent from the Central Continent, a stealthy messenger made his way through the territory of the Bolvar Tribe.


    When he got to the aboveground region where the underground city was located, the messenger buried a letter under a peculiar, tree that was strangely shaped. After doing that, he quickly left the area and vanished into the darkness that still lurked between the dense vegetation of the forest.


    A few hours later, a lone Beastkin walked into the area where the letter had been buried. He made a beeline toward the tree where the the letter was, and dug it up with haste. He then covered up the ground to look as thought it had been untouched, before retreating and heading back to the underground city.


    .


    Ezra sat on one of the chairs in his study. A deep frown was drawn across his face as he examined the letter in his grasp.


    The letter in his grasp was plain white, with no symbols on it except one. It depicted a black face with a single horn atop it. Ezra recognized this symbol. His father had told him quite a lot about this symbol in particular, as he was to be the next Patriarch of the tribe after his father stepped down. Unfortunately, he had died an early and untimely death, thrusting he reigns of power into Ezra''s arms far too soon.


    The symbol on the letter belonged to an organization that was deeply rooted in the underground society of the Central Continent. That organization was the backer of the Bolvar Tribe, and the tribe was actually just a splinter branch of the organization!


    In fact, over fifty percent of the tribe had left on a mission to the Central Continent when the organization had called, just before the death of Ezra''s father. That was the reason why the population of the tribe at the time when the taskforce had assisted them was so low. Most of their members were not available at that time.


    After breaking the wax seal, Ezra pulled out the letter than was inside. He unfolded it and began reading it. When he was done, he scrunched up the letter and threw it into the fireplace that was burning at the side.


    "Sigh..." He leaned on his desk and held his head in his hands that were trembling ever so slightly.


    .


    .


    While Ezra was going through a moral crisis, the aftermaths of the battle for Kraetor City were just setting in.


    The residents of the city were rounded up in front of the plaza where the Seat of Power was located. They were monitored by the soldiers to make sure that they did not misbehave. Although they were ''citizens'' over seventy percent of them were demi-humans. If they decided to attack, then they might be able to overpower the soldiers.


    As this was going on, all the important people of power that presided over Kraetor City were gathered elsewhere.


    Mohawk watched Moses, the elected leader of Kraetor City as the man eyed Mian warily, with his limbs tied up. He was still under the control of the Herder Drug, so he viewed Mian as an enemy.


    "Behave yourself." Mohawk reprimanded him with a stern tone of voice. Moses glared at Mohawk after that before directing a question at him.


    "What did you do with Sir Adas, you vile beast?!" He growled.


    "Oh, wouldn''t you like to know?" Mohawk grinned at him, not offended by the Werecat in the least, as he was under the effects of the drug. Instead, his hatred for the Henshaw Dynasty went up a few notches.


    Mian remained a few feet away from Moses as he raised his hand and pointed it at the older demi-human. A golden radiance shone from his palm and onto Moses, and the Werecat immediately froze. A few moments later, the light receded, and he was left a panting mess.


    "What... What happened?" Moses took in his surroundings warily. He noted that his arms and legs were tied up and immediately assumed that those around him were his enemies. The sight of the Kraetor City''s councilmembers tied up also added to his suspicions.


    Before he could begin to struggle, the ropes tying him were immediately cut apart, stunning him.


    "Welcome back, Moses." Mohawk nodded. "Let me get you up to speed."


    Following that, Mohawk explained all that had happened, while Mian made rounds with the council members, cleansing the effects of the drug that still lingered in their bodies.


    "What?! Those despicable Henshaws!" Moses cursed angrily when he got up to date. At first, he still doubted what Mohawk said, but when Mohawk handed him a scroll that was provided by Sir Delk, he was immediately convinced.


    The amount of respect that demi-humans had towards the Gifted among them was immense. Just the proof that one of the demi-human Gifted was supporting a cause was enough for an immense amount of demi-humans to throw their support behind said cause.


    He then went ahead to get his councilmen up to speed on the recent happenings, and when that was done, they all set off from the building here they were being held, to the Seat of Power, where their subjects were being held.


    At first, when Moses tried to explain what had been happening to them, the people refused to believe, still under the firm belief that the Henshaws were their allies. That was when Mohawk had enough and walked across the balcony of the building where Adas was standing earlier that morning.


    He threw out an orb of golden light that abruptly exploded when it reached the center of the plaza, showering the people down below in its contents.


    A golden radiance overwhelmed the plaza for a minute before calming down. When the light was gone, the people were left, looking confused at what was going on.


    "You can go ahead and explain it to them now. They have regained their senses." Mohawk waved at Moses to carry on before retreating back into the office.


    Nodding, Moses repeated his earlier speech, and the response he got this time was much more positive. All the residents of the city were rightfully infuriated, both demi-humans and humans alike.


    Although there were humans that resided in Kraetor City, none of them were remotely happy with their counterparts in the Henshaw Dynasty. Some of them had moved here from the lands of the Dynasty after running into some trouble with a rival in power, and seeing as they were unable to get the upper hand, they just decided to move to somewhere that their rivals would find it much difficult to inflict harm upon them.


    Upon hearing that the Henshaw Dynasty had brainwashed them and made them nothing more than slaves, they were furious and began to rain down curses on King Fredrick and the rest of the nobility in the dynasty.


    While Moses addressed his people, Mohawk was in the office, looking curiously at the middle rank demi-human who had called his attention, Mian.


    "How can I help you?" Mohawk raised a brow and asked. Although he too held great respect for the Gifted, he was able to tame himself, and not worship them like the masses did. After all, they were not gods.


    "I was just wondering what that thing you threw into the air earlier was. And how it was able to cleanse the people?" Mian asked with a tilted head. He was quite interested in what Mohawk had done, and wanted to know how he did it. From what Mohawk had told them earlier, while he was a powerful demi-human, he was definitely not Gifted.


    "Oh, that? It was just one of the Cleansing Orbs that Sir Delk handed me before we set off for the Northern Continent." He pulled out one of the golden orbs he had in his bag and showed it to Mian.


    "This little thing gets rid of all negative status effects like poisoning, dizziness, and supposedly, even brainwashing." He threw it in the air before snatching it and stuffing it back into the bag.


    "So, Sir Delk already knew about what the Henshaws were up to?" Mian asked, moving on to another topic.. He wanted to know more about the Cleansing Orb, but he figured that Mohawk would know little about it, and instead, he decided that he would ask Sir Delk about it if he ever had the chance.

 Chapter 80 - Insecurities

    Mohawk and Mian ended up discussing several matters for quite a while. Mian had a lot of questions for the foreign demi-human, and Mohawk was quite happy to answer his questions.


    After some time, Mian bid Mohawk goodbye before leaving. He was going to absorb the source of the drug and purify the water source of the town.


    Just after he left the room, he ran into Dion.


    "Oh, Mian! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" The black furred dominant asked when he saw Mian.


    "I''m going to cleanse the water source of the city. Do you want to come?" Mian asked. Although things had been a bit funny between them ever since Mian told Dion about his possession of the Greater Strength Gift, the two remained as close friends.


    "Sure, I can tag along." Dion agreed and fell into step beside Mian. The two left the Seat of Power through one of the underground paths that was connected to their underground source of water. According to what Hana had told Mian, the source of the drug was rooted there.


    Dion picked up a lit torch at the entrance of the underground pathway and led the way through the darkness. A comfortable silence settled over them while they made turns and twists, heading deeper and deeper underground. The two boys were surprised at how deep it went, wondering how long it must have taken to construct this in its entirety.


    "Pff, our pack is like a backwards society compared to this." Dion snorted after some time, and Mian only laughed. He had to agree with the dominant.


    The Zelan pack was living in the mountains until just recently, when they beat back the Henshaw Dynasty''s forces and began expanding into the forest nearby. Compared to this level of development, their pack was quite far behind.


    "By the way, Dion." Mian suddenly spoke up.


    "Hmm?" Dion asked without turning around. The sound of rushing water reached his ears, so he was keeping an eye out on what might be ahead of them.


    "I was just wondering... You take fighting lessons as part of your training, right?" Mian nervously asked.


    "Yeah, why?"


    "I was, um, wondering if you could teach me how to fight. It''s quite embarrassing when you think about it. Technically, I''m supposed to be a powerful demi-human, but I''m a middle rank who can barely take care of himself." Mian sighed deeply.


    Dion raised a brow at Mian, but didn''t let the older boy see it. He was still quite aware of Mian''s lacking confidence, and while he thought that someone like Mian should have much more confidence in himself, there was little he could do to directly remedy the matter. Instead, he would remain at Mian''s side in case the boy needed a shoulder to lean on.


    "You know, you should have more confidence in yourself. After all, it''s not everyday that someone gets to whoop the ass of a human Pillar." Dion grinned at Mian, eliciting a scoff from the other boy.


    "That was thanks to my Gift, not my own personal power. I want to be able to do things by myself without wholly relying on my Gift." Mian grumbled. While he was immensely grateful to Hana and the Evolution System, he did not want to be completely reliant on this Gift. He wanted to be able to defend himself and pose a threat to any enemies who were out for his blood, even if he somehow found himself in a scenario where his Gift was useless.


    Dion nodded in understanding. "Don''t worry. When we have some free time, I can show you the basics. We can work out way up from there."


    "Thanks." Mian heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing Dion''s words. He feared that Dion might laugh at his insecurities, and was happy to see that Dion understood, and even promised to help out.


    After that, the two boys continued their exploration of the underground labyrinth. They had forgotten to ask for a map from Moses, so they were relying solely on their senses and instincts to guide them through the winding pathways.


    "I hear water up ahead." Dion announced.


    "I hear it too." Mian nodded, and the two boys sped up more. Before long, they came across an immensely wide and cavernous area where water flowed through. Clean, see-through water flowed through the path and through some narrow tunnels that were built for the water to pass through. At the bottom of the stream, a giant white ball rested.


    "That''s it." Mian pointed at the ball, immediately recognizing it from his previous experiences. He leaned against he railing and peered down into the dark depths of the flowing water that was only barely illuminated by the torch in Dion''s hands.


    "Whoa. That''s seems a bit too dangerous." Dion reached out and grabbed Mian''s arm, thinking that the boy wanted to throw himself into the water down below.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not jumping in." Mian reassured him, also recognizing that it was too dangerous for him to jump into the water. He might get carried off by the current, and possibly even drown and die if he was not able to get enough air.


    Straightening out, Mian stretched out one of his arms and pointed it at the massive white orb in the water. He then willed the energy flowing around him, in him, and in the orb, to do his bidding.


    This was something he had been working on for a while now. Instead of calling upon Hana to do everything for him, he wanted to be able to control his Gift through his own efforts. After all, when he had initially gotten his Gift, Hana had only told him that she was there to guide him, not to do everything for him. So, he figured it was about time he started commanding his abilities by himself.


    A golden radiance painted the dark cavern, pushing away the darkness and temporarily blinding Dion. A couple of minutes passed before the light died down, and when it was gone, there was nothing left of the massive white orb that had been in the water earlier.


    Instead of leaving something to purify the water over time, Mian had instead chosen to completely purify the water at once.. At this very moment, some unknown ripples were moving though the water, unknown to anyone but Mian.

 Chapter 81 - See You Later, Monkey!

    "Wow. I don''t think I will be getting used to that any time soon." Dion whistled when his eyes had adjusted to the darkness after the light had faded.


    "Heh." Mian smirked and dusted his hands. "Let''s get going, we are done here." He announced and turned to leave. Dion nodded and took to the front, leading the way they had come. Half an hour later, the duo emerged from the path they had taken, back at the ground floor of the Seat of Power.


    "Oh, there you two are." Their heads turned when they heard a familiar voice call out to them. Daniel waved at them as he walked over. "The ape dude said you came over here, but I had no idea where to find you two." He explained.


    Mian then explained where they had gone off to, making Daniel pout.


    "You should have told me, and I would have come along." He complained.


    "I thought you were busy with your dad?" Dion asked.


    "Pff, we were done after a couple of minutes. I could have still tagged along." He snorted. "Let''s go back, some underground exploration sounds nice." Daniel peered around them and into the staircase that held torches at each side.


    Both Mian and Dion fancied the idea of properly exploring the underground labyrinth, but before they left, they made sure to track down Moses and ask for a map of the place. The last thing they wanted was to et lost in such a place.


    "I really shouldn''t be doing this, but considering how much you have helped my people, I can make an exception." Moses sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. What had happened to his city was extremely alarming, and he had to do a lot of work to handle the aftermath. Especially with what happened to the gates of the city.


    At first, he was hesitant, not wanting them to go snooping around there, but he eventually gave in. If they had truly wished anything bad upon his people, then they would have already done it, considering how easily they were able to overpower the city''s defenses once.


    He dug through a drawer behind his desk, before pulling out a scroll and handing it to Dion.


    "Be careful. If you get lost, then finding you will be a real pain." Moses warned once more before shooing the trio out of his office.


    With barely concealed enthusiasm, the three of them returned to the ground floor and immediately made their way down the dark staircase that led to the beginning of the underground path. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, Dion picked up one of the unlit torches and held it to the fire of one that was already lit, and when the fire caught, the tree immediately set off.


    .


    Mohawk casually peeled a banana as he laid atop the highest rooftop of the Seat of Power. The day was fairly cloudy, so he was spared from being pestered by the annoying sun.


    He took a bite out of the banana and leaned back to think about the recent events that were happening. He felt tempted to pull out one of the short distance communication scrolls that were provided by the High Priest of the Severed Wing School, Sir Delk, but refrained from it. There was no urgent need to contact the forces at the beachhead, so he would wait until they began planning on how they would steamroll through the other forces under the control of the Herder Drug.


    Just as he finished eating the banana, he felt a slight vibration coming from the pack he always carried around on his person. He opened it and pulled out a scroll that was bound by a red strap.


    "Already?" He muttered with a slight frown on his face. The scroll he held was the short distance communication scroll that he had just contemplated using. It seemed that Malim had a message for him.


    He untied the strap before flicking the scroll in the air so that it could levitate on its own as he went back to eating bananas.


    ~


    Monkey! A little birdie told me that the conquest of Kraetor City went well. That''s good. I thought it would take longer, considering you were the one leading the strike force, haha!


    Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that the Shark and his Octopus girlfriend are heading towards Oceabal with a force of their own to take it down. You can communicate with them and decide where to his next. When that is done, one of you three can relay the information to me, and we can meet up then.


    See you later, Monkey!


    ~


    Mohawk swore words that would make even the most shameless man on the Northern Continent blush, as he cursed Malim''s name to the Central Continent and back. He pulled out every profane word he knew and threw it at the human''s name for the next five minutes. He hated being called a monkey more than he hated the sea.


    After letting out a final curse, Mohawk went over the content of the message in his mind. Oceabal was a port city that handled the little trade that was carried out between the Northern Continent and the other continents of Topor. This city as jointly controlled by multiple powers of the Northern Continent, with Kraetor City and the Henshaw Dynasty being the two strongest powers that had control over the port city. The other powers that held some sway in the city were of a similar size to the Zelan pack.


    Since Tide and Ariel would be taking care of that city, Mohawk decided to cross it off his list of targets. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pack and eyed it.


    -Belmun Pack: Cleared.


    -Bolvar Tribe: Cleared.


    Kraetor City: Cleared.


    Oceabal: Cleared.


    Zuruk Tribe: -


    Amibal Pack: -


    Fressia City: -


    --


    After crossing out Oceabal, there were only three more targets left.. He would have to discuss the next target with Han and Moses so that they could plan on which of them was best to attack.

 Chapter 82 - Conspiracies (2)

    After having his fill of bananas, Mohawk decided to call for a meeting so that they could plan their next course of action.


    Before long, every important person was gathered into a rather large meeting room that Moses frequently used when discussing important matters with the council of Kraetor City.


    Han, Moses, the representative of the Bolvar Tribe, the council of Kraetor City, and one of the stronger dominants from the Zelan pack, gathered in the room where they would have the meeting.


    "Where is Mian?" Mohawk asked when he noticed that the young Gifted was missing.


    "He and a couple of his friends went off to the underground labyrinth to explore." Moses sighed. Han turned his face away, as though distracted by something, while the dominant from the Zelan pack only chuckled lightly.


    "Fine, let''s start without them." Mohawk sighed and shook his head before closing the door to the meeting room.


    .


    .


    "This path is supposed to lead to the cellars." Dion spoke out loud as he studied the map in his hands. Daniel stood to his side, holding up the lantern, while Mian poked around the spacious corridor that they had stopped at.


    "Do you think there are prisoners down there?" Daniel asked.


    Mian turned to give the gray haired Beastkin a deadpan look. "If there were prisoners down here, do you think Moses would allow us to snoop around?"


    "Oh, yeah. That''s true, hehe." Daniel rubbed his head with a chuckle when he thought about it.


    After confirming their route again, Dion continued leading them through the winding corridors. Before long, the three came about a wide, long corridor that had small rooms on both sides of the wall. These rooms were closed off with thick iron bars that were just about smaller than the size of an average human head.


    This is the place where they keep their prisoners. I guess it really is empty." Dion whispered and peered into one of the dark cells. From where he was, thanks to the lighting provided from the torch, he was able to see two pairs of metal cuffs that were fixed into the stone walls.


    "Two people per cell. Reminds me of back then." He commented and Mian nodded. He didn''t feel too comfortable down there, but decided to bear with it. He couldn''t run from his demons forever.


    They explored the cells for a while more before coming across something shocking. One of the cells was in use!


    An injured Beastkin laid in the cell farthest from where they had come from, with his arms chained up and bruises scattered around his body.


    "What the hell?" Daniel exclaimed.


    "I thought there was no one down here? What is he doing here?" Dion stared in shock.


    All three of them were surprised to see someone down here. They had thought that there would be no one down here, based on their previous conclusion that Moses would not allow them to snoop around if there was something fishy to be found down here.


    "Let''s get him out." Mian urged.


    "But what if he''s down here for a reason?" Daniel asked.


    "Then you two can probably handle it. You are dominants, are you not?" Mian pinned Daniel with a hard look and the boy swallowed audibly.


    They quickly got to work, slamming the bars over and over again, trying to force it open, but they were having little results.


    "Dammit. We need the key to the cell. This thing won''t be opening any time soon otherwise." Dion swore. The others soon came to realize that he was right. They would not be able to force the cell open with just brute force.


    "You two stay here, I''ll go get help." Dion handed the torch over to Mian and prepared to run all the way back to the ground floor. He would rely on his senses and instincts to trace the path that they had followed to get there.


    When Dion took off, Mian turned back to the man that was chained up in the cell. An unnoticeable flash of light passed through his eyes as he appraised the man.


    [Appraisal]


    Name: Simon Bolvar


    Age: Eighty-nine years.


    Health: Poor


    ---


    His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the name. The only ones who bore the same name as the name of their pack or tribe were the leaders of the packs, and their descendants.


    ''No way...'' Mian thought to himself. He did not dare speak out loud, as he had not told anyone that he could appraise people and animals. ''No way... You have got to be kidding me.''


    A string of thoughts and theories on the man''s identity arranged themselves in Mian''s mind, and the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.


    "Ugh..." A low groan slipped from the man''s lips, and successfully snapped Mian out of his swirling whirlpool of thoughts.


    "Crap." Mian stretched his arm forward and pointed it at the man before focusing on the lingering amount of energy that was in the underground space. For some reason unknown to Mian, the amount of energy here was in much greater abundance that what was present above the surface.


    Tiny motes of golden light appeared around Simon Bolvar''s body before drifting toward it and sticking on. The lights than slowly seeped into his fair skin, almost like how water was soaked up by a cloth.


    "Mmm..." Another groan left his lips when the bruises had mostly faded from his skin. He was still unconscious, but at least, his health condition had gone up a bit.


    -


    Health: Fair(Injured).


    -


    Mian and Daniel remained there, watching the man to see if he would wake up, and roughly twenty minutes later, the sound of hurried footsteps reached their ears.


    Through the light that just barely illuminated part of the corridor, they could see the silhouettes of numerous figures rushing down the hall. A few seconds later, the figures became clearer, revealing Dion, Mohawk, Han, and several other people, including Moses.. They had abandoned their meeting when Dion barged into the room and told them what the trio had discovered.

 Chapter 83 - Conspiracies (3)

    A small crowd gathered around the cell while Moses unlocked the lock. He was in possession of the master key that could unlock every cell in the dungeon of the city. Instead of going through the trouble of looking for the head guard, he decided to bring out the master key and rush down as fast as possible.


    He was shocked, to say the least. As the elected leader of Kraetor City, it was his duty to know all of the more sensitive matters that concerned the well being of the city and its citizens. Yet, he had no idea of a beaten Beastkin being chained up in one of the cells underneath the Seat of Power. If it had not been for those three boys snooping around, then the man here would have surely starved to death, if he did not succumb to his injuries first, that is.


    Click.


    The lock on the cell clicked open audibly, and Moses pushed it open before stepping in and pulling out another key from his pocket. The key he pulled out was a master key similar to the one he used to open the cell, with the only difference being that this one could only open all the chains that bound the prisoners.


    When he unlocked the chains, he picked up the man and brought him out, where Mian immediately moved closer to him. Motes of golden light flashed across his body as whatever further injuries or ailments that the man suffered were quickly taken care of.


    While Mian handled the injuries of the man, everyone else turned their attention to Moses.


    "So? Who id this man? A criminal or something?" Mohawk asked. He was quite curious as to what the situation was, because when Dion had showed up to tell them about the man, Moses seemed confused and shocked, as though he thought it was all some joke.


    "I have no idea. This is the first time I am setting my eyes on this man." The Werecat sighed wearily. The previous events were already stressful enough, and now he had to deal with this.


    "What do you mean? Hold on, could this be the work of those humans?" Another person asked.


    "Possibly. Because there have been no reports of missing people yet, and before all this happened, no one had been arrested by the city guards." Moses nodded. All fingers pointed at the humans who had temporarily taken control of the city.


    Just then, Mohawk felt a vibration in his pack. He searched it and pulled out a long distance communication scroll, which he did not hesitate to unfurl.


    ~


    Simon Bolvar. That''s his name.


    ~


    The message was short and precise. Sir Delk did not have any energy to waste on unnecessary words.


    "His name is Simon Bolvar. That''s what Sir Delk says." Mohawk passed the information to the others.


    "What? Simon Bolvar of the Bolvar Tribe across Silver River?" Moses was shocked. He had never personally met with the former Patriarch, but he had heard enough about him to know who he was.


    The Bolvar Tribe was largely self sufficient, so their reliance on others was minimal. Perhaps the only power that they frequently did business with was Oceabal, the port city.


    Those who had recently come in contact with the Bolvar Tribe were shocked.


    "Didn''t Simon just die not too long ago? What is he doing here?" Han asked, perplexed. He took a step closer to the unconscious man to get a good look at him.


    Simon had tan skin, and a hair of red hair atop his head. His face was sharp, and his jawline was firm and sharp. He also shared a lot of similarity n looks with Caesar, his younger son.


    "Let us go back up. He needs to get some proper rest." Mian spoke with a firm voice, drawing the attention of the group to himself.


    They all agreed, and made their way back to the Seat of Power, where they got a decent room for Simon to rest in.


    .


    .


    Several hours later...


    Mian had volunteered to stay with Simon, just in case anything happened during the time that it would take for him to wake up. Like that, over four hours passed, and it was already past noon.


    "Mmmhm." A low groan from Simon made Mian turn his attention to the man on the bed. He instantly got up from the chair that he was sitting in and approached the bed. Simon was awake.


    "Hey," Mian gently called out, making Simon jolt up in bed. He had surprise written all over his face. He was expecting a jolt of pain to accompany his sudden movement, but he felt nothing painful.


    Simon patted around his body, feeling about for any spot that might radiate pain, but he felt nothing. That was when he noticed Mian. Claws immediately extended from his fingertips, and a growl rumbled from his chest.


    "Whoa, take it easy, okay. You are not in danger." Mian raised his hands and slowly stepped back to give the startled man some space.


    "Where am I? Who are you?" Simon asked as he took in the room where he was, and the lone demi-human that was present in the room.


    "You''re in Kraetor City''s Seat of Power. My name is Mian, and I am from the Zelan Pack." Mian explained.


    "What am I doing here?" Simon eyed Mian with distrust.


    "Well, we found you in the dungeon of this place, and we have no idea how you got there, so we were hoping yu could tell us that." Mian told him with a wry smile.


    A painfully tense silence hung in the air as Simon thought of the situation. A minute later, he finally answered.


    "You... Are you with the humans?" He slowly asked.


    "No. Not at all." Mian shook his head.


    "I see... But I can''t trust you." Simon narrowed his eyes.


    "...Is it because of the drug?" Mian asked. He wanted to test Simon to find out if he knew about the drug. Perhaps Simon''s reason for being hesitant to trust him was because he was aware of the drug, and believed that Mian might be under the control of the drug.


    Simon''s eyes widened and he leaned forward eagerly.


    "You know of the drug?!"

 Chapter 84 - Conspiracies (4)

    After spending some time calming Simon down, and reassuring him that he was not affected by the drug, Mian brought the old Beastkin out of the room, and straight to the meeting room where the others were. They were still planning what to do, although their plans had taken a weird turn after they discovered Simon.


    They needed to wait for him to wake up, before they could question him, and make their plans according to the information that he might possess.


    Mian knocked lightly on the door to the meeting room before pushing open the door slightly.


    "He''s awake." He announced before fully opening the door and leading Simon inside.


    "Patriarch!" The representative from the Bolvar Tribe shot up to his feet the moment he recognized Simon. He rushed around the seat he was seated at and approached Simon. Simon nodded to him, having also recognized him, before taking a seat close to his tribesman.


    He noticed everyone''s eyes were fixed on him, so he raised his head and met them with his own daunting gaze. He scanned everyone there, and noted that the most powerful people in the room were a Werecat with dark fur and a splash of red atop his head, and a... Monkey?


    Mohawk''s lip twitched ever so slightly hen he noticed Simon staring at him in a questioning manner. He could guess that the old man was most likely comparing him to a monkey at that moment. He could not really blame the man, though. After all, there was very little chance that he had come in contact with a Wereape before.


    "Now, please can someone tell me what is going on here? Young Mian has explained the bare basics, but he did not explain too much. All I know if that none of you here are under the control of that nasty drug that the Henshaws were cooking up!" Simon exclaimed.


    His words piqued the interest of everyone there. So he knew about the drug? At least, they knew where they could start their questioning now.


    "Before we answer any of your questions, let us make it clear that we have questions of our own. Are you willing to answer them for us?" Mohawk asked.


    "Yes, yes, sure. In fact, you can go ahead and ask a couple of questions first." Simon nodded. He seemed to understand the severity of the situation, and how confused they all were by how they looked at him so strangely.


    "Good. First question." Mohawk nodded and began asking his questions, "How did you end up in the cellar of this place?"


    "Well, that... From young Mian, I am already aware that you all know of the Herder Drug. Well, it all started about two months ago. I have an ability that lets me spot anything dangerous to the health and minds of people around me. It is strange, and I do not know how to explain it to you. Anyway, my ability made me notice that there was something wrong with my tribe''s water source. I kept an eye on it for a while, and even tested it in various ways, but nothing bad happened." Simon began explaining.


    "It was strange. Very strange, but I still decided to keep on monitoring it for a while longer. About a month ago, though, I was poisoned. My body only just barely managed to fend of the effects of the poison, and that is when they struck. Those bloody Henshaws." He gritted his teeth as he recalled the memory of how they had attacked him.


    "By that time, whatever it was that had been in the water had begun infecting my people, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was just a slight change, but before I could do anything about it, the Henshaws noticed that I was unaffected and took me out. Then they must have brought me here after that. I only remember waking up in a cell and being tortured over and over again just to satisfy the sick urges of some bastards who hated my kind."


    "I see." Mohawk nodded when Simon was done with his explanation. The man had basically answered most of their questions with his story, so there was little more to ask him.


    "Now, I have a question." Simon spoke up again. "How is my tribe? Did the Henshaws attack my people?" He turned to the representative from the tribe and directed his questioning gaze toward him.


    "No, the tribe is okay. The Henshaws did not attack us. At least not directly." The man shook his head.


    "What do you mean not directly?" Simon asked.


    "The drug that the Henshaws had used is called the Herder Drug. Its effect was to weaken and subvert the minds of demi-humans and Beastkin alike. They used it on multiple tribes, packs and cities in order to gain an army to take over the continent." Mohawk answered his question.


    "Luckily, we were able to find out and respond accordingly." Han added and the others nodded. If it had not been for Mian and his own son, then the Belmun Pack would have surely still been under the control of the humans, and they would not have made this much progress in their mission.


    Simon sat in silence as he let his mind soak up the information that he had gotten.


    "How are my children?" He suddenly asked.


    "They are doing fine. Ezra has stepped up into the position that was left vacant after your supposed death. Freya, well, she is still a child, and while your death must have affected her, she is doing well. I can not say the same for Caesar, though. He took your ''passing'' quite hard." Han answered the man. "He is doing a bit better now, though."


    "Caesar..." Simon sighed. "He has always taken things rather hard and serious. I hope he holds on until the matters here have been settled."


    "That is a good way of thinking. Now, let us get back to our planning. With you here, we should be able to have a wider perspective.." Mohawk announced.

 Chapter 85 - Oceabal

    The Northern Continent was a vast land, almost as large as the Central Continent. It was also the furthest from the other landmasses of Topor, so it only made sense for it to be surrounded by an abundance of water.


    When the initial colonists came upon this land, the first place that had been developed was a port city. Time passed by, and this port city came to be known as Oceabal the City of the Ocean.


    The city remained as a major hub of trade between the Northern Continent and the other continents of the world, while the colonists spread out through the continent. They also encountered the natives, and after some skirmishes, they were able to come to an agreement that allowed the natives to hold some sway and power in Oceabal.


    Through that, the port city continued to thrive over the decades since its founding.


    .


    .


    Tide went over what he knew about the port city, Oceabal as he tore through the sea at an incredible speed. His powerful tail fin waved behind him, stirring up the water and propelling him at even faster speeds.


    Not too far behind him, a whole swarm of merfolk swam, tearing through the water at an impressive speed, but not nearly as fast as Tide. The only one who could somewhat keep up with him was Ariel.


    Unlike what most people thought, she was quite fast, compared to the rest of kind, the Cecaelia. They were generally slow or of an average speed underwater, but through some strange methods that Tide was not privy of, Ariel was able to go beyond those limits.


    "We are getting close." Tide spoke around the water, and his voice travelled back to the merfolk behind him. He spoke in their native tongue, one that was developed for speech underwater, so it was not a problem for him. That was the reason why his words always possessed a slur whenever he spoke above water.


    The others nodded and continued swimming at breakneck speed. There was a reason why the merfolk ruled the seas. There, they were the apex predators, and when they set their sights on something in the sea, there was no escape.


    An hour later, Tide peaked up from above the still waters some distance out from the port city. Large cargo ships and smaller fishing ships were docked at the bay, swaying ever so slightly with the cool morning wind.


    He returned to the sea and turned to face his people.


    "You know what we planned already. Let''s get to it." He said and the rest all nodded. With that, they went to work. With tide at the front, they began swimming in a circle, going faster and faster until they had formed a whirlpool in the sea.


    Ariel remained at the center of the whirlpool, with her tentacles stretched out as she spun with them. She would remain as the center of the whirlpool that they were forming in order to direct it to the shore.


    It was devastating attack that she had used multiple times in the past when sieging locations like this, and it was very effective.


    Minutes passed as the whirlpool grew in size. Soon enough, it was so powerful that the water had begun to reach above the sea and grow into the air. That was when the people of Oceabal noticed it.


    "What is that?"


    "It''s heading straight for us!"


    "Take cover! Leave the ships!"


    Like headless chickens, sailors, fishermen, and traders ran about in fear as they searched for where they would take cover from the coming calamity.


    The merfolk that were swimming in circles to form the whirlpool had already stopped, and it was now Ariel''s job to guide the watery calamity towards the shore.


    When the violent swirl of water touched the largest ship that was in its reach, the sound of splintering wood rang across the harbor as the sturdy ship was ripped apart under violent currents. Ariel used her considerable strength to tear herself away from the calamity and rushed back to the distant group of merfolk. Some of them were already swimming around the dock to strike from the sides of the city. Tide was at the forefront of those who had swum ahead.


    Ariel would remain underwater to dispel the effects of that crazy move for a while before she too joined those who were attacking.


    Tide swam at the head of the attacking merfolk. The water literally parted ways at his approach due to the speed he was moving at. In fact, with the speed he was moving at, it almost looked like he was playing back when the group was approaching the port city. It was only now that the other merfolk realized that he was moving slowly only so they could keep up earlier.


    Splash!


    Tide shot out through the water, and onto the land with a loud splash, shifting forms in the air. He snatched a random piece of cloth that had been flying through the air, in the aftermath of the earlier attack, and put it on. It was uncomfortable, but after the repeated reminders that Malim had given him, he thought it would make more sense for him to wear clothes at the very least.


    Splash! Splash!


    The other merfolk emerged from the water, and a few of them that held leather bags went about with handing out clothes for the others to put on.


    "Hurry up, I''m going on ahead." Tide grumbled before taking off through the alleyways of the city. He encountered a random soldier and knocked the guy out with a single punch before carrying on. His destination was the furthest building from the sea, also the largest one. That was where the leaders who watched over the port city stayed most of the time.


    He guessed how they would most likely remain there, in one of their bunkers, or maybe they might be trying to escape the city.. He wasn''t sure, but he would see what he could do.

 Chapter 86 - Ariels Joy

    The conquest of Oceabal was swift and decisive. Within a short hour, the city had been swept through by the merfolk, and the humans sent by the Henshaw Dynasty were captured.


    Tide ordered for the people of the port city to be gathered in the city center, and then he repeated Mohawk''s actions with the Cleansing Orb. He also did the same thing with their water source after confirming its position, and that it was the water that was the means that the humans used to spread the drug.


    After that, he carried out a closed execution of the humans, and simply burnt their bodies into nothing.


    Compared to Mohawk, Tide was much more ruthless. The only reason why he did not hold a public execution of the humans was because Ariel had advised him against it. She had told him that the chances of the humans in the city taking his actions wrongly was quite high.


    With their actions, they had also taken out the representative of the Henshaw Dynasty from power, leaving only the other major powers in control of the port city. The people had no idea about this change, so any uproar that might have happened did not happen.


    "So what do we do now? We can''t leave here unsupervised, and we also have three more forces to free. The Zuruk Tribe, Amibal Pack and Fressia City." Ariel spoke as she walked beside Tide. The man had put on a pair of proper pants, but chose not to wear a shirt.


    "We have to contact Mohawk and discuss the details with him first. By the time we are ready to strike another place, the second wave of our forces should have arrived at the beachhead, and Malim will lead them there." Tide answered her.


    "I see. Well, let''s get it on with, the sooner we finish this, the sooner we can get back home." She smiled.


    "Mm." Tide agreed and made his way into the building where the leaders of the city stayed. It was similar to the Seat of Power in Kraetor City, but did not have a specific name. Most people just referred to it as Oceabal''s Center.


    When Tide and Ariel entered the building, they were greeted by a variety of people who were present on the ground floor, and had noticed their entrance, not that it was hard to miss the entry of a large blue haired man, and a lady with purple, spongy hair.


    Tide ignored all the greetings while Ariel happily replied them, before making their way to a private room where they could discuss more sensitive matters.


    A few demi-humans and humans that had gotten there from the beachhead through land travel also followed them in.


    "Is there anyone listening in on us?" Tide asked a Werewolf.


    "No. It''s all clear." The lady replied.


    Tide nodded before he signaled for the meeting to commence. Ariel handed him a brown scroll that had a red strap tying it up, and he untied it before rolling it out. He envisioned the person he wanted to communicate with, and the scroll gained a slight glow to it.


    His thoughts turned into words that were sent through the scroll, and over to the receiving scroll''s end, which was the similar scroll that was in Mohawk''s possession.


    ~


    Done with Oceabal, who are we hitting next? Personally, I vote for Fressia.


    ~


    Tide''s message was short. He was not a fan of beating around the bush and unnecessary chats. The reply took a bit of time, but it eventually came.


    ~


    I don''t mind Fressia. I will relay our decision to Malim. We strike in four days.


    Also, send Lady Ariel my regards.


    ~


    Tide scoffed when he saw the last portion of the reply. He rolled up the scroll, and it lost its glow, before he handed it back to Ariel.


    "Fressia, four days. Rest up and prepare, Mohawk will relay our decision to Malim so that he can rendezvous with us on the way there." Tide announced and called an end to the meeting. Mohawk had already done most of the planning, and he did not mind it one bit.


    One by one, the people left the room, with Tide and Ariel behind, but when the Cecaelia was about to leave the room, Tide grabbed her hand and pulled her back in before shutting the door and locking it from the inside.


    "Ahhh~"


    That morning, a load moan rang through Oceabal''s Center, startling the staff that worked there to reorganize the port city.


    .


    .


    "You didn''t have to be such a brute, you know." Ariel pouted as she punched Tide''s side.


    "Mm, whatever. Mohawk had his eyes on you, so I needed to stake my claim first." The man grunted as he stared at the city that was being rebuilt after the damage that was done to it, from atop the city center.


    "Humph!" Ariel crossed her arms and pouted angrily. Although she looked angry, she was actually really happy. She had always admired Tide, and had secretly thought up all the ways that she could convince him to let her be his wife, but all of a sudden, he had taken the initiative to claim her as his own.


    She really couldn''t be happier!


    ''I guess this is all thanks to Mohawk. I should thank him the next time I see him.'' Ariel thought to herself as she nibbled on her lips.


    Her eyed drifted over to her shoulder, where a blue, spiral tattoo had formed over the past few hours. It was a sign that she was taken, one of the unique features of her people, that allowed others know that they were off the ''single market''. Now, she was officially a ''married woman''. Married to one of the most popular men of the oceans, not to mention.


    She couldn''t wait to get back home so she could gossip all about it with her friends and family back home. She was sure that they would be jealous when they came to hear of who her chosen one was.


    After all, she was not the only one who had eyes for Tide.

 Chapter 87 - Change Of Plans

    Things moved quite smoothly for the next few days as both Oceabal and Kraetor went through some changes. The damaged portions of the city were slowly being fixed, and the people had returned to their simple daily routine, albeit with a little tension in the air.


    Anyone with more than two brain cells would be able to easily tell that a war was coming. Of course, no one will stand by idly after what the Henshaw Dynasty had done. There would be repercussions of their actions, and everyone knew that.


    Mohawk instructed some of his men to guide certain groups of soldiers from the city guards, and teach them the basics of war. It was quite obvious from what he had seen, that the people of the Northern Continent were not ready for war at all. It was either that, or he was too strong for them to properly fight back, but he believed that they were just too unprepared.


    And he was right.


    Only a day after he had assigned his men to guide the city guards, they had reported to him that the guards had only learnt the bare basics, and were quite poor when it came to overall fighting.


    The only place that they excelled in was their teamwork, considering that they always trained together, but aside from that, their other factors barely reached the bare minimum.


    "Break their backs for all I care. All I want is for you to make sure that they can hold their own when we strike Fressia." Mohawk dismissed them with that sentence and a wave of his hand. There was little for him to do at this point in time. They had already decided that Fressia would be their next target, and he had relayed that information to Malim. All he needed to do was wait until it was time to strike.


    While Mohawk was thinking of their next plans, the various other leaders of the forces that would march to Fressia were busy making their own preparations. Han in particular took it upon himself to get a bit of training in. He, along with several other demi-humans were practicing in one of the training grounds that was rather close to the city gates when they heard a bit of a commotion at the gates.


    "I can check it out. You guys carry on." Han waved to the others to continue what they were doing, while he stepped out of the training grounds and approached the city gates that were under reconstruction.


    There, half a dozen city guards that were o their patrol shift were questioning a Werewolf that had appeared before the gates.


    "State you business!" The leader among them called out to the Werewolf.


    "I come from the Belmun pack! The Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe told me that my Patriarch will be here. I have an urgent message!" The man urgently replied.


    "Michael, it that you?!" Han jogged past the guards and approached the Werewolf.


    "Patriarch!" The man immediately bowed his head to show his respect.


    "What brings you all the way out here? Did something happen?" Han asked with a frown on his face.


    "Patriarch, the pack - We were attacked!"


    .


    .


    After the initial shock, Han quickly led the messenger straight to the Seat of Power. The messenger then quickly recounted the events that had happened some time ago to those who were present.


    "It was a normal day, as usual, but then a literal rain of arrows came down on us from nowhere. Our scouts had no idea that anyone had crossed the boundary of our territory, so we were not able to prepare in time. The casualties were not too heavy, but then an army of humans and demi-humans alike swarmed our village and took away all the women and able bodied young men. The rest of us were badly injured. I was one of the least injured, and immediately set out to find you. A separate messenger went off to the Zelan pack to warn them about the attack as well." The man explained to everyone present.


    Han''s clenched fist shook with barely concealed rage. The whole incident reeked of the Henshaw Dynasty. It seemed like they were already pulling out their cards now that they had started losing ground.


    "The Henshaws are getting restless." Mohawk sighed tiredly. This would have to call for a change in their plans. They couldn''t just go ahead with their plans when they Henshaws had basically flipped the table.


    "Let me contact the others." Mohawk announced and pulled out the short distance communication scroll.


    The usual eerie glow pulsed around the scroll before writing appeared on it. Mohawk had chosen to contact Malim first, seeing as he was the head of their whole mission. Whatever the man decided was what they would do.


    The Wereape quickly relayed the matter to Malim, explaining that they would have to change their approach, before waiting for Malim''s reply. It took some time, but the man eventually replied.


    ~


    We will carry on with the attack on Fressia. We will need their support if we are to strike back at the Henshaw Dynasty. When that is done, we will move on to attacking the dynasty.


    Relay the news to Tide and Ariel. I will contact Sir Delk.


    ~


    The glow around the scroll went out after that. Mohawk immediately went to contact his companions over at Oceabal, after informing everyone of Malim''s decision.


    The planning began immediately. They would head out to take back control of Fressia in a couple of days after joining up with the forces from Oceabal and the beachhead. After that, they would go on to rendezvous with the Bolvar Tribe and the Zelan pack.


    As for the rest of the Belmun pack, Han ordered the messenger to return and instruct everyone to relocate to the Zelan pack''s territories immediately.. Until they were ready to march on the Henshaw Dynasty''s lands, they would remain under the protection of Daven and his people.

 Chapter 88 - March

    Time passed quickly as preparations were made to strike at Fressia. Malim had sent some scouts to do some reconnaissance on the state of Fressia, and when the scout returned, she confirmed that the people of the city were still present. After all, it would be hard for the Henshaw Dynasty to hide away all those people if they tried to move them out of the city. Such a task was just too much to ask.


    And so, when the time was right, the joint army from Kraetor, and the other forces set off from the large city, and straight to Fressia. On the way, they met up with Malim''s army, and then Tide and Ariel''s army. With those additions, they had already surpassed three thousand soldiers. It was not much, but it as enough to subdue Fressia. Only when they had regained the freedom of the city would they send out more force to the Zelan pack''s territories, which would be their front of attack on the dynasty, as they were the closest to the human dynasty.


    .


    .


    Mian wiped away the speck of white that had fallen onto his nose with an annoyed frown.


    "It''s that time of the year again." He muttered to Dion and ran his hands along his arms.


    "Too cold for you?" The dominant asked with a smirk.


    "Shut up. You just have thicker fur, that''s why you don''t feel the cold as I do." Mian replied as he rolled his eyes.


    Winter had started to set in, and the temperature had dropped quite a bit. The change in temperature was rather jarring, but the natives of the Northern Continent were already used to it. They grew up in such conditions after all.


    As for those from the Central Continent, they had already made sure to cover themselves up well to endure the colder temperatures. Among them though, the Wereapes were doing the worst. They were not exactly made for colder temperatures, so they were wrapped up extra tight.


    Similarly, the merfolk were also doing poorly, but they were able to cope with it for some time. They only needed some short breaks to warm themselves up, and they were good to go again.


    "The both of you can stop bantering and complaining over there." Tide snorted from where he was, while Mohawk limited himself to an eye roll. It seemed the merman''s temper was rather bad due to being subjected to unfavorable weather conditions. Not to mention that he was even close to the campfire that they had built.


    "Pff... Shark." Dion snorted, and Tide nearly choked on the roasted fish that he was eating.


    "What did you call me, you little mutt?!" The blue haired man glared angrily at the black furred Werewolf.


    "You heard me alright." Dion returned the glare in full intensity as the two initiated a glaring contest.


    "Alright, boys. Hold it up right there." Malim finally spoke up and threw a log into the crackling fire. As soon as he did, the two glaring demi-humans scoffed and turned back to what they were eating.


    Tide turned to face Ariel, his new lover, who fed him bite sized portions of the fish, while Dion turned to face his friend who was trying his best to hold in his laughter.


    "It''s not funny." Dion muttered with his ears pressed back in annoyance.


    "Sure, it isn''t." Mian laughed and nodded his head, while Dion just narrowed his eyes and focused on his food.


    After everyone was done eating, Malim spoke up.


    "Now, everyone. Listen up." The man clapped to get their attention, "We will be reaching Fressia in a few days'' time. So far, ever since we crossed the borders of the city''s territories, we have yet to run into a scout, which is rather strange. There are a few reasons as to why we have not come across any of them yet." He then went on to explain those reasons.


    Firstly, it might be that the humans sent by the dynasty had just chosen to tighten their defenses, and gather up all their soldiers within their walls in order to prepare for the incoming attack.


    Secondly, and the option that Malim felt was most likely, was that the dynasty had long since started sneaking out the combat forces of the city to another position. Probably the dynasty''s lands itself.


    "You are probably right." Han commented when he heard Malim''s thoughts. He also felt that it was more likely for the Henshaw Dynasty to have committed to moving about the war assets of Fressia in order to bolster their own defenses, or to attack other packs and cities without causing damage to their own war assets.


    After half a day of rest, the army set out once again, making quick progress across the lands. Before long, they got to an area where they would have to stop.


    Beyond the edges of the forest that surrounded Fressia was an incredibly vast plane of land that was dominated by only short grass and sparse bushes and trees. Because of this, Malim made the decision for the army to make one more rest stop before beginning their straight march forward. The distance between the trees and the walls of Fressia was about five ours'' journey. Although that sounded short compared to the amount of time that it had taken for the army to march there, that was enough time for sentries or scouts from the city to spot them and alert the main forces of the city. This time, it would be much more different from the attack on Kraetor City.


    "Practice and rest. Make sure to go over your roles in battle that were assigned to you. Tomorrow,, we will march on Fressia." The various leaders of the army went about instructing their subordinates on what to do. More specific roles were assigned to the soldiers, and plans were refined and thought over once again.


    The rank and file soldiers sharped their blades and polished their armors with a tense atmosphere hanging over them, although their superiors did their best to ease their worries.


    Come morning, they would march for war, and not all of them will come out from it unscathed.

 Chapter 89 - March (2)

    The next morning, an army numbering in the thousands marched out from the forest surrounding Fressia''s walls. The army was imposing in every way, with well armored and equipped soldiers.


    At the front of the army was the vanguard, which was composed of decently armored soldiers. They were mounted atop war steeds, and were equipped with spears and shields to protect themselves. Most of the vanguard consisted of humans, but there were a few other demi-humans who were good enough with mounts that were able to take up spots in the vanguard.


    Before long, the army was only some distance away from the city''s first wall. But there was something off that made the soldiers a bit hesitant. There had been no reaction from within the walls, and those with great hearing also could not spy any movement or sounds of preparations.


    The city of Fressia was divided into three parts. The Outer Circle, the Middle Circle, and the Inner Circle.


    The descriptions of these circles were rather simple.


    The Outer Circle was simply the part of Fressia''s territory that was cut out and marked out by the Outer and Middle Circles. This portion of Fressia was mainly set apart for farming and growing livestock, as it was filled with immense farmlands and small forests.


    The Middle Circle was where the actual city of Fressia was. Homes, inns, restaurants, stalls, and whatnot, could all be found in the Middle Circle. This was the main hub of the city where all forms of trade and transactions took place.


    As for the Inner Circle, this was where all the high class citizens of the city lived, as well as the Lord of the city and all of those other important people who were vital to the proper running and handling of the city.


    Right now, the soldiers of the army could not hear a single sound coming from the wall, but they kept marching forward nonetheless. Before long, they had reached a short distance from the wall.


    "Halt!" Malim called out, and the march came to a standstill. He too, was confused, but he did not let down his guard. "Ariel, can you help us check the top of the wall?" Malim asked while he eyed the thirty meter tall wall.


    "Sure, that''s easy enough." Ariel agreed and urged her steed forward. When she got to the front of the formation, she dismounted her horse and raised her ankle length gown slightly, exposing her fair ankles. She preferred to remain in gowns when she was on land, as that allowed her to more efficiently utilize her other limbs.


    Like lightning, a deep purple tentacle rushed out from underneath her gown, and stretched out toward the top of the wall, where it tied around a firm support, before pulling her up.


    In just a few moments, she had already scaled the large wall! A few seconds passed as Ariel took her time to inspect the top of the wall.


    "Nothing up here!" She eventually called back down. "I''ll open the gates from the inside!" She told them, before lowering herself to the other side of the gates. Not even a minute later, the sounds of large, heavy gears turning could be heard before the gates started creaking open. On the other side, Ariel stood, leaning against the wall with her tentacles nowhere in sight.


    "I don''t think the city prepared an army, Malim. It seems like the scenario you thought of might be true." Ariel told Malim when he stepped up to her.


    "True..." The man rubbed his chin in thought.


    Before the man could speak again, a strange sound reached his ears, and the ears of the demi-humans who had sensitive hearing.


    "Take cover!" He roared out loud, and everyone sprung into action. They had already been expecting a battle, so they never let their guard down, something that allowed them to respond quickly to the approaching threat.


    Most of the army had remained outside the walls, spread up around it slightly, so they immediately used the wall as cover. As for those who had already stepped past the wall, they immediately raised their shields to protect themselves from the barrage of arrows that came raining down on them a few seconds later.


    As soon as the initial barrage of arrows was over, those who were still exposed quickly retreated behind the cover of the walls. They filled into the corridors and halls that had been built into the walls, and took cover.


    A few scouts had already swept through part of the area to confirm that the wall at their position was empty. That did not mean it was safe, however.


    "Mohawk!" Malim yelled out, and the Wereape grunted in return. He popped open a finger sized bottle of purple liquid and downed the contents in one swift motion before crushing the bottle in his hands. He breathed out deeply and focused his eyes in the distance.


    "I see them! They built trenches in the distance so they could beat us with a rain of arrows!" The Wereape exclaimed, although he was confused. Would it not have been better if they had taken posts on the wall so that they could properly launch an attack against the army that was approaching them?


    He could not put too much thought into finding out the reason behind their actions. He needed to do something. Fast.


    "I''m going out!" He yelled before dashing out of one of the windows in the wall, and sprinting across the field. His muscles expanded and bunched up, making him resemble a rather unwieldy mass of muscles and fur, but that did not make him lose the tiniest bit of speed. Instead, he moved far faster!


    The potion that he had consumed earlier was a stimulant that Sir Delk had made specially for such a moment.. It was meant to boost a being''s physical prowess by a great amount. With its help, Mohawk had been able to spot the archers from afar, and now, it boosted his body so much that he was almost going twice as fast as he could without it!

 Chapter 90 - Farmland Skirmish

    Mohawk dashed through the plain that separated the wall and the initial farmland in the distance. The people of Fressia had built their bunkers just ahead of the farmland, so they were able to get a good view of the Outer wall.


    He was still confused as to why they had reacted the way they did, but he ignored all that and kept one goal at the forefront of his mind. He needed to nullify the threat that the archers posed to him and his people.


    WHOOSH!


    Another barrage of arrows flew from the archers'' position, and straight at the wall. A good portion of those arrows were also aimed at him as well.


    Mohawk''s fingers wrapped around the middle of his staff, which he promptly drew above his head in a powerful spin. Thanks to his vastly boosted strength, the force generated from his spinning staff was enough to create a mighty gust of wind that changed the direction of the majority of the arrows heading his way. He easily dodged the rest of them, and continued on his way.


    Barrage after barrage came in Mohawk''s direction as he drew closer to the trenches. By now, most of the archers had turned their attention to him, but a good amount still focused on suppressing the army by the gates.


    Thump!


    Mohawk jumped down into the trenches where the archers were hiding, and was immediately met with a number of swordsmen and other close combat fighters that were prepared to fight with him.


    CLANG!


    The sound of his metal staff coming into contact with a sword rang through the narrow space as Mohawk fell back. He spun his staff by his side, before expertly strapping it to its spot on his back and pulling out two shortswords. His staff was too long to use in that narrow space, so he would have to switch to something better if he wanted to utilize all his advantages properly.


    "Come at me." Mohawk grinned widely before twisting around to dodge the stab that had been aimed at his back. He quickly parried the strike before advancing on the human female that had made the move, but before he could, someone else pulled her to the side and stepped up to block Mohawk.


    A faint corona of white light covered the blade of the man''s sword, and Mohawk could feel the waves of power that radiated off the Werecat''s form. He was at roughly the same level at Mohawk.


    "Your opponent it me." The man stared at Mohawk rather intensely. There was nothing but anger and hate in his gaze, which perplexed Mohawk. Back at Kraetor, although the city guards were rather angry at being attacked all of a sudden, they had not shown the degree of hate that this Werecat was suddenly showing him.


    "Might I ask your name? I need to know the names of those who are strong, even without bearing red hair." Mohawk stood for a moment, still surrounded by soldiers behind him. The soldiers effectively formed a sort of barrier between Mohawk and the archers, forcing him to face off against the Werecat before him.


    "My name is Charles Skyhart. It will probably be the last name you hear before you die, so make sure you remember it." The Werecat, Charles, said before getting into a fighting stance.


    Mohawk nodded before getting into his own stance. A faint red glow began to spread across the surface area of the blades of his shortswords, showing how serious he was. He usually never went this far with his techniques unless he was facing an opponent of worthy strength, or he was desperate. Charles qualified for a worthy opponent at this moment, so he decided that he would go all out from the very beginning.


    Mohawk drew in a deep breath before dashing at Charles, who had decided to do the same. The moment their weapons collided, and immense explosion of sand, dirt, and dust flew up into the air far above the trenches. The rain of arrows against the wall halted for several seconds, before continuing, although the aim of the archers was a bit wobbly.


    Mohawk and Charles however did not stop their exchange of attacks for even the shortest moment. In a dozen seconds, they had already exchanged over two dozen attacks.


    Charles was highly skilled in the art of the sword, and the various martial arts that he displayed was a testament to his skill. He smoothly and effortlessly blended together a variety of different sword focused martial arts, putting up a constant twist of offense and defense that Mohawk seemed unable to break through.


    ''This looks like a tough nut to crack.'' Mohawk inwardly smirked. As he thought this, his tail, which had always been wrapped tightly around his waist, unwrapped itself and smoothly slipped into a pocket on his thigh, pulling out a dagger which he kept hidden all this while.


    In a short window where he had just exchanged moves with Charles, his tail swiftly shot forward and threw the dagger at Charles, forcing him to break up his flow in order to block that sudden strike.


    Normally, that hidden move would not have been able to break Charles'' flow, as he would have just dodged the blow, but at this moment, there was someone behind him, namely the woman who he had pulled back before. He had to stay in place and block the dagger, or else, according to the trajectory of the dagger, it would easily pierce through the gap at the bottom of her helmet, and just slightly above her chest piece, and plunge into her throat, spelling her doom.


    Charles positioned his sword in a way that he could easily block the dagger, and still be in a position to block any follow up attack, but he suddenly felt something wrap around his ankle and tug him.


    Mohawk grinned when he saw that Charles had put most of his attention on he dagger, and Mohawk''s arms. He was well prepared for any other attack from Mohawk''s weapons, but he was too used to fighting against opponents who did not use their tails as an extra limb that could assist them in battle.


    He easily controlled his tail, making it wrap around Charles'' ankle, before pulling his foot from under him, and destabilizing his stance.

 Chapter 91 - Farmland Skirmish (2)

    All of a sudden, the skirmish between the two powerful demi-humans that had been at a sort of stalemate for a few minutes experienced a rather abrupt turn!


    Thanks to Mohawk''s rather ingenious use of his tail, Charles was swept off his feet! Unlike what one would expect, Mohawk''s tail was incredibly strong, not that much off from one of his arms. In his usual daily exercise sessions, he always made sure to train his tail the same was he trained his arms.


    That was why instead of just simply pulling Charles off his feet, he used his tail to completely lift the Werecat off his feet, and then threw him right into the wall of the trench! The moment he flung Charles into the wall, he lunged forward with out his hand open. He quickly snagged the human female soldiers, spinning her around to face Charles, who was just getting back to his feet, with his claws pressed into her skin.


    "Move and I will rip out her throat." Mohawk growled at Charles. "While I would love to continue out intense spar back there, I would also prefer if I could move on from that. We did not come here to kill anyone."


    The entire group of soldiers around Mohawk immediately froze from the moment he grabbed the throat of the human woman. They all nervously turned to face Charles who had finally gotten up to his feet.


    "Let go of her, monkey!" He growled lowly. His eyes screamed murder, and his grip around the hilt of his sword tightened.


    "Oi, that is not a nice thing to say to someone." Mohawk frowned deeply.


    "Who cares?! You definitely didn''t care about being nice before raiding our city and forcing our people into slavery!" Charles bit back.


    All while the two were fighting, and down to their subsequent exchange of words, the archers had not stopped raining arrows at the army that was still forced to remain at the Outer Wall. By now, some of the soldiers were already wondering if Mohawk had been killed or maybe subdued by someone that was stronger than him.


    "Are you sure that Mohawk is alright?" Ariel asked worriedly, causing Tide to raise his brow.


    "Hmm. Don''t worry about that monkey, he''s probably having the time of his life." Tide replied and subtly placed his arm around Ariel''s shoulder.


    As they were busy wondering what was keeping the said Wereape, Mohawk was staring at Charles with a confused expression.


    "What? Raiding your city and forcing your people into slavery? Why the heck would we do that? Slavery is one of the big ''No''s'' in my book, ad besides, this is the first time that out army has come here. And we did not come to raid your city at all. We came to free it from the clutches of the Henshaw Dynasty!" Mohawk explained.


    He had a feeling that he understood why Charles showed so much rage when he was fighting with him. He probably mistook them as an army sent by the Henshaw Dynasty. But then again, that did not explain a few other things that Mohawk was confused about.


    "Don''t try to feign innocence. You will never be forgiven." Charles glared at Mohawk, thinking that the Wereape wanted to deceive him. "Now leave that woman and fight me like a real warrior." He pointed the tip of his sword at Mohawk.


    "You aren''t listening to me! I said we are not the ones who attacked you! The Henshaw Dynasty is behind it. If you just let me explain, then I can tell you all you need to know." Mohawk yelled at Charles, startling the man.


    A tense silence enveloped the area as Charles struggled to come up with the right response. Finally, after a whole minute of tense silence, he finally lowered his sword.


    "...Fine, I will let you speak." After that, he sent off some soldiers to tell the archers to stop firing arrows.


    From there, Mohawk took his time to explain the full situation of the continent, along with what had recently happened to the Belmun Pack. By the time he was done, Charles and the nearby people who had heard Mohawk''s story were all left speechless. It was hard to believe how deep the plot of the Henshaw Dynasty ran.


    After all, this was something that would require years of planning in order to handle properly, and considering how recently the continent had been colonized, then that meant that the founder of the Henshaw Dynasty must have been the one to put this plan into motion. It would require an immense amount of manpower to conduct research and perfect the drug that was used to start all of these issues, as well as properly test it.


    "You said that there was a pack that was only recently attacked by the forces gathered by the Henshaw Dynasty, right?" Charles asked.


    "Yes. Their Patriarch is even part of the army that is by the Outer Wall." Mohawk nodded. At this time, he had already let go of the female soldiers, who was apparently named Veronica, and was engaged to Charles.


    The two of them had been serving in the army of Fressia for quite a while before they fell in love, and decided to make it official. That was why Charles had been particularly angry when Mohawk made a move on her.


    "Can I speak with him? There are certain things I would like to know." Charles requested.


    "Hmm? Sure, I doubt he would mind. Let me just go get him." Mohawk nodded and stood up to leave.


    "Ah, no. I''m sorry, but I can''t allow you to return to them just yet. After all, you could easily expose what you know about us to the army back there. It is too risky until I am sure that I can trust you." Charles stopped Mohawk from leaving with a wry smile on his face.


    "Oh... Then how should I get him to come over here?" Mohawk asked. He understood their concerns, so he did not really make a big fuss over it.


    Charles waved over one of his men and collected a sheet of paper and a pen from him.


    "You can write a message on this, and then shoot it over with an arrow." He handed over the paper and pen to Mohawk.. It seemed like he had thoroughly thought it over.

 Chapter 92 - Clearing It Up

    After receiving the paper and pen from Charles, Mohawk quickly wrote a short message that explained the current situation, and also added that they needed Han to come over to the trenches. He then attacked the letter to an arrow and shot it to the wall, where it got stuck in between a small space between a couple of bricks.


    Hesitantly, a scout holding up a shield rushed out of the cover of the walls and snatched the letter from the arrow, before retreating back into the wall. He then quickly took the letter to Malim, who unfolded it and read it with a raised brow.


    "Mohawk has calmed down the defending forces. He did not mention much about them, but that''s quite obvious. He did, however, explain he situation to the, so they are willing to talk. But their leader just wants to speak to Han first." Malim explained the situation, and everyone turned their gazes to the man that was requested.


    "I can do it." Han nodded. There was no point in wasting time, as the forces defending the city did not plan on letting up unless they got what they wanted, and the leaders of the army did not mind compromising, as long as they were not forced to do things that would be counterproductive.


    From what Mohawk had provided them, it seemed like the Henshaw Dynasty had indeed taken a part of the forces from Fressia, but with the way things were happening, they were a bit unsure as Mohawk was unable to explain too many things in detail.


    A few minutes after, Han rode out from behind the wall on top of a horse, kitted out in proper armor and a shield. Even though they were willing to trust the other force that were in the trenches, they would still retain their caution.


    Soon, he reached the trenches, where Mohawk stood, along with a Werecat that gave off powerful vibes. There was no doubt in Han''s mind that the Werecat would be able to best him in battle.


    "Here he is, this is Han." Mohawk nodded at the Werewolf, while Charles stepped forward and extended him hand for a handshake.


    "Hello, the name is Charles. I apologize for attacking you people, but we needed to take caution in these desperate times." The Werecat looked apologetic. "We may discuss outside here, where both of out people will be able to keep watch of us."


    Han nodded and accepted the handshake. "My name is Han. Although we started off on a bad foot, I hope we can work out our differences." Han respectfully replied. Most demi-humans admired and looked up to those among themselves who were stronger. They mostly served as icons and role models, so Han respected Charles because of the considerable power that the man wielded. His strength could even rival Daven''s!


    The three of them sat down on some chairs that were handed to them from the soldiers that remained in the trenches for now. From there, they began their discussion, which was mostly led by Charles, as he wanted to figure more out about what was going on in the continent.


    Charles started off with who Han was, and the name of his pack. From there, he asked the patriarch about the state of the continent, and the ploys of the Henshaw Dynasty, and then he moved on to the recent attack on the Belmun Pack.


    "Those damn humans. If I manage to get my hands on that bastard King, then I''ll make sure to give him a slow and painful death." Han growled angrily. His pack was rather small, so it was quite easy for most of the pack members to get close to each other, and Han had made sure he knew everyone in his pack. It pained him to know that his pack was attacked, and a handful of pack members that he knew, and was rather close with, had been killed in the attack.


    "So, the Henshaws are behind this." Charles said in thought. From what the two people he had formerly taken as enemies had told him, then the Henshaw Dynasty had most likely used the same force that had attacked the Belmun pack to strike at Fressia.


    "This probably means that they have already taken complete control of the other targets that they had, right?" Charles asked.


    "Probably." Mohawk nodded. "But besides that, there is something that leaves me confused. How the heck are you not under the control of the Herder Drug?"


    Charles looked at the two demi-humans before him with a slightly pensive expression, but then he eventually sighed. He had to avoid keeping anything too suspicious or else he would have trouble gaining their trust. As long as he didn''t reveal anything too confidential concerning Fressia, then it would be fine for him to tell them why he and the soldiers with him were not affected by the drug.


    "It is nothing too difficult to explain, but I can not tell you all the details, as they are rather sensitive, and concern matters that can affect Fressia negatively if they are exposed." Charles started.


    "Sure, go ahead. As long as your explanation is satisfactory, then we wouldn''t mind." Mohawk nodded. He would not press for sensitive information that could possibly lead to the fall of a nation.


    "Very well then." The Werecat nodded. "My team and I were out on a mission to far north. This mission led to us being away from Fressia for quite a while, and we only just returned to see our city in ruins, while those that were left were constantly speaking about a raid that happened some time ago. That is the reason why I saw you to be the enemy that attacked us. Perhaps you might have been coming back to finish what you started." Charles explained to the two.. He left the rest up to their imagination, but he did not doubt that their thoughts would stray close the truth, considering that one of the men here was the patriarch of a pack, while the other was strong enough to claim his own territory and build up his own power.

 Chapter 93 - Ruined Fressia

    Some more time passed as the three demi-humans cleared out things between themselves before the matter was officially settled. Charles would allow the army to make its way into the inner part of the Outer Circle, where they could settle down. He could not allow them to enter the Middle Circle, as that would cause a large unrest among the remaining people of Fressia. The people were still sensitive and paranoid, as they had very little to protect themselves, considering how the army that raided them had captured most of their soldiers, and left them almost defenseless. Most of the people left in the city were humans.


    Malim agreed to let most of the army rest outside the main city, but insisted that he got an audience with the City Lord. After a bit of haggling, Charles finally gave in, saying that he would do his best to make sure they had a meeting as soon as possible. After all, it was also in their best interest if they could gain the help of strong people like Mohawk, and the rest of the army.


    After settling the army in some empty homes along the wall that separated the Outer and Middle Circle, Charles then led Malim, Mohawk, Han, Tide, Ariel, Mian, the representative of Kraetor City, and the representative from the Bolvar Tribe into the main city. Mian would act as the representative of the Zelan pack, although he was not the strongest, he would have to do, as he held as much sway as Mohawk in such a situation when one took his Gift into consideration.


    They had not yet informed Charles of Mian''s Gift, and had instead used Mohawk''s presence as an explanation for how they got rid of the effects of the drug. He played along, as he even had Cleansing Orbs that could easily dispel the effects of the drug, so Charles easily agreed. Another reason why Charles did not try to put up a strong front when Mohawk and Han had been trying to convince him was the mention of Sir Delk, the bearer of the Magical Insight Gift on the side of the demi-humans.


    When the group was let past the gates that separated the Outer and Middle Circles, they were allowed to see the amount of destruction that had befallen the city during the attack.


    "We still don''t understand how easily they overcame our defenses without outright blowing down our gates. The people say that it was almost as though the guards on duty willingly opened the gates for the attackers. Ever since then, they have been quite wary of the soldiers." Charles explained in a disheartening voice.


    And true, the group could spot some citizens eyeing them through windows and doors with distrustful and wary gazes. They were clearly scared, and seeing some strange, new, and powerful demi-humans making their way through the street only made them more scared.


    As they walked through the main street that led to the Inner Circle, the group noticed that numerous homes and buildings were in a poor state. Some had their roofs completely burnt off, while some had collapsed, and had scorch marks marring their sides.


    Shattered stone and concrete littered the sides of the street. Although the people were doing their best to clear it up and begin rebuilding what was destroyed, it would simply take too long for them to do it quickly with their meager numbers.


    After some time, a soldier came around with a carriage that was pulled by a couple of horses. Charles motioned for them to enter the carriage, and it took off down the streets at a much more brisk pace than what they had been going on foot.


    "When we get to the City Lord''s mansion, you will have to wait outside the gates while I speak to him. He can be rather rash at times, especially now, but he truly cares for his people." Charles explained with an apologetic smile.


    "It''s fine, we understand, and do not mind waiting for you to explain to him." Malim nodded in understanding.


    The rest of the ride was spent discussing on how they would deal with the Henshaw Dynasty after this, and everyone had their own input to add.


    "I feel it will be best if we wait and consolidate our forces. It will be good for our men to practice together and get used to the hang of working together." The representative of Kraetor City, Robin, said. The demi-human was some sort of bird variant, but he was not built for battle. Rather, he was more of a planner.


    "I agree with Robin. The cohesion of our forces is rather poor at the moment. While they may look impressive to some, there is still much to be worked on if they want to display their full power." Hanji, the representative from the Bolvar tribe nodded his head. The man was built like a tank, and he was clearly born and bred as a warrior.


    The various people present nodded their heads in agreement. While the situation with the Henshaw Dynasty was rather urgent, they could cope with it as long as they were on guard against any moves made by the dynasty.


    "Well, since we are waiting, we might as well handle the other targets of the Henshaw Dynasty while we''re at it. The more the merrier. And if they only took the warriors and those capable of fighting, then that would mean that there are a lot of people who are in need of help right now." Malim suggested. "How does that sound to all of you?"


    "Sounds reasonable. We can''t just leave all those people on their own. They can come over to Kraetor, or maybe even Fressia to take refuge while we handle those despicable Henshaws." Robin agreed.


    Charles raised a brow at that, but otherwise kept quiet.. He did not necessarily agree or disagree with them, but he would have to wait until the City Lord decided on what course of action they would take.

 Chapter 94 - Conrad Argberg

    Half an hour later, the group found themselves sitting in a waiting room, waiting for Charles to return and tell them the results of his discussion with the City Lord of Fressia. They were currently in a waiting rom on the ground floor, while Charles had gone into the City Lord''s study that was on the first floor of the mansion.


    After waiting for over ten minutes, Mian''s attention was drawn to the sound of rushed footsteps coming from the staircase that led to the City Lord''s study. The Werecat appeared at the base of the stairs and nodded at the group before making his way over to them.


    "The City Lord will now see you. But only those of the highest importance." Charles explained with a wry smile.


    "Highest importance?" Malim asked and took a look around. "Fine then, Robin and Mian, come with me." The man asked and stood up, but Charles was left slightly confused.


    "Why him? There are other stronger people here." He asked with a confused look on his face.


    "HA!" Malim laughed and patted Charles'' shoulder, "Don''t worry, you will understand soon enough." The man said before proceeding to walk up the stairs that led to the City Lord''s study. The others just shrugged and followed after him. They would just wait until it was necessary before explaining Mian''s presence. That should be enough to make the City Lord of Fressia throw his weight behind their cause.


    Charles quickly followed them, before leading them to one of the doors that was along the corridor on that wing of the mansion. The door was rather... luxurious, even for a door. It was obviously made out of metal, with golden linings and flourishes adorning it.


    Charles knocked on the door, and when he City Lord asked them to come in, he held open the door before waving them into the room and closing it when he had stepped in. He made his way over to the City Lord''s side, while the guests sat on a some seats that had been intentionally placed not too far from the City Lord''s desk. Before them was a glass center table, and across from the table was a plush couch, which the City Lord didn''t hesitate to sit on.


    "Good day. Please, I hope you feel comfortable?" The man asked, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at the three people seated in front of him.


    "Yes, your chairs are of rather good quality, I have to say." Malim nodded and sat forward, "Please, how may I refer to you as?"


    "My name is Conrad Argberg, but please, call me Conrad. I am not one to act too stuck up and distant unless I''m dealing with some rather annoying people, and surely, you three are far more interesting, and come bearing important news." Conrad Argberg, the City Lord of Fressia responded with an easy smile. Considering the importance of what they were about to begin discussing, this was no time to act cold to his guests.


    "Alright... Conrad. Well, my name is Malim. This here is Robin, the representative sent by Kraetor, and Mian, the one sent by the Zelan pack." Malim introduced the three of them to the human who sat opposite them.


    Conrad tilted his head slightly when Malim introduced Mian, then turned to look at Charles with a quirked brow, but was met with a similarly clueless shrug.


    "Please, if you don''t mind me asking, what is so important about Mian here? No offense." Conrad smiled in a rather forced manner to get across the point that he was not trying to attack Mian''s rank.


    Malim raised his brow before facing Mian and nodding his head.


    "It is a pleasure to meet you... Sir. I am the one who got the last Gift from the recent Skyfall." Mian simply stated the reason why he was qualified to be in such a meeting, and both Charles and Conrad''s brows shot up.


    "You mean the Skyfall that happened just a couple of months ago? That''s amazing. I never thought I would find myself in the same room as a Gifted in my lifetime. And the calm way you carry yourself. I would expect anyone who got a Gift to be arrogant and unapproachable!" Conrad exploded in a fury of words, while Charles remained in a shocked trance. He had so simply dismissed a Gifted that he should have been whacked on the head over a dozen times!


    A wry smile made its way onto Mian''s face upon hearing Conrad''s praising words. To be honest, Mian guessed that if he was stronger when he had received the Evolution System, then he would have been as pompous as Conrad said, but in reality, he was just shy, so he tried to keep as low of a profile as possible. He still wasn''t confident in his strength, especially after his Evolution powers had been sealed for the rest of the year.


    Malim just looked on with a smirk, while Robin also watched the City Lord with a wry smile. It seemed like the man was a lot more down to earth than they had initially thought. That would help greatly with their upcoming talks.


    "Anyway, let us get back to the main topic. I''m sure we will easily be able to reach an agreement, no?" Conrad, having calmed down, waved for them to begin their talks, even though they had just been waiting for him to calm down.


    "Mm, where should we start?" Robin nodded. He was the one who was good at making deals after all. He would lead the conversation on their side and negotiate the terms with the City Lord.


    "Where should we start? I think that is pretty obvious. I already have a few things in mind, but I want to hear where you are coming from. Why you think the Henshaw Dynasty is behind this whole scheme, and also, what you plan to do after taking care of this whole situation.." Conrad leaned forward with a serious expression, his playful look from a moment ago having vanished into thin air.

 Chapter 95 - Charlie

    After Conrad stated his terms, the negotiation started in full swing, with Robin taking the lead. Out of the the three guests present, he had the sweet mouth, and would probably be able to batter for the most favorable terms to their cause than any of the others. Because of his expertise in politics and the like, the others simply left him to answer any question that the human City Lord threw his way.


    Robin started off with why they believed the Henshaw Dynasty was behind the attacks on the various packs, tribes, and cities.


    "Well, according to the information that we managed to get from a scion of the dynasty, this has been one of their long term plans to be the sole power that rules the Northern Continent. After using a bit of some more coercive means to make him speak, the Belmun pack had him spill some information concerning the drug." Robin explained.


    "Firstly, the name of the drug is the Herder Drug. According to the boy, Adam Henshaw, the drug is meant to do as its name implies. It is meant to turn anyone it is used on into nothing more than livestock that can be herded by the Henshaw Dynasty''s King."


    "Oh, I see. Such a drug is rather troublesome. I believe that such a thing would need time to take proper effects, yes?" Conrad frowned.


    "Indeed. While we are not sure of how long it takes to take control of a demi-human, Beastkin, or human, we do know that the time it takes for each specie varies." Robin nodded.


    "I see." Conrad rubbed his chin, "Well, let us move on. Perhaps we can discuss that in more depth some other time, but I would like to know of your plans if you manage to get the help of myself and my people. And of course, what you plan on doing if you do manage to take down the Henshaw Dynasty."


    "Of course." Robin eyed Malim subtly, also understanding the City Lord''s thoughts.


    If they did succeed in taking down the Henshaw Dynasty, then that meant there would be a lack of an absolute power in the Northern Continent. And considering the fact that Malim was part of a foreign power, then that could possibly mean that he and his army was just here to fill in that spot that the Henshaw Dynasty would leave vacant, meaning that they could effectively take over as the central and most powerful power in the Northern Continent.


    "When the Henshaw Dynasty has been taken down, then according to the plans we have already made with the leaders of the various forces we have been able to reach out to, then we will establish a joint power, much like that of Oceabal, but at a much larger scale, perhaps surpassing the scale of the Henshaw Dynasty itself. We are still yet to decide how to elect a leader of that power, but we decided to wait until we had reached out to this city and some other powers that have been affected by this matter." Robin explained.


    "Hmm, I am quite pleased at your decision. Well, truth be told, I had already partially made up my mind after hearing that young Mian here is Gifted. I will assist the best I can, but I can not provide soldiers. We are already lacking in the military aspect after what happened, and those that we have with us are not enough to cover our entire city. Along with the insecurity amongst my people, sending off soldiers will only hurt us more." Conrad said with a wry smile and a slight shrug.


    "Ah, that is fine. We understand. We can not ask you to do more than you already have." Robin smiled, feeling quite satisfied. Things had turned out to be much easier than he would have ever thought, with the City Lord being a rather calm and sociable person, as well as the fact that he was willing to provide them with resources that would greatly help their cause in bringing down the Henshaw Dynasty.


    "Well, I think that is it?" Conrad raised a brow and turned to look at Charles, who had maintained his position at Conrad''s right side all along. "Charlie, please take them to a place they can rest. We have quite a few rooms that we have not been using, yes?" He asked, and Charles nodded his head.


    "Charlie?" Malim raised a brow at seeing such a powerful demi-human being referred to as though he was a harmless kid.


    "Of course! Why would I call my own kid any other name but one that I feel fits him most?" Conrad laughed.


    "Oh? Charles is your son? Well, I have to say, you must be proud to have such a powerful child." Malim smiled broadly.


    "Indeed, I am. Who wouldn''t be? Nothing gives me as much gratification than watching my son spar with his peers or train his subordinates. The fact that my son grew up to be such a powerful man is something I will forever be proud of!" Conrad exclaimed. It seemed that he was truly incredibly proud of his son, but who wouldn''t be proud of their child if said child had achieved such a level of strength?


    "Ah, well, let''s put that aside for now. Let Charlie lead you to where you all can rest. We can smooth over the details tomorrow." Conrad stood up, signaling the end of their discussions, and of course, the three guess couldn''t argue. After all, as long as they were here, Conrad pretty much called all the shots.


    "Thank you again, Conrad. We truly appreciate your assistance." Malim said, just before stepping out of the room with Charles in the lead.


    Conrad simply waved and smile as the last of his guests left the room.. And then he went over and left the room after they had left, heading to one of the other rooms in the wing of the mansion where his office for entertaining guests was.

 Chapter 96 - Rest

    The sound of chirping birds woke Mian from his slumber. He rubbed his eyes and groaned as he sat up from the cloudy heaven of a bed that the higher classes of people used. He never knew how much he had been missing out on, but that didn''t mean he was going to abandon his soft furs anytime soon. He would instead combine the best of both worlds - soft furs and cloudy beds.


    "Don''t be lazy, Mian." He muttered to himself and dug the heels of his palm into his eyes. With a sudden burst of energy, he shot up into a seating position and held himself there to prevent himself from feeling sleepy again.


    After a few more minutes, Mian finally managed to drag himself out of bed and into the bathroom that was part of the large room he was given. The bathroom was just as large as the bedroom, if not even more so, but Mian thought that it might have just been his perception of things, as there were less things clustering the bathroom aside from the essentials in the first place.


    Mian bumbled about for some time before finally settling on having a bath. He fiddled around with the knobs at the head of the ceramic tub, filling it partially with water, before twisting the knob that allowed for hot water. Soon enough, he had a tub full of hot water that was hot enough to relax all the bunched up knots of muscles that had settled into him over the long and grueling march that had brought them to Fressia. He really wasn''t built for war and battle.


    With a sigh, he settled in the hot water. The steam clouded the room, and freed up his thoughts. He had been fascinated by showers and tubs of water where you could control the water that entered the tub, back when they had first gotten to Kraetor. It had taken a while, but he eventually got the hang of it, and now, he was glad he did.


    He mused about how far the level of development between the Zelan pack and Fressia was. The pack was only recently moving out of the caves in the mountain, and building houses in the surrounding areas, while Fressia was much much farther ahead of them.


    In a way, Mian could push the blame onto the Henshaw Dynasty. The Zelan pack was one of the closest packs to the dynasty, so any form of expansion would have probably made the Henshaw Dynasty lash out at the, forcibly culling their plans and ambitions. It was not until just recently after the fight between the Henshaws and the Zelan pack, here the dynasty had lost their Pillar, that the pack had finally gotten some breathing space to expand, although Mian was not sure how long that window would last.


    "There is too much to think about, but all that can wait until I''m done with this bath." Mian groaned before submerging himself in the hot water that filled the hot bath. The bathtub was quite large, so there was enough space for Mian to swim around in it for a while.


    Half an hour later, Mian unplugged the drain at the bottom of the tub and watched the water drain out.


    "My skin would probably be wrinkled like a prune by now." He commented with a wry smile while drying his fur off with a towel. While the towel would not do much, it would at last help get rid of some of the water. He would just spend some time on the balcony of the room to dry off properly.


    Some minutes later, Mian walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, and another over his head. He made his way over to the doors that led out to the balcony, before opening them and pulling a chair he could lay down on outside.


    A cool breeze blew over his back, as the warm sun beat over him, drying out his fur pretty quickly.


    "I see you''re enjoying the life of luxury?" A familiar voice spoke from the balcony that was at the right of Mian''s.


    "Mm, what can I do about it?" Mian asked, his words slightly muffled by the pillow that he used to support his chin.


    "Ha! Mian is built for a life of luxury, Dion." Another familiar voice joined in on the conversation.


    "You said it, Daniel. War and battle isn''t for me. I would rather enjoy sleeping on cloudy beds, while surrounded by soft furs." Mian groaned. Just imagining the scenario was making him sleepy.


    "Yup, he''s lazy." Dion laughed. He too, was spread out over a chair, drying out his fur after his own bath. Daniel was in a similar position, but didn''t need to dry out his fur, because he did not have all that much fur in the first place. He mostly just needed to dry out his hair, ears and tail.


    A comfortable silence settled across the area as the trio basked in the warm glow of the sun, and enjoyed the occasional cool breeze that ruffled their fur. Truly, this must have been a spot that was picked for its cool breeze before the City Lord''s mansion was built here.


    Mian eventually got up from his seat after the early afternoon hours passed by. Luckily for them, winter had yet to properly set in, so they were able to dry out their furs in the open.


    As evening was coming by, so did the cold of winter, forcing the boys to return inside their rooms. After locking their balcony doors, the three stepped into the corridor where their rooms were lined up.


    "Sightseeing, or what?" Daniel asked as he looked down the corridor. The corridor was empty, but they could hear the sounds of people walking about elsewhere in the mansion.


    "I vote for sightseeing." Mian raised his hand.


    "I''ll go for whatever you guys want. I''m not really picky with this kind of stuff." Dion shrugged.


    "Sightseeing it is, then."

 Chapter 97 - 97

    Alarms blared throughout the halls of the Nova Krakov. The crew of the mighty Cruiser-class ship was on high alert, carrying out the orders that were constantly coming down from the bridge.


    In the bridge of the mighty Cruiser, Commander Maximiler Vraken gripped the arm rests of his seat as he studied the telemetry that was fed back to the scanners of the ship.


    "Dammit!" He gritted his teeth in frustration as he realized the severity of the situation they were in. Seven Frigate-class vessels emerged from the advanced Temporal Warp Gate that hung before the Nova Krakov, flanked by several hundred Fighter-class ships, almost five dozen Bomber-class ships and two dozen Gunships. Things were looking bleak for the Nova Krakov.


    "Commander, the flagship of the enemy formation is hailing us. How shall we respond?" The communications officer stationed at the bridge looked up from his station.


    "Patch into the open area network. Let''s see what they have to say." He replied, rubbing at his head of red hair.


    A projection flickered into existence across the wide open view panel that gave the crew a view of outer space. Before then, the projection of the commander of the approaching fleet flickered into view. The crew in the bridge drew a sharp breath as they realized the person was very familiar to them.


    "Lieutenant-Commander Abis Finete." Maximiler spat out through clenched teeth.


    "Ah, nice to see you too, Max. I have a feeling you weren''t expecting me." Abis smiled with glee, leaning forward in his seat.


    "I can assume that your actions are with support from the Hawk Faction? What gives you the right to think you can take on the Nova Krakov and her crew?" Maximiler grew calmer with each word. He knew what he had to as soon as he saw the largest ship of the enemy fleet slip through the Temporal Warp Gate.


    The Fazzad was one of the largest Cruiser fielded by the United Starbridge Confederation, almost on par with the Nova Krakov. With seven main cannons and several dozen secondary armaments, it had the ability to fight a war and hold its ground for several days in a row, even against another Cruiser. But even with its spectacular specs, it still fell short when compared against the Nova Krakov, the star of its time. The Nova Krakov was one of the best Cruisers built by the USC till date. With enough resources to push a barren planet to an industrial capital pumped into its construction, its main and secondary armaments were enough to completely demolish the Fazzad.


    "Haha! You''re right, the Hawk Faction is backing me. Although, even with my Fazzad and its powerful escorts, I don''t have the confidence to take on your Nova Krakov, my faction has provided me with a solution!" Abis waved his arm behind him. His projection scaled down in size, making way for the view screen of the vast expanse of space. Three large Temporal Warp Gates flickered into existence on the flanks of the enemy fleet. From within each Warp Gate came a pair of Destroyers, along with an accompanying fleet of half a dozen Heavy Frigates.


    "This is the reason for my confidence!" Abis laughed manically in his seat as he saw Maximiler''s drooping expression. The Fazzad and its escort of several hundred Fighters, Bombers and Gunships, along with a supplementary force of six Destroyers and their escort eighteen Heavy Frigates was enough to put the Nova Krakov out of commission.


    "Abis... Why are you doing this?! The Reboot Protocol isn''t meant to be solely controlled by one faction! By bringing it to the capital, we can contribute to the whole of humanity as a whole! Imagine being able to bring back every major innovator that contributed to humanity''s rise during our flight from the Solar System! We can take back our roots from those Mantis scum!" Maximiler slammed his fists on the console before him.


    "It''s quite simple, Maxi. Can you remember when we were younger? We used to be the closest out of all the kids in our small colony." Abis smiled genuinely, thinking back to his childhood. "Remember when we got accepted into the army? How you always outdid me. You took my dream positions each and every time. I worked hard to the bone, while you still goofed around, yet you still got the positions, the credit, the recognition. I was always staring at your back." He shook his head slowly. "Well, no more! When I get rid of you, I can take over as the Commander of the latest Cruiser that''s being commissioned. The Estella Crow!" Abis grinned widely.


    "Enough talk, old friend. It''s time to settle this! I''ll see you on the other side. No hard feelings, Maxi." The projection blinked away, cutting off the transmission.


    A heavy aura pressed over the minds of the crew of the Nova Krakov. Maximiler looked around, noticing the atmosphere in the bridge.


    "Dustin. Open a transmission channel to the rest of the fleet." He spoke to the crew member stationed at the communication console.


    "Yessir!" Dustin worked fast, opening a wide area network that linked up all the ships escorting the Nova Krakov.


    "Esteemed fleeters. This is no time to exchange pleasantries so I''ll get straight to the point." He paused. "We are facing one of our toughest situations since we were assigned to this fleet. And to be honest, I don''t know if we can make it through this time. But even still, that shouldn''t stop us from doing out duty to the Starbridge Confederation! Everyone in this fleet has gone through one of the most stringent selection processes to get here. Our loyalty lies with our government. Although we have been turned against, we shall raise our heads high in the face of adversaries. We are the heart of the Nova Krakov! For the Confederation!"


    "FOR THE CONFEDERATION!"


    "FOR THE CONFEDERATION!"


    "FOR THE CONFEDERATION!"


    The crew of the Nova Krakov and her accompanying fleet cheered on, their morale raised once again. Hundreds of trained soldiers manned their posts, waiting for the two fleets to come into weapon range of each other.


    With their superior numbers, the fleet accompanying the Fazzad completely dwarfed the Nova Krakov and her escorts, but the overall might of the Nova Krakov was not to be underestimated. With a dozen Heavy Frigates accompanying her, she had enough might to scour a Start System of life within a day''s time. Even with an opposing force standing against her.


    Several tense minutes passed as the two mighty fleets came closer to contact. The moment they came into range, thousands of high powered energy beams exploded exploded forth, painting the ark expanse of the galaxy white.


    "FIRE!"

 Chapter 98 - 98

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good.." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level. "Get out of my sight!"

 Chapter 99 - 99

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you ant?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 100 - 100

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.


    Before his body hit the floor, the Werecat spun in the air, expertly landing on his feet, before bowing his head with that same empty look, and then walking out of the room.


    "Damn agile cats!" The red-headed woman swore.

 Chapter 101 - 101

    After receiving the paper and pen from Charles, Mohawk quickly wrote a short message that explained the current situation, and also added that they needed Han to come over to the trenches. He then attacked the letter to an arrow and shot it to the wall, where it got stuck in between a small space between a couple of bricks.


    Hesitantly, a scout holding up a shield rushed out of the cover of the walls and snatched the letter from the arrow, before retreating back into the wall. He then quickly took the letter to Malim, who unfolded it and read it with a raised brow.


    "Mohawk has calmed down the defending forces. He did not mention much about them, but that''s quite obvious. He did, however, explain he situation to the, so they are willing to talk. But their leader just wants to speak to Han first." Malim explained the situation, and everyone turned their gazes to the man that was requested.


    "I can do it." Han nodded. There was no point in wasting time, as the forces defending the city did not plan on letting up unless they got what they wanted, and the leaders of the army did not mind compromising, as long as they were not forced to do things that would be counterproductive.


    From what Mohawk had provided them, it seemed like the Henshaw Dynasty had indeed taken a part of the forces from Fressia, but with the way things were happening, they were a bit unsure as Mohawk was unable to explain too many things in detail.


    A few minutes after, Han rode out from behind the wall on top of a horse, kitted out in proper armor and a shield. Even though they were willing to trust the other force that were in the trenches, they would still retain their caution.


    Soon, he reached the trenches, where Mohawk stood, along with a Werecat that gave off powerful vibes. There was no doubt in Han''s mind that the Werecat would be able to best him in battle.


    "Here he is, this is Han." Mohawk nodded at the Werewolf, while Charles stepped forward and extended him hand for a handshake.


    "Hello, the name is Charles. I apologize for attacking you people, but we needed to take caution in these desperate times." The Werecat looked apologetic. "We may discuss outside here, where both of out people will be able to keep watch of us."


    Han nodded and accepted the handshake. "My name is Han. Although we started off on a bad foot, I hope we can work out our differences." Han respectfully replied. Most demi-humans admired and looked up to those among themselves who were stronger. They mostly served as icons and role models, so Han respected Charles because of the considerable power that the man wielded. His strength could even rival Daven''s!


    The three of them sat down on some chairs that were handed to them from the soldiers that remained in the trenches for now. From there, they began their discussion, which was mostly led by Charles, as he wanted to figure more out about what was going on in the continent.


    Charles started off with who Han was, and the name of his pack. From there, he asked the patriarch about the state of the continent, and the ploys of the Henshaw Dynasty, and then he moved on to the recent attack on the Belmun Pack.


    "Those damn humans. If I manage to get my hands on that bastard King, then I''ll make sure to give him a slow and painful death." Han growled angrily. His pack was rather small, so it was quite easy for most of the pack members to get close to each other, and Han had made sure he knew everyone in his pack. It pained him to know that his pack was attacked, and a handful of pack members that he knew, and was rather close with, had been killed in the attack.


    "So, the Henshaws are behind this." Charles said in thought. From what the two people he had formerly taken as enemies had told him, then the Henshaw Dynasty had most likely used the same force that had attacked the Belmun pack to strike at Fressia.


    "This probably means that they have already taken complete control of the other targets that they had, right?" Charles asked.


    "Probably." Mohawk nodded. "But besides that, there is something that leaves me confused. How the heck are you not under the control of the Herder Drug?"


    Charles looked at the two demi-humans before him with a slightly pensive expression, but then he eventually sighed. He had to avoid keeping anything too suspicious or else he would have trouble gaining their trust. As long as he didn''t reveal anything too confidential concerning Fressia, then it would be fine for him to tell them why he and the soldiers with him were not affected by the drug.


    "It is nothing too difficult to explain, but I can not tell you all the details, as they are rather sensitive, and concern matters that can affect Fressia negatively if they are exposed." Charles started.


    "Sure, go ahead. As long as your explanation is satisfactory, then we wouldn''t mind." Mohawk nodded. He would not press for sensitive information that could possibly lead to the fall of a nation.


    "Very well then." The Werecat nodded. "My team and I were out on a mission to far north. This mission led to us being away from Fressia for quite a while, and we only just returned to see our city in ruins, while those that were left were constantly speaking about a raid that happened some time ago. That is the reason why I saw you to be the enemy that attacked us. Perhaps you might have been coming back to finish what you started." Charles explained to the two.. He left the rest up to their imagination, but he did not doubt that their thoughts would stray close the truth, considering that one of the men here was the patriarch of a pack, while the other was strong enough to claim his own territory and build up his own power.

 Chapter 102 - 102

    Some more time passed as the three demi-humans cleared out things between themselves before the matter was officially settled. Charles would allow the army to make its way into the inner part of the Outer Circle, where they could settle down. He could not allow them to enter the Middle Circle, as that would cause a large unrest among the remaining people of Fressia. The people were still sensitive and paranoid, as they had very little to protect themselves, considering how the army that raided them had captured most of their soldiers, and left them almost defenseless. Most of the people left in the city were humans.


    Malim agreed to let most of the army rest outside the main city, but insisted that he got an audience with the City Lord. After a bit of haggling, Charles finally gave in, saying that he would do his best to make sure they had a meeting as soon as possible. After all, it was also in their best interest if they could gain the help of strong people like Mohawk, and the rest of the army.


    After settling the army in some empty homes along the wall that separated the Outer and Middle Circle, Charles then led Malim, Mohawk, Han, Tide, Ariel, Mian, the representative of Kraetor City, and the representative from the Bolvar Tribe into the main city. Mian would act as the representative of the Zelan pack, although he was not the strongest, he would have to do, as he held as much sway as Mohawk in such a situation when one took his Gift into consideration.


    They had not yet informed Charles of Mian''s Gift, and had instead used Mohawk''s presence as an explanation for how they got rid of the effects of the drug. He played along, as he even had Cleansing Orbs that could easily dispel the effects of the drug, so Charles easily agreed. Another reason why Charles did not try to put up a strong front when Mohawk and Han had been trying to convince him was the mention of Sir Delk, the bearer of the Magical Insight Gift on the side of the demi-humans.


    When the group was let past the gates that separated the Outer and Middle Circles, they were allowed to see the amount of destruction that had befallen the city during the attack.


    "We still don''t understand how easily they overcame our defenses without outright blowing down our gates. The people say that it was almost as though the guards on duty willingly opened the gates for the attackers. Ever since then, they have been quite wary of the soldiers." Charles explained in a disheartening voice.


    And true, the group could spot some citizens eyeing them through windows and doors with distrustful and wary gazes. They were clearly scared, and seeing some strange, new, and powerful demi-humans making their way through the street only made them more scared.


    As they walked through the main street that led to the Inner Circle, the group noticed that numerous homes and buildings were in a poor state. Some had their roofs completely burnt off, while some had collapsed, and had scorch marks marring their sides.


    Shattered stone and concrete littered the sides of the street. Although the people were doing their best to clear it up and begin rebuilding what was destroyed, it would simply take too long for them to do it quickly with their meager numbers.


    After some time, a soldier came around with a carriage that was pulled by a couple of horses. Charles motioned for them to enter the carriage, and it took off down the streets at a much more brisk pace than what they had been going on foot.


    "When we get to the City Lord''s mansion, you will have to wait outside the gates while I speak to him. He can be rather rash at times, especially now, but he truly cares for his people." Charles explained with an apologetic smile.


    "It''s fine, we understand, and do not mind waiting for you to explain to him." Malim nodded in understanding.


    The rest of the ride was spent discussing on how they would deal with the Henshaw Dynasty after this, and everyone had their own input to add.


    "I feel it will be best if we wait and consolidate our forces. It will be good for our men to practice together and get used to the hang of working together." The representative of Kraetor City, Robin, said. The demi-human was some sort of bird variant, but he was not built for battle. Rather, he was more of a planner.


    "I agree with Robin. The cohesion of our forces is rather poor at the moment. While they may look impressive to some, there is still much to be worked on if they want to display their full power." Hanji, the representative from the Bolvar tribe nodded his head. The man was built like a tank, and he was clearly born and bred as a warrior.


    The various people present nodded their heads in agreement. While the situation with the Henshaw Dynasty was rather urgent, they could cope with it as long as they were on guard against any moves made by the dynasty.


    "Well, since we are waiting, we might as well handle the other targets of the Henshaw Dynasty while we''re at it. The more the merrier. And if they only took the warriors and those capable of fighting, then that would mean that there are a lot of people who are in need of help right now." Malim suggested. "How does that sound to all of you?"


    "Sounds reasonable. We can''t just leave all those people on their own. They can come over to Kraetor, or maybe even Fressia to take refuge while we handle those despicable Henshaws." Robin agreed.


    Charles raised a brow at that, but otherwise kept quiet.. He did not necessarily agree or disagree with them, but he would have to wait until the City Lord decided on what course of action they would take.

 Chapter 103 - The Princes Lover

    Another month quickly passed by, and the tension in the air of the Northern Continent had yet to die down. Discussions continued between the secret faction of the Henshaw Dynasty that was led by Prince Brendan, and matters had calmed down, compared to how things initially were.


    Both sides had been able to come to a consensus, reaching an agreement where they would work together without antagonizing each other or hindering each other''s efforts.


    After understanding the stance of the demi-humans, Prince Brendan was rather eager to work together with them in order to bring down his father''s rule. He had explained that one of his goals was to make the Henshaw Dynasty a better place where demi-humans could peacefully co-exist with humans, and while that was a rather large goal, as long as the demi-humans that made up the majority of the other forces were willing to work together, then that goal might very well become a reality.


    But there was still one unresolved matter that the young prince had yet to handle over the past month.


    "Lena." Brendan sighed as he knocked on his younger sister''s door. The princess had been doing her best to avoid him over the past month, even going as far as to eat her meals in her room instead of the royal dining room where the whole family ate their meals.


    Different from other days when he tried speaking to her, however, today would be different. Brendan heard the muffled sound of footsteps coming closer from the other side of the door and took a step back.


    Silently, the door cracked open as Lena''s fair face came into view. "What do you want?" She asked, making sure to avoid eye contact.


    "I want my Baby Sister back." Brendan sighed sadly, "Come, walk with me. There is something I need to show you." He held out a hand for Lena to take.


    The young princess eyed her brother''s hand for a moment before stepping out of the room and standing beside him. She didn''t take his outstretched hand.


    Brendan nodded before leading the way. The two of them made their way through the quiet castle halls, ignoring the few servants that were still up and about by this late hour. Everyone else was still asleep, so they did not need to worry about anyone seeing them.


    Soon, they reached a secret passage way that led to the underground city, and quickly made their way through it. When they got to the bottom, the prince continued leading his sister through the sides of the city until they got to a simple house at a secluded corner of the city.


    Brendan knocked in a specific pattern, and a few seconds later, the door swung open before two furry arms were swung around his neck, startling Lena.


    "Bren! I missed you!" The demi-human that had her arms around Brendan''s neck leaned up to give him a kiss, shocking Lena even more.


    "B-Bren?" She stuttered, unable to think up a proper response to what she was seeing.


    After sharing a passionate kiss with his adorable Werecat lover, Brendan took a step back with said lover in his arms and turned to face Lena.


    "Lena, let me introduce you to Isabella, my adorable little lover." The prince smiled warmly and tightened his hold around his lover, Isabella, ever so slightly.


    "Nice to finally meet you, Princess Lena." Isabella slightly averted her eyes, looking at her feet, as she addressed Lena. "Bren''s told me a lot about you and I''ve always wanted to meet you." She whispered the last bit.


    "I-I..." Lena''s mind was blown. She never expected this.


    "Let''s head inside and we can speak, yes?" Brendan asked and extended his hand to his sister again. This time, without a second thought, Lena took her brother''s hand and let him lead her inside.


    Isabella happily bounded into the house, rushing in ahead of Brendan and his sister. When the two siblings stepped into the house, they saw the cute Werecat rushing about with her arms full of some clothes and other wares, trying to tidy up the place a bit.


    "I-I wasn''t expecting any visitors... hehe." She awkwardly said when she returned from wherever she had gone off to drop the things in her arms.


    "It''s fine, Bella. Come on." Brendan said with a laugh and took his lover''s hand, tugging her down onto his lap and wrapping an arm around her waist.


    "Oh!" Isabella exclaimed, surprised at the act.


    "...Wow... Just wow..." Lena whispered with a small smile on her face. All her thoughts of her brother lying to her and tricking her, that she had harbored over the past month were instantly washed away by this display. She could very clearly see the love and affection that Brendan held toward Isabella.


    "Ehehe... I should have probably introduced you two sooner." Brendan finally said with a wry smile on his face.


    "You should have." Isabella whispered as she hid her face slightly in Brendan''s neck. She was feeling embarrassed by his display of affection. When she had initially kissed him, she had no idea that he had come along with someone, as he only usually came to see her alone at late hours of the night when no one would be around to see then.


    There were quite a few demi-humans in the underground city, so she was never lonely, as she would spend most of her time with them. The only times she felt lonely were those few times when she would not be able to sleep, and would end up thinking about Brendan all night, wishing that they could be together in the open. She knew that it was only a matter of time until her smart lover found a way to make life better for them.


    "So, are you willing to forgive me now, Baby Sister?" Brendan asked with a small smile, as he already knew that he had won over his little sister.


    "I''m willing to, as long as I get to speak to Isabella more often." Lena said with a small smile on her face.


    "I think we can arrange for that, can''t we, Bella?" Brendan turned to his lover and nudged her slightly with his chin.


    "Mhm." She nodded shyly as she looked at princess Lena.


    "Alright, I''ll go for a walk outside and leave you two to chat a bit, eh? Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon." Brendan moved Isabella to the couch and stood up before making his way to the front door. With a wave of his hand, he left the house, leaving only the two ladies remaining in the building.


    After Brendan left the house, the two young ladies in the room looked to each other for a moment before Isabella immediately turned her face away shyly. Paying no heed to her brother''s lover''s shyness, Lena immediately scooted over to Bella''s side, eager to know more about the one who managed to capture her brother''s heart. As far as she knew, Brendan had turned down all the suggestions that their father made, refusing all the noble women who had come to seek his audience.


    Because of that, she could barely wait to know how Bella had made the impossible possible.


    "Hi! As you already know, I''m Lena. I hope we can be great friends!" Lena extended her hand for a shake, trying her best not to overwhelm Bella, or else she might have already tried to kill her with hugs.


    "I-I hope so too, Princess." Bella answered hesitantly. If not for the white fur covering her cheeks, then she was sure that Lena would be able to tell that her skin was beet red from how shy she currently was.


    "So, I wanna hear all the juicy details! How did you and Big Brother meet?" Lena finally leaned back, but was still beaming like a mad woman. Bella also relaxed a little, also wanting to talk about Brendan so she could revel in the memories of how they had begun their relationship.


    "W-well, it was a couple of years ago, I guess. I had just been captured by some human hunters, and was forced to take part in one of those their... games." The expression on Bella''s face turned sour for a moment before she continued, "I was luckily placed in a group match, and managed to survive. Bren told me that he was scouting the demi-humans in the game so that he could convince his father to buy them as his servants and pets, when he set his eyes on me." Bella blushed heavily again.


    "He bought me from the organizers of the game, and I''ve been with him ever since."

 Chapter 104 - The Princes Lover (2)

    An hour later, a rhythmic knock sounded against the front door, and Bella eagerly went to open the door, revealing Brendan, who had a wide smile on his face.


    "Are you two done chatting?" He asked as he gave his demi-human lover a peck on the cheek.


    "Not nearly." Bella giggled as she embraced the prince. Lena just watched the two with a soft smile, truly happy for her brother having found someone good in his life, and also happy that she did not have to break ties with him.


    She also wondered if she would ever find someone like that to take care of her. The stories that Bella had shared with her over the hour had truly warmed her heart. Her older brother had quite literally swooped into Bella''s life, and swept her off her feet, saving her from a future of pain and torment.


    Bella had told her that although she had been quite hostile to Brendan, he had never reacted with violence, and always made sure to treat her with care and kindness. Even now, he had yet to even raise his voice at her.


    Brendan had taken care of her for several months, until he had expressed his feelings for her, telling her that he had basically fallen in love at first sight. It had taken a long time until the two had been able to properly express their feelings, and they had only been a couple for around a year at this point in time. To Bella, it was something out of a fairy tale.


    "Oh, how terrible of me!" Bella suddenly gasped, startling Lena out of her fantasies.


    "What''s wrong?" Brendan asked with concern written all over his face.


    "I''m a terrible host! I didn''t even think of getting you two anything to eat!" Bella exclaimed and rushed straight to the kitchen to see what she could make quickly to feed her lover and his sister.


    "Oh, no. It''s fine, Bella." Brendan tried to calm the white furred demi-human that was running around the kitchen like a headless chicken.


    "It''s not fine! You have to eat something!" Bella refuted with an annoyed stare directed at Brendan. "How can I let Lena leave here without eating anything? How else can she know whether I''ve been feeding you well?!" Brendan''s brows shot up upon realizing that his sister and lover had gotten to a first name basis, but he was even more happy that she was trying to prove herself to his family. It meant a lot to him.


    Lena peeked into the kitchen, where a pleasant aroma had begun to emanate from, with a curious face. She had overheard the last bit of Bella''s sentence, so she was truly curious, wanting to know how the Werecat''s cooking tasted like.


    She watched as Bella pulled out various ingredients and utensils from different drawers, as she stirred whatever impromptu meal she was making, and as she chatted with Brendan in a casual manner that hinted at the fact that they often conversed in such a manner. Her curious smile turned into a soft and warm one as she thought of how much the couple cared for each other.


    The cooking continued for a while more before Bella started dishing the food into three plates, for Lena, Brendan, and herself. She served them up in the small dining room that was merged with the living room.


    "Mm! This is great!" Lena couldn''t help but exclaim as soon as she tasted a spoonful of the porridge that Bella had miraculously made in such a short time span. "How dare you deprive me of such wonderful cooking?!" She glared at her older brother as she spoke around a mouthful of food.


    The trio continued to talk and joke for a while more until it became quite late.


    "It''s already past midnight. I think we should return." Brendan said as he took Bella into his arms and gave her a light peck.


    "Mm, I''ll miss you, Bren." Bella hugged Brendan and laid her head on his chest. "Come back tomorrow, okay? And with Lena if possible." She added.


    "Don''t worry. I''m sure I will be coming over here much more than you think." Lena chuckled lightly as she made her way over to hug Bella goodbye. "Take care of yourself, Bella. I would like to see a ring around your finger someday soon."


    "I-I will." Bella stuttered, surprised that Lena said what she did. She never really thought about a ring around her finger before. What she knew was that when Brendan finally claimed her, then they would be together forever.


    The siblings soon left the house after saying their goodbyes to Bella. Of course, Brendan wasted a bit more time as he tried to steal a couple of kisses from her.


    "You should have told me about this earlier, you know." Lena said as the two made their way back across the city to the entryway that they had used to come down here from the Royal Castle. A few guards greeted the two when they ran into them, but otherwise, the streets were completely deserted at this time of night.


    "I was worried that you would not take it too well. After all, she''s a demi-human. I know you care for them, but I was still worried about your reaction to seeing me with Bella." Brendan shrugged.


    "...True... It might have been a bit awkward, but I think it''s better this way. It all happened for a reason, don''t you think?" Lena replied.


    "Indeed. Things do happen for a reason. Look at how well you two get along together." Brendan laughed as the two of the got back to the secret passageway.


    "By the way, you never told me that you were into cute girls like that. I was thinking that I would have a plotter for a sister-in-law." Lena laughed, causing Brendan to roll his eyes.


    "Why would I tell you my preference in women? That sounds so awkward." Brendan grimaced. He could already picture the scene of himself sharing his taste in women with Lena or someone else. He thought that he would rather spend a day running around the castle than do such.


    "Well, you sure did pick the right person. Bella was so cute! I would have eaten her if I could. You better make sure to keep her happy, and I want to see a ring on her finger as soon as possible!" Lena harassed her older brother as the two made their way back to the castle.


    They emerged from a doorway that appeared beside a statue that was close to one of the balconies of the castle. Brendan made sure that no one was out on the balcony and that the hallway was empty before they stepped out of the passage.


    When the two began making their way back to Lena''s room, they suddenly stumbled upon their older brother, Alaric, the Crown Prince.


    "Oh? What are you two doing at such a time? Shouldn''t you be sleeping?" Alaric asked with a smirk on his face.


    "Alaric." Brendan greets his older brother with a calm face, "We were just walking around and discussing some matters."


    "Oh, yes. I remember sensing some tension between you two a few times. Have you settled your differences yet?" The crown prince asks with a short laugh at the end of his sentence.


    "Yes, we have. It''s none of your business anyway." Lena huffed and crossed her arms. Alaric gave her a side glance before scoffing.


    "Brother, what are you doing up by this time?" Brendan stopped Alaric from leaving immediately, curious to know why he himself had been up this late. Normally, Alaric would already be in bed around nine in the night. It was already a couple hours past midnight, and seeing Alaric awake made him feel unsettled.


    "Me? I was simply just leaving the meeting that father was holding with his advisors. As Crown Prince, I have an obligation to be there." Alaric answered and smirked, eyeing Brendan subtly. The two of them were those with leadership qualities, and they both knew this, so Alaric liked to occasionally reminding Brendan of the fact that he was better than him.


    "What would father be discussing this late at night that can''t be left to rest until tomorrow?" Brendan frowned.


    "Well, father is eager to put an end to the Zelan pack. It''s only a matter of time until he gets his way. Perhaps a week or so. Let''s wait and see, shall we?" Alaric chuckled, "Well then, I guess I should head to bed. I need my beauty sleep after all." The pompous prince said as he walked past his two younger siblings.


    He walked away, turning down the hall, and leaving his two younger siblings to their unsettled thoughts on how things were going to turn out.


    Unknown to the crown prince, things were going to turn out much much different than he thought in the next week.

 Chapter 105 - Training, Training, Training!

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 106 - Reunion

    Simon Bolvar crossed the rushing river that marked the border between the Bolvar Tribe and Kraetor City with a deep intake of air. He had missed being in his own territory over the past few month, and he was glad to be back.


    Behind him, an entourage of half a dozen escorts that were sent by the Kraetor City to ensure he got to his pack in safety stepped up.


    "Sir, shall we continue moving forward? We should be able to get there in a day and half''s time if we move quickly." The demi-human asked him with a leveled tone.


    "Yes, sorry. Let us keep moving, I was just feeling a bit sentimental for a moment. It has been a while since I came home after all, especially under these circumstances." Simon replied to the man, "Follow me."


    The Beastkin then proceeded to lead the group through the thick forest. They did not need to rest until night, as it became much colder than the day. When they settled down for the night, and lit a fire in the center of the small camp, a figure suddenly approached them from within the darkness.


    "Who are you? Identify yourselves immediately." The female scout from the Bolvar Tribe asked, eyeing the group warily.


    Simon had heard her voice from inside his tent, and immediately rushed outside to meet the scout that had found them.


    "Hannah! Is that you?" The aged Beastkin asked as he pushed aside the flap of his tent. He stepped out of the low tent and approached the scout who had finally stepped into the light that the fire gave off after hearing a familiar voice.


    "Impossible..." The woman whispered as she set her eyes upon the man that she had thought to be dead. She reached out her hand, but immediately pulled back and unsheathed the shortsword that was strapped to her waist. "Who are you?" She asked with firmness.


    "Hannah, it''s me, your former Patriarch. I was never dead, the humans simply took me captive and faked my death." Simon gave a short explanation as he tried to make the scout before him understand that he was not an impostor.


    "And why should I believe that?" Hannah asked with a firm voice. She almost wanted to drop her weapon, but she felt that the sight before her might have just been a hallucination that was induced by something nearby.


    "Ezra has a birthmark under his armpit." Simon sighed as he revealed something that no one simple would know.


    "How-? Is that really you, Simon?" Hannah faltered as tears gathered in her eyes. She couldn''t believe that the man that the whole pack thought had died was standing here before her, alive and well.


    "As I said before, my death was faked." Simon replied with a smile and opened his arms wide.


    Hesitantly, Hanna sheathed her weapon and approached the former patriarch of her tribe, before embracing him in a soft, tentative hug.


    "How is Ezra? I hope he has been taking good care of the tribe in my absence." Simon asked.


    "Ezra is... Fine. He hasn''t been doing too well emotionally, but he knows how to put his personal matter aside and focus on matters that concern the pack at large." Hannah told him as she stepped back, before waving behind her to let the other scouts approach. Each of them took turns welcoming Simon back, albeit with shocked expressions on their faces.


    "Let us stay the night here, and then we will continue to the tribe''s lands tomorrow. My escorts and I are currently tired and worn out after out long journey." Simon eventually told the scouts from the Bolvar Tribe as he turned to return to his tent. The scouts nodded their heads and retreated into the shadows, where they would continue to watch over the camp as night passed.


    .


    .


    The next morning, Simon and his escorts from Kraetor City quickly packed up their things and continued their journey. Hannah, and the scouts under her lead would remain out of sight, but would be hanging around while the journey continued.


    A few hours later, Simon and his group finally reached a small clearing that held one of the entrances to the tribe''s underground city. He quickly uncovered the entrance, before waving behind him to signal one of the scouts from the tribe to cover up the entrance when they had entered.


    "Who would have thought the Bolvar Tribe would be this elusive?" Michael, a lizardman, who was an envoy from Kraetor City, whispered as he admired the smoothly carved out tunnel that they were walking through.


    The tunnel held torches on either sides, but those tunnels were unlit. However, that did not pose any hindrance for them, as they could easily see in the dark.


    The trek through the dark tunnel continued for half an hour before the group finally spotted a dim light in the distance.


    "Prepare yourselves, we are approaching the end." Simon warned the envoys. They nodded and prepared their minds for whatever it was they were about to see.


    Their eyes were momentarily overwhelmed by a burst of light the moment they reached the end of the tunnel. That burst of light was accompanied by the sounds of weapons being drawn.


    When their visions cleared up, they were met with over twenty dominant Beastkin wielding weapons of different kinds, and kitted out in decent armor.


    "-What?" Michael quickly drew his weapon, a spear, from his back. He bent the shaft of the spear, disconnecting it from the rest, and making it shorter so that he could fight properly without being hindered by its length in the narrow space that they were standing in.


    "Calm down." Simon raised his hand with a smile, trying to calm down both the envoys from Kraetor, as well as the warriors of the Bolvar Tribe. He turned to the warriors of his tribe with a smile, as a red headed Beastkin stepped forward.


    Ezra stared at his father with disbelieving eyes. He was finding it hard to believe that Simon was truly standing before him here, but the evidence remained.


    Last night, one of the scouts on Hana''s team had rushed back to the tribe to tell Ezra of what had transpired, and the man had hurriedly rushed to dig up his father''s grave.


    While this act could be seen as an incredibly disrespectful one, as long as one had the right justifications, the act could be overlooked.


    Ezra''s actions could be brushed aside, because he needed the proof f his father''s life, and he had sworn that he would make whoever it was that posed as his father suffer, if it had all been a lie.


    "Father... Is that really you?" Ezra asked with disbelief in his eyes.


    When he had dug up his father''s grave, he had found an empty casket. That could only mean one thing. His father''s death had been faked by the humans that had temporarily taken over the tribe. An unquenchable rage filled Ezra''s entire being upon finding this out, and he thought back to the threatening letter that had been sent by the Henshaw Dynasty some time before.


    ''I will make sure to crush them to bits.'' Ezra swore in his mind. The Henshaw Dynasty had threatened to squash the Bolvar Tribe if they did not bend to their terms, but Ezra had held firm, refusing to budge in his stance. He would rather be the last patriarch of the tribe than make his father''s hard work go to waste, and turn the Bolvar Tribe into a vassal of the Henshaw Dynasty.


    "It really is me, Ezra." Simon replied his first child with a smile and opened his arms wide. Before Ezra could even take a step forward, a small figure blurred across the space between the older man and his son.


    Caesar had been standing on the sidelines ever since he overheard the discussion between his older brother and one of the scouts. He had been sneaking around, remaining well out of range of his older brother''s hearing, sense of smell, and sight. He had followed his brother around all through the night, and had also managed to sneak his way to the entrance where his brother and an entourage of guards had gone to meet someone.


    That was when he caught sight of his father who he thought to be dead. He could easily identify his father, even aside from the fact that his grave was empty, thanks to his unique sense of smell that was easily able to identify people.


    "Dad!" The little boy clung to his father as he tried to hold back the tears that threatened to burst the dams that kept them at bay.


    Simon lowered himself to a knee as he held onto his younger son. His heart pained him as he thought of the amount of pain that his children had gone through over the past few months.


    "I''m so sorry, Caesar. I promise I won''t be leaving you again any time soon.." Simon whispered as he tightened his hold on Caesar.

 Chapter 107 - Reunion (2)

    A small, yellow flash ran through the tunnels that ran through the insides of the mountain where the Zelan pack was first founded.


    Flare was currently hunting for a small squirrel that had managed to evade his senses for days on end, and he was finally about to corner it after almost a week of chasing it.


    ''Finally. After all this time.'' The small Werecat thought to himself as he turned a corner. A vicious grin crept over his face as he looked at the squirrel that had trapped itself at a dead-end.


    "Thought you could keep running forever, huh?" Flare asked as he took a step closer to the animal, his hands outstretched, and ready to catch the animal the moment it got within range.


    "Squeak squeak!" The squirrel cried out in distress. It''s teeth chattered and it''s fluffy tail shook with fear as it gazed up at the young demi-human that had it cornered.


    "I''ve got you now!" Flare roared as he lunged at the cornered creature. His body hit the rough floor with a thump, but his hands were empty.


    "Squeak squeak!" The squirrel expressed its disdain at Flare as it threw down a few small rocks on his head from it''s spot high up on the wall. It then leveraged the uneven surface of the wall to run out of the dead-end while Flare just sighed in defeat.


    "Mian really did set the bar high... It''s been so long and I still can''t catch that damn thing." The Werecat mumbled to himself as he stood up from the floor.


    "Flare, is that you?" A small Werewolf that was just about the same size as Flare, but a little smaller, came around the corner.


    "Yeah, Arc. It''s me." Flare replied as he dusted off his fur.


    Arc tilted his head as he studied the feisty Werecat that he had somehow managed to befriend. He blinked his bottle green eyes and his ears twitched slightly. The timid Werewolf frowned after a dozen seconds of studying Flare.


    "What were you doing here?" He asked.


    "Nothing." Flare grumbled.


    "Don''t tell me you were chasing Darren around again." Arc sighed and shook his head. The boy was rather timid most times, but he never held back when it came to scolding Flare.


    One of the reasons Flare chose to befriend him was because of Arc''s uncanny resemblance to Mian. They both had dark fur, with white markings over it. The only differences between them were that Arc had dark blue fur, with white markings, and was a dominant. He had white markings around his left eye, on his tail, chest, and on the inside of one of his ears.


    "He keeps on making fun of me." Flare grumbled and folded his arms.


    "Come on, the patriarch was looking for you." Arc laughed and took a hold of Flare''s hand to drag him away. "Darren, you too!" He called out, and the Dark Wood Squirrel that Mian had helped evolve once came running. It jumped and climbed onto Arc''s body, before settling on the tuft of fur atop his head.


    "Haha, you were messing with Flare again, weren''t you?" Arc laughed and handed the squirrel a nut, which it happily took and began nibbling on.


    The two boys walked out of that corner of the cave, and headed out of the tunnel network, and towards the town in the distance. Ever since the Zelan pack had began expanding, most of the members of the pack had been relocated to the town that was being built. Even now, new buildings were still being constructed.


    Likewise, the quarters of the patriarch had also been relocated to the center of the town that was well on its way to becoming a proper city. The large, castle-like mansion stood in the center of a large compound that was decorated with a variety of beautiful flowers that Kira had made sure to care for over the past months.


    When the two boys stepped into the compound that held the patriarch''s mansion, they encountered Daven''s mate, Kira, watering a bush of roses.


    "Flare, Arc, how are you two today?" Kira smiled as she set aside the watering can that she had been using.


    "We''re doing okay, ma''am. Flare''s just being his usual reckless self." Arc replied on both their behalf as he awkwardly scratched his cheek.


    "That''s good to know." Kira smiled at them. "You two are looking for Daven, yes? He should be in his study." She told them, and the two continued on their way after thanking her.


    "Why do you have to be so awkward all the time?" Flare smirked as he threw an arm over Arc''s shoulders.


    "She''s basically your mom. How can I not be?" Arc replied with a smile. Flare had told him about the relationship between Daven, Kira, and himself, and explained how his parents had died when he was born, so he knew that Flare was not the patriarch''s actual son. Besides, how would that even work out? Flare was a Werecat, while both Daven and Kira were Werewolves. There was no logic behind Daven and Kira being his birth parents.


    When the boys got to the mansion at the center of the compound they immediately rushed inside, eager to know what it was that Daven had called Flare for. He usually left the boy to do his own thing most of the time, and only asked for him when it had to do with something important.


    Flare knocked on the door that led to Daven''s study, but instead of hearing a reply, the door simply clicked open from the inside.


    "What?" Flare took a step back and looked up at the person who had opened up the door, before a wide smile nearly split his face in two. "Mian!" He lunged forward and wrapped his small, muscular arms around the older Werecat''s middle.


    "Ah! Haha, easy, easy. You don''t want to kill me when I just got back.." Mian grinned widely as he returned the hug.

 Chapter 108 - Reunion (3)

    After the little Werecat calmed down, he finally introduced his friend to Mian, who he saw as his older brother.


    "Mian, this is Arc. You two are really similar." Flare stated with a toothy grin.


    "He''s like... me?" Mian asked and his ear twitched as he studied Arc, who looked as if he was going to have a panic attack. "But... He''s a dominant." Mian concluded with a confused expression on his face.


    "Well, he is a dominant, but his fur looks like yours, and his attitude is also kind of similar, I guess." Flare scratched his head as he turned to examine his friend.


    "Ah, well..." Mian coughed awkwardly, "Nice to meet you, Arc. I hope we can get along." Mian extended a hand to the boy, who seemed startled, before accepting the hand and shaking it as if he himself was being held and shaken.


    "I hope we can get along as well." Arc smiled up at Mian before retreating behind Flare. He still felt out of place in the patriarch''s study, after all. It was just that the sudden surprise that Flare had seen, with Mian''s return had stolen the spotlight from Daven for a few moments.


    "Now that that is out of the way, I''m glad you two have been able to reunite. Flare has been moody ever since you left, Mian." Daven said with a soft smile.


    "I''m sure he was. That''s why his name is Flare, after all. A hotheaded bundle of emotions." Mian grinned as he took a seat on one of the chairs that were in the office.


    "Hey! That''s not true!" Flare used his elbow to poke Mian in his side as he sat beside the older demi-human.


    Dion who had been watching the whole thing from his spot on another seat, spoke up, "And is that supposed to help us change our minds?" He asked with a smile. He was referring to how Flare had immediately refuted the fact that he was a hothead.


    The bundle of yellow fur turned to glare at Dion before scoffing and settling into the seat he shared with Mian.


    "Now that we have handled all that, let us get to business." Daven said and stepped around his table to take a seat on another chair that allowed him to face the others and put them in his line of vision. Arc looked around nervously before giving up and deciding to settle in beside Flare.


    "How has everything been going, Dion? I got the message that we were to hold on, but we have been waiting for quite a while now." Daven asked with a frown.


    Ever since a couple of months ago when Malim had received the order from Sir Delk to stall the final battle, the man had sent out letters to inform every major power that was involved in the fight against the Henshaw Dynasty.


    As the closest pack to the dynasty, Daven was rightly worried about how that stall would affect them in the war. If the Henshaw Dynasty decided to attack, then they would surely hit the Zelan pack first before the rest of the forces would be affected.


    In order to calm Daven down, Malim had ordered that the joint army of the forces against the Henshaw Dynasty should be relocated to the Zelan pack''s lands. That way, when they were ready to strike, they would already be close, and also, they would be ready if the Henshaw Dynasty did strike first.


    "Sir Malim told us to let you know that the time is near. He himself is not too sure when that time is, as he is acting on behalf of Sir Delk, but he said to know that the time is near. Perhaps within the next week or so." Dion replied with a serious face.


    While he spoke, Flare and Arc both turned to look at each other with strange looks on their faces. This was a very important meeting that they were sitting in. They listened with rapt attention as the meeting proceeded over the next hour.


    "I am honestly not so surprised to be honest." Daven chuckled when he heard that a secret faction existed in the Henshaw Dynasty that intended to topple its current rule. "With how terrible they are, I''m sure there are more than just a few people who hate the current king. Also, who''s to say that there are not people not interested in having a demi-human as the love of their life? I''m sure they hate the king''s guts."


    Dion and Mian exchanged a look at Daven''s words. A look that he noticed.


    "What is it?" The man asked with a quirked brow. He was interested in knowing what they had yet to tell him.


    "The leader of the secret faction is one of the princes of the dynasty." Mian revealed. "And he apparently has a demi-human lover."


    If Daven was shocked, then now, he was stupefied. Even Flare choked on his saliva. Although he was young, he understood all that was being said. He understood how much of a twist it was for the king''s own son to be the mastermind that controlled a powerful faction that stood against the rule of his own father.


    "Hmm, who would have thought." Daven said in thought. "How exactly did we come to know about this?" He asked.


    "Well, a couple of their soldiers were in Kraetor when he attacked it to free the city back then. After seeing what we were capable of, they decided to tell one of the leaders of the mercenaries sent from the Central Continent about it. From there, we made contact with the secret faction, and then they shared some information with us." Mian explained the short version of the story to Daven, while Dion nodded his head along with Mian''s words.


    "And I believe that to show you their sincerity the you guys and the prince had some kind of meeting, yes?" Daven asked.


    "Exactly. We needed to make sure that it wasn''t some kind of plot from the king, so the prince and his lover came to meet us in a location that we had picked. Things kicked off from there." Dion said.


    The three continued to speak for a while more as the two boys got their patriarch up to speed on the events that had taken placed while they were out of the pack''s territories.

 Chapter 109 - 109

    What had he done?


    This was the only thought that was able to run through his mind as he watched. Donnelan felt like a fool, he had messed up. He had put the entire mission in a state of jeopardy, and because of that, his party members were currently suffering.


    Coollete currently hung off a stone gargoyle that adorned the sides of the castle ruin. Alaric was nowhere to be found, while Bright was currently lying motionless at Donnelan''s feet. Leonardo was currently in a tussle with the King Class Elemental Dragon, the explosions from their battle rocking the surrounding earth.


    "If only I knew..."


    ...


    By the time the lightning crackling around the array had settled down, they were left with a three meter wide and three meter tall portal that beckoned them into its depths.


    "This is it, let''s go." Donnelan urged.


    "Hold on, are you sure this is safe?" Leonardo stopped the eager scholar.


    "It should be. At least, nothing that the maps have shown indicate any danger when we enter the ruins." The scholar checked the maps he had with him once again, confirming that they indicated nothing of danger.


    "If you say so." Leonardo finally let them down, and they stepped through the portal one by one.


    One moment of slight dizziness later, Donnelan stepped through the white, appearing at the other side of the portal. A muted gray color greeted him. The walls, the floor, the large castle that loomed over him. Wait... A large castle?


    "Haha! I did it!" He fist pumped the air, turning around to look for his party members, only to come out short.


    "Guys...?" He turned around slowly. The portal behind him had vanished, and so had his party members, leaving him alone here. "Leonardo? Coollete? Alaric! Bright?!" His voice kept on rising as he called out the names of his party members. His words were returned with silence. That was until...


    BOOM!


    A quake shook the floor, the force behind it almost throwing Donnelan of his feet. He only barely managed to steady himself before a powerful wave of energy erupted from the other side of the castle. The wave of energy washed over him, and he knew who it was immediately.


    Tendrils of lightning snaked around his limbs, making his hair stand on end. He braced his body before dashing off with the a high speed. With the sheer size of the castle, it would still take him some time to get to the other side and see what was happening.


    A few long minutes later, he arrived at the other side of the castle where sounds of battle continuously echoed. He was shocked by what he saw. Leonardo was in the middle of battle with a dragon that exuded a King Class aura! The body of the dragon was made of some crystal like material, with each part being a different color. Being a scholar who studied everything magic related, Donnelan of course knew what creature this was.


    "It''s a damn Elemental Dragon. A King Class one at that." He gritted his teeth as he saw what was happening. Just then, a flash of light erupted from the corner of Donnelan''s vision, followed by a concentrated streak of flame. With another deafening boom, the Elemental Dragon''s head was forced to the side from the force of the attack. Bright charged up another flame attack in a split second and fired it at the dragon.


    "Haa!" With the sound of Coollete''s voice, a humongous stake of ice slammed against the dragon''s back , forcing it forward, and into Leonardo''s waiting hands.


    Leonardo himself had gone into full battle mode. The fur all over his body had grown to greater lengths and he had a wild look in his eyes. With his bare hands, he caught the dragon''s neck, using his mind blowing strength to lift it up and slam it back down onto the hard ground.


    ROAR!!!


    With a bellowing roar, the dragon used an unknown means to push away everyone who was surrounding it. Not even Leonardo was able to resist its push. He was flung away just like everyone else, slamming into the hardy grey stone wall of the castle.


    The Dragon slowly got back up, its energy level rising at a steady rate until just its force of presence was enough to weigh on Donnelan''s mind.


    "Coollete, Bright, ranged support!" Leonardo yelled as he got back up. "Alaric, send over some of those heals!"


    Donnelan looked around, looking out for the healer. It was then that he noticed a slight shimmer from the corner of his eye. Alaric had cast a cloaking spell on himself to prevent the dragon from sniffing him out. From within his cloak, he sent out a healing ray that wrapped around Leonardo, restoring him to full health.


    Restored and ready to rumble, Leonardo charged at the dragon, his fists slamming into its chest and pushing it back a few steps. It retaliated with its claws, lashing out at Leonardo''s smaller form that was flying all around it. This was where Coollete and Bright came in.


    "Ice Burst!" Coollete pointed out with his hands. As a powerful Lord Class mage, he didn''t need a staff to channel his powers like the weaker mages. A freezing chill stretched from his position, reaching the Elemental Dragon in an instant. The ground beneath its feet, its legs, and its abdomen almost instantly froze over, limiting its movement greatly.


    ROAR!!!


    With another roar, the ice around it shattered, but it was still left with the negative effect of Freeze. It''s legs were a slight blue color, the chill constantly inflicting damage onto it, but even still, the superior body of the Elemental Dragon was combating it effectively. In just mere moments, the blue had receded, revealing its colorful crystal like body once again.


    "Solar Scorch!" With a roar of his own, a beam of concentrated light glared down on a the back of the dragon. In just moments, that patch of scales was already red hot, giving way to the scorching glare, and exposing the dragon''s tender flesh.


    The dragon turned to glare at Bright, its purple eyes full of rage, but was quickly distracted by Leonardo punching it in the side.


    "Over here, you big oaf! I''m the one you''re fighting!" Within the Beastman''s eyes was a flame that was rarely there. It wasn''t everyday you got to fight a King Class beast given how rare they are.


    It was then that the dragon rose its head to the sky and spread its shiny wings, letting out a roar to the heavens. With that ear splitting roar, tendrils of lightning began writhing all over its body, slowly and faintly at first, but in just under ten seconds, the dance of lightning on its body became as fierce as the beast itself.


    "Dammit! Give it some space!" Leonardo barely managed to get out, also rushing to put some space between him and the dragon. Barely a second had passed when an intense pulse of lightning passed over them, expanding at the speed of light before vanishing.


    Donnelan had hastily raised a barrier of lightning in just a nick of time, the lightning passing over him almost harmlessly. His right hand was a scorched mess, but it was something bearable and he was able to put it at the back of his mind, if only slightly.


    Looking around for his party members, he soon came to learn that they weren''t as lucky as him. Coollete hung from a gargoyle statue that was fixed on the castle wall, his body motionless and badly burned, with steam rising off him. Bright had been blown to his feet, in a slightly better shape, but still unconscious. As for their healer, Alaric, Donnelan couldn''t spot him anywhere, but he hoped that their healer would be alright, as without him, they would most likely be in very serious trouble.


    BOOM!!!


    RUMBLE!!!


    Donnelan quickly raised his head back up, spotting the strongest in their party, Leonardo still engaging the dragon in battle. Blood was running down the side of his face, and the hair on his arms and chest had been burnt off. An intense rage could be seen boiling in his eyes as he sent powerful blow after blow to his foe.


    The mighty Elemental Dragon took each blow without backing down. It was also eager for the thirst of battle and blood. Although its scales cracked and splintered as they kept on enduring the punishment dished out by Leonardo''s fists, lightning began to build up around its body once again.


    Donnelan noticed this with a twinge of fear in his heart. He hurriedly carried Bright, careful to watch his injuries, before rushing to get Coollete. When he finally had the both of them, he quickly retreated to the other side of the castle where they wouldn''t be exposed directly to the impacts of the fight between two King Class monstrosities.


    One Two Three

 Chapter 110 - 110

    Pain. Pain was all he felt when he drew in those harsh, shuddering breaths. Dried blood caked Dion''s side, a souvenir from his scuffled with the dominants that had attacked their camp. He had taken down a couple of them, but a stronger one had forced him to flee. The toxins still burned, but his healing enzymes had done most of the work of neutralizing the toxins.


    He needed to wash off the blood around the injury and let it heal properly, then he would try to find Mian. The other boys could take care of themselves. That pup wouldn''t last more than two days out here in the wild.


    "Damn Brian. Some guardian you are, leaving us for dead." He grumbled as he pushed aside a branch that was dotted with bright greens leaves. His side strained as he did so, forcing him to grit his teeth as his vision swam. It seemed like the one that left the injury was quite strong.


    He continued on, step after step. It was easy enough, making sure your foot just stayed ahead of each other. At least, it was simple enough until the pain got too much.


    Dian collapsed to his side, his breath raspy as the full force of the toxins settled in. It had been roughly over a day since their camp was attacked. He hadn''t eaten anything, and his body lacked the energy to help him combat the toxins and heal the injury.


    His eyes drifted close, even as he actively fought to retain his consciousness. But the harder he tried, the harder he failed. After a couple minutes of fighting the darkness, it finally consumed his mind.


    ***


    Mian wandered through the twists and turns, figuring out all the kinks in his body. He hadn''t run into any animals yet, but he had found plenty of berry bushes along the way. He didn''t know if it was just a stroke of luck, but he had also found a small bag nearby, which he had used to pack a whole lot of berries into. Now, he was energized, full, and had a small supply of food for when he was stuck in the forest.


    "Hana?"


    [Yes, Host?] The ever present, soft, and dutiful voice of Hana drifted through his mind.


    "Um, I just noticed, but I feel stronger, better, than before I gained the System. Is there anything different with me, aside from gaining the System?"


    [Yes, Host. Your base stats have all been boosted, and you are roughly twice as strong as you were before you came in contact with the System. Until after your first Evolution, you will be unable to view the exact changes within your body.]


    "Oh, I see... Twice as strong, huh? Not too strong, but at least, I''m not as weak as before." Mian shrugged and continued on his way through the forest.


    *Rustle* *Thud*


    The sound of something rustling nearby, followed by a dull thud. Mian''s fur bristled as he waited for something to come barreling out at him, but after waiting for a few minutes, nothing happened.


    Against his better judgment, which told him to turn around and run, he slowly approached the cluster of bushes from the side, intending to go around them, and not run headfirst into the jaws of a hungry beast.


    When he peeked around the top of a cluster of thick bushes to the side, the first thing he saw was a black tail. The tail twitched weakly, as though its owner was trying to fight off inevitable death.


    ''Oh no! Don''t tell me some strong predator is finishing off one of he boys from the pack!'' The thought ran through his mind. He was about to turn tail and run when he heard a groan that sounded familiar to him.


    "Ugh..."


    Mian''s ears perked up upon hearing the voice that was laced with pain. He leapt over the bush he was hiding behind, rushing forward. He wouldn''t let Dion die!


    The sight that greeted him was vastly different from what he had expected. Dion was laid out on his side, his eyes droopy, but distant. Thick, dried blood was caked in his fur, proof of a very deep injury that he had struggled to heal.


    Mian knelt by his side, his hands hanging a few inches above the injured boy''s body. He wasn''t sure what to do.


    "H-Hana... Help me. W-what should I do?" Fear crept through his voice, and the stutter that wasn''t there when last he spoke had returned. He was once again that weak, powerless demi-human from a day ago who couldn''t do anything but get pushed around by others.


    [There is only one thing you can do at this moment, Host. The only way to administer treatment in time to prevent this demi-human is to transfer the pure, natural energy stored within your body into his. This way, his natural healing process will become multiplied by at least three times.]


    As usual, Hana''s assuring advice soothed his heart.


    "How do I do that?"


    [Just will the Evolution System to do so, and it shall be done. But, please do note that after doing this, depending on how much energy was used up, your body will become weaker until that energy has been restored. Aside from waiting for the natural absorption process, consuming plants and animals serve as a good way to replenish energy.]


    Mian nodded along with Hana''s words. There was no time to waste. He concentrated his mind, pulling on the energy that was gathered inside him. In his mind''s eye, a visualization appeared. Within his body, in the very center, just by his heart, a glowing ball of golden energy floated there, a manifestation of pure, unadulterated nature energy.


    ''As long as I will it...''


    He mentally tapped on that ball of energy. A stream of golden energy broke off from the constantly turning bundle of energy and followed his guiding mind. His consciousness returned to his surroundings and when he regained clarity, what he saw left his mouth hanging ajar.


    A band of golden energy rotated around him in a one meter radius. The band of golden energy constantly let out tiny wisps of light that showered down upon Dion.. Slowly, the pained look on his face began to fade away, replaced by a kind of exhausted look that belied the pain he had gone through.

 Chapter 111 - 111

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 112 - 112

    "Let''s see what we have here." Charles muttered to himself as he emptied his bag onto his bed after locking the room and pulling the blinds over the windows.


    His books fell onto the bed, followed by an egg shaped object, and a shiny pearl. Immediately, he picked up the egg shaped object and held it up to his eye.


    "Is it an egg?" He asked as he looked at the object from different angles. "No, I doubt it, or else it would have definitely broken when Gus and Angie pushed me down earlier." He kept muttering to himself.


    He turned the object around from different angles, an even shook it a bit while pressing it against his ear so that he could hear if there was anything inside it.


    After spending ten whole minutes on it without finding anything new about it, he finally gave up and stuffed it back into his bag before slumping onto his bed.


    "Pff, what a waste of time." He sighed and closed his eyes, but was immediately reminded about the task their teacher gave their class over the winter break. He quickly jumped out of bed and ran out of the room.


    "Charles? I thought you left to help your father?" Anne asked when she saw Charles running across the house and straight to the back door.


    "I''m going now!" Charles responded before darting out of the house and into the field that was behind it. Various crops were growing in their own spaces. Radishes, lettuces, onions, and other things. In the middle, Charles'' father, Donald, was walking slowly, examining his crops, with their dog, Rob, walking beside him and sniffing at the ground.


    "Dad!" Charles called out and waved at his father when he got close enough. The man''s eyes shot up when he heard his son''s voice and he waved back.


    "Son. How was your last day of school?" Donald asked as he pulled his son into a side hug when he was close enough.


    "Erm, school was fine, I guess." Charles mumbled, reminded of the task that was given to them over the break. The task to find a compatible familiar.


    "Is that so?" Donald asked as he raised his brows and hooked Charles with an inquiring gaze. He knew that there was something bothering his son, and he wanted to know what it was.


    "...Mostly, I guess." Charles sighed.


    "Alright, come on. Tell your old man all the details. Did some young lass give my handsome son a love letter?" Donald smirked as his son''s cheeks flushed red for a moment before the boy covered it up.


    "N-no! It''s not that!" Charles groaned loudly.


    "Alright then boy. Out with it!"


    "Fine... Our teacher gave us a task to complete over the winter break. It''s quite bothersome, really, and we need to complete it, or else we''ll be left behind when school starts up again next year." Charles mumbled.


    "Oh? Sounds pretty important. I''m all ears. I''ll do my best to make sure my son gets the best!" Donald held up a fist and shook it in the air, while exclaiming loudly.


    "...Thanks dad." Charles sighed. From seeing his father''s reaction, he knew that the man would truly do his best to make sure Charles got what he needed. The only problem was the price for it.


    "The task that our teacher gave us was to get a familiar. And it has to be compatible enough with us." Charles told his father.


    "O-oh! Well, that sounds like quite the task, don''t you think?" Charles'' father stumbled over his words for a moment before covering it up with a laugh.


    "Yeah, it is." Charles nodded. He knew that to find a suitable familiar for him, they would need to hire an adventurer that would escort him into the wilds that surrounded the city of Skyhart. And even then, they may not find a familiar that suited him.


    On top of that, hiring an adventurer for an escort job was considerably much more expensive than hiring them to hunt down a certain beast. This was because they would have to constantly protect the one that they were assigned to, and because of that, it would slightly restrict the. Adventurers were quite touchy about this, so they often drove a hard bargain, raising the price sky high.


    "Don''t worry, kiddo. We''ll get you a perfect familiar." Donald grinned and ruffled his son''s head of brown hair.


    "Thanks, dad." Charles mumbled again, touched at how understanding his father was. Of course, he knew it would put a strain on his family''s pockets, but as long as it would help them in the long run after Charles graduated and got a good position in society, then it would be fine.


    The two then proceeded to continue their walk back to the house, but they were promptly stopped by the moody hound that was barking at them for attention.


    "Oh, Rob. Sorry I didn''t pay attention to you. How are you?" Charles laughed and bent down to scratch the dog behind its ears.


    "Ruff!" The dog bellowed loudly, causing Charles'' ears to hurt a tiny bit.


    "Haha, I guess I deserved that, huh?" Charles winced and leaned back before standing back up with a genuine smile painted over his face.


    By the time the three reached the house, an extremely attractive fragrance was already filtering from the house, and in the surrounding areas.


    "I think your mom is up to something again." Donald laughed as he pushed open the back door. "Anne, are you trying to choke us with that good cooking again?!" Donald''s voice rang through the house with a hearty laugh, and his wife soon responded.


    "I''ll drown you in food, you old coot!" She replied, before waving the two, along with their enthusiastic dog, into the dining room for a hearty meal. Anne also dished out some of the food for Rob, as it was a rather special occasion, so she wanted him to eat some high quality food with them.. They were celebrating the successful enrollment of Charles in the Royal Academy, and the fact that he had gotten through the beginning of the first year without any incidents.

 Chapter 113 - 113

    After a rather fulfilling meal, Charles went back to his room, while his brother remained in the kitchen with their mother. The twins went back to playing around, while their father headed to his room to get a nap in. Charles got around to arranging his things back into his bag when he saw a shiny object atop his bed.


    "Ah! That''s right, the old man also gave me a pearl!" Charles palmed his face in frustration as he realized what he had forgotten. He was lucky that it did not get missing while he was out.


    He picked up the small, shiny marble and held it up to his face, examining it. And then, just for a moment, a bit of light from the open window flashed across its surface, and into Charles'' eyes, forcing him to close them for a second.


    "Ouch, that was not pleasant." Charles mumbled to himself as he rubbed his eyes before reopening them to view his now empty hand.


    "Huh?!" Startled, Charles quickly looked around him, checking for the missing pearl, before a screen popped up before him.


    (A/N: Yes, they have a system in their world, and it is not exclusive to he MC.)


    "Hm? I didn''t call up my Status." The boy mumbled to himself. But just as he wanted to wave the screen away, the information displayed on it changed.


    [Name - Charles Lockhart]


    [Race - Human] [Level - 1]


    [Health - 1500] [Mana - 1500]


    [Strength - 10] [Constitution - 10] [Resistance - 15]


    [Agility - 10] [Evasion - 10] [Dexterity - 10]


    [Intelligence - 15] [Wisdom - 15]


    [Perception - 10] [Willpower - 10] [Charisma - 10]


    [0 Stat Points Available]


    "Hm? My mana, intelligence, and wisdom went up a bit?" Charles was confused. But another line of information suddenly appeared on his already altered Status screen. "And Stat Points?!"


    [A certain Supreme Being smiles kindly upon you.]


    "What''s going on?" Charles mumbled and fished out the egg shaped ornament from his back, immediately another screen popped up.


    [Unique Beast. Days to hatch: 6 days, 12 hours and 12 minutes.]


    "...This is an... Egg?!" Charles exclaimed. "That old man gave me some strange magic pearl and a beast''s egg?! What am I supposed to do with this?" Charles asked with a wry smile. "Maybe I''ll go look for him in town tomorrow. I need to understand what this is." He decided and stuffed the egg back into his bag.


    Just as Charles finished tidying his bed, the door to the room opened and his brother, Darwin stepped into the room.


    "Gus and Angie are waiting for you out back. I think they want to build a snowman or something." Darwin told Charles as he began to search through his box of clothes for a sweater.


    "Oh, right. I promised them I would play with them." Charles sighed in realization. He figured that playing with them would take his mind off the matter with the pearl and egg for a while, so he also put on his jacket before making his way out of the room and to the back of the house where the twins were busy piling large amounts of snow together.


    "Charlie! Come help us build this snowman!" Gus yelled at him, while Angel focused on patting a section of the snow into a rounder shape, with her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth.


    "Aye aye, sir." Charles chuckled and made his way over to where the twins were. He squatted down and proceeded to help them pack the mounds of snow onto each other, forming three layers, with each one being a bit smaller than the former.


    "Here! The head!" Gus handed Charles the smallest, and fourth layer, which Charles placed on top of it.


    "Okay, so we need a couple of twigs, some coal, and a carrot. Oh, I nearly forgot the scarf!" Charles spoke to himself, counting out what they would need to complete the snowman. "I''ll go get the twigs, you guys get the coal, scarf, and carrot from mom, okay?" He told the kids, and they nodded enthusiastically, before running into the house to get what he told them to.


    After watching them scramble into the house with a laugh, Charles turned around and began looking around for some sticks to use as the arms of the snowman. After a few minutes of waddling through the snow, he finally found some suitable sticks and returned to the snowman. There, the twins were pushing in the bits of coal that were about the size of their fists, into the torso of the snowman.


    Angie quickly jumped up and stuck the carrot into the area where its nose was supposed to be, while Gus finished up with the ''buttons'' to the snowman''s ''coat''.


    "Charlie, come helps us with the eyes and scarf." Gus held out the rest of the coal in his hands to Charles, while Angie held up the scarf.


    "Alright." Charles smiled while he fixed in the arms, before taking the coal and scarf and fixing them properly on the snowman. "That should be it." He announced as he stepped back together with the kids.


    "Yay!" The twins screamed at the same time before running into the house together. "Mommy! Daddy! Come see our snowman!" Angie yelled loudly as she hugged Anne''s legs, while Gus went on to jump onto his father''s laps with glee.


    "Sure, sure. Let''s head out and see the snowman." Donald smiled as he took a hold of the twins'' hands and proceeded to lead them outside.


    "What about mommy?" Gus asked, looking confused.


    "Don''t worry, mommy will be coming soon, she''s just a bit tired." Donald patted the little boy''s head of dark hair while turning to take a look at his wife, who was warmly smiling as her hand ran slow circles on her belly.


    Donald and the twins made their way out of the house, and into the backyard, where the snowman was made, followed closely by Darwin who held a cup of hot chocolate in his hands.


    Charles stepped closer to his brother with a confused look on his face. "Hey... Um, Darwin?"


    "Yeah?" Darwin raised a brow as he sipped on his chocolate.


    "Is mum.... Pregnant?"

 Chapter 114 - 114

    *Pant* *Pant*


    Daniel bent over with his hand on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. Climbing the steep mountain wasn''t as easy as it originally seemed, but he didn''t care. He had made it! Before him, the large, imposing gates of the Nine Peaks Sect stood in all its intimidating might, casting a large shadow over him. Just beyond it laid one of the newest, but most promising Swordschool of the Southern Continent.


    He stood up, taking a deep breath of the mountain air, before letting it out all at once. On the large black gates, the insignia of the Nine Peaks Sect was carved into the dense metal. It depicted a lone mountain, with a sky of rolling clouds above it. Nine thin swords hung above the mountain pointing upwards, as though intending to pierce the sky.


    "Welcome, traveler. How may I be of service to you?" As Daniel was basking in his dreams of enrolling in the Nine Peaks Sect to further his sword skills, a sooth, calm voice drew him back to the present. Before him, a robed man had appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. The man bore a pleasant, polite smile as he waited for Daniel''s reply.


    "Ah, good day." Daniel put his hands together and bowed from the waist down, as was the customary way to greet an elder where he was from. This earned a nod of approval from the robed man. "I am here to seek enrolment in the Nine Peaks Sect." He announced his reason for being there, his voice firm and confident as he spoke.


    "Oh?" The man''s squinted eyes opened slightly, revealing a hint of blue beneath his lashes. His gaze was sharp, and Daniel could feel the skin at the back of his neck prickling. This feeling only lasted for a moment before vanishing, but Daniel didn''t forget it.


    ''This man is strong.'' Daniel noted mentally. If someone who was stationed as the gates was already this strong, ten just how strong were the actual disciples of this school? He gulped as he awaited a reply from the man. The enrolment of students in the Nine Peaks Sect had always been a bit of a head spinner to Daniel. Outstanding students were sometimes turned down, while those who were only average at best sometimes made it in. It was almost as if they accepted students at random.


    "Follow me. I will put you through our entrance test." The man finally replied. He turned around and led Daniel to the foot of the ten meter tall gate.


    "Nanuk! Open up the gates!" His voice rose much higher than what he had used to speak to Daniel only a few moment ago. In the next moment, the large metal gates began to open, surprisingly making no sound as it opened up just enough for Daniel and the older man to step through.


    On the other side, three other men and a woman stood, bowing from the waist at the older man with their hands held together.


    "Elder." They all greeted in unity. The man waved them down before continuing on. Daniel blinked when he saw this. Who the hell had welcomed him to the Nine Peaks Sect?


    "Come on, boy. Do you not want to join my Sect again?" The man stopped a few meters ahead and turned down, a brow quirked up. One of his eyes cracked open just a tiny bit, allowing Daniel to catch a glimpse of the unfathomable blue depths that laid beneath. That chill from earlier crept down his spine again as he hurried to catch up.


    "Forgive me." He mumbled as he fell into step a couple feet behind the man. It seemed he had run into the head of the Nine Peaks Sect on his first day... How scary. He had no idea f he should call it good luck or bad luck that the Sect Leader himself had chosen to examine him... Well, if he looked at it from the perspective of a pessimist, then it would be back luck, as the bar would be set much higher than usual. Oh well, there was nothing he could do about it.


    Soon enough, the two of them passed the initial buildings that had been right after the gate. But what laid after them was something that left Daniel with his jaw hanging. Another impossibly long flight of stairs led even higher up the mountain.


    "Pick up your jaw, young one. The beginning of any swordsman is his endurance. If you can not last in a battle, then you can not expect to reach the level of a Swordmaster." The elder spoke to Daniel with his arms folded behind him before beginning the journey up. After a few moments of collecting his emotions, Daniel followed right behind him.


    The two of them climbed up the steps, one at a time, occasionally coming across a few students who paid their respects to the elder. The man only nodded his head as he passed, not speaking or stopping for anyone.


    Daniel took the opportunity to take in the man''s details this time. He wasn''t old looking in any way. It was quite the opposite in fact! If one didn''t pay attention to all the details, or know the man''s identity before hand, one could easily mistaken him for an average man in his mid-late thirties! This was actually quite mind blowing for a man powerful enough to found an entire Sect that managed to stand out in every way since its founding. What one would expect from such a figure is someone who would be old, with a long, white beard, and of course, also senile.


    By the time they reached the top of the stairs, Daniel''s face was red from exertion, coupled with the thinner air that was up here. It would take him quite some time to get accustomed to it, but he was sure he could do it with time.


    When he raised his head, he was stunned by the sprawling sight that unfolded before him.


    ''Is this the Nine Peaks Sect?!''

 Chapter 115 - 115

    ''Is this the Nine Peaks Sect?'' Daniel took in the sight before him with a slacked jaw. Large wooden buildings that had been reinforced with stone stood in the distance. They had been designed with such an artistic feel that he could basically feel the care that had gone into their making. The buildings were each topped with beautiful red tiles that pointed up into the sky.


    All these buildings were beautiful, but the real eye catchers were the nine towers that stood taller than any other building. Their magnificent roofs reached up, as though intending to pierce through the sky.


    "Whoa..." He whistled as he took it all in. The elder who had led him here peeked at him from the corner of his squinted eyes, a small smirk gracing his smooth face.


    "Come, let us go to your testing area." The man spoke, turning to the left of the path that led further into the lands of the Nine Peaks Sect. They moved from a cobblestone path, to a gravel path, the small rocks crunching underneath their feet. The paths were much busier than what Daniel had imagined, with robed men and women all walking about. He even spotted a couple of inner disciples who wore a slightly different attire from the other outer disciples. It was quite the experience.


    "Elder!" A sharp, tense voice cut through the relative silence. Heads turned for a moment, before Daniel noticed a lean, tall man, with long flowing brown hair jogging down the path. The students on the path stepped aside and bowed as he passed them, before carrying on with their activities.


    "Elder, welcome back!" The man stopped before the elder and bowed with his hands joined. He stood back up and his eyes moved to Daniel. He took in Daniel''s rough, tattered clothes, and his worn shoes before examining his face.


    "Elder, who is this?" The man asked, gesturing at Daniel, who quickly bowed to introduce himself.


    "I am Daniel Ban, an immigrant from the Highsword Clan. I traveled all the way here to join the Nine Peaks Sect." Daniel spoke quickly, but clearly.


    Upon hearing the name of Daniel''s clan, the man couldn''t help but frown.


    "The Highsword Clan? I heard it was declining as of late..." He rubbed his smooth chin and looked at Daniel questioningly.


    Daniel sighed, his shoulders visibly slumping, as though put under some invisible weight.


    "Yes. Ever since our only remaining Swordmaster fell ill two years ago, clan members have begun deserting. We are only a shadow of our former selves as of now."


    Any clan that was founded during this Era of Blades was usually headed by a Swordmaster, or someone of a higher rank. Such figures of power held the not only the power, but also enough sway over the common folk to act as enough of an attraction, bringing in a flood of hopeful clan members.


    The Clans usually formed Swordschools of their own, but with the decline of the still growing Highsword Clan, they had never gotten to the point of founding their own Swordschool. Because of this, coupled with the only Swordmaster''s dilemma, Daniel had been sent to the Nine Peaks Sect in order to train and possibly become a Sword Initiate, or something more.


    A Sword Initiate is a person who had touched upon the essence of a true Sword Style. Some say that a Sword Initiate is a person who had begun grasping the fundamental truths behind a Sword Style. These Sword Initiates were capable of bringing out a fraction of the power that a Swordmaster was capable of manifesting, and while they were not held in as high regard as Swordmasters, they were still highly respected among the masses.


    "I see. What level are you at?" The man''s eyes narrowed a fraction.


    "Take it easy, Freud, we shall see what level he''s at soon enough." The elder waved at Freud before motioning for the two of them to follow him. After a few minutes of walking, they soon reached an area what was cut off from the other paths. Here, raised circular platforms dotted the area, with a couple sparring people occupying a couple of platforms and a decent audience.


    The moment the three figures stepped into the area, a hushed whisper broke out among the crowd. As one, they all turned and bowed to the elder and Freud, who nodded in response. A few gazes lingered on the unfamiliar young man between the older men, but they none lingered.


    "Wendy. Please, come over." The elder called out. A young lady who was dressed in a combat attire left one of the dueling rings and hurried over. She bowed again when she stopped before the men.


    "Daniel, this is Wendy, one of the top disciples of her year. She will be your opponent." He held out his hand to Wendy. "Wendy, this is Daniel. He will be sparring against you. Depending on the results, he just might be able to get into our school. Be serious and don''t let me down."


    "Of course, Elder. I will not let you down." She bowed again before turning to Daniel. The two of them nodded at each other with serious faces before heading to one of the unoccupied rings. Daniel wasn''t new to all this, so he did not need to be told what to do. All he had to do was either win against Wendy, or do well enough to impress the elder of the Nine Peaks Sect.


    A standard wooden practice sword was passed to him by someone from the audience. Taking a simple defensive stance, he watched Wendy as he took on a defensive stance. He had no idea what she was capable of, so he decided to play it safe.


    As for Wendy, she took on a more aggressive stance as she stared Daniel down. His tattered clothing and unkempt looks gave her a bad first impression of him. While she knew that not everyone was from a well off background, she felt that Daniel could have at least tried better to look more presentable. The Nine Peaks Sect was not a place for urchins!


    While she was thinking this, Freud finally waved his hand between them from the side of the ring, signaling the start of the duel!

 Chapter 116 - 116

    Wendy lunged at Daniel the moment Freud''s arm was lowered, making a single powered strike that Daniel swiftly dodged, instead of blocking. The single strike soon turned into a flurry of rapid swings that forced Daniel on the defensive as he scrambled to block the aggressive offensive of the student.


    ''Tch. She''s good'' Daniel clicked his tongue as another swing bounced off the flat of his blade. He hurriedly raised his sword to block the hit that was going for his head next. ''But if you think that is all it takes to beat me, then you look down on the Highsword Style... And I will not tolerate that!''


    In a bold movement, he pushed her sword to the side after blocking another side swing, before stepping close. Although this left him unable to use his sword, he barely needed it as he used a simple foot movement to trip Wendy!


    The girl was startled by his sudden closure, only to immediately lose her balance right after. Her face burned with embarrassment as the young man before her took a step back, raising his sword in an inviting gesture.


    "Come, and I will show you the true Highsword Style." Daniel spoke, his chin lifted high as he looked down on her from the tip of his nose. His words and stance made him look like an adult who was merely entertaining a child. This made Wendy feel even more annoyed as she began to take the match seriously, instead of a simple fight that she had to go through in order to carry out her superior''s instructions!


    Gritting her teeth, she held her practice sword tighter as she went on the offensive again, this time more cautious. But what surprised her was that Daniel no longer took a defensive stance. Instead, he matched her blow for blow, also making some opportunistic strikes every once in a while.


    Thirty seconds in to their second engagement, Wendy felt as though she was being led around by a leash. She felt as though her opponent was planning her every move, as he easily read her body movements, using any chance in order to make her stumble or miss her swing.


    "Enough games." Daniel suddenly spoke, startling Wendy.


    ''Games? What games? Who do you think is playing with you?!'' She thought to herself, a pit of dread already forming in her belly. She could vaguely feel the air around Daniel begin to stir as the boy conjured up something scary.


    Daniel took a couple steps back, just outside of Wendy''s immediate attack range. His words seemed to startle the girl long enough for her to freeze for a couple of seconds. Using this small window of time, he raised his sword up above his head, vaguely aware of the opening he had created. If Wendy wasn''t momentarily frozen, then he was sure she would have made full use of this opening.


    A second later, Wendy regained clarity, shaking off the weird feeling she got from Daniel.


    ''He left himself wide open!'' She mentally cheered before lunging, her sword held at her front in a stabbing pose. When she was less than a foot away from him, she suddenly felt a foreboding feeling press upon her mind.


    With wide eyes, Wendy stopped her forward momentum and raised her sword up to block the strike that was coming down on her.


    *CRACK!!!* *SNAP!*


    First, a crack, and then her wooden sword broke apart, sending wooden splinters flying! For a brief moment, Wendy felt as though her entire life would come to an end if that sword hit her, and then, in the next moment, the feeling was gone. She felt a light tap on her right shoulder, prompting her to open her eyes that she didn''t know she had closed.


    When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the dark silhouette of a man standing over her. In the next couple of seconds, her vision adjusted and she saw Daniel''s smile, followed by his outstretched hand. She gingerly took it, letting him pull her up to her feet from the kneeling position she had adopted in order to block his final strike.


    Strangely enough, she didn''t immediately feel any animosity for loosing, only shock. It took a few more seconds for her to register how she lost the fight. Among the first year students, she was at the top of her class. How could an outsider just beat her so easily?


    "How?" She whispered, unconsciously voicing her turbulent thoughts.


    Daniel only smiled before giving her an answer, "I may look shabby, but you don''t judge a book by its cover. I am already a Pseudo-Sword Initiate." He patted her shoulder.


    A Pseudo-Sword Initiate!


    Wendy''s mind was blown away upon hearing her words. She turned to face the Elder of the Nine Peaks Sect, along with his second in command. The two of them only nodded. She turned her gaze back to the young man who had taken a couple steps back, her mind completely shaken.


    In this world, there was a proper hierarchy of power when it came to the path of the sword. First was the Sword Initiates. These were people who wielded part of the power of a Swordmaster. Although they were strong against normal people, they were still unable to match up to genuine Swordmasters. This group was further divided into three. First level, second level, and third level.


    After the Sword Initiates were the Swordmasters, true masters who had created or grasped the true essence of a Sword Style. After them came the Sword Saints. These beings had completely ascended from the mortal realm and had a foot through the door to Godhood. As for the last category, these mythical beings were called Sword Gods. Wendy knew very little about them, but if there was one thing she knew, it was that they were beings of unfathomable power who were able to slice or decimate a mountain with a single wave of their weapons.


    Below all of these levels though, was the Pseudo-Sword Initiate. These individuals had merely begun to grasp a meager, incomplete understanding of a Sword Style. And then this young man before her was one of these beings, whereas she was still an average student.


    Wendy''s cheeks flushed as she berated herself for looking down on him. She hurriedly bowed, the customary gesture that one was expected to make after fighting a duel or spar. Daniel did the same before straightening up and stepping back.


    "Daniel, Wendy. Please come here.." The Elder and Freud called the two of them.

 Chapter 117 - 117

    Daniel and Wendy stood before Freud and the Sect Elder, the former with a calm face, while the latter''s cheeks were flushed him embarrassment after her loss. She had looked down on Daniel, and that led to her defeat.


    The elder examined the both of them for a minute before he spoke.


    "Wendy, you made the mistake of thinking Daniel was weak, just because of the way he looked. His words of not judging a book by its cover was quite apt." The man rubbed his chin. "But, you fought well." He nodded at her. "Go back and think on this spar. You might learn a thing or two from this experience."


    "That you, elder." She bowed before leaving. When she left, the elder turned to Daniel.


    "Daniel... You did not mention to me that you were already a Pseudo-Sword Initiate." The man eyed Daniel with a critical gaze.


    "I intended on doing so, but the situation wasn''t exactly in my control." Daniel rubbed the back of his neck.


    "Very well, then. I suppose the move you used was the so-called Highsword Style?"


    "Yes. It has been passed down in my clan for the past three generations." Daniel affirmed. The Nine Peaks Elder nodded as he donned a thoughtful look, his hand caressing his chin.


    "Very well, then. I have made my choice." He spoke, turning to face Daniel completely, his face the very embodiment of seriousness. "Welcome to the Nine Peaks Sect, Daniel. I am the Elder of the Nine Peaks Sect, Haman. And Freud is the current Head of the Sect. You will show him the same level of respect you would to me."


    Suppressing his excitement, Daniel replied back with a leveled voice, bowing to thank the Sect Elder.


    "Thank you for granting me this opportunity, Elder Haman. I will strive to meet your expectations!" He exclaimed, joining his hands together in thanks.


    "You better." Haman spoke to himself under his breath as he turned away. Before he left, he spoke to Freud, "Freud, if you will, assign someone to settle Daniel in. He will begin his official training tomorrow." Haman folded his arms behind him and walked away, vanishing around a corner. Only then did Daniel raise his head.


    A low murmur spread through the crowd of students behind Daniel, one that he paid little attention to. Sword Initiates were not often seen, and while it was a bit more common to see a Pseudo-Sword Initiate, they hadn''t expected for Daniel to be one, so it was not that much of a shock to him that they were surprised.


    Freud leveled the Pseudo-Sword Initiate with a curious gaze. While he had sensed that something was off with Daniel, he had not expected for the young man to be a powerful figure. The amount of power and sway a Sword Initiate, or even their lesser, Pseudo-Sword Initiates, held were in no way little in today''s society.


    The fact that Daniel had been able to break through at such a young age was even more of an accomplishment that was noteworthy in Freud''s eyes. This was enough to stoke a fire of interest that had long since turned into a barely kindled spark in the last few years.


    ''Interesting young brat. Let us see how far you get under my tutelage.'' He smiled internally as he readied his words.


    "Wendy, Daniel, please follow me." Freud spoke in a calm, dignified manner. He turned around and led the two through the school''s grounds. His steps were graceful, and carried a certain air that commanded respect.


    He led them to a garden that had a calm, peaceful atmosphere. A few students were seated here and there, but it was quiet enough for the older man. He sat down under a short, twisted tree, motioning to the bench that was just conveniently placed opposite his own.


    He took a deep breath before speaking.


    "Wendy, your performance today was admirable. You showed that the Clear Jade Sword Style is still relevant, and of utmost importance to swordsmen in modern society. The pressure you were able to exert was also quite impressive, but ultimately, you still failed to beat your opponent. Do you know why that it?" He asked softly, his velvety voice drifting with the fresh breeze that blew through his long, silky hair.


    Wendy bowed her head slightly, feeling pained despite the praise that Freud threw at her Clan''s Sword Style. This was especially so when he pointed out her failure to prevail over her opponent.


    "It is because I failed to take him seriously from the beginning. If I had taken Sir Daniel as a true opponent from the beginning of the match, then I might have been able to exert a much more significant amount of pressure. Enough pressure that would have been able to secure the win for me." She raised her head and admitted her fault with a brave face.


    Despite her bitterness at her loss, she was still an honorable swordswoman. She would not let a single defeat trample over the pride that the Clear Jade Clan had instilled within her ever since her childhood.


    "Good. I am glad you are mature enough to identify and admit your faults. That said, you did very well. Your moves and technique would have been good enough to force any other opponent to surrender. You should be proud of yourself." Freud reached over and patted Wendy''s head with a small smile on his face. After he was done, he finally turned to Daniel.


    "Sir Daniel." He began. In this modern society, there were Titles that were borne by individuals of power. At the level that spanned between the Pseudo-Sword Initiate stage, up to the third level of the Sword Initiate stage, individuals on that level were referred to as Sirs. This was mandatory through the entire world. As for Swordmasters, these beings of great power were referred to as Venerables. Those at the level of the Sword Saint was referred to as a Saint.. It was a very simplistic way of referring to someone of great power, but one that worked well.

 Chapter 118 - 118

    An hour later, a rhythmic knock sounded against the front door, and Bella eagerly went to open the door, revealing Brendan, who had a wide smile on his face.


    "Are you two done chatting?" He asked as he gave his demi-human lover a peck on the cheek.


    "Not nearly." Bella giggled as she embraced the prince. Lena just watched the two with a soft smile, truly happy for her brother having found someone good in his life, and also happy that she did not have to break ties with him.


    She also wondered if she would ever find someone like that to take care of her. The stories that Bella had shared with her over the hour had truly warmed her heart. Her older brother had quite literally swooped into Bella''s life, and swept her off her feet, saving her from a future of pain and torment.


    Bella had told her that although she had been quite hostile to Brendan, he had never reacted with violence, and always made sure to treat her with care and kindness. Even now, he had yet to even raise his voice at her.


    Brendan had taken care of her for several months, until he had expressed his feelings for her, telling her that he had basically fallen in love at first sight. It had taken a long time until the two had been able to properly express their feelings, and they had only been a couple for around a year at this point in time. To Bella, it was something out of a fairy tale.


    "Oh, how terrible of me!" Bella suddenly gasped, startling Lena out of her fantasies.


    "What''s wrong?" Brendan asked with concern written all over his face.


    "I''m a terrible host! I didn''t even think of getting you two anything to eat!" Bella exclaimed and rushed straight to the kitchen to see what she could make quickly to feed her lover and his sister.


    "Oh, no. It''s fine, Bella." Brendan tried to calm the white furred demi-human that was running around the kitchen like a headless chicken.


    "It''s not fine! You have to eat something!" Bella refuted with an annoyed stare directed at Brendan. "How can I let Lena leave here without eating anything? How else can she know whether I''ve been feeding you well?!" Brendan''s brows shot up upon realizing that his sister and lover had gotten to a first name basis, but he was even more happy that she was trying to prove herself to his family. It meant a lot to him.


    Lena peeked into the kitchen, where a pleasant aroma had begun to emanate from, with a curious face. She had overheard the last bit of Bella''s sentence, so she was truly curious, wanting to know how the Werecat''s cooking tasted like.


    She watched as Bella pulled out various ingredients and utensils from different drawers, as she stirred whatever impromptu meal she was making, and as she chatted with Brendan in a casual manner that hinted at the fact that they often conversed in such a manner. Her curious smile turned into a soft and warm one as she thought of how much the couple cared for each other.


    The cooking continued for a while more before Bella started dishing the food into three plates, for Lena, Brendan, and herself. She served them up in the small dining room that was merged with the living room.


    "Mm! This is great!" Lena couldn''t help but exclaim as soon as she tasted a spoonful of the porridge that Bella had miraculously made in such a short time span. "How dare you deprive me of such wonderful cooking?!" She glared at her older brother as she spoke around a mouthful of food.


    The trio continued to talk and joke for a while more until it became quite late.


    "It''s already past midnight. I think we should return." Brendan said as he took Bella into his arms and gave her a light peck.


    "Mm, I''ll miss you, Bren." Bella hugged Brendan and laid her head on his chest. "Come back tomorrow, okay? And with Lena if possible." She added.


    "Don''t worry. I''m sure I will be coming over here much more than you think." Lena chuckled lightly as she made her way over to hug Bella goodbye. "Take care of yourself, Bella. I would like to see a ring around your finger someday soon."


    "I-I will." Bella stuttered, surprised that Lena said what she did. She never really thought about a ring around her finger before. What she knew was that when Brendan finally claimed her, then they would be together forever.


    The siblings soon left the house after saying their goodbyes to Bella. Of course, Brendan wasted a bit more time as he tried to steal a couple of kisses from her.


    "You should have told me about this earlier, you know." Lena said as the two made their way back across the city to the entryway that they had used to come down here from the Royal Castle. A few guards greeted the two when they ran into them, but otherwise, the streets were completely deserted at this time of night.


    "I was worried that you would not take it too well. After all, she''s a demi-human. I know you care for them, but I was still worried about your reaction to seeing me with Bella." Brendan shrugged.


    "...True... It might have been a bit awkward, but I think it''s better this way. It all happened for a reason, don''t you think?" Lena replied.


    "Indeed. Things do happen for a reason. Look at how well you two get along together." Brendan laughed as the two of the got back to the secret passageway.


    "By the way, you never told me that you were into cute girls like that. I was thinking that I would have a plotter for a sister-in-law." Lena laughed, causing Brendan to roll his eyes.


    "Why would I tell you my preference in women? That sounds so awkward." Brendan grimaced. He could already picture the scene of himself sharing his taste in women with Lena or someone else. He thought that he would rather spend a day running around the castle than do such.


    "Well, you sure did pick the right person. Bella was so cute! I would have eaten her if I could. You better make sure to keep her happy, and I want to see a ring on her finger as soon as possible!" Lena harassed her older brother as the two made their way back to the castle.


    They emerged from a doorway that appeared beside a statue that was close to one of the balconies of the castle. Brendan made sure that no one was out on the balcony and that the hallway was empty before they stepped out of the passage.


    When the two began making their way back to Lena''s room, they suddenly stumbled upon their older brother, Alaric, the Crown Prince.


    "Oh? What are you two doing at such a time? Shouldn''t you be sleeping?" Alaric asked with a smirk on his face.


    "Alaric." Brendan greets his older brother with a calm face, "We were just walking around and discussing some matters."


    "Oh, yes. I remember sensing some tension between you two a few times. Have you settled your differences yet?" The crown prince asks with a short laugh at the end of his sentence.


    "Yes, we have. It''s none of your business anyway." Lena huffed and crossed her arms. Alaric gave her a side glance before scoffing.


    "Brother, what are you doing up by this time?" Brendan stopped Alaric from leaving immediately, curious to know why he himself had been up this late. Normally, Alaric would already be in bed around nine in the night. It was already a couple hours past midnight, and seeing Alaric awake made him feel unsettled.


    "Me? I was simply just leaving the meeting that father was holding with his advisors. As Crown Prince, I have an obligation to be there." Alaric answered and smirked, eyeing Brendan subtly. The two of them were those with leadership qualities, and they both knew this, so Alaric liked to occasionally reminding Brendan of the fact that he was better than him.


    "What would father be discussing this late at night that can''t be left to rest until tomorrow?" Brendan frowned.


    "Well, father is eager to put an end to the Zelan pack. It''s only a matter of time until he gets his way. Perhaps a week or so. Let''s wait and see, shall we?" Alaric chuckled, "Well then, I guess I should head to bed. I need my beauty sleep after all." The pompous prince said as he walked past his two younger siblings.


    He walked away, turning down the hall, and leaving his two younger siblings to their unsettled thoughts on how things were going to turn out.


    Unknown to the crown prince, things were going to turn out much much different than he thought in the next week.

 Chapter 119 - 119

    "Sir Daniel." Freud turned his calm gaze to Daniel, the gaze turning to something more fierce as he did so. "You performed admirably well, showcasing a level of skill that is expected of a Pseudo-Sword Initiate. However, your style was not perfect." He closed his eyes and nodded in a sagely manner. "I am not entirely sure of why the Elder simply accepted you into the school, but it does not matter. It is out of my hands. Welcome to the Nine Peaks Sect." He held out his hands to the side before extending one for a hand shake. Daniel hurriedly shook his hand, his ego swelling ever so slightly from the constant praise he had been the recipient of through the day.


    "Thank you, Master Freud." Daniel replied with a slightly bowed head.


    "That is all I have to say for now. We shall see how well you perform upon your induction in the school. Wendy, please show him to one of the free rooms in the boy''s quarters." Freud stood up, wiping the dust off his clothes. "I bid you farewell." He walked away, leaving the two students on their own.


    A silent moment passed before Wendy turned to Daniel, the look in her eyes less than friendly.


    "My name is Wendy Jade. And although I am not too happy with losing to you, I am willing to put it in the past." He held out her hand for friendly handshake, one which Daniel happily returned.


    "Nice to meet you, Wendy. My name is Daniel Ban, one of the descendants of the Highsword Clan. Although the name sounds odd, it defines me, and I am proud of the Highsword Clan." He firmly shook her hand as he introduced himself.


    "Nice to meet you. I hope we get along. Now, please, if you will follow me, I will take you to the boy''s quarters." Wendy stood up and turned away to lead Daniel to the boy''s quarters where the male students of the school were assigned rooms.


    While the female students were not barred entry from this section of the school, it was still quite rare to see a female student wandering through his area, as boys tended to be more... free, among themselves. That was why Wendy''s presence in the boy''s quarters was something rather odd.


    Daniel took in the sights as he walked. The boy''s quarters was a large compound that held multiple blocks of rooms. It was large enough to easily accommodate up to a hundred students! But in reality, the number of male students was only a fraction of this total. The entry bar for the Nine Peaks Sect was set quite high, and that barred a large amount of people from entry into the sword school. Those that made it in were already considered elite swordsmen and swordswomen among the masses.


    In the very center of the large compound, a medium sized pond could be seen, with a beautiful willow tree that was grown right beside it. Vines from the willow tree dipped into the pond, making the surface of the pond ripple ever so slightly. Several benches were placed around the pond, a place of relaxation for tired student after an intense day of classes or training.


    Numerous shirtless students hung around the place, with more than just a few of them eyeing Wendy and the new boy who sported long black hair.


    Wendy ignored all of these, however, and led Daniel to one of the bocks that was closest to the gates of the compound. The blocks were arranged in a rectangular fashion, with two long blocks on either side, and one single block facing the gates at the farthest wall of the compound. It was simple, but beautiful.


    Daniel nodded in appreciation of the detailing that had gone into the architecture. The architect who had envisioned this was a true master of the arts. If Daniel ever met him, he would invite him to add a few touches to the main compound of the Highsword Clan.


    "This is your room. Everything you would need, as well as our sword school''s uniform will be inside. I believe you will be sharing this room with someone. If not, then you can have it all to yourself until another person is assigned here." Wendy stopped before the first room of the first block by the gate. She explained everything that Daniel would need, or find important before nodding to him and taking her leave.


    Daniel sighed deeply before pushing open the door to his room. It was a simple flat, with a wide open living area. There were no plush seats or any other sort of furniture, aside from the low seated table that was placed in the center of the room, and the soft looking mats that surrounded this table. From its size, Daniel guessed it could seat around six people at a time.


    He nodded, and made his way into the building.


    "This isn''t exactly a room. It''s more like a decent house. I''m sure this is probably the size of some of the houses of some common folk." Daniel shook his head with a smile on his face. "As expected of the prestigious Nine Peaks Sect. They sure do take care of their students."


    Although the Nine Peaks Sect was one of the most renowned sword schools in the Southern Continent, known for its discipline and intense training regime, the school spared no expense at taking care of its students. After all, how would you expect the next great Swordsman to sleep on a pile of rocks? This was the modern age, where every art was refined, not some backwards era!


    Daniel made his way past the living area. The space further expanded into a kitchen, before splitting off into two paths. Each path led to a room, he found out. One of the room was seemingly occupied, with clothes folded in the closet, and a few shoes under the bed.


    "I guess I have to share." He shrugged before walking back down the hall, through the kitchen, and into the other room. This one was empty, with a plain bed, and empty closet. Daniel gently set down his travelling bag that was slung over his shoulder, before collapsing into the bed.


    "Ah! I can finally get some rest!"

 Chapter 120 - 120

    "Who the heck is in here?!" A loud voice jarred Daniel awake from the short nap he had decided to take. His earlier bout had tired him out, and so, he decided to use the opportunity to rest. Earlier, he had spread out his belongings, covering the bare mattress with a thin sheet, and arranging his other belongings in his closet. Now, his room looked much more lived in.


    He quickly sat up, getting into a defensive pose. The long and arduous journey through the dangerous forests had left him more than a little tense, as he prepared himself to be attacked by a wild beast. He subconsciously reached for his blade that was supposed to be strapped to his back, grasping at empty air, before coming to realize where he was. He was in his room in the Nine Peaks Sect.


    He heard the sounds of footsteps quickly making their way inside, stopping for a moment, before turning in the direction of his own room.


    ''I guess my roommate is back.'' Daniel nodded to himself as he stood up, just in the same moment that the door to his room burst open. There, a dark haired young man, most likely in his early twenties, stared down at him, his dark eyes, almost black, intense. He had short, spiky black hair that stuck to his forehead with sweat. His physique was one of a true athlete, as muscles upon muscles built upon each other, forming a lean, but powerful build.


    He could only be described using a single accurate phrase: Chick Magnet.


    Daniel resisted the urge to choke on his saliva. While he was quite handsome, by societal standards, this roommate of his definitely broke the rules!


    ''Did Wendy set me up or something?'' He narrowed his eyes slightly, before snapping his attention back to the present, and to the glaring man that was standing before him. He donned his signature smile before extending his hand for a hand shake.


    "Hi, I''m Daniel, your new roommate." He smiled graciously. His smile had melted the hearts of even the coldest women, he was sure it would at least calm his roommate that seemed to be glaring, not just daggers, but instead, steel spears at him!


    "Oh, I see." The young man''s glare seemed to lessen ever so slightly. He sighed and slung the white towel that was in his right hand over his shoulder before taking Daniel''s outstretched hand. "My name is Han. Pleasure to meet you, I guess." He rolled his eyes slightly in annoyance. Daniel didn''t know whether to be offended by it or not.


    "You guess?" He quirked up a brow instead.


    "It was only a matter of time before I got paired with someone. I guess it is kind of okay that my roommate is such a decent person." He sighed before turning and walking out of the room, with Daniel right behind. The attitude of this Han was quite intriguing. Just a few moments ago, he seemed ready to rip Daniel''s head right off, but now, he seemed to have turned into a deflated balloon.


    "So, what class are you?" Daniel asked when Han stopped in the kitchen to fetch himself a cup of water.


    In sword schools, instead of ''years'', students were separated using the terms of ''classes''. These classes were split depending on the skill and rank of the student in question. There were only three separate ranks of classes. First, Second, and Third Class.


    Third Class students were usually the normal bunch, who showed no signs of becoming anything extraordinary at their level of strength. These students made up roughly 85% of the student body of the Nine Peaks Sect. Although there was very little chance that they would able to transcend their mortal limits, the Nine Peaks Sect retained them, as it would have been foolish to do otherwise. If there was a sudden war between sword schools, or nations, it would be these students who would take on the roles of the vanguard, their powerful, elite training coming to good use there.


    Second Class students on the other hand were those students who showed the potential, or had already transcended their limits, and had left the mass of regular swordsmen and swordswomen, in order to become something more. These students were usually Pseudo-Sword Initiates, or those who had shown a special quality that warranted a greater investment in their growth. These students took up another 13% of the student body.


    First Class students were the top of the barrel, the cream of the crop, the best of the best. These students were the Sword Initiates that had been nurtured by the Nine Peaks Sect. They ranged from the First Stage Initiates who had gained Insight, all the way to the Third Stage Initiates who had gained Comprehension of a Sword Style. These students were at the top, just below the Swordmasters who headed the school.


    To become a Sword Initiate, a swordsman needed to grasp onto the essence of a Sword Style. The stages of coming to adapt and become one with that Sword Style could be divided into three stages.


    The First Stage of Insight. In this stage, the swordsman in question would have just grasped onto the essence of a Sword Style, literally gaining insight into the workings of the Sword Style in question. The difficulty for one gaining Insight was set by how complex and difficult to adapt the Sword Style was.


    The Second Stage of Understanding. This stage was the threshold that indicated whether a Sword Initiate would progress any further in that Sword Style. Without gaining a basic understanding of a Sword Style, a swordsman would remain unable to progress his way of the sword forever.


    The Third Stage of Comprehension. This final and most crucial stage was when a Sword Initiate had truly grasped and understood the essence of a Sword Style. Upon reaching this stage, it would only be a matter of time before the Sword Initiate in question would break through to the level of a Swordmaster!


    Han turned back to face Daniel, a barely noticeable glint in his eyes as he eyed Daniel.


    "I am a Second Class student."

 Chapter 121 - 121

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 122 - 122

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 123 - 123

    An hour later, a rhythmic knock sounded against the front door, and Bella eagerly went to open the door, revealing Brendan, who had a wide smile on his face.


    "Are you two done chatting?" He asked as he gave his demi-human lover a peck on the cheek.


    "Not nearly." Bella giggled as she embraced the prince. Lena just watched the two with a soft smile, truly happy for her brother having found someone good in his life, and also happy that she did not have to break ties with him.


    She also wondered if she would ever find someone like that to take care of her. The stories that Bella had shared with her over the hour had truly warmed her heart. Her older brother had quite literally swooped into Bella''s life, and swept her off her feet, saving her from a future of pain and torment.


    Bella had told her that although she had been quite hostile to Brendan, he had never reacted with violence, and always made sure to treat her with care and kindness. Even now, he had yet to even raise his voice at her.


    Brendan had taken care of her for several months, until he had expressed his feelings for her, telling her that he had basically fallen in love at first sight. It had taken a long time until the two had been able to properly express their feelings, and they had only been a couple for around a year at this point in time. To Bella, it was something out of a fairy tale.


    "Oh, how terrible of me!" Bella suddenly gasped, startling Lena out of her fantasies.


    "What''s wrong?" Brendan asked with concern written all over his face.


    "I''m a terrible host! I didn''t even think of getting you two anything to eat!" Bella exclaimed and rushed straight to the kitchen to see what she could make quickly to feed her lover and his sister.


    "Oh, no. It''s fine, Bella." Brendan tried to calm the white furred demi-human that was running around the kitchen like a headless chicken.


    "It''s not fine! You have to eat something!" Bella refuted with an annoyed stare directed at Brendan. "How can I let Lena leave here without eating anything? How else can she know whether I''ve been feeding you well?!" Brendan''s brows shot up upon realizing that his sister and lover had gotten to a first name basis, but he was even more happy that she was trying to prove herself to his family. It meant a lot to him.


    Lena peeked into the kitchen, where a pleasant aroma had begun to emanate from, with a curious face. She had overheard the last bit of Bella''s sentence, so she was truly curious, wanting to know how the Werecat''s cooking tasted like.


    She watched as Bella pulled out various ingredients and utensils from different drawers, as she stirred whatever impromptu meal she was making, and as she chatted with Brendan in a casual manner that hinted at the fact that they often conversed in such a manner. Her curious smile turned into a soft and warm one as she thought of how much the couple cared for each other.


    The cooking continued for a while more before Bella started dishing the food into three plates, for Lena, Brendan, and herself. She served them up in the small dining room that was merged with the living room.


    "Mm! This is great!" Lena couldn''t help but exclaim as soon as she tasted a spoonful of the porridge that Bella had miraculously made in such a short time span. "How dare you deprive me of such wonderful cooking?!" She glared at her older brother as she spoke around a mouthful of food.


    The trio continued to talk and joke for a while more until it became quite late.


    "It''s already past midnight. I think we should return." Brendan said as he took Bella into his arms and gave her a light peck.


    "Mm, I''ll miss you, Bren." Bella hugged Brendan and laid her head on his chest. "Come back tomorrow, okay? And with Lena if possible." She added.


    "Don''t worry. I''m sure I will be coming over here much more than you think." Lena chuckled lightly as she made her way over to hug Bella goodbye. "Take care of yourself, Bella. I would like to see a ring around your finger someday soon."


    "I-I will." Bella stuttered, surprised that Lena said what she did. She never really thought about a ring around her finger before. What she knew was that when Brendan finally claimed her, then they would be together forever.


    The siblings soon left the house after saying their goodbyes to Bella. Of course, Brendan wasted a bit more time as he tried to steal a couple of kisses from her.


    "You should have told me about this earlier, you know." Lena said as the two made their way back across the city to the entryway that they had used to come down here from the Royal Castle. A few guards greeted the two when they ran into them, but otherwise, the streets were completely deserted at this time of night.


    "I was worried that you would not take it too well. After all, she''s a demi-human. I know you care for them, but I was still worried about your reaction to seeing me with Bella." Brendan shrugged.


    "...True... It might have been a bit awkward, but I think it''s better this way. It all happened for a reason, don''t you think?" Lena replied.


    "Indeed. Things do happen for a reason. Look at how well you two get along together." Brendan laughed as the two of the got back to the secret passageway.


    "By the way, you never told me that you were into cute girls like that. I was thinking that I would have a plotter for a sister-in-law." Lena laughed, causing Brendan to roll his eyes.


    "Why would I tell you my preference in women? That sounds so awkward." Brendan grimaced. He could already picture the scene of himself sharing his taste in women with Lena or someone else. He thought that he would rather spend a day running around the castle than do such.


    "Well, you sure did pick the right person. Bella was so cute! I would have eaten her if I could. You better make sure to keep her happy, and I want to see a ring on her finger as soon as possible!" Lena harassed her older brother as the two made their way back to the castle.


    They emerged from a doorway that appeared beside a statue that was close to one of the balconies of the castle. Brendan made sure that no one was out on the balcony and that the hallway was empty before they stepped out of the passage.


    When the two began making their way back to Lena''s room, they suddenly stumbled upon their older brother, Alaric, the Crown Prince.


    "Oh? What are you two doing at such a time? Shouldn''t you be sleeping?" Alaric asked with a smirk on his face.


    "Alaric." Brendan greets his older brother with a calm face, "We were just walking around and discussing some matters."


    "Oh, yes. I remember sensing some tension between you two a few times. Have you settled your differences yet?" The crown prince asks with a short laugh at the end of his sentence.


    "Yes, we have. It''s none of your business anyway." Lena huffed and crossed her arms. Alaric gave her a side glance before scoffing.


    "Brother, what are you doing up by this time?" Brendan stopped Alaric from leaving immediately, curious to know why he himself had been up this late. Normally, Alaric would already be in bed around nine in the night. It was already a couple hours past midnight, and seeing Alaric awake made him feel unsettled.


    "Me? I was simply just leaving the meeting that father was holding with his advisors. As Crown Prince, I have an obligation to be there." Alaric answered and smirked, eyeing Brendan subtly. The two of them were those with leadership qualities, and they both knew this, so Alaric liked to occasionally reminding Brendan of the fact that he was better than him.


    "What would father be discussing this late at night that can''t be left to rest until tomorrow?" Brendan frowned.


    "Well, father is eager to put an end to the Zelan pack. It''s only a matter of time until he gets his way. Perhaps a week or so. Let''s wait and see, shall we?" Alaric chuckled, "Well then, I guess I should head to bed. I need my beauty sleep after all." The pompous prince said as he walked past his two younger siblings.


    He walked away, turning down the hall, and leaving his two younger siblings to their unsettled thoughts on how things were going to turn out.


    Unknown to the crown prince, things were going to turn out much much different than he thought in the next week.

 Chapter 124 - 124

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 125 - 125

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 126 - 126

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 127 - 127

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 128 - 128

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 129 - 129

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 130 - 130

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 131 - 131

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 132 - 132

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 133 - 133

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 134 - 134

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 135 - 135

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 136 - 136

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 137 - 137

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 138 - 138

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 139 - 139

    Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 140 - 140

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 141 - 141

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 142 - 142

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 143 - 143

    luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 144 - 144

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 145 - 145

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 146 - 146

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 147 - 147

    luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 148 - 148

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 149 - 149

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 150 - 150

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 151 - 151

    luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 152 - 152

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 153 - 153

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 154 - 154

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 155 - 155

    luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 156 - 156

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt him arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 157 - 157

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 158 - 158

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 159 - 159

    luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 160 - 160

    A quick punch was thrown forward, and Mian felt his arm get grabbed. He felt a strong force pull him forward, and his legs were swiped from underneath him. Acting quickly, he twisted his body, wrapping his legs around Dion''s arm, and letting gravity do the rest.


    Dion stumbled forward, losing his balance, and Mian quickly kicked against his thighs. After pushing his sparring partner''s legs away with great strength, he pulled his left leg over Dion''s neck, and kicked his right knee into Dion''s face.


    He then put his weight on his left side and twisted around Dion''s unbalanced body, sitting on his back, while pulling his head up and restraining his arms. With a broad grin on his face, Mian jumped up and extended an arm to help his friend get to his feet.


    Dion got to his feet with a dazed expression on his face. He was struggling to believe what just happened, and his mind had yet to catch up to the fact that he lost.


    "H-hold on... What just happened...?" Daniel stuttered from his position on the sidelines. He rushed over to the side of the two boys, hovering around them like a bee. Mian just smiled wryly as he focused his attention on healing up Dion''s bleeding nose. Luckily, the nose wasn''t broken, and was just bruised.


    A few seconds later, Mian held back his hands and smiled awkwardly at Dion. He was trying his best to hold back his proud grin. He had finally managed to best Dion after over an entire month of training!


    "Oww..." Dion murmured, "Just so you know, I was holding back. I wasn''t expecting you to burst out with that much power all of a sudden." He chuckled. "Even still, great job! You''ve come a long way since back then when you couldn''t even throw a proper punch." The black furred dominant laughed, prompting the others to laugh as well.


    "Now that''s something." Someone stepped into the room with a whistle. The boys turned to face Mohawk who was looking at them with a smile.


    "Say, Mian, you seem to be very agile. You aren''t as stiff as most people I know." The Wereape commented him as he took a seat on the padded floor with his legs crossed beneath him.


    "Yeah, I would say agility is my forte. I''m not as strong as I''m fast." Mian nodded with a smile. "I guess all those days I would spend hunting out there helped a bit." The nineteen year old laughed.


    "Oh, that''s good. Well, I was just wondering if you would like to get a bit of training from me on how to use these bad boys." Mohawk grinned as he unsheathed the two shortswords that were strapped to his hips.


    "Shortswords?" Mian''s eyes radiated intense interest as he rushed over to Mohawk''s side to examine the sharp, decorated blades. The sheaths of the blades were black, with gold patterns, while the blades themselves were just a deep black that seemed to devour the light that shone on its surface.


    Mian examined the blades for a couple of minutes with great interest, making Mohawk grin with glee. He was very proud of these blades, and was happy to see that someone was deeply enthralled by them as well.


    "What are they made of?" Mian asked and looked back up at the Wereape that was grinning like a mad man before him.


    "It''s made of Adamantine, one of the rarest metals in the world, kid. My old man''s masterpiece. One of the best works he''s made till date." Mohawk happily replied. He was incredibly proud of his father''s work.


    His father was a renowned blacksmith back in the Central Continent. He had crafted many stellar pieces over the years, in the form of armor, weapons, and other trinkets that were valuable.


    "Adamantine? I don''t think I''ve heard of that before." Mian scratched the top of his head.


    "Haha, I''m not surprised. Among all the Gifted I''ve come to know, you''re the most closed off from the rest of the world." Mohawk laughed.


    "You''ve met with other Gifted apart from Sir Delk?" Mian tilted his head like a lost kitten, "What were they like?" He asked.


    "Well, for starters, they were much more different than you. More stuck up, as if they had a twig up their behind. Well, Sir Delk wasn''t too bad, although the vibe he gave off let you know that he was on a whole other level, he never pointed out the fact that we should keep out distance. He took the time to speak to us, and usually started up the conversation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Sir Delk would probably be the nicest lizardman you could come across." Mohawk explained.


    "That can''t be right. I''ve met a lizardman, and he''s really cool." Mian frowned as he thought back to Sekk''rah, the lizardman that he had helped escape from the cells back at the demi-human games arena.


    "Hmm, must be a tame one, then. Most of the lizardmen are rather aggressive or stuck up in nature. They don''t like mixing with others because they believe it ''taints them''." Mohawk scoffed and made air quotes as he recalled the words of a stuck up lizardman that he had met in the past.


    Mian laughed as he listened to the older demi-human. Dion and Daniel had taken their seats at his side, also listening to Mohawk speak. He was talking about things that happened on an entirely different continent, so they were eager to hear more.


    "You were talking about the other Gifted. What are they like?" Daniel reminded the Wereape of the topic that he had just strayed from.


    "Ah, yeah. They other Gifted." Mohawk nodded and sat back. He left his shortswords in Mian''s possession for now. "Where was I? Yeah, I had just finished speaking about Sir Delk... Well, the others are stuck up assholes, in my opinion. I could barely stand being in their presence, even though I met them for just like five minutes. They had that high and mighty vibe going on that just irritated the hell out of me."


    "The Beast taming guy was cool though. His Kingdom had all kinds of beasts and animals guarding it. Even the rare breeds." Mohawk nodded. "The Greater Strength dude was the actual asshole. He gave me a look and called me weak. Ha! Me, weak! What a joke! I could probably trash him totally if we had met before he got his Gift." Mohawk exclaimed.


    "What kinds of demi-humans were they?" Daniel asked with interest, his furry ears twitching in excitement. The fifteen year old could barely contain the grin that nearly split his face in half.


    "The guy with the Beast Taming Gift is a Werewolf, while the guy with the Greater Strength Gift is a Wereape." Mohawk answered with a wry smile.


    "A Wereape? So that means he''s like you." Mian asked, rubbing the three pink lines between his nose and eyes.


    "He is, but he''s a proud bastard. I was surprised that someone with an ego more inflated than my own existed." Mohawk replied with a snort. He was obviously not impressed at all with the bearer of the Greater Strength Gift.


    The three boys thought to themselves for a moment, picturing the other Gift bearers in their minds, before Mian spoke up.


    "What is it like where you come from? How different is it compared to the Northern Continent?" He asked. He was curious as to how vast the gap between the two continents were.


    "Err, let''s see..." Mohawk placed a hand to support his chin as he thought, "Well, on the Central Continent, one thing that''s easy to differentiate is the size of the powers there."


    "Powers?" Mian asked.


    "Yup. For example, the entire explored area on the Northern Continent is roughly the same amount of land that one kingdom has to itself. My kingdom, the Crescent Arc Kingdom, for example, is about the size of the territories of the Henshaw Dynasty, the Zelan pack, Belmun pack, Bolvar Tribe, and Fressia, altogether. It''s just about that large." Mohawk explained.


    The four continued to discuss for a couple hours more, going over different topics, ranging from what Mohawk did for a living, all the way to the different places that he had come across during his travels.


    "Ah, we should get back to our young prodigy''s training. After all, he had to perfect some hand to hand combat before I get to teaching him how to use weapons." Mohawk eventually shifted the topic back to Mian''s training as he retook his weapons.


    "Yeah, you''re right. I can''t wait!" Mian jumped up to his feet, even more enthused to get back to training than before. He hurriedly took Dion''s arm before pulling him back to the training area in the room and got into stance.


    "Prepare yourself, so you won''t have to use the excuse of not expecting it this time!"

 Chapter 161 - 161

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 162

    When all the members of the Bolvar Tribe had woken up and were confirmed to be alright, Ezra led the taskforce to he main area where the tribesmen had built their homes. The sight of the shelter had left them greatly surprised. Truly, the Bolvar Tribe was worthy of being one of the strongest packs in the Northern Continent.


    Although the population of the Bolvar Tribe was not as much as that of the Zelan pack, their development was not forced to a halt because of the influence of the Henshaw Dynasty. This was because of their distance from the dynasty''s borders. The Zelan pack had much more dominant and high ranking members in their ranks as well.


    The town where the people of the Bolvar tribe lived was located underground. An earthen labyrinth that one could easily get lost in, connected it to the surface.


    The faces of the members of the taskforce showed varying levels of shock as they passed through multiple checkpoints before reaching the main gates of the city. The dark, metal gates loomed above them, wedged into the walls in order to close up any space that might expose the city.


    "Whoa... I feel like I''ve been living in poverty all my life." Daniel muttered. It looked as though he was stepping into the capital city of the Henshaw Dynasty. Compared to where he had grown up, the city of the Bolvar Tribe dwarfed them in both development and size.


    "Well, I''ve lived in a cave most of my life." Mian muttered as the gates of the city cracked open.


    "Welcome to Delmore City, the birthplace of the Bolvar Tribe." Ezra welcomed his guests with wide arms as he presented the splendid city to them. The city was mostly empty, because of the earlier events around the bonfire, but a few children ran around, playing and having fun. They were most likely still under control of the Herder Drug, but Mian would see to it that they were handled.


    Ezra assigned some Beastkin to show the members of the taskforce to a place where they could rest, before leading the more important members of the taskforce, mainly Han, Mian, Dion, Daniel, and a couple other demi-humans, to his own residence.


    The sight of the Patriarch''s residence drew another gasp from those following Ezra. It was no mistake for someone to claim that he lived in a palace.


    Stone pillars that were carved with extreme care held up a wide balcony that extended from the front of the palace. A large stone statue of a male Beastkin stood just before the front of the main building, and from his outstretched hand, a fountain of water cascaded down to form a pool in the circular pool that had been created for it.


    Ezra led the bewildered group in, and was instantly greeted by a loud screech.


    "Ezzzz!!!" A short, female child ran straight into Ezra. The man chuckled before lifting up the small Beastkin in his arms.


    "Ez is back?" A second childish voice called out before yet another Beastkin walked around the corner. This one was an older boy who looked almost exactly like Ezra. The only thing that stood out were the strands of silver hair that ran between his brown hair.


    "Hey, Caesar." Ezra waved at the small boy who eyed him critically.


    "You smell different." The boy muttered, drawing varying reactions from the people there. The members of the taskforce were shocked, while Ezra simply raised his brow.


    "What do you mean?" Ezra asked.


    ''Hana, what is he talking about?'' Mian also asked his own source of information.


    [I... do not know.] Hana''s answer left Mian momentarily stupefied.]


    ''W-what do you mean by that?''


    [Let me run a quick scan on him...]


    While Mian waited for the scan, the small boy, Caesar, turned around and ran out of the room, heading up the flight of stairs.


    "Oh, please, don''t mind Caesar. He''s been moody for a while now." Ezra brushed aside Caesar''s unusual reaction and led the guests into the living area of the palace. They quickly took their seats while Ezra shooed away the little girl.


    "Sorry, that was my little sister and brother. They can be quite clingy. The Patriarch smiled warmly.


    "Forget about that for a moment, Patriarch Ezra. There is something we must share with you." Han cut Ezra off immediately.


    "Oh? What is it that you hold with such importance?"


    "That boy... I believe there is something more to him. You see..." Han then explained what had happened with his pack, and Daniel''s ability to sniff out those who were under the effects of the drug.


    "What are you trying to say?" Ezra was confused.


    "What I am trying to say is that there is a possibility that your little brother also possesses this rare ability, and because of that, he has avoided being corrupted by the drug. Although this chance is small, it is still possible." Han explained.


    "Fine. If what you say is true, then I am willing to find out." Ezra finally nodded, and then turned to face Mian. "Please, Mian. I will lead the way." He then stood up and led the way to Caesar''s room. There, they found the boy staring out the window of his room.


    .


    .


    When Caesar had seen his brother, the first thing that he had noticed was that the repulsive aura that lingered around him was no longer there.


    For as long as he could remember, Caesar had always been able to see a faint aura that lingered around people. The colors of these auras usually changed depending on the moods of the persons in question, but most of the time, they remained gray in color. But he had always kept this ability of his hidden, afraid of being singled out and treated as a freak. A weirdo.


    However, as far back as a month ago, he had noticed that that the auras of some pack members had begun changing to a more distinct shade of purple, and a certain smell lingered around them. This smell was repulsive, and came about with a very subtle change in the demeanors of those who carried it.


    But Caesar never knew how to open up to his father and tell him what was wrong. That turned out to be a mistake. A very big mistake.


    A couple of weeks later, his father passed away suddenly.


    Caesar was devastated by his father''s sudden passion, and was left confused. That was when it happened. Over half of the entire tribe was covered in that repulsive odor by the next day, and their auras had changed into a dull purple. Not even his direct family was spared.


    Ezra and their little sister, Freya, had also been affected by whatever it was that was over coming the tribe, and their attitudes quickly underwent a shift.


    Not long after that, Caesar had gotten another shock of his life.


    Humans.


    Humans had suddenly appeared in the mansion of the Patriarch, and not only were they intruding, but they were also commanding Ezra, the new Patriarch, and his older brother, as though he was their servant!


    That was when everything clicked in Caesar''s mind. The strange aura and repulsive odor, the shift in attitudes. His father''s sudden death. It was all the fault of the humans.


    After that realization, a burning resentment burrowed itself into Caesar''s heart. Hatred, anger, resentment. At the humans, at his tribesmen, at his brother... At himself. It all continued to build up in this little boy''s heart.


    Days passed. Weeks passed, and more members of the tribe fell victim to this change. Soon enough, it was only Caesar who was left, and he had no choice but to act as though he too had come under the influence of the humans.


    .


    .


    "What do you want?" Caesar asked when the door to his room creaked open. The candle fire that lit up several corners of his room flickered as a cool gust of wind blew in through the open windows.


    "We need to talk, Caesar. Please. I know that you can remember what I can''t; tell me what has been happening since we all changed." Ezra whispered as he crossed the distance between himself and his brother and embraced the child in a hug. Mian and the others respectfully remained outside the room in order to give the two brothers some time to themselves.


    Ezra had left them outside his study - his father''s former study -, and had gone to his brother''s room so that they could get some time to themselves.


    Some time later, Ezra and Caesar exited the younger boy''s room and approached the study. Ezra had his arm around his brother''s shoulders, and Caesar''s eyes were a bit puffy, but everyone ignored that fact so that the boy would not feel insecure.


    When they reached the study, Ezra opened the door to let his guests in while saying, "We have much to discuss."

 Chapter 163

    luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 164

    "It''s best if we leave it for when we are going back." Lux suggested after they had gathered up the bodies of the dead bats. They were just around two dozen in number, and would not pose too much trouble for the four of them to carry back to their camp.


    When asked what he wanted the bats for, Mian''s reply was simple, but still strange nonetheless.


    "Their vocal chords might come in handy. I''m not sure how, but my intuition just tells me something whenever I think about it." Mian told them with a grin on his face. Everyone looked at him strangely, but they had come to accept that Gifted were all strange and quirky in their own respective ways. They had yet to see how the Gifts affected Malim and Dion, as well as the other new Gifted that were back at the pack lands, but Lux had already noted that Kai had been a bit more dreamy headed as of late.


    After setting aside the bat corpses, the group continues onward. They did not run into any more hindrances on their way, and arrived at the end of the tunnel within another ten minutes of walking.


    "Whoa..." Daniel gasped when he laid his eyes on the sight before him. Malim and Mian were also surprised, but Malim managed to hold in his emotions better, while Mian had already expected something a bit similar after finding out that there was an excess concentration of Natural Energy in the environment. As for Lux, he had already seen something similar in the mountain pass, so this instance was not as shocking as then.


    Grand, tall walls surrounded them from all directions, with a few distant tunnels leading out of the wide area they had stumbled upon. It looked similar to the paradise that Lux and his fellow lizardmen had come across in the mountain pass, but this one was more suited to the brown walls and rocks that the canyon featured.


    Trees and lush greenery grew all around the expansive paradise, making the place look like a natural haven where one would never lack sustenance. Birds chirped as they flew through the air of the place.


    Lux narrowed his eyes when he looked upon those birds. He could clearly remember the birds that were in the mountain pass paradise, and he suspected that these birds were similar, in that they were much more dangerous that they seemed.


    "Let''s keep moving." Mian snapped everyone out of their thoughts as he took a step forward. He could already sense multiple strong life forces from the creatures that lurked around in this seemingly peaceful paradise. He wanted to get what they came here for and then continue with their journey before heading back to the Zelan pack to join the war that was going to break out any moment.


    Tap. Tap. Tap.


    The sounds of their footsteps reached their ears even with the constant backdrop of nature. It was an eerie feeling that made them remain tense and on their toes. Letting down their guards was not an option.


    "This way." Mian stopped for a couple of seconds before turning to his left and continuing to lead them. They went around boulders, and through small patches of trees and bushes. Flowers that bore fragrances and bushes that bore fruits that looked like they were from the heavens tickled their eyes and noses as they walked through, but Mian ignored it all. Something within this space was calling out to him, and he knew he had to answer. There was just something about that presence that reached out to him that he could not ignore, and it put him in a trance like state. Not even Hana bothered to wake him up from that state of mind because she knew what was calling out to him was beyond her control.


    Half an hour later, Mian finally sensed that they were close to their goal. He broke into a quick jog, prompting the rest to do the same, lest they get left behind. The chase only lasted a minute, as Mian had reached the area he had sought.


    At the center of this paradise, a stack of giant boulders that were at least as large as a carriage remained untouched by the insects and birds that fluttered around. From the top of the stack of boulders, a continuous stream of glistening crystal like water cascaded down into a pool that seemed to never overflow, yet there was no obvious path for it to flow away.


    This scene was eerily familiar to Mian, although it bore some slight differences. It reminded him of the time that he had gotten his own Gift. The brilliant scenery, the lush surroundings, the vibrant air that was brimming with Natural Energy. It just hinted at the potency of the Gifts that could be found here.


    From the corner of his eyes, Lux noticed movement of some sort. He turned to find a large elk that crept out of the thick bushes that lined that side of the clearing they were in.


    "Everyone, watch out!" The lizardman cried out and placed a hand on Daniel''s shoulder. The young Beastkin was currently the weakest among the group, so he took priority in protecting him from any danger that the others could not protect him from.


    "Hold on! It''s okay." Mian raised his hand to stop them from panicking. He kept his eyes on the large, horned elk that watched the four of them with guarded eyes. The Elk was much larger than any other one that Mian had ever seen, and stood at about two meters tall. It remained the same length as the usual ones, but its height was something strange.


    ''Perhaps the abundance of Natural Energy had caused it to undergo an Evolution of sorts.'' Mian concluded in his mind.


    The Elk slowly walked forward while keeping its beady eyes locked on Mian. It sensed something calming and familiar from within him and wanted to get closer to him to find out what it was.


    "What''s happening?" Malim asked nervously. The Elk''s unnatural size, and its sudden interest towards Mian was something that unnerved him.


    "Don''t worry, it doesn''t mean any harm. I just want to make sure it doesn''t do anything that might startle us." Mian reassured them as he stretched his arm out even further. A few moments passed until the dark nose of the Elk made contact with Mian''s calloused palm. It closed its eyes for a moment before relaxing its tense muscles and allowing Mian to come closer. Mian held its head in his arms and gave the crown of its head a light tap with the tip of his finger. A mote of golden energy flecked between the points of contact before vanishing before anyone else could notice it. The Elk opened its eyes, revealing a swirl of golden light that vanished into the Elk''s beady eyes.


    After making sure that the Elk was calm, Mian turned back to the stack of boulders with a calm look under the incredulous gazes of the rest of his companions.


    Malim stuttered and raised his arm to stop Mian, but he froze, unsure of what to say. What could he even say in this situation? Nothing concerning the Gift bearers had ever been normal, and that was even more so for the Original Six. He could only attribute Mian''s strange behaviors and actions to the strangeness of his Gift.


    ''What will my own Gift do to my personality?'' The red haired man asked himself and looked at his open palm before clenching his fist.


    Mian approached the cascading fountain of crystal clear water with the Elk in tow. He stopped just a couple meters away from the bank where the water stopped and examined the unnatural occurrence. He eyed the boulders that had been piled up on top of each other, as though they had intentionally been stacked there by some greater power.


    Through Mian''s alternate vision where he identified things through the saturation of Natural Energy around and within them, he was able to see the amount of Natural Energy that was present around and within the fountain before him, and the sight left him speechless.


    The fountain glowed with a blinding gold light within his vision, and he almost had to look away to preserve his vision. It was very obvious that the concentration of Natural Energy here was much higher than what had been present around the other Gifts that he had seen in his life. Perhaps the only one that beat this concentration was that of his own Gift.


    Just then, before Mian could finish processing his thoughts on the boulder, the shaking rumble shook the canyon and the earth beneath their feet. The Elk which had once been calm, cried out in alarm as it looked to the sides of the clearing in panic. It turned to face Mian, before crying out again, as though hurrying him up so that they could leave.


    "Dan! Come, quickly!" Mian held out his hand for Daniel to take, which the Beastkin nervously did.

 Chapter 165

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.


    That is it.

 Chapter 166

    What had he done?


    This was the only thought that was able to run through his mind as he watched. Donnelan felt like a fool, he had messed up. He had put the entire mission in a state of jeopardy, and because of that, his party members were currently suffering.


    Coollete currently hung off a stone gargoyle that adorned the sides of the castle ruin. Alaric was nowhere to be found, while Bright was currently lying motionless at Donnelan''s feet. Leonardo was currently in a tussle with the King Class Elemental Dragon, the explosions from their battle rocking the surrounding earth.


    "If only I knew..."


    ...


    By the time the lightning crackling around the array had settled down, they were left with a three meter wide and three meter tall portal that beckoned them into its depths.


    "This is it, let''s go." Donnelan urged.


    "Hold on, are you sure this is safe?" Leonardo stopped the eager scholar.


    "It should be. At least, nothing that the maps have shown indicate any danger when we enter the ruins." The scholar checked the maps he had with him once again, confirming that they indicated nothing of danger.


    "If you say so." Leonardo finally let them down, and they stepped through the portal one by one.


    One moment of slight dizziness later, Donnelan stepped through the white, appearing at the other side of the portal. A muted gray color greeted him. The walls, the floor, the large castle that loomed over him. Wait... A large castle?


    "Haha! I did it!" He fist pumped the air, turning around to look for his party members, only to come out short.


    "Guys...?" He turned around slowly. The portal behind him had vanished, and so had his party members, leaving him alone here. "Leonardo? Coollete? Alaric! Bright?!" His voice kept on rising as he called out the names of his party members. His words were returned with silence. That was until...


    BOOM!


    A quake shook the floor, the force behind it almost throwing Donnelan of his feet. He only barely managed to steady himself before a powerful wave of energy erupted from the other side of the castle. The wave of energy washed over him, and he knew who it was immediately.


    Tendrils of lightning snaked around his limbs, making his hair stand on end. He braced his body before dashing off with the a high speed. With the sheer size of the castle, it would still take him some time to get to the other side and see what was happening.


    A few long minutes later, he arrived at the other side of the castle where sounds of battle continuously echoed. He was shocked by what he saw. Leonardo was in the middle of battle with a dragon that exuded a King Class aura! The body of the dragon was made of some crystal like material, with each part being a different color. Being a scholar who studied everything magic related, Donnelan of course knew what creature this was.


    "It''s a damn Elemental Dragon. A King Class one at that." He gritted his teeth as he saw what was happening. Just then, a flash of light erupted from the corner of Donnelan''s vision, followed by a concentrated streak of flame. With another deafening boom, the Elemental Dragon''s head was forced to the side from the force of the attack. Bright charged up another flame attack in a split second and fired it at the dragon.


    "Haa!" With the sound of Coollete''s voice, a humongous stake of ice slammed against the dragon''s back , forcing it forward, and into Leonardo''s waiting hands.


    Leonardo himself had gone into full battle mode. The fur all over his body had grown to greater lengths and he had a wild look in his eyes. With his bare hands, he caught the dragon''s neck, using his mind blowing strength to lift it up and slam it back down onto the hard ground.


    ROAR!!!


    With a bellowing roar, the dragon used an unknown means to push away everyone who was surrounding it. Not even Leonardo was able to resist its push. He was flung away just like everyone else, slamming into the hardy grey stone wall of the castle.


    The Dragon slowly got back up, its energy level rising at a steady rate until just its force of presence was enough to weigh on Donnelan''s mind.


    "Coollete, Bright, ranged support!" Leonardo yelled as he got back up. "Alaric, send over some of those heals!"


    Donnelan looked around, looking out for the healer. It was then that he noticed a slight shimmer from the corner of his eye. Alaric had cast a cloaking spell on himself to prevent the dragon from sniffing him out. From within his cloak, he sent out a healing ray that wrapped around Leonardo, restoring him to full health.


    Restored and ready to rumble, Leonardo charged at the dragon, his fists slamming into its chest and pushing it back a few steps. It retaliated with its claws, lashing out at Leonardo''s smaller form that was flying all around it. This was where Coollete and Bright came in.


    "Ice Burst!" Coollete pointed out with his hands. As a powerful Lord Class mage, he didn''t need a staff to channel his powers like the weaker mages. A freezing chill stretched from his position, reaching the Elemental Dragon in an instant. The ground beneath its feet, its legs, and its abdomen almost instantly froze over, limiting its movement greatly.


    ROAR!!!


    With another roar, the ice around it shattered, but it was still left with the negative effect of Freeze. It''s legs were a slight blue color, the chill constantly inflicting damage onto it, but even still, the superior body of the Elemental Dragon was combating it effectively. In just mere moments, the blue had receded, revealing its colorful crystal like body once again.


    "Solar Scorch!" With a roar of his own, a beam of concentrated light glared down on a the back of the dragon. In just moments, that patch of scales was already red hot, giving way to the scorching glare, and exposing the dragon''s tender flesh.


    The dragon turned to glare at Bright, its purple eyes full of rage, but was quickly distracted by Leonardo punching it in the side.


    "Over here, you big oaf! I''m the one you''re fighting!" Within the Beastman''s eyes was a flame that was rarely there. It wasn''t everyday you got to fight a King Class beast given how rare they are.


    It was then that the dragon rose its head to the sky and spread its shiny wings, letting out a roar to the heavens. With that ear splitting roar, tendrils of lightning began writhing all over its body, slowly and faintly at first, but in just under ten seconds, the dance of lightning on its body became as fierce as the beast itself.


    "Dammit! Give it some space!" Leonardo barely managed to get out, also rushing to put some space between him and the dragon. Barely a second had passed when an intense pulse of lightning passed over them, expanding at the speed of light before vanishing.


    Donnelan had hastily raised a barrier of lightning in just a nick of time, the lightning passing over him almost harmlessly. His right hand was a scorched mess, but it was something bearable and he was able to put it at the back of his mind, if only slightly.


    Looking around for his party members, he soon came to learn that they weren''t as lucky as him. Coollete hung from a gargoyle statue that was fixed on the castle wall, his body motionless and badly burned, with steam rising off him. Bright had been blown to his feet, in a slightly better shape, but still unconscious. As for their healer, Alaric, Donnelan couldn''t spot him anywhere, but he hoped that their healer would be alright, as without him, they would most likely be in very serious trouble.


    BOOM!!!


    RUMBLE!!!


    Donnelan quickly raised his head back up, spotting the strongest in their party, Leonardo still engaging the dragon in battle. Blood was running down the side of his face, and the hair on his arms and chest had been burnt off. An intense rage could be seen boiling in his eyes as he sent powerful blow after blow to his foe.


    The mighty Elemental Dragon took each blow without backing down. It was also eager for the thirst of battle and blood. Although its scales cracked and splintered as they kept on enduring the punishment dished out by Leonardo''s fists, lightning began to build up around its body once again.


    Donnelan noticed this with a twinge of fear in his heart. He hurriedly carried Bright, careful to watch his injuries, before rushing to get Coollete. When he finally had the both of them, he quickly retreated to the other side of the castle where they wouldn''t be exposed directly to the impacts of the fight between two King Class monstrosities.


    Just then, he heard faint footsteps behind him. He turned around, only to see a stumbling Alaric covered in burn marks and burnt mage robes.

 Chapter 167

    After several hours of tempering his energy and body, Seirron finally emerged from the suspended chamber. Steam rose off his body in waves, a sign of the extreme conditions he put his body under during his training session.


    Deciding to call it a night and hit the hay, Seirron retreated into his home for the night. Because of the grueling training session from earlier, he was out through the entire night. With the coming of the next day, he would have to meet his new elite squad members, as such, he had to be as rested as possible to prevent any unnecessary accidents.


    Time passed swiftly and it was soon morning. Seirron''s body clock was extremely sensitive and as a result, he was up alongside the rising sun.


    As always, he began the day with a short run around his island. After going several laps and making sure he was properly drenched in his own sweat was he finally satisfied.


    Around an hour later, when he was done with his morning preparations, he set out for the evaluation center once again. This time, he would be travelling with Lana to arrive at his squad''s base of operations. Upon reaching there, he parked his vehicle in the underground parking lot before heading above ground.


    Looking around, Seirron admired the familiar scene of flying cars rushing about above as he took in the cityscape. The current island where the evaluation center was located was not a small island but rather a massive piece of floating land that hosted a large number of Razo citizens. The sounds of civilization hung in the air as the distant cheerful chatter of people going about their day could be heard.


    Walking into the massive building at the center of the city, he wasted no time an walked straight up to one of the receptionists that was attending to various people.


    "Good day, how may I help you?" With a charming smile, she multi-tasked as she asked Seirron for his reason for coming to the evaluation center, while also tapping on the holographic screen that was floating in front of her, but also just out of Seirron''s view.


    "Hello, I''m here to see Miss Lana Hale." With a similar smile, he replied curtly. Although he had reached the pinnacle of individual strength, he would always remember to be polite. It wasn''t as though the lady before him was weak in any sense, though. She gave off vibes of a B-class warrior at the least.


    "Alright, let e just see your identification an authority level, and you''ll be good to go. Oh, you''ll also have to fill in this form." She transferred some files over to the high tech wristband that was strapped tightly around his wrist. In this day and age, cellphones had long since become outdated, falling behind and giving way for a more advanced method of communication. Now, everyone carried around a high tech wristband on their person. This wristband acted as a communication tool, an entertainment device, and also a device that constantly monitored the body condition of the wearer.


    After meticulously filling out the form, Seirron passed it back to her with a flick of his wrist, along with his identification and authority level within the Association. The receptionist''s eyes opened wide like saucers as she read through his files. S-class, with an authorization level equivalent to that of a five percent stake holder in the Association. That was basically equivalent to her boss who she hadn''t even met ever since she started working as a receptionist for the Association.


    One had to know that despite the few tens of S-ranks that existed in the Razo race, not all of them were closely knitted with the Association. At most, they accepted missions from the Association, but didn''t get any further involved.


    "Ah- please come with me." She whispered a few words to her colleague beside her and stood up, waving for Seirron to follow her. She led him through a set of double doors at the side of the reception table, taking him deeper into the building. Soon, after walking down several winding corridors, the receptionist stopped before a dark wood door, waving at it.


    "This is miss Lana''s office, also as far as I go. Good luck." She turned around and swiftly walked away, leaving Seirron with a slightly confused expression on his face. He didn''t know why he got the feeling that she was trying to leave a favorable atmosphere between them. Shaking his head, he knocked softly n the door.


    "Come in." The soft voice of Lana drifter over. Seirron pushed open the door and stepped in. His eyes drifted over the brown paint and the various earthly decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls and corners of the office. In this era of technology and efficiency, Lana had kept a unique taste among her peers, opting to make use of less flashy furniture in her office. Seirron''s eyes finally settled over Lana who was sitting behind her desk, flipping through some papers, a pair of reading glasses hung over her nose as she twirled a few strands of hair between her fingers.


    "Seirron, a bit early, don''t you think?" She looked up for a second, waving at the free chairs opposite her with a hand before going back to what she was reading. He took a seat, regarding her silently as he did so. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this and we''ll leave." She spoke and waved her hand slightly. Seirron just nodded and watched quietly as she spent time flipping through various files, stamping and rearranging them.


    Several minutes later, Lana sighed before closing the last file and placing it atop the pile of similar looking files. "I''m done. Let''s go." She pushed her seat back, rising to her feet in a graceful manner. She pushed her blue hair behind her shoulders, smoothing it down. She walked out of the office with Seirron right behind her. He was quite used to Lana''s reserved nature, not wasting time with raising any unnecessary small talk between them.


    She led him to an elevator, one that only led one way- down.


    "Where are we going?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.


    "Oh, to meet your teammates." She didn''t even bother looking at him or explaining further before hitting the button. With that, the doors shut tight before dropping into nothing. The elevator descended rapidly. Seirron could feel an odd feeling inside him as it happened. With a single glance at Lana''s calm expression, he knew that this was most likely a normal thing for her and didn''t worry.


    After a few short moments, the elevator stabilized and opened up. Seirron shot a glance upwards and caught the sight of the stone ceiling above the elevator sealing close. With that, he guessed that this was just most likely an underground base.


    Lana led him forward, through several long winding corridors with bright lamps hung overhead.


    "Where are we?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "Your team''s base." She replied indifferently.


    "Huh?"


    "This has been their base for several decades now, they refused to change it no matter how much the association tries to persuade them. There''s nothing we can do about it, though. They''re our elite squad." She stopped before a large metal door that barred their way and placed her palm against a metal panel. With a brief flash, the door slid open, permitting their entry.


    Beyond that door, an extremely wide base came into view. In the room they were standing in, massive screens lined the walls, showing different sections of the base. From what he could see, there was a gym, residential area, and many more sections.


    "Don''t stare. Shut your mouth and follow me." Lana brushed past him, leading him deeper into the base. Seirron could only do as she said as she led him. They soon arrived at the area that could be classified as a gym. Within it, there was a pair of Razo elite. They were currently playing a simple card game.


    "Zeke, Mane, come over and greet your new squad mate." Lana stepped into the room, while Seirron remained by the door, watching. The two people in the room raised their heads, revealing their youthful appearances. They grumbled a bit, taking a pause in their game to do as she said.


    With a brief introduction, Seirron came to know the names of the two. Zeke, who was in his late twenties, had a headful of black hair, with the edges stained green. With his dark skin, his looks complemented his affinity for the earth, as his powers granted him control over plants and the earth to a certain degree. Meanwhile, Mane was a massive guy, he was in his mid-twenties. With shoulder length blonde hair, he specialized in physical battles, overpowering his opponents through sheer physical power.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him into the battle.

 Chapter 168

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.


    One Two Three.

 Chapter 169

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.


    That is it.


    One.

 Chapter 170

    Alaric collapsed to his knees, complete exhausted and in pain. His body was covered in scorch marks, giving him a grizzly look. The moment he laid eyes on Coollete and Bright, he rushed forward to treat their wounds.


    A warm yellow wave of light washed over all four of them as Alaric used a spell with an area of effect property. The scrunched up faces of Coollete and Bright instantly gained some form of relaxation as their wounds were healed.


    "Thanks, Alaric." Donnelan nodded at the healer who waved the words of gratitude away.


    "It''s my duty as a healer to keep my teammates at full strength and health... Speaking of full health," Alaric peeked from the corner of the castle wall, spying Leonardo engaged in brutal combat with the Elemental Dragon, "I need to heal him up."


    Alaric gathered up another ball of energy that was much more concentrated than what he used to heal the four Lord Class wizards of their team. After confirming that the build up was satisfactory and concentrated enough, he shot it out at the raging Beastman who was on a slight disadvantage in the first.


    Feeling his injuries healing, Leonardo bared his vicious fangs, roaring into the sky before charging at the dragon. The King Class Elemental Dragon let out its own vicious roar and bared its mouth to fire out a concentrated beam of energy at Leonardo.


    At the last moment before contact, Leonardo suddenly vanished out of sight before reappearing behind the dragon. He had used a high level movement technique that was unique to his Beastman tribe to dodge the attack and instantly appear at wherever he wanted to. The only down side of this ability was that it consumed an enormous amount of stamina.


    "World Howl!!!" He opened his mouth as wide as it could go, concentrating an immense amount of mana and condensing it into a beam of pure destruction. If he used this on any random planet, then he was sure that it could wipe out an entire mountain range, and some more.


    The beam slammed into the back of the Elemental Dragon and rapidly expanded into a sphere of destruction that scoured the entire floor around the dragon. Even Leonardo himself was blasted back some meters.


    By the time the sphere of destruction disappeared, the dragon was left bathed in its own blood, its scaled ripped off and exposing soft flesh underneath. He dragon turned, a completely malicious look in its eyes. Right before everyone''s eyes, the wounds of the beast began to close up, its superior body being put to use.


    "Dammit, I gotta do something!" Donnelan mumbled to himself. Inside him, he could feel a faint pull that urged him to enter the castle that loomed over them. The castle''s size was truly stupendous, its spires reaching up high to brush against the rocky ceiling.


    "I have to go inside." Donnelan informed his friends/party members.


    "What?!"


    "Are you stupid?!"


    Both Alaric and Coollete burst out in shock. Bright kept his calm fa?ade, only giving the scholar a once over.


    "He should go." Bright suddenly spoke up. Alaric and Coollete''s heads snapped to him next, a look of betrayal on their faces.


    "He feels a pull, don''t you, Donnelan?" He turned his attention back to the scholar who hastily nodded. "I believe we should let him. Whatever is calling him is the only was he can alleviate this problem. It is worth a shot."


    The healer and the ice mage held their tongues, contemplating their choices.


    "Fine." The both spoke at the same time. "But if you run into danger, we want you back here." Alaric added.


    "Fine" The scholar agreed. He cast them a grateful look before running off to find an entrance to the castle.


    "While he is doing that, let us assist Leonardo in battle. That muscle head will probably soon throw himself into that dragon''s maws. The three mages fanned out before charging up their various attacks. Alaric stood by, ready to throw around his own healing spells to preserve his teammates'' injuries.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    As Donnelan made his way through the ground floor of the castle, he felt and heard the powerful shockwaves of numerous powerful beings going all out. He was truly shocked by the powerful attacks of the Elemental Dragon. All his party members had nearly lost their lives from just one attack. At least Alaric was still on his feet, or else things would have gotten more dangerous.


    Rushing up the stairs using his superior speed that was powered by Lightning Magic, he made quick time, climbing through the castle at breakneck speed. All through out his travel, the only thing he was was stone statues depicting various figures and beasts. In the middle of movement, he suddenlyy stopped, his mind captured by the statue of a surprising beast.


    The Elemental Dragon he had seen battling Leonardo and the other members of his party was presently in he castle, but in the form of a stone sculpture. Even its statue radiated a form of pressure that threatened to overwhelm hi. Just how powerful was this thing supposed to be?


    Letting out another curse, he turned and continued to run up ahead, to their higher floors. The higher he went though, the more an unknown pressure pressed down on his mind. He cursed again, pushing against it.


    "I can''t fail. They are all counting on me!" Although his speed was still getting reduced because of the pressure, he refused to give up until he finally reached the top floor.


    Warily, he looked around, casting his senses to confirm any danger. After half a minute, he finally withdrew his senses somewhat, still cautious.


    In the middle of the room was a raised stone pedestal, similar to that of the array that they had encountered outside the ruin. Ancient scriptures were intricately carved into the body of the pedestal, swirling up until it reached the top.


    Donnelan''s eyes traced every single indentation on the pedestal, following it up until he laid eyes upon the true prize. A glimmering white crown with gold flourishes that was coated in intricate runes sat above the pedestal. No, it did not seat upon the pedestal, instead, it floated above the pedestal, its sheer force of presence forcing Donnelan to his knees as he gazed upon it.


    BOOM!


    A dull explosion shook him out of his trance.


    "What am I doing? They''re risking their lives and I''m here gazing upon a crown..." He shook his head and forced himself up to his feet. With shaky steps, he moved forward, the intense pressure increasing with each step.


    Donnelan could hardly believe it. Just the pressure from the crown was enough to nearly render him useless and empty minded.


    An agonizing minute later, he was finally at the foot of the pedestal, but he couldn''t move a step further. His legs weighed a ton, and he felt as though an entire mountain was resting on his shoulders. The only thing that kept him going was the occasional dull sounds of explosions from the battle outside the castle. He had no idea how his party members were faring, but he knew that from the display of strength the Elemental Dragon had shown off at the beginning of the battle, for all he knew, they were on the brink of defeat. He had faith in them, but there was little faith could do in this case.


    Hesitantly, and with great difficulty, he raised his hand, reaching up to the glistening crown. As though there was a barrier between the crown and the rest of the world, a field of repulsion popped into existence just a few inches between Donnelan''s outstretched hand and the crown.


    He pushed and pushed, but it didn''t give way. That was when an idea popped into his mind.


    ''If this is the Lightning Crown, then that means I should use lightning magic...'' As the thought passed through his mind, he let out a little pit of lightning from his energy reserves. Upon doing so, he immediately realized that the amount of resistance he was facing reduced and he was able to push in his hand a bit further.


    With a grin, Donnelan let out a burst of lightning, painting the room in a bright yellow light. With that burst, his hand finally crossed the remaining distance, snatching the core from its levitated position above the pedestal.


    As soon as he snatched it, however, an immense pressure erupted from the pedestal, enough to shake his soul and leave his mind stunned for half a minute. By the time he regained his wits, he was shocked to realize that he wasn''t in the castle anymore, but instead, he was in a dark, void space where no light existed. He could see himself, but that was just it. The darkness around him expanded into the distance.


    [Finally! One of my descendants has found their way back!] A booming voice erupted from the darkness, followed by a burst of lightning before Donnelan. He shielded his eyes from the light, waiting for it to recede. When it finally did, he let down his arms, and was shocked by the being before him.


    Garbed in a luxurious white robe with gold flourishes and other eye catching decorations, a being made entirely out of lightning floated before Donnelan.

 Chapter 171

    After several hours of tempering his energy and body, Seirron finally emerged from the suspended chamber. Steam rose off his body in waves, a sign of the extreme conditions he put his body under during his training session.


    Deciding to call it a night and hit the hay, Seirron retreated into his home for the night. Because of the grueling training session from earlier, he was out through the entire night. With the coming of the next day, he would have to meet his new elite squad members, as such, he had to be as rested as possible to prevent any unnecessary accidents.


    Time passed swiftly and it was soon morning. Seirron''s body clock was extremely sensitive and as a result, he was up alongside the rising sun.


    As always, he began the day with a short run around his island. After going several laps and making sure he was properly drenched in his own sweat was he finally satisfied.


    Around an hour later, when he was done with his morning preparations, he set out for the evaluation center once again. This time, he would be travelling with Lana to arrive at his squad''s base of operations. Upon reaching there, he parked his vehicle in the underground parking lot before heading above ground.


    Looking around, Seirron admired the familiar scene of flying cars rushing about above as he took in the cityscape. The current island where the evaluation center was located was not a small island but rather a massive piece of floating land that hosted a large number of Razo citizens. The sounds of civilization hung in the air as the distant cheerful chatter of people going about their day could be heard.


    Walking into the massive building at the center of the city, he wasted no time an walked straight up to one of the receptionists that was attending to various people.


    "Good day, how may I help you?" With a charming smile, she multi-tasked as she asked Seirron for his reason for coming to the evaluation center, while also tapping on the holographic screen that was floating in front of her, but also just out of Seirron''s view.


    "Hello, I''m here to see Miss Lana Hale." With a similar smile, he replied curtly. Although he had reached the pinnacle of individual strength, he would always remember to be polite. It wasn''t as though the lady before him was weak in any sense, though. She gave off vibes of a B-class warrior at the least.


    "Alright, let e just see your identification an authority level, and you''ll be good to go. Oh, you''ll also have to fill in this form." She transferred some files over to the high tech wristband that was strapped tightly around his wrist. In this day and age, cellphones had long since become outdated, falling behind and giving way for a more advanced method of communication. Now, everyone carried around a high tech wristband on their person. This wristband acted as a communication tool, an entertainment device, and also a device that constantly monitored the body condition of the wearer.


    After meticulously filling out the form, Seirron passed it back to her with a flick of his wrist, along with his identification and authority level within the Association. The receptionist''s eyes opened wide like saucers as she read through his files. S-class, with an authorization level equivalent to that of a five percent stake holder in the Association. That was basically equivalent to her boss who she hadn''t even met ever since she started working as a receptionist for the Association.


    One had to know that despite the few tens of S-ranks that existed in the Razo race, not all of them were closely knitted with the Association. At most, they accepted missions from the Association, but didn''t get any further involved.


    "Ah- please come with me." She whispered a few words to her colleague beside her and stood up, waving for Seirron to follow her. She led him through a set of double doors at the side of the reception table, taking him deeper into the building. Soon, after walking down several winding corridors, the receptionist stopped before a dark wood door, waving at it.


    "This is miss Lana''s office, also as far as I go. Good luck." She turned around and swiftly walked away, leaving Seirron with a slightly confused expression on his face. He didn''t know why he got the feeling that she was trying to leave a favorable atmosphere between them. Shaking his head, he knocked softly n the door.


    "Come in." The soft voice of Lana drifter over. Seirron pushed open the door and stepped in. His eyes drifted over the brown paint and the various earthly decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls and corners of the office. In this era of technology and efficiency, Lana had kept a unique taste among her peers, opting to make use of less flashy furniture in her office. Seirron''s eyes finally settled over Lana who was sitting behind her desk, flipping through some papers, a pair of reading glasses hung over her nose as she twirled a few strands of hair between her fingers.


    "Seirron, a bit early, don''t you think?" She looked up for a second, waving at the free chairs opposite her with a hand before going back to what she was reading. He took a seat, regarding her silently as he did so. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this and we''ll leave." She spoke and waved her hand slightly. Seirron just nodded and watched quietly as she spent time flipping through various files, stamping and rearranging them.


    Several minutes later, Lana sighed before closing the last file and placing it atop the pile of similar looking files. "I''m done. Let''s go." She pushed her seat back, rising to her feet in a graceful manner. She pushed her blue hair behind her shoulders, smoothing it down. She walked out of the office with Seirron right behind her. He was quite used to Lana''s reserved nature, not wasting time with raising any unnecessary small talk between them.


    She led him to an elevator, one that only led one way- down.


    "Where are we going?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.


    "Oh, to meet your teammates." She didn''t even bother looking at him or explaining further before hitting the button. With that, the doors shut tight before dropping into nothing. The elevator descended rapidly. Seirron could feel an odd feeling inside him as it happened. With a single glance at Lana''s calm expression, he knew that this was most likely a normal thing for her and didn''t worry.


    After a few short moments, the elevator stabilized and opened up. Seirron shot a glance upwards and caught the sight of the stone ceiling above the elevator sealing close. With that, he guessed that this was just most likely an underground base.


    Lana led him forward, through several long winding corridors with bright lamps hung overhead.


    "Where are we?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "Your team''s base." She replied indifferently.


    "Huh?"


    "This has been their base for several decades now, they refused to change it no matter how much the association tries to persuade them. There''s nothing we can do about it, though. They''re our elite squad." She stopped before a large metal door that barred their way and placed her palm against a metal panel. With a brief flash, the door slid open, permitting their entry.


    Beyond that door, an extremely wide base came into view. In the room they were standing in, massive screens lined the walls, showing different sections of the base. From what he could see, there was a gym, residential area, and many more sections.


    "Don''t stare. Shut your mouth and follow me." Lana brushed past him, leading him deeper into the base. Seirron could only do as she said as she led him. They soon arrived at the area that could be classified as a gym. Within it, there was a pair of Razo elite. They were currently playing a simple card game.


    "Zeke, Mane, come over and greet your new squad mate." Lana stepped into the room, while Seirron remained by the door, watching. The two people in the room raised their heads, revealing their youthful appearances. They grumbled a bit, taking a pause in their game to do as she said.


    With a brief introduction, Seirron came to know the names of the two. Zeke, who was in his late twenties, had a headful of black hair, with the edges stained green. With his dark skin, his looks complemented his affinity for the earth, as his powers granted him control over plants and the earth to a certain degree. Meanwhile, Mane was a massive guy, he was in his mid-twenties. With shoulder length blonde hair, he specialized in physical battles, overpowering his opponents through sheer physical power.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him into the battle.

 Chapter 172

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.


    One Two Three.

 Chapter 173

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.


    That is it.


    One.

 Chapter 174

    Alaric collapsed to his knees, complete exhausted and in pain. His body was covered in scorch marks, giving him a grizzly look. The moment he laid eyes on Coollete and Bright, he rushed forward to treat their wounds.


    A warm yellow wave of light washed over all four of them as Alaric used a spell with an area of effect property. The scrunched up faces of Coollete and Bright instantly gained some form of relaxation as their wounds were healed.


    "Thanks, Alaric." Donnelan nodded at the healer who waved the words of gratitude away.


    "It''s my duty as a healer to keep my teammates at full strength and health... Speaking of full health," Alaric peeked from the corner of the castle wall, spying Leonardo engaged in brutal combat with the Elemental Dragon, "I need to heal him up."


    Alaric gathered up another ball of energy that was much more concentrated than what he used to heal the four Lord Class wizards of their team. After confirming that the build up was satisfactory and concentrated enough, he shot it out at the raging Beastman who was on a slight disadvantage in the first.


    Feeling his injuries healing, Leonardo bared his vicious fangs, roaring into the sky before charging at the dragon. The King Class Elemental Dragon let out its own vicious roar and bared its mouth to fire out a concentrated beam of energy at Leonardo.


    At the last moment before contact, Leonardo suddenly vanished out of sight before reappearing behind the dragon. He had used a high level movement technique that was unique to his Beastman tribe to dodge the attack and instantly appear at wherever he wanted to. The only down side of this ability was that it consumed an enormous amount of stamina.


    "World Howl!!!" He opened his mouth as wide as it could go, concentrating an immense amount of mana and condensing it into a beam of pure destruction. If he used this on any random planet, then he was sure that it could wipe out an entire mountain range, and some more.


    The beam slammed into the back of the Elemental Dragon and rapidly expanded into a sphere of destruction that scoured the entire floor around the dragon. Even Leonardo himself was blasted back some meters.


    By the time the sphere of destruction disappeared, the dragon was left bathed in its own blood, its scaled ripped off and exposing soft flesh underneath. He dragon turned, a completely malicious look in its eyes. Right before everyone''s eyes, the wounds of the beast began to close up, its superior body being put to use.


    "Dammit, I gotta do something!" Donnelan mumbled to himself. Inside him, he could feel a faint pull that urged him to enter the castle that loomed over them. The castle''s size was truly stupendous, its spires reaching up high to brush against the rocky ceiling.


    "I have to go inside." Donnelan informed his friends/party members.


    "What?!"


    "Are you stupid?!"


    Both Alaric and Coollete burst out in shock. Bright kept his calm fa?ade, only giving the scholar a once over.


    "He should go." Bright suddenly spoke up. Alaric and Coollete''s heads snapped to him next, a look of betrayal on their faces.


    "He feels a pull, don''t you, Donnelan?" He turned his attention back to the scholar who hastily nodded. "I believe we should let him. Whatever is calling him is the only was he can alleviate this problem. It is worth a shot."


    The healer and the ice mage held their tongues, contemplating their choices.


    "Fine." The both spoke at the same time. "But if you run into danger, we want you back here." Alaric added.


    "Fine" The scholar agreed. He cast them a grateful look before running off to find an entrance to the castle.


    "While he is doing that, let us assist Leonardo in battle. That muscle head will probably soon throw himself into that dragon''s maws. The three mages fanned out before charging up their various attacks. Alaric stood by, ready to throw around his own healing spells to preserve his teammates'' injuries.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    As Donnelan made his way through the ground floor of the castle, he felt and heard the powerful shockwaves of numerous powerful beings going all out. He was truly shocked by the powerful attacks of the Elemental Dragon. All his party members had nearly lost their lives from just one attack. At least Alaric was still on his feet, or else things would have gotten more dangerous.


    Rushing up the stairs using his superior speed that was powered by Lightning Magic, he made quick time, climbing through the castle at breakneck speed. All through out his travel, the only thing he was was stone statues depicting various figures and beasts. In the middle of movement, he suddenlyy stopped, his mind captured by the statue of a surprising beast.


    The Elemental Dragon he had seen battling Leonardo and the other members of his party was presently in he castle, but in the form of a stone sculpture. Even its statue radiated a form of pressure that threatened to overwhelm hi. Just how powerful was this thing supposed to be?


    Letting out another curse, he turned and continued to run up ahead, to their higher floors. The higher he went though, the more an unknown pressure pressed down on his mind. He cursed again, pushing against it.


    "I can''t fail. They are all counting on me!" Although his speed was still getting reduced because of the pressure, he refused to give up until he finally reached the top floor.


    Warily, he looked around, casting his senses to confirm any danger. After half a minute, he finally withdrew his senses somewhat, still cautious.


    In the middle of the room was a raised stone pedestal, similar to that of the array that they had encountered outside the ruin. Ancient scriptures were intricately carved into the body of the pedestal, swirling up until it reached the top.


    Donnelan''s eyes traced every single indentation on the pedestal, following it up until he laid eyes upon the true prize. A glimmering white crown with gold flourishes that was coated in intricate runes sat above the pedestal. No, it did not seat upon the pedestal, instead, it floated above the pedestal, its sheer force of presence forcing Donnelan to his knees as he gazed upon it.


    BOOM!


    A dull explosion shook him out of his trance.


    "What am I doing? They''re risking their lives and I''m here gazing upon a crown..." He shook his head and forced himself up to his feet. With shaky steps, he moved forward, the intense pressure increasing with each step.


    Donnelan could hardly believe it. Just the pressure from the crown was enough to nearly render him useless and empty minded.


    An agonizing minute later, he was finally at the foot of the pedestal, but he couldn''t move a step further. His legs weighed a ton, and he felt as though an entire mountain was resting on his shoulders. The only thing that kept him going was the occasional dull sounds of explosions from the battle outside the castle. He had no idea how his party members were faring, but he knew that from the display of strength the Elemental Dragon had shown off at the beginning of the battle, for all he knew, they were on the brink of defeat. He had faith in them, but there was little faith could do in this case.


    Hesitantly, and with great difficulty, he raised his hand, reaching up to the glistening crown. As though there was a barrier between the crown and the rest of the world, a field of repulsion popped into existence just a few inches between Donnelan''s outstretched hand and the crown.


    He pushed and pushed, but it didn''t give way. That was when an idea popped into his mind.


    ''If this is the Lightning Crown, then that means I should use lightning magic...'' As the thought passed through his mind, he let out a little pit of lightning from his energy reserves. Upon doing so, he immediately realized that the amount of resistance he was facing reduced and he was able to push in his hand a bit further.


    With a grin, Donnelan let out a burst of lightning, painting the room in a bright yellow light. With that burst, his hand finally crossed the remaining distance, snatching the core from its levitated position above the pedestal.


    As soon as he snatched it, however, an immense pressure erupted from the pedestal, enough to shake his soul and leave his mind stunned for half a minute. By the time he regained his wits, he was shocked to realize that he wasn''t in the castle anymore, but instead, he was in a dark, void space where no light existed. He could see himself, but that was just it. The darkness around him expanded into the distance.


    [Finally! One of my descendants has found their way back!] A booming voice erupted from the darkness, followed by a burst of lightning before Donnelan. He shielded his eyes from the light, waiting for it to recede. When it finally did, he let down his arms, and was shocked by the being before him.


    Garbed in a luxurious white robe with gold flourishes and other eye catching decorations, a being made entirely out of lightning floated before Donnelan.

 Chapter 175

    After several hours of tempering his energy and body, Seirron finally emerged from the suspended chamber. Steam rose off his body in waves, a sign of the extreme conditions he put his body under during his training session.


    Deciding to call it a night and hit the hay, Seirron retreated into his home for the night. Because of the grueling training session from earlier, he was out through the entire night. With the coming of the next day, he would have to meet his new elite squad members, as such, he had to be as rested as possible to prevent any unnecessary accidents.


    Time passed swiftly and it was soon morning. Seirron''s body clock was extremely sensitive and as a result, he was up alongside the rising sun.


    As always, he began the day with a short run around his island. After going several laps and making sure he was properly drenched in his own sweat was he finally satisfied.


    Around an hour later, when he was done with his morning preparations, he set out for the evaluation center once again. This time, he would be travelling with Lana to arrive at his squad''s base of operations. Upon reaching there, he parked his vehicle in the underground parking lot before heading above ground.


    Looking around, Seirron admired the familiar scene of flying cars rushing about above as he took in the cityscape. The current island where the evaluation center was located was not a small island but rather a massive piece of floating land that hosted a large number of Razo citizens. The sounds of civilization hung in the air as the distant cheerful chatter of people going about their day could be heard.


    Walking into the massive building at the center of the city, he wasted no time an walked straight up to one of the receptionists that was attending to various people.


    "Good day, how may I help you?" With a charming smile, she multi-tasked as she asked Seirron for his reason for coming to the evaluation center, while also tapping on the holographic screen that was floating in front of her, but also just out of Seirron''s view.


    "Hello, I''m here to see Miss Lana Hale." With a similar smile, he replied curtly. Although he had reached the pinnacle of individual strength, he would always remember to be polite. It wasn''t as though the lady before him was weak in any sense, though. She gave off vibes of a B-class warrior at the least.


    "Alright, let e just see your identification an authority level, and you''ll be good to go. Oh, you''ll also have to fill in this form." She transferred some files over to the high tech wristband that was strapped tightly around his wrist. In this day and age, cellphones had long since become outdated, falling behind and giving way for a more advanced method of communication. Now, everyone carried around a high tech wristband on their person. This wristband acted as a communication tool, an entertainment device, and also a device that constantly monitored the body condition of the wearer.


    After meticulously filling out the form, Seirron passed it back to her with a flick of his wrist, along with his identification and authority level within the Association. The receptionist''s eyes opened wide like saucers as she read through his files. S-class, with an authorization level equivalent to that of a five percent stake holder in the Association. That was basically equivalent to her boss who she hadn''t even met ever since she started working as a receptionist for the Association.


    One had to know that despite the few tens of S-ranks that existed in the Razo race, not all of them were closely knitted with the Association. At most, they accepted missions from the Association, but didn''t get any further involved.


    "Ah- please come with me." She whispered a few words to her colleague beside her and stood up, waving for Seirron to follow her. She led him through a set of double doors at the side of the reception table, taking him deeper into the building. Soon, after walking down several winding corridors, the receptionist stopped before a dark wood door, waving at it.


    "This is miss Lana''s office, also as far as I go. Good luck." She turned around and swiftly walked away, leaving Seirron with a slightly confused expression on his face. He didn''t know why he got the feeling that she was trying to leave a favorable atmosphere between them. Shaking his head, he knocked softly n the door.


    "Come in." The soft voice of Lana drifter over. Seirron pushed open the door and stepped in. His eyes drifted over the brown paint and the various earthly decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls and corners of the office. In this era of technology and efficiency, Lana had kept a unique taste among her peers, opting to make use of less flashy furniture in her office. Seirron''s eyes finally settled over Lana who was sitting behind her desk, flipping through some papers, a pair of reading glasses hung over her nose as she twirled a few strands of hair between her fingers.


    "Seirron, a bit early, don''t you think?" She looked up for a second, waving at the free chairs opposite her with a hand before going back to what she was reading. He took a seat, regarding her silently as he did so. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this and we''ll leave." She spoke and waved her hand slightly. Seirron just nodded and watched quietly as she spent time flipping through various files, stamping and rearranging them.


    Several minutes later, Lana sighed before closing the last file and placing it atop the pile of similar looking files. "I''m done. Let''s go." She pushed her seat back, rising to her feet in a graceful manner. She pushed her blue hair behind her shoulders, smoothing it down. She walked out of the office with Seirron right behind her. He was quite used to Lana''s reserved nature, not wasting time with raising any unnecessary small talk between them.


    She led him to an elevator, one that only led one way- down.


    "Where are we going?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.


    "Oh, to meet your teammates." She didn''t even bother looking at him or explaining further before hitting the button. With that, the doors shut tight before dropping into nothing. The elevator descended rapidly. Seirron could feel an odd feeling inside him as it happened. With a single glance at Lana''s calm expression, he knew that this was most likely a normal thing for her and didn''t worry.


    After a few short moments, the elevator stabilized and opened up. Seirron shot a glance upwards and caught the sight of the stone ceiling above the elevator sealing close. With that, he guessed that this was just most likely an underground base.


    Lana led him forward, through several long winding corridors with bright lamps hung overhead.


    "Where are we?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "Your team''s base." She replied indifferently.


    "Huh?"


    "This has been their base for several decades now, they refused to change it no matter how much the association tries to persuade them. There''s nothing we can do about it, though. They''re our elite squad." She stopped before a large metal door that barred their way and placed her palm against a metal panel. With a brief flash, the door slid open, permitting their entry.


    Beyond that door, an extremely wide base came into view. In the room they were standing in, massive screens lined the walls, showing different sections of the base. From what he could see, there was a gym, residential area, and many more sections.


    "Don''t stare. Shut your mouth and follow me." Lana brushed past him, leading him deeper into the base. Seirron could only do as she said as she led him. They soon arrived at the area that could be classified as a gym. Within it, there was a pair of Razo elite. They were currently playing a simple card game.


    "Zeke, Mane, come over and greet your new squad mate." Lana stepped into the room, while Seirron remained by the door, watching. The two people in the room raised their heads, revealing their youthful appearances. They grumbled a bit, taking a pause in their game to do as she said.


    With a brief introduction, Seirron came to know the names of the two. Zeke, who was in his late twenties, had a headful of black hair, with the edges stained green. With his dark skin, his looks complemented his affinity for the earth, as his powers granted him control over plants and the earth to a certain degree. Meanwhile, Mane was a massive guy, he was in his mid-twenties. With shoulder length blonde hair, he specialized in physical battles, overpowering his opponents through sheer physical power.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him

 Chapter 176

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.


    One Two Three.

 Chapter 177

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 178

    Alaric collapsed to his knees, complete exhausted and in pain. His body was covered in scorch marks, giving him a grizzly look. The moment he laid eyes on Coollete and Bright, he rushed forward to treat their wounds.


    A warm yellow wave of light washed over all four of them as Alaric used a spell with an area of effect property. The scrunched up faces of Coollete and Bright instantly gained some form of relaxation as their wounds were healed.


    "Thanks, Alaric." Donnelan nodded at the healer who waved the words of gratitude away.


    "It''s my duty as a healer to keep my teammates at full strength and health... Speaking of full health," Alaric peeked from the corner of the castle wall, spying Leonardo engaged in brutal combat with the Elemental Dragon, "I need to heal him up."


    Alaric gathered up another ball of energy that was much more concentrated than what he used to heal the four Lord Class wizards of their team. After confirming that the build up was satisfactory and concentrated enough, he shot it out at the raging Beastman who was on a slight disadvantage in the first.


    Feeling his injuries healing, Leonardo bared his vicious fangs, roaring into the sky before charging at the dragon. The King Class Elemental Dragon let out its own vicious roar and bared its mouth to fire out a concentrated beam of energy at Leonardo.


    At the last moment before contact, Leonardo suddenly vanished out of sight before reappearing behind the dragon. He had used a high level movement technique that was unique to his Beastman tribe to dodge the attack and instantly appear at wherever he wanted to. The only down side of this ability was that it consumed an enormous amount of stamina.


    "World Howl!!!" He opened his mouth as wide as it could go, concentrating an immense amount of mana and condensing it into a beam of pure destruction. If he used this on any random planet, then he was sure that it could wipe out an entire mountain range, and some more.


    The beam slammed into the back of the Elemental Dragon and rapidly expanded into a sphere of destruction that scoured the entire floor around the dragon. Even Leonardo himself was blasted back some meters.


    By the time the sphere of destruction disappeared, the dragon was left bathed in its own blood, its scaled ripped off and exposing soft flesh underneath. He dragon turned, a completely malicious look in its eyes. Right before everyone''s eyes, the wounds of the beast began to close up, its superior body being put to use.


    "Dammit, I gotta do something!" Donnelan mumbled to himself. Inside him, he could feel a faint pull that urged him to enter the castle that loomed over them. The castle''s size was truly stupendous, its spires reaching up high to brush against the rocky ceiling.


    "I have to go inside." Donnelan informed his friends/party members.


    "What?!"


    "Are you stupid?!"


    Both Alaric and Coollete burst out in shock. Bright kept his calm fa?ade, only giving the scholar a once over.


    "He should go." Bright suddenly spoke up. Alaric and Coollete''s heads snapped to him next, a look of betrayal on their faces.


    "He feels a pull, don''t you, Donnelan?" He turned his attention back to the scholar who hastily nodded. "I believe we should let him. Whatever is calling him is the only was he can alleviate this problem. It is worth a shot."


    The healer and the ice mage held their tongues, contemplating their choices.


    "Fine." The both spoke at the same time. "But if you run into danger, we want you back here." Alaric added.


    "Fine" The scholar agreed. He cast them a grateful look before running off to find an entrance to the castle.


    "While he is doing that, let us assist Leonardo in battle. That muscle head will probably soon throw himself into that dragon''s maws. The three mages fanned out before charging up their various attacks. Alaric stood by, ready to throw around his own healing spells to preserve his teammates'' injuries.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    As Donnelan made his way through the ground floor of the castle, he felt and heard the powerful shockwaves of numerous powerful beings going all out. He was truly shocked by the powerful attacks of the Elemental Dragon. All his party members had nearly lost their lives from just one attack. At least Alaric was still on his feet, or else things would have gotten more dangerous.


    Rushing up the stairs using his superior speed that was powered by Lightning Magic, he made quick time, climbing through the castle at breakneck speed. All through out his travel, the only thing he was was stone statues depicting various figures and beasts. In the middle of movement, he suddenlyy stopped, his mind captured by the statue of a surprising beast.


    The Elemental Dragon he had seen battling Leonardo and the other members of his party was presently in he castle, but in the form of a stone sculpture. Even its statue radiated a form of pressure that threatened to overwhelm hi. Just how powerful was this thing supposed to be?


    Letting out another curse, he turned and continued to run up ahead, to their higher floors. The higher he went though, the more an unknown pressure pressed down on his mind. He cursed again, pushing against it.


    "I can''t fail. They are all counting on me!" Although his speed was still getting reduced because of the pressure, he refused to give up until he finally reached the top floor.


    Warily, he looked around, casting his senses to confirm any danger. After half a minute, he finally withdrew his senses somewhat, still cautious.


    In the middle of the room was a raised stone pedestal, similar to that of the array that they had encountered outside the ruin. Ancient scriptures were intricately carved into the body of the pedestal, swirling up until it reached the top.


    Donnelan''s eyes traced every single indentation on the pedestal, following it up until he laid eyes upon the true prize. A glimmering white crown with gold flourishes that was coated in intricate runes sat above the pedestal. No, it did not seat upon the pedestal, instead, it floated above the pedestal, its sheer force of presence forcing Donnelan to his knees as he gazed upon it.


    BOOM!


    A dull explosion shook him out of his trance.


    "What am I doing? They''re risking their lives and I''m here gazing upon a crown..." He shook his head and forced himself up to his feet. With shaky steps, he moved forward, the intense pressure increasing with each step.


    Donnelan could hardly believe it. Just the pressure from the crown was enough to nearly render him useless and empty minded.


    An agonizing minute later, he was finally at the foot of the pedestal, but he couldn''t move a step further. His legs weighed a ton, and he felt as though an entire mountain was resting on his shoulders. The only thing that kept him going was the occasional dull sounds of explosions from the battle outside the castle. He had no idea how his party members were faring, but he knew that from the display of strength the Elemental Dragon had shown off at the beginning of the battle, for all he knew, they were on the brink of defeat. He had faith in them, but there was little faith could do in this case.


    Hesitantly, and with great difficulty, he raised his hand, reaching up to the glistening crown. As though there was a barrier between the crown and the rest of the world, a field of repulsion popped into existence just a few inches between Donnelan''s outstretched hand and the crown.


    He pushed and pushed, but it didn''t give way. That was when an idea popped into his mind.


    ''If this is the Lightning Crown, then that means I should use lightning magic...'' As the thought passed through his mind, he let out a little pit of lightning from his energy reserves. Upon doing so, he immediately realized that the amount of resistance he was facing reduced and he was able to push in his hand a bit further.


    With a grin, Donnelan let out a burst of lightning, painting the room in a bright yellow light. With that burst, his hand finally crossed the remaining distance, snatching the core from its levitated position above the pedestal.


    As soon as he snatched it, however, an immense pressure erupted from the pedestal, enough to shake his soul and leave his mind stunned for half a minute. By the time he regained his wits, he was shocked to realize that he wasn''t in the castle anymore, but instead, he was in a dark, void space where no light existed. He could see himself, but that was just it. The darkness around him expanded into the distance.


    [Finally! One of my descendants has found their way back!] A booming voice erupted from the darkness, followed by a burst of lightning before Donnelan. He shielded his eyes from the light, waiting for it to recede. When it finally did, he let down his arms, and was shocked by the being before him.


    Garbed in a luxurious white robe with gold flourishes and other eye catching decorations, a being made entirely out of lightning floated before Donnelan.

 Chapter 179

    After several hours of tempering his energy and body, Seirron finally emerged from the suspended chamber. Steam rose off his body in waves, a sign of the extreme conditions he put his body under during his training session.


    Deciding to call it a night and hit the hay, Seirron retreated into his home for the night. Because of the grueling training session from earlier, he was out through the entire night. With the coming of the next day, he would have to meet his new elite squad members, as such, he had to be as rested as possible to prevent any unnecessary accidents.


    Time passed swiftly and it was soon morning. Seirron''s body clock was extremely sensitive and as a result, he was up alongside the rising sun.


    As always, he began the day with a short run around his island. After going several laps and making sure he was properly drenched in his own sweat was he finally satisfied.


    Around an hour later, when he was done with his morning preparations, he set out for the evaluation center once again. This time, he would be travelling with Lana to arrive at his squad''s base of operations. Upon reaching there, he parked his vehicle in the underground parking lot before heading above ground.


    Looking around, Seirron admired the familiar scene of flying cars rushing about above as he took in the cityscape. The current island where the evaluation center was located was not a small island but rather a massive piece of floating land that hosted a large number of Razo citizens. The sounds of civilization hung in the air as the distant cheerful chatter of people going about their day could be heard.


    Walking into the massive building at the center of the city, he wasted no time an walked straight up to one of the receptionists that was attending to various people.


    "Good day, how may I help you?" With a charming smile, she multi-tasked as she asked Seirron for his reason for coming to the evaluation center, while also tapping on the holographic screen that was floating in front of her, but also just out of Seirron''s view.


    "Hello, I''m here to see Miss Lana Hale." With a similar smile, he replied curtly. Although he had reached the pinnacle of individual strength, he would always remember to be polite. It wasn''t as though the lady before him was weak in any sense, though. She gave off vibes of a B-class warrior at the least.


    "Alright, let e just see your identification an authority level, and you''ll be good to go. Oh, you''ll also have to fill in this form." She transferred some files over to the high tech wristband that was strapped tightly around his wrist. In this day and age, cellphones had long since become outdated, falling behind and giving way for a more advanced method of communication. Now, everyone carried around a high tech wristband on their person. This wristband acted as a communication tool, an entertainment device, and also a device that constantly monitored the body condition of the wearer.


    After meticulously filling out the form, Seirron passed it back to her with a flick of his wrist, along with his identification and authority level within the Association. The receptionist''s eyes opened wide like saucers as she read through his files. S-class, with an authorization level equivalent to that of a five percent stake holder in the Association. That was basically equivalent to her boss who she hadn''t even met ever since she started working as a receptionist for the Association.


    One had to know that despite the few tens of S-ranks that existed in the Razo race, not all of them were closely knitted with the Association. At most, they accepted missions from the Association, but didn''t get any further involved.


    "Ah- please come with me." She whispered a few words to her colleague beside her and stood up, waving for Seirron to follow her. She led him through a set of double doors at the side of the reception table, taking him deeper into the building. Soon, after walking down several winding corridors, the receptionist stopped before a dark wood door, waving at it.


    "This is miss Lana''s office, also as far as I go. Good luck." She turned around and swiftly walked away, leaving Seirron with a slightly confused expression on his face. He didn''t know why he got the feeling that she was trying to leave a favorable atmosphere between them. Shaking his head, he knocked softly n the door.


    "Come in." The soft voice of Lana drifter over. Seirron pushed open the door and stepped in. His eyes drifted over the brown paint and the various earthly decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls and corners of the office. In this era of technology and efficiency, Lana had kept a unique taste among her peers, opting to make use of less flashy furniture in her office. Seirron''s eyes finally settled over Lana who was sitting behind her desk, flipping through some papers, a pair of reading glasses hung over her nose as she twirled a few strands of hair between her fingers.


    "Seirron, a bit early, don''t you think?" She looked up for a second, waving at the free chairs opposite her with a hand before going back to what she was reading. He took a seat, regarding her silently as he did so. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this and we''ll leave." She spoke and waved her hand slightly. Seirron just nodded and watched quietly as she spent time flipping through various files, stamping and rearranging them.


    Several minutes later, Lana sighed before closing the last file and placing it atop the pile of similar looking files. "I''m done. Let''s go." She pushed her seat back, rising to her feet in a graceful manner. She pushed her blue hair behind her shoulders, smoothing it down. She walked out of the office with Seirron right behind her. He was quite used to Lana''s reserved nature, not wasting time with raising any unnecessary small talk between them.


    She led him to an elevator, one that only led one way- down.


    "Where are we going?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.


    "Oh, to meet your teammates." She didn''t even bother looking at him or explaining further before hitting the button. With that, the doors shut tight before dropping into nothing. The elevator descended rapidly. Seirron could feel an odd feeling inside him as it happened. With a single glance at Lana''s calm expression, he knew that this was most likely a normal thing for her and didn''t worry.


    After a few short moments, the elevator stabilized and opened up. Seirron shot a glance upwards and caught the sight of the stone ceiling above the elevator sealing close. With that, he guessed that this was just most likely an underground base.


    Lana led him forward, through several long winding corridors with bright lamps hung overhead.


    "Where are we?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "Your team''s base." She replied indifferently.


    "Huh?"


    "This has been their base for several decades now, they refused to change it no matter how much the association tries to persuade them. There''s nothing we can do about it, though. They''re our elite squad." She stopped before a large metal door that barred their way and placed her palm against a metal panel. With a brief flash, the door slid open, permitting their entry.


    Beyond that door, an extremely wide base came into view. In the room they were standing in, massive screens lined the walls, showing different sections of the base. From what he could see, there was a gym, residential area, and many more sections.


    "Don''t stare. Shut your mouth and follow me." Lana brushed past him, leading him deeper into the base. Seirron could only do as she said as she led him. They soon arrived at the area that could be classified as a gym. Within it, there was a pair of Razo elite. They were currently playing a simple card game.


    "Zeke, Mane, come over and greet your new squad mate." Lana stepped into the room, while Seirron remained by the door, watching. The two people in the room raised their heads, revealing their youthful appearances. They grumbled a bit, taking a pause in their game to do as she said.


    With a brief introduction, Seirron came to know the names of the two. Zeke, who was in his late twenties, had a headful of black hair, with the edges stained green. With his dark skin, his looks complemented his affinity for the earth, as his powers granted him control over plants and the earth to a certain degree. Meanwhile, Mane was a massive guy, he was in his mid-twenties. With shoulder length blonde hair, he specialized in physical battles, overpowering his opponents through sheer physical power.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him

 Chapter 180

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 181

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 182

    Alaric collapsed to his knees, complete exhausted and in pain. His body was covered in scorch marks, giving him a grizzly look. The moment he laid eyes on Coollete and Bright, he rushed forward to treat their wounds.


    A warm yellow wave of light washed over all four of them as Alaric used a spell with an area of effect property. The scrunched up faces of Coollete and Bright instantly gained some form of relaxation as their wounds were healed.


    "Thanks, Alaric." Donnelan nodded at the healer who waved the words of gratitude away.


    "It''s my duty as a healer to keep my teammates at full strength and health... Speaking of full health," Alaric peeked from the corner of the castle wall, spying Leonardo engaged in brutal combat with the Elemental Dragon, "I need to heal him up."


    Alaric gathered up another ball of energy that was much more concentrated than what he used to heal the four Lord Class wizards of their team. After confirming that the build up was satisfactory and concentrated enough, he shot it out at the raging Beastman who was on a slight disadvantage in the first.


    Feeling his injuries healing, Leonardo bared his vicious fangs, roaring into the sky before charging at the dragon. The King Class Elemental Dragon let out its own vicious roar and bared its mouth to fire out a concentrated beam of energy at Leonardo.


    At the last moment before contact, Leonardo suddenly vanished out of sight before reappearing behind the dragon. He had used a high level movement technique that was unique to his Beastman tribe to dodge the attack and instantly appear at wherever he wanted to. The only down side of this ability was that it consumed an enormous amount of stamina.


    "World Howl!!!" He opened his mouth as wide as it could go, concentrating an immense amount of mana and condensing it into a beam of pure destruction. If he used this on any random planet, then he was sure that it could wipe out an entire mountain range, and some more.


    The beam slammed into the back of the Elemental Dragon and rapidly expanded into a sphere of destruction that scoured the entire floor around the dragon. Even Leonardo himself was blasted back some meters.


    By the time the sphere of destruction disappeared, the dragon was left bathed in its own blood, its scaled ripped off and exposing soft flesh underneath. He dragon turned, a completely malicious look in its eyes. Right before everyone''s eyes, the wounds of the beast began to close up, its superior body being put to use.


    "Dammit, I gotta do something!" Donnelan mumbled to himself. Inside him, he could feel a faint pull that urged him to enter the castle that loomed over them. The castle''s size was truly stupendous, its spires reaching up high to brush against the rocky ceiling.


    "I have to go inside." Donnelan informed his friends/party members.


    "What?!"


    "Are you stupid?!"


    Both Alaric and Coollete burst out in shock. Bright kept his calm fa?ade, only giving the scholar a once over.


    "He should go." Bright suddenly spoke up. Alaric and Coollete''s heads snapped to him next, a look of betrayal on their faces.


    "He feels a pull, don''t you, Donnelan?" He turned his attention back to the scholar who hastily nodded. "I believe we should let him. Whatever is calling him is the only was he can alleviate this problem. It is worth a shot."


    The healer and the ice mage held their tongues, contemplating their choices.


    "Fine." The both spoke at the same time. "But if you run into danger, we want you back here." Alaric added.


    "Fine" The scholar agreed. He cast them a grateful look before running off to find an entrance to the castle.


    "While he is doing that, let us assist Leonardo in battle. That muscle head will probably soon throw himself into that dragon''s maws. The three mages fanned out before charging up their various attacks. Alaric stood by, ready to throw around his own healing spells to preserve his teammates'' injuries.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    As Donnelan made his way through the ground floor of the castle, he felt and heard the powerful shockwaves of numerous powerful beings going all out. He was truly shocked by the powerful attacks of the Elemental Dragon. All his party members had nearly lost their lives from just one attack. At least Alaric was still on his feet, or else things would have gotten more dangerous.


    Rushing up the stairs using his superior speed that was powered by Lightning Magic, he made quick time, climbing through the castle at breakneck speed. All through out his travel, the only thing he was was stone statues depicting various figures and beasts. In the middle of movement, he suddenlyy stopped, his mind captured by the statue of a surprising beast.


    The Elemental Dragon he had seen battling Leonardo and the other members of his party was presently in he castle, but in the form of a stone sculpture. Even its statue radiated a form of pressure that threatened to overwhelm hi. Just how powerful was this thing supposed to be?


    Letting out another curse, he turned and continued to run up ahead, to their higher floors. The higher he went though, the more an unknown pressure pressed down on his mind. He cursed again, pushing against it.


    "I can''t fail. They are all counting on me!" Although his speed was still getting reduced because of the pressure, he refused to give up until he finally reached the top floor.


    Warily, he looked around, casting his senses to confirm any danger. After half a minute, he finally withdrew his senses somewhat, still cautious.


    In the middle of the room was a raised stone pedestal, similar to that of the array that they had encountered outside the ruin. Ancient scriptures were intricately carved into the body of the pedestal, swirling up until it reached the top.


    Donnelan''s eyes traced every single indentation on the pedestal, following it up until he laid eyes upon the true prize. A glimmering white crown with gold flourishes that was coated in intricate runes sat above the pedestal. No, it did not seat upon the pedestal, instead, it floated above the pedestal, its sheer force of presence forcing Donnelan to his knees as he gazed upon it.


    BOOM!


    A dull explosion shook him out of his trance.


    "What am I doing? They''re risking their lives and I''m here gazing upon a crown..." He shook his head and forced himself up to his feet. With shaky steps, he moved forward, the intense pressure increasing with each step.


    Donnelan could hardly believe it. Just the pressure from the crown was enough to nearly render him useless and empty minded.


    An agonizing minute later, he was finally at the foot of the pedestal, but he couldn''t move a step further. His legs weighed a ton, and he felt as though an entire mountain was resting on his shoulders. The only thing that kept him going was the occasional dull sounds of explosions from the battle outside the castle. He had no idea how his party members were faring, but he knew that from the display of strength the Elemental Dragon had shown off at the beginning of the battle, for all he knew, they were on the brink of defeat. He had faith in them, but there was little faith could do in this case.


    Hesitantly, and with great difficulty, he raised his hand, reaching up to the glistening crown. As though there was a barrier between the crown and the rest of the world, a field of repulsion popped into existence just a few inches between Donnelan''s outstretched hand and the crown.


    He pushed and pushed, but it didn''t give way. That was when an idea popped into his mind.


    ''If this is the Lightning Crown, then that means I should use lightning magic...'' As the thought passed through his mind, he let out a little pit of lightning from his energy reserves. Upon doing so, he immediately realized that the amount of resistance he was facing reduced and he was able to push in his hand a bit further.


    With a grin, Donnelan let out a burst of lightning, painting the room in a bright yellow light. With that burst, his hand finally crossed the remaining distance, snatching the core from its levitated position above the pedestal.


    As soon as he snatched it, however, an immense pressure erupted from the pedestal, enough to shake his soul and leave his mind stunned for half a minute. By the time he regained his wits, he was shocked to realize that he wasn''t in the castle anymore, but instead, he was in a dark, void space where no light existed. He could see himself, but that was just it. The darkness around him expanded into the distance.


    [Finally! One of my descendants has found their way back!] A booming voice erupted from the darkness, followed by a burst of lightning before Donnelan. He shielded his eyes from the light, waiting for it to recede. When it finally did, he let down his arms, and was shocked by the being before him.


    Garbed in a luxurious white robe with gold flourishes and other eye catching decorations, a being made entirely out of lightning floated before Donnelan.

 Chapter 183

    After several hours of tempering his energy and body, Seirron finally emerged from the suspended chamber. Steam rose off his body in waves, a sign of the extreme conditions he put his body under during his training session.


    Deciding to call it a night and hit the hay, Seirron retreated into his home for the night. Because of the grueling training session from earlier, he was out through the entire night. With the coming of the next day, he would have to meet his new elite squad members, as such, he had to be as rested as possible to prevent any unnecessary accidents.


    Time passed swiftly and it was soon morning. Seirron''s body clock was extremely sensitive and as a result, he was up alongside the rising sun.


    As always, he began the day with a short run around his island. After going several laps and making sure he was properly drenched in his own sweat was he finally satisfied.


    Around an hour later, when he was done with his morning preparations, he set out for the evaluation center once again. This time, he would be travelling with Lana to arrive at his squad''s base of operations. Upon reaching there, he parked his vehicle in the underground parking lot before heading above ground.


    Looking around, Seirron admired the familiar scene of flying cars rushing about above as he took in the cityscape. The current island where the evaluation center was located was not a small island but rather a massive piece of floating land that hosted a large number of Razo citizens. The sounds of civilization hung in the air as the distant cheerful chatter of people going about their day could be heard.


    Walking into the massive building at the center of the city, he wasted no time an walked straight up to one of the receptionists that was attending to various people.


    "Good day, how may I help you?" With a charming smile, she multi-tasked as she asked Seirron for his reason for coming to the evaluation center, while also tapping on the holographic screen that was floating in front of her, but also just out of Seirron''s view.


    "Hello, I''m here to see Miss Lana Hale." With a similar smile, he replied curtly. Although he had reached the pinnacle of individual strength, he would always remember to be polite. It wasn''t as though the lady before him was weak in any sense, though. She gave off vibes of a B-class warrior at the least.


    "Alright, let e just see your identification an authority level, and you''ll be good to go. Oh, you''ll also have to fill in this form." She transferred some files over to the high tech wristband that was strapped tightly around his wrist. In this day and age, cellphones had long since become outdated, falling behind and giving way for a more advanced method of communication. Now, everyone carried around a high tech wristband on their person. This wristband acted as a communication tool, an entertainment device, and also a device that constantly monitored the body condition of the wearer.


    After meticulously filling out the form, Seirron passed it back to her with a flick of his wrist, along with his identification and authority level within the Association. The receptionist''s eyes opened wide like saucers as she read through his files. S-class, with an authorization level equivalent to that of a five percent stake holder in the Association. That was basically equivalent to her boss who she hadn''t even met ever since she started working as a receptionist for the Association.


    One had to know that despite the few tens of S-ranks that existed in the Razo race, not all of them were closely knitted with the Association. At most, they accepted missions from the Association, but didn''t get any further involved.


    "Ah- please come with me." She whispered a few words to her colleague beside her and stood up, waving for Seirron to follow her. She led him through a set of double doors at the side of the reception table, taking him deeper into the building. Soon, after walking down several winding corridors, the receptionist stopped before a dark wood door, waving at it.


    "This is miss Lana''s office, also as far as I go. Good luck." She turned around and swiftly walked away, leaving Seirron with a slightly confused expression on his face. He didn''t know why he got the feeling that she was trying to leave a favorable atmosphere between them. Shaking his head, he knocked softly n the door.


    "Come in." The soft voice of Lana drifter over. Seirron pushed open the door and stepped in. His eyes drifted over the brown paint and the various earthly decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls and corners of the office. In this era of technology and efficiency, Lana had kept a unique taste among her peers, opting to make use of less flashy furniture in her office. Seirron''s eyes finally settled over Lana who was sitting behind her desk, flipping through some papers, a pair of reading glasses hung over her nose as she twirled a few strands of hair between her fingers.


    "Seirron, a bit early, don''t you think?" She looked up for a second, waving at the free chairs opposite her with a hand before going back to what she was reading. He took a seat, regarding her silently as he did so. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this and we''ll leave." She spoke and waved her hand slightly. Seirron just nodded and watched quietly as she spent time flipping through various files, stamping and rearranging them.


    Several minutes later, Lana sighed before closing the last file and placing it atop the pile of similar looking files. "I''m done. Let''s go." She pushed her seat back, rising to her feet in a graceful manner. She pushed her blue hair behind her shoulders, smoothing it down. She walked out of the office with Seirron right behind her. He was quite used to Lana''s reserved nature, not wasting time with raising any unnecessary small talk between them.


    She led him to an elevator, one that only led one way- down.


    "Where are we going?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.


    "Oh, to meet your teammates." She didn''t even bother looking at him or explaining further before hitting the button. With that, the doors shut tight before dropping into nothing. The elevator descended rapidly. Seirron could feel an odd feeling inside him as it happened. With a single glance at Lana''s calm expression, he knew that this was most likely a normal thing for her and didn''t worry.


    After a few short moments, the elevator stabilized and opened up. Seirron shot a glance upwards and caught the sight of the stone ceiling above the elevator sealing close. With that, he guessed that this was just most likely an underground base.


    Lana led him forward, through several long winding corridors with bright lamps hung overhead.


    "Where are we?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "Your team''s base." She replied indifferently.


    "Huh?"


    "This has been their base for several decades now, they refused to change it no matter how much the association tries to persuade them. There''s nothing we can do about it, though. They''re our elite squad." She stopped before a large metal door that barred their way and placed her palm against a metal panel. With a brief flash, the door slid open, permitting their entry.


    Beyond that door, an extremely wide base came into view. In the room they were standing in, massive screens lined the walls, showing different sections of the base. From what he could see, there was a gym, residential area, and many more sections.


    "Don''t stare. Shut your mouth and follow me." Lana brushed past him, leading him deeper into the base. Seirron could only do as she said as she led him. They soon arrived at the area that could be classified as a gym. Within it, there was a pair of Razo elite. They were currently playing a simple card game.


    "Zeke, Mane, come over and greet your new squad mate." Lana stepped into the room, while Seirron remained by the door, watching. The two people in the room raised their heads, revealing their youthful appearances. They grumbled a bit, taking a pause in their game to do as she said.


    With a brief introduction, Seirron came to know the names of the two. Zeke, who was in his late twenties, had a headful of black hair, with the edges stained green. With his dark skin, his looks complemented his affinity for the earth, as his powers granted him control over plants and the earth to a certain degree. Meanwhile, Mane was a massive guy, he was in his mid-twenties. With shoulder length blonde hair, he specialized in physical battles, overpowering his opponents through sheer physical power.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him

 Chapter 184

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 185

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.

 Chapter 186

    Alaric collapsed to his knees, complete exhausted and in pain. His body was covered in scorch marks, giving him a grizzly look. The moment he laid eyes on Coollete and Bright, he rushed forward to treat their wounds.


    A warm yellow wave of light washed over all four of them as Alaric used a spell with an area of effect property. The scrunched up faces of Coollete and Bright instantly gained some form of relaxation as their wounds were healed.


    "Thanks, Alaric." Donnelan nodded at the healer who waved the words of gratitude away.


    "It''s my duty as a healer to keep my teammates at full strength and health... Speaking of full health," Alaric peeked from the corner of the castle wall, spying Leonardo engaged in brutal combat with the Elemental Dragon, "I need to heal him up."


    Alaric gathered up another ball of energy that was much more concentrated than what he used to heal the four Lord Class wizards of their team. After confirming that the build up was satisfactory and concentrated enough, he shot it out at the raging Beastman who was on a slight disadvantage in the first.


    Feeling his injuries healing, Leonardo bared his vicious fangs, roaring into the sky before charging at the dragon. The King Class Elemental Dragon let out its own vicious roar and bared its mouth to fire out a concentrated beam of energy at Leonardo.


    At the last moment before contact, Leonardo suddenly vanished out of sight before reappearing behind the dragon. He had used a high level movement technique that was unique to his Beastman tribe to dodge the attack and instantly appear at wherever he wanted to. The only down side of this ability was that it consumed an enormous amount of stamina.


    "World Howl!!!" He opened his mouth as wide as it could go, concentrating an immense amount of mana and condensing it into a beam of pure destruction. If he used this on any random planet, then he was sure that it could wipe out an entire mountain range, and some more.


    The beam slammed into the back of the Elemental Dragon and rapidly expanded into a sphere of destruction that scoured the entire floor around the dragon. Even Leonardo himself was blasted back some meters.


    By the time the sphere of destruction disappeared, the dragon was left bathed in its own blood, its scaled ripped off and exposing soft flesh underneath. He dragon turned, a completely malicious look in its eyes. Right before everyone''s eyes, the wounds of the beast began to close up, its superior body being put to use.


    "Dammit, I gotta do something!" Donnelan mumbled to himself. Inside him, he could feel a faint pull that urged him to enter the castle that loomed over them. The castle''s size was truly stupendous, its spires reaching up high to brush against the rocky ceiling.


    "I have to go inside." Donnelan informed his friends/party members.


    "What?!"


    "Are you stupid?!"


    Both Alaric and Coollete burst out in shock. Bright kept his calm fa?ade, only giving the scholar a once over.


    "He should go." Bright suddenly spoke up. Alaric and Coollete''s heads snapped to him next, a look of betrayal on their faces.


    "He feels a pull, don''t you, Donnelan?" He turned his attention back to the scholar who hastily nodded. "I believe we should let him. Whatever is calling him is the only was he can alleviate this problem. It is worth a shot."


    The healer and the ice mage held their tongues, contemplating their choices.


    "Fine." The both spoke at the same time. "But if you run into danger, we want you back here." Alaric added.


    "Fine" The scholar agreed. He cast them a grateful look before running off to find an entrance to the castle.


    "While he is doing that, let us assist Leonardo in battle. That muscle head will probably soon throw himself into that dragon''s maws. The three mages fanned out before charging up their various attacks. Alaric stood by, ready to throw around his own healing spells to preserve his teammates'' injuries.


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    As Donnelan made his way through the ground floor of the castle, he felt and heard the powerful shockwaves of numerous powerful beings going all out. He was truly shocked by the powerful attacks of the Elemental Dragon. All his party members had nearly lost their lives from just one attack. At least Alaric was still on his feet, or else things would have gotten more dangerous.


    Rushing up the stairs using his superior speed that was powered by Lightning Magic, he made quick time, climbing through the castle at breakneck speed. All through out his travel, the only thing he was was stone statues depicting various figures and beasts. In the middle of movement, he suddenlyy stopped, his mind captured by the statue of a surprising beast.


    The Elemental Dragon he had seen battling Leonardo and the other members of his party was presently in he castle, but in the form of a stone sculpture. Even its statue radiated a form of pressure that threatened to overwhelm hi. Just how powerful was this thing supposed to be?


    Letting out another curse, he turned and continued to run up ahead, to their higher floors. The higher he went though, the more an unknown pressure pressed down on his mind. He cursed again, pushing against it.


    "I can''t fail. They are all counting on me!" Although his speed was still getting reduced because of the pressure, he refused to give up until he finally reached the top floor.


    Warily, he looked around, casting his senses to confirm any danger. After half a minute, he finally withdrew his senses somewhat, still cautious.


    In the middle of the room was a raised stone pedestal, similar to that of the array that they had encountered outside the ruin. Ancient scriptures were intricately carved into the body of the pedestal, swirling up until it reached the top.


    Donnelan''s eyes traced every single indentation on the pedestal, following it up until he laid eyes upon the true prize. A glimmering white crown with gold flourishes that was coated in intricate runes sat above the pedestal. No, it did not seat upon the pedestal, instead, it floated above the pedestal, its sheer force of presence forcing Donnelan to his knees as he gazed upon it.


    BOOM!


    A dull explosion shook him out of his trance.


    "What am I doing? They''re risking their lives and I''m here gazing upon a crown..." He shook his head and forced himself up to his feet. With shaky steps, he moved forward, the intense pressure increasing with each step.


    Donnelan could hardly believe it. Just the pressure from the crown was enough to nearly render him useless and empty minded.


    An agonizing minute later, he was finally at the foot of the pedestal, but he couldn''t move a step further. His legs weighed a ton, and he felt as though an entire mountain was resting on his shoulders. The only thing that kept him going was the occasional dull sounds of explosions from the battle outside the castle. He had no idea how his party members were faring, but he knew that from the display of strength the Elemental Dragon had shown off at the beginning of the battle, for all he knew, they were on the brink of defeat. He had faith in them, but there was little faith could do in this case.


    Hesitantly, and with great difficulty, he raised his hand, reaching up to the glistening crown. As though there was a barrier between the crown and the rest of the world, a field of repulsion popped into existence just a few inches between Donnelan''s outstretched hand and the crown.


    He pushed and pushed, but it didn''t give way. That was when an idea popped into his mind.


    ''If this is the Lightning Crown, then that means I should use lightning magic...'' As the thought passed through his mind, he let out a little pit of lightning from his energy reserves. Upon doing so, he immediately realized that the amount of resistance he was facing reduced and he was able to push in his hand a bit further.


    With a grin, Donnelan let out a burst of lightning, painting the room in a bright yellow light. With that burst, his hand finally crossed the remaining distance, snatching the core from its levitated position above the pedestal.


    As soon as he snatched it, however, an immense pressure erupted from the pedestal, enough to shake his soul and leave his mind stunned for half a minute. By the time he regained his wits, he was shocked to realize that he wasn''t in the castle anymore, but instead, he was in a dark, void space where no light existed. He could see himself, but that was just it. The darkness around him expanded into the distance.


    [Finally! One of my descendants has found their way back!] A booming voice erupted from the darkness, followed by a burst of lightning before Donnelan. He shielded his eyes from the light, waiting for it to recede. When it finally did, he let down his arms, and was shocked by the being before him.


    Garbed in a luxurious white robe with gold flourishes and other eye catching decorations, a being made entirely out of lightning floated before Donnelan.

 Chapter 187

    After several hours of tempering his energy and body, Seirron finally emerged from the suspended chamber. Steam rose off his body in waves, a sign of the extreme conditions he put his body under during his training session.


    Deciding to call it a night and hit the hay, Seirron retreated into his home for the night. Because of the grueling training session from earlier, he was out through the entire night. With the coming of the next day, he would have to meet his new elite squad members, as such, he had to be as rested as possible to prevent any unnecessary accidents.


    Time passed swiftly and it was soon morning. Seirron''s body clock was extremely sensitive and as a result, he was up alongside the rising sun.


    As always, he began the day with a short run around his island. After going several laps and making sure he was properly drenched in his own sweat was he finally satisfied.


    Around an hour later, when he was done with his morning preparations, he set out for the evaluation center once again. This time, he would be travelling with Lana to arrive at his squad''s base of operations. Upon reaching there, he parked his vehicle in the underground parking lot before heading above ground.


    Looking around, Seirron admired the familiar scene of flying cars rushing about above as he took in the cityscape. The current island where the evaluation center was located was not a small island but rather a massive piece of floating land that hosted a large number of Razo citizens. The sounds of civilization hung in the air as the distant cheerful chatter of people going about their day could be heard.


    Walking into the massive building at the center of the city, he wasted no time an walked straight up to one of the receptionists that was attending to various people.


    "Good day, how may I help you?" With a charming smile, she multi-tasked as she asked Seirron for his reason for coming to the evaluation center, while also tapping on the holographic screen that was floating in front of her, but also just out of Seirron''s view.


    "Hello, I''m here to see Miss Lana Hale." With a similar smile, he replied curtly. Although he had reached the pinnacle of individual strength, he would always remember to be polite. It wasn''t as though the lady before him was weak in any sense, though. She gave off vibes of a B-class warrior at the least.


    "Alright, let e just see your identification an authority level, and you''ll be good to go. Oh, you''ll also have to fill in this form." She transferred some files over to the high tech wristband that was strapped tightly around his wrist. In this day and age, cellphones had long since become outdated, falling behind and giving way for a more advanced method of communication. Now, everyone carried around a high tech wristband on their person. This wristband acted as a communication tool, an entertainment device, and also a device that constantly monitored the body condition of the wearer.


    After meticulously filling out the form, Seirron passed it back to her with a flick of his wrist, along with his identification and authority level within the Association. The receptionist''s eyes opened wide like saucers as she read through his files. S-class, with an authorization level equivalent to that of a five percent stake holder in the Association. That was basically equivalent to her boss who she hadn''t even met ever since she started working as a receptionist for the Association.


    One had to know that despite the few tens of S-ranks that existed in the Razo race, not all of them were closely knitted with the Association. At most, they accepted missions from the Association, but didn''t get any further involved.


    "Ah- please come with me." She whispered a few words to her colleague beside her and stood up, waving for Seirron to follow her. She led him through a set of double doors at the side of the reception table, taking him deeper into the building. Soon, after walking down several winding corridors, the receptionist stopped before a dark wood door, waving at it.


    "This is miss Lana''s office, also as far as I go. Good luck." She turned around and swiftly walked away, leaving Seirron with a slightly confused expression on his face. He didn''t know why he got the feeling that she was trying to leave a favorable atmosphere between them. Shaking his head, he knocked softly n the door.


    "Come in." The soft voice of Lana drifter over. Seirron pushed open the door and stepped in. His eyes drifted over the brown paint and the various earthly decorations and ornaments that adorned the walls and corners of the office. In this era of technology and efficiency, Lana had kept a unique taste among her peers, opting to make use of less flashy furniture in her office. Seirron''s eyes finally settled over Lana who was sitting behind her desk, flipping through some papers, a pair of reading glasses hung over her nose as she twirled a few strands of hair between her fingers.


    "Seirron, a bit early, don''t you think?" She looked up for a second, waving at the free chairs opposite her with a hand before going back to what she was reading. He took a seat, regarding her silently as he did so. "Just give me a few minutes to finish this and we''ll leave." She spoke and waved her hand slightly. Seirron just nodded and watched quietly as she spent time flipping through various files, stamping and rearranging them.


    Several minutes later, Lana sighed before closing the last file and placing it atop the pile of similar looking files. "I''m done. Let''s go." She pushed her seat back, rising to her feet in a graceful manner. She pushed her blue hair behind her shoulders, smoothing it down. She walked out of the office with Seirron right behind her. He was quite used to Lana''s reserved nature, not wasting time with raising any unnecessary small talk between them.


    She led him to an elevator, one that only led one way- down.


    "Where are we going?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.


    "Oh, to meet your teammates." She didn''t even bother looking at him or explaining further before hitting the button. With that, the doors shut tight before dropping into nothing. The elevator descended rapidly. Seirron could feel an odd feeling inside him as it happened. With a single glance at Lana''s calm expression, he knew that this was most likely a normal thing for her and didn''t worry.


    After a few short moments, the elevator stabilized and opened up. Seirron shot a glance upwards and caught the sight of the stone ceiling above the elevator sealing close. With that, he guessed that this was just most likely an underground base.


    Lana led him forward, through several long winding corridors with bright lamps hung overhead.


    "Where are we?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    "Your team''s base." She replied indifferently.


    "Huh?"


    "This has been their base for several decades now, they refused to change it no matter how much the association tries to persuade them. There''s nothing we can do about it, though. They''re our elite squad." She stopped before a large metal door that barred their way and placed her palm against a metal panel. With a brief flash, the door slid open, permitting their entry.


    Beyond that door, an extremely wide base came into view. In the room they were standing in, massive screens lined the walls, showing different sections of the base. From what he could see, there was a gym, residential area, and many more sections.


    "Don''t stare. Shut your mouth and follow me." Lana brushed past him, leading him deeper into the base. Seirron could only do as she said as she led him. They soon arrived at the area that could be classified as a gym. Within it, there was a pair of Razo elite. They were currently playing a simple card game.


    "Zeke, Mane, come over and greet your new squad mate." Lana stepped into the room, while Seirron remained by the door, watching. The two people in the room raised their heads, revealing their youthful appearances. They grumbled a bit, taking a pause in their game to do as she said.


    With a brief introduction, Seirron came to know the names of the two. Zeke, who was in his late twenties, had a headful of black hair, with the edges stained green. With his dark skin, his looks complemented his affinity for the earth, as his powers granted him control over plants and the earth to a certain degree. Meanwhile, Mane was a massive guy, he was in his mid-twenties. With shoulder length blonde hair, he specialized in physical battles, overpowering his opponents through sheer physical power.


    Just to be safe, Daven had brought that token with him

 Chapter 188

    "Any luck with casting that spell yet, Charlie boy?" One boy with bright green hair asked with a mocking smile as he bumped into Charles'' back, sending the boy stumbling forward.


    Charles turned back to face the green haired bully with a glare before replying. "Fuck off, Mark." With a scoff, Charles turned back to his books that had fallen to the floor and picked them up before walking away, leaving the bully, Mark, and his clique, standing there, stunned.


    They hadn''t expected Charles to have reacted that way. Sure, he glared back at them, and usually ignored them, but he usually held back from replying to their snide comments.


    "It seems we need to teach little Charles a lesson, don''t you think, boys?" Mark chuckled lowly as he cracked his knuckles, and the boys around him nodded their heads eagerly.


    The students around them who had witnessed what had happened all ignored what was going on. No one was in a mood to stand up for Charles, and those who would have done so were currently absent.


    "Idiot went ahead and spoke back to Mark."


    "He''s done for."


    "Bleh, what is he even doing here? He can barely cast the basic spells."


    Various students had their own thoughts on Charles, the new student who could barely cast three beginner spells before running out of mana, and they did not hesitate to share that opinion with their friends.


    A shrill ring of the bells signaled that their last class for the day would be coming to an end, and everyone rushed to their various classes. The first year students made their way to their various homerooms, while those from other years also went ahead to their own classes.


    Both Charles and Mark were first year students, but the gap between them could not be even wider.


    Charles had a mild, and insignificant affinity for magic that barely reached the E-grade, while Mark had a B-grade talent in magic. That alone created a vast gulf between their social status that Mark took every chance he had to rub it in Charles'' face for fun.


    Upon getting to his homeroom, Class 1C, Charles simply walked all the way to his seat at the back and slumped down at it. Most people just ignored him, but he could feel quite a few stares on the back of his head while he walked to his spot.


    When he was comfortable seated, he leaned back and whispered out a single word.


    "Idiots."


    A few minutes later, the teacher of the class stepped in and eyed the entire class, checking to see if everyone was present. Of course, all the students were present, after all, no one would want to get on their teacher''s bad side, or else he would just give them some extra and annoying work to do over the winter break.


    "I hope you all are ready for the winter break?" The lean man, Edward Pike, smiled at the class and got cheers of approval from the students. "Good. For your winter break, I have a rather normal task for you all. I want each and everyone of you to find yourselves a familiar. I hope you all know what that means?" He quirked a brow at them and a few students immediately raised their arms.


    "Sherlock, how about you?" He picked out a boy that sat at the front of the class. He had few friends, and usually kept to himself, but was a genius, not only in academics, but also in magic. Sherlock had a A-grade, so he was easily able to stand out amongst his peers.


    However, instead of being conceited and rude about it, he chose to keep to himself and remain humble.


    "Familiars are magical beasts that are tame enough to form a contract that binds them to a mage." Sherlock smartly answered.


    "Right, but it''s not only mages that can contract beasts. Even some warriors with that have a greater grasp of mana can contract a familiar." Edward nodded at Sherlock. "Now then, your assignment for the winter break is rather simple. I want you all to find yourselves a familiar. Anything of the D class and above will do." The man said, and then dismissed the class.


    "Have a great winter, students. See you next year." With that, them man sat down behind his desk and began to flip through some papers as the students packed up their things and began leaving the classroom in groups.


    Charles packed up his books into his bag and quickly left the room. He knew that the retribution for standing up to Mark was coming, and he was planning on doing his best to avoid it.


    He quickly left the main building of the Royal Academy, and began making his way home. The ground was covered in a few inches of snow by now, and the skies were cloudy. With a shiver, he pulled the scarf around his neck a bit tighter, and continued on his way.


    Carriages pulled by horses and weak magical beasts made their way past him, but he did not linger to admire the view.


    "Hey, Charlie boy!" The voice that Charles dreaded the most rang out not too far behind him, and Charles broke into a sprint.


    "Wait up, will ya?!" Mark yelled as he too broke into a sprint, with a couple of his goons not too far behind him.


    Although Charles had the initial advantage, the gap between them was soon closed, and Mark wrapped and arm around his shoulder before pulling him into a narrow alley when he was sure that there was nobody around who would witness them bullying Charles.


    "Mark, stop it!" Charles tried to hold his ground and push the bully away, but all that earned him was a solid blow to the belly.


    "Shut up, you stinking low life." He pressed his foot onto the back of Charles'' head, who had leaned down, gripping his belly after that firm blow. "You don''t even deserve to be the dirt underneath my feet."


    "Don, hand me my staff." Mark held out an open hand to one of his followers, who handed him a fine wooden staff with a red gem atop it.


    "How would you like your punishment, Charlie boy? Burnt hair or eyebrows?" Mark tilted his head.


    "Fuck off, asshole." Charles gritted through his teeth and tried to raise his head up.


    "Are you-" Mark started.


    "And what is going on here?" A strained voice rang through the alleyway, interrupting Mark''s sentence, and startling all the boys.


    ''Thank heavens.'' Charles whispered internally. It seemed like the only thing he would get after this encounter was a bruised abdomen.


    "Out of here, you miscreants!" The elderly man spoke, and Mark took off with his goons, running through the alleyway and exiting from the other end of it.


    Charles stayed bent over for a few more seconds, bracing himself against the pain, before sitting up and looking at the man who had helped him get rid of his bullies.


    An elderly man in ragged clothes walked into the alleyway, and bent in front of Charles.


    "Are you okay, kiddo?" The man asked with a concerned frown over his face.


    "Yeah, thanks a lot." Charles gave the man a strained smile.


    "It''s okay. I was bullied a fair bit during my time, and it is something I frown upon." The man smiled at Charles warmly before pulling out a wide parchment of leather and spreading it on the ground so he and Charles could sit. "You can rest here for a bit." The man told Charles, and the boy nodded in appreciation.


    "Thanks."


    A few minutes passed in silence before the man spoke up again.


    "What is your name, boy? I can not keep calling you kid or boy, you know." He smiled.


    "A-ah! Sorry, my name is Charles." Charles said with an embarrassed smile.


    "Charles, a nice name for a modest young man. You can call me Daniel, although you can go with ''gramps'' as a less formal name." The old man, Daniel, smiled warmly at Charles again.


    "Alright... Gramps." Charles nodded. He chose to go with a less formal name, as the man had provided it in the first place.


    "Good. Well then, I hope you have a nice day, young Charles. Before you go, let me give you a gift." The man reached into his pocket and fetched out a mug sized oval egg-like sculpture. "Take is as a gift for the festivities."


    "Oh-oh! I can''t take this!" Charles stammered when he looked at the gift that Daniel had presented him. The egg-like sculpture had elaborate marks, and looked expensive and rather brilliant. It looked like something that a child like him should definitely not be given to hold.


    "Don''t worry about any of that. Also, here, take this." Daniel fished out a small pearl and gave it to Charles.


    "Whoa! Gramps, I can''t take this!" Charles jumped to his feet.. He felt bad taking all this from a man who seemed to be homeless.

 Chapter 189

    Ezra led Han through the stone corridors of the underground labyrinth that was hidden underneath the palace of the Patriarch of the Bolvar Tribe. Han was initially shocked to discover the presence of this place, but eventually accepted it. It was nothing strange for such a place to exist in a hidden area of the territory of a pack or tribe. The Belmun Pack had its own secret space after all.


    Soon, they arrived before a large, black metal door, which Ezra easily pushed open. Behind that door was a massive store of weapons. The vast majority of the weapons consisted of spears too. To the side of the large store room, armors of various kinds were lined up on a rack against the wall.


    "If I didn''t know any better, I would say the Bolvar Tribe was preparing for a war." Han could not help but comment on the weapons.


    "Haha! The Bolvar Tribe was once a warring tribe. We have a rich heritage of warriors." Ezra replied. "The Bolvar Tribe you see now is merely an offshoot of a much larger tribe." He hinted at the true strength of the tribe, but did not say any more. Han raised his eyebrow in surprise, but also opted not to say anything more.


    After nearly a week of planning and plotting had passed, the Bolvar Tribe finally agreed to add thirty high ranking Beastkin and demi-humans to the taskforce that would continue on to free more packs from the control of the Herder Drug.


    Currently, Ezra had proposed to kit out the members of the taskforce with the gear that was resting in the bosoms of the tribe. It would not affect them in any way, but would instead, strengthen the power of the taskforce.


    The Bolvar Tribe was mainly known for their excellent craftsmanship by the packs around them, so Han was more than ready to accept this offer. It was not like the taskforce lacked any equipment, but he would be more than happy to receive the excellent equipment that the Bolvar Tribe could provide.


    Soon, Han was back in the town square that was not too far from the Patriarch''s palace. The entirety of the taskforce was spread out in the plaza, waiting for their new orders. They were already kitted out in the armors and weapons that had been provided by the Bolvar Tribe. Because of the expansive inventory of the tribe, everyone was able to get a set of armor and weapons that fit them either perfectly, or near perfectly.


    Han stepped up to a raised platform and began his short speech. It was nothing too special, as he only wanted to motivate them and boost their morale for the coming days. After he was done with his own speech, Ezra also stepped up and gave his own speech. This time, his speech was more directed towards the members of his tribe that had joined the taskforce. They had suffered a huge loss with the loss of their former Patriarch, so he needed to reassure them that what they were doing was right, and that it was the humans who had brought it upon themselves.


    When they finally finished their speeches, the taskforce officially set off from the city of Delmore, under the gazes of the tribesmen and their young leader.


    .


    .


    A couple of days passed by quickly as the taskforce travelled. They had finally reached the boundary that separated one of the unclaimed lands from that of the next pack that was under the control of the Herder Drug, and had chosen to rest through the night before they continued their journey. They wanted to be fully rested before taking part in any risky endeavors.


    A large river marked the boundary between the claimed and unclaimed lands. This river was known as the Silver River. It was named that way because of the nearby Silver Mines that belonged to the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City was a minor power in the Northern Continent that made their livelihood through trades with neighboring packs and the Henshaw Dynasty.


    Because of their favorable position, and the good ties that they had painstakingly developed with the neighboring packs, the city had been able to gain enough support and protection through its ties, making sure that it would not be attacked by any of its neighbors.


    "Beyond this river is the official territory of the Kraetor City." Han explained in the usual meeting between the higher-ups of the taskforce. It had become something of a ritual for them to meet every evening in order to further refine their plans.


    "The Kraetor City is officially ran by a collective of demi-humans, but is quite lax when it comes to humans. Their society is run much like that of the human society, but instead of a monarchy, they opt to elect a new leader whenever their current one is deemed unfit to continue his rule." Han began to break down the nuances concerning the leadership of the Kraetor City.


    "Dammit. Those Henshaws sure are smart." Someone couldn''t help but comment. "No wonder they went for the Kraetor City. The Kraetor City has enough power and sway to challenge them, so by putting its leaders or the vast majority of its people under their control, they are basically ensuring their rule over the Northern Continent!"


    "Indeed. But considering the strength and size of the city, how do you think we will go about with handling this threat? Surely, we can not jut waltz in there and expect to gain access to their water source." Another person grunted.


    The members of the taskforce were thrown in for a loop. So far, ever since their mission began, this would be their greatest hurdle. If they were able to free the Kraetor City from the hold of the Herder Drug, then they would gain a powerful ally. With the help of the city''s forces, then their small taskforce could very well become an army!


    Just as the men were thinking, the sound of hurried footsteps getting closer to their position called their attention.


    The men turned to face a member of the taskforce that was quickly running in their direction. He held a letter in his hands, and he looked flustered.


    "What is it now?" Han snatched the letter from the young man''s hands, before opening it and reading its contents. A few seconds later, an ugly look came upon his face. "This is... We should have thought of this." He crumpled the letter in his hand and threw it into the fire that burned before him.


    "Han? What did the letter say?" His comrades were surprised at his reaction, and quickly asked for the reason behind it.


    "One of Ezra''s scouts caught up with us and passed this message onto our own scouts. He mentioned in the letter than the bodies of the humans that Dion and my son had killed had been dug up, and then, buried back. The scent of humans were all over the site, although it was a bit dated." He explained the reason for his frustration, and a similarly sour look came upon the faces of the others around him.


    "What does this mean?" One of the men present from the Bolvar Tribe, asked, directing his question to Han.


    "We expected to come against a good deal of resistance when we got to the Kraetor City. Now, we should expect at least double of that, if not more." Han raised his gaze to meet that of everyone there. He was very serious. "The humans would have surely gone out of their way to make things much more difficult than we expect."


    "But we have already prepared for this outcome, to some extent." The men then began to develop their plan, taking in the account of human interference. This development would halt their forward advance for some time, and it irritated them to their extremes, but there was little they could do about it.


    .


    .


    "The defenses of the city wall have been tripled as you asked, Sir Adas." A Werecat with black fur, and a splash of white fur on top of his head, bowed deeply before the human that was currently seated behind a large oak desk. The demi-human''s dark eyes were dull, and lacked the light that they possessed before the human had initially arrived at Kraetor City.


    "Good, good, my dearest pet." The woman behind the desk laughed and gestured for the Werecat to come to her side. The male Werecat did so, and immediately went on his knees upon reaching the side of the desk. The woman''s slender fingers ran through the white fur atop the Werecat''s head in a slow, languid motion.


    "What about the pits? Have they been filled with the spikes I ordered?" She asked in a murmur.


    "Yes."


    "Good." She petted the demi-human once more before abruptly tightening her fingers in his fur and pulling him up to her level.. "Get out of my sight!" She then used her great strength to toss the demi-human over the table and across the room.