Cormelio never has to realize something from these guys. It's them.
It feels like my head was shaken when that fist from the giant guy blew on my nose! The two men locking my arms were thrown into the handcart with me. The rest of the guys murmured praises for the tall man. The two left my side while I'm cringing my nose and lying on the handcart. The man stood with his legs both on my sides and showered me with more punches.
I made sure that my training with Cormelio is useful. My arms cover my head from the intense and heavy punches that shake my head, bump on the wood, and nothing but brute beating. Every hit depicts hostility to avenge an accomplice. And I believe that's acceptable. It's my right to avenge myself then.
The tall man ceased and was startled after having sight of me. His fists are swelling and shuddering, the unfathomable reaction on his face is adorable. Without a glimpse of hesitation, my uppercut attack met his chin. He was pushed backward, rolled, and fell from the handcart upside down.
I felt the punches but it itches, so I wiped my unscathed face. And when I looked at the tall man, he was already knocked down. The scoffers are speechless now. I jumped down the handcart and warned, "Stop messing around. Unless you want to meet your demise earlier than what is fated?" I didn't mean to be terrifying but because of that, they trembled and fled—leaving the giant guy behind.
But not far enough, the countryside civil knights arrested them for troublemaking, reported by a concerned witness. She’s the badass woman who beat the scoffers too with an eggplant! She insisted on taking me to the clinic but I wagged my hands and declined her devotion with sincere kindness.
"But I saw you were beaten! Are you sure you're alright?" she insists. I’m amazed once again. And her scent is as sweet as cake.
"I'm feeling better. And I'm grateful for your assistance. I won't forget it." I pulled the cart and left. The wheels crack and are wobbly every time I pass under a rocky dry road because of running. I can't wait to report to Cormelio what happened! That was—supposed to be a horrible—experience. But in contrast to that, I discovered something exciting!
My wounds regenerated rapidly and made me look unharmed for the present time. My attack was superb, never did I ever expect that as well. Being a beast isn't bad at all. I slammed the door when I made my entrance into the garden and found Cormelio trimming the plants. He squeals at my actions.
"Uncle Cor! I've got some exciting news for you!"
"Make sure it will refund my mini heart attack," he responded as strictly as always.
I made my seat on the fence and recounted the bullying earlier with additional movements of my arms.
"What!? They messed up with you again!?" The veins in his head bulged.
"But look at me! My wounds heal on their own in a blink! And I feel like my strength is amplified tenfold! Some say that I'm gaining height. I'm loving these supernatural changes in me! But wait... I thought this coat would conceal my power?"
"The coat... might not be efficacious enough to conceal your whole strength because of the past slumber. It'll never happen again, so the power remains awakened but partially covered in its fullness. Nevertheless, don't bring yourself into the spotlight for it'll be easier for them to hunt you down."
"Let it be done! I'd like to discover everything about my power. And that will not be possible if I refrain from the process." I poke his waist. "You must be worrying, aren't you?"
He looked at me with such worn eyes. My eyes blinked multiple times in a second when he hugs me intimately. "I want you to keep in mind everything I taught you. I can't be by your side forever."
I hugged him back. That's when I proved to myself that I got taller. "I'll make sure of that. But... is something bothering your mind?"
"You know what more you can change in yourself?"
"What is it?"
"Cut your hair."
"No."
The scissor is already in his clasp, so I escape from his reach, and the cycle of chasing begins again. "I said you cut it, little devil!"
"No way. Long hair symbolizes might!"
"Strands will obstruct your face! That's the fact. Don't fool yourself with naive symbols you've heard in a stage play!"
"Is it the reason why you're semi bald?" And I laugh at him.
He finally quit the endless chasing and chased his breath instead. His hands perched on his waist and brags, "Hair loss means you are powerful already."
"Oh, don't fool yourself with naive symbols you've heard in children's tales."
That pushed a button on him and chased me again with those sharp scissors.
☪ ✧ ✧
It's my free time. I used it to pay a visit to the young slave in the woods.
I looked around to make sure no one was watching as I removed the coat and felt the overwhelming might flowing within me. "Let's see what you got." I used my claws to imbed it underground. Leaves leaped from the sudden and short quake. I felt that my fangs show up when I smirked, then grinned. Filled with excitement, I excavated the ground without fail or exhaustion.
When the depth reached my height, I decided to lay the corpse and buried him. I shake off and rub my hands to remove dirt. I picked up two sticks and made it the substitution for the cross gravestone. I added the flowers I brought from our garden that were under my coat. "Now... you can rest in peace. I hope my service printed a smile on your spirit."
I stare at the grave for a while then turn around. But I smell the cake again in this dry and murky forest. It seems like someone is stalking me, so I look over my shoulder swiftly to catch it with my narrow vision. However, I found nothing. I heard the sound of the flapping wings and caught sight of Acro. She perches on my shoulder.
"Oh, so it was you. What're you doing here—?"
["Go back home."]
My heart skipped a beat from the sudden voice of a woman that resonated through my ears! I've been looking around to catch any suspicious things but now I failed twice. Something urges me to heed the voice I heard. I run as fast as humans can't. My feet feel lighter which gives me the agility to run at full speed, even the sharp blow of the wind pierces my ears.
And because of my supernatural speed, Acro was left behind in the air. From a far distance, I saw clearly what was happening in front of the garden house. There are metropolis knights and Cormelio is entangled with their arms. I saw how they ripped his throat and thrust him to the ground.
"UNCLE!" I shouted. Two of the knights who saw me approaching tried to hinder my path, but that led to them being hurled and dragged to the ground when I pushed them. The knights released their swords against me. But I don't bother to be frightened for I'm more frightened about Cormelio's condition.
The blood dripping from the cut in his throat is like a leak from the broken faucet. I used the coat to stop the bleeding. His eyes are teary. And I don't think he can hear me. I grip him around my arms. "Why did you do this to him!?" I yelled in a raging voice.
"We are ordered to kill him… for fostering a silver wolf. And you," the knight pointed his sword against me, "who might you be?"
"Is knowing my identity a part of your order?"
"At least show some respect," another knight asserted. "This isn't ordered from the metropolis but how can you explain to us your appearance? Are you a silver wolf!?"
A finger of mine twitched. The coat that I used to close Cormelio's wound is misused. I'm not accustomed to the changes as well as with the changes in my actions I should apply aligned to my identity. It's only a waste of time to have a dispute with them. What must be done should be the first. I slipped my hands beneath Cormelio to lift him and fled immediately. None of them caught up with my speed.
At a secluded house corner, I stripped my upper cloth and covered Cormelio's cut. And then I wear my coat, making sure that the brooch is locked and my hood is on. I carried him in my arms and ran straightway to the clinic in the village. All of a sudden, a man tugged me and took me inside a shelter—just like he was already expecting me to pass by.
It's inside the blacksmith shop. "Don't take him in public care from now on," the owner said. He led the way to the underground of his shop, only the lights of the lamp hanging on the walls. I was told to lay Cormelio down on the bed but I was reluctant.
"But he needs urgent treatment!"
He flattens his hand on my shoulder. "I know someone who can treat him. Let's hide him here for a while." And then he left with haste to fulfill his words. I did what I could to spare Cormelio's life. At least, someone helped me and was willing to share my burden.
But the smell of treachery is surrounding my nose.
"He suffered from blood loss," the nurse lady informed after the aid. Cormelio's wounds are wrapped with bandages, deep cuts have cotton wool for the prevention of bleeding. Just the sight of how pale he is makes my legs shudder. I almost lost him. His life is still in danger. I remember every word he told me earlier. And I don't think I can live on my own. My knowledge is still out of the league. "We need to fill him with blood again," the nurse indicated, "or else, his heart will suffer and die." I extended my right arm. "I'm—" ["You can't."] I halted when I heard the resonating voice again. This time, I look at Acro who's perching on top of the pendulum in this dark room. And her eyes are directly looking at me. Then some thought came into my mind. I can't donate my blood to a human for I am a werewolf. That doesn't prove the logic without experimentation but I prefer not to involve Cormelio with such. I reason out, "I'm not allowed to be his donor. I wasn't capable of selli
I don't have the coat with me! That's not really surprising for my power is unleashed and lively. But I have to retrieve it. The only problem ahead is its whereabouts. And I can't show myself like this in the crowd. When returning slides into my thoughts, I knew somehow that it was absolutely late. Good thing, I saw the archer on a window of the tower fired at me and I was able to dodge. The arrow pierced onto the roof and I lost balance when I lifted a leg; I stumbled, rolled down the roof, and fell into a pile of laundry. A lady on the ground squeals when I ruin her space and cause a clutter. Her hands are on her chest while the wet bed sheet is within her clenches. "I'm sorry—!" She shrieks even more after landing sight on me. I'm supposed to ask her for the exit but her mouth isn't in good condition to spill assistance. I run away into these narrow and congested pathways outside the houses as fast as a silver wolf can—seven steps in a click of a clock. Someone wearing a hood
"I saw your actions towards a slave... Your kind adherence with the innocent girl's corpse," she preceded. “Why would you do that to a stranger?” “... Why not? She needed help. And it didn’t come when she needed it the most, she never should have suffered harassment from those vile knights.” “How did you know?” “I had those contusions before.” "Oh, right… I’m sorry. You have no stigma of mistreating dark-skinned people, do you? I deemed that you can help me save my enslaved niece." "Me? But what can I do?" "You have the power to defeat Mraz. You do it and I'll stop his nefarious laws." Her arms fold in accordance with her grimace expression. "Several months ago, people in my town went missing and most of them are from dark-skinned families, including my niece. Enslaving people of that color was enforced in Plandreas and Lanbarc metropolises. That's when I knew why my niece was missing. "Dark-skinned people commenced a riot but that increased the number of slaves being sold thr
"The last?" I muttered after him. "You might be. Are you expecting to meet your similitude? I believe we've already given the demise of your race." He's mocking me, it's my thoughts on the matter. But I find it reasonable. I already knew the sore brutality of silver wolves like me. "Then... you shall do the same to me? Sir, I have another reason why I need to meet you." "Freedom for the slaves? Yes. The knights informed me about your petition. But would you mind guessing why we enforce this law?" He leaned his arms on the bars with an overweening stance. "It's because of you. We know you're hiding under that color. And all we've been doing is to pull the rat out of its hiding. And the long wait is over." "Are you talking about me? I'm a werewolf, not a rat." "Don't make me laugh." "Your only interest is me but you involve people who look like me. You've been casting your hostility with uncertainty, making you unworthy of your headship. Perhaps all you do is dictate your will f
"I know how to tame dogs," she boasts. She lifts her right hand up and above her skin is a huge orb of light spinning in the air. We all looked at it as the light imitated the glow and image of the moon. As always and have been, the beauty of it is mesmerizing, stunning… soothing… But my fascination ended harshly when I was slapped on the face. "You're awake now?" Dandeline asked. I blinked rapidly at her. “Aw,” I said, and when I looked at the werewolves, all of them were flabbergasted and spacing out on the sight of the moon Dandeline made. "Oh, so, it's your way of taming? Hypnotizing?" I pointed a finger at the moon. "Let's hurry!" She pulled me on my coat again to run away while the werewolves were deluded. “Wait! I want to try to slap them if it’ll work the same as mine—.” “It will!” We're running down another spiral stair, the space is slim and dark but the noon light through the window spares the burden. We halted in the middle of the path when I smell the fur again c
The very first noise I heard in this darkness is the wailing supplication of a woman. It pricked my heart. I'm looking around to find her but all I can see is darkness. No. I wince my eyes. This is just an illusion fabricated by Mraz. I never knew he had this kind of ability. He must be taking advantage of my real shell. Maybe it takes a strong mind to break free— ["Why me? WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ME!?"] Fear struck me when I heard the voice of the raging man. He isn't around. The only thing or apparition I saw is a man above me, smiling. Yet his eyes tell the opposite. ["My carefree pup... I will make sure he'll regret this throughout his immortality..."] said the man of the vision. I kept hearing the voices. My emotions are overwhelming; fear, sadness, and longing. These voices and visions are all intimate to me. Confusion is overflowing. Curiosity is killing me. And now, my emotions are turning into wrath! It's torture. "Stop!" I exclaimed out loud. I knelt down in agony on
My boots were soaked when I stepped on the shallow river flow. I can't keep my eyes on my steps because I have to keep an eye on Acro above who's leading the way for me in the neighborhood woods. I cross the stony river and innumerable trees. I stopped in front of a giant tree when Acro flew on top of it. I make steps backward while looking at where Acro is perched. When the distance is enough for a spurt, I dash upward on the tree defying the gravity. However, Acro's spot is too high. I almost fell down again but I managed to cling to a robust branch and hop from there. I step on another robust branch to draw closer to Acro. I never knew there was an owl nest here. And it's wide enough for me to fit in. I squinted inside and inside I saw a mini box. I sat on the branch, leaving my legs hanging, and I blew the dust from the box which means it had already taken years in this hidden nest. It's a good thing no one found it first. The very first thing I saw in the box is a lustering n
I covered my face in the metropolis until I got into the train. The snow is heaping on the earth again. While waiting, I read a latest newspaper about the upcoming 1886 election in Lanbarc after Mraz was proven guilty of injustice against dark people and was abdicated. I looked for other newspapers from Plandreas, any clue about the wanted post of Cormelio but nothing met my curiosity. I arrived in the big city of Plandreas! Airships are landing and piloting. The hotel buildings will keep my chin up to them. I asked a guard “Excuse me, where’s the way to Dachologie Vil?” “A few kilometers outside the city. The gate is on the west.” I later followed his instructions until Acro slapped me with her wings. [“West!”] she yelled. I realized I was going east. Eventually, no matter how many people I asked for directions, my poor sense of direction confounds me! This is why I never leave my countryside. “I’m sure it’s worth it in the end. I can feast my nose with her sweet scent… and to