Chapter 4: His Secret

The blast whirl of sand blows down the empty land of south Neitheria. The place is arid, dusty, and dry. The voice of the harsh winds echo through the unseen horizon beyond the starry night with only the smiling moon as its light. Behind these spectacular view, seven shadows of people in red cloaks are sighted standing in the middle of the borders…

“What a sight! They really are going all out tonight, huh?”

“Hey, are you hiding with your tail in front, Matt?”

“NO! You should be—“

“Everyone…”

“ARE YOU READY TO RUN WILD?”

The six look at the person in their middle with adornment. It was Conri in his werewolf form, whitest and mischievous looking at the battalion of Lighten armies. “Now…”, he raises both of his hands heightening the excitement everyone is feeling. “Let’s run free!”---

Everyone scatters shouting from the ends of their breath. Each of Conri’s squad take on one army on their own and face them with bewilderment. On the left side of the battle, Calamity and chaos are indeed taking control of the field. Matteo, he is a wielder of an earth element. He defeats the foes with ease using his earth bending technique, breaking the land in two and molding the sands in boulders and extravagantly throwing them to the scaredy-cat Lightens running from the big boulders falling like meteors to them. There is also, Ceire who controls the wind and Athena who wields the elements of fire, turning every part of the battlefield as molten lava flowing to the enemies’ bodies.

“Woah, they are evil! Right, Royu?”

“Shut it, Esca!”

Royu controls the thunderous lightning and Esca wields the element of water that can freeze her opponents in ice. They run havoc in the right side of the battle field conquering the enemies with no single life remains. While, in the middle of the battlefield, Conri rages in insanity, running wild breaking every bone of his foe…

 “You’re as mad as ever, Con.”

“Rai…”Conri smirks at the maiden behind him. It was Risse, a beast tamer. She can tame anyone just by letting them look at her tantalizing purple eyes.

 “Rai, behind you!”—Conri rush to grab her in his arms and bite the foe to its bone with his sharp fangs until his fangs detach the Lighten’s shoulders from its body. “Careful…”

“Oh!” Risse frost for at the moment while keeping her heartbeats beat loudly, ”I’m sorry.”

“HELL, THE ENEMY IS ESCAPING!”

The five chase the escaping Lighten and manage to block him from his way. They laugh at him devilishly. “Yah, Con almost let a witness escape.” They look at the poor Lighten shrieking in fear and stamp on his chest. “Yo, did you really think you can escape if you sacrifice a part of your body?”

“You, a-all…a…all of y-you! I must tell th-this t-to t-the r-ruler…” The Lighten coughs in blood trying to resist from the five beings.

“This is hilarious! He really thinks he can still live after this.” Matteo grab the Lighten’s head and let him see the battlefield. “See?”

The southern borders is covered with blood and corpses of the defeated battalion. The sand is all red, dark, and stinky. The battle has almost ended and the sight has brought pleasure to the victorious squad. “See?’’

“c-Cr-cro-crossbr-…crossbreeds…I-“ Matteo strikes him to death with his sharp stone mold. “That ends it here.”, Matteo satisfyingly said while looking at the dead Lighten.

“No, there’s still another one. Esca, capture him.” Conri ordered. “He is entering the borders on your right. Kill him.” Esca molds an ice archer and deliver the bow to the remaining Lighten running from the reaper of death. “Amazing! Your smell is really amazing, Con!”

“Well, he is just the son of the strongest werewolf. And, his mother is a crossbreed.” Risse exclaims with pride.

“Even if he’s a half-crossbreed, his ability is still above us. Ugh! I can’t stop from admiring you, King!” Esca jumps to Conri’s arms and hugs him.

“Well done, Esca!” Conri pats her head gently while looking at the battlefield. He saw the captured Lighten in his peripheral view, struggling from the attached ice bow in his left knee. He runs towards it and, “Hey…”

The captured lighten is shocked and cannot even move a single step from where he is. “Don’t bother thinking about getting out from here alive.” Conri growls…

“Cr-crossbreeds…You a-are in-indeed a c-catastrophe…Y-you must vanish or else…I must inform them-“

“Do you know what? Why crossbreeds remain legends?”

“Yo-“

“It’s because…no one has ever lived after seeing them.”

“Ug----kkk!” Conri pulls the ice bow from the Lighten’s knee and watches him slowly losing his breath.

"Con, is it not done yet?" Royu flashes in front him like a flowing soundless lightning.

"Yeah, let's go. Where is everyone?" Conri asks.

"Matt is already cleaning the mess. What should we do after this?"

"Collect all the weapons..."

"What? We don't need them though." Athena appears out of nowhere and joins the conversation.

"We will give them to the bandits in the north. It will help them protect themselves.." Conri explains.

They go to the stinky leftovers of the battle and starts to collect the weapons that the Lighten enemies have left. Risse, on the other hand...

"I heard you're getting married?"

"Yeah, I am."

"What's the tea? It's very unusual for you to decide on something in a rush manner." she stands beside Conri who is taking a break from his battle, tending the fresh wounds he got.

"S-she's a crossbreed... but a different one."

"What do you mean?" Risse asks while helping him cleans his wounds. Risse is also a Galen, a healer. 

"Her scent is different from you a-all...You know I can distinguish a race just based on their scents, and hers is very unique. I..I--"

"Did you think she can help you with your revenge?"

"Yeah.. she just needs cultivation. I'm planning to help her control her powers if we got married."

"You're cruel, taking advantage of a maiden's heart just to get what you desire..."

"Rai..."

"Okey, okey! Just what the hell did you see in her? We can help you too, and we have been doing that since--"

"Since mother died? I know, I know. You six are the young crossbreeds she have saved from the Lightens."

"Your mother is so brave...and...strong! She's a great crossbreed."

"If only she didn't help that girl..." Conri is burning from rage. His white fur is getting longer from anger that is trying to get out from his entity.

"Con..." Risse looks at him with sympathy. She felt sorry for the wolf king's past.

"Uwaaakkk! uwaakkk! uwakkk!" A messenger flies in circles in the dawning skies of the south borders. The squad notice it and look at where it's going to land.

"A messenger..." Conri confusingly raise his right arm to let the messenger crow lands on him. It has a piece of loincloth in it's left claw. Conri grabs it and open it.

"What does it say?" Esca asks.

Thunderstruck, Conri remains calm and manages to send their last command. "Go to the north and deliver the weapons to the bandits. Careful on your way." Conri transforms in his whole wolf form and howls loudly that echoes to the ends of the horizon. The sun is almost rising...

"H-hey...wher--"

"A ruler has visit the realm! I must return to the castle!" Conri immediately runs to the vast land of nothing but sands and heads to east where the sun's rising. A beautiful white wolf's shadow is casting the rays of the first gaping of the daylight.

"Aria, I hope you're safe."