A Kings Legacy

A King's Legacy

Chapter 30: Aftershock

It was almost comical in a sense. All Stahl had wanted was some time alone with his human, and after it came in such a way, he wanted nothing more than for someone else to spot the smoke from his fire. He just wanted something besides such enduring silence after such a morbid task. He just wanted someone to talk to by that point... He was simply working up the courage to reach out first.

After the amputation, Stahl had successfully dressed the wound, stopping the bleeding and preventing the infection with the dressing. The wolf had cleaned the boy better afterwards, and dabbled the remaining salve over the multiple cuts and bruises littering Aster's body from the falling debris, holding him gently as he did so all the while. He put a heavy coat over the boy's back, where the tree branch had left bleeding welts as it raked across his spine in the chasm. Stahl had carefully dressed and tended to every single scratch with tender care, and finally even turned his attention to the four claw marks Oust had left on Aster's right shoulder.

Stahl had to pause and take a deep breath before examining them, knowing how poorly he had reacted the last time he had inspected the injury... Truthfully afraid that there may be some lingering part of himself that may feel that way again. Regardless, the wolf soon carefully examined the wounds, and found they were actually very shallow. There seemed to be no real sign of infection there, and it seemed the wound had been cleaned some beforehand, but Stahl wasn't taking any chances. He washed, and salved over these as well, moving delicately all the while as to not harm, nor wake his still sleeping mate. The beast changed these dressings daily, rinsing the used ones as best as he could.

When the wolf had finally finished tending to his lover, he laid him back down on the spongey moss near the waterfall, in a shaded spot beside a lush and green tree. The mist wasn't too heavy there, but it stayed nice and cool compared to most of the terrain they had endured on their journey. In truth, it would've been a great place for the pair to hide away from the world for a few days, given better circumstances... But Stahl was left alone here, and he could only keep his mind so busy for so long.

One of the first things he did was to build a fire, thankful for the skills his father and older brothers had shown him on past hunting trips. Stahl had an easy enough time sharpening a few spears from some smaller saplings, and was proving to have no trouble catching some fish every few hours to roast on skewers over the flames. He prepared two freshly caught ones every so often, ensuring Aster would have some food if he felt like eating when he awoke. The beast nibbled on his own fish a little here and there, but couldn't find much of an appetite for the most part.

The wolf had assembled a small lean-to near the tree, just in case they needed some quick shelter from any possible storms, but never had to use it. Stahl had been using a clean strip of cloth to transport some of the clear running water from the stream to make sure Aster drank a little every so often. When Stahl wasn't ensuring their basic needs were met, the wolf found himself laying next to the boy often, just staring at his mate, eager for him to awaken, but dreading it all the same...

Aster was at peace in that moment, but he wouldn't be for much longer. All the efforts the wolf could make to ease that process would likely amount to little, and Stahl knew this, but the wolf would do everything he could anyway. Stahl didn't want to see Aster give up like he had ever again, no matter what... He would see him through this, they would manage even this... Or at least he was hoping they could. Stahl was afraid Aster would hate him for it, and would even understand if that were the case... Stahl would leave if that's what Aster wanted, he would get him back to his family, and he would leave him alone if that's what it took... But he didn't ever want to leave his king.

Stahl had cried multiple times laying there next to his unconscious mate. The beast would nuzzle as closely as he could without disturbing the human too much, and he even managed to nod off to sleep for a bit a few times in the two days since everything happened, but mostly, Stahl could only think. He could only replay those events, his reaction, and that conversation over and over again in his head... And both that weight and perceived guilt paired with the uncertainty of Aster's condition was crushing every bit of that noble wolf's spirit. The foundation he had so carefully built had been reduced to a pile of pebbles, and the wolf just needed someone to talk to... Someone that may have answers to his questions... Someone that understood the worst parts of him, and always loved him anyway. Stahl just had to build up the courage to share such a terrible truth about himself first.

The beast had moved to the waterfall's edge, enjoying the rumbling roar of the cascade filling his ears. Stahl took a final heavy breath in, and exhaled slowly, tossing one last look over his shoulder back at Aster. The wolf closed his eyes, and spoke softly, praying the pair had moved close enough by now, even if just for a few seconds...

"Bearer of my blood, lend me your knowledge. Father, are you there?"

Silence. That's all that met his words. They were still too far apart, more so without a full moon anytime soon. The beast let out a defeated sigh, and tried for the next best thing, speaking a bit hesitantly.

"Bearer of my blood, lend me your knowledge. Sister, are you there?"

More silence greeted the young wolf, forcing another sigh from his maw as he accepted the fact that nobody was there to listen. Stahl and his sister Erden always got along well, and connected with each other often growing up. It was no secret Erden was the most level headed usually, so she was often the one to keep the peace in the family. When Silbern died, Erden retreated. Stahl understood, and he also understood why she went to live with their mother and youngest brother, so he didn't hold anything against her. Erden always respected Stahl's choices as well, so Stahl was really hoping he could get a little advice from her now, but it had been over two years since they really had a moment to speak so closely...

"Stahl?" The younger wolf jumped a bit at the sudden reply, not quite realizing his sister had connected their minds already. Stahl felt his heart throb, his fear at revealing so much suddenly returning. He desperately wanted to talk, but he desperately wanted to keep hiding as well... With a leap of courage, Stahl answered in kind.

"Hey Erdie... I'm sorry, is the strain too great for you?" Erden paused for a moment, and replied with a warmer tone.

"It's fine. You're close to the mountains, and that's about where my range usually ends. I can hold it for a few minutes... Stahl... What happened? I can feel how shaken you are." The younger brother felt his throat ache as it tightened up at the simple question. Tears stung at the corners of his eyes as the noble wolf simply lowered his head to the ground. When Stahl responded, Erden got a heavy dose of the pain behind those words.

"Erdie... I can't. I just... I need to tell you, and I need you to ask father something for me... But I just can't... I can't break until he's safe... And I can't tell you all that's happened without breaking again..." Erden did her best to comfort Stahl for a moment, never seeing him so low and defeated in her entire life. Stahl wasn't exaggerating, she could feel it... Her brother had been thoroughly beaten, and it was killing him... Something was wrong, but she couldn't see what happened, not without him letting her. As the prime user of their bloodskill, she could look anytime she wanted, but she always did her best to honor such boundaries. She answered as carefully as she could.

"Just show me then? I'll comb from the last time we spoke to now, if you'll allow me to... I know it's a lot, and I know its embarrassing and can tell that it's painful little brother, but please, let me do what I can?" Stahl didn't actually respond at first, and just did his best to hold his shit together as he tried to calm himself down. After a short while, the young knight finally answered his sister's request.

"Alright... Just... It's a lot, Erden... But please, I have to know, please talk to father..." Erden reassured her brother she would, and slowly tightened her focus. She reached out, and dove a bit deeper passed the surface into the young knight's memories. In a flash, she found the memory of the last moon, the last time they had all spoken. Everything from the battle at the orc village, to Rust's awakening, to the formation of the fault, to the amputation that followed after came flowing into her mind. She was processing all of that information at lightning speeds, feeling, seeing, and hearing everything her brother had all in the shortest moment. The true power of their bloodskill was always information, and Erden got a heavy crash course in catching up on things. Finally, with an audible gasp, she returned to the conversation at hand, speaking between panting breaths.

"By the gods... Stahl... Are, are you alright?" Stahl just kept his head lowered as he shook it slowly in answer.

"No... I'm really not... At all... But I need to know what Father knows in all of this... I need to know about this mercy that demon spoke of, and I need to know why both of them have now asked me to go north through the mountains... I need to know what he knows, but I can't reach him. I'm sorry to force all of that on you." Erden just brushed it off.

"Don't worry about it... I've had worse experiences with our family `gift,' than some battles and arguments... I'll communicate all of this to Father, but it's a lot, so I may not be able to reach you with an answer for another day or two... Moving that many memories over such a distance will take more than I have left right now, more so without the full moon in play, so I'll reach for him as soon as I can hold the connection long enough... Is there anything you want me to keep hidden? There was a lot of personal stuff there..." Stahl shook his head once more in response as he answered.

"No, it's alright... I wouldn't mind some advice on that part too, if I'm being honest. He always had reliable guidance for us, despite anything else." Erden smiled half-heartedly as she replied.

"Yeah, he was always good at that... But you know, I wouldn't mind either... I can hold us for a while, so if you need to talk about Rust, your mate, or anything else, know that I am here for you, little brother... I won't comment too much on it, because I do realize how personal of a moment it was... But you really don't have to carry so many of our family's burdens..." Stahl actually chuckled a bit at that, noting the irony there.

"There's an idea... Next time I see my diplomatic sister that basically runs her entire town, I'll be sure to tell her." Erden laughed lightly in response before she corrected her brother.

"Your diplomatic sister who runs her entire region, thank you very much. I'm fond of my title as regent, it wasn't easy to earn as an unwed lady." Stahl poked back with a snicker.

"Oh I'm sure... How many proposals have you crushed now? Twenty? You think the guys would catch a hint by now..." Stahl could feel his sister glaring through their connection, and failed to stifle his laughter. Erden gave in, and just laughed with him for a moment. This was why they were always so close, they were truly more alike than any of the five Aschefell children. Erden did half mumble back her answer.

"I wish to be nobody's stepping stone to power. I don't need to marry only to have my voice overthrown by my husband's anytime any decision of real importance needs to be made... Also, it has only been twelve proposals, and I've turned each down as politely as possible..." Stahl smiled at the response. There couldn't be many males in the world that could ever handle his sister anyway... But Stahl did know something about why she really turned down those proposals.

"So... Still hoping he wakes up one day, simply brave enough to make a move?" Erden exhaled a short sigh as she replied honestly.

"Yeah... I'm starting to think he never will..." Stahl was snickering once more, when Erden questioned it, the younger brother blurted it out playfully.

"Well... You ARE pretty scary... Can't say I blame the poor coyote..." Erden steamed a bit as her brother poked his fun, but in truth, she realized how much he really needed this distraction. She realized how terribly wrong it had all gone for her little brother, and she would do whatever she could for him in that moment. Suddenly, Stahl replied a little more genuinely as his laughter faded off.

"In all seriousness, I'll take you up on that offer to talk for a while... I won't make you discuss the awkward, heavier stuff... But I really would appreciate that, Erdie... I just don't know what to do." Erden smiled softly, let out a small huff, and dove right in.

"Well, first thing's first I suppose... Let's talk about what you're going to do when your mate wakes up..."

Stahl's troubled mind finally found a bit of both relief, and direction that day as he talked a few things over with his sister... Not a moment too soon, either. Aster would awaken before the night fell upon the Earth once more, and the boy would need to borrow all of the light he could find.

===

"Is that the best you've got? I expected more after nearly two entire days of this, it is two against one, after all..." Sir Corper was quite obviously gloating, taunting both the fox, and the tiger over his string of steady victories. The bear was speaking in a mocking tone that was really starting to get on Rust's last damned nerve. The adolescent fox's ear almost never seemed to stop twitching in frustration over the course of his self assigned mission the last two days... The irritated cub shouted his response as he righted himself from where the bear had last tossed him, staggering to his feet as he healed his throbbing abdomen yet again.

"Says the one with a huge size advantage..." Sir Corper chuckled, staring the cub right in the eye as he responded.

"This is true... But I'm not the one determined to hit the bigger beast back, now am I?" Rust grumbled back something in response that would surely get him a berating from his mother had she heard it... Oust, on the other hand, was just silently panting in his position in the dirt, lying on his back as his sweat drenched body ached in place. His master wasn't pulling any punches, and somehow or another, the big cat had been drawn in on this odd little game the other two were playing. Sir Corper had pretty well been beating the shit out of that pair since the fox went looking for his revenge... And Oust had found himself right in the middle of some grueling training because of it, the bear hitting him nearly as hard as his father once had. Though, Rust was certainly having a wake-up call of his own.

His uncle had been holding back... Tremendously... Something the fox only truly realized the first time that bear had punched him in the gut. Sir Corper certainly wasn't using his full force by any means, but he was teaching the little fox a valuable lesson about the road to battle that he was on. It fucking hurt... Besides, the cub could heal himself, so it wasn't that big a deal to the bear if he tested his limits. Corper was honestly impressed, he figured Rust would've quit the first time he cracked one of the fox's ribs, but Rust simply cussed the bear, tended to his injuries, and came right back time and time again. Even so, the bear had something he needed to say.

"Are you starting to see? Your uncle was right about what he told you... It's a hard road, the path of a warrior. I can see you've got the guts, and I can see you've got the heart, but do you have the commitment? You're years behind where you should be, little cub. You've got a lot of catching up to do, and you've got a lot of improvements to make. Can you handle all of that catching up while you train with the strong? Or do I need to ease up on you? I could start you out with the basics if you'd prefer?" Rust narrowed his eyes and tightened his fists as his resolve was reborn once again. The little fox spoke calmly.

"Mark." He flashed away from the bear's view, leaving the older, retired knight smirking softly afterwards. The cub was learning quickly, so all the bear really needed to do was give him something to punch at. Rust was adjusting his techniques, and learning slowly but surely what would, and wouldn't work, all on his own. He was analyzing his opponent, he was learning how his opponent moved and he was making incredible progress. Rust was finding his rhythm, and Corper was hoping the fox could help the tiger find his own along the way. A movement to his left caught the bear's attention for the shortest moment.

Corper reached out, and snatched a hold of a hurtling stone, catching it easily in his fist. A snapping twig behind him was all the bear needed to snag another victory. Sir Corper turned quickly, flinging the stone in his grasp with startling accuracy towards the fox running directly towards him a few paces away. Using the cub's own tactic, Corper successfully pegged the fox right between the eyes. Rust yelped immediately when the stone found its mark, faltering in his charge as he reached up to cradle the injury. The adolescent's eyes went wide as he realized his grave error. He frantically spoke his trigger, knowing he had to get out of range.

"Ma-" Faster than the fox could even speak, Sir Corper stepped forward, and latched a hand around Rust's muzzle, silencing him immediately with a move almost like an uppercut. As those sparkly blue eyes went wide with realization, the bear could only smirk just the slightest bit. In truth, the knight had missed training new recruits, especially when he got to pick his students.

Sir Corper lifted the fox off the ground easily by his grip, Rust squirming to break free before the impending assault came. The bear had made it very clear what the penalty for getting caught was, after all. Three quick taps against Rust's ribcage came in rapid succession, making him whine through his clamped-shut muzzle. Corper had merely been popping him lightly with a single knuckle, for the most part, but each strike left a throbbing reminder not to get caught again on the little fox. Sir Corper turned, and paused for a second, making the trajectory quite clear to the adolescent before he threw him right towards a thorn bush. As Rust was tossed through the air, he yelled out his trigger before he ever made the rough landing.

"Mark!" Rust hit the ground on the other side of the bear rolling from the force, ending up just a few steps away from Oust, who was still pretty well assuming he was going to die soon from the bear's painful strikes. Rust curled up into a fetal position, clutching at his sides with a twisted snarl of pain on his muzzle... The poor cub was even tucking his tail as he could only seethe in the stinging pain. Eventually, Rust did get his mind clear enough to heal the injuries, and shakily stood, panting desperately as he simply eyed down the cocky bear before him once again. There was no way he was giving up... Not after all of this...

Rust stepped over to Oust, and squatted down to heal the tiger. Rust had whispered something very quietly to Oust as he healed him, taking full advantage of his partner's excellent hearing to keep whatever tactic they were discussing a secret.

Corper turned back towards the pair, and gave them a moment to get their scheme together. The bear was hopeful, the few times they had actually worked together, they had come dangerously close to actually landing a hit on him. It seemed that little fox was just full of ideas... He was going to be quite the threat on any battlefield at this rate, if that bear had anything to do with it anyway. Corper was surprised when the little fox turned back towards him, and spoke as if it were a decided matter.

"One more time... I told you, I'm hitting you back, even if I have to use Oust to do it..." The bear simply chuckled at the enthusiasm. Oust was stepping back a bit, putting some distance between them, undoubtedly per the Fox's direction. The tiger had a bit of a worried look on his face, making the bear even more expectant that they were about to try something either crazy, or stupid... Rust muttered his trigger, and jumped to the opposite side, the two seemingly trying to surround him again. Corper turned sideways between them, keeping both somewhat in his sights as he awaited the obvious charge. True to his expectations, Rust hollered out the signal, and the pair rushed the bear once again.

"Now!" Rust jolted forward first, Oust hanging back a bit, just as they had discussed. As the tiger started his own sprint a second later, Corper tilted his frame some to prepare to intercept the fox first. Just before Rust was in range, he shouted his trigger, all still well within Corper's expectations. As the fox disappeared, the bear quickly refocused on the tiger. Just before Oust made it to his target, Rust reappeared directly behind the tiger. As Corper launched his fist towards Oust, Rust snatched a hold of the tiger, and shouted his trigger once more.

"MARK!" Rust vanished in an instant, the part the bear hadn't expected, however, was Oust vanishing with him. Sure, Corper was well aware that was possible from his time fighting with members of the Sicario clan, but he never expected Rust to be able to manage it after such a short time. As his wits returned to him and the surprise faded, Sir Corper quickly spun, assuming he would intercept the duo behind him. There was nothing there... Or at least, that's what Corper's first thought was. Then he noticed the shadow.

Just as the great bear raised his gaze upwards, Oust launched a strike with blinding speed, his fist connecting directly atop of his master's muzzle as the tiger and the fox fell upon the bigger beast from above. It turns out, Rust was right. They had finally managed to land a blow this time... And then the three went crashing to the ground in a heap of bodies, one atop of the other with Rust landing safely on top. As the other two beast's were lost in a state of disbelief, the young fox was quick to recover, quite literally doing leaps and bounds in joyous celebration as his tail swooshed behind him.

"YYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!! I KNEW IT! I KNEW WE COULD GET YOU! TAKE THAT, YOU GRUMPY OLD BEAR! You can thank my uncle for that one! He told me always going behind was predictable!" Rust wasn't even trying to hide his ecstatic gloating, but even Sir Corper had to admit, it was no simple feat... A booming laughter soon filled the air around them as the retired knight couldn't help but laugh at the reality of it all.

Two days, that's all it took for that cub to actually pull off getting his revenge. The bear couldn't even lie, he had enjoyed the game almost as much as the fox had. Oust was simply silent, still in a state of disbelief for actually striking fast enough to hit his mentor. It wasn't until his master's laugh rocked into the air that the tiger finally realized it had actually happened. It didn't take long for all three to end up laughing together for entirely different reasons... And then Rust fell to his knees, and lost every bit of lunch he had eaten as he vomited shakily.

Oust was almost alarmed, quickly jumping to his paws, but Corper quickly explained, still chuckling at the cub's previous excitement.

"Don't worry, it just takes a lot to move another person with his skill. If I had any idea he was at that level already, I'd have warned him. The good news is, it's like a muscle, the more you use it, the easier it becomes. The bad news is, there's no healing that fatigue. You need some good old fashioned rest, so are you finally satisfied with your revenge, little fox?" Rust groaned a little, but managed to give the bear a thumbs-up regardless. Sir Corper spoke once more with that settled.

"Good, with that said, Excellent work you two. To be quite honest, I didn't actually expect either of you to pull it off... So, I've decided..." The bear turned towards Rust, and smirked down at the adolescent as he spoke.

"You'll be training with me, little fox. You've got some damned good potential, and I was not mistaken that night you slayed that demon at the orc village... You truly are a warrior worth the investment. So... I hope you hold on to that fighting spirit tightly the next few days, you're going to need it." Rust looked up to the bear from his position on all fours, and groaned a bit. Maybe he had gotten himself into more than he bargained for after all... At least he had Oust with him... As if in response to that thought, the bear quickly turned to his other student, and spoke with a tone Oust couldn't quite identify.

"And you, my young student, have finally started exceeding your own limits. The ones you wouldn't let yourself overcome before... The ones you were told you never could. You have finally allowed yourself to grow, and in turn, allowed yourself to heal. Now take that growth, take that strength, and make it your own... I have already told you, young one, it is time for you to start building your own dance. It is time for you to start finding your own rhythm. It is time, for you to take another step on the road before you..." Sir Corper rested a hand on Oust's shoulder as he looked down at the tiger, and smiled genuinely. He gave his final order for the evening.

"Three hours alone. Every single day. For the first hour, practice the steps I've shown you. For the second, add your own... Figure out what works for you, what works for your body. For the third, do both, merge them into something of your own creation, flow as the water does, strike as the lightning does, breathe fire into your creation, into your body, and channel everything about who you are into those movements. Accept those things, and accept that they too will move with you. This is the next thing you must learn, these steps will lead you down your true path in time... You need to hear me well, Oust... You should be proud of your progress. I certainly am."

Oust bowed in respect, accepting his assigned task with both determination, and with a flutter in his heart for finally feeling worthy of the praise denied to him by his family for so long. For the first time in years, Oust really was proud of who he was becoming.

However, none of the three had any idea what fate had lying just ahead for them, but by the following evening, only these three beasts would truly realize how much everything was going to change... And that discovery was going to shake them to their very core, shifting the course of every single decision or plan they had going forward.

===

"So then we detour through the smaller town of Cayne first, and then we push north? We don't have much to barter for restocking with, so can't we just make the journey with what supplies we do still have?" Prince Tyfin was a bit uncertain. Sure, they had walked nearly two full days south due to the fissure cutting them off, but the young lion was trying to remain optimistic. Captain Rix was as much a realist as ever in response.

"No. We would very likely die of thirst. That's about a week of walking, my king, and we wouldn't have any guarantee we could find another clean water source before then. I do not like the idea of parading you anywhere too crowded with things how they are, but I like the idea of leaving you without an escort even less..."

The bull and the lion had been pretty well going back and forth on this for a while, and as much as the crocodile enjoyed the moment to rest, Fraxis was growing anxious to be back on the move. The croc cleared his throat a bit, drawing the attention of the two more noble beasts with a bit of surprise from both. The croc wasn't much for chatting usually, something Rix actually enjoyed about him.

"Why don't I just make the run into town then? Captain, you could stay with the prince perched off somewhere nearby, and I could hit the market to secure some water if nothing else..." Fraxis trailed off, feeling like he said something wrong as the other two beasts just stared at him. In truth, they were still just surprised to hear him suggest something so obvious, yet so effective... Something they had both clearly overlooked. The pair looked towards each other, and Tyfin just shrugged at the bull. It wasn't a bad idea... Rix looked back towards the croc, let out a small huff, and spoke firmly.

"I'm not so sure I trust you with that. It wouldn't take much to betray us... Especially since me, the prince, and Lady Alice are all presumed dead right now... There are many beasts who I bet would want to keep it that way, and wouldn't mind dropping some gold to the one that has that information. You've done little to impress me, or yet to even prove yourself capable." The prince recoiled a bit for the croc's sake over the bull's harsh words, but Fraxis didn't seem too bothered by the response. The croc answered plainly.

"That's fair, to be honest with you, I don't know if I'm cut out for all of this after what we've been through, so I'm not too concerned about the glory or whatever you nobles seem to prioritize... But I'm common born, if that wasn't obvious enough, and I joined for reasons that are just as important to me... Money. You have a fair point, Captain." The prince was a bit shocked about such blatant confessions, but the bull just snorted a bit as he turned back towards the problem at hand. After a moment, the prince finally cut away from the bull, and turned back towards the croc abruptly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help but to say something... Are you really doing all of this for gold? The Selection, choosing to push forward from the Orc village with us, and even now, staying with us. You're really telling me it's all just simply for pay?" The croc bowed his head a bit as he replied carefully. He wasn't trying to be rude...

"Yes... Look, being common born means one thing, working until the day you die... There's a few things on our mind constantly, where our next meal comes from, how we will keep our homes, and how can we make it just a little easier on our families... Things that all take gold, my prince... Yes, I trained my ass off, and got lucky beyond a doubt in my pairings in the Selection... For gold... Because that's the only way my ma' doesn't have to keep working until the day she dies." The croc lowered his head a little more as he cursed himself for letting that last part slip. The prince just stared at the beast, realizing how shitty his question probably came off as. The lion spoke a bit softly then.

"Is it just the two of you?" Fraxis nodded, answering honestly.

"Always has been... She took care of me for a long time, I just want to take care of her for the last years she has left... That's why I couldn't stay with those orcs. She probably thinks I'm dead, and that might kill her if I can't make it to her soon... She needs to know I'm alive." Tyfin closed his eyes, and bowed his own head a little while he thought some more on it. After a moment, the prince smiled softly, and turned back towards the Captain, speaking in a decided tone.

"Fraxis can secure our water at Cayne. I trust him." Captain Rix snorted, and huffed, and argued against that idea with everything he had, but eventually, the bull conceded to his king's order. Fraxis would fetch the water, and the captain and the prince would hang back with the sleeping mage when they were closer to the small town. Rix had a really bad feeling about all of this... The instincts of such a seasoned warrior were never too far off.

===

It was in the early evening when he awoke... The first thought to cross his mind was how much his right palm was itching. It wasn't until Aster tried to scratch that itch that he really jolted awake.

His eyes went wide as they shot open, his vision darting to where his right hand was... To where it should be. As his eyes focused on the bandage covering the last remains of his forearm, they slowly dilated in horrific realization. Aster wasn't breathing in that moment, his brain scrambling to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness, all despite the deafening ringing that was growing in his ears. As the memories returned to him, the boy recalled the injury from the falling stone... Aster knew it was bad then, but he ignored it for the most part... He expected to be dead, after all... But now, seeing the aftermath? Seeing what he would be living with? Well... Aster finally found his breath.

He exhaled shakily just as the first silent tears began falling, his entire body trembling as his thoughts ran far beyond his control. The human wasn't stupid, he knew exactly what this meant... His fighting days were over. He could not wield his staff with one arm... As that thought spiderwebbed across his mind, another horrible realization came to the boy then. Aster raised his right arm, despite the throbbing pain shooting up his shoulder, and called for his shield.

It did not come without his hand there to hold it... Aster had lost his second shield... Which meant Aster had lost the heartbeat... And Aster had lost the only dream he ever really had along with that realization. Stahl Aschefell awoke from his short hour of rest next to the boy to both the insuppressible gasping, and the uncontrollable sobbing of his mate. The shield had been broken, and the wolf was there to cradle what remained of him within seconds as more and more of the human fell away to his own despair.

"Shhh. I know, Aster... I know. I'm sorry, my love, by the gods... I'm so sorry Aster..." Despite everything he had talked about with his sister, Stahl was quickly losing the little composure he had tried to remember to keep... And so, in a moment of the rawest emotion the two would ever share between them, Stahl Aschefell and Aster Venatus were both soon simply bawling uncontrollably. The wolf held the wounded boy lovingly as they finally let it all out together. They weren't dead, but nothing could stay the same anymore... It was nearly nightfall before they finally managed to stifle one another's tears.

As Aster sobbed out the last of it, his face still buried into Stahl's chest, the beast spoke in the most pained, yet compassionate tone Aster had ever really heard him use... For just a moment, Stahl Aschefell sounded exactly like his father Byron to the human.

"I want you to decide what we do next. I want you to simply listen for a moment while I lay out a few options, and if you hate all of them and want something else, it's alright, just tell me... But if you hear one you like, no matter how you think I'll feel about it, I want you to let me know... I want you to lead us for a while, because I am not certain I trust myself with those decisions anymore." Aster sniffled a bit, and finally squeaked out a response in a whisper so raspy, that the wolf had to strain to hear it.

"I trust you." Stahl felt like crying again, his boy was truly incredible, but Stahl didn't feel he deserved that trust back so easily. To say the wolf was taking all of this quite personally would be an insulting understatement. The beast replied in that same, steady voice.

"I know you do, my love. But I trust you more than I feel I can trust myself right now... I want you to lead us for a while, and I just want to follow your lead wherever it may take us... I ask this of you as a knight, Aster Venatus... Allow me to follow the king I have chosen to serve. Allow me to aid you in those decisions as much as I can, but ultimately, I want you to decide what we do... Will you listen to the options I came up with?" Aster wasn't moving much, and his eyes were still blurry with tears, but the boy nodded ever so slightly, agreeing to hear his wolf out, if nothing else. If Aster was being honest, he wasn't sure there was any path left that could give him hope in that moment. Stahl brought his right arm up, carefully avoiding Aster's injured arm, and began lightly caressing his mate's hair again as he made his first offer.

"The first thing I want to put out there, is staying dead." Aster was almost startled by those words, until Stahl clarified for him.

"The last the people of Alora laid eyes on us, we disappeared in an attack by the sword demon. Since then, our group has been through another massive battle, and then we were swallowed up by the earth itself. That was the last any had seen of us, Aster... I will talk to my father to keep it that way if you wish to escape all of this... We can leave all of this behind, and go forge new lives far, far away from any of this. We can go back to the orc village if you want. We can go searching for another small group of vagabonds and outcasts to join. I bet we could even track down Dally if you wanted... I guess what I want to say here, is we can choose an entirely different path if you want..."

Aster listened closely, just as his wolf had asked of him. The boy pretty well knew that wasn't what he wanted to do, but he would hear his beast out before making any comments. The human whispered another squeaky response, somewhat grateful to have something to think about in that moment.

"Alright. The next option?" Stahl could tell his mate wasn't thrilled about that, but he just wanted to cover some bases. The wolf laid out the next one just as steadily.

"Aster... Back then, when I first kissed you... I took advantage of your inexperience... In hindsight, I unfairly laid a claim on you before you really even knew what I meant by that... I don't want you to ever not become who you want to be because of me... If you need time... Or even if you just need me to go for a while... I will... I will escort you to your father, and I will leave you alone until you call for me, even if that time never comes." Aster sighed, feeling irritated by the very suggestion. He was quick to counter.

"The last thing I want is to lose you too right now. I may need some time for all of this Stahl... But I still want you nearby. I wanted you just as much back then as I do now. We run to each other, my wolf, and we run next to each other... But we don't run away from each other... Things have changed, Stahl, but that has not..." Stahl closed his eyes, and nodded slowly in agreement, bringing the hand stroking Aster's hair down to gently rest against the boy's face. The wolf spoke the next option a bit hopefully.

"The next path is nothing changes. We continue pushing towards my mother's estate as we planned to before, and most likely reunite with your family, my family, and the rest of our group. We make it there, and then we reassess what we know, what we do going forward... I made contact with my sister earlier, so I should have word from father by sometime soon... He may have some sort of good news for us, but there's something else you need to know first..."

Stahl took a deep breath in, and told Aster what he may have once withheld in effort of sparing his mate... But that wasn't what Stahl wanted to do anymore. He needed to be open about all of it. Stahl told Aster everything that happened after he lost consciousness. He told him of the conversation with the demon that had saved them. He told Aster of what the demon had instructed him to do, to go north. He told Aster of the mention of his own father's mercy, and how he planned to get that answer tomorrow. He told Aster of the sword, and of some kind of trial. The only part the wolf left out, was his bold exclamation to propose after he won that sword some day. Stahl was almost certain his mate was going to think he was making all of that outlandish story up, but the thought never even crossed Aster's mind. Instead, the human tightened his left hand over Stahl's arm, and spoke a bit more darkly than before.

"Why does that thing keep following me? What does it actually want? Is us going north so important to that thing, that I had to lose an arm over it? No... Fuck that monster..." Aster pulled away from the wolf suddenly, and stood as quickly as he could, still very off balance, but managing all the same. The boy took two fumbling steps towards the mountain to the north, and cursed the demon as loud as he could, shouting out in bubbling rage as more tears fell from his eyes.

"FUCK YOU! JUST LEAVE US ALONE... Just leave us alone... Why can't everything just leave us alone... Why, Stahl?" Aster turned towards his beast, the tears rolling down his flushed face in streams. The boy was genuinely asking, seeking some sort of hope left for some possibility of reprieve.

"Why does everything always have to go to shit? Why does every damned good thing that we get a taste of have to rot? Why... Why do we have to keep losing? WHY THE FUCK DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE US THAT GETS SHIT ON? WHY THE FUCK DON'T WE DESERVE SOME KIND OF FUCKING VICTORY? Aster fell to his knees as he screamed out, finally letting all of the loss consume him. As his eyes clenched tightly, they released even more tears. The boy's voice fell back to a lower tone, raspy and hoarse from the screaming.

"Why did my life have to be the cursed one? Is it the blood magic? Is that the wickedness placed on me? To keep destruction and loss following me wherever I go? To constantly harm the ones I care so deeply for? Mollis said it was a magic humans could use... Was I just a weapon of my people? A cursed prince who would bring chaos and destruction to the beast kingdom that had wronged them? Will... Will I have to watch you die as well, Stahl?" Aster partially opened his eyes as he finally looked back to his wolf with that last sentence. The human was legitimately asking the question in that moment... And it chilled the beast to his very core.

Stahl was nearly petrified, he had never known Aster to be the one to wallow in such despair like that. Through those fatigued, golden eyes, Stahl could truly see no trace of that usual shine. Only defeat, helplessness, and surrender... Stahl had no idea that this was only the beginning of the monster coming for his mate. Aster was too tired to shine anymore. Aster was falling into an angry depression. Aster stood, and turned to gaze north one final time before he whispered out his decision, bitter hatred the driving force behind the words.

"I know where I'm going... I'm going to see what that monster wants to show me so badly, and when it shows its face, I'll either put the damned thing down permanently, or die trying this time... I'm tired of these games, Stahl..." Aster tightened his left fist, and turned back towards his wolf. The king asked his final question to his knight just as the last traces of the sun faded away.

"Are you with me?" The noble wolf only drew the same sword he had used to take his mate's arm, and knelt, planting the tip into the earth below, just before his knee. The ashen beast bowed his head as he gazed up into Aster's eyes, and gave his answer affirmatively.

"Always, my king." For the first time, Aster Venatus was thankful for his knight using that title.

===

Sorry for the delay. Had quite a medical crisis in my own house. Lets just say Stahl's anxiety about waiting for his partner to wake up may have had some firsthand inspiration. Still, hard to believe it's been a month since my last chapter. I do apologize for worrying any of you, but I don't think there's much that could make me ever quit this story.

Sometimes it does feel like I have like 5 readers left though, so if you have enjoyed some of what you've read, I'd love to hear a little of that feedback. Even something as simple as scrolling down a hair and leaving a rating goes a long way for me, and takes seconds.

If you wanna go for a private feedback approach, or have questions or need clarifications, I always enjoy emails as well. Pupbayou13@gmail.com

Hope you enjoy what comes next! We may get another chapter before you see the first of many reveals, but the dominos will start falling shortly. Answers to the main plot that stretches across all the books in this story stands at the center of those dominos. Bear with me a bit longer, because we really are almost there. Thank you for reading my story. ~PupBayou