Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Spirit of the Wolf ❯ Chapter 4: Vega ( Chapter 4 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: WolfGoddess_77 
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Fantasy / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.22.2012 | Updated On: 09.26.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 131 | Status: Work In Progress
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Fantasy / Romance / Supernatural | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.22.2012 | Updated On: 09.26.2012 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 131 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people or places is purely coincidental.
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A short while later, Reyith suddenly stopped walking, her eyes fixed intently on the trees to their left. For a long time, she stood unmoving, her breathing fast and shallow.
"What is it?" Cael asked, stopping to look at her curiously. His gaze followed hers, but he couldn't see anything within the forest.
"Someone is there," she whispered, almost inaudibly. "Show yourself!"
There was a rustling sound among the trees, and a moment later, a girl appeared from the shadows. Her eyes were dark blue, and her long hair was an odd silvery-blue shade. She wore a light blue sleeveless shirt with silver buttons on the front, a black knee-length skirt, and calf-high leather boots. "So you two are the ones giving off that lovely scent," she said cheerfully.
Reyith growled softly. "Who are you?" Her hand clenched, and the faintest traces of red energy began flickering around it. It was clear that she was trying very hard to hold herself back. "You are not one of the hoyu seishin; you should not be drawn to us."
The girl clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Now, now, don't be like that. Those vile things aren't the only ones who can sense energy." She took a couple of steps closer, making Reyith tense. "You're one of them, aren't you? The ones who are sent out to kill and capture those beasts."
Cael narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you should answer our questions before asking those of your own. Tell us who you are." His voice was cold and commanding, not at all like his usual gentle personality. Reyith looked over at him, arching one eyebrow. This was unusual.
The girl stared hard at Cael, and for a moment, it seemed like she had grown angry. But then, a bright smile crossed her face. "Of course; where are my manners? Call me Vega." She gave them a short bow. "May I ask who the two of you are?"
Cael looked skeptical, but Reyith decided to answer her. "This is my companion, Cael. I am Reyith. And yes, I am one of the hunters. Is this significant to you?" Her words were friendly enough, but there was an icy chill to her tone.
"Oh, yes, very significant." She waved her hand airily. "But that comes later." She giggled, tilting her head back and looking up at the sky. "They're going to be so happy. I can't believe my luck, finding the two of you." A calculating expression crossed her face, then. "But tell me…why did you say only you were a hunter? Your partner has the same capabilities you do."
Reyith hesitated, unsure of what she could say that wouldn't give too much away. "Because, although we are the same, he is not trained specifically to hunt the hoyu seishin, as I am." She hoped this was a safe answer; it would make Vega think that he was still a dangerous opponent. But there was more that she needed to know. "Who are 'they'?"
"My family, of course. We've been dying to meet someone like you. But first, we need to make sure that you're acceptable. Someone who is weak will never do." Vega began to move towards Reyith, a faint smile on her face. "How about a little fight? Just for fun."
Cael immediately moved in front of Reyith, giving a soft warning growl. "I don't think so. If you want a fight, then let me be your opponent. Leave Reyith alone."
Vega gave another laugh. "Isn't that cute. He's protecting you from me. But I don't think you're good enough, boy. If you're not a hunter, then you don't have what we're looking for. Now shoo, out of my way. I'll give her back when I'm done."
Reyith placed a gentle hand on Cael's shoulder. "There is no need for you to fight. She will not kill me. I will end it quickly." Stepping around him, she fixed her eyes on Vega. She sent a tendril of her mind reaching out, searching for Vega's consciousness. The battle would be over before it even began this way. But to her surprise, she came up against a barrier, which forced her back.
Vega smiled brightly. "Oh, a telepath! Seems like your creator's getting smarter about how he makes his little playthings. But this is wonderful. You truly might be the one."
Reyith bristled, her eyes narrowing. "How dare you say something like that. The one who created us loves us all. He would never just use us like some object."
Before she could protest further, Cael placed a hand on her shoulder. "You never told us why you want her. You obviously don't want to kill her, so that means she'll only be beneficial to you alive. Stop giving us bits and pieces of the puzzle. I want a full explanation, now."
Unsurprisingly, Vega shook her head. "No. You might find out in time, but right now, you don't need to know. You're not part of this."
"Like hell I'm not! If Reyith's involved, so am I. Now, unless you tell us what you know, I'll attack you myself."
"Wait," Reyith said quickly. "You should not attack her. She was aware that I tried to read her mind, and blocked me. No normal human can do that. I am not sure…that she is human at all."
"Ooh, smart little hunter. I'm surprised you caught on so quickly." She raised one hand in the air, and a cold breeze began to blow around them. As they watched, the wind actually became visible in her palm, condensing into a small orb. Lowering her hand, Vega held it out. They could see that the orb had changed, becoming solid. It looked like it was made of…
"Ice? You can create ice?" Cael's eyes were wide as he looked at the orb. How was something like this even possible? What kind of person could do something like this?
"Create and control it," Vega confirmed with a nod. "It's quite simple, actually. Of course, it's more convenient to have a water source nearby that I can draw from; it requires less energy. But if that doesn't work, I pull moisture from the air and expand it. By mixing it with wind, I can solidify it, turning it into ice. Neat, huh?" She noticed their shocked expressions, then smiled. "I'm an ice spirit. Couldn't you tell by my appearance?" She twirled a lock of silvery hair around one finger.
Cael shook his head. "This is… I don't understand. How can spirits even exist? I've never heard of them before today, except in myths and legends." He turned to look at Reyith. "Did you know about them?"
"I did not." Reyith closed her eyes for a moment. "But you know, before yesterday, you did not think someone like me existed, either. Although…something as important as this should not have gone unnoticed." She frowned, her expression troubled. One hand came up to touch the jewel on her choker. Why did Kellan not know about this? It might be relevant to their search.
"We're rare," Vega said, waving her hand dismissively. "Usually, people won't know that we exist. Elemental spirits keep to themselves, isolated from humans. Sometimes we'll congregate in groups of our own element, but more often than not, we like to be alone. The more of us that gather in one place, the higher the risk of being noticed by humans."
"So why expose yourself now? What's to stop us from killing you right here, and stopping whatever plans you're trying to carry out?" Cael asked, narrowing his eyes.
"We've been watching the other hunters, though we've never revealed ourselves before now. You…" she looked over at Reyith, "…are the first hunter we've come across with the traits that we're looking for." She turned her attention back to Cael. "As for you killing me…well, that's a risk I'm willing to take. But I'm betting you won't do it. You're not that kind of person. To be able to kill in cold blood, you need to have the ability to shut down your emotions. You can't do that, can you? Because you don't know what I'm planning, you can't kill me, in case my motives are pure. That would be murder, and you just don't have it in you."
Reyith held out one hand, and red energy surrounded it. "We are wasting time. You obviously have no intention of telling us why you want me, so there is no reason for us to keep talking. You said that you wish to test me, correct? Let us begin."
"Anxious to be rid of me, huh? All right, works for me." Vega took several steps back, raising one hand. Almost immediately after, though, she leapt backwards to avoid a slash from the scythe that Reyith was now holding. "You're fast. It took the others several seconds to form their weapons. Yours is almost instantaneous. I must say, I admire your creator. He knows what he's doing."
"Are you going to continue to study me, or are you going to fight back?" Reyith hissed, taking a step forward.
"Mm, both. After all, I can't tell enough about you if we just fight. I also need to look you over. Don't worry; we'll be finished soon, and I'll leave you alone." She extended her arms out to either side, and a breeze began to blow around her. A tendril of ice snaked up from the ground, curling around her arm. When it had finished forming, she was holding a small sword.
Reyith smiled. "Do you really think that you can defeat me with that? Metsu will cut you to pieces. You will need much more than an ice dagger." Swiftly, she moved forward, bringing the blade down in a vertical slash.
To her surprise, her attack was stopped halfway through. The tip of Metsu's blade was hovering a bare inch from Vega's chest. The sword was somehow holding it off. It had been worked underneath the black blade, stopping its descent. "How…?"
"Didn't I mention? I can control the hardness of the ice that I create. It can be paper-thin, but hard as diamonds." Vega smiled. "Sorry about that. Guess I forgot."
Cael snorted. "Pretty convenient to forget something like that. You could have given us a little warning, at least." He crossed his arms. "I thought you said that you didn't want to kill her. By not telling us about your abilities, you could've-"
"Relax, will you? If I honestly wanted to hurt her, I wouldn't have told you anything about myself. Now shut up, I'm trying to concentrate here." She leaned forward, trying to throw her weight behind holding off Reyith's attack. Slowly, the blade of the scythe began to raise.
Reyith's eyes widened at this, and her grip on the shaft of the scythe tightened. She bit her lip, considering. Suddenly, she kicked out, trying to catch Vega behind the knee.
Vega stumbled back, the tip of the descending scythe blade narrowly missing her chest. "Getting serious now, are we? I like that. Come on!" Holding her arm out, she narrowed her eyes in concentration. The ice blade shimmered, then began to retract. The ice crept up Vega's arm, still extending several inches past her fingertips. She smiled, then leapt forward, the tip of the sword aimed directly at Reyith's heart.
Metsu came up as Reyith attempted to block the attack. She turned sideways, making herself into a smaller target. There was a grinding sound as the blades pushed past each other, and Reyith suddenly forced the ice blade down. In that moment, she took advantage of Vega's lowered guard, and kicked out again.
This time, Vega wasn't fast enough. The kick caught her in her left leg, and it buckled beneath her, sending her to her knees. But as Reyith was bringing the scythe down for the final blow, Vega leaned back slightly, raising her arm. The ice encasing it lengthened, piercing through Reyith's right shoulder.
She gave a hiss of pain, then suddenly went rigid, her eyes wide. With a kind of detached fascination, she watched as her blood was absorbed into the ice, staining it crimson.
"Reyith!" Cael dashed forward, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her backwards. The sword slid free of her shoulder, and Cael quickly placed a hand over the wound. "You'll be all right," he whispered, pressing down to stop the bleeding.
Reyith rolled her eyes. "Of course I will be," she replied, waving her hand in an attempt to shoo him away. Letting Metsu fade away, she turned her attention back to Vega. "You were always only after my blood, weren't you? My strength and abilities were never a factor."
Vega stood up, dusting herself off. Holding up the sword, she waved her free hand over it. The ice retracted once more, forming into a small vial with Reyith's blood contained inside. "Of course. It's good that you're so capable, but your strength isn't really what we need." She gave an almost wicked smile. "Thanks for the fight, though. It was fun. I'll see you again soon!" With a final wave, she disappeared in a swirl of icy wind.
Letting her breath out in a long sigh, Reyith slowly sank to the ground, her legs folded beneath her. Bringing her left hand up, she placed it over the wound in her right shoulder. "That was a bit more excitement than I had hoped for," she said quietly, closing her eyes.
Cael knelt down beside her. "Come on," he said gently, wrapping one arm around her. "Let's get you off the road. I need to look at your shoulder." He pulled her to her feet, then began leading her towards the forest that bordered the road.
"Please stop worrying; the wound is not serious. Once I stop the bleeding, I will be fine." Despite her protests, she let him lead her farther into the woods, then sat down with her back resting against one of the tree trunks.
Cael took off his pack, then knelt down in front of her. "I need you to uh…" He pointed to the laces on her shirt. Rummaging around in the pack for a moment, he pulled out a roll of bandages and a bottle of water.
With an amused smile, Reyith reached up and untied the knot at the top of her shirt. Carefully, she unlaced the garment, letting it fall to the ground. "I…will admit that I am worried," she said finally, the smile fading away. "The way she spoke…she will almost certainly be coming back for me. And I do not know what her intentions are. Once she returns, it will not be alone. I have enough power to stop her if she is by herself. But if there are others, I am not confident that I will emerge the victor."
Cael sighed, trying to ignore the fact that only a thin layer of bindings hid her chest from his gaze. "Don't worry," he told her, ripping off several inches of the bandages he held and wetting it with the water. Gently, he began cleaning the blood off of her shoulder. To his surprise, the wound had almost stopped bleeding. How strange… A wound like that should have been pouring blood.
"I'll protect you. I won't let them take you away from me." His voice held an oddly possessive note, which made Reyith cast him a sideways glance.
She watched him silently as he cleaned the wound. "You are quite efficient," she said finally, giving him a small smile. "How did you come to learn how to clean wounds?" Reaching up, she traced lightly around the edges. The damage was minor; the blade had been only an inch across. However, it had pierced completely through her body.
Moving around behind her, Cael repeated the process of cleaning the blood away. "Oh, I have two young siblings. They're always getting cut up when they play. After a while, you learn how to take care of things like this." A strange urge began to well up inside of him, and he leaned forward slowly.
Reyith wasn't paying attention to his actions. Instead, she was playing with a leaf she had picked up. "So, you learned how to treat a wound from an ice sword," she teased. "Impressive. I was not aware-" She interrupted herself with a hiss, and jerked away from Cael. Turning, she looked at him through wide eyes.
He wasn't quite sure what had come over him. One minute he had been cleaning the blood off of her shoulder, and the next, he had found himself licking the wound. "I…I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."
"It was your instincts," Reyith said softly. "You were trying to clean the wound, as well as soothe me." She sighed. "For wolves, when they lick each other’s wounds, it is not only to clean them. It is also done to comfort the one that has been injured. That is what you were attempting to do, though it seems to have been done unconsciously." She narrowed her eyes, studying him. A faint pink tinge crossed her face. "If you do not mind…you can continue."
"You're not upset?" he asked, arching one eyebrow. Hesitantly, he reached out, resting one hand on her uninjured shoulder. The other arm slid gently around her waist, making her lean back slightly.
"No. It…it felt nice. You just startled me. I have never been touched like that." Her head turned, and she watched him out of the corner of one eye.
"Right." He pulled her closer, leaning down to press his lips against her shoulder. It was still hard for him to remember that she had lived an isolated life, away from all human contact besides those that lived in the mansion. "You're going to have to teach me how to be like this; how to deal with these instincts."
She nodded. "I will. In return, I…I will…" She trailed off, looking away. "I will return the favor however you wish."
This made Cael arch one eyebrow. It was obvious that she had changed her mind about what she was going to say. And he had a feeling that he knew what she had decided not to tell him. She was still hesitating about giving him an answer. But despite this, a small smile made its way onto his face. "Okay. I'll hold you to that."
It was only another couple of seconds before Reyith felt him begin to lick at the wound once more. She closed her eyes, and a soft sigh made its way out of her throat. A faint shiver went up her spine, and she felt a bolt of heat go through her. Her brow furrowed, and she opened her eyes. What had that been? "That…is enough," she whispered. "We should keep moving."
Cael drew back. "Are you sure? We can afford to stay for a few more minutes." In truth, he just wanted an excuse to stay there with her, regardless of what the reason might be. But, to his disappointment, Reyith shook her head.
"No. We have lingered too long already. Come." She stood up, reaching out for her shirt, but a gentle hand on her wrist stopped her before she could put it on.
"I need to bandage your shoulder first, then we can go." Picking up the bandages, he quickly wrapped her shoulder, his hand lingering a moment longer than necessary.
Reyith pulled her shirt on, lacing it back up. Picking up her pack, she began heading back towards the road, Cael at her side.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Cael said after a few minutes.
Looking over at him, Reyith arched one eyebrow. "Yes?"
"These instincts…do all of your brothers and sisters have them? I mean, are they all like us?"
She considered. "Well…yes and no. We are alike in that all of us have similar instincts, but you and I are the only ones with wolf blood. Papa had to experiment with several different blood types before he had the desired results. It seems that wolf blood produces the strongest being. That is why you were given the same blood."
He hummed thoughtfully. "And how many like us are there?"
"Eight, including the two of us. Once I was created, he stopped the modifications. I seem to be what he wanted."
At this, Cael was silent. The way that she spoke about Kellan, it was clear that she didn't understand how unfair her life had been. She had been treated like nothing more than a tool, and she didn't realize. He frowned, continuing to walk. Something had to be done about this.
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Many miles away, in front of a large house, Vega reappeared. Smiling, she walked towards the door, holding the vial of blood in one hand. Upon reaching it, she knocked, then stood back to wait.
It was only a couple of seconds before it swung open soundlessly, admitting her. Stepping through the doorway, she looked up at the ceiling and grinned. A think vine was adhered to the wall, trailing over the ceiling and through a crack in another door. Trust Eris to do something like this when it came to admitting others into the house. It was a useful method, though. The vine was strong enough to subdue someone, but nimble enough to unlock the door. They extended all over the house, usually stuck to the ceiling, out of the way.
The house was old, and had been abandoned several months before. Outside, it looked like it would soon fall down, but the interior was still in fair shape. Most of the rooms were empty, with a few pieces of covered furniture scattered here and there. The windows had been boarded up, though a shaft of sunlight still crept through here and there, casting small pools of light on the floor.
Plants grew in every room, snaking up through cracks in the walls and curling tendrils down from the ceiling. It was these vines that Vega now followed. They came from down the hall, to a dark staircase that led down into a basement.
At the foot of the stairs, Vega looked around. The large room resembled nothing so much as a jungle. Broad-leaved plants covered the walls, and in the center of the room, surrounded by dim lamps, was a mass of leaves and vines, formed into a hammock-like shape. Inside the hammock, a small boy lay on his side, asleep. His short blonde hair was messy, swept carelessly back from his face, and he wore a white shirt and blue jean shorts.
Beside the hammock sat a young woman with long brown hair. Her green eyes were fixed on the boy, and she was frowning. Her blue shirt was similar to Vega's, though it was strapless. She also wore tan shorts, and high boots. Slowly, her head turned, and she looked up at Vega. "Did you get it?"
Moving forward, Vega placed the vial of blood in the woman's hand. "Eris…what will we do if this doesn't work? We've tried so many things that we're beginning to run out of options."
Eris held up the vial, examining the blood inside. "If it doesn't work, we'll keep searching. We won't stop, no matter how long it takes." Standing up, she moved over to a table tucked in one corner. Reaching underneath it, she pulled out a large case, placing it on the surface.
Unclasping the case, she looked through it for a moment, finally withdrawing a syringe. She opened the vial and placed the needle inside. Pulling back on the plunger, she watched the blood fill the syringe. Finally, she turned, then walked back over to the boy. Pulling a small alcohol swab out of her pocket, she tore it open, then wiped the bend of his elbow. Carefully inserting the needle into a vein, she injected the blood.
Once that was done, she sat back down in the chair, watching him. This was the moment of truth. If this blood didn't wake him, then the search would have to begin again. It had taken months for them to track this particular donor candidate. If they had to do it all over again… A few moments later though, both she and Vega let out a happy cry as the boy's eyes flickered open.
"Sister…" he whispered, his voice hoarse. With a sleepy smile, he reached out to Eris.
The brown-haired girl smiled, tears swimming in her eyes. "Sirius…you're awake." She took his hand, squeezing it gently and feeling the warmth slowly spreading through it. Usually, his body was cool to the touch, and it sent a rush of happiness through her to feel the deathlike chill leaving his skin, even if it was only temporary.
Sirius blinked as a pair of arms were suddenly thrown around him. Vega laughed, squeezing him gently. "It worked…it actually worked."
Eris looked over at her. "You understand what this means. The blood we gave him will not last long. We need more. Much more." At Vega's nod, she continued. "You must go and retrieve the one you took this sample from. We need a constant source. Do not kill her, understand? Bring her to me alive." Reaching into a pocket, she withdrew a vial similar to the one Vega had given her. "Use this. Only a few drops will be enough to knock her out. We only need to subdue her. Try not to injure her. Every drop of blood is needed."
Vega nodded, taking the vial and looking at the contents. The liquid inside was a pale blue, and seemed almost to glow in the dim light. "I understand."
After watching her for a moment, Eris nodded. "Two days, then. Prepare yourself, and in two days, you will bring me that girl."
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A short while later, Reyith suddenly stopped walking, her eyes fixed intently on the trees to their left. For a long time, she stood unmoving, her breathing fast and shallow.
"What is it?" Cael asked, stopping to look at her curiously. His gaze followed hers, but he couldn't see anything within the forest.
"Someone is there," she whispered, almost inaudibly. "Show yourself!"
There was a rustling sound among the trees, and a moment later, a girl appeared from the shadows. Her eyes were dark blue, and her long hair was an odd silvery-blue shade. She wore a light blue sleeveless shirt with silver buttons on the front, a black knee-length skirt, and calf-high leather boots. "So you two are the ones giving off that lovely scent," she said cheerfully.
Reyith growled softly. "Who are you?" Her hand clenched, and the faintest traces of red energy began flickering around it. It was clear that she was trying very hard to hold herself back. "You are not one of the hoyu seishin; you should not be drawn to us."
The girl clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Now, now, don't be like that. Those vile things aren't the only ones who can sense energy." She took a couple of steps closer, making Reyith tense. "You're one of them, aren't you? The ones who are sent out to kill and capture those beasts."
Cael narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you should answer our questions before asking those of your own. Tell us who you are." His voice was cold and commanding, not at all like his usual gentle personality. Reyith looked over at him, arching one eyebrow. This was unusual.
The girl stared hard at Cael, and for a moment, it seemed like she had grown angry. But then, a bright smile crossed her face. "Of course; where are my manners? Call me Vega." She gave them a short bow. "May I ask who the two of you are?"
Cael looked skeptical, but Reyith decided to answer her. "This is my companion, Cael. I am Reyith. And yes, I am one of the hunters. Is this significant to you?" Her words were friendly enough, but there was an icy chill to her tone.
"Oh, yes, very significant." She waved her hand airily. "But that comes later." She giggled, tilting her head back and looking up at the sky. "They're going to be so happy. I can't believe my luck, finding the two of you." A calculating expression crossed her face, then. "But tell me…why did you say only you were a hunter? Your partner has the same capabilities you do."
Reyith hesitated, unsure of what she could say that wouldn't give too much away. "Because, although we are the same, he is not trained specifically to hunt the hoyu seishin, as I am." She hoped this was a safe answer; it would make Vega think that he was still a dangerous opponent. But there was more that she needed to know. "Who are 'they'?"
"My family, of course. We've been dying to meet someone like you. But first, we need to make sure that you're acceptable. Someone who is weak will never do." Vega began to move towards Reyith, a faint smile on her face. "How about a little fight? Just for fun."
Cael immediately moved in front of Reyith, giving a soft warning growl. "I don't think so. If you want a fight, then let me be your opponent. Leave Reyith alone."
Vega gave another laugh. "Isn't that cute. He's protecting you from me. But I don't think you're good enough, boy. If you're not a hunter, then you don't have what we're looking for. Now shoo, out of my way. I'll give her back when I'm done."
Reyith placed a gentle hand on Cael's shoulder. "There is no need for you to fight. She will not kill me. I will end it quickly." Stepping around him, she fixed her eyes on Vega. She sent a tendril of her mind reaching out, searching for Vega's consciousness. The battle would be over before it even began this way. But to her surprise, she came up against a barrier, which forced her back.
Vega smiled brightly. "Oh, a telepath! Seems like your creator's getting smarter about how he makes his little playthings. But this is wonderful. You truly might be the one."
Reyith bristled, her eyes narrowing. "How dare you say something like that. The one who created us loves us all. He would never just use us like some object."
Before she could protest further, Cael placed a hand on her shoulder. "You never told us why you want her. You obviously don't want to kill her, so that means she'll only be beneficial to you alive. Stop giving us bits and pieces of the puzzle. I want a full explanation, now."
Unsurprisingly, Vega shook her head. "No. You might find out in time, but right now, you don't need to know. You're not part of this."
"Like hell I'm not! If Reyith's involved, so am I. Now, unless you tell us what you know, I'll attack you myself."
"Wait," Reyith said quickly. "You should not attack her. She was aware that I tried to read her mind, and blocked me. No normal human can do that. I am not sure…that she is human at all."
"Ooh, smart little hunter. I'm surprised you caught on so quickly." She raised one hand in the air, and a cold breeze began to blow around them. As they watched, the wind actually became visible in her palm, condensing into a small orb. Lowering her hand, Vega held it out. They could see that the orb had changed, becoming solid. It looked like it was made of…
"Ice? You can create ice?" Cael's eyes were wide as he looked at the orb. How was something like this even possible? What kind of person could do something like this?
"Create and control it," Vega confirmed with a nod. "It's quite simple, actually. Of course, it's more convenient to have a water source nearby that I can draw from; it requires less energy. But if that doesn't work, I pull moisture from the air and expand it. By mixing it with wind, I can solidify it, turning it into ice. Neat, huh?" She noticed their shocked expressions, then smiled. "I'm an ice spirit. Couldn't you tell by my appearance?" She twirled a lock of silvery hair around one finger.
Cael shook his head. "This is… I don't understand. How can spirits even exist? I've never heard of them before today, except in myths and legends." He turned to look at Reyith. "Did you know about them?"
"I did not." Reyith closed her eyes for a moment. "But you know, before yesterday, you did not think someone like me existed, either. Although…something as important as this should not have gone unnoticed." She frowned, her expression troubled. One hand came up to touch the jewel on her choker. Why did Kellan not know about this? It might be relevant to their search.
"We're rare," Vega said, waving her hand dismissively. "Usually, people won't know that we exist. Elemental spirits keep to themselves, isolated from humans. Sometimes we'll congregate in groups of our own element, but more often than not, we like to be alone. The more of us that gather in one place, the higher the risk of being noticed by humans."
"So why expose yourself now? What's to stop us from killing you right here, and stopping whatever plans you're trying to carry out?" Cael asked, narrowing his eyes.
"We've been watching the other hunters, though we've never revealed ourselves before now. You…" she looked over at Reyith, "…are the first hunter we've come across with the traits that we're looking for." She turned her attention back to Cael. "As for you killing me…well, that's a risk I'm willing to take. But I'm betting you won't do it. You're not that kind of person. To be able to kill in cold blood, you need to have the ability to shut down your emotions. You can't do that, can you? Because you don't know what I'm planning, you can't kill me, in case my motives are pure. That would be murder, and you just don't have it in you."
Reyith held out one hand, and red energy surrounded it. "We are wasting time. You obviously have no intention of telling us why you want me, so there is no reason for us to keep talking. You said that you wish to test me, correct? Let us begin."
"Anxious to be rid of me, huh? All right, works for me." Vega took several steps back, raising one hand. Almost immediately after, though, she leapt backwards to avoid a slash from the scythe that Reyith was now holding. "You're fast. It took the others several seconds to form their weapons. Yours is almost instantaneous. I must say, I admire your creator. He knows what he's doing."
"Are you going to continue to study me, or are you going to fight back?" Reyith hissed, taking a step forward.
"Mm, both. After all, I can't tell enough about you if we just fight. I also need to look you over. Don't worry; we'll be finished soon, and I'll leave you alone." She extended her arms out to either side, and a breeze began to blow around her. A tendril of ice snaked up from the ground, curling around her arm. When it had finished forming, she was holding a small sword.
Reyith smiled. "Do you really think that you can defeat me with that? Metsu will cut you to pieces. You will need much more than an ice dagger." Swiftly, she moved forward, bringing the blade down in a vertical slash.
To her surprise, her attack was stopped halfway through. The tip of Metsu's blade was hovering a bare inch from Vega's chest. The sword was somehow holding it off. It had been worked underneath the black blade, stopping its descent. "How…?"
"Didn't I mention? I can control the hardness of the ice that I create. It can be paper-thin, but hard as diamonds." Vega smiled. "Sorry about that. Guess I forgot."
Cael snorted. "Pretty convenient to forget something like that. You could have given us a little warning, at least." He crossed his arms. "I thought you said that you didn't want to kill her. By not telling us about your abilities, you could've-"
"Relax, will you? If I honestly wanted to hurt her, I wouldn't have told you anything about myself. Now shut up, I'm trying to concentrate here." She leaned forward, trying to throw her weight behind holding off Reyith's attack. Slowly, the blade of the scythe began to raise.
Reyith's eyes widened at this, and her grip on the shaft of the scythe tightened. She bit her lip, considering. Suddenly, she kicked out, trying to catch Vega behind the knee.
Vega stumbled back, the tip of the descending scythe blade narrowly missing her chest. "Getting serious now, are we? I like that. Come on!" Holding her arm out, she narrowed her eyes in concentration. The ice blade shimmered, then began to retract. The ice crept up Vega's arm, still extending several inches past her fingertips. She smiled, then leapt forward, the tip of the sword aimed directly at Reyith's heart.
Metsu came up as Reyith attempted to block the attack. She turned sideways, making herself into a smaller target. There was a grinding sound as the blades pushed past each other, and Reyith suddenly forced the ice blade down. In that moment, she took advantage of Vega's lowered guard, and kicked out again.
This time, Vega wasn't fast enough. The kick caught her in her left leg, and it buckled beneath her, sending her to her knees. But as Reyith was bringing the scythe down for the final blow, Vega leaned back slightly, raising her arm. The ice encasing it lengthened, piercing through Reyith's right shoulder.
She gave a hiss of pain, then suddenly went rigid, her eyes wide. With a kind of detached fascination, she watched as her blood was absorbed into the ice, staining it crimson.
"Reyith!" Cael dashed forward, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her backwards. The sword slid free of her shoulder, and Cael quickly placed a hand over the wound. "You'll be all right," he whispered, pressing down to stop the bleeding.
Reyith rolled her eyes. "Of course I will be," she replied, waving her hand in an attempt to shoo him away. Letting Metsu fade away, she turned her attention back to Vega. "You were always only after my blood, weren't you? My strength and abilities were never a factor."
Vega stood up, dusting herself off. Holding up the sword, she waved her free hand over it. The ice retracted once more, forming into a small vial with Reyith's blood contained inside. "Of course. It's good that you're so capable, but your strength isn't really what we need." She gave an almost wicked smile. "Thanks for the fight, though. It was fun. I'll see you again soon!" With a final wave, she disappeared in a swirl of icy wind.
Letting her breath out in a long sigh, Reyith slowly sank to the ground, her legs folded beneath her. Bringing her left hand up, she placed it over the wound in her right shoulder. "That was a bit more excitement than I had hoped for," she said quietly, closing her eyes.
Cael knelt down beside her. "Come on," he said gently, wrapping one arm around her. "Let's get you off the road. I need to look at your shoulder." He pulled her to her feet, then began leading her towards the forest that bordered the road.
"Please stop worrying; the wound is not serious. Once I stop the bleeding, I will be fine." Despite her protests, she let him lead her farther into the woods, then sat down with her back resting against one of the tree trunks.
Cael took off his pack, then knelt down in front of her. "I need you to uh…" He pointed to the laces on her shirt. Rummaging around in the pack for a moment, he pulled out a roll of bandages and a bottle of water.
With an amused smile, Reyith reached up and untied the knot at the top of her shirt. Carefully, she unlaced the garment, letting it fall to the ground. "I…will admit that I am worried," she said finally, the smile fading away. "The way she spoke…she will almost certainly be coming back for me. And I do not know what her intentions are. Once she returns, it will not be alone. I have enough power to stop her if she is by herself. But if there are others, I am not confident that I will emerge the victor."
Cael sighed, trying to ignore the fact that only a thin layer of bindings hid her chest from his gaze. "Don't worry," he told her, ripping off several inches of the bandages he held and wetting it with the water. Gently, he began cleaning the blood off of her shoulder. To his surprise, the wound had almost stopped bleeding. How strange… A wound like that should have been pouring blood.
"I'll protect you. I won't let them take you away from me." His voice held an oddly possessive note, which made Reyith cast him a sideways glance.
She watched him silently as he cleaned the wound. "You are quite efficient," she said finally, giving him a small smile. "How did you come to learn how to clean wounds?" Reaching up, she traced lightly around the edges. The damage was minor; the blade had been only an inch across. However, it had pierced completely through her body.
Moving around behind her, Cael repeated the process of cleaning the blood away. "Oh, I have two young siblings. They're always getting cut up when they play. After a while, you learn how to take care of things like this." A strange urge began to well up inside of him, and he leaned forward slowly.
Reyith wasn't paying attention to his actions. Instead, she was playing with a leaf she had picked up. "So, you learned how to treat a wound from an ice sword," she teased. "Impressive. I was not aware-" She interrupted herself with a hiss, and jerked away from Cael. Turning, she looked at him through wide eyes.
He wasn't quite sure what had come over him. One minute he had been cleaning the blood off of her shoulder, and the next, he had found himself licking the wound. "I…I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."
"It was your instincts," Reyith said softly. "You were trying to clean the wound, as well as soothe me." She sighed. "For wolves, when they lick each other’s wounds, it is not only to clean them. It is also done to comfort the one that has been injured. That is what you were attempting to do, though it seems to have been done unconsciously." She narrowed her eyes, studying him. A faint pink tinge crossed her face. "If you do not mind…you can continue."
"You're not upset?" he asked, arching one eyebrow. Hesitantly, he reached out, resting one hand on her uninjured shoulder. The other arm slid gently around her waist, making her lean back slightly.
"No. It…it felt nice. You just startled me. I have never been touched like that." Her head turned, and she watched him out of the corner of one eye.
"Right." He pulled her closer, leaning down to press his lips against her shoulder. It was still hard for him to remember that she had lived an isolated life, away from all human contact besides those that lived in the mansion. "You're going to have to teach me how to be like this; how to deal with these instincts."
She nodded. "I will. In return, I…I will…" She trailed off, looking away. "I will return the favor however you wish."
This made Cael arch one eyebrow. It was obvious that she had changed her mind about what she was going to say. And he had a feeling that he knew what she had decided not to tell him. She was still hesitating about giving him an answer. But despite this, a small smile made its way onto his face. "Okay. I'll hold you to that."
It was only another couple of seconds before Reyith felt him begin to lick at the wound once more. She closed her eyes, and a soft sigh made its way out of her throat. A faint shiver went up her spine, and she felt a bolt of heat go through her. Her brow furrowed, and she opened her eyes. What had that been? "That…is enough," she whispered. "We should keep moving."
Cael drew back. "Are you sure? We can afford to stay for a few more minutes." In truth, he just wanted an excuse to stay there with her, regardless of what the reason might be. But, to his disappointment, Reyith shook her head.
"No. We have lingered too long already. Come." She stood up, reaching out for her shirt, but a gentle hand on her wrist stopped her before she could put it on.
"I need to bandage your shoulder first, then we can go." Picking up the bandages, he quickly wrapped her shoulder, his hand lingering a moment longer than necessary.
Reyith pulled her shirt on, lacing it back up. Picking up her pack, she began heading back towards the road, Cael at her side.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" Cael said after a few minutes.
Looking over at him, Reyith arched one eyebrow. "Yes?"
"These instincts…do all of your brothers and sisters have them? I mean, are they all like us?"
She considered. "Well…yes and no. We are alike in that all of us have similar instincts, but you and I are the only ones with wolf blood. Papa had to experiment with several different blood types before he had the desired results. It seems that wolf blood produces the strongest being. That is why you were given the same blood."
He hummed thoughtfully. "And how many like us are there?"
"Eight, including the two of us. Once I was created, he stopped the modifications. I seem to be what he wanted."
At this, Cael was silent. The way that she spoke about Kellan, it was clear that she didn't understand how unfair her life had been. She had been treated like nothing more than a tool, and she didn't realize. He frowned, continuing to walk. Something had to be done about this.
---
Many miles away, in front of a large house, Vega reappeared. Smiling, she walked towards the door, holding the vial of blood in one hand. Upon reaching it, she knocked, then stood back to wait.
It was only a couple of seconds before it swung open soundlessly, admitting her. Stepping through the doorway, she looked up at the ceiling and grinned. A think vine was adhered to the wall, trailing over the ceiling and through a crack in another door. Trust Eris to do something like this when it came to admitting others into the house. It was a useful method, though. The vine was strong enough to subdue someone, but nimble enough to unlock the door. They extended all over the house, usually stuck to the ceiling, out of the way.
The house was old, and had been abandoned several months before. Outside, it looked like it would soon fall down, but the interior was still in fair shape. Most of the rooms were empty, with a few pieces of covered furniture scattered here and there. The windows had been boarded up, though a shaft of sunlight still crept through here and there, casting small pools of light on the floor.
Plants grew in every room, snaking up through cracks in the walls and curling tendrils down from the ceiling. It was these vines that Vega now followed. They came from down the hall, to a dark staircase that led down into a basement.
At the foot of the stairs, Vega looked around. The large room resembled nothing so much as a jungle. Broad-leaved plants covered the walls, and in the center of the room, surrounded by dim lamps, was a mass of leaves and vines, formed into a hammock-like shape. Inside the hammock, a small boy lay on his side, asleep. His short blonde hair was messy, swept carelessly back from his face, and he wore a white shirt and blue jean shorts.
Beside the hammock sat a young woman with long brown hair. Her green eyes were fixed on the boy, and she was frowning. Her blue shirt was similar to Vega's, though it was strapless. She also wore tan shorts, and high boots. Slowly, her head turned, and she looked up at Vega. "Did you get it?"
Moving forward, Vega placed the vial of blood in the woman's hand. "Eris…what will we do if this doesn't work? We've tried so many things that we're beginning to run out of options."
Eris held up the vial, examining the blood inside. "If it doesn't work, we'll keep searching. We won't stop, no matter how long it takes." Standing up, she moved over to a table tucked in one corner. Reaching underneath it, she pulled out a large case, placing it on the surface.
Unclasping the case, she looked through it for a moment, finally withdrawing a syringe. She opened the vial and placed the needle inside. Pulling back on the plunger, she watched the blood fill the syringe. Finally, she turned, then walked back over to the boy. Pulling a small alcohol swab out of her pocket, she tore it open, then wiped the bend of his elbow. Carefully inserting the needle into a vein, she injected the blood.
Once that was done, she sat back down in the chair, watching him. This was the moment of truth. If this blood didn't wake him, then the search would have to begin again. It had taken months for them to track this particular donor candidate. If they had to do it all over again… A few moments later though, both she and Vega let out a happy cry as the boy's eyes flickered open.
"Sister…" he whispered, his voice hoarse. With a sleepy smile, he reached out to Eris.
The brown-haired girl smiled, tears swimming in her eyes. "Sirius…you're awake." She took his hand, squeezing it gently and feeling the warmth slowly spreading through it. Usually, his body was cool to the touch, and it sent a rush of happiness through her to feel the deathlike chill leaving his skin, even if it was only temporary.
Sirius blinked as a pair of arms were suddenly thrown around him. Vega laughed, squeezing him gently. "It worked…it actually worked."
Eris looked over at her. "You understand what this means. The blood we gave him will not last long. We need more. Much more." At Vega's nod, she continued. "You must go and retrieve the one you took this sample from. We need a constant source. Do not kill her, understand? Bring her to me alive." Reaching into a pocket, she withdrew a vial similar to the one Vega had given her. "Use this. Only a few drops will be enough to knock her out. We only need to subdue her. Try not to injure her. Every drop of blood is needed."
Vega nodded, taking the vial and looking at the contents. The liquid inside was a pale blue, and seemed almost to glow in the dim light. "I understand."
After watching her for a moment, Eris nodded. "Two days, then. Prepare yourself, and in two days, you will bring me that girl."
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