Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Spirit of the Wolf ❯ Chapter 6: Reflections ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual people or places is purely coincidental.

---


Metsu was waiting for Reyith as soon as she fell asleep. He stood on the carpet of stars with his arms crossed, watching her with an unreadable expression on his face.  I need to speak with you, he said, taking a step closer to her.

For her part, Reyith was confused. Though she sometimes sought him out when she had a problem with something, rarely did he ever call  her. He always requested to speak with her, and only once had he ever forcefully pulled her into his world. That had been the day after she had found him. When they first met, he had explained to her who and what he was, then left her alone. But the next day, she found herself suddenly standing before him. He had attacked her, though not with the intent to kill. Later, she had realized that he had been measuring her worth, whether or not she would be a good partner for him. Though he had won their battle, she had gained his respect; refusing to back down, even after she had been almost cut to pieces.

She bowed her head respectfully to him. “About what?” she asked, finally looking back up. In all honesty, she was feeling a little uneasy. Half of her was expecting him to attack again, but she was also more than a little curious.

Your behavior tonight. I understand that you are suffering from the influence of the full moon, but that is no reason for you to be so negligent. You were lucky this time, Reyith. You should know that you can’t lower your guard, no matter what the circumstances.  His voice was stern, but not unkind.  If this happens again, you will be punished, do you understand? I don’t care what reasons you have.

“Yes, I understand,” she whispered, lowering her head once more. “Please, forgive me. It will not happen again.” In the beginning, they had often had conversations such as these. Whenever she had made a mistake in training, he had called her into his world, and told her exactly what she had done wrong. Then, he showed her what could have happened.

Because she was in his world, he could do whatever he liked with her while she was there, including killing her, and it would have no effect on her physical body. It was quite effective in teaching her.

Metsu nodded once.  There is more that we must discuss. Your protector, Cael…how do you feel about him? I have never seen you so distracted before, so uncertain. I know that he is the cause. Your actions lead me to believe that he is more to you than just a partner. He is…a potential mate, perhaps? Is this how you see him?

Reyith shook her head. “It is not like that. Though he would be an acceptable mate for me, I do not-”

The spirit held up one hand, silencing her protest before it could even really begin.  You’re lying, Reyith. Do not forget, I have access to your mind, and also to your heart. I know everything that you are thinking and feeling. Lying will do you no good.  He sighed, shaking his head.  I know that you desire a mate, and I don’t want to deny you that. But you must remember to focus on the task at hand. That is why you were created. I know it may be hard, but you must do this.

Reyith nodded slowly. “I know. I just wanted…to know what it was like to live like a human. But I got carried away. Now is not the time for this.” But she couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. When Cael had been holding her like that, she had felt content, like that was where she belonged. To have Metsu bring her back to reality like this was almost painful.

But there was still hope. He had told her that she needed to focus on their goals, but he had never said that she had to completely give him up. As long as she didn’t get distracted again, she could still be with him.

Metsu arched one eyebrow at this. For a moment, his eyes narrowed, but then he relaxed.  If you keep your mind on what we need to do, I see no reason why you can’t explore this relationship further. But remember what I told you. One more mistake, and I will need to show you the consequences of your actions.

She was silent for a moment. “I understand.”

The spirit watched her for a few more seconds, then nodded. Slowly, he raised one hand into the air. An orb of red light appeared, lengthening into the familiar black scythe.  Then to remind you of who we are… Prepare yourself.

Reyith immediately tensed, watching him warily. In his world, she was unable to form her weapon unless he wanted her to. Now, she had to play by his rules. He controlled everything that went on in this world. But one good thing about it…unless he wished for the wounds he gave her to carry over onto her physical body, there would be no trace of this fight once she awoke. That was a relief; she didn’t know how she would explain it to Cael if cuts and bruises began appearing on her body. Idly, she had to wonder how long it would be until Kago began doing this for his wielder.

It would be more convenient; they had little time for training during the day, but his abilities needed to be brought out. Kago would be able to help him with that, when she couldn’t. No matter how hard the training, there would be no injuries on him the next morning.

But there was also a downside to this. If the spirit wished for the death of his partner…it would come to pass, and there would be no hint on their physical bodies. A clean, perfect death, with no apparent cause. That was why Reyith always tried to keep Metsu placated; he was very dangerous, and could easily kill her if she wasn’t careful. By nature, Metsu wasn’t a bloodthirsty individual, especially where Reyith was concerned, but he was merciless when it came to his targets.

That focus was something that Reyith shared; at least in most situations. In battle, she never lost her concentration. All that mattered was victory. But now, she wasn’t so sure. If Cael was ever in danger, she knew that she would worry about him. He would come first, before anything. That was something Metsu wouldn’t tolerate, and neither would she. It would have to be corrected immediately.

At that moment, she was pulled out of her thoughts as Metsu leapt forward, bringing the scythe down in a swift vertical arc. The blade descended at a frightening speed, directly towards Reyith’s chest. If it connected, it would kill her instantly.

When the tip was a scant inch away, she stepped back, just enough to avoid the blow. In situations such as these, she was careful not to move more than was absolutely necessary; wasted motions meant openings for Metsu to strike; openings that she would not notice.

She clenched her fist, red light surrounding it. Though she wasn’t able to form the scythe, the energy itself could still be used as a weapon. The light lengthened, forming itself into the semblance of a rough dagger. Though she knew that the dagger would do little good against him, it was the only way that she had to really defend herself. It was also the only way she had to possibly injure Metsu.

With the dagger in hand, she lunged forward, raising her arm as if to slash at him. But at the last moment, she spun around his side, just in time to avoid his counterstrike. During the spin, her arm lashed out, the tip barely grazing Metsu’s ribcage.

Before Reyith could get away, Metsu brought one hand up off of the scythe, lashing out at her. His fist smashed into her upper arm, and she felt the bone splinter. This sudden pain distracted her, and the energy dagger flickered, then faded away.

The spirit didn’t waste a single second; immediately moving in with another strike, this one angled from her right shoulder to her left hip. This time, however, Reyith didn’t move back to avoid the blow. Instead, she leapt into the air, pushing off of the shaft of the scythe and spinning into a kick aimed for his head.

Metsu ducked beneath her foot, flipping the scythe over and using the end of the shaft to try to knock her out of the air before she could complete the kick. It was partially successful, in that it connected with her back as she was turning in preparation to land. But instead of being knocked down, she arched her back, sliding backwards over the shaft, angling headfirst towards the ground.

She stretched her hands out to catch herself, but before she landed, she kicked out, attempting to connect with Metsu’s shoulder. This would have to be done very carefully; one wrong move and she would be struck with the blade of the scythe. If he angled it even a fraction to the left…


As if her thoughts somehow had the power to influence reality, she watched the blade shift towards her. But even as it did, she felt her foot connect in a vicious kick, and he hissed quietly.

Damn it!  She gave a soft cry of pain as the tip of the scythe caught her just underneath her arm, cutting a ragged gash all the way down to her waist. Metsu had allowed her to land that kick, just so he could get a hit in on her. Catching herself on her hands, she pushed off from the ground, coming to rest on one knee several feet away from him. Her hand came up to rest against her side, though it did little good against the long slash. She could feel the blood leaking out over her fingers, staining her shirt.

Her brow furrowed as she looked back up at Metsu. There was no doubt in her mind that she would lose this fight; she had never won against him before. Already, it was winding to a close; the longer she waited, the closer she would come to passing out due to bloodloss.

Do you concede?  Metsu asked, taking a step towards her, the scythe held loosely in one hand. Her blood dripped slowly to the blanket of stars beneath them, though it was lost in the inky blackness. Every drop sent a fresh wave of ripples spreading out over the ‘floor’, then they faded away into stillness once more. Bringing the blade up, he licked her blood off of it as he waited for her answer.

Reyith shook her head, breathing hard. It was the same thing every time they fought with each other. He would ask her if she wanted to give up, and her answer was always the same. “You will have to kill me, first.” With that, she struggled to her feet, growling softly.

The faintest hint of a smile appeared on Metsu’s face, but it was gone too fast for her to get a good look at it.  Very well. Then I will end it.  He continued towards her, his pace slow and unhurried. Stopping just short, he raised the blade above his head, ready to deliver the final blow.

But just as it descended, she leapt to the side, rolling and coming to her feet. Without missing a beat, she threw herself at him, attempting to land a punch on his undefended side. But as she expected, he was ready for that, and angled himself away from her, bringing up the scythe. The blade curved around her body, catching her full in the back and digging deep into her flesh.

She stopped, a trickle of blood making its way out of the corner of her mouth. As she fell forward, Metsu caught her, keeping her from hitting the ground. Inwardly, she wasn’t surprised by how quickly he had defeated her. It was always like this; two or three blows were exchanged, and then he slipped in the fatal strike.

To anyone watching, their fights would have been almost impossible to follow, as they moved so quickly. They would be little more than blurs, unless they came to a deadlock. Even then, it would only last a couple of seconds before they were moving again. That speed had allowed her to win fights that would have otherwise been impossible, but she still wasn’t good enough to defeat Metsu yet. He was still both faster and stronger than she was.

You still haven’t defeated me,  he said, watching her calmly, even as she struggled for breath.  It will need to happen soon, Reyith. You will not reach the peak of your power until you have bested me in combat.

“I know,” she whispered, her voice ragged. “I am…going to keep trying. I will defeat you…I swear it.”

He nodded, accepting her words. With his free hand, he reached behind her, pulling the scythe out of her back.  Sleep now. You’ve earned it. Do not forget what we discussed tonight.

Reyith nodded, her eyes slowly closing. She had lost count of how many times he had killed her. But because he didn’t wish for it to be permanent, she was always returned to the real world alive and unscathed. Her body faded away, leaving Metsu standing alone on the carpet of stars. Again, the tiny smile reappeared, and he closed his eyes. Within another moment, he had vanished.

---

Cael was awakened early the next morning by the sun shining in his face. He brought one hand up to shield his eyes, then groaned.  Too bright…  Slowly, he cracked his eyes open, then looked around. A faint smile came to his face as he looked down at the girl who still had her head rested in his lap.

He reached down, running his fingers gently through her hair. It was interesting to see her like this, asleep. The night before, she had fallen asleep after him, and awoke before he did. But now… He had to admit that he was surprised to find her still resting; not that he was complaining.

Reyith was still curled up on her side, but she had flipped over, and was now facing him. Her long hair was spread out around her, and one hand was grasping the fabric of his pants lightly. As he touched her, she shifted slightly, giving a quiet sigh.

“Wake up,” he said, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. “It’s morning. We have to get going.” Tilting her chin up towards him, he closed the distance between them. It was too tempting a chance to pass up.

When he was only a couple of inches away, her violet eyes snapped open, and fixed on him. She lay there for a moment, perfectly still, then suddenly sat up straight, narrowly missing hitting him by accident. “Forgive me,” she said quietly, keeping her back turned to him.

“For what?” he asked, confused.

“I should have found somewhere else to sleep.” Pulling herself to her feet, she dusted off her clothes, then moved over to the stream. She knelt down, then splashed her face with the cold water.

Cael watched her walk away, then sighed. Was she regretting what had happened? He could see the tension in her body as she moved, but he couldn’t say what had caused it. Perhaps it was simply the result of sleeping on the ground all night.

Finally, she turned back around to look at him, then grabbed her pack. “There should be something for you to eat in your pack. I do not know how close we are to a town; it might be better for you to eat now, to keep up your strength.”

As she started to walk away, Cael stood up, then suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to him. Wrapping one arm firmly around her waist, he bent down, then kissed her soundly. Leaning back, he watched her silently for a moment. “I don’t want you avoiding me,” he said quietly. “If what happened last night upset you, then please tell me, so I can apologize. But if it didn’t…” He sighed. “We’re supposed to be partners. It can’t be like this.”

Give her time. This is probably the first time that anyone has shown her the kind of affection that you did last night. She needs time to adjust to this change. She’ll come around.

The voice startled Cael so much that he jumped, looking around. That was Kago. But how…?

We are connected, which means we can communicate with each other even while you are not in my world.  The spirit’s voice was distracted, as if he had something else on his mind.  You will need to be patient with her. She’s probably afraid of getting close to anyone. What you must understand is the way she has lived up until now. Her creator…he may care for her, but she was still ultimately used as nothing more than a tool. She doesn’t know any other life, so she doesn’t understand that not everyone lives that way. She was designed to be a weapon, nothing more. You’re probably the only one who has ever treated her like a normal person. Opening herself up to these kinds of feelings is not easy.

Cael sighed within his mind.  I want her to be happy. I want to give her the life that she was denied. I understand that she has a job to do, but that doesn’t mean she can’t live her life the way she wants to. I can help her with that, if she’ll let me.

He felt a gentle brush against his mind, and he realized that Kago was smiling.  She will, don’t worry. Now, pay attention to her. Ignoring your partner is not a good way to get on her good side.

Reyith was watching him curiously, one eyebrow raised. It was clear that she had noticed that his attention had wandered after he said something to her. “Kago must have spoken with you,” she said after a moment. It was interesting that both spirits had decided to contact their wielders. And she had a feeling that both of them had similar things to say.

“I am not upset with you,” she told him, giving a soft sigh. “I just…need to focus on my task. I cannot allow myself to be distracted by something like this. Forgive me.”

It seemed that she had given this some thought since last night. He wasn’t really surprised. But… “Why can’t you do both?” he questioned, giving her a smile. Opening his pack, he rummaged around in it for a moment, finally producing an apple.

She blinked at him. “What?”

“You can still find out what you need to for Kellan, but at the same time, you can be with me. It is possible to have both, Reyith. All you need to do is trust yourself. I know that you enjoyed what happened last night, and that you’re scared. But if you don’t give it a chance, then you’ll never know what you’re missing. I don’t know if I can give you what you want, or make you happy. But I’m certainly willing to try, if you’ll let me. Just…think about it, okay? I won’t bring it up again, but I want you to consider it for me. Give yourself this chance for happiness.”

Reyith was silent at this. It was interesting, she realized. Both Cael and Metsu wanted her to be happy. Both of them said that she could be with Cael and still do what she was created for. There should be nothing stopping her from accepting his offer. But she was still scared. If things went wrong, one or both of them could be killed, and it would be her fault. She wasn’t sure if she could handle that. But she also knew that she was in too deep to back out now.

Finally, she looked up at him, then smiled. “Please, just…allow me a little time to become used to this. I want to accept your offer, but…I am still nervous. With time, we…” She trailed off, the faintest hint of color coming to her face. “We can be together. If you still wish it, of course.”

Cael blinked in surprise, then smiled, giving a sigh of relief. “I will. You know, I was so afraid that you would tell me no.” He reached out, as if to wrap his arms around her in a hug, but then seemed to think better of it. It was clear that she wanted distance, so he would give it to her. So it surprised him when Reyith reached out, taking his hand in hers and lacing their fingers together.

“Just a while longer,” she promised him. “I just need to become accustomed to this.” She looked away as she recalled what Metsu had told her the night before. He was the main reason that she was hesitating about this. Though he had given her encouragement, his warning also rang loudly in her mind. It was just a question of which one she wanted to listen to.

It was unavoidable that one of them would end in disaster. But at this point, she wasn’t at all sure which one it was. There were two outcomes for each choice. If she turned him down, she wouldn’t have to worry about being distracted in battle, and she could ensure their safety. She could also focus on finding the cause behind why the serum had turned into a kind of poison. But it would mean that they would both be miserable, staying in each other’s company without being able to give in to what they wanted.

If she chose to take his offer, they could be happy with each other, and one part of her life could be normal. She could know what it felt like to have a mate, and fill the emptiness that resided within her. But she didn’t know if she would be able to concentrate on what she needed to do. Cael would come first for her. And if Kellan found out, she didn’t know what he would do to her. Because of the way she was created, she  needed  to have a purpose. The thought of being replaced by someone else didn’t sit well with her at all. Nor did the thought of dying. She wasn’t afraid of being killed, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

Now, it all came down to her decision. What was she willing to risk? What was she willing to lose? It was undeniably the hardest decision she’d ever had to make.

Cael’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. “We should get going. There’s probably a town nearby. Maybe someone there will be able to give us a clue.”

Reyith nodded slowly. It was unlikely, unless the town was very large. They needed to find a town or city with a prison. That was where the answers would be. But it never hurt to look, on the off chance that he was right. At the very least, they could find out where they should look next. The people in the town would be able to point them in the direction of the nearest prison. Besides that, if they were in a crowded area, like a city, it would make it harder for Vega to track them down again. They still didn’t know exactly when she was supposed to return. The sooner they could hide themselves, the better.

The day passed uneventfully, and nightfall brought them to the edge of a small town, just as Cael had predicted. But something seemed off. Even though it was just beginning to grow dark, the streets were deserted, and everything was eerily quiet.

As Reyith looked around, she felt a chill go up her spine. Ice flooded through her veins, putting her on alert. “Something’s wrong,” she whispered. Even though she had never been to a town before, she knew that they weren’t supposed to be like this.

Cael nodded distractedly. “Maybe we should get out of here. I don’t like the feel of this place.”

“No,” Reyith said immediately. Her eyes closed, and she extended her mind outward, searching for the telltale traces of what she was looking for. “We should stay. I think there is a-” Her words were cut off as a scream suddenly rent the still air around them.


Converting /tmp/phpHyOLC6 to /dev/stdout