478 CHPT 478: Wolves Overwhelm

Sunday Morning, March 8th, 2241.

Believe it or not, as many times as it's been emphasized, The Sunlands has a sun like no other.

It takes up damn near half the sky with its fiery golden rays of superheated power. It pulls spirals of steam from the sands and gives the glassy reflective minerals within the power to amplify. Making the ground feel like it's studded with flaming spikes.

It pulls water from the skin, it burns fat from within the moving body.

The only way one could feel the suns increasingly personal touch is to be increasingly more personal with it.

Claude was a product of the Moon at large. But it was the sun he worked tirelessly under currently.

It was the sun that followed him as he worked his skills while traveling the forest. An intricate game of accuracy, agility, focus and the unity of many.

He ran like the wind. No linear path, no visible trail. He was a force inside the greenery that fluffed the bushes, ruffled the trees and sent splashing shockwaves through the rivers within.

All the while, nature listened and worked in step with him. Growing and thickening, spitting out wooden spikes for him to take hold of before abruptly taking aim and letting loose.

FWOOMP!

FWOOMP!

He flipped from the trees and over ponds, throwing his spears into targets placed all through the forest.

He was no Archer. Not by a long shot. But if he threw hard enough the whole target would explode in a burst of wooden splinters and vines.

If not. The many creatures of the forest would retrieve it for him.

Then they'd have their own workout and reaching him to return it.

Fetch on steroids and spliced with Target practice.

He got the idea after watching Frosty try to play fetch with the others while also fighting the urge to make it a game of chase.

The target practice part came from his urges to put a whole in Samuel's head. And Rupont Fiara's— who had been absent ever since they last spoke.

The Vampire. Possibly the one who ruined Rollan's second shot at life. Who took his only friend. Who took who knew how much from…..Well you get the point.

He had a lot to work off. A lot to plan.

Thank the gods they had a forest and likeminded individua—

SQUAAAAARK!

The NightHawk from days ago divebombed into the forest just as he jumped across a river to throw a wooden spear into a target placed inside of a dug in whole.

FWOOK!

In an explosion of dirt and grass the target felt the pierce of his spear.

He landed with a roll and stood up to catch the birds dropped letter just in time.

Speaking of Vampire.

"Monsieur, you wade in dangerous waters. If the Fiara name is present at that Tournament, you risk drowning in blood as thick as sand. I told you of him only once. Rupere Fiara. A Vampire— an enigma. A force more than a man. He twisted someone that was already beyond saving. Cruelty was his Element as Nature is ours. Lilith stood no chance, but you do. I ready the grove for what may come. Stay safe and stay out of his way. Same goes for the Bear Woman, hm?"

Claude rolled up the paper with a sigh.

"[Nothing we didn't already know.]" Arne commented as Claude stood in his sweat.

He almost looked vampiric in his leanness. Another effect of the Lupines of Romulus. Their mixed heritage allowed a sort of understanding for many molds…. Many forms and adjustments. It made them reactive to surroundings at a higher level than most.

Claude was in the heat. So he shed. He lost a considerable amount of body fat. He felt faster— lighter. The same had happened to Ursula and Frosty.

Speaking of.

Frosty came trotting out of the woodland howling in complaint at the stoppage of their game.

He stopped after sniffing Claude's letter. Seemingly understanding it's contents from the scents of the ink.

Claude gave him the paper. Frosty chewed it up and spit it out. Evidence erased. For good measure Diamondback stomped it out.

"We're in deep shit." Claude said, "Nothing new right?"

The animals of the forest stood around him. Some hidden and others not.

He'd be lying if he didn't admit he was training them for the day Samuel walked in thinking it was a game of wits…. Or anything other than slaughter.

Before he could say anything more a dozen footsteps echoed.

He turned, raising his nose to the sky to give him the information his blindfolded eyes could not.

Two foxes yipped along with a sleek black Feline. The others began heading for the students, interest clear in their body language.

It didn't take a genius level Mage to understand who two of the four was.

Evelyn and Stella. The rest filled in in time. To the point that he was aware of every single one of them before they could see him.

He removed his blindfold just as they pushed their way through some shrubbery to get closer to him.

The sun was further up the clear blue sky. Shadows in odd shapes entered their space due to the Sky Ships and massive winged beasts flying overhead for surveillance and travel.

Among its strangeness, pollen rose from the ruffled plants and made the forest seem just like the animals. Inspecting. Reacting to its new entrants.

Evelyn. Chase. Conroy. Stella.

The heat had slimmed them out as well. Just not so aggressively.

Stella was still lithe and pretty in a sensually aggressive way. More so than a few months ago. She was growing into her long legs and striking eyes. Her blonde hair somehow had no frizz in the heat and laid against her shoulders like curtains of gold silk. It stood out against her black and silver armor.

Conroy had continued to avoid cutting his hair. Now tied up in a ponytail that trailed down his back. He kept his navy blue robe— moderating the heat with a steady cold front surrounding him at all times. Causing the sweat that fell off his skin to land in the grass as snowflakes.

Chase was the most unchanged. Still skinny. Still awkwardly tall. Still pale as if the sun didn't bother with his shenanigans. His brown leather armor was as scared and rugged as usual.

"Morning, Claude…. Though it seems yours started quite some time ago." Conroy started as his hand rested on the hilt of his blade.

"Not that long ago. I just like running when I wake up." Claude replied.

Stella hissed passively— the same way Loba does when she's getting irritated with Frosty, "Yea sure. That's definitely why I smell your sweat up there…" She pointed up into the trees.

Claude didn't bother, "Why are you all here?"

Evelyn stood up from petting her Vulkura. "We're here because of the Martial Arts competition."

"I'm not doing that." Claude replied to their surprise.

Chase looked offended, "How could you?"

"I've got other things to worry about." Claude replied.

Conroy looked over to Evelyn. They seemed to share an unspoken conversation.

"What?" Claude cut in.

"Other things like Samuel?" Conroy guessed.

Claude didn't say anything.

"Listen. I've worked alongside women for years at the University. I know unspoken drama when I see it. We do it best. Sort of like you two—"

"But worse." Conroy interjected.

"Yea we don't get along." Claude supported with a wonderful understatement.

"Yea….. and for whatever reason, I think I get it." Evelyn started.

Claude felt like he was standing under a blue moon. Then he remembered Samuel as he was now.

"He smells like he's been bathing in corpses for decades. Human corpses. I know it's not Monsters because I've been around my fair share." Evelyn said. As a Vulpine Beast Tamer that held weight. Even so, why?

"That wouldn't be a direct problem on its own, but he's compromising us." Chase added.

"What are you talking about?" Claude questioned. He'd been connected with Ursula as often as possible and it didn't seem too dangerous since.

"He's been talking with people. Spreading word for us to stay out of any and all competitive spaces. Including the Martial Arts competition."

Chase looked irritated, "He said we have no potential."

Claude's ears rang like war horns.

Adrenaline coursed through his veins and darkened his skin ever so slightly. He caught onto his control last second like a poor handler of rabid dogs.

Even Arne's words failed to reach him.

Again. It was all coming together. There were only so many reasons Samuel would be here. It was so trivially laid out and obvious it couldn't have been plans made by anyone of a strategically sound mind. That or their greed and confidence was blinding them.

Or worse. The unaccounted for Lupines of Remus were simply waiting for the right moment to burn everything to ash.

Either way. Samuel was what Jack was at the University all those months ago.

He was scouting.

Planning to change the next star of The Tournament into a Follower of Remus.

And unlike Jack, he could get up close and personal with the new recruits.

Luckily so could Claude.

"C-Claude?" Evelyn said as they all looked around the forest.

Wild Magic was a power unnatainable by humans. But like lightning before it struck, they could feel it's power swell.

They could see the creatures within transform in abstract and sly ways as they stalked and surrounded Claude.

He never heard the end of what they were saying. He didn't need to. All he needed to do was erase the competition.

Erase Samuel.

The Dominators words came again. She truly was something else.

Nothing too extreme or profound, but fitting of the moment like a puzzle piece all to his own scattered assortment of problems.

Turn your enemies against each other. Because once again, nobody has one single enemy. The world isn't so kind. Especially not Claude's.

Right off the top of his head he had two present. Two that wanted his skin laid out in their homes.

Ronin.

And Samuel.

Turn them on each other. If anyone knew what made a Shifter tic it was one who constantly did. Claude.

Along the way, interrupt the flow of talent in the current Martial Arts competition.

Good thing he'd just spent the last two months climbing towards Gold Rank.

"Claude!" Stella snapped, "You're being weird again."

"Sorry." Claude managed.

"So what do you think?" Evelyn asked.

"...I think you all should fight in the tournament. Fight me fight Samuel fight everyone. And whatever you do, do not go easy…. Samuel says stay out of the way. Fuck that. Get in everyone's way."