5 The Merry Winter Evening (Ch5)

Winter winds were furiously roaring outside the window. Drakonen family was comfortably sitting beyond the hearth while drinking mulled wine. The warm and happy atmosphere was filled by comfy family small talks. The Merry Christmas atmosphere prevailed, even so, no one knew who the Christ was the bards were singing "Jingle Bells" song.

Boris and Jessica were discussing plans on the next year what should they build and what should be decided by opportunity. Pauls big intelligent eyes were following the parent's voices as if he could really understand what were they saying. Both Jessica and Boris focused on the kid as if feeling the gaze.

"I think we can start cultivation him." Jessica as the true Bene could not wait but to start powering up her child.

"Isn't it too early? I think we can do more harm then good if we are too eager." As mighty and ruthless as Boris was he couldn't bring himself to make his boy experience so much pain before the boy even learned to speak up his mind.

"Time waits for no one. The earlier we start tempering his body and feeding him elixirs the easier his future road would be. Moreover, he would be able to go further" The same love that made Boris hesitant made Jessica relentless.

Then she kissed him on the chick and laughed softly: "Think about it - his body will be stronger and sturdier, his meridians wider, his brain more capable. Believe in me my dear, I know how to cultivate geniuses the best, don't you forget who I am!"

"Sorry I just can't bring myself to connect my beautiful wife with those freaks. I wonder why they chose not to modify you, but I'm still grateful." He just laughed too, while kissing Jessica's forehead.

"Just don't make him a freak, I plead you!"

"That I can do!" This demones of his wife just couldn't help but pull his leg. Or did she.

Paul was cuddling and laughing on Jessica's hand. "Look our boy is so eager to become stronger!"

"You are the one who's eager, you crazy woman!"

While violent winds were blowing outside the gentle and warm aura was solidifying inside the manor.

Despite the weather the mansion was bustling with activity: Mark and John were practicing duels. In the short span of three months that passed since the accident they improved quite a bit. Johns accuracy was raised up a notch, being able to hit four targets in just a second. Mark raised his speed and stamina, he didn't care about hitting the bullseye, as long as his ax would connect with anything the target would burst as if it exploded.

The duel looked peculiar - one was jumping and biting like a wasp and the other was sending airwaves with his giant ax as if he was a humanoid typhoon. Their totems were still too weak to be activated, but shockwaves they send could severely hurt normal people or even level 5 warriors, even level 9 warriors would be pushed back by these waves.

Leto Drakonen was sitting with his legs folded under him. He was watching the movements of his totem moving in his soul. Theis black and the grey snake was called Vampire Bonetail. The live counterpart of this totem came from shieldtail snake family and was a horrifying entity who seemingly attacked it's victims out of nowhere and sucked their lifeforce dry to such extent that the unfortunate beings were directly turned into dust. This style of battle perfectly suited its totem wielder. Leto recreated the art of ninjitsu just based on the rumors and ancient manuscripts called manga.

When Lord Boris asked Leto to train Mark and John in the art of ninjitsu, the latter agreed. Contrary to the Boris expectations the styled Mark and John executed were so very different from Letos, moreover they were fighting in styles that were unique to each of them, to which Leto commented that the ways of The Ninja Manuscripts are wast and each Ninja should be unique cause there are no two same physiques and powers between practitioners.

Meanwhile Leto's wife, warrior-woman Lady Gelda Drakonis was looking at the mirror while smiling. After that fateful night when "Alfa" was born she felt that her body regained something crucial to her. Even though she couldn't ascertain she was sure that her totem was reborn. After the short moment of silence, she returned to the training. She started to lift and sit down with huge barbels, after the set of exercises she went to the heavy dummy training - lifting and throwing dummies wich even strong warriors found hard to even lift. After several rounds of intense weightlifting, she confirmed her suspicions - her regenerating powers nearly doubled, meaning the Troll totem was back with her, even though it was not awakened yet. This fact signified her return to being a warrior! She just needed to wait till her body was restored to level 10 warrior standard. But she wouldn't just wait for it, she would bite and tear every single opportunity out of the hands of fate! After thinking through these lines she dived into training with renewed vigor.

The door was opened, but when the young warrior saw this inhuman scene, he run away, afraid he would take place of that dummy. Everyone knew that Gelda's maiden name was Loktar and every single one of that clan were battle driven maniacs. And lady Gelda was the battle instructor of that clan.

Finishing her drink Lady Jessica was still thinking how to start tempering the young warrior that lay in her hands. It was not that she didn't know the way, contrary - there were too many ways to create the genius. After a long round of deliberation, she chose the jack-of-all-trades, while not having an extreme edge, this way the child would be able to choose his road himself, be it mage, tank, assassin or whatever road there was.

As she drank the last sip, the resolution in her eyes was solidified. Now they looked like blue ice circles that were glistering and freezing light itself. She slowly stood up and headed towards the exit. When she passed Boris she stroke the latter's hair.

"Are you going to start now?" Boris exclaimed in shock. He could never fully understand the scientific fever of his wife.

"The earlier we start the safer our kid will be" The smile on her face mesmerized Boris, bringing back memories of their first meeting.

"Such a demonic woman you are. That's why I love you so much, darling" The mighty Drakonen leader acted like a little boy near his woman. He traced her long slender legs as she was walking past him. Her red dress with white fur trim and Christmas hat made her look especially alluring.

"Good thing our subordinates can't see you now. They would laugh their asses off while pinching each other thinking that it is a dream! Who in their right mind can imagine the great general being so sweet?" Her laugher flown like a jingle of crystal bells and the last words were said out of the corridor.

"So, little Paul, I've got you the first Christmas present in your life. It will be painful at first but then you will start to enjoy it. Believe your mother and just endure the hard part." Jessica was both happy and apologetic. After all even low-level tempering elixir brought a lot of pain to grown-up adults, not mentioning the kids.

"Merry Christmas, bad boy!"