20

Chapter Twenty

P A R E N T A L C O N T R O L : PART ONE

P A R E N T A L C O N T R O L : A HELPING HAND

Mikael was at his wits end.

Osiris was fighting with everyone and everything that rubbed him wrong. The other day he got stuck on a clothing line and burned down half the servants' attire for the entire Silene Virginica castle.

"The beasts have already crossed the Mara Trench."

Mikael pinched his nose.

"I appreciate the heads up."

Gladimir stood with her arms crossed, battle axe leaning on her hip.

"We are staying out of the war this time. My King has already signed a treaty."

Mikael's lips pursed.

"I doubt the war will reach us. They have dragon territory to go through."

Gladimir did not react.

Mikael sat back.

Gladimir was always grounded. She was a five star tank with a solid constitution. She never waivered, never caved, Dwarves were always stubborn beings to work with. She also hated waiting.

"Now that I've paid my dues I will be off."

Gladimir turned to leave, popping the axe up and twirling it a few times. The air disturbed the papers.

"W-wait!"

Mikael cringed at his stutter.

The stocky woman paused at the door.

"What."

"I need a favor…."

"No."

"I-it's about my son."

Gladimir turned around.

"You also have money. Hire someone. I have my own to worry about."

"He's Kina's child."

Gladimir's face grew stern and she stood tall before snapping the bottom of the axe onto the tile floor two times. It cracked.

"Kina is dead."

Mikael strained a smile as Gladimir dropped her ego.

"Her son will not, and cannot be her. I owe Kina my life, not her son."

Damn Dwarves.

"He's killing himself."

Mikael's face twisted into a nasty reflection of guilt and worry.

"Why is that my problem."

In this world it is every dwarf for themselves and Gladimir is alive to this day because of that very dictum. Her priorities were her own. She will not stray unless there is an equal reward. What would be the point in living if she did not do what she needed to do.

"I'll pay you."

Mikael was desperate.

No one has been able to teach Osiris.

Mikael worried for his survival. If he cannot and will not learn to protect himself he is going to die.

Gladimir thought about the offer.

"Five Hundred Thousand Coppers. Five hundred thousand coppers and I'll train him for three days."

Mikael really hated the Dwarves sometimes. Kina absolutely loved them. Mikael smiled bitterly at the thought.

"Deal."

Leaving her axe balancing on its eye, Gladimir walked over to Mikael while removing her leaver glove.

"Shake on it."

Mikael moved around his desk and met her in the middle. The glow of the deal sunk into their skin and left a small black tattoo brace. It will fade once the deal is done.

"I've already attached the money to the seal. Once you do your part, it will pay."

"Good. I'll start immediately."

"The day is already half over."

"You did not specify that in the contract."

Damn.

"What do you want me to teach him?"

Gladimir wanted to get this over with. She could have just waited three days and walked away with the money, since the man never specified the favor, but she did not like to sully her own work.

"Aura. Teach him to at least know how to use aura."

Mikael made the boy sound incompetent. Gladimir held her tongue.

"Where is he now?"

Mikael waved and a shadow popped beside him. Mikael's face, yet again, changed into an emotion Gladimir hasn't seen on him before. This little tyke was giving the man hell.

"He is supposed to be studying, but he's in the training hall."

Gladimir walked to her axe and marched to the door. She looked between the guards before bellowing, "Take me to the Training Hall." before pulling a soldier from his duty.

Mikael needed a drink.

P A R E N T A L C O N T R O L : FANTASY ROLE PLAY

Osiris was minding his own business when a.. lady? with short silver hair and slightly darker silver eyes made a beeline straight for him after shoving some doors open. He questioned the lady part because her height made him automatically think young.

She was decked out in dark brown leather armor with a leather skirt to match. The outfit was practical. There was fur around her chest, under the leather, and a white shirt beneath that. Her boots had the same leather and fur, making for a very interesting armor set. It looks to fit colder weather more than this tropical mess he was in.

"Are you Osiris?"

EVERYONE left them.

Adam became hyperaware.

"If I am."

Gladimir set her axe down and placed it against a pillar.

"Good. Your Father wants me to train you how to use aura for the next three days."

Adam..

"What?"

Now that he got a better look at her, she did look like she could be a mom. That take-no-shit attitude, matched with how she carries herself screamed woman.

"I am here to teach you about aura."

Osiris wasn't even sure what was happening. Why was this lady here, and why did everyone leave him alone with her?

"No thanks."

"Tell me,-" Gladimir began to walk towards him. "-what is aura."

Adam moved.

The moment she stepped within kicking distance he aimed full force strike towards her knee.

A plume of smoke covered them briefly.

Adam fell to the floor.

It felt like he just kicked a block of steel. He could feel it ringing in his bones.

"Fuck."

"Your body is too soft."

Gladimir simply stood with her hands on her hip in front of him as he cradled his toes and tried not to moan in pain.

"Why are you not using your aura."

Adam got mad.

"Because I don't know how."

Fuck. He said it.

"Then tell me. What do you know about aura?"

Adam gritted his teeth.

"It's.. something knights use to make their bones stronger?"

"Wrong."

Gladimir was mortified. How did this child not know what aura was? He was royal. He came from two strong bloodlines, and he can have everything he ever wants. Gladimir watched the boy punch the ground in pain.

"Aura is your ego."

".."

"What's an ego?"

Gladimir frowned.

"An ego is who a person is. It is their being. Their soul."

Adam could finally stand. That was something he never wanted to do again. It was clear there wasn't a single thing he could do to stop her if she chooses to move, let alone touch him.

"So an ego.."

Adam had an ego. A BIG ego. That ego has gotten him here. He was that ego.

Gladimir returned her face to neutral.

The boy was being abused. She could see it in his face, in his eyes, and cheeks where fat should be.

"How much are you eating?"

Adam cringed.

Why is everyone asking him that these days?

"I eat enough."

Gladimir raised a brow.

Clearly you do not.

"What do you eat?"

Adam felt like he was talking to a health coach.

"Everything."

"No, what types of foods do you eat?"

"I eat berries, apples, oranges, these weird green things, some berries in the garden, turkey, ham, beans-"

"So you only eat human food."

Adam squinted his eyes.

"Yes?"

Gladimir would need to talk to Mikael about this. It did not sound like he was struggling for food but… Gladimir didn't like the look on the boy's face. She considered this part of the job. She cannot teach unhealthy disciples.

Gladimir rummaged through her satchel and pulled out a bit of jerky. The beasts they use are high in nutrients and require a strict upbringing to get this quality of meat.

It can make a person very sick if they eat too much and their mana cannot keep up with it.

"Eat this. It should do for now."

Adam caught a piece of jerky.

He looked down at it.

It was either death by jerky or death by those thighs, Adam chose the jerky.

It was.. Good.

Adam felt his chest heat up.

It tasted like home.

His grandma used to dehydrate some bottom round, thinly sliced beef strips soaked in tabasco sauce, some other chilis, and other spices he has forgotten about.

"What was that?"

Adam licked the spices off his fingers. He'd be damned if he wasted a drop of that chewy gold.

"It's Jubal Jerky."

Adam bookmarked that thought for later.

"Your body must be healthy in order for your ego to be healthy."

Gladimir gave the boy the rest of her sack. Instead of eating it all she watched him look at her, look at the bag, take a piece, then stuff said bag into his pants or a pocket, Gladimir wasn't too sure. Gladimir was sure that, that was a sign of neglect, but then again her eldest son used to store pieces of bread on their roof for later.

It was his side-eyeing her that really bothered her about the whole exchange.

"So what does aura have to do with an ego?"

"We push our egos out since they are in from birth. When you are confident in yourself, in your body, and in your choices, your ego will start to solidify. We take that solidity and push it out to protect what is in. If a being is strong enough, that ego will cast an aura around their body that is visible to others. That is a difficult, but attainable state to be in."

"So how does an ego feel?"

Osiris felt like this lady was doing something to him, even though he sees no bell nor whistle near her head or on her body. There is nothing but the solid bar of pure white light that surrounded her. It looked like an led strip, the good ones with solid bar lights, not those weird dotted ones.

He was but a moth to the flame.

"They are you. They are what you feel when you think. That being says 'this is cool', or 'that hurts!'. It is the very foundation of who you are."

Adam was definitely sure she was a mom.

"So you just.. push it?"

"Yes. You must push it until it envelopes you. The stronger your convictions are, the stronger you are. When you have a will that will not bend there is nothing that can stand in your way. Nothing but another ego, that is."

Gladimir's joke fell on deaf ears.

"So I find my ego and just-"

Osiris shoved his hands out, ruffling his shirt.

"Yes."

Adam looked at his hands.

An ego huh..

It was easy to find. Very easy. Too easy..

Adam grabbed the lovely bastard and pushed.

To everyone's surprise Adam popped a solid white glow.

"Huh."

The two of them blinked.

"I guess my job is done."

"I guess it is."

Gladimir dusted off her hands, and stood tall.

"Now kick me."

"Kick you?"

"Kick me."

Adam looked at his glow.

It was not nearly as solid as this strange lady's, but it was prominent. He was kind of proud of it. So Adam did what he did best and he powered up his kick and went for another go.

He was back on the floor within a second.

The pain went from a twenty to a nineteen.

"Bastard."

"It is rude to kick others after just meeting them. Gladimir Oakmaker, Knight."

"..Osiris."

"I will see what else the King would like me to teach you these next two days. Le mettre à nu."

".."

"Bye strange lady."

She walked to her axe and twirled it as she turned to leave.

No one returned after she left.

".."

"That was weird."

That was very weird.

He did not speak of the thin, slender man made of skin and bones, who was wrapped in thin golden chains, and linked to her wrist by a red string.

What a strange day indeed.