Toh be or not Toh be

(This and all of this volume are a part of the old version of Howler. Look out for the remastered version in the next volume releasing late 2023)

In an abandoned building west of Aroobari, Lord Abadina widens his eyes as he clenched his skull tightly, "Aghck! It can't be!" His head pulsed rapidly as he stumbled over the air, "She's returned..."

André and Reizora ceased their quarrelling. Simultaneously, they gazed upon the drunken Abadina.

"Lord Abadina?"

"Yo! Old geezer?"

Reizora raced towards Abadina's feeble figure, kneeled on the floor.

"... The Sand Sovereign!" Abadina's body shook vigorously. His icy blue iris blended flawlessly with his pale skin. His brows created a maze with upon his forehead. André jogged towards Abadina's fallen figure, nudging the oak wood coffee table on his way.

"Did you just say the 'Sand Sovereign'? I-it can't be!" Reizora's heart rate rose dramatically, her open palms moulded into fists. "You're certain, Lord Abadina?" Abadina rose his head. His conviction burning deeply into Reizora's eyes.

"I see. So soon?"

"Hey! What the hell are you two fossils talking about? Don't ignore me!" André ran in front of Abadina, clutching his shoulders. His hands were trembling.

"Whether this is a curse or a blessing, I know not. Mr Stewart," Abadina turned his face to meet André's, "You must listen carefully. The information that I am about to bestow upon you is of utmost importance." André's hands fell. He creased his brow and stared deeply into Abadina's eyes. He then shifted his gaze to Reizora, who held the same stern expression. He sighed, "Alright, I understand. Please tell me what's going on." André slouched his shoulder and sat on the ground with his legs crossed.

"First, I must continue explaining to you the identity of yourself and the child. We are short on time so I must condense my explanation. I- HUGH! What is that stench?"

"AUGH! Damn! That reeks!"

Reizora sniffed the surrounding air. As if struck by a poisoning gas, her body stiffened immediately. Instantly, she fell to the floor, her head spinning. Masking their faces with their palms, Abadina and André investigated the source of the stench. "Mr Stewart, I don't think I can make it any further. Our noses are much more sensitive than those of humans!"

"You damn fossil, don't leave me now!" Abadina fell face-first onto the wooden floor. "Damn they're both so useless!" André crawled towards the Oakwood coffee table. And then he saw it. On the floor next to the coffee table, the Null was led with its lid wide open.

'You have got to be kidding me!' As if on cue, a hearty cry emerged from the Null. 'Damn how could I forget? The old geezer unlocked the seal earlier.'

"Damn it!"

After around 20 minutes of fumbling and scavenging, André could finally, successfully cleansed Leoandré. Exhausted, he fell flat onto his back, gasping for air. Sweat trickled down his brow. Slowly, Reizora and Abadina rose, grasping their heads tightly. Meanwhile, Leoandré's smile was at one hundred percent. He ran over to André pressing his palms on André's face, giggling. André didn't react at first but after a short while, he shot his arm upwards grabbing Leoandré's head with a blank stare.

"You fool what are you doing! Don't get mad at a natural bodily funct-" Reizora ceased her objection suddenly. After staring at the sight before her she sighed, "You really are a fool." For the first time, Reizora cracked a genuine smile. Abadina was doing the same until subconsciously their fingers intertwined. Before them, were the tears of a distressed father. André was gently stroking the child's head. In return, he was gifted with a smiling face and laughter. He sat up abruptly, embracing Leoandré's petite body.

"You've turned me into a fool," André's face was completely crumpled as his voice wavered, "I don't even know if you're mine. But you're hers there's no doubt. That's reason enough."

Meanwhile, In a ship somewhere in Earth's orbit, there was silence. All who inhabited the ship were gathered in a singular grand hall. Though there were hundreds of individual present, none dared to speak. They were all dressed in black attire holding their heads low. A tall male with lilac skin and the tail of a brachiosaurus strode through the centre of the crowd with complete authority. His name was General P.W Xypemainu, the leader of the Feng division. In his hands were two sets of bouquets. Once reaching the front of the hall, he placed the flowers by their respective caskets he then ambled to a man standing at the altar. He was slender yet muscular all at the same time. He stood without any form of expression on his face.

"Tell me, General. Is it wrong that I feel no type of sorrow for their deaths, those whom I shared a womb with?" Xypemainu stood silently beside him. "They were both arrogant scums who did not know empathy. Our mission was simple, 'dispose of the Howler', yet they proceeded to massacre innocent bystanders in order to entertain themselves." His voice remained monotone with every word he said.

"Let me ask you, Tonorochi," Xypemainu finally replied, not making any sort of eye contact with Tonorochi, "Are you truly any better than them? Even when you conceal the majority of the Toh, your strength still surpasses both Orochi's and Snorochi's. If you so wished, you could have easily stopped them." For the first time since their conversation began, their eyes met, and for the first time, Tonorochi bore a facial expression besides disinterest. His eyes were wide and his lips separated. Then he laughed, briefly and silently.

"You have a point, General. Even whilst I watched them murder our dear mother... I too am heartless." They stood in silence until the ceremony had come to its conclusion.

Back on Earth, in an abandoned building, four beings sat in a circle. The smallest one resided on André's lap, playing with a butterfly that just so happened to wander in through the shattered windows. "So what you are saying that I'm a 'Warlock'?" André stared blankly at Abadina, who was stroking his beard with a deep sigh.

"Yes, that is indeed correct Mr Stewart. Though, I am not convinced that you understand what that means."

"I don't." André began picking at his ear, maintaining his blank stare.

"Ugh! This is pointless! Hey, runt, I thought you were supposed to be some insanely intelligent rich kid? Were you not at the top of all your academic and practical studies?" Reizora sprang upwards like a child during a temper tantrum.

"Yeah that's right so what? This whole thing sounds like a load a' bull to me. If I wasn't a living example of this, there's no way in hell I would believe this crap." André gently placed Leoandré onto the ground, then proceeded to lay on his side. He held his head up with one arm and with the other he resumed picking at his ear. "However, I pride myself in being a man of my word, or should I say a Warlock of my word? Either way, I said I'd listen so I will."

"You obnoxious brat I should-"

"That's enough both of you. André, I appreciate your co-operation thus far. Allow me to begin the explanation once more." André removed his finger from his ear and after pondering for a short moment, he sat up once more.

"Before, I briefly mentioned 'Toh'. I believe the mistake I made in my previous explanation was not explaining what 'Toh' is." Abadina stood up slowly, dusting himself off afterwards. Majestically, he extended his arm next to him, stretching out his palm. A deep-purple gas-like substance emitted from Abadina's body, an aura. His sealed eyelids separated, revealing his glowing, icy blue eyes, which illuminated the dull room. Leoandré stood expeditiously, his eyes sparkling with drool dribbling down the side of his lip. André couldn't take his eyes away from Abadina's almighty aura. His mouth gaped in astonishment. He was speechless. He had never witnessed anything like this before.

Seconds later, the already magnificent spectacle grew even more spectacular. Emerging from Abadina palm was darkness. Streams of black light erupted like fireworks from his open palm. Though it was black, it stilled glowed as vibrant and as bright as Sirius. "This is Toh. I believe that on Earth they call it magic. Anyone with a large enough amount of mana can manifest Toh, no matter their race. Elves, Humans, Sirens, Dragons, Ichiros, it matters not."

"W-wait, h-hold on a second. Did you say Elves and Dragons? Do you really expect me to believe they exist?"

"You immature brat! How could you be so disrespectful?"

"Shut up, you premature hag! How do you expect me to believe something like that?"

"That's enough from both of you! We are short on time!" Abadina glared at the both of them angrily. Then, suddenly, streams of aura shot across the small room, wrapping itself around André's throat. "If I am to be absolutely honest, Mr Stewart, I care not whether you choose to believe in the existence of creatures not from this planet. However, Toh is very much real and deadly." André Had no time to react. As the seconds went by, the aura gripped tighter and tighter around his neck. His body shuddered, begging for oxygen. His throat felt tight and his vision began to flicker like a worn-out candle. Then he fell. Coughing, wheezing and gasping for air. Meanwhile, Leoandré waddled towards Abadina, slapping kneecaps angrily. The aura returned to Abadina's body as he chuckled lustily. He crouched down steadily, supporting his back with his hands. "Of course you have nothing to fear, not with a soldier like this guarding you," Abadina gently stroked Leoandré's head, squishing his animated curls.

"Ack! *COUGH* *COUGH*! *GASP*!" André's body reacted viciously to his most recent ordeal, "You, *COUGH* bas - stard!"

Reizora ambled towards André's body gracefully, whilst a white light manifested around her. At the core of the pale aura radiating from her body was a warm, yellow glow. "It is as Lord Abadina says," Reizora raised her hands beside her, as her eyes began to glow in a pale shade of cream. The gas-like aura emitting from her surrounded André's struggling body.

"True, if it is misused Toh can be deadly," with a twist of her wrist, the aura seeped into André's mouth soothing his throat, "However, with a little grace and care Toh can save a life. All beings possess Toh. Toh is at the core of all living things. Different species have different quantities of Toh within their bodies. Humans have little to none."

As if by magic, André's agony ceased to exist. His lungs, which at first were craving salvation, were now calm and full. His rambunctious wheezing was now still and silent. His scattered vision assembled clearer than the purest quartz crystal. It was as if nothing happened. André darted upwards, grabbing his chest fearfully. Meanwhile, Leoandré toddled swiftly towards André with open arms, wrapping himself around his ankles.

"What the hell did you just do to me?" André exclaimed, shifting his gaze between the two, his voice breaking.

"That, Mr Stewart, is known as 'Aura Manipulation'. It is the most basic form of Toh and the first thing taught to young Warlocks. An aura can differ from person to person, but that explanation will have to wait for now. During your battle, we concluded that, though your mind knows nothing about Toh." Abadina elevated from his crouched position steadily. He walked towards André, dispersing his aura. The once thick cloak of darkness surrounding him had now metamorphosised into a divine spectacle of falling particles. It was as if fine, crystal shards were raining down, catching the light and reflecting perfectly. Reizora's aura did the same. Abadina put a hand on André's shoulder. "It is true that your mind knew nothing about Toh, but..."

"...Your body knew it very well. André, what happened to you?"

"Huh? W-what the hel- ARGHHH!" André's screams thrashed off of the cracked walls, crashing into the ears of all nearby. His legs grew weak as he staggered and swayed, clutching his skull tighter that a python suffocating its prey. Rapid images flashed in his mind. His dreams! Assassination, torture, solitude, hatred! Each image unrecognisable yet vividly familiar. All outside noise was drowned out by the agony. Alone he was once more contained beneath the depths of his own mind.

Then...

Light. A soft and painless light. Upon opening his eyes, he saw panicking faces gazing at him. He looked around and saw large holes and craters in the walls, surrounded by ash and smoke. 'What the hell is going on with me? Did I do this? Damn! What the hell is this crap?' Abadina removed his hands from André's head slowly. "I'm sorry for putting you through such pain, Mr Stewart. It seems there is something prohibiting the access of your memory. Damn that Drake! What has he done to this poor child?"

"Drake? As in Drake Stewart? My old man?"

"It is imperative that we pay him a visit!"

"But Lord Abadina what of the 'Sand Sovereign'?"

"All this time and I still don't know who that is!"

Abadina was visibly conflicted and shrouded in rage. His fists were clenched tightly, drawing blood from his paper-pale hand. The sweat trickled down his mostly bald head, his wrinkles grew more prominent. He sighed deeply. "You are right, Reizora. We must go to her first. Mr Stewart, I will tell you about her, us and your attackers on the way. So please lend us your assistance and travel with us, even if it is only for the time being."