Chapter17: Shy

In Grenor forest by Furling, the town where Drac defeated the Wolfman, hangs a portly man by his wrist. He wakes up from a blunt force induced sleep. Morning has come, birds sing as he swings from what he feels to be a gooey rope. Disgusted, the bald man struggled with all his might. His attempts at escape were futile. He hanged alone, ten inches from the ground for hours till a man in a black hood walked through the bushes. 

"Sorry I had left you there for so long. The battle last night made me mighty tired." The hooded man yawned.

The Buyer lost the content of bowels in his trousers. Walking towards him is the monster. Slaughterer of dozens. 

"Pissing Already? I haven't even started. I was gonna show you some things, you know." The buyer looks up at where the Hood is pointing at.

The Carcass of a massive web of flesh. It weaves through the trees, connecting to a big mass. A large eye ruptured. 

"Two days ago, I did that." the hooded man pulls down his mask to show a grin. "What an example as to how?

Drac enters his room in a Furling inn after a quick meeting with the buyer. After a day of checking the state of the refugees, he removes his hooded jacket and hooks it on the coat hanger. Cuts and scrapes from yesternights battle repair themselves slowly. Gloves are pulled off and laid on the counter by the bed. He places his weapons on the bed. Rune enchanted boots for silence, kicked across the room. Tunic taken off revealing new injuries. More scars are added to Drac's toned body. After his trousers and breeches were removed he took a towel to the bathroom. Hot, steamy tub of water awaits him with soap by the side. He slowly drops into the tub. The heat soothes his sore muscles. He relaxes, laying back. Drac killed more people last night than he had seen in the previous three years. He brings his wet hands from the water. Drac can still see the blood dripping from his calloused fingers. 

You will get used to it, I did.

Towel around his waist, Drac exits the bathroom. A blonde lady , green eyes awaits him. She held Heilong while leaning on his bed with crossed legs. She turned at the sound of the bath room opening. She stared at a wet Drac, scanning up and down for longer than Drac was comfortable with.

Tell the girl to put my sword down. 

"Marina, my sword. If you would please."

"Oh! Sorry about that. Just wanted to see it up close." She lays Drac sword on the bed and scans Drac again. 

Drac walks to the side to get his fresh undergarments. "Quite the detour huh?" he laughs. Marina looks at him. 

"What have you invaded my private room for? The refugees? The Mayor asked about something?"

Marina uncrosses her leg. She stands up to skip to Drac. She closed in. She tiptoes to Drac ear. Her breath moves his growing beard.

"Your first lesson starts today. Meet me outside, eight p.m." She skips away. Smiling as she left the door.

What the hell was that? 

Drac smiles as he changes into his clothes.

Drac rides jacketless on Mist together with Marina. They find a small area empty of trees and roots. Flat ground to practise their spells. Drac and Marina dismount. 

"Ok first lesson. Frequency or Resonance. But let us do a quick recap of the basics, alright?" Drac nods. 

I already know this shit. 

I don't. So shut up.

They stand in the middle facing one another.

"Aura is all around us. It is what we interact with to create our spells." Marina held her hand out. 

"A talent that the few have in this world to use our soul to connect to the aura surrounding us. And.." a fire is lit in Marina's hand. 

"What separates the more talented from the crowd is their soul's strength and reach. A person with a short reach can barely manifest a soul around their body or weapon. They normally focus on developing their martial arts, where the strength, which can be increased by training, makes the difference. Mages like me have a large reach." She holds up her arms and a blue wall flickers around them. 

"Now, using a spell requires the resonating of your soul to the aura around. That warmth felt in your veins? Well, that is your soul vibrating. The Aura changes its form to whatever frequency you have chosen. For example-" Marina walks around to Drac hand to his right shoulder. She grasped his forearm. Drac feels her heartbeat. She brings his arm up.

"Feel..." A vibration is transferred from Marina to Drac. "Use it, Drac."

Hand facing up a large fire explodes. Drac, surprised, blocks his eyes from the harsh light. Drac's hand stings from the heat

"Your reach may not be as far as mine, of course. But.. it's powerful." Marina releases Drac and returns to her spot. 

"A loud flame you have, but rubbish form. It could damage you as well as your enemies. But what else I am here for, my student. To turn that ugly screech to an angel's lullaby, that's what. So, wanna learn more?"

"Yes, teacher." Drac responds.

A few hours pass and Drac is back at the Inn. Drac opens his door into his room, when a hand grabs his. 

"Drac."

"Marina. Hey."

She looks down shy. "Just wondering whether you could teach me. To fight that is. But if you don't have time it's fine, I guess" she rubs the back of her hair. 

"I will always have time to teach you, like you do for me, miss mage." He smiles. Marina looks up at him, eyes full of glee. 

Bob walks down the hallway eating a drumstick. He stops to look at Drac and Marina then their hand still holding. 

He nods at both blushers "Marina, Drac." And he walks off chomping on his meal. 

The two separate. 

"See you later!" Marina runs off looking back. Drac waves her off. Into his room, Drac goes to lay in his soft bed for the night. 

Why are you lot acting so weird?