Chapter 19: Aftermath (1)

"You have violated the laws of the Great, Fenrir" The old woman looked at him in a gloomy way. Askeladd looked back at him with a flat and unflappable expression, not bothering to answer, Melida continued with a heavy sigh. "I would expect it from your elusive little Shadow, but not from you."

When the Great Wars that nearly ravaged and destroyed the earth ended, to prevent something like this from happening again the Great Spirit descended upon the earth and divided its surface into three great kingdoms. The goal was to limit and restrict communication between the three races. Of course there were some loopholes in the Grande's plan and people skilled enough to cross the boundaries of what was permissible always appeared. Humans boosted their mana to avoid being devoured by the magic of the Forest, monsters and demons used Suppressors to cross the barriers to the human world.

Askeladd grunted. The forest held its breath around as the witch and wolf waged a silent war. Melida held the wolf's amber and wild gaze despite knowing that such an attitude would only exacerbate the monster's dominating temperament.

"Why did you violate the borders?" Melida asked after a long time, partly out of curiosity and partly out of necessity. However, the wolf only growled at him. The witch sighed not at all surprised. Humans thought she hated monsters. However, the truth was very different from the fiction. Humans, monsters and demons, in her eyes they were all children of this world and therefore enjoyed the protection of it. There were even some whom she called friends like the stubborn, grumpy, headstrong wolf before her.

"If you were anyone else I could let you go" But the Fenrir was not anyone else she could turn a blind eye to. Melida shook her head in resignation.

"I know" Askeladd accepted, he was always aware of the consequences that her actions would bring him and even so she did it, even so, she would do it again. She did not blame the witch, she was only fulfilling the duty that the Great One had placed on her shoulders.

The witch looked resignedly at the stubborn monster, stingy and reluctant to give away the slightest of her words. After a while she turned on her heel and without a word to the monster she led the way.

The wolf followed the witch to her hut. Askeladd stiffened as a familiar scent tickled his nose.

Sun, spring and herbs. Could his luck be that good of him? Was the Spirit of Fortune smiling at him? A slow, leisurely smile grew in Askeladd's mind.

"You're not going to complicate things for me, are you?" Melida looked at the Fenrir with a complicated expression, her old face seemed to say that even if it was him, she will not hold back.

Askeladd shook his head, focusing on the here and now, even though his heart was howling happily against his ribs. He then looked at the old woman and with the most disinterested expression he could handle he said "I thought you didn't want apprentices"

"I don't" The old woman snorted. "I'm taking care of an old friend's protégé"

Askeladd snorted without implying that he had a great interest in the "protégé"

"Good" The Fenrir said, clenching his fists in frustration, but he held back because this was not the best time. She had already fled once, and he didn't think he was twice as lucky to find her instantly.

Askeladd followed the witch in thoughtful silence. The monster's thoughts revolved around his troublesome little companion. He knew what to do on a battlefield, where to strike the death blow, how much force to use or what Arcana to use to cause the greatest amount of devastation and death on his enemies, he also knew - despite not liking it - what tricks to use to do dance to the alphas of the council of clans around their claws. However, he was powerless in plotting against his small and very human companion. How could he make the human love him? He was supposed to be as old as time and yet here he was, whimpering like a newborn puppy.

With such ideas gnawing at his thoughts, Askeladd followed in the elderly woman's measured footsteps. A couple of heartbeats passed and they turned away from the path that led to the witch's private domain. It took them five minutes to reach their destination, a small clearing north of the witch's lands.

A great oak tree at least ten meters in circumference ruled the place like a king over his subjects. Yellowish leaves fell to the ground under the influence of the scarlet kiss of autumn. Between the thick roots of this one could be seen the hint of the entrance to a cave.

Both the Fenrir and the witch walked silently into the sober darkness of the cave. The sounds disappeared instantly and the tense stillness enveloped the two people. Melida snapped her fingers together and the mana lamps inserted into the wall immediately ignited to life.

Without needing to ask, Askeladd headed straight for the center of the cave, his large body hunched over so that he could barely pass. He sat on his knees and heels on the great sigil carved into the rocky bed of the cave.

The corners of the witch's cunning eyes twitched at the passive demeanor of a generally warlike monster. A thin, decrepit finger caressed the witch's lips contemplatively.

Hmp. Interesting, too really.

With an expression of taking no prisoners Askeladd ignored the witch's gaze and waited for it. The entire attitude of the Fenrir seemed to scream can we start at once?

Melida did not disappoint him.

A couple of heartbeats later, chains of magic as thick as her thighs twisted and twisted like a boa constrictor around her. Askeladd bit the inside of his lips, swallowing a mouthful of blood, the Fenrir loathed with the passion of twenty suns to be restrained.

He couldn't help but notice the underlying irony.