Memories

"Are you an idiot?" Seril asked, looking at him weirdly.

"How did I have cubs when I've been in the tribe the whole time? Where I was under watch at all time," Seril spat bitterly. "Also, I'm not at that age either."

"You never know. You are a monster," Eskat growled trying to cover up his stupidity. "It doesn't change the fact that you three smell the same. That horrible stench. I'll make sure to wash my nose after I end you."

"Eskat, you're crossing a line that shouldn't be crossed," Seril warned in a low voice.

"Oh really? What are you going to do about it? Fight me? You know you can't win," Eskat mocked.

Seril grit her teeth. Eskat was right, while she could activate her gift, it wasn't easy to overcome trauma even in dire situations.

"Or are you going to run back to the tribe?" Eskat continued slowly. "Going to hide behind coward Hensing?"

"How dare you say the leader's name like that?!" Seril roared enraged. Hensing was the old leader of the Dread Lion tribe that they were part of. As opposed to the innate nature of Dread Lions, Hensing was a wise and kind leader to his tribe. He was like a father to her when she ended up in the tribe with no other family and no memory. He didn't discriminate against her colour and accepted her.

But in the end, Seril had made a mistake that had led to him having to exile her. Although he had exiled her, Seril accepted his decision and still respected him.

"Leader?" Eskat scoffed. "Master Gokum is the new leader. That coward Hensing died just like his idiot son you killed."

The death of Hensing's son was indeed caused by Seril. Although it may not have been a direct death, Seril was still held responsible. In the end, Hensing had to exile her so that the tribe would stay as one.

Seril froze. 'Dead? What? It can't be..…'

"Y-you're lying," Seril said weakly.

"Am I?" Eskat gave a bloodthirsty grin. "Then why am I here facing you?"

Seril felt her knees buckle. 'That's right. The leader wouldn't send them after me....So he's dead?'

Seril felt her world crashing down. The one she had seen as a father figure had died. She didn't even know if he had been given a proper farewell or how he had died. She doubted Eskat would tell her either.

Seeing her crumbling mental state, Eskat was pleased. This was how a Dread Lion fought. They found their targets' worst fears and exploited them. He hadn't even started using his gift yet. All he was doing is preparing her for the final blow.

"Do you know how he died?" Eskat asked in a mocking voice.

Seril trembled.

"He died like the coward he was. Running away from a fight."

While all the statements that Eskat had said may not have matched at all with Hensing's personality, Seril's current mental state couldn't differentiate between fact and fiction. The only thing she heard was that her leader had died and everything deteriorated from there.

Not yet satisfied with buttering his prey, Eskat ordered, "you two go and bring those two cubs. Let's see what their relationship is with her."

Underling no 1 and no 2 bounded forward towards Icarth and Emmia. Throughout the whole conversation, Icarth and Emmia were paralysed. They were paralysed by the aura that Eskat was currently releasing. Unable to do anything, Emmia and Icarth watched as the two Dread Lions knocked Seril away.

Seril flew to the side and crashed into the tree. While she didn't take any damage, she felt unable to muster any strength. Trying to stand up, she watched as the two underlings grabbed Emmia and Icarth.

The twins didn't even put up a fight. Or more accurately, they couldn't put up a fight. The fear aura that Eskat was releasing was making them unable to move.

All they could do was turn their head slightly to look at Seril for help. Seril stared into their red eyes. One set was pale red while the other set was crimson.

A thought suddenly hit Seril. A random thought right before she fell asleep after saving the twins drifted to the front of her scrambled mind.

'Why did I think their eyes would be red without even knowing who they are?'

'Why did I never question the colour of their hair?'

'Did I think it was natural for them?'

'What am I thinking of? I need to save them!'

'Why do I need to save them? I've only known them for a couple of hours?'

'Why did I save them in the first place? Didn't I decide to leave them?'

'Why do I feel tortured that they might be killed right now?'

'Who are they? What do they mean to me? Why am I going to such lengths for them?'

'....didn't Eskat say they smell just like me?'

'They have the same eyes and pelt colour as me.....'

'...yet they can't be my cubs...'

'Who are they?'

'Why can't I think of anything?!'

'Why do I want to help them so unconditionally?!'

'Why...why.....WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER ANYTHING?!?!'

In response to Seril's unstable emotions, Universal Energy surged around her. The two underlings stopped, shocked by what they felt. Eskat was forced to stop emitting his fear aura because of the instability of universal energy.

Everyone watched as the universal energy around Seril condensed and shook the air visibly. The wind blew through the forest shaking the trees and bushes. Seril finally stood up properly. Her crimson red eyes shone brilliantly as universal energy swirled around her in a violent tornado.

Heeding her unconscious command, Universal Energy condensed and flowed into Seril's head, finally unlocking her unknown memories. While the universal energy was nowhere enough to unlock all of them, Seril caught glimpses of a lush cave, running water, and a wonderful warmth that swept over her. She remembered watching over an orb.

In her hazy memory, the orb was golden with red highlights.

A sense of responsibility, wonder, and joy permeated each memory of that orb.

Even though Seril couldn't recall it all, she figured out enough. Her mind cleared and she finally activated her gift.

'I'm sorry Venij..' saying her apologies for one last time, Seril gazed into the eyes of the underlings and sent them into their deepest fears.

Underling no 1 stood transfixed and started shouting, "NO! NO! STAY AWAY YOU RED-NOSED B*****D!"

Underling no 2 crouched down and started shivering uncontrollably.

Emmia and Icarth were finally freed. They watched in wonder as Seril came towards them.

They didn't feel any pressure at all, on the contrary, they felt safe. Even safer than when they were with Julian.

"Seril?" Emmia said in a small voice. Gazing into Seril's glowing eyes, Emmia felt slightly intimidated.

"It's all right," Seril reassured. She lowered her head and bumped Emmia's forehead slightly.

Not knowing what to say, Seril said the first thing that came to her mind, "I'll protect you two this time."

Seril gazed softly at Emmia and Icarth, "I just need to take care of that one, ok?"

Emmia and Icarth nodded.

Seril turned and walked towards Eskat who finally had a taste of how it felt to be paralyzed under fear aura.

Freeing his mouth, Seril growled, "You crossed that line, Eskat."

Even with his mouth freed, Eskat didn't say anything. He was shaking in fear. In the end with all his talent and power, he was just an overgrown bully that folded when someone more powerful came up.

Not wanting to waste any more words on that filth, Seril once again activated her gift. This time she used the greatest power she could muster.

Eskat was sent into his mind. There he was reliving his worst fear, disappointing his master. Due to his repeated failures, he was punished over and over again, humiliated for what seemed like an eternity of time until all will or any resistance he could muster disappeared from his eyes.

Eskat fell, forever trapped in his mind, doomed to be humiliated for as long as his mortal body survived.