by Ryan Evans
My brain was taking in everything it could from my senses. I noticed the looseness of the dirt beneath my bare feet, the sun’s position in the sky, even the scents of those around me. As I noticed everything, I filed it away in the back of my mind. It was useful information, but it wasn’t my focus.
I studied my opponent. He was walking with a confident stride. No doubt, in his mind, I was just a pushover from a weak and unimportant bloodline the way most other unknown nobles were. That had been the attitude I’d received from everyone except Colonel Karsam since my awakening. I was ready to educate them on their mistake. I briefly wondered why Colonel Karsam hadn’t warned them, but decided it was unimportant.
We both stopped several feet from each other as was proper in this type of duel. Karsam raised his right hand into the air. “At my movement, the match will begin. The match will not stop until one of you is unable to continue or submits to his opponent.” Maxon and I nodded our agreement as he looked at each of us, and then his hand dropped.
Time slowed as his hand traveled downward, and I could hear my own heartbeat as I watched it. I embraced my inner strength and braced for the pain to arrive. My shift started the moment his hand started its fall, but I felt none of the pain I had expected. The only feeling I experienced was a strange tingling sensation. It was as if too much was happening to my body at once for my brain to process it all. Then, instead of the tingling, there was only power. The power flooded me, wrapped around me, and made me feel truly invincible.
To my surprise, my shift finished shortly after Karsam’s hand completed its fall. A part of my brain judged it to have only taken about ten seconds in all. The rest of my brain cared nothing for such matters as I focused on my opponent in the midst of his shift in front of me.
All beast-kind hunched over and writhed in agony when shifting. The changing and rearranging of bone, muscle and skin made it almost impossible to stay still. With my awakened power and the speed of my shift, I had stayed stock still and silent as I almost instantly became the monster that was my beast form. The result was that when the change was complete, I was ready to move and didn’t have to re-orient myself to my surroundings. My mind catalogued the lack of noise from the crowd of onlookers as their cheers fell away in shock, but my focus was on the wolf-kind in front of me.
Maxon hadn’t finished shifting yet. His shoulders were hunched, and his head was down as his bones pressed out on his skin, reshaping him into a combination of man and wolf. If the duel was to the death, I would have stepped forward and ended him before he finished his transformation. Even knowing it wasn’t life or death, my beast still cried out for me to take down my vulnerable opponent.
Despite those instincts, I stayed in control and waited. After all, I wanted there to be no question that I was dominant. If I took him out before his shift was complete, there would always be murmurs that he might have had a chance if he’d been allowed to fully change. I wanted him to know my strength was absolute. I judged his shift to take roughly one minute.
He finally finished his transformation and stood tall. I appraised him as he re-oriented himself to his surroundings. His coloration was a dirty grey and white common to our people but was more radiant because of his noble blood. His eyes were a vibrant green color that was rare for shifted wolf-kind. He was slightly taller than me with a fit, muscular frame. In appearance alone, he was an impressive specimen. My inner beast cared nothing about appearance.
His ears tucked back onto the top of his head as he snarled at me, and he released his focused aura towards me at the same time. It did nothing. He paused for a moment at how ineffectual his aura had been, but he didn’t stay frozen long. He crouched down and prepared to charge. In that moment, I felt a shiver of anticipation run through my body at the promise of violence.
The eye contact and snarl were enough to light the fire inside me. The attack by his aura turned my inner flame into an inferno. I intentionally held as much of my own aura back as I could, but I was aware of some of it radiating out from me into the crowd of onlookers. Bending my legs slightly, I brought my center of gravity lower and prepared my muscles for explosive action. My arms stayed down at my sides with my clawed hands facing my opponent, prepared to catch his charge.
I didn’t have to wait long. Several hundred pounds of wolf-kind rushed towards me. He didn’t try any elaborate maneuvers; he simply came straight for me. Just before he got close enough for us to tear into each other, I lunged forward and to his side, causing him to only catch me with one hand. I felt his claws slash across my chest as one of my own clawed hands stabbed into his abdomen. I used the hand on his abdomen to swing around so that my other claws could stab into his back.
Wolf-kind claws were razor-sharp and meant for tearing tough hide. As his claws raked across me, my skin separated beneath them. At the same time, my own claws sank deep into his muscle tissue. While his slash hurt, I had the optimal position. I pushed and lifted together, altering his momentum from a forward rush into an off balance stagger.
The loose soil played against him, causing his feet to slide out from under him at the unexpected direction change. He tried to turn his head and bite me as he went down but I was already too close. The slip and fall was all I needed. I raked my claws down his back and abdomen as my teeth sank into his neck.
I tasted his warm blood on my tongue as I landed on top of him. It was rich and sweet to my senses. The beast demanded more, and it took all I had to keep from biting down hard enough to sever something vital. The clawed hand that had been on his abdomen raked across his face as I used my body weight to keep him down and push him onto his stomach. My clawed feet dug deeply into his calves and hamstrings as I pinned him beneath me.
I reared my head back and gave a roar of bloodlust and victory over my downed opponent as his blood dripped off of my teeth. The fight seemed to leave him all at once. In my red tented senses, I heard him whimper in submission and fear.
My instincts cried out for me to finish this wolf who had dared to challenge me, but I was still in control enough to keep from committing the deed. I noticed Karsam and several of the others rushing forward, and a part of me saw it as a challenge for my kill. That thought made me realize how close I was to murdering Maxon and brought me fully back to my senses.
I slowly got off of my opponent and stepped back several feet. It wouldn’t do to look scared of the other advancing nobles. Even though I was in control, many of the bestial instincts lingered. I couldn’t help savoring the taste of Maxon’s blood still on my tongue while Karsam kneeled down to assess Maxon’s wounds.
I looked down at the wounds on my chest in time to see the muscle tissue mend together and the hide close over as if nothing had ever happened. Wounds from other shifted beast-kind typically took longer to heal, but my regeneration was enough to make short work of what I’d received in this exchange.
Maxon on the other hand, was in pretty bad shape. None of his wounds had noticeably closed yet as Karsam had rolled him over onto his side. Maxon was shifting back into human form as our kind does when we lose consciousness, and I noticed the copious amount of blood leaking from his many wounds.
“Roland help me get him to his tent,” Karsam said with a slight edge to his voice. I’d sensed fear from him when I first shifted, but his voice was less fearful and more anxious now. Major Vinea practically radiated fear, and Aaryn seemed near fainting as she approached Maxon.
“Milord Valian,” Sergeant Iglias said in a normal volume from his place at the edge of the circle. It was enough to get my attention and made me realize that I was still in beast form. Fear was in the air from multiple sources and was making it hard to control my aggression. I grudgingly shifted back to human form though it was a struggle to let go of the power. I wasn’t surprised when the change only took seconds. Tristan held up my clothing, reminding me of my nakedness.
As I went to them at the edge of the circle, I noticed that the other squad members were watching outward towards the cro
wd instead of me. “Sir, we may want to leave this area until they can take your opponent away,” Sergeant Iglias said as I got close enough to them to hear a whisper. His tone was cautionary, and I could see the wisdom in his words.
I nodded and followed his lead. Though I’d shifted back, Maxon’s blood still covered me. It didn’t make sense to ruin a set of clothes for no reason, so I remained naked. Now that I was in human form again, the blood in my mouth just tasted of copper and no longer held the rich sweetness it once had. Before I left, I glanced back towards my fallen opponent as they moved Maxon off the field.
Aaryn looked hysterical as she followed her uncle and Major Vinea along with several medics to the edge of the circle and out of sight. She looked back briefly towards where I was standing and in her eyes I saw a combination of hurt, anger and fear. I’d have to be watchful of her, as that was a potent combination.
The crowd was muted as everyone dispersed from the circle. My squad pushed its way through the onlookers towards where their tents had been set up the night before. It took little effort as most of those around us quickly got out of my path when they saw me naked and covered in blood.
Usually the victors of duels were cheered and congratulated. Duels were a form of entertainment for all beast-kind not in the fight. No one made a sound as we passed, afraid to draw my notice. I’d won too easily. The fight had ended too quickly for them to gain any enjoyment out of it. There had been no struggle between combatants.
I noticed that the Umbras had vanished before Karsam even inspected Maxon. No doubt, they wanted to be away from the scene in case I lost control. I was brought back from my musings by Sergeant Iglias’ quiet voice beside me.
“Milord, the first thing we should do is get you cleaned up. After that, you may want to head towards the command tent. The longer you go without confronting the others, the more time they have to plot,” He whispered as we cleared the crowd.
Everyone we passed watched us out of the corner of their eyes. It was as if they feared that I’d shift and attack at any moment. His words made sense, even with the haze of bloodlust that still lingered in my mind. I nodded my agreement, and we made the rest of the walk in silence.
We stopped at a water barrel that had been put out for the camp’s use. Usually the barrels were put out the night before and collected on a supply wagons as soon as everyone was ready for the march. The duel this morning had delayed the camp’s break-down.
We were in view of the squad’s camp site, and I could see that they’d packed their tents and arranged their backpacks and shields neatly where they’d slept. My own pack and saddle bags were already on a fully saddled Bashita who’d been tied to a nearby tree. My armor and weapons belt was beside the tree. I raised an eyebrow at Sergeant Iglias. My expression slid right off of him; he had clearly wanted to be ready in case something happened.
Tristan passed me a bucket from inside the water barrel to dump some of the cold water over my head. The water was enough of a shock to my system to remove the last vestiges of my aggression. Luckily, we’d gotten here quickly enough that most of the blood hadn’t dried completely. It washed away with little effort. Unfortunately, it still took four of the frigid bucketfuls of water and a proffered stiff-bristle brush to look like a civilized person again.
“Tristan, did my performance meet your expectations?” I asked casually as I got dressed and moved to where my armor waited. Sergeant Iglias and Tristan both helped me with my armor, and soon I was in full uniform, complete with weapons and tabard.
“I believe I made about six months’ pay off of it. So yeah, it’ll do. You ruined the spread for future bets though. No one is going to put their money on the line against you after this,” Tristan responded with a huge grin on his face. Selene, who was standing right beside him, admonished him by punching him in the shoulder. I couldn’t help but smile at his antics, but I noticed Sergeant Iglias scowl at his flippant response in front of everyone. No doubt, he’d speak to him about appearances later.
As much as I wished I could stand there joking with Tristan all day, I knew that the moment couldn’t last. I needed to re-join the rest of the officers and see what the damage was. Despite our conflict, I was still a part of Silvanti House.
“Sergeant,” I said getting to business, “until we know how the other nobles will respond to the duel, have the squad on alert. If any soldiers approach me directly, have them stop and state their business. If any of the officers approach, give them the proper respect and stay out of the way no matter how they act.” He nodded at my orders and gave assignments to our people. He quickly had the squad arranged in a circular formation around me with the other two sergeants on either side.
We headed toward the center of camp and the command tent. I realized that my aura was radiating out, fortifying the resolve of my soldiers. I hadn’t realized that I was affecting them so strongly. Examining my thoughts on the matter, I found that I didn’t feel guilty about affecting their emotions and minds in this way. The level of alertness they had because of me might mean the difference between their living or dying if someone attacked.
As we walked towards the command tent, my thoughts turned inward. A part of me was preparing for the worst. If Maxon died from his injuries, it could mean a premature end to my time in Silvanti House. Based on the conditions of the duel, I didn’t think it would mean exile or imprisonment. He set the terms and made it as risky as it could be.
The largest threat I faced right now was Major Vinea or Aaryn seeking revenge. Maxon was positioned to be an influential member of Silvanti House in the future if he married Aaryn. My defiance of a future leader among the house and victory in the duel could undermine a lot of the image that he had built for himself. The easiest way to fix all of that was to do away with me.
“Sergeant Iglias,” I said, getting his attention as we neared the command tents, “When we get to the command tent, deploy the squad the same way as earlier. The same orders on approach protocol are in effect, including those entering the tent. Stop any soldiers approaching, but leave the nobles alone. Make it clear to the others they are not to act aggressively unless someone else initiates it. We’ll be on thin ice with the Colonel’s guards without starting unnecessary fights.” He nodded his understanding and then called his two sergeants in with hand signals.
Moments later, the squad was taking up position around the command tent. Sergeant Iglias and Tristan both stood on either side of the entrance. The regular guards eyed me and my people warily, but didn’t make a move to stop me as I entered the tent.
Steeling myself mentally, I walked into the tent. My goal was to exude confidence and self-righteousness. While I was fairly certain that my entrance was spot on, what I immediately noticed was that I was the last one to the party. Every other officer was already in attendance.
Chapter 10
“Karsam, you saw what that monster did to my son in mere moments! Surely, you can’t think you can control him. In case you don’t recall, there was a reason their followers betrayed House Fero. They were vicious, and their inner beasts couldn’t be contained. They would have seen all beast-kind civilization in ruin before acknowledging their defeat,” Major Vinea was yelling as he paced back and forth at the side of the table.
While such outbursts wouldn’t be tolerated in the imperial army, house officers weren’t as disciplined since their ranks were merely a representation of house standing. Major Vinea was an influential and respected senior member of Silvanti House and could make life very difficult for Colonel Karsam. While Colonel Karsam led the house army, he had to tread carefully when brandishing his authority. There was always a political aspect to house dealings.
Colonel Karsam was sitting in his chair at the head of the large table in the center of the tent, looking tired. His shoulders were hunched slightly, and it seemed like some of his inner fire had gone out. All the other nobles also sat at or stood around the table. Apparently, this was a meeting to which I hadn’t been invited.
“I’m in no need of a history lesson, Roland. I’m well aware of wolf-kind heritage within the empire,” Colonel Karsam responded as I stepped into sight. He cut his answer short at my arrival. I was disappointed that he’d noticed my entrance before saying what he’d been about to say. I would have liked to hear his view on what Major Vinea had just said.
Karsam’s pause alerted everyone else of my entrance, and all conversation momentarily ceased. Though Colonel Karsam didn’t shy away from my eye contact upon my arrival, he looked decidedly uncomfortable. I couldn’t read his expression, but I got the impression he hadn’t expected me so soon.
“It seems the messenger sent to inform me of the meeting got lost,” I said in a casual voice. All the eyes in the room were upon me. The Umbras and Darian held neutral expressions towards me. However, Major Vinea and Aaryn’s expressions would have set me on fire if looks had such power.
“Are you here to maul another of House Silvanti’s young nobles? Perhaps Stephan or Saundra this time?” Major Vinea asked in a sarcastic tone. I was angry at his reception, but I was angrier at the way he acted like this was somehow my fault.
“You’re a fool if you think this is anyone’s fault but your own. You tried to bully me into giving my battle charger to your son. You assumed that I didn’t know the laws of nobility in the empire. You were wrong. Worse than that, your son did not recognize an over-played hand and was too prideful to retreat. Now you stand here and blame me for your own failures like I should be somehow chagrined. Stand and challenge me, or sit down and be silent.”
My voice exploded with my anger and my aura radiated out to encompass all those within the tent. I saw several of the others’ faces pale as I spoke. Major Vinea sat down heavily as if I had pushed him, and I saw sweat bead on his brow. Darian looked terrified as he seemed to be trying to present the most humble image possible. The others had varying levels of fear and concern on their faces. Karsam, however, simply sat there and continued to look tired.
