CHPT 568: Neither is the Underworld…

What a day for Claude Grey, the last Potential of the Lupines.

What a day indeed.

From start to finish…. It was unbelievable.

For starters, he traveled from The Sunlands to Islandia in the blink of an eye.

Fought in a Vampiric war…..

Killed an Elder…..

Evolved….

Started a Class Change….

Got caught in a Wild Rift— and then things went from unbelievable to unreal. There was a difference. There had to be a difference. Killing an Elder and being seen by your greatest enemy through a memory were not at all on the same level of crazy.

And crazy it was.

Because that's what it was.

He saw Remus. He saw the tail-end of two brothers at odds. One of them saw him. And it wasn't his creator.

As quickly as it came, it was over.

The green room. The horrific forms. The snowfall. Gone.

He didn't even remember the travel afterward as he sat at a table with a cup of blood in hand.

He and the rest of his pack were completely naked. As was Rupont.

They couldn't care less for the cold steel on their bums.

Or the awkwardness Isaac, Warren and Ursula felt as they also attended the table.

The insanity of the story he told made all hanging extremities seem less so…

They sat in silence.

"Explain the room to me again." Rupont said, listening with his eyes down nowhere specific on the tables black surface.

Claude shrugged, "It was like….. you know when you're in the ocean. It's just blue… but not blue. It's…"

"It's a space."

Claude nodded, "It was a space yea…. I wasn't standing on anything. I wasn't floating really. I was just kind of inside. Present?"

"No objects no other people?" Cassidy inquired.

Claude shook his head, "Just me and the brothers…"

"And you said this started when you heard a Howl?" Ursula questioned. She still smelled of other students… and anxiety.

Claude nodded.

Rupont smiled, "Well I think it's quite obvious, isn't it?"

No one answered, "You heard Remus."

The bar quieted.

"Who's that?" Warren questioned.

"Shifter-god that lives in Islandia. He created the Lupines of Remus."

"….. AND YALL WENT OVER THERE?!?!?"

"He's asleep." Maris cut in, "Or dead."

Claude looked up at her.

"Our Red Queen needs to be well versed in history. I've taken it upon myself to tutor her in your absence."

"Do you think you woke him up?" She followed up her answer with a question as her hand rested on her hilt.

"I don't k—"

"[The Sonic Howls….. I'm sure he heard those.]" Arne commented.

"…. I wish I would've considered that in real time."

"What?" Maris said.

"Nothing."

"[Nope. The blames on me there. Even so…. What a peculiar set of results.]"

"What do you mean?" Claude downed his third cup of blood. He could feel the fluids replenish his sapped mana and health better than any cooked food could.

"[Well, we're missing a key component to your story. The Wild Rifts.]"

"Pockets of wild magic underneath the permafrost. It's just Wild Magic isn't it….?"

Arne hesitated, "[That is the question now, isn't it?]"

"Claude." Rupont started.

Claude held up a hand.

"[It's the only new variable.]"

"What about that time I saw your memories?"

"[That was because of me. We had just returned to my home. I was off my game. Perhaps…. Saddened. This time I was as caught off guard as you.]"

"But that still doesn't explain—" Everyone silently watched him as he stared ahead with a constipated look on his face. Given the state of his missing clothes that had infinitely worse implications.

"[It won't make sense. Theres nothing either of us knows that would make sense of a memory…. Acting on reality in the present. You said he saw you. Are you sure?]"

"I'm positive. He spoke to me…" The memory chilled him a dozen ways. How ironic.

"[Well…. You said he was young— wishing to change our lord Romulus. By the gods that must've been right after they escaped prison.]"

Claude's eyes widened— a bizarre change of facial expression to the outside world but fitting for his conversation with Arne.

"Yea! Romulus was saying that. They only just escaped prison….. he wanted to explore the world. Remus wanted to stay in the forest."

Arne went quiet for a while.

"So….." Warren started.

"Shhh!" Li quieted him from somewhere at the back of the bar with two Vampire women.

"[That's an important memory. Perhaps the Wild Magic inside the Rift allowed a shared racial memory through Romulus' relation to Remus…?]"

"You're saying the Lupine family tree makes me related to Remus?"

"[In some way at least. Plus, the Wild Rifts of Islandia know the brothers well….]"

He'd almost forgotten Arne's stories. Romulus and Remus were partially so strong and so long lived as children in the wild because their pack used Wild Rifts to evolve and empower themselves.

"[I mean we know Wild Magic is a force that enacts on all its participants— Lupines even more so. Maybe this is how. Maybe it's as mentally shared as it is physically for us…. Yuck. Can't believe I just used the word us in the context of those mindless bastards.]" Arne explained.

"That still doesn't explain how he saw me…"

"[Time isn't so simply explained. Take that from me first and foremost….]"

It seemed like that's as far as they'd get with their limited knowledge.

"[Im sorry I don't have more for you, mate. Truthfully, I'm as lost as you are….. maybe not that lost but still.]"

"That's fine. Nothings changed. If Rupont knows more he'll tell me when it matters. Until then I'm not offering any information. He's a wildcard— we have enough of those."

"[Good thinking. Be sure to get that information to your friends before anything slips.]"

"I'll be doing more than that." Claude cleared his throat and adjusted himself, coming back to reality with a centered mind. Compartmentalizing the shock of facing Remus— or at least the memory. Ready to move forward.

Noticing his nakedness as he sat across from Ursula.

She cleared her throat suddenly.

Frosty barked in a muffled tone as he came trotting out of Claude's room with a bundle of clothes in his jaws. Loba was close behind him with more.

"AHHH!" Rupont screamed, "That's Marsaint Dummaine! Fresh silk….. your hounds got their murder slob all over my expensive goods!"

"I'll repay you." Claude picked up a silk button up and slid it on along with some leather pants that were far too tight around the quads and calves.

"Last time I checked, students didn't carry much gold."

Claude held his gaze.

Rupont raised an eyebrow, "Really…?"

Cassidy grinned from beside Ursula, "You have no idea, fangmouth."

Frosty dragged out more of Ruponts wardrobe with Loba's help until every Shifter in the bar was appropriately fitted in mismatching designer brands like peacocking playboys.

Rupont watched on in horror.

"You aren't even wearing that right…. Adjua rip out my eyes and blend them in a margarita. I can't take this."

Li looked down at his button up as Don clipped it together backwards, lined up with his spine.

"I wear everything right don't worry. Just know you won't look as good when I give this back…haha…"

"I don't need it back. Tiger musk isn't really my desired scent…." Rupont forced a smile and couldn't resist fixing his collar before frowning, since ultimately it was still backwards.

He came back to the table where his sisters comforted him.

"Rupont. Enough with the clothing. It's time." Maris cut in. Her showing of patience thus far was impressive— considering how set she was on what was to come.

Rupont sat up straight immediately with a smile, "Correct! Our Red Queen's birth is due."

The Vampire stood up out of his seat. "But first, Claude owes m—"

Claude stood up, "Before any of that, I'm doing it."

Rupont smiled.

Maris looked at him blankly while the others slowly caught on.

"Don't bring any extra Silver Cursed or SkinWalkers. I'm changing her."