A close call

A humongous chained wolf, hundreds of times larger than its avatar in Hugo's summoning space appeared behind the expanding slit in space. Its humongous eyes, like giant whirlpools, gazed menacingly at the giant approaching its avatar.

"Manage your prisoner. We can't let the boy get hurt." The wolf's aura was close to shattering Hugo's summoning space when the seraphic woman intervened and enclosed it in an ethereal glow.

Instantly, Hugo felt like a traveler who had just taken his first sip of water after days of traversing the notorious Shandora Desert of the Eastern Continent. The mystical glow being released by Gaia's avatar was like an effective fire extinguisher smothering the flames that were the menacing aura of the chained wolf.

In the nick of time, the giant – Vidar also followed up with actions instead of words. He promptly smothered out the wolf's avatar with a simple wave of his hand, like swatting a fly.

[What the hell!] The avatar of the wolf which had petrified him with a little aura had been instantly extinguished. Hugo felt dejected by just imagining the sheer difference in their mystic powers.

"Don't worry… One day, you will be even stronger than him." The angelic woman reassured after noticing Hugo's dejection.

"And Fenrir, you've failed to keep your promises once more. For displaying your true form to a mortal, I condemn you to the prison of frost…" The woman added.

"What about our agreement! I didn't go beyond the limits we set during the actual test!" The wolf growled through the space slit.

"What are you doing now? Trying to hurt a potential knowledge keeper! Go and reflect on your actions. If this was the other me, you would be facing a punishment far worse than this." Gaia's avatar intoned while completely reknitting the tear in the space.

Hugo breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his summoning space revert to its original seamless state. The terrifying wolf could no longer threaten him.

[I need to train faster.] He resolved while caressing the foreheads of the two black and white wolves that had remained strangely quiet.

"He is gone. Fenrir can't hurt you." He whispered to the wolves whilst also trying to reassure himself. The tension from earlier had evaporated entirely. He closed his eyes and let his body relax from its stiffened state.

But his relief was short-lived. He suddenly felt a terrifying homicidal intent lock on to him.

"Hahaha…" The wolf's avatar laughed like a maniac as it materialized directly beside him. It had its jaws lined with yellow saw-like teeth that were wide open as it zeroed in on him. He was unable to breathe; like someone was asphyxiating him.

[Wasn't the wolf banished out of this summoning space?]

Hugo's s heart was racing and all he wanted to do was to curl up into a ball and wait for Gaia or Vidar to save him. But the wolf was already by his side… What was he to do against a creature whose mystic powers were on par with those of ancient mystics of Gaia?

Hugo's teary blue eyes enlarged and the hairs on the nape of his neck became raised. A throng of goosebumps speckled his visibly pale brown skin. He watched the jaws of Fenrir's avatar close in towards his neck, seemingly slow and deliberate before he could formulate any thoughts of resistance.

Time seemed frozen at that instant.

"I will have the boy's life. You will then have to accompany me to the prison of frost. We'll see how you'll convince Gaia – the Unfeeling to pardon your failures." Fenrir's mockery-laced voice resounded.

Momentously, two wolf howls echoed as a pair of lupine silhouettes interposed themselves between Hugo and the approaching avatar of Fenrir. Fenrir halted for an instant before the two obstructions.

"You imbeciles! You dare get in my way?" Fenrir's avatar bellowed just an arm's length away from Hugo. The wolves had intervened just in time to save Hugo from imminent demise.

Fenrir was left with two options; kill the adolescent wolves, which would serve no purpose, or abandon his motive of injuring Hugo's spirit.

"Fenrir! If you dare touch the child's summons, I will extinguish my awareness… You will then have to deal with the 'Unfeeling' until another me is reborn." Gaia's avatar threatened and instantly appeared beside Hugo.

"With a wave of her hand, the second malevolent avatar of Fenrir was also snuffed out of existence.

"Are you okay?" Gaia's avatar inquired whilst turning towards Hugo. Her tone was soothing and caring, and her facial expression was like that of a mother worried about her child.

But Hugo had no time to observe Gaia's avatar. He was still transfixed to the spot and his heart was still palpating from his close call.

"I'm fine," He mumbled, shaking his head to break out of his frozen state.

"Don't worry, Fenrir won't be appearing before you again. This time his fate will be worse than death," she added.

[I don't want to know anything about your issues. They should be compensating me for emotional damages instead…]

"For the progenies of the keepers of knowledge, Gaia always tests four things; character, wisdom, luck, and capability. From your encounter with Fenrir, we can easily deduce that you have incredible luck and a good character." The woman intoned solemnly.

"So, am I done with the test?" Hugo inquired. His mind was already back to its default calm state.

"No. You've only gone through two phases of the knowledge keeper's posterity test." Her reply was succinct.

"What else do I need to go through before becoming a knowledge keeper?"

"Vidar will answer that. He is the next in charge of the next part of your trial. But congratulations on passing the first two phases."

"Thank you," Hugo answered.

"What about the Orb of Inheritance and the books? Do I get to keep them for passing this phase?" Hugo inquired while pointing towards the hovering books and the Orb, which was still motionless on the floor, close to his feet.