30 - Then it was a party.

Sanda could barely move her body as she coughed and tried breathing in harder to get as much air in as possible. Her vision swarmed as her ears picked up the sounds of growls and snarls coming from around her.

Her body while not limp was closer to that as any movement pierced her lungs even more with the rib already puncturing it. Her eyes watered from the tears of the pain she resigned to moving her head. Though she didn't like what she saw.

Kendor stood over her his bow-string stretched taut as he aimed at the wolf paroling them. His bow was already cracked the wood creaking with each force increased, his arms were stiff while his face stayed frozen in a grimace of worry. But his gaze wasn't on the wolf.

She followed his eye line and froze. There tangled in a bloody mess of sword, claw, and fang was Humda. His sword sliced faster than she had ever seen him slice as he attacked and kept the wolf at bay while simultaneously evading its claws and bone-shattering bites.

She watched them weave all over the field and couldn't help but feel a tightening in her chest as she watched his movements slow down. With each attack he made, each move spent his body got slower. Till he was barely moving at all choosing to just turn and face the direction the wolf was at.

Sanda gulped audibly her breathing forgotten as she glared at the bite that was causing it. She hissed wondering how much worse it could all get.

A snarl to the side alerted her and she turned watching as an arrow whizzed past the wolf about to strike marking its flesh and making it pause. Yet it knew that the human still had to pull another arrow. While not having complete concurrent thinking it still was smart enough to have noted the ways of the weapons wielded by the humans.

It moved on, Kendor panicked his hands floundering as he tried to pull out another arrow. Beneath him, Sanda acted her hand pulling at the knife at her waist and flinging it straight at the wolf. While not a good thrower like Kendor the short range and point blank target gave the knife a good shot.

Considering her condition it was a miracle she could even make the throw.

The wolf screeched as the knife stuck into its lower exposed underbelly. then crashed just as kendor swiftly tugged her away from the point of the impact her side flaring with pain.

Whilst he winced at her scream it didn't stop his move. With his father gone his next option went to the arrows which he grasped two in both hands dropping the bow and leaping onto the wolf. Finding the eyes he dug in and then twisted. Howls rang none stop as the animal shook itself hurriedly attempting to shake off the boy on it.

Humda's situation worsened in that split second as the wolf barreled into him sending both man and beast to the ground.

Both though got their purchase as one twisted to the side and rammed the sword deep into the beast's side. It howled out and then snagged the arm holding the sword. With a vengeance, it bit down deep severing the arm.

Honda screamed like a banshee as blood poured out the wound. His eyes locked on the stump of his right arm as it pumped red liquid.

Kendor looking up at the scream froze at the sight of his heart chilling. Then anger rose. In a rage, he pulled out the arrows, and extending their length he pushed down hard. The shaft snapped as it reached something hard within but the job was done as the wolf slumped lifelessly.

Rolling off he stood and dived forward for the wolf whose jaws were eagerly closing around Humda's neck. The boy himself out of it as he started at where his right hand should have been.

Kendor and Sanda knew he wouldn't make it. It was obvious, blatantly, that the distance between both groups was too much for him to cross. Their panic increased as the jaw got closer then clamped down on the boy.

Sanda shut her eye unable to watch while Kendor just stared his body frozen. His heart beat hard as he watched the blood pool around the wolf's head. Eyes still wide he felt his knees give and his weight drop him to the floor.

It was over, just like that.

********

I stood there staring intently at the arm on the ground and then at the wolves lying around. My sword dripped with blood while my wings stretched out wide. My eyes shone gold while I glared from the arm to the now headless wolf.

"That was close. Even for you" I added the last part and turned to look at the boy who had started all this.

"While your eagerness to learn your skills is quite impressive, knowing when to stay out of a fight is not cowardice but intelligence."

Turning to look at Sanda I sighed before snapping my fingers her wounds too serious to wait a moment longer, as was also so for her brother. The arm on the ground turned to light motes and fazed away. Then light glowed from the stump on the boy's hand and extended down while spinning like a golden bandage wrapping up the hand.

Once the light diminished the boy stared dumbstruck at the restored limb while I turned to observe the girl. The blood was gone and she looked better than before.

"Well, that settles that. You, get her and go stand with him" I instructed the not-still on his knees. He blinked a bit then scratched his head still dumbstruck.

The thickets parted from behind and out walked a very familiar creature. With its pointed horns, white fur, and four-legged muscular form it gracefully walked till it got to me.

The white hopper looked at me curiously as it sniffed then slowly closed the distance to me.

[WHITE HOPPER]

[RANK - LOWER DIVINE PROGENY]

'Lower divine progeny, the wait is this animal..."

[INDEED. IT BEARS THE GENES OF A DIVINE BEAST]

Seeing creatures such as this was rarer. Divine beasts are rarer in fact. This was an opportunity to use for the humans as I didn't need a divine beast at least not yet.

Raising my hand I tapped its head and let half my divinity flow into its body reducing my points to half its number. Not minding though since it would refill I just watched as the White hopper reared up baying in pain or whatever it was feeling.

Its skin lit up in a radiant yellow glow while its eyes turned gold. Its body and forms grew in size, the horns stretched and twisted from its straight form into a spiral creating a spiral ring of thick bone that extended as long as an arm. The body got as big as a horse and its hooves radiated a gold light that dimmed as the rest of the light on its body dimmed.

The fur was still white but much brighter as if washed, the horns still its brown color looked menacing and regal like a king's crown.

[YOU HAVE AWAKENED LOW-TIER DIVINITY WITHIN WHITEHOPPER]

[YOU HAVE CHANGED WHITE HOPPER AFFILIATION TO ERLEZOS ERIZOS]

[NAME WHITE HOPPER - ]

'Well, this is interesting. " I thought ignoring the humans staring slack-jawed from behind me.

"Wonder what happens with beasts with no divinity gene. Will it turn out like Quizamukae's horde?" I muttered.

A twig snapped and I turned looking to the right where the thicket parted and there stood five dire wolves. All the howling from their dying members having called them forward.

"That's nice. You're just in time for the party. I was just thinking up a little theory and it needs a bit of little experiment. Hopefully, you don't mind."I muttered out loud.

The dire wolves whether they understood or not weren't an issue as they could already feel the pure chills and evil aura coming from the being in front of them. They were sure of their instinct's warning and it always felt them safe.

Right now it was blaring at them to flee. Still, their momentary hesitation sealed their fates.

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A/N: Been a blast. Going slow from here. Hope y'all keep reading and donating power stones.