Vol.2/Chapter 5: Orders

Luca's POV:

"Well, this is awkward. I-I didn't know you can transform, uh, Iresh...", I try to divert my attention and hide my blush as the now naked and transformed Iresh is walking towards me.

"Hihi, Master~ Why are you blushing? Is this the first time you see a girl naked? You see, even at my feline form, I am naked and you are riding me.", Iresh tries to further embarrass me in front of everybody.

"Enough. Who are you really and what do you want with Luca?", Almira sternly said.

"Me? I'm the designated protector of Master.", Iresh focused on both Almira and Samira. "If you have any questions, I'll gladly answer it. Besides, it's time for everyone here to know the truth."

"Then you do know the truth about everything that's happening. If you don't mind, can you just tell us everything?", Samira calmly gets Iresh some clothes as she casually asks for the story of Iresh.

I am just sitting here, ready to face whatever Iresh is gonna tell. As I've noticed, everyone is serious and tense about this matter. Even a blockhead like Theo knows the degree of the situation. Everyone listens to Iresh's story.

"Well, how do I start? I guess, I'm gonna start with how I came to this world. You see, this is my original form. I'm a Marinka.", Iresh puts the clothes on and started to talk.

(Marinka - a race of mythicals that looks like a cat and human combined. They are capable of doing transformation magic and are one of the most formidable users of it.)

"Once upon a time, I met an elven woman while travelling. I didn't know her name or her status but her aura is so majestic. She's like the lone star in the darkness of the sky.", She smiled as she continue.

"Her fighting prowess is formidable, she is excellent in both hand to hand combat and magic. I was amazed. I decided that I should be her apprentice. As if she thought that was a joke, she just chuckled to me and said that I'm too young and naive to be her apprentice.", She took a sip of her tea, readied by Samira, before continuing.

"But one day, she changed. Her heart, her whole personality, her whole life, everything changed. I can sense the void in her heart. That's when I noticed the blood in her hands. The guilt in her face. The regret, the pain, I can feel it.", Her smile turns into a frown as she recalls her old painful memories.

"She was wearing a robe while holding a child, no more than half a year old. She was running from elven, humans and hellspawn alike. I asked myself if the one I'm admiring is a bad person. I was scared that time so I just accompanied her and started to run. We tried our best to slow down everyone but they were starting to outnumber us.", Iresh looked down as she became quiet.

______________________________________

Iresh's POV (18 years ago):

pant, pant, pant

"Master, I'll hold them off. Please run.", I am breathing heavily as my stamina is starting to drain slowly as our pursuers keep on coming.

Master is just quiet. Her eyes are full of sadness and remorse. I'm surprised though. Even in all of this conflict, the baby she holds is so quiet.

"Master, MASTER! Please, wake up. Your child, it's not crying or anything.", my voice sounds progressively worried.

"I know.", her voice is faint but I can hear it. "I applied magic to him that will cancel any noise around him. Sooner or later, it will wear off."

I know she's tired. I know she's suffering. But I need to ask her this question...

"Master, are you a bad person?", she just stayed quiet for a while.

"If you think a mistake can make a person bad in your eyes, then yes, I am evil and I need to perish from this world.", her cold eyes occasionally looks at me while running.

"But you should know that a person can always sin. If that is your ideal, doesn't that make everyone evil?", those words hit me right through my heart.

She's right. If that was everyone's ideals, it would make me evil too. I became selfish. I don't even know the truth but I asked a sensitive question.

"But it's fine, marinka. I don't even know your name and yet you're still my so-called apprentice.", For the first time in a while, I heard her chuckle again. "I'm glad to see you growing properly. That's why I will have orders for you. I trust you."

Before long, we arrived on a road in the outskirts of a human city. My master asked me to hide first before blocking our pursuers with her ice magic. Then I saw it, a cart full of children of every race. It says on the top "Slave Trader". While our pursuers are busy destroying the Ice Wall, I watched her give her only child to the Slave Trader and thought to myself - is she really evil?

With tears in her eyes, she approached me again. Her knees became so weak that she fell down on the ground. This is my first time seeing her vulnerable. She's so mighty yet she's so weak.

"Marinka, listen to me. My name is Astraea Lunala. I am the God of the Moon.", My eyes widen and my jaw dropped as she said those words. My Master is no other than the God of Truth and Justice.

"I...killed my lover and the father of our child. I don't know what I've done. I don't know how it happened but I just did. I don't remember. That's why I ran.", she sobs heavily as I was flabbergasted with everything I'm knowing.

I also noticed that the wall is starting to break so I helped her get to a safer spot. After crossing the road, we found an abandoned and worn out house. We entered there and hid until our chasers are gone. We also made some fake footprints to trick them that we continued forward. Fortunately enough, no one checked the house. By sheer luck or anything, I'm glad we're still alive.

"Master...I-I don't know what to say. As the God of the Moon, I've always worshipped you. You gave us life and a feeling of security. For me, you are a saint.", I tried to hide the growing despair in my chest by sounding so calm.

"Just call me Astraea. No need to fake it, marinka. I know what you're thinking. You're angry and sad at the same time. The one you worship isn't the one who can save you.", her words are full of regret. "Listen, whoever god you worship, they are the only one who can guide you to salvation. In the end, the one who can save you is yourself."

"But Master Astraea, who will save you?", I held her hand and looked in her eye.

"It's for fate to decide. I gave my only son to a slave trader just to prevent the accident that happened to me and my husband. I also want him to be safe from his identity. I know it's not the most morally inclined thing to do but this way, he will not have to deal being an evil God's son.", her eyes are starting to close from tiredness.

"I see. You gave your son to a stranger to prevent him from being killed by you or the heretics.", I supported her head in my shoulders. "Also, you previously said you have orders for me."

"Right. Listen very carefully. From now on, I will not be your master.", My eyes widen as I let her continue. "Instead, Luca, my son, will be your new master. I know someday, with fate, you will see him again. I don't know when or where but I'm sure it will happen. Protect him with your life."

"I...Understood.", I clenched my fist while tears started to fall from my eyes.

"Don't cry, apprentice. If I am fortunate enough, you will see me again. Besides, you're now my friend and I trust you with everything I got.", I just bawled instantly when I heard those words.

I hugged her tight while she smiled back at me. As I said, she's like the lone star in the darkness of the night. She stood up and started enchanting words.

Like the darkness

You will prowl with efficiency

In the sight of danger

You will be the beast of proficiency

I just feel my whole body tingling in the process. I started to float and glow as I can feel my body changing. My ears and tails became darker. I can feel strength overflowing from me and my magic capacity drastically increased.

"From now on, marinka. You will not just transform into a normal feline. Instead, you will become a Shadowmane. I hope this power will help you in your endeavors and I'm sorry for passing this duty on to you.", After she said those words, she coughed blood and I instantly ran towards her. "I'm fine. Please, be careful on your journey and protect my child."

"I will, Master Astraea. I will not fail you. I will fulfill this duty with my life.", I looked at her in the eyes and hugged for the last time.

"Go, you stupidly loyal cat.", She smiled at me as I left the house.

______________________________________

Luca's POV (present):

"That was the last time I saw or heard her. I didn't have any news of her after that. Some rumors said she was killed and some said she was captured, persecuted and raped but I didn't believe in any of that.", she finished her tea and continued.

"For 18 whole years, I tried to find you. As a marinka, I didn't have the privilege to enter any human city as they prevent any mythicals to do so except for a few chosen.", she lowered her head.

I hugged Iresh tightly as I reassured her that everything's alright. She can't help but cry and hug me back.

"I'm sorry that I'm too weak to protect your mother, Luca, and I'm sorry that I just found you now. I'm glad that you found your new family. But now that I'm here, I am ready to fulfill my duty given to me by your mother.", she wiped the tears of her eyes and she knelt in front of me.

"Uh, Iresh, please don't kneel in front of me. You're now my friend and you have been doing your duty ever since you found me. That's why I'm not mad. You can stand up.", I insisted on her standing up.

"And for you, Almira, Samira and Theo. I genuinely thank you for everything you have done for Luca. I'm also sorry for not doing my best protecting your village.", she turned towards the demiwolves as she apologizes.

Samira, Almira and Theo were just quiet. I can see the pain in their eyes. They just found out the truth about their god. Still, they stand tall.

"Thank you for telling the truth about Luca and her mother, our God.", Samira smiled at Iresh.

"How sure am I that I can trust you, Iresh?", Everyone turned their attention towards Almira. "What if you're just lying? This is our God, Astraea Lunala, we're talking about."

"Mother, calm down. You're overthinking this.", Theo tries to calm her mother down.

"NO! I can't accept what happened. She helped me as a child. I know she can never kill a person, lest his husband.", Almira cries in rage as she walked angrily towards Iresh.

Grabbing by the collar, she said, "Please, I'm begging you. Tell the truth about her. I can't take this anymore."

"I feel your grief, Almira. It's the same feeling I felt from Master Astraea when she lost Luca and her husband. As a loyal follower and friend of Master Astraea, unfortunately, I'm telling the whole truth.", Iresh looked at Almira's eyes making the latter lost all her strength and fall to the ground, bawling.

"Sister, I've known you since birth that's why I want to say that everything our God taught you and her memories, it's all true and just. Do not act up on pure grief or hatred. She may not be here, she may have sinned but that doesn't make her a bad person and she will always be in our heart.", Samira comforted her crying sister while Iresh looked at her amazed because she said the same thing my mother said.

"Luca, I will protect you. That's what I promised to your mother but now, this is your time to protect the dignity of a lost follower of your mother.", Iresh whispered at me.

I walked towards Almira with care. I knelt and held her hand.

"Ms. Almira, I may not have known you that deeply or that long but what I know is that you're strong. My mother will always be our side, that's what you thought and that's what will always be. She will guide us towards our salvation but the only one that could help yourself is you.", I used my own mother's words to reassure Ms. Almira.

"I see. You're treading the path of your mother. I'm sorry for acting like this.", Almira wiped her tears.

"It's fine. There's a lot of things that happened and there's a lot you have lost. I will support you in every way I can.", I reassured Almira more.

"Me too, Mother. I am your proud son. I don't want you looking like this. That's why I will be with you, in both suffering and happiness.", Theo smiled at her mother.

"I guess, all is well. Almira, as the loyal follower of our God Astraea Lunala, I commend your faith and resolve. That's why you should never waver, no matter what obstacle you face.", Iresh proudly said.

Almira stood up and apologizes to everyone. Samira guided her to the kitchen while me, Theo and Iresh chatted for a while. We reminisced our times in the Redwoods.

"Alder is such a bitch.", Iresh teasingly said. Theo and I both laughed hardly. "What? It's the truth. I hated the guy."

Samira and Almira arrived with the dinner. We sat on the table and started to eat.

"Luca, whatever your decision may be, as your adoptive mother, I will support you. Whether you decided to be a God or a normal being, I hope you tread on the better path.", Samira, as usual, smiled warmly at me.

"Your powers, I hope you master them completely. Of course, I will teach you but I hope you put them in good measure.", Almira, now in a better mood, happily said.

"It's unfair. You got godlike powers and I got just myself. But whatever, I will be stronger than you, much much stronger than you and one day, I will beat you in a battle.", Theo stood up, pointed at me and said proudly.

"Theo, sit down!", Almira smacked her in the head.

"You can't beat me if your mother beats you first", I said.

Everyone laughed as we continued to share stories.

After everything has been shared, Theo and Almira bid farewell after finishing their food. Samira insisted to Iresh that she should sleep in our house. Of course, she happily accepted the offer. She went from a crybaby to a serious friend of a god to a flirt. I swear, I can't predict her.

"Thank you, Ms. Samira. I'll just sleep in the floor for the time being.", said Iresh.

"No, no, no. That won't happen. You can sleep besides Luca.", Mother just insisted Iresh to sleep besides me.

"You know what, that's a good idea, Ms. Samira. I'll happily take the offer.", she giggled before clinging to me. "Hehe, master, let's go to our room~"

I just stared to my mother in confusion as Iresh drags me to our room. In the night, Iresh slept soundly as I contemplated with everything I learned.

I am the offspring of two Gods.

My mother is in danger.

My father is dead.

I have my own powers but I'm still too weak to use them.

I want to find out the truth about everything.

The truth about how my father died.

The truth about how my mother didn't remember anything.

The truth about the prophecy.

That's why I decided. I will become much, much stronger than who I am and try to find the whole truth with everything's that happening.

After all that thinking, I slept besides Iresh and gave in to a much needed rest.

"Good night, Iresh."