Chapter VII

The sun traversed the summit of Reden more brilliantly than on other days. The Circle chose this season so that the descent would run parallel with the setting sun, but if we were lucky, we would burn every beam of this cursed place.

Meledya and I met every two weeks among the sacks of skins and meats. We had everything ready; she would demolish Reden once the descent began, but first, we needed to know about Kieran. I knew he was not a brother or a member of the Holy Circle; he was something else, something that influenced everyone in Reden, but what?

-- Why are you different?

-- What do you mean?

-- All the mages I know here are malicious and absorbed in their research. I tried to get close to some, but they don't understand; it's as if they can only communicate among themselves. They lack independent thought.

-- I noticed, but I just attribute it to their stupidity.

-- And you never felt the same? Don't you feel like you've awakened from some slumber?

-- I don't know. I never focused on this place. My ability allows me to visit other places, and I preferred to be away.

-- Well, the Circle must have control over the minds of those sheep. They only serve for study. On the other hand, I need to warn you, I will take my brothers with me; you must help us with a safe passage. They will also help with the plan.

-- Listen, this plan cannot spread through everyone's mouths. If you want to free them, show me a better way.

-- Fine, I will have reasons in 6 days. Now go because we are not safe with these long conversations.

She was right. Why didn't I behave like the rest of the brotherhood? I always had my mind; I never focused much on studies, on magical configurations. As I said, I have no memory of seeing a mother or a father. Do the summits spawn without femininity? My memories darken every time I try to recall a melancholic memory; I feel pain.

-- Meledya, one more thing. You must get me a slave's outfit. I need to enter the brotherhood's pavilion.

I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but I felt I would find something if I confronted one of my brothers.

-- You must forgive me, but I can't. Or maybe I could do it once the escape plan is ready. We don't know what might happen if your brothers see you.

-- You're right, but I would have no escape.

-- But everyone would burn. Isn't that what you wanted? You know, I will find a way; you focus on understanding what Kieran's phenomenon is.

-- Will you consider me? Despite having you flogged?

-- Nothing would be possible if we didn't make this alliance, and I will keep that in mind. Enough, go now!!

Minjard's routines were the same as always. This time I saw him in action while hunting. The villagers at the foot of Reden had requested help against a creature that was raiding and testing the sheep's wool, tearing the cattle's leather. Every morning for weeks, the town woke up to a scream, 20 goats consumed by this beast. I identified it as an arctic wolf, a mutant creature with a bone structure that conducts energy, has the physical strength of 15 men, and is one of the fiercest creatures in snowy areas. Minjard asked me to locate it and hunt it together, so I deactivated the bond on the flea residing in the leonine skin hanging from the assassin's coat.

-- Occasionally, we attend to these remnants. It's bad to call them that since they constantly send personnel to Reden.

I was surprised that he had come unarmed. How did he intend to kill this beast?

-- I will give you the chance to see firsthand what I am capable of. You know, sometimes I feel that your stay among my ranks has only given you the wrong impression of me. I am not your friend; I am not your boss; I am your executioner. I have observed you weaving webs in the hallways, asking questions. You know, your taste in slaves is interesting; you must feel good helping your people.

Suddenly, from among the dark-trunked pines, the wolf leaped, detaching branches from the surface of its jump. Its luminous claw, a crystalline blue, lunged forward to take some organ from Minjard. He responded with a slide to the right that cleared all the snow from under his feet. The arctic wolf missed and immediately attacked again with its left claw, but the victim of the attack was a pine tree, as Minjard had already left the attack area. His senses were inhuman; despite the weight of his clothes, he managed to evade such a lethal creature. The second swipe came, then the third, the fourth; none managed to cut this human beast. He continued to dodge the creature until a portal with white-edged borders emerged from nowhere, disrupting the cold flow descending from the mountain. Out of it came a fearsome weapon with black gold ornaments, bulls, and lions sculpted on the hilt. The steel blade gleamed in the moonlight, the wolf approaching, reflected in that immaculate blade until its blood ran the entire length of the weapon. The blood boiled and evaporated from the energy emanating from the famous storm blade, the blade that never dirties, a weapon only heard of in myths, now dismembering the arctic wolf from head to toe.

As the trees fell and blood flowed, I stayed prone in the same position, feeling the fight lasted hours. I was in shock, probably never having been so close to danger.

-- Come, we will camp here.

I still couldn't articulate any words.

-- These creatures are incredible; they have very high agility. Now we have to find our last target.

The general was skinning his opponent while speaking to me.

-- You know this will only work if you communicate. We have a few days of travel left.

-- Why did you bring me here? Is it another way to threaten me?

-- I wanted you to be in the field, to feel the fear. I saw how you froze. Someday you will be in the field.

-- So, is this just a display of your fatherly side?

-- Haha, no. I just don't want our last encounter to be so brief. I want you to attack me, to react.

-- You can bet I will, but she has nothing to do with it.

-- She doesn't interest me, but don't get it wrong. If you plan something, at least have the courtesy to be discreet.

The arctic wolf's meat was already roasted, and the burning sparks flew upward. We devoured the loin, and Minjard applied a special substance to the rest to keep it rigid.

-- Here, the bones of this beast are excellent for assembling special weapons. They have the characteristic of storing the energy of impacts. If that arctic wolf had protected itself from my attack with its forearms, it might have blocked the strike, although the weapon I summoned also had disproportionate power.

-- Thank you.

Snowflakes were falling, and Minjard indicated we should start cutting some logs to put a roof over our heads.

-- Tell me about the other creature?

I said while weaving fibers to tie the logs.

-- You should know it. They are your primary means, or are the ravens enough for you? I have always wondered what the smallest creature you can control is or the largest.

His question made my skin crawl. Does he suspect my espionage? Having suspicions, he has definitely been avoiding important places and conversations, only showing me what he wanted.

-- Well, I don't know exactly either. The bond responds differently with each animal according to the complexity of its mind.

I tried to be as ambiguous as possible.

-- Anyway, it's interesting. Do you think you can control the Venvanther?

-- I don't know that creature.

-- Well, it is 5 meters tall and much stronger than me. You know, in our order, we prioritize having a lethal advantage over an opponent rather than a fair fight. Frankly, I love finishing everything with a single blow.

Finally, we slept. I was opening my eyes at parts of the night, and Minjard was not in the tent, but I felt safer without him beside me. I woke up, and the weather was still very cold. Minjard was already cooking the last pieces of wolf meat we had left, but I noticed he kept some organs, perhaps for some alchemical purpose.

-- Are you afraid you won't have time to finish your plan? We will return tomorrow, so don't worry too much.

-- Are you always this direct? It doesn't benefit you at all. You won't scare me; you won't break me. If that was what you intended by bringing me here, you failed.

-- So much drama, haha. With this outing, I just noticed that you haven't stopped being the same person. You've only buried all that fear very deep.

-- Given the situation I'm in, it was the only thing I could do.

-- I got what I wanted from this. Now let's find that creature.

We descended a rocky path that led us to the summit's waterfall. We crossed the river without problems until we reached a huge crime scene. Devastated houses turned to ash, the village of Ungan had been ravaged. Meledya's home was a cemetery of buildings, the oaks were uprooted, and the neighbors had been hung by their mouths on the spears of Minjard's men.

-- What does this mean? Weren't we helping them with the monster problem? Why!!!

-- They were very impoverished. They could hardly provide people anymore. Your little friend and her group were the last young people this village could birth.

-- You are the worst, and I swear I'll kill you. If you measured your strength against someone powerful, I would respect you, but all you do is kill people weaker than you. You are no legend; you don't inspire fear.

-- I think you'll change your mind after what you're about to witness.

From among the rocks emerged the Venvanther, a gigantic being covered in black and gray rocks, with metal inlays on its back. It had the ability to materialize weapons from any part of its body. Minjard threw me out of the ruins.

The Venvanther didn't hesitate for a second and, like an avalanche, rushed toward Minjard with its right arm turned into a crystal dagger. Minjard blocked the impact with one of the wolf's forearms. The Venvanther materialized a mace to crush Minjard's skull, but he slid to the right and maintained a great distance. The beast roared furiously, sending out a wave that only Minjard stoically resisted; the debris and I were thrown back. The fight continued as the creature went on all fours for more momentum, but the general kept dodging. The fight moved into the forest, with the pines falling. The creature finally got tired of chasing him and split into four smaller versions to trap the assassin. It was then that the vortex reappeared. Minjard's hand pulled out a chain with a heart-shaped blade at the end. The general pulverized the smaller versions with a series of circular movements, hitting the entire surrounding area. It was hard to see what was happening. When the attack ended, the area was devastated with cuts of spectral light. The creature attacked again with a rain of crystal blades. Minjard dodged and descended from the tree he was in. The creature revealed more tricks, merging into the ground like a mass of rock and energy, attempting to surprise the general. Minjard released a green pulse that destroyed the entire surface around him, forcing the creature to regain its original form. It was then that I noticed two things. First, an energy charge was manifesting in the metal inlays on the creature's back. But I also noticed something else: from a mound, I saw Meledya's brown hair. When our eyes met, she started running. I shouted her name but was ignored. I didn't understand anything, but I decided to follow her so that Minjard wouldn't suspect. I pointed to Venvanther's back and left him to his fate.

What was Meledya doing there? I summoned one of my wolves to chase my ally, as my body would have died from exhaustion. She was crying, but she didn't stop running. She was a natural athlete. Finally, I stopped her.

-- Why? I thought we were allies. You knew those were my people. Why did you do this to me? I followed you to protect you, so that assassin wouldn't take you with my parents, and now I find out you're nothing but an accomplice.

-- No! For the love of the gods, I just found out too. I don't know why he brought me here, but I wasn't part of this. You have to believe me.

She was almost choking on her tears. I thought she already knew the fate of her people, but it turns out she only knew about her parents' deaths.

-- Listen to me, you must go back. That man will kill you if he sees you here.

-- I was about to set the plan in motion. I didn't know if you would come back.

-- I think that's what he wanted.

-- What do you mean?

-- I'll tell you when I return. Now go, please. Get on this wolf and go.