CHAPTER 48:A New Day

"I'm glad you were able to survive that demon" Bethran said in a tone that lacked his usual confidence. "And I'm really sorry for trying to kill you".

"Don't be so hard on yourself" Leo smiled as he leaned back into his chair. "It was the demon's fault and not yours".

"I guess you're right" Bethran said; putting on a fake smile as he noticed the assassins coming towards them.

"I'm so happy that both of you managed to come out of that ordeal alive" Celia spoke up, sitting carefully as she joined them on the grass.

"I mean, Leo should be the first person since the dark ages who can confidently boast of facing three forsaken creatures and still surviving to tell the tale".

Leo hearing this smiled and for a brief moment remembered when everyone including Celia had treated him with nothing but disdain, the times when only Alexandre and Bethran bothered talking to him.

But now everyone called him 'Fanghyr' the panther; an assassin that had saved countless of elves and who had risked his life more than once in order to protect the 'Phoenix'.

There were even rumors spreading through the air on how he had slaughtered fifty brotherhood members and even how he had 'bought' time for people to escape. Thankfully, not only Leo got the credit for even the Night were praised for their timely intervention that had prevented that night from being bathed with civilian blood.

And so all Leo did was to take a sip from the glass beside him while he prayed that yesterday's event would never repeat itself.

Sadly, he knew that this would never be the case and the only thing he could do as the 'chosen 'one was to get stronger and hopefully stop Draghyr from destroying everything he held dear.

"Anyways the Night have sent me personally to deliver a message for you" Celia smiled. "You and Bethran are one of the guests of honor expected at the upcoming Valor ball in Elyria.

"Why me? Bethran asked in confusion, because he didn't think he had done anything of significance.

"Since when were you so humble? Celia smiled. "If not for you Wulfe would have killed Leo and thanks to your bravery, the elders were able to defeat the demon".

"So that's how they twisted what happened" Bethran sighed and having no choice, smiled as he started to behave like his normal self.

"A Valor ball? Leo shook his head in disbelief. "And I'm a guest of honor?

"Hopefully this one should be restricted to 'invited' guests only".

The Valor ball was a rare celebration held by the Phoenix when any massive threat had been defeated. Since the war against Camhyr, only four had been held since its first inception.

The event also had a special awarding ceremony where special medals and gifts were presented to individuals who showed a great deal of courage in protecting innocents from danger, a remembrance ceremony took place immediately after; honoring all who had passed in the conflict.

Strangely this was the first time in the Forever realm's history where all the four kingdoms had been attacked at once. Though compared to the other threats, the Phoenix had faced, last night's attack remained the first that was ever stopped in one night.

Regardless the casualties from that night were outstanding, data from Clyde and his mages reported the death toll to be a whopping one thousand; a good number of those were brave warriors from all the races who had died in the line of battle but sadly the majority consisted of mages who numbered in the hundreds; god ranks and enlightened ranks being the bulk of it.

Which meant that of all the orders under the Phoenix, only the Night suffered minimal casualties while the Moon had only lost a foolish seer that had tried to talk to the elves attacking Elyria.

After a few hours of laughter and talks, Leo and Bethran were now the only people outside the castle.

The two didn't say anything for some time for unlike the rest of the Night who were happy that the battle had been won, their case was a bit different for this was not the beginning of the end but rather the end of what they considered the beginning.

"Have you spoken to your parents? Leo broke the ice with the question that had been bothering him.

Bethran sighed before he replied "What am I supposed to say?

"Hey dad, hey mom did you know that I'm a werewolf?

Leo couldn't help but chuckle as the conversation played in his mind.

"At least your sense of humor is back".

"Though it would be good for them to see and be assured that you are really okay".

"That's the problem" Bethran shook his head. "I mean I'm pretty sure they are humans unlike me".

"What makes you so sure? Leo asked.

"I don't think I've ever told anyone this but there's this instinct that I feel, sometimes it's calming and other times it is violent and hurts like though there is a caged animal within me and from a tender age, my parents always looked confused when I tried to explain it to them.

Bethran looked at the shining full moon above them and continued.

"That night I was left with no choice and so I accepted the instinct and after that everything went black".

"I woke up eventually with the urge to devour the one who had dared injure me but then it reached a point where the instinct became too strong and I started to lose control".

"And then I lost the battle of will and gave that bastard demon the opening he was looking for". Bethran added clenching his fist in visible anger.

Leo simply nodded for at least it explained why Bethran had inhuman strength and speed, not to mention the good sense of smell that had earned him the nickname 'The Green Eyed Wolf'; a name first given to him by his mother Violet.

Which was why Bethran had always accepted it even up to the point of sometimes howling as though he was the real thing which he surprisingly turned out to be .

"What of Alexandre? Does he know about" Bethran at this point tapped his left eye.

"Yes like I told you before, Alexandre might know everything " Leo replied.

"Though I'm surprised you were able to piece everything together".

"You aren't the only avid reader in this order" Bethran smiled.

"Though I think it's high time I visit my father" Leo sighed, tapping his dark blue eye patch before getting to his feet.

Bethran remained sitting for a while but with a shrug of his shoulders, walked off in Leo's direction.