The Realm of Mind

Bran opened eyes that weren't eyes. Tried to blink. Couldn't feel eyelids. Couldn't feel anything.

His hand rose before his face. Not flesh. Not bone. Dark smoke writhed where skin should be. He tried to touch his chest. His fingers passed through more smoke. Horror crawled through him. Was this death?

No ground beneath him. No sky above. No direction made sense here. Just endless black that pressed against him like deep water. Like being buried alive.

Something pulled at him. A tug behind his back. He twisted, movement strange without a proper body. Two threads of blue light hung there. Like spider silk caught in morning sun. Like veins of lightning frozen in the dark.

The first thread called to him. He reached out. Touched it. Feelings crashed into his. Fear sharp as steel. Rage. Rage and loneliness. And a determination to overcome them. It was Meera's mind. The contact broke. Left him gasping in the void.

The second thread held Mace's essence. Loyalty. Determination. The fierce need to protect. Their minds touched like hot iron meeting hot iron.

These threads were them. Were the pack. Were the bonds he could always feel in the mind connection but never see.

More threads glowed ahead. Two of them. Red like fresh blood. Like molten metal. He was drawn to them. He touched them. They sang to him. A song of sky and flame and freedom. His smoky fingers pulsed.

Heat seared through him at the touch. Wild. Ancient. Power that could crack mountains and boil seas. Asking to become his. He let them in. The red began to fade. Blue crept along the threads like frost claiming autumn leaves.

"Who dares!!"

The roar came from everywhere. From nowhere. It shattered his grip. Broke something fundamental in the world. In him. Pain beyond physical pain exploded through whatever passed for his body here. His influence receded. The dragon threads blazed red again.

Movement in the dark. Something vast. Something that made the void itself cringe away. That made his smoke-form try to dissolve and flee.

The head that emerged dwarfed everything. Each scale larger than a war shield. Black so deep it ate light. Eyes like a furnace, pupilless and red. They fixed on him. Pierced him. Judged him.

The entire body emerged. A black dragon the size of a hill. Wingspan the width of a mountain. Behind that terrible dragon, threads of red light stretched into infinity. Thousands upon thousands. Each one a dragon. Each one bound. Each one proof of power that reshaped reality.

This was a Beast King. This was the Nightslayer. This was power that could break worlds.

The voice filled the void. Filled him. "Who are you?"

Terror screamed at him to flee. To submit. To beg. He ignored it all. Lunged forward instead. Grabbed the two dragon-threads between them. Squeezed until his grip would have broken mortal bones.

Blue light exploded outward. The threads crystallized. Snapped behind him like whips of frozen fire. Connected. Bound. His. They joined Mace's and Meera's. Four blue threads against the Nighslayers thousands in red.

The Nightslayer's jaws gaped. A cavern lined with teeth like swords. "Newborn. You will die here, in the realm of mind."

He roared. Darkness rushed in. Bran was sure of one thing. It would rip him apart. Would swallow him whole. Would unmake him.

Bran tore himself away. Forced his mind to reject this place. To flee back to flesh and bone and blood. To escape the dark and teeth and terrible knowing eyes.

The Nightslayer's figure receded. In a moment, it seemed distant and small. Like miles divided them. The four blue threads were still behind him.

Darkness took him again.

---

Fire crackled. Warmth pressed against Bran's back. Soft fur tickled his skin. He opened his eyes.

The shed's wooden walls swam into focus. Afternoon light leaked through gaps in the planks. His head throbbed. Every muscle ached like he'd been beaten.

"Finally." Meera's voice came from behind him. She was in half form. Her arm tightened around his chest. "You were cold as death."

He tried to sit up. Realized they were both naked. Her breasts pressed against his back. Her tail wrapped his sensitive bits. Heat rushed to his face. He pulled away.

Meera snorted. Her wolf ears flicked in amusement. "You really have become human. So strange about skin. Or maybe you'd rather the little guild master keep you warm" She lounged there in half-form. Tail covered strategic areas. "You were freezing. Body heat works best without cloth."

"The taming demonstration-" His voice came out higher than usual. "What happened?"

"You collapsed when I opened the door. I took you away. " She was the one opening the doors when he collapsed. She tossed another log on the fire. "Warren's men tried feeding the dragons some herb. Had magic words for the chains too, to hurt them. Make them behave. " Her lips pulled back from sharp canines. "Dragons weren't cooperative though. Guess your deal worked. They fought back despite the pain of the magic chains. Made enough noise to wake the dead."

"They were caught?" Bran asked.

"Yea. Liana's hunters took Warren's men to the dungeons. Interrogated them for two days." Meera stretched next to the fire. Tail flowed away. Revealed her body again. Bran averted his eyes. Red. Meera smiled.

Bran's head spun. "Wait, two days? How long was I out?"

"Three days. At first I was glad you were finally getting sleep then you fell into the death-sleep." She touched his chest. Her claws gentle. "Your wounds are gone."

He looked down. The cuts and bruises from the tunnel fight had vanished. "You said they tried feeding the dragons herbs?"

"Poison. Makes dragons mad with rage. Warren probably wanted an accident during the taming demonstration. Hana found out about the herbs while in Liana's office" Pride crept into Meera's voice. "Girl's clever. Got scolded for sneaking around but they let her off. Warren's men got the blame for the stolen weapons too. They're in chains now. Won't talk."

"And Warren?"

"Clean. As always." She growled. "Liana postponed the demonstration though. Wants everything investigated first."

Bran nodded. Tried to stand. The world tilted.

Meera caught him. "What happened to you? Your spirit was... gone."

"Found something. The Beast King called it the Realm of Mind." The words tasted strange. "Where Beast King tethers live. Where Beast Kings rule their kind."

Her ears flattened. "You met a Beast King ?"

"The Nightslayer." Cold crawled through him at the memory. "I tried binding the dragons. He felt it. Came for me. But I bound them before I escaped."

"Stupid!" She smacked his shoulder. "Taking on a Beast King alone!"

"Had to try. I promised the dragons. I think it happened cause they're a different kind from me" He touched his temple. Felt the spot in his mind where four blue threads pulsed. "I think I can use the bonds to strengthen myself now. Like the other Kings do. Probably why I healed. Not as strong though. Not yet."

"It could have killed you."

"It tried." He met her eyes. "It knows about me now. That makes two of the five Beast Kings."

Meera was quiet for a long moment. "We need a plan then. And you need to get stronger."

Bran nodded. The fire popped. Shadows danced on rough walls. In his mind he could hear Varra and Kyrios.

---

Liana crossed her arms. Leaned against wired wall. A makeshift fence above the dragon pit. The pit opened up from the dragons keep. The dragons would be outside today. Late afternoon sun caught dust motes dancing between iron-barred windows. The smell of hay and dragon musk filled her nose.

Twenty hunters crowded the makeshift viewing gallery on the side. More than usual for a demonstration. This however was not a usual demonstration. It was a taming demonstration.

Word had spread after rogue hunters were caught trying to poison the beasts. Each were well known followers of Warren. Warren of course was not implicated in the debacle. He even recommended the harshest punishment. However, Liana was beginning to have doubts about him.

She glanced at Warren. She had decided against having him in the pit to help protect Bran. Warren stood apart from them. Watched the terrified hunters set up traps in the pit. Arms folded. Face unreadable. His brother's death in the tunnels had changed him. Made him harder. Or had it just revealed what was already there?

Movement below caught her eye. Bran entered the training pit. No armor. Just leather vest and breeches. Bare feet on packed earth. Days ago he looked dead. Now, he was full of life. Eyes locked for a second. His features always seemed to soften when he looked at her.

"He's mad," someone whispered. "Dragons killed three handlers last month. Magic is barely enough to control them during raids."

Varra's chains rattled. The female dragon's silver scales caught light like polished mail. She approached from the open keep. Her mate Kyrios loomed behind her. Black scales absorbed shadows.

Bran approached slowly. Hands empty. Eyes fixed on Varra. The dragon's head snaked down. Nostrils flared. Tasting his scent.

"Stop him!" A hunter reached for his crossbow.

"Wait." Warren's voice cut through the murmurs. "Watch."

Bran raised one hand. Palm out. Varra's head weaved side to side. Like a snake choosing where to strike. Her wings half-spread. Filling the pit with silver.

He took another step. Dragon and man locked eyes. The air felt charged. Like before a storm breaks.

Varra's head darted forward. Jaws wide. Teeth like daggers.

Gasps from above. Crossbows lifted.

Bran didn't flinch. Didn't move. The dragon's teeth stopped an inch from his throat.

Hot breath stirred his hair. A low rumble filled the pit. Not quite a growl. Almost... pleased?

His hand touched her snout. Stroked down. Slow. Gentle. The rumble deepened.

Kyrios stretched his neck forward. Bran's other hand found black scales. Both dragons pressed into his touch like cats seeking attention.

Liana let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Pride bloomed in her chest. This was what the guild needed. What she needed.

"Impressive." Warren's voice at her shoulder made her start. "Almost seems practiced."

She watched Bran lead the dragons through basic commands. Fed them when they responded . Turned away and sprayed mist powder when they did not. They moved together. Like a dance. Like they understood each other perfectly.

"We should expand the training program," she said. "More handlers. More dragons. More hunting beasts. Build up our strength again."

Warren nodded. "I'll help however I can." His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Whatever's best for the guild."

Below, Bran guided the dragons back to their keep. His hand lingered on Varra. Something passed between them. Something Liana couldn't quite name.

She pushed off from the wall. Time to plan the guild's future. Time to make things right again.

Behind her, Warren watched Bran with calculating eyes.

---

Liana's office door clicked shut. Four people. Four shadows stretched across worn floorboards.

Liana perched on her desk edge. "What I'm about to say stays in this room." Her fingers drummed the worn oak. Once. Twice. "We all know Warren's hunting party never returned, supposedly killed by the Bear-kin. No bodies were found."

Valik shifted. His leather armor creaked. "The bear-kin-"

"Had dagger wounds. Tolk's daggers." She reached behind her. Pulled out a leather wrap. Unrolled it on the desk. Steel gleamed. "These were found in the beast's hide. Along with sword cuts. Warren's sword only."

Ros touched the weapons. His weathered face hardened. "No marks from the others?"

"None." Liana's voice dropped lower. "Three hunters. Only Warren's blade drew blood."

Valik's fist slammed the desk. "Sara and Elena were in that party." His voice cracked. " Barely forty cycles between them. If Warren-" He grabbed the dagger. Knuckles white. "I'll gut him myself."

"It would start a civil war." Liana's voice cut like steel. "Half the guild still follows him. We need proof. Need strength."

"The fox-kin hunt gives us cover." She looked at Bran. Bran kept his face blank. Remembered Tolk's screams. She continued "Most hunters will be far from where the party vanished."

"My wolves can search for the bodies while we track the fox-kin." Bran replied.

"Yes." Liana nodded. "Valik, watch Warren. He's in your party now. Ros, you'll lead the new second-rank hunting party." Her eyes hardened. "Report anything unusual. Directly to me."

They filed out. Boots quiet on wooden floors. Bran lingered. Waited.

Meera's mind touched his. Following Ros.

Mace's presence joined. On Valik.

Minutes crawled. Bran counted heartbeats. Fifty. A hundred. He slipped back into Liana's office.

She looked up. "Well?"

"You were right. Ros went straight to Warren." The words tasted bitter. "Valik's preparing for the fox hunt."

Liana's shoulders slumped. "I feared as much. Ros served under my father. I can't believe he would betray the family like this." She pressed her palms against the desk. Knuckles white. "At least Valik's loyal."

"The bodies will be found."

"How do you know?" She stepped closer. "How did you get reports from your wolves so quickly? How do you understand the report?"

Bran hesitated. Words stuck in his throat.

Her finger pressed against his lips. Soft. Warm. "Don't." Her eyes held his. "I've had too many lies. Too many half-truths. Tell me when you're ready."

She turned. Walked to the far wall. A painting hung there. A man in a brown leather coat. A guild master. Her father. Grey at his temples. Pride in his eyes.

"The guild was already failing when father died." Her voice softened. "Trade routes changed. Towns died. He worked himself to death trying to save it." Her fingers traced the frame. "His dream. Our dream."

Bran moved behind her. Close enough to smell lavender in her hair. Just this felt like a betrayal of Ariana's memory. But he didn't pull away."The guild can be strong again."

"Can it?" She turned. They stood breath-close now. "I need someone I can trust, Bran. Someone who sees the same future I do." Her hand found his chest. Felt his heart hammering. "Can I trust you?"

"I will never hurt you." He covered her hand with his. Meant every word. "You can trust me."

She leaned closer. Heat bloomed between them. Like standing too close to a fire.

A knock shattered the moment. They jumped apart.

"Guild Master?" A voice called. "Hunting parties are assembled."

Liana straightened her coat. Cheeks flushed. "We should prepare for the hunt."

Bran nodded. The door closed behind him with a soft click.

In his mind, four blue threads pulsed with power. With promise. With possibilities.

The hunt would begin at dawn.