Chapter III – Nothing

You are both ready. There's no better place to prove what you've learned than under this beautiful Dark Moon.

- From the letter at the third of Dark

2nd of Wind, 6th cycle – Noon

Having a room filled with salted meat sounded good as a celebration for his Call, surely, but Cairo couldn't predict – or so he rationalized – that the smell would be much stronger than any other food in the house; strong enough that even humans would be able to smell it during his previous dinner. He'd need to store it the proper way, which was also expensive and heavy. Stumbling to his home, the wolf tried to stabilize the weight of a large wooden box, reinforced with metal corners, using only his left shoulder and balancing it out with the healthy arm. It occurred to him to ask for his friends' help, but he had a perfectly functional and strong arm; no need to play weak.

Approaching his house near nighttime usually meant his nose would gather whiffs of assorted meals around the place, be it the simple and yet crescent smell of baked bread or the mouth watering scents of the fine fish caught on the eastern sea; he always had a reason to smile on his way back home. Except today.

The air stood still. He could barely gather any scent other than his own, making his ears stand in expectancy. An ominous feeling spread through the wolf's body, making him rush for his house. A storm was probably on its way, but his house – and his food – weren't prepared for that.

A human stood in front of his door, pale but strong like a guard, looking at the entrance with the calm focus of a fencer preparing his first lunge. Cairo approached carefully, keeping a safe distance before speaking.

“Hello?" Cairo said, cursing his own innocence. Dangers roamed the western streets at this time and he decided to just give himself in. “Better than striking an innocent, at least," he thought.

A slow turn brought dark, opaque eyes to glare at him with the sheer pressure of a beast preparing to strike. Cairo stumbled, sending the box to the stone street; luckily, it didn't break. Steadying himself, he grabbed the sword handle in his waist with the left paw, preparing to shift weight and strike with quicker, weaker maneuvers.

The human grasped his own right hand, bringing it to the height of the angered face. Cairo stood, baffled, as he saw the shaking hand grow in size and strength, fingers elongating along with nails, twitching with a bulging dark mass that spread over his arm. A grunt grew with every change on the man's body, but his glare didn't falter.

A fast jump propelled the human, monstrous claw in front of the body, to encounter the wolf's neck. Cairo managed to unsheathe his sword and strike at the man, cutting the flesh under his arm to stop the assault; blood droplets spewed from the slash and landed on his fur. However wounded the man was, he managed to twist the monstrous hand and grasp the steel blade, throwing it away from the weaker paw and quickly grasping the wolf's neck, hoisting him up.

Cairo felt the strong hand blocking his breath as he tried to claw it out of his neck, to no avail as his strength faltered with each missed gasp; not even biting would bring it out. Shaking wildly, the wolf tried to hit any other part of the man with his feet, managing to bring only a single flinch.

Before he ran out of air, however, fire expanded in front of him, engulfing the man's body with the fury of a feral heir, sending the figure stumbling backwards, grunting once again and dropping the wolf on the ground.

“This heir," a serious and calm voice echoed from behind him as the flames expanded, covering the man's body, “is under my protection."

Another explosion brought Cairo's attention as he massaged his hurting neck. The man ran away, a trail of flames and smoke marking his path. Cairo coughed, trying to replace the air he'd lost with the assault. A white furred paw appeared in front of him, offering the much needed support to stand up.

“Breath slowly," the heir placed another paw in his back. It was another wolf, wearing an elegant blue coat over the white fur on his chest and belly, along with a leather belt with many pockets. “Can you speak?"

“Yes," Cairo coughed more, receiving some warm pats on the back, “Thanks… What..."

“I don't know what that was," he snarled, “But it should have been the job of whatever officer takes care of these parts," the wolf looked around, failing to find any officer, “Strange."

“Not that strange," Cairo said between steadier gasps, finally able to get a good look of the wolf's face. His white fur darkened around the perked ears and over the muzzle, but not enough to turn completely black. Instead, the sun's light over his fur made it almost shine like silver. “West Solholm is… kinda abandoned," Cairo smiled, not from anything but the embarrassment that came with it. He chose the place to live, after all, knowing why it was so cheap. The majority of people he said the same thing to would smile back and acknowledge such fact with him, but this silver wolf didn't flinch or react other than maintaining his composed and serious gaze.

“Is your house near?" the wolf asked, producing a scroll adorned with the Temple's crest and unrolling it in front of Cairo's muzzle.

Cairo couldn't read most of the words displayed in that paper, but he recognized his own name, some symbols similar to the name of the street and, of course, a mention of the Wild Call.

“It's right there," Cairo pointed with a nail, towards the small segment of stone with a door he could recognize as the entrance to his house. “You're the one sent by the Temple?"

The doubt floated in his head as the silver wolf looked to where he pointed, probably unable to differentiate the dull and poor stone houses. This heir looked young, lean, and incredibly clean to actually be a Temple officer, or anyone trained in combat.

He definitely knew how to use his spirit's fire, however.

“It's the one with a little paw drawing near the door," Cairo said, “Please don't ask."

The other wolf squinted before replying: “Ah, good," he turned around, offering his right paw for Cairo to shake. “Yes, I'll be the one to oversee your Wild Call. My name is Alexander Sollum, and you are Cairo Havard, nice to meet you," he smiled.

Cairo hesitated, offering his left paw instead, showing a bandaged right arm. Alexander took the hint and shook with the other paw, awkwardly, raising his eyebrows.

“May I get inside? This stale air is almost claustrophobic," Alexander said before glancing to the side, “and please, don't forget your sword."

Nothing came to his mind, except for his bitter and tired face being reflected on the wine inside his cup. Maybe he needed some. With a gulp the strong taste and scent traveled to his throat, burning what it needed to burn. That stench would stay in his muzzle for some time.

So much effort wasted in the previous evening on a pointless search through the forest, and in talking with clueless guards, that Telsin couldn't bring himself to keep thinking about it on a Wind day.

“What do you need, fox of light?" Zavi'sh asked while grabbing yet another slice of roasted chicken breast from the large plate on the table.

Telsin looked at the happy rat while he ate, turned his head to stare at the other customers, primarily heirs with the most exotic smells he could ever find, then returned his gaze to the wine.

“An explanation, Zavi'sh," he said, “Finding nothing is not what I expected."

“You found nothing, yes?" Zavi'sh took a bite and swallowed fast, “Is nothing something? For you have found something, which is nothing, yes, no?"

“Nothing is nothing, Zavi'sh!" Telsin yelled.

Some of the other patrons looked at them, but he couldn't care less. The report was almost ready to be sent; nothing discovered, either by him or any other guard he asked. His mission would end in failure.

“Telsin," Zavi'sh called, receiving the stare of a defeated fox. Yet Telsin knew that the rat calling him by name could only mean something good. He lowered his voice. “What isn't the nothing, Telsin?"

“Something, Zavi'sh. The thing we tried to look for, that I should've been able to track. We found nothing."

“Nothing is nothing, fox. We didn't find nothing and yet we found nothing, but nothing is not something, yes?"

“Can you please give me a direct answer this time, Zavi'sh? This..." Telsin glanced around and lowered his voice even more, “beast is out there, it killed someone-"

“Nothing. You saw nothing, the cub saw something. Nothing is nothing, Telsin," he smiled, gulping an entire cup of whatever juice he felt content with. Apple with cinnamon, by the smell. “Do you trust the cub, fox of light?"

“He didn't seem to be lying."

“He didn't lie, yes? Say it, fox of light, did he lie?"

“No, he didn't lie. So what? Maybe he's been enchanted or something."

“Maybe is something, Telsin," the rat gestured to the servant, lifting his cup, “A beast has a body, and blood, and does what?"

“There was nothing there!"

“Fox! Knowledge can come from this, stop with your worries, yes? What does the beast do?"

“He eats the body."

“Impossible, the fox would have tracked it, yes? What does the beast do?"

“He hides-" Telsin stopped, seeing the grin forming on the rat's muzzle, “He does something with all the blood and the body, to hide it completely."

“Illusion, yes, no?"

“No, because Hazel would have seen it…"

Telsin instinctively moved his paw to get another sip of wine, but now the liquid seemed unappealing, red as blood and smelly as it had always been. Why was he still drinking the acrid thing? It clouded the mind, made him slower and more relaxed; happy. Like some kind of spell. A small spark lit up in his head.

“This looks like high level arcane magic, Zavi'sh, I don't know-"

“No knowledge, yes? Does this knowledge matter, fox?"

“I won't act without knowledge, Zavi'sh. I've learned my lesson."

“You haven't, no, yes? It doesn't matter, yes? Who can do that, fox?"

A new cup of juice arrived along with a very nervous servant, and Zavi'sh jumped in his childish glory over something so simple. Simple, and yet, effective, like his attempts at directing him to some kind of answer. Telsin stood up and took advantage of the slower and smaller heir, grabbing the cup before his friend could.

“I'm sorry for our yelling, I promise we won't bother you again," Telsin said.

The servant only nodded and shifted his gaze to the rat that frowned in anger.

“Should I bring another juice, sir?" he asked.

“Yes, this rat here would like it very much," Telsin said, grinning towards his friend. The servant nodded again and let the two heirs continue their conversation.

“Rude, yes? Give it back!"

“Wait a moment, Zavi'sh. It's time for the light to shine."

“Hazel, I need a clearer picture now. Help me."

[“Don't make a fuss, Telsin."]

Telsin drank from the cup, savoring the citric, and yet sweet taste of the drink – definitely not apple this time – enough to destroy any anxiety and doubt he had in the past minutes. Shadows grew thinner as the light expanded inside the room, fading objects, heirs, humans, tables and food into the glorious brightness. No distractions, only the sweet taste and smell of thought.

Knowledge of the spell was irrelevant, as the rat said, but knowledge, in general, should not be thrown away, and Telsin knew that few mages are able to disappear with a body and all of its blood without resorting to illusion. The faces of Solholm's most powerful mages floated around him; four in total. Nico was out in some mission at Chardwall Keep, so it couldn't be him. Three others still remained in Solholm: Russel Marsh, the young evoker from the Glimmering festivals; Aurion Cadence, the enchanter for all the knight's swords; and the Lady of the Tower, whom he never spoke to but could, at least, remember her young human face and long blond hair from the previous year's festival. One of them is guilty, for there is no one else capable of hiding such a powerful ability from his spirit.

And one one of them might also be a werewolf.

Something hard smacked against his head, dispelling the images in front of him, forcing his conscience to shift back to his table, the succulent roasted chicken with potatoes over the big plate and the smirking rat holding his cane.

“Get back, fox. Eat first, run around hunting mages later, yes?"

Telsin sat with a smile and the confidence to keep his investigation going. Figuring it all out would be fun, and dangerous. The joys of a mission yet to be completed.

“Don't restrict yourself, yes? Could be someone else, yes? Someone who entered and left, someone not here anymore, no, yes?"

“I shall leave that part to you, Zavi'sh. I have three suspects that I need to hear from."

Zavi'sh was about to drink from his cup, hanging it next to his muzzle.

“To me? Splitting, yes? What am I to do, without the fox of light?"

“Ask the Temple for permission to look at the archives, especially the records at the Palace of Truth. Search everywhere, Zavi'sh. Someone that powerful can't go around without gathering attention."

“Fine," the rat said, finally able to gulp down his drink. Telsin watched as his friend finished the juice, smiling broadly as he licked his lips and nose to not waste a single drop.

“Thanks, Zavi'sh. Your help was invaluable."

“Help? I did nothing, yes? Nothing is nothing."

“It couldn't be him… It can't be him..."

[Watching…]

Alexander had his mind wrapped into the torment of identifying the man from before, but he had a mission to help this heir – his first official Temple mission – and he couldn't worry about past things. Even if they filled his mind with uncertainties.

“His eyes were completely dark, it wasn't him."

[“Watching!"]

“Sir? Is something wrong?" Cairo's voice came from his side, bringing him back from his concentration.

Alexander shook his head and managed to respond.

“No, nothing. I've just… never been to West Solholm before."

The house of the young cub, Cairo the wolf born on the winds, was smaller than expected. Too small for Alexander to even think about asking for a bed. Couch, table, three chairs, fireplace, bookshelf, bed, an entire kitchen and a door on the back, failing to block the delicious scent of salted meat.

“Sorry about the mess," Cairo said timidly, “I wasn't expecting a visit in the evening."

“Mess?"

No scattered furniture, no dirty plates or thrown away garbage, only a thin layer of dust over the books' covers and small clumps of fur that shed under the natural laws and dotted the floor in various places. Actually much less than he expected, nothing that justified the word 'mess'; he could clean it in less than an hour.

Cairo eyed the silver wolf with curiosity before walking through the door, clumsily moving the large box inside and producing a gust of cool wind that washed over the room, spreading the lighter clumps of fur and dust. This cold air couldn't have come from the outside.

“Do you practice arcane magic, Mister Cairo?" Alexander asked, searching through the bookshelf for any magic book he knew. There wasn't any, only history, sword fighting illustrations and wolf heir culture. He picked one of the latter.

“What? Magic?" he yelled over the cool room.

“You don't need to yell, Mister Cairo. I'm not human," Alexander said. According to the Temple's records, this wolf was the only heir in Remdrall's academy, so his contact with other heirs would be very limited. A familiar situation.

“Sorry," he lowered his voice, “But no, I prefer swords."

“Nonsense..." Alexander slurred through his speech with a little more sincerity than he needed. The book in his paw was written half in Westhalin and half in a language he couldn't understand, with images aplenty. Probably a book for learners, with some basic texts about the Wild Call.

“What?" Cairo asked among the noises of meat being rearranged into the box.

“Your reason does not match the answer, nor the circumstance," Alexander paused, placing the book back at the shelf. “For example, how did you manage to cool the room you've just entered?"

“Ah, that wasn't me. I have a friend that likes magic, he enchanted this room. It gets annoying when you have to go, but it's better to keep the food."

“Go?" Alexander asked with a low voice, mostly to himself. This wolf created more questions with each answer, and he couldn't afford to lose any detail capable of hindering the Call. Cairo grunted some more on the back room, giving the opportunity for Alexander to prod a little more. “Do you need any help in there?"

“Nah, I got it, don't worry. Did you ask something before that?"

“Yes, what did you mean by 'go'?"

“You know… When you gotta go. When you... can't hold up."

The silver wolf chuckled and walked into the cold room. Another door laid on the extreme side, paper and dried clay covering every small opening along its height, including the lock. “Probably for the smell," he thought. Adjacent to the walls, he gazed at shelves filled with different kinds of herbs – spices, he remembered – some liquid containers and covered round pieces that smelled faintly of cheese. This heir was definitely not poor.

Alexander eyed the gray wolf sitting on the floor, barely able to move several large, paper-wrapped pieces of meat from the ground to the box. Some of them smelled like pork, others like chicken and others even more exotic. Was he planning for a banquet?

“Shouldn't ask too many questions," Alexander thought. Cairo stared at him, confused.

“No really, I can manage it."

Placing a paw in his face, Alexander sighed before sitting down to help the wolf. This job was going to be fun.

“We need to understand each other better, Mister Cairo. I entered this room because I didn't believe you would… relieve yourself in a cold room made for storing food, but now I can see the other door right there. It clarified things."

“Of course! What? Do you think I'm some filthy dog or something? Just because I have this house doesn't mean I can't take care of my things."

“No, I didn't think that, I'm sorry if I've offended you. I thought… Nothing," he paused to look at the younger wolf tilting his head. If they needed to understand each other, his own effort wasn't helping. “I'm sorry, I'm not that good with smalltalk… or talk in general," he smiled. It always helped, no matter who was listening.

“It's… fine," Cairo said, looking at the silver wolf placing the meat into the box, twice as fast as he did before. The young wolf sighed.

“Still, you obviously needed some help. What happened to the arm?" Alexander asked.

“Wound…" he hesitated. “Training wound. I can't use it until it heals."

“A shame. At least it will heal after the Call."

Cairo froze, raised his eyebrows and perked his ears at the mention.

“May I… ask some questions, sir?" Cairo asked, making the older wolf turn towards him, “About the Call."

“Yes, but don't call me 'sir'," Alexander took out the silver crest of honor and services from his pocket, “I'm not an officer just yet."

“I was going to ask… You look young to be an officer."

“My Call was fortunate, it proceeded uneventfully and they recognized my knowledge about it," he said. No matter how wrong it sounded to him, it was the truth.

“What does… What is it like?" Cairo looked down.

“You have books back there about the Call… Oh," Alexander filled the box and closed it, helping the young wolf to stand up. He had books indeed, but the dust gathered over their covers made the problem obvious. “I'm sorry, I didn't know."

“It's not your fault, it's mine. I should have learned to read a long time ago."

“Please do not feel bad for it, I could teach you, certainly, but we need to focus on only one subject at a time, and your Call is imperative right now."

“Not here please. It's cold," Cairo said, crossing his arms over his belly.

Alexander looked around, noticing how the wolf shook his entire body slightly sitting on the cold stone floor, especially his bandaged right arm. It should have been obvious, he didn't have the new coat of fur that grows after the Call. Another oversight, he needed to be careful.

“I don't mind, but if you are uncomfortable here we can talk in a warmer place."

They both walked back to the main room, closing the door to not let the spell spread to the rest of the house. All the while, Alexander noticed Cairo's nervous stares and frowns, even when the young wolf sat down in his bed and followed his every movement. Earning his trust would take some time.

“Let's start with what you know," Alexander said.

“Not much… I know that I will receive a spirit and… will have a voice in my head. And I will have to control it on the Dark nights."

“Hmm… May I sit on-" Alexander hesitated, sat down on the couch before Cairo could finish a timid “Yes" and leaned forward. “We already have something to work with.

“You will receive a spirit, yes, but it may not even talk, and then you won't have a voice in your head. You will need to achieve communication first and then both of you will be able to talk to each other.

“About controlling your spirit in the Dark nights, it won't be the only problem. Have you experienced something weird with your senses? Something more akin to a beast or an animal?"

“Yes… It's..." He hesitated even longer.

“You don't have to tell me if it's embarrassing. Just tell me when you started feeling it."

“Back at the last day of Dark was the first time."

“The-" Alexander got up. Sitting helped but walking felt much better, especially for thinking. He paced. “Three days ago, is that true?"

“Y-yes…"

Alexander paced even faster, paw in chin and a smile of interest beginning to spread in his muzzle.

“Your birthday is on the fourth of Wind, sixth cycle, correct?"

“Yes. Is-"

“You've started feeling the changes on the seventh of Dark, five days before your Call, and under a moon that is not Wind, correct?"

“Yes…" Cairo said, before calling the smiling wolf, “Erhm, Sir?"

Alexander stopped his frantic walk, gazing at the nervous wolf sitting on the bed.

“Is there a problem? You're kinda scaring me..."

“Problem? Scaring? Oh, no… Maybe," he paused, “It may be scary, but… There's a word… Have you seen one of those performances at the Glimmering festival?"

“No, I haven't been to the festival last year."

“Oh, a shame," Alexander paced again. An important word, it would fit perfectly, and Master always reminded him of the importance of words, their form and meaning. Still, even if his mind wouldn't cooperate, he couldn't just give it up. He came to a full stop near Cairo, “Pay attention to this, then."

Alexander prepared a spell, using both paws to trace the illusion circle with perfect symmetry. Lines shimmering with golden light stood in the air separating the two wolves. He added the three symbols of beast eyes and three symbols of a man's mind before finishing the inner circle and hexagon. It would be a trip, an experience worth reliving.

“Ready, Cairo?" Alexander asked to the wide-eyed wolf sitting on the bed.

“Ready!?" Cairo said, increasing the distance between him and the circle. His fur bristled and his ears perked. “Ready for what?"

“A memory. My memory of last year's festival."

Alexander pressed his paw through the circle.

* * *

The six moons dominated the sky, each one gazing with their colors at the many faces, buildings and stalls on Central Solholm. Every part of the plaza reflected the eerie shade from the nearest moon as the people gathered around to get food, see magical tricks, dance and play.

From the stalls came various scents of smoked fish, baked potatoes, colorful and crunchy candies for the children, along with colorful displays of cuts of beef, pork and even an entire boar on a spit.

“Let's go, Russel is starting," Aurion's voice came from nowhere, turning the image from the mouth-watering display of delicious food to the more reserved and open area by the crossroads at the eastern entrance of Central Solholm. A young and cloaked man had just finished his calls and presentations, now raising himself and his arms as a salutation to the six moons.

The show started. Each moon shimmered and expanded as the created images began to rotate around the festival, for the awe of children and adults alike. Rays of fire and light pierced through the ground, creating luminous pillars all around the plaza. Earth shook under the gesticulating mage, rising into a flying stone platform in the air, from where he conjured crystals of ice that flew in multiple directions, reflecting the pillars' light and constantly melting to reform into more complex shapes.

Conjuring darkness, the mage engulfed the entire presentation in a dim and black mist, blocking vision, sounds and smells. The blackness stood for an unnerving moment before the pillars lit up once again, shooting themselves upwards, encircled by the ice crystals and forming ephemeral, but bright sparks of lightning that spread their illumination.

Once they disappeared into the skies, tiny luminescent crystals of ice rained upon the clapping and cheerful crowd, dissolving the dark mist and bringing the festival back to life.

* * *

Alexander studied Cairo's reaction; the illusion ended but the wolf stood with an open maw, looking at him.

“What do you think? Did you like it?" Alexander asked.

“Scary..."

“Scary? I guess, if that was your firs-"

“And spectacular!" Cairo said with a growl, wagging his tail, “I can't believe I missed that!"

“Yes, that's the word!" Alexander said, sitting back on the couch, “That's how I predict your Call, Mister Cairo. Scary, yes, but also spectacular."

2nd of Wind, 6th cycle – Afternoon

The last flames coalesced into the sphere's core, replacing the previous white glow with a stronger, wilder orange gleam. Aurion sighed from the effort just before hearing the three knocks on the door calling for his attention.

“Yes?" Aurion said tiredly.

“Master Russel is here, Master Aurion," his butler's voice echoed from outside of the laboratory.

Russel appearing in his house never meant good news, and there could certainly be a better time to receive him. Still, ignoring the mage would only make things worse.

“How eager is him?"

“He's already inside, Master Aurion."

“Aurion!" someone screamed through the door just before he heard the sound of struggles outside, “Drop your trinkets, this is serious!"

“Let him in, Derick, and be sure to lock the front door until we finish."

“Yes, Master Aurion," Derick said before opening the laboratory's door and letting the guest in.

Aurion shifted in his seat and stared at his old time friend. He'd certainly seen him in better days: clouds of vapor came from his huffing mouth and sweat poured into his black robes, making then cling to his skin. Apart from that, he seemed perfectly healthy and strong; how curious his curse was.

“Can I at least hope for good news?" Aurion started.

“Where's your wolf? He'd let me in much faster!"

“He's out helping another heir with their Call. I promised him to hire a butler in his absence."

Russel didn't respond, but paced around the room, hands running through his cropped hair and sweaty skin. From his frantic breathing, Aurion could barely ascertain if the day outside still kept its cold and refreshing gusts.

“I have no other chairs here, but I can-"

“I finally found him, Aurion! I found him and… I couldn't do anything!"

“You found whom?" Aurion shook his head. “Can you calm down, please? My wolf is tamer than you."

Russel let out a laugh. Brief, but, at least, sincere. With a quick swipe of his arm, no circles nor words, he conjured a glowing white armchair to sit and relax. Too bad those weren't sold, they matched Alexander's fur perfectly; it would be a nice reward after he returned from the heir's Call.

“That pathetic excuse for a mage who made me this..."

“This thing that will probably outlive me and many others," Aurion finished.

“This thing that can't even walk in the middle of the day for fear!" he yelled. Not loud, or at least not as loud as he could.

“Oh, so he found you then? It was the opposite of what you said."

“For the last fucking time!"

“And how did you escape, exactly? I remember last time when you almost killed me."

“With this," Russel raised and opened his right hand, showing a golden ring that radiated an expanding light. Aurion stood up and stared at Russel, who began to smile at the old man's uneasiness.

“What?" Russel said with a smirk.

“Don't let this thing near my spheres..." Aurion dashed to the neat pile over the other side of his table, trying to move them as far away from the other mage, “or anything in my house, really."

“Relax, I've improved it. Pay attention."

The ring shimmered and the light burst out from its engravings, consuming the entire laboratory. When Aurion managed to open his eyes and expect the worse of the spheres in his table, he reached for them, clasping each one firmly and investigating their color markings. They were still charged. He sighed just in time to hear Russel's laughter as the man found himself in the floor, with the ring now back to its original color.

“Your chair was dispelled, congratulations. This thing could've ruined about two hours of work."

“I told you," Russel said while getting up, “That everything was under control. The dispell still affects things close to me, but it doesn't expand much farther than that," he paused, conjuring another chair. “It saved my life, actually."

“It saved someone's life, certainly. Do you remember his orders?"

“To search for someone, I don't know who."

“Capture or kill?"

“Capture. I can't imagine what he is planning, but he thinks it is the answer."

“Answer..." Aurion mumbled. The word sounded perfect for this and many other situations; something always coveted and usually out of reach, but no human would ever stop their quest for the precious 'answer'. Could he be wrong? Is looking for an answer always better than devising your own?

Alexander did his best, he'd actually accomplished much more than what Aurion expected, but a curse like this is unforgiving.

“And what's your plan now?" Aurion asked.

“Find whoever he is looking for."

“And do what? Warn him that a werewolf is looking for him, and he should trust this werewolf instead of that one?"

Russel shrugged and exhaled before adding: “Any better ideas?"

Aurion sat down, sighing. A single mage, not a powerful one, but singular influences and lost, ancient tomes of magical knowledge could always change the situation. His best bet was of someone inexperienced, afflicted by the same curse and now trying desperately to find the precious 'answer'.

And now, he was closer than ever.

“Did you get his name, at least?"

“No. He wasn't much for talking when he saw me."

“Did anyone else see you? Don't tell me you're seeking protection in my house, Russel."

“Someone probably saw me. I was like a drunk walking around in an alleyway."

“If any officer saw you-"

“What would they do? I'm human, they can't do anything."

“You're not human, Russel. Not anymore."

The silence crept into the room and only grew with each breathing sound. If only he could finish these spheres and have some spare time his mind could feel at ease.

“I do need protection, Aurion," Russel lowered his voice.

Aurion sat in his chair, closed his eyes and exhaled his nervousness.

“Just one night," Russel said, “Just today," his plead came from fear, not from curiosity, duty or wit. He'd bring trouble, but ignoring his friend didn't sit well with the older man as he eyed his faintly glowing spheres on the desk.

“Do you promise to let me work on my spheres without interruption?"

“Of course..." Russel said, “If you tell me why this sudden obsession with these things."

“Remember what happened at Chardwall Keep?"

“Yes, they sent Nico there, I believe."

“They want to feel safer. They're arming more knights than ever before."

“Nico's probably enough..." Russel stretched, letting out a yawn resembling one of Alexander's low growls, reminding him of what he'd heard about “Keeping a wild beast inside the house". He'd already taken care of two: one fairly dangerous and, the other, a werewolf. Protecting another one, an accomplished mage at that, couldn't be that hard.

Plans, organization, wards and enchantments assaulted Aurion's mind. Worrying about a werewolf inside his house wouldn't let him properly work with the spheres, so he needed to prepare everything as quickly as possible. He stroked his chin, looking back at his friend.

“What?" Russel said.

“I'll need to set the wards, block the doors, recharge the alarms…" his speech grew more frantic, “I'll have to chain you up somewhere and block annoying howls, and tell Derick to-"

“Bah, I can control, you know that."

“I know you can't control, only Brandon could control, to an admirable degree. Look at what happened to him," Aurion turned around in his chair and stood up. No time to waste now. “If only Brandon was here..."

Russel let out an angry sigh.

“Aurion, I have bad news for you."