A man sat crookedly on an exquisitely carved armchair while pressing on his temples with a tense frown visible on his pale face. Those tightly shut eyes hid his heart-tremblingly fierce golden orbs, making his whole person appear incomparably gentle and innocent. He laid his head tiredly on the headrest, which caused his damp silver hair to fall backward, showing his full forehead, trembling long eyelashes, and prominent Adam's apple. Inside the spacious bedroom decorated with the finest materials that could be found on the continent, his very being shone like the moon and stars. Regrettably, his dazzling beauty was diminished by one or two points due to visible weariness showing on his sharply defined face.
The distance between the northern border and the capital of Crevaria is never to be belittled, as it takes over six months of traveling with the most resilient and fastest horses. Be that as it may, for Grand Duke Amaris, whose power and might could rival the imperial family, the long and arduous travel that required a half year did not even amount to a full month's ride. After all, he had both the financial prowess and manpower to open portals left and right, which even the imperial family would not dare to do so because the raw materials needed for such transportation arrays were priceless, nonetheless. Thus, the journey from the north to the capital was accomplished without much of a hassle, and the entourage reached the grand duke's capital estate within a month.
Unfortunately, for the masters of the shadow beasts, especially for the young heir Ihan, their smooth travel came shattering down the moment they set foot in the capital. Their bonded beasts, the usually obedient and imperturbable winged lion and four-eyed wolf, became unbearably restless and agitated, which caused their masters overwhelming exhaustion and confusion.
"I have never seen you this anxious before, Ratuna." A deep velvety voice fell inside the silent room as the first rays of dawn lightened the horizon.
Amaris stayed in that position for a while until he caught the rushing steps of his eldest son nearing his bedroom. He opened his fear-inducing golden eyes and looked towards the tall and heavy doors, which were soon pushed open by a dazzling youth in his early teens.
The youth was almost identical to his father, albeit much younger, more slender, shorter, and had long hair. His eyes had the same shimmering golden orbs inside them, and his long silver hair was left untouched, flowing freely on his back. From his expressive golden eyes, his anxiousness could be seen unconcealed.
"Ihan."
"Father. Ysir, he's gone. I'm afraid he's completely off my control."
"Don't worry. Ratuna can feel where he's headed. Though he's a rebellious young wolf who just reached adulthood, he is, after all, a shadow beast. He will never do things that will cause harm to you."
"I'm worried that he will hurt others."
"Wake your brothers. We're moving right now."
.....................................................................................................................................................………………………………………………….
"YSIR!!! YOU MAD DOG! LET GO OF ME!" Seraphina's loud scold and throaty growl erupted in the deep forest, causing her kidnapper to stop instantly in a jerk.
That old geezer did not tell me about Aynat's visit beforehand, and I let it go. But how did he dare to hide my father's arrival from me?! These gigantic black paws... how is it possible for me to not recognize them? This brat frightened me into fainting in my previous life, and now it just outright kidnaps me by picking me up by my scruff?! This insolence! This unruliness!
"Put me down, you stinky dog!" she growled, which the giant black four-eyed shadow wolf obeyed whimperingly.
"What are you whimpering for?! You bad boy. Bad. Bad!" she scolded after fiercely shaking her fur in an attempt to clean off the saliva stuck on her scruff.
Unfortunately, to her dismay, her scruff was completely wet with the sticky saliva of the shadow wolf, which made her already mad state even grumpier.
Fuck. Aine cannot be left alone for long. Just how far did this clingy brat bring me? Did he escape from eldest brother's shadow without permission like in my previous life? Is Ratuna also close by? No, father's beast is much more obedient and well-behaved. She will not run like a mad dog, unlike Ysir. My family... will I be meeting them soon?
"Calm down, Seraphina. Aine's safety is the priority. Can't give that crazy bitch Wyvern a chance to hurt her."
Seraphina took a moment to concentrate and examine her surroundings, forcing her senses to function in full force in order to find her way back to her friend. Not long after, her ears twitched, catching Aine's delicate but resolute voice shouting Seraphina's name while struggling to fight off someone's hold.
Do mere knights dare to lay their hands on her?! Good, I will be sure to rip off those hands.
Seraphina dashed with a fuming rage when she heard her friend's struggling voice calling for her. However, before her leap could even touch the ground, she was immediately immobilized by the enormous strength pressing on her tail.
"YSIR! GET YOUR PAW OF MY TAIL!" she shouted with frustration, which only received wronged gaze, drooping ears, and the pitiful whimper of the four-eyed shadow wolf.
"You are such a baby! Acting cute with that horrifying body, don't you feel shame?"
The giant wolf, which was taller than two meters, with pitch black fur and glimmering golden veins on his body that pulsated with a mass of pure energy, collapsed on the ground while covering his four eyes with his monstrous paw and whining in soft whimpers. Ironically, though he was covering his eyes with one paw while acting like a pitiful little animal, his other paw pressing on Seraphina's tail was not loosening its strength even a tiny bit.
"Ysir, you crybaby. I don't hate you. It's just that I need to find my friend urgently and I can't bring you with me. I am pretending to be a crazy old man's pet fox for now because it's dangerous to reveal my identity as an ancient beast. There isn't a soul in this world who doesn't know that you're my eldest brother's four-eyed shadow wolf. And shadow beasts only protect their masters and families. So, you can't come with me. People will realize that I'm not an ordinary fox." Seraphina explained calmly while putting her comically tiny paw on Ysir's gigantic one, which was still firmly holding onto her tail. However, she did not expect her attempt to calm and comfort the wronged wolf would receive a slobbery lick from the said beast making her fur wet and knotted.
"Eww, Ysir! Your breath stinks. Release my tail, stupid wolf. You can't just lick people like that. What if your energy got on me?"
Seraphina was wiping her face with her paws erratically when a sudden idea came enlightening her, causing her to jump up and down with excitement.
"That's right. Your energy! Ysir, bite me! Bite me, quick! No refusing! It won't hurt me, I promise. People die immediately if bitten by shadow beasts because the pure beastly energies get transmitted by bites, which causes their hearts and brains to explode. But I'm not like those people. I'm a Callenso! And an ancient divine beast! Therefore, bite me. It will give me some of your energy, and we will go together to teach some manners to the bad children!"
...................................................................................................................................................................................…………………….
"Now I'm really curious about this Red of yours. I heard you didn't cry at all, even when the maids hit and starved you. For you to be crying in worry like this, it can't be a simple maid, is it? Don't tell me you, an abandoned orphan, got a friend or something," a little girl snickered disdainfully.
The girl was not older than Aine and had a pair of striking azure blue eyes and lovely pink hair, which was adorned with gems and ribbons. Her eyelashes were long and curly, making her appear even softer and feminine. Regrettably, those beautiful eyes were shining with malice and mockery, which contrasted heavily with her loveliness. In front of her was a little girl of the same age with gleaming golden locks and pinkish-red eyes, whose hair was clutched tightly by a man, and her shoulder pressed hard, forcing her to kneel. If it were any other child her age, they would be wailing in pain and crying for their mothers, which was not the case for Aine. Indeed, her tears were running in big round droplets, but their cause and meanings were different. In fact, she was crying in worry and the fear of losing her dear friend, whom she promised to protect just a few moments ago.
"Don't injure her. We don't know clearly about grandfather's condition," a boy of the age of eleven said with a cold voice, showing no empathy for his half-younger sister. He possessed the same blonde hair as princess Aine and the azure blue eyes of princess Wyvern. Even at the young age of eleven, he was exceptionally exquisite, with handsome features and a gentle demeanor.
"So, what if grandfather is healthy now? From the start, he never cared for his grandchildren. Even if we hurt her, he won't-"
The little girl's haughty words were never completed as a melodious yet childish chuckle filled with distinctive mockery and superiority echoed inside the lifeless forest, causing fright and alarm for everyone except the kneeling blonde child.
"Red!" Aine exclaimed excitedly as her pinkish-red eyes started shining like polished gems when that light chuckle full of pride and naughtiness fell in her ears.
As soon as Aine's overjoyed exclaim caught everyone's ears, the sky darkened suddenly as if a massive cloud covered the sun, and the land under their feet trembled with scalp-numbing force. The imperial knights serving prince Reagan and princess Wyvern unsheathed their swords immediately as the force of the shaking was mighty enough to make them lose balance. As for the three children, they all fell to the ground, completely blown away by the sheer power of Ysir's landing.
The sky cleared, and the darkness, which came unexpectedly, vanished almost instantly as if it was a mere imagination. However, none of the people present was relieved or joyful because now, a massive black wolf with four glimmering eyes and sharp-bared canines stood in front of them without concealing its fatality and danger. Its eyes were staring at them with aggression and killing intent, its throat releasing threatening growls, and its body oozing a suffocating oppressive aura, causing them to shiver uncontrollably in fear and horror. As a result, none could find their voices to shout a scream.
"You got it wrong. It's not that your grandfather does not care for his grandchildren. It's just that he does not care for bastards." The same childish voice fell, breaking the deadly silence.
"R... Red?" Aine's hesitant voice responded while her eyes were frantically looking for her friend, a little white fox.
"Up here," Seraphina's amused giggle left her mouth as the monstrous black shadow beast turned its body a little bit, showing his powerful back along with the proud little figure mounting him.
The moment the back of the wolf appeared in front of their sight, gasps and exclamations were heard, filling the silent forest. Some inhaled sharp breaths, while others held their breaths unconsciously due to the tremendous stimulation their eyes brought them. There sat a little girl covered in red on a pitch-black shadow beast. Her long wavy hair that concealed most of her body was blazing red, redder than the reddest of roses, whereas her right shoulder and forearm were bleeding with a bite wound, dyeing her tiny body crimson. However, the most astonishing part was her delicate face and the shimmering golden eyes, which were frighteningly similar to the glimmering eyes of the wolf she mounted as well as the characteristic of the house of Callenso. Everyone praised the mermaids to be the most enchanting of all creatures, but the girl in front of them was more charming than the said mermaids, stealing their souls and minds away. Simply put, she was ethereal to be said to be unworldly.
"Oh my. I said rip his arm off his body, Ysir. Not rip his body off his arm. Look, he's already dead," her red lips chided the beast begrudgingly. However, the amusement in her golden eyes never left them but was instead intensified.
It was only after seconds had passed that her words were fully registered and woke the stupefied knights and the three children, who were still sitting disorderedly on the ground. Under the right claw of the giant wolf, a mutilated body of a knight was lying in a puddle of blood, squashed into a mush of flesh and bones, leaving only an arm intact. To say it was savagery was an understatement. As for the unlucky knight, he was indeed the one Seraphina swore to rip an arm off.
A man sat crookedly on an exquisitely carved armchair while pressing on his temples with a tense frown visible on his pale face. Those tightly shut eyes hid his heart-tremblingly fierce golden orbs, making his whole person appear incomparably gentle and innocent. He laid his head tiredly on the headrest, which caused his damp silver hair to fall backward, showing his full forehead, trembling long eyelashes, and prominent Adam's apple. Inside the spacious bedroom decorated with the finest materials that could be found on the continent, his very being shone like the moon and stars. Regrettably, his dazzling beauty was diminished by one or two points due to visible weariness showing on his sharply defined face.
The distance between the northern border and the capital of Crevaria is never to be belittled, as it takes over six months of traveling with the most resilient and fastest horses. Be that as it may, for Grand Duke Amaris, whose power and might could rival the imperial family, the long and arduous travel that required a half year did not even amount to a full month's ride. After all, he had both the financial prowess and manpower to open portals left and right, which even the imperial family would not dare to do so because the raw materials needed for such transportation arrays were priceless, nonetheless. Thus, the journey from the north to the capital was accomplished without much of a hassle, and the entourage reached the grand duke's capital estate within a month.
Unfortunately, for the masters of the shadow beasts, especially for the young heir Ihan, their smooth travel came shattering down the moment they set foot in the capital. Their bonded beasts, the usually obedient and imperturbable winged lion and four-eyed wolf, became unbearably restless and agitated, which caused their masters overwhelming exhaustion and confusion.
"I have never seen you this anxious before, Ratuna." A deep velvety voice fell inside the silent room as the first rays of dawn lightened the horizon.
Amaris stayed in that position for a while until he caught the rushing steps of his eldest son nearing his bedroom. He opened his fear-inducing golden eyes and looked towards the tall and heavy doors, which were soon pushed open by a dazzling youth in his early teens.
The youth was almost identical to his father, albeit much younger, more slender, shorter, and had long hair. His eyes had the same shimmering golden orbs inside them, and his long silver hair was left untouched, flowing freely on his back. From his expressive golden eyes, his anxiousness could be seen unconcealed.
"Ihan."
"Father. Ysir, he's gone. I'm afraid he's completely off my control."
"Don't worry. Ratuna can feel where he's headed. Though he's a rebellious young wolf who just reached adulthood, he is, after all, a shadow beast. He will never do things that will cause harm to you."
"I'm worried that he will hurt others."
"Wake your brothers. We're moving right now."
.....................................................................................................................................................………………………………………………….
"YSIR!!! YOU MAD DOG! LET GO OF ME!" Seraphina's loud scold and throaty growl erupted in the deep forest, causing her kidnapper to stop instantly in a jerk.
That old geezer did not tell me about Aynat's visit beforehand, and I let it go. But how did he dare to hide my father's arrival from me?! These gigantic black paws... how is it possible for me to not recognize them? This brat frightened me into fainting in my previous life, and now it just outright kidnaps me by picking me up by my scruff?! This insolence! This unruliness!
"Put me down, you stinky dog!" she growled, which the giant black four-eyed shadow wolf obeyed whimperingly.
"What are you whimpering for?! You bad boy. Bad. Bad!" she scolded after fiercely shaking her fur in an attempt to clean off the saliva stuck on her scruff.
Unfortunately, to her dismay, her scruff was completely wet with the sticky saliva of the shadow wolf, which made her already mad state even grumpier.
Fuck. Aine cannot be left alone for long. Just how far did this clingy brat bring me? Did he escape from eldest brother's shadow without permission like in my previous life? Is Ratuna also close by? No, father's beast is much more obedient and well-behaved. She will not run like a mad dog, unlike Ysir. My family... will I be meeting them soon?
"Calm down, Seraphina. Aine's safety is the priority. Can't give that crazy bitch Wyvern a chance to hurt her."
Seraphina took a moment to concentrate and examine her surroundings, forcing her senses to function in full force in order to find her way back to her friend. Not long after, her ears twitched, catching Aine's delicate but resolute voice shouting Seraphina's name while struggling to fight off someone's hold.
Do mere knights dare to lay their hands on her?! Good, I will be sure to rip off those hands.
Seraphina dashed with a fuming rage when she heard her friend's struggling voice calling for her. However, before her leap could even touch the ground, she was immediately immobilized by the enormous strength pressing on her tail.
"YSIR! GET YOUR PAW OF MY TAIL!" she shouted with frustration, which only received wronged gaze, drooping ears, and the pitiful whimper of the four-eyed shadow wolf.
"You are such a baby! Acting cute with that horrifying body, don't you feel shame?"
The giant wolf, which was taller than two meters, with pitch black fur and glimmering golden veins on his body that pulsated with a mass of pure energy, collapsed on the ground while covering his four eyes with his monstrous paw and whining in soft whimpers. Ironically, though he was covering his eyes with one paw while acting like a pitiful little animal, his other paw pressing on Seraphina's tail was not loosening its strength even a tiny bit.
"Ysir, you crybaby. I don't hate you. It's just that I need to find my friend urgently and I can't bring you with me. I am pretending to be a crazy old man's pet fox for now because it's dangerous to reveal my identity as an ancient beast. There isn't a soul in this world who doesn't know that you're my eldest brother's four-eyed shadow wolf. And shadow beasts only protect their masters and families. So, you can't come with me. People will realize that I'm not an ordinary fox." Seraphina explained calmly while putting her comically tiny paw on Ysir's gigantic one, which was still firmly holding onto her tail. However, she did not expect her attempt to calm and comfort the wronged wolf would receive a slobbery lick from the said beast making her fur wet and knotted.
"Eww, Ysir! Your breath stinks. Release my tail, stupid wolf. You can't just lick people like that. What if your energy got on me?"
Seraphina was wiping her face with her paws erratically when a sudden idea came enlightening her, causing her to jump up and down with excitement.
"That's right. Your energy! Ysir, bite me! Bite me, quick! No refusing! It won't hurt me, I promise. People die immediately if bitten by shadow beasts because the pure beastly energies get transmitted by bites, which causes their hearts and brains to explode. But I'm not like those people. I'm a Callenso! And an ancient divine beast! Therefore, bite me. It will give me some of your energy, and we will go together to teach some manners to the bad children!"
...................................................................................................................................................................................…………………….
"Now I'm really curious about this Red of yours. I heard you didn't cry at all, even when the maids hit and starved you. For you to be crying in worry like this, it can't be a simple maid, is it? Don't tell me you, an abandoned orphan, got a friend or something," a little girl snickered disdainfully.
The girl was not older than Aine and had a pair of striking azure blue eyes and lovely pink hair, which was adorned with gems and ribbons. Her eyelashes were long and curly, making her appear even softer and feminine. Regrettably, those beautiful eyes were shining with malice and mockery, which contrasted heavily with her loveliness. In front of her was a little girl of the same age with gleaming golden locks and pinkish-red eyes, whose hair was clutched tightly by a man, and her shoulder pressed hard, forcing her to kneel. If it were any other child her age, they would be wailing in pain and crying for their mothers, which was not the case for Aine. Indeed, her tears were running in big round droplets, but their cause and meanings were different. In fact, she was crying in worry and the fear of losing her dear friend, whom she promised to protect just a few moments ago.
"Don't injure her. We don't know clearly about grandfather's condition," a boy of the age of eleven said with a cold voice, showing no empathy for his half-younger sister. He possessed the same blonde hair as princess Aine and the azure blue eyes of princess Wyvern. Even at the young age of eleven, he was exceptionally exquisite, with handsome features and a gentle demeanor.
"So, what if grandfather is healthy now? From the start, he never cared for his grandchildren. Even if we hurt her, he won't-"
The little girl's haughty words were never completed as a melodious yet childish chuckle filled with distinctive mockery and superiority echoed inside the lifeless forest, causing fright and alarm for everyone except the kneeling blonde child.
"Red!" Aine exclaimed excitedly as her pinkish-red eyes started shining like polished gems when that light chuckle full of pride and naughtiness fell in her ears.
As soon as Aine's overjoyed exclaim caught everyone's ears, the sky darkened suddenly as if a massive cloud covered the sun, and the land under their feet trembled with scalp-numbing force. The imperial knights serving prince Reagan and princess Wyvern unsheathed their swords immediately as the force of the shaking was mighty enough to make them lose balance. As for the three children, they all fell to the ground, completely blown away by the sheer power of Ysir's landing.
The sky cleared, and the darkness, which came unexpectedly, vanished almost instantly as if it was a mere imagination. However, none of the people present was relieved or joyful because now, a massive black wolf with four glimmering eyes and sharp-bared canines stood in front of them without concealing its fatality and danger. Its eyes were staring at them with aggression and killing intent, its throat releasing threatening growls, and its body oozing a suffocating oppressive aura, causing them to shiver uncontrollably in fear and horror. As a result, none could find their voices to shout a scream.
"You got it wrong. It's not that your grandfather does not care for his grandchildren. It's just that he does not care for bastards." The same childish voice fell, breaking the deadly silence.
"R... Red?" Aine's hesitant voice responded while her eyes were frantically looking for her friend, a little white fox.
"Up here," Seraphina's amused giggle left her mouth as the monstrous black shadow beast turned its body a little bit, showing his powerful back along with the proud little figure mounting him.
The moment the back of the wolf appeared in front of their sight, gasps and exclamations were heard, filling the silent forest. Some inhaled sharp breaths, while others held their breaths unconsciously due to the tremendous stimulation their eyes brought them. There sat a little girl covered in red on a pitch-black shadow beast. Her long wavy hair that concealed most of her body was blazing red, redder than the reddest of roses, whereas her right shoulder and forearm were bleeding with a bite wound, dyeing her tiny body crimson. However, the most astonishing part was her delicate face and the shimmering golden eyes, which were frighteningly similar to the glimmering eyes of the wolf she mounted as well as the characteristic of the house of Callenso. Everyone praised the mermaids to be the most enchanting of all creatures, but the girl in front of them was more charming than the said mermaids, stealing their souls and minds away. Simply put, she was ethereal to be said to be unworldly.
"Oh my. I said rip his arm off his body, Ysir. Not rip his body off his arm. Look, he's already dead," her red lips chided the beast begrudgingly. However, the amusement in her golden eyes never left them but was instead intensified.
It was only after seconds had passed that her words were fully registered and woke the stupefied knights and the three children, who were still sitting disorderedly on the ground. Under the right claw of the giant wolf, a mutilated body of a knight was lying in a puddle of blood, squashed into a mush of flesh and bones, leaving only an arm intact. To say it was savagery was an understatement. As for the unlucky knight, he was indeed the one Seraphina swore to rip an arm off.
