Bonded spirits 4, p.8
Bonded Spirits 4, page 8
“Thank you. When Isobel wakes, please let her know I’ll be back to grab her before I head out to hunt.”
Shah opened the door and I stepped outside with my sword. The air was cool, but every few seconds I felt a blast of hot air. My thoughts returned to the dragon. It would’ve been too soon for them to show up. The way time worked here in Alphos, there was probably less than a minute that passed, even though it had been an entire day here.
I approached the fairy tree and looked up at the winding stairs that led to the top. As if sensing my presence, a brightly glowing crack appeared at the tree's base. I lifted my sword and moved for cover. I activated my Camouflage skill, that I realized I had been severely neglecting. It wasn’t perfect, but it would work for now.
The crack spread and soon created a large opening. It was the doorway that we had traveled through to Alphos. I stood completely still for several seconds until a massive figure exited from within.
It took me a second to recognize who was coming through the portal, but as soon as I spotted the long horse's body which trailed behind the muscular man, I knew who it was. I waited several seconds, though, just to be sure.
The centaur stepped forward and looked around as if taking in all of their surroundings for the first time. For as knowledgeable as Teng was about Alphos, it was obvious he’d never stepped foot here before. He scanned the forest surrounding him and settled in my direction. I knew it was pointless trying to keep up my disguise any longer.
“Master Teng?” I said and stepped forward, sword held at the ready. “Is that you?”
Teng nodded and stamped his foot. “Logan, I’m glad I found you.”
I knew the centaur was taking a tremendous risk by crossing over to Alphos. From what Jun had told me, it was extremely dangerous without an escort. “How did you end up creating a portal to this spot and not back where we entered?”
“Your spirit is not hard to track. It’s stronger than I expected. All I had to do was change up a few calculations and here I am.”
I was still in shock at seeing the centaur, especially since I wasn’t expecting to see him for quite some time. “What’s going on? Is everything okay back at the manor?”
Teng nodded slowly and nodded in the path's direction, leading away from the tree. “Walk with me, Logan.”
I joined the centaur’s side as he began walking. “If the time difference is correct, then we should’ve just walked through the portal, about a minute ago, correct?” I asked.
“Yes, that is correct. Although, I have narrowed it down even further.” He reached into a large bag that was hanging off of his back and pulled out a large circular stone. When he flipped it over, I noticed it was actually a sort of clock, but instead of twelve marks, there were several more.
“What is this?” I said and accepted the stone from Teng. I counted up the marks and there were eighteen circular symbols spread evenly around the face of the stone. The first mark, which would be at about twelve o’clock, was illuminated.
“This stone will allow you to determine just how much time you have. After speaking with Jun, I could calculate the time difference by how long she was gone, and the time that had passed in Aurilon. It’s not precise, but it’s close. I needed to come through to ensure that this made its way into your hands. As soon as you stepped through the portal I remembered something my daughter had sent to me long ago. By the time I retrieved it, you were already gone.”
“So, when each mark illuminates, time is up, and we will need to return, regardless if we are ready or not.”
“Precisely.” Teng stared up at the towering trees that surrounded us. “This place is just as magical as I imagined it would be.”
Several wisps of sparkling light sped past, and I watched as it sped off into the distance. “From what I have been able to see of it so far, this place is incredible. I will take Isobel out shortly to hunt for food, and then we will travel to Moorwood to gather some additional supplies.”
Teng nodded and stopped in the center of the path. “I wish I could stay longer, but I need to get back to Aurilon now. I’ve dreamt about visiting here many times. It’s a shame I’ll not be able to see everything. To open that portal, I used up much of my energy. As you probably saw with Jun when you arrived here.”
I nodded. “Jun was in very rough shape until I bonded with her.”
Teng cocked an eyebrow. “You bonded with the fairy queen?”
“Yes, and I believe somehow that included all the Night Willow fairies as well.”
Teng laughed and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “If it were anyone else, I’d be worried, but you have proven yourself quite adept at juggling many bonded at the same time. I commend you.”
I let out a small laugh. “Don’t commend me yet. My children haven’t been born yet. We’ll see how that goes.”
Teng nodded and smiled. “Well, I wish you good luck Logan.”
My mind flashed to the dream I had last night after eating the fruit. “Teng? Do you know anything about spirit fruit?”
The centaur rubbed his chin for a few seconds and nodded slowly. “I believe I’ve read about it. Supposedly, it has a different effect on each person who tries it.”
“That would be it. Well, I had a dream last night that I was a dragon.”
Teng shrugged. “I think I’ve had a dream like that a time or two. I’m not sure I’d be too concerned about it.”
“This was different. This felt real. It was as if it were actually happening. I was the dragon, and I killed Fapplejack.”
He furrowed his brow and shook his head slowly. “I can assure you that Fapplejack was still at the Heart when I crossed through to give you that stone. So, as real as it may have seemed, it did not happen.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “I thought I was possibly seeing through the eyes of one of Cyprian’s dragons. I just hope it is not a glimpse into the future.”
The centaur paced in front of me for a few seconds. “It very well could be. But that does not mean that we cannot change it. Part of the challenge is the unknown. At least if we prepare for it, we can make necessary adjustments.”
I felt like Teng was being overly optimistic. I hoped that what I was seeing is what would happen if we failed. If nothing else, I knew in my heart, I wouldn’t fail. “Thank you for giving me this information. Will you be back again in the future?”
“I truly hope so, but I don’t think my body will handle it again. Traveling across worlds is incredibly harsh on some, and I am one of those. I feel like if I come back, I will not survive. I can already feel this world affecting me, and I know that if I stay much longer, I will not be going back to Aurilon.” He glanced around one last time. “If you see any centaurs, please pass along my love.”
I thought that last part was a little odd. It was if he was looking for someone, but knew his time was limited. I turned toward the massive centaur and held out my hand. He reached his out and accepted it. “Thank you, Master Teng. Safe travels. Until we meet again.”
Teng gave me a smile and a nod. “Thank you, King Logan.”
I escorted Teng back to the tree where the portal was closing slightly. “Goodbye, my friend.”
The centaur walked straight into the tree and, just as fast as he had appeared, he disappeared. I walked over to the large stone and hoisted it. I was sure that without my increased strength from bonding with Mitsi, that I wouldn’t have normally been able to lift such an immense piece of stone. I carried it over to the house and as soon as I neared, Cress opened the door.
“Welcome back. What is that?” She eyed me curiously as I entered and set the stone down on the table. The large sturdy table creaked under the weight of the stone, but held.
“This tells us how much time we have left. As soon as this makes a complete revolution, we will know it’s time to go.”
The lizard woman looked confused for a moment. “Go where?”
Isobel walked over with a bag slung over her shoulder and answered before I had a chance. “Home.” She smiled and looked me up and down. “Are you ready to go hunting?”
“Me? Is that even a question?” I smiled and gave her a kiss. “Absolutely, let’s get going before the sun comes up.” I glanced over and saw that everyone else was still sleeping. I could always count on Isobel being one of the first to rise.
We exited the house and did a quick check of our gear. Isobel grabbed two bows and quivers full of arrows on her way out of the house.
Over the past couple of months, I’d become even more proficient with my bow, initially because I was trying to conserve ammunition, but now, with my gun still in disrepair, I had little choice. If I had to use a weapon instead of my skills, a bow gave me an enormous advantage.
She handed me a bow and nodded. A light, hazy blue mist rolled in as we walked down the path away from the fairy tree. It was like we were back at the manor again. I’d forgotten just how much I enjoyed the time I spent with her while we were hunting. Isobel was even more intense about hunting than I was.
Jun fluttered down from the tree and joined us as we walked. She let out an enormous yawn and sat on my shoulder as she stretched. “I told you I’d escort you to the best hunting grounds, but it appears you two have a natural sense of this hunting thing. If you follow this path, you’ll eventually cross past the barrier and will see some sign of game nearby.”
I lifted her gently off my shoulder and looked at her face. She looked exhausted, and I knew she’d still be sleeping if she hadn’t promised to guide us. I let her off the hook. “Jun, head back and get some sleep. I’m sure we’ll need your help when we head out to Moorwood later and I’d rather you be well-rested before we leave.”
She looked at me with wide eyes. Her hair was disheveled and looked very much how Gwen’s normally was each morning. “I... you have no idea how much I love you right now.” She fluttered up and kissed me on the lips. “Thank you, and good luck!”
She zipped away and was out of sight within seconds. I exchanged a glance with Isobel and we both burst out in laughter.
After a few minutes, we spotted our first tracks. Now that I’d been to two different worlds that had a variety of races ranging from human, wolf people, fairies, and more, I had to be extra careful not to kill someone I didn’t mean to. We worked our way silently through the forest, and it didn’t take long to spot our first animal.
I held up my finger to my lips as I moved closer. I stopped as I moved into range of a small herd of gazelle-like creatures that were drinking from the crystal blue rivers that meandered through an open expanse.
Isobel moved next to me and nocked an arrow. She held steady and waited for my signal. I took a deep breath and drew my bow string back and Isobel followed suit. I released my breath slowly and as if I connected my thoughts to Isobel’s; we released our arrows downing two of the athletic gazelle creatures.
I exchanged a smile with Isobel and slung the bow over my back. I pulled out my sword and she pulled out a knife as we prepared to gather our kill.
I used my Sight before entering the clearing. I was still weary of what types of creatures we could run into along the way. Something about how the air felt here, outside of the barrier, didn’t sit right with me.
I held Isobel back as she tried to take a step forward. “Hold off, one second. Do you feel that?”
Chapter Twelve
The wolf woman scanned the area intently before her eyes returned to mine. “No, what is it?”
“Something doesn’t seem right. We need to be very careful venturing out in this field.” I ensured everything was strapped to my back and held my sword steady. “Follow me and stay as close as possible.”
Isobel hunched lower to the ground and gave me a nod. I stepped forward, keeping my head on a swivel as we neared our kill, which was about fifty yards from where we had shot them. I reached the first one and crouched at its side. “This thing will feed all of us for a couple of days.”
I pulled out my knife and set my sword next to me as I flipped the gazelle onto its back. I lowered my knife to field dress it, and, as the blade grazed the animal’s fur, a massive roar rang out across the field. My head snapped back just as a scaled beast broke through the surrounding forest.
The beast had two great horns extending out from its massive head and another on the tip of its pointed black nose. I’d read of these creatures when younger and at first I thought it was a dragon, but as soon as I noticed it was approaching on two legs, I knew the beast was a wyvern.
The wyvern moved quickly across the open field, lowering its head like a battering ram as it neared. I tossed the gazelle over one shoulder, and gripped Isobel with my opposite arm. As soon as she was secured, I activated a Charge.
We dashed toward the forest and the wyvern plowed right past our previous spot, sticking to its path. We were safely in the trees by the time it raised its head and looked around.
Isobel and I watched in silence as the wyvern sniffed the air for several seconds before returning to the second gazelle that we’d left behind.
I backed away slowly, shifting my eyes between the beast and our surroundings. The last thing I wanted was to back into a second one. Although, from the way it attacked us, I didn’t have the feeling wyvern were the smartest creatures in Alphos.
I would’ve stuck around longer to observe the creature, but I wouldn’t put Isobel in any additional danger. I adjusted our fresh kill over my shoulders as the wyvern let out a high-pitched roar. It sounded different from the one it had greeted us with. This roar seemed to be its way of communicating.
We stayed in the forest, weaving over downed trees in order to make as little noise as possible. I knew that carrying a fresh kill probably eliminated any benefit we had as far as stealth went, but I wanted to be cautious.
After several minutes, we passed back through the barrier. It felt like entering an air-conditioned room on a hot day. I immediately felt a sense of peace and calm.
Once we were safely inside the barrier, Isobel stopped and looked at me with wide eyes. “We definitely have nothing like that back in Aurilon.” She paused and wiped the sweat from her brow. Several slight cuts marked her skin. A small smile rose on her face and she lifted her eyebrows. “When can we hunt it?!”
I laughed and shook my head. Damn, I love this woman.
We made it back to the house with no other incidents, and by the time we arrived, the women were already busy collecting materials.
They had already started the frame of an extension to the house. Alysain greeted us as we approached. “I’ll take care of that if you wish. Chloe recruited me into helping her, since it’s nearly impossible for me to even attempt to fly at the moment.” I slung the gazelle down onto the ground and spotted a suspicious black mark on Alysain’s wing.
I spread her wing out to the side and my heart dropped as the tainted spirit that I thought we had controlled was spreading again. “We’re going to have to get that looked at.”
Alysain nodded. “I know. It got worse overnight. I think I unintentionally cultivated some tainted spirit around here while I was dreaming. That fruit made my dreams feel shockingly real.”
“I definitely understand. Hopefully, we’ll keep the amount of spirit fruit that we need to eat down to a minimum.” I grabbed one end of the gazelle and Alysain grabbed the other.
She pulled the dead animal up and scrutinized it. “What an interesting creature. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“There’re wyverns!” Isobel blurted out, a shade of pink rising to her cheeks. “I mean, we found a wyvern. Logan said he’s going to take me on a hunt for them.”
I turned my head slowly to face the wolf woman. “I said what?” I smiled and rolled my eyes. “Maybe down the road. For now, I need to make sure we have a way to get from here to Moorwood safely.”
Jun flew through the open door and landed on my shoulder. “Sorry, I guess I forgot to warn you about what lies outside the barrier.”
“It would’ve been good to know, but it wasn’t anything that Isobel and I couldn’t handle. Even pregnant, she maneuvers better than almost everyone I know.”
Isobel shot me a smile from across the room as she and Chloe finished field dressing our kill which I’d just started when we were chased.
Jun hopped off my shoulder. “Well, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, but please be careful outside of the barrier. It can be wilder than even the most remote parts of Aurilon.”
Gwen walked across the room shirtless, with a toothbrush in her mouth. Besides the very noticeable increase in the size of her breasts, a slight bump had formed, giving away our child’s location in her womb. Her toothbrush hung halfway out of her mouth as she searched the blankets on the bed. “Have any of you seen my shirt?”
“I'm fine if you want to head into town like that. For the ride there anyway. We don’t want to be giving the locals a free show.”
Gwen tossed a pair of panties toward me. “Are you sure you’d be able to keep your eyes on the road if I went like this?”
“Not at all.” I pulled her in for a kiss and she pushed her magnificent breasts up against my chest. “And I’d definitely be okay with that.”
Gwen reached around and squeezed my ass. “Well, I’m feeling like shit today. I’m bloated. Nothing is fitting me right. My emotions are all over the place. I hate to say it but maybe you should leave me here.” She shook her head in frustration. “I wouldn’t even want to travel with me right now.” Tears formed at the corners of her eyes and she stamped her foot. “See! Look at me! I’m crying like one of those sensitive girls.” She paused and turned to Dahlia, who was packing a bag on the bed behind her. “No offense.”
“None taken. I understand. Although, I’ve been getting more morning sickness than mood swings. I can’t even look at the spirit fruit any longer without wanting to vomit. Also, I have a constant craving for sex, like more than ever.”
