Sharing new discoveries

  "Achoo!"

  Chu wiped his runny nose after sneezing. A few paces away, Dyna clapped her hands over her rosy face as she also succumbed to the same unforeseen interruption.

  "What's wrong with both of you? Don't touch me if you have a cold! You've been sneezing too much over the past few days."

  Ming remarked to Chu while compacting the fluffy snow in his hands. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, he fired the snowball towards the redhead standing some distance away. The bullet followed a trajectory aimed towards the exposed ear of the distracted girl.

  The cackle of success died within his throat as Dyna shifted.

  The stubble-bearded teen gaped while watching the snowball zip past the girl towards the open fields. To a casual observer, nothing seemed strange. The girl might have always stood in her present position, and the projectile might have always been on a path to barely miss its target.

  "Nothing less from the creator of the so-called lightning step, haha. Chu asked me to test your reaction. Well done!"

  Ming sheepishly exclaimed as he shot her a thumbs up in exchange for receiving the deathly stare. Luckily, Chu remained unaware as he continued their previous conversation.

  "I think someone's been calling my name. Probably Mr. Thomas is still cursing us. Did you deliver the letter to the garrison?"

  "Yep, Captain Josh sent it away using the falcon the Military captain brought to the village. It might even arrive in Limerock faster than the one you handed over to Sweeto, the mercenary leader. Hopefully, Mr. Thomas will receive our report before he leaves for Frost City."

  Chu agreed with him on this, since who knows if the mercenary leader might be basking in his glory. He waved his hands in calling the modified Sersens together.

  "Once more, explain it again to us, before we begin, Ming."

  "Ahem, as you know, I have always prided myself as a pioneer. One evening, Heaven sent me a dream..."

  Chu tapped him on the head, returning him on track.

  "So I was tired one evening since Miki picked on me the whole day. I wanted to meet Chu upstairs to complain, but then I touched the latch on the door. The shock reminded me of the time I struck the Bitzer with my iron sword..."

  After Ming's explanation, the teen stood in the center while being encircled by the rest. He closed his eyes and scrunched his face as if trying to recollect a fleeting thought. A few minutes later, Ming pulled off one of his leather gloves. He pointed his open hand at Chu.

  "Ok, ready. Try touching my palm."

  Chu removed his glove and used two fingers to make contact with the open palm. A tingling charge generated a tiny but recognizable shock. The static shock from the iron door latch certainly packed more of a punch than this half-dead battery.

  The important point remained, however-- Ming had learned how to copy the Bitzers' most deadly close-combat skill.

  "We will continue with the training schedule. In the evenings, you can try conducting the same experiment as Ming. Maybe it will help spark some ideas. Meditation and magic training can be done at night before bed. And stop giving other people's skills weird names. Lightning-step my foot!"

  Chu imparted his knowledge of magic training to Clod, Rose, and Yin. However, they chose to utilize it would be their decision. Currently, he had established no link between the Sersen skills and magic, except for the eclipsed sun in his starfield.

  Recent meddling in magic nearly killed him, and so he initiated a cautious approach for the time being.

  In addition to his packed schedule, Chu spent the nights browsing and translating pages from the books he once transported from the ruins. As long as it didn't deal with or mention magic, he switched to another book or scroll.

  The information written in all the books remained locked in the ancient language. This confirmed his theory and the revelation from the deciphered scroll.

  The ruins in the forest probably fell long before the humans mustered their strength to reclaim the lands. If this were the case, then why did the demon beasts retreat and return beyond the mountains?

  The Empire enjoyed a history of a few hundred years. A civilization formed by the amalgamation of different tribes and pushed from hunting and gathering by lost technologies.

  A process, very similar to how civilizations gained a boost in technology, religion, and economics by assimilating remnants of ancient cultures. In this world, the Tower Mages obviously played an integral part.

  "Chu, don't you think we should let Elder return to the farm? I think we should concentrate on building more defenses before departing for Frost City."

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "You're thinking what if a demon beast more powerful than the Bitzers appear?"

  Chu answered while he scribbled on a sheet of paper. Under the oil lamps at night, Miki and Lucy usually assisted or kept him company during his research. Tonight, Lucy accompanied him while Miki succumbed to her pangs of adventure and left with Dyna for a nightly hunt.

  "Yes, if we had not returned, that Bitzer leader would have decimated everyone. Without me or someone placing pressure, it had no problems dodging and ripping the defenses to shreds. If we have to leave, I think letting Dyna and the wolves remain is a good idea."

  "It's a reasonable suggestion, but Dyna won't remain here without us. Besides, she has her own problems to deal with."

  Similar to him, Dyna participated in additional work by training her wolves. Like their leader, they had already grasped the rapid acceleration. During the day, they rampaged across the fields while uncannily dodging and navigating the incoming volleys of snowballs thrown from the walls.

  At night, they streaked across the grasslands and forest. Sometimes Dyna slept for nearly half a day with them in the stables among the horses. When he questioned her about this, she always replied that they spent the night blowing off steam in the forest. Chu sighed while looking up at the nearby slender finger searching its way through the scrolls.

  "I have spoken to Halter and Bon. That shrewd Chief in the village owes us his life. Once spring arrives, I will have him send over workers to chip the blocks of stone from the south. I plan to gather a temporary labor force to undertake this construction."

  "I see, but will it be enough. When you think about it, north of our village is now vacant all the way until the Dusk and Dawn Forts. Any demon beasts bypassing the forts will soon make their way to the village and then the farm."

  "Good observation, but once the Military begins to drag their nets to the north, we are safe. Don't forget, the town and the villages far to the north of us hold strategic importance.

  Remember, the cavalry captain mentioned the wood for the crossbows could only be found in that part of the forest. By spring, the Empire will repopulate those places."

  Chu replied. He left his expansion plans in the hands of Clod and the ones who also called the farm their home. Before the next summer, he remained swamped in training and acquiring knowledge.

  As an active Sersen, he would be a fool to waste this opportunity to become stronger. Dwelling on this thought, he faced Lucy.

  "Have you also made progress?"

  She placed that ink-stained finger on her fair, smooth chin before replying. The short, well-trimmed nails on her hand reflected the lamplight as if polished to perfection.

  "My vision and movement are like second nature to me, so I can activate them at will. I dare say, I can fight in close combat with you, even with the difference of nine lifestones."

  "Hmm. As I suspected, I am beginning to think your wolf demon lifestone holds secrets of its own. Remember the lifelike figure of the one in the ruins? I think there were words carved at the base of the stones. We might also find some more information when I fully translate this large tome, it secured."

  "I think so, too, Chu. When that Bitzer leader rampaged across the ramparts, I didn't feel any fear. I had a feeling similar to how Dyna curls her lips and looks at Ming when he tried to pull a fast one."

  Chu leaned forward while stretching out his finger to wipe the black ink smudge from her face. Lucy remained still as a slight hue of pink flushed across her cheeks. Ignorant of the situation, Chu rubbed his finger across her smooth, delicate skin.

  He then leaned on his chair before speaking.

  "Disgust? No, probably more along the lines of disdain?"

  "Yes, disdain, as if such a demon beast became unworthy of my time. As for the new ability, I have yet to figure out how to maximize training for it to improve quickly."

  "You're smart enough, so I think you'll find a way. Let's hope you don't grow fur. As for more information on the wolf demon, I'll try to keep it in mind when I am browsing through the books. Maybe when the snow melts, we can make a trip to the ruins in the forest..."

  *

  The Great Western Forest.

  Night.

  Winter in the forest differed much from summer, but multiplied the danger. The open trees with skeletal branches, deep, impassable snow, which engendered a rapid escape impossible, and a still silence as if a hungry maw lay waiting to snap shut.

  Such an eerie, frightening domain would deter even the most stout-hearted fighter. The forest prided itself on representing the fear of the unknown.

  Deep inside this treacherous land, under the dormant trees, Miki gazed at the scenario playing out before her. Dyna stood beside her, also cloaked in a black robe. The two stuck out like a sore thumb in this foreign landscape.

  "What is this? What the heck is this?!"

  Miki stuttered.

  "They have been doing this for the past few nights. I think it might have something to do with the tattoo. Every couple of nights, it's been like this. I have thought about asking Lucy to help track some new wolves, but I decided against it. Somehow, it seems new wolves are drawn closer."

  Dyna replied while unfazed at the sight unfolding before her.

  Scattered on the snow before them lay a pack of about twenty or so wolves. Most of them bore matted fur soaked in blood or remained immobile from internal injuries. The wounds, however, appeared not fatal since they were administered during a one-sided dog fight.

  These wolves lay panting and breathing heavily after being tossed and beaten to submission. The ones sprawled on the snow were all males.

  Currently, the two girls witness the female wolves of the pack being engaged in some mighty aggressive, wooing, and mating ritual. A familiar howl sounded not too far off as a scene similar to this one probably unfolded. Miki clasped her hand over her eyes before sneaking a peek between her fingers. She turned her beet-red face to the redhead.

  "How can you stand here and watch this so flagrantly? You... you... I don't know what to say. I'm telling!"

  Dyna tilted her head while looking at her squarely in the eyes.

  "What are you talking about? I told you this has been happening ever since they activated the talisman. Besides, I have already reported this to Chu. Do you know what they're doing?"

  "Ah? Does Chu know about this? And he still let you accompany them? You little idiot, don't you know what they're doing?"

  Miki faltered with a flustered expression. Another wave of embarrassment flooded her mind and body as an excited howl sounded over the thumping noise.

  "Why do they remain locked together like that? It seems like their tied... mmph!"

  Miki stifled her mouth and blocked the curious green eyes while trying to tear her own oval eyes away. The unbridled display of wanton lust aroused her interest. As a young lady who had just turned sixteen, she had naturally inquired and shared information with her lady friends at the academy.

  'Do males and females really do it like this?'

  Her thoughts were broken by the mumbles of the smaller girl who escaped from under her fingers.

  "Let go, I want to see too, Miki..."

  "Damn you. You, you little hussy..."