********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..…..As she moved closer, the wolves surged forward, their teeth gleaming in the dappled light. "Grrrrrr…!" they growled, their bodies tense and ready to pounce.With a swift, fluid motion, Aashi lashed out, her body moving in a blur as she delivered a series of lightning-fast strikes. The air was filled with the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the sharp yelps of wounded animals."Howl….!!"Erick watched from a safe distance, his eyes fixed on Aashi's movements. He knew she was skilled in the art of combat, but he warned her to be mindful of the force she exerted on the animals.As the last of the wolves retreated, Aashi stood tall, her body poised and ready for any further attacks. The clearing was filled with the sound of her breathing, the soft rustle of leaves, and the fading growls of the wounded animals.With a nod to Erick, Aashi turned to face the shadowy figure lurking behind the trees. "Who are you?" she called out, her voice re
********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..….."It's….it's alright!" Chieftain hurriedly replied while hiding his fear and reverence coming from his heart."Ahem, let me introduce you, Chief Ulric, this young man is Master Erick Dahl and she is his companion, Madame Aashi. And you both already know our chief Ulric name and she is the mate of Chief Ulric, Madame Ayla." Elder Ryfang tried hard to ignore the earlier what he felt and maintained his usual smile while he introduced each other, Erick and Aashi to His chief and Madame Ayla.Erick and Aashi observed the now standing Chief Ulric and Madame Ayla in front of them.Chief Ulric is a tall, muscular man with a commanding presence. He has broad shoulders and a chiseled jawline, and his piercing blue eyes seem to see straight through to a person's soul. His hair is a deep shade of brown and falls in unruly waves to his shoulders, and his beard is thick and well-groomed. Ulric also has wolf-like features, including pointed ears and
********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..….."Welcome, young ones," she spoke in a voice that was both soft and melodic. "I have been expecting you."Erick and Aashi exchanged greetings before settling onto the cushions that had been laid out for them. The woman before them exuded a sense of accomplishment, as though she had achieved great things in her life and had the love and respect of nature itself."Thank you, Elder, for having us," Erick said, his voice full of gratitude and admiration.The Elder smiled warmly at the two guests before her. "So, what would you like to hear first? I will do my best to answer all of your queries, but first, let me introduce myself."Ilona, the guardian of the small wolf tribe and priestess who oversaw the ceremonies held in the clearing, introduced herself with grace and poise. Her name carried weight and respect, and Erick and Aashi felt a pleasant warmth to be in her presence."I am Erick Dahl, and this is my companion, Aashi," Erick intro
********…..….." " Speech,' ' Thoughts,…..….."Thank you, Elder Ilona, for enlightening us. We are sincerely grateful for your invaluable assistance," Erick and Aashi expressed their gratitude with utmost respect, acknowledging the wisdom and guidance of the revered priestess.Elder Ilona, with a gentle shake of her head, dismissed any notion of inconvenience. A warm smile adorned her face as she conveyed her genuine pleasure in their company. "No, no trouble at all. In fact, I relish your presence. Do pay me another visit in the future," she suggested, her eyes gleaming with joy at the prospect of their return.Erick and Aashi nodded appreciatively, bidding Elder Ilona a proper farewell as they took their leave. Their gestures conveyed their gratitude and respect for the priestess, who had graciously shared her knowledge with them.As they emerged from Elder Ilona's abode, Elder Ryfang awaited their return, a patient figure in the fading light. His curiosity piqued, he inquired
*******…………"Isn't this the east side, right?" Erick asked, feeling a little confused by the scene he was seeing.Erick and Aashi arrived after flying for hours, but they didn't see any forest there."Yes, it should be the east," Aashi nodded, having already calculated the direction when they flew here."So where is the forest that is supposed to be here, and what about the tribe residing here!" Erick muttered, looking at the distance with no forest or vegetation around, only the black, charcoal-like grounds were left."Master, I am sensing a foul stench from there!" Aashi's nose suddenly perked up, and she pointed in a certain direction, detecting an unusual foul scent."Hmm, this isn't supposed to be here!" Erick and Aashi flew in that direction and arrived there.It was a place that looked like a wrecked village or something, with a well made out of sand and mud mixed with blackish substances.Erick felt familiarity with the substances filling the well. After sending his energy d
…………"This is not good; they are suffering from the bitter ice-cold!" The adult man observed them and realised they were suffering from an illness common among the tribe's people living in these cold plains.“I don’t have any medicine to cure them, damn it,” the man muttered, frustration evident in his voice as he watched their condition worsen.In normal times, he could easily help them with their cold, but now he couldn’t leave to search for medicine. Going out would be like signing his own death warrant if those creatures caught their scent.“What should I do? At this rate, these children won't be able to endure the cold and will succumb to it. No... no... I can't let that happen. These few children are all that's left of our ice tribe!” The elder felt a deep bitterness inside, trapped in a situation where every option seemed doomed.“Boom... Boom...!!”He heard loud noises and movement in the distance, and the tremors suggested that the Malice Creatures had picked up his trail.“
............“Oh, let me introduce my Master to you. He is the person who eliminated all the malice creatures in this area and the one who made me follow you guys.” Aashi smiled as she proudly introduced Erick to the kids and the Elder.The Elder and the children looked at Erick with awe and curiosity, their gratitude toward Aashi extending naturally to him.“Thank you, Master,” the Elder said, bowing deeply. “Your actions have saved our tribe's future.”Erick nodded, a small smile on his face. “I’m glad we could help. Your strength and resilience are admirable. Even though you lost so many of your tribesmen, you still didn't lose your will and continue to protect the children. It's commendable courage.”Aashi glanced at the children, noticing their worn clothes and tired expressions. “Do you have enough supplies and food? It looks like you’ve been struggling.”The Elder sighed. “We’ve been running low on food and we don’t even have a warm place to stay now. The malice creatures have
............Aashi paused, listening intently. The sound came again, a weak cry. They immediately searched for the source and found what appeared to be the remains of a house, left in ruins after being devoured by the Malice Creatures. Beneath a pile of rubble, they lifted the debris and found a young girl, her body battered and bruised, but barely alive. Her eyes were shut, and her body quivered nonstop from all the pain.Erick immediately used his Origin arts to heal her and fed her a life-saving potion he carried in his storage. Before long, the little girl was cured, and her body returned to a healthy state, making Erick and Aashi sigh in relief.“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” Aashi said softly, lifting the girl gently.The girl coughed, opened her eyes, and whispered, “Thank you…”Erick knelt beside them, his expression softening. “You’re a brave one, aren’t you? Can you tell us if there are any others?” he asked, seeing the girl calming down.The girl shook her head weakly. “E