Thursday Afternoon October 2nd, 2240. Mapleflake Village-City Outskirts.
Claude used the last of his money to pay for the Enforcer's attempted stolen meal at the Tavern in Mapleflake. So, he couldn't afford an inn. Not that the small Village-City had one. Not to mention, he wouldn't have wanted to.
His day was long. From start to finish. Weird dreams. Weird witches with personality inconcistencies. Things he didn't trust. Firebolts to the chest. Frosty wearing the face of man.
He should've been able to sleep.
Longer than the Lupine norm of four hours— but as soon as night fell, foul screams echoed across the white expanse and shadows raced across the dark sky in the distance.
It stoked Claude's anxiety and resulted in him staying up most of the night.
He spent the bulk of that time using his aura as a light to read up on the case files concerning the Nujaliki Raiding crew.
The conditions were less than enjoyment.
But diamonds were also made under pressure.
[Aura Density has increased.]
[Aura Expression and Manipulation has broadened.]
[Fenrir is pleased with the ammount of time you dedicate towards revenge…]
[Continued actions made in his image will incite an Astral Realm Entrance/Summoning which will bring challenges, skills and boosts to your System Abilities…]
Claude felt queasy as he read the messages on his system screen.
"[Whats wrong, mate? More power, more skills, more to use to get the bastard.]" Arne said.
"It's just not what I had in mind for myself." Claude replied.
"[How so?]"
"When I pictured myself with a system— I wasn't also fighting off the urge to eat people. And mourning the loss of my father. And dropping out of the University I just got into."
"[You don't see yourself as the hero you thought you were…]"
"No."
"Hmmm….. if only there was something we could do about that." Arne commented.
"Y—" Claude was abruptly cut off as as a small explosion echoed from deeper inside the cave.
Immediately, he was on his feet with his spear at the ready. Frosty growled into the dense dark beside him as blue sparks split the shadows.
Someone erupted in a coughing fit.
"Ack! Spiderwebs are such an inconvenience when flies don't exist!"
Claude rolled his eyes as Embra stepped out of the shadows, wiping thick tendrils of silk out of her face.
"Why?" Claude threw his hands up.
"Because…. Then it feels like the webs are just there for me to run in't—"
"No, you f— why are you here?" Claude huffed.
Embra replied, "Because I'm desperate! I've traveled to three other Village-Cities. I've mailed out this Quest to three other Districts down south with promise of having allied access to a talented witch and guess how many heroes kept the quest paper? I hexed it to track each one."
Claude shrugged. Angrily realizing that's how she kept knowing where he was.
She held up one finger and then pointed it at him. "Just you."
Claude didn't reply.
"Which I personally couldn't believe after seeing you in the precinct. You seem more interested in tracking down old criminals and getting even than you do in being a hero. But you kept the paper when dozens of others didn't. Now, I need to know, did you just forget the damn thing in your pocket or are you real?"
Claude dropped his spear and ran his hands through his long hair with a shaking sigh. "I don't know…"
"[Mate—]"
"You're the one that put all this shit in my head about casualties and control and I CAN'T see someone wounded and in pain and...the hunger. I sat over that goblin for hours….. people can't rely on that. I can't rely on myself."
"I feel like none of what you said was for me….. are you ok?" Embra asked.
"[I didn't put anything but safeguards in your mind. And if you can't rely on yourself then don't.]"
"…..what?"
"[Even now, you're not alone. You have her. She may not be your friends back home— or someone you really know, but she is a kindred spirit. She's….. well, I think she's quite like you. Maybe you before all this. Just a kid on the outskirts with no frame of reference trying to play hero. And according to Amanda, she's been at this since she was a child.]"
Claude sat down.
"…..are you going insane? By the way, have you always had a comically large PitWolf?" Embra fidgeted with her fingers in the tense silence.
"Arne, I don't think it's even slightly intelligent to put my faith in people I don't know." Claude said.
"[Its even less intelligent to assign your loss of purpose to your existence. I'm not telling you to give the witch your gods damned address. I'm telling you to help a girl save her city— and know that she'll help you in return. It's what your made for. You're a potential dammit. Your will is your sword, your pack….. is your shield.]"
Claude wiped the tears from his eyes and just tried to hold the hope of the moment. He didn't think of the blood and fear he'd feel for his rising hunger. He didn't think of his fathers face or his own failures.
He thought of Frosty. He thought of the strength he had to fight any urge. He could fight.
He would.
Frosty paced with a determined intensity behind him as he fed on the feelings of his mind.
Claude looked up at Embra, failing to hide the growth of fangs or Wolven glow of his eyes.
"…..I don't know if I'm real. I'm not tested. But I'm all you got, so point me in the right direction."
Embra grinned. "I'll see you tonight. Hopefully your brother will be there."
Embra left.
"He always is." Claude pressed his head against Frosty's.