“I can smell those beasts!” She expined.
“Yes!”
Aspen got on top of a rock. I could see what was on the other side. She froze for a moment as we saw the massacre that was happening.
Two of those same creatures were attacking a group of wolves. Some were dead already, while others were just fending the beasts.
There were a few burrows, and on some of them were other wolves hiding. The ones protecting the rest looked strong enough to fight, and there was, surprisingly, one that was old.
The older one was giving orders, directing the younger and stronger wolves to protect the burrows, to protect the rest.
What I could tell from how they fought, they were not trying to kill them, not being able to penetrate its lower scales. They were distracting them, trying to pull them away from their territory, but…
“They keep trying to go towards the burrows, what the hell is going on?!” the elder yelled.
A wolf that was beside him growled.
“That youngling managed to pull one away, but these ones just keep insisting! It's like they are going directly to the burrows!”
“We must ensure their survival… but I am afraid our pack and cn are not surviving after this attack.”
The elder got up and began to approach the monsters engaged with the rest of the wolves.
“Everyone! Evacuate the survivors! I will distract them!”
There was a pause, the surviving warriors were caught by surprise, which was cut short by the attacks of the monsters, and they began to move.
The elder moved forward, his movements were not as precise as the rest, having turned frail from age.
A magic circle appeared around him and began to shoot fireballs, calling the attention of both lizards. The rest moved to the burrows to begin the evacuation.
“On my way!” she yelled as she began to run.
The elder wolf ran out of magic after just a few casts, but he accomplished his objective: Distract the Drakelings. They were paying him full attention and now they were running to kill him.
“El… protect my children.”
He closed his eyes, and waited for the end.
“Gaaaah!” Aspen screamed!
Again she went for the eyes, which the drakeling she assaulted closed in time, but now had to thrash blinded.
The other ran towards the elder, who opened his eyes because of the commotion to see the giant monster open its mouth to take a bite at him.
I smashed the pommel of my body against the beast’s head, pushing it to the side and saving the elder’s life by just one second.
It took me by surprise how much force I put on that hit! I pushed the lizard a couple of meters, and grabbed its attention.
“W-what? Is that a human weapon?” the elder asked.
The drakeling attacked me by throwing itself towards me, but I dodged the lizard with ease.
Now, I had to think of a way to get access to its belly. It kept its head low and only the parts with hard scales were visible.
“Go hide, old tail!”
Aspen jumped from the one she was attacked by, and fell beside me. She was more agile.
“Y-you insolent… you are from the cn of that so-called king!”
“Heh…”
“Leave, this is the problem of our own cn!”
“We are helping your old tail! Now, go hide or whatever while we do it!”
Before the old wolf could answer, the two lizards tried to trample us. Aspen pushed him and I went for the other to hit it in the head.
Aspen got grabbed by the one that aimed at the old wolf, yet she avoided a direct hit and rode its head. The elder fell to the ground, safe except for, maybe, his dignity.
[Analysing…]
I did not want the System to give me all the answers, so I just began to think about how to do it.
I hit it on the head once more to make it angrier. It roared and began to run towards me, so I started to escape
Aspen, who received the order, got off the beast before it ran her into a rock, and began to taunt him.
“Hey, furless bastard! You cannot get me!”
We made them run towards us, and we circled around the burrows.
Aspen was running with her tongue out like she was having the time of her damn life!
The two drakelings were screaming at us, and maybe they had such tunnel vision that they didn’t notice when they were running towards each other.
And when we were close to each other.
We jumped to the side! Both drakelings head-butted each other, the energy of the impact raising the back of their bodies.
SLASH!
I cut the neck of the one that was nearby. I was not as fast as Aspen, but I had more control over the momentum of my body, so it took little effort to kill the first one!
The other fell ft, almost unconscious from the great impact to its head.
I yelled and hit the side of its body to force it to roll to its left.
Aspen ran in and lunged to it to force it to roll over further. That allowed me to reach its exposed neck and kill it with ease!
[You gained EXP!]
[You gained a level! 10/10]
[Aspen gained 3 levels! 10/10]
[Warning… max level allowed for body achieved. Rest for further progress options.]
[Aspen progression halted because of Master’s current rank. Increase personal rank to let follower evolve]
I reached max level! But now I had to rest. And evolution options for Aspen? I had to take a look at that.
Knowing where their weak spot made the fight easier. And I didn’t need the System to give me an answer!
[I was done analysing, but it seems you didn’t need me… hmmm…]
Why do I get the feeling the System was insulted?
“I am… I feel on fire! I never could have thought to kill these things before! And I do feel stronger and faster than ever!”
“There was a fourth cn some time ago, these things made it dissolve. They are too powerful!”
But, the magnitude of how impressive of a feat it was came next.
The warrior wolves that were beginning the evacuation noticed what was happening, and they slowly approached with the rest of the pack to check on the bodies and us. The elder, who saw all up close, was observing stunned how Aspen and I managed to kill two of those things.
“W-what is the meaning of this?! That wolf from the other cn and that human sword killed 2 of those monsters?!” One of the warriors yelled in surprise.
“Actually, we killed 3, hehe…” Aspen was sounding proud of herself.
“Expin, wolf from the fake king’s cn! What is this human weapon doing here?!” The elder demanded an answer.
I hated that I could not communicate. I needed a solution soon. Maybe Ade could teach me a spell to speak.
“I am just… hehe… doing my job as a proud follower of El’s teachings… hehe… it was nothing…”
“Hey! No one else can say they killed one of those things! Give me a break!”
“That’s not part of El’s teachings!”
“H-hey! Who said I want those?!”
The rest of the wolves were looking judgingly at us like we were some freaks.
“I think… that wolf lost it.” one said.
“But they killed two of those beasts… is not like anyone here can say they ever got close to that…”
“Wolf from the false king! How did you…?”
“My name is now Aspen, old tail. I don’t belong to that murderer’s cn anymore!”
Everyone whispered. “A name?” Some said, “only El names the ones she speaks to!”
“Okay… Aspen… don’t tell me you came in to make us owe you our lives…” the elder asked.
There was silence when he asked the question.
That is something I did manage to ask Aspen about during the couple of days we traveled.
When a wolf of these nds was saved by another, they owe their lives. They can repay them how they seem fit, but usually comes in the form of giving their lives for that person, and following them for the rest of their existence. It is a pact of servitude.
And from how he talked about Aspen’s ex-cn, it seemed that said king was not well received there. I imagine they have to be panicking at the implication.
Because nature doesn’t always give second chances. Being injured and trapped could mean the end of a wolf's life, so there are no more opportunities, except when someone gives you one.
Why not use your second one to repay the one who gave it to you?
Aspen chose that, although she seemed adamant.
And if a whole cn owed them…
“You don’t owe me anything, old tail,” I was gd she interceded. I did not want to do it, too many to count.
“Instead, do it with her,” with a paw, Aspen pointed at me, “she is my master, Alice the human soul, and who named me, and she is the one who figured out how to kill those monsters. You owe your life to her.”
Then my system got flooded with notifications about wolves slowly realizing that they wanted to begin a pact with me.
I tried to yell, but I could not scream at them to not do it.
“A sword, and a human soul? Then this is a sign from El!” the elder said, and he dropped to the ground as if he was kneeling to me, “Alice the sword, holy messenger of El! We give our lives to you!”
[You have 46 requests for soul pacts from different Moonless Dark Wolves. Accept?]
What the hell was happening?! I was flooded with many messages and they all were showing respect towards me. I just came there to help, not to gain a following.
“Are you sure?”
[Confirmed. All pacts accepted]
Ah! Not to you, System!
But it was too te, all the requests went through, they all entered a soul pact with me.
And that was how I became the leader of a pack of wolves, even when it was not my intention at all.
The drakeling attacked me by throwing itself towards me, but I dodged the lizard with ease.
Now, I had to think of a way to get access to its belly. It kept its head low and only the parts with hard scales were visible.
“Go hide, old tail!”
Aspen jumped from the one she was attacked by, and fell beside me. She was more agile.
“Y-you insolent… you are from the cn of that so-called king!”
“Heh…”
“Leave, this is the problem of our own cn!”
“We are helping your old tail! Now, go hide or whatever while we do it!”
Before the old wolf could answer, the two lizards tried to trample us. Aspen pushed him and I went for the other to hit it in the head.
Aspen got grabbed by the one that aimed at the old wolf, yet she avoided a direct hit and rode its head. The elder fell to the ground, safe except for, maybe, his dignity.
[Analysing…]
I did not want the System to give me all the answers, so I just began to think about how to do it.
I hit it on the head once more to make it angrier. It roared and began to run towards me, so I started to escape
Aspen, who received the order, got off the beast before it ran her into a rock, and began to taunt him.
“Hey, furless bastard! You cannot get me!”
We made them run towards us, and we circled around the burrows.
Aspen was running with her tongue out like she was having the time of her damn life!
The two drakelings were screaming at us, and maybe they had such tunnel vision that they didn’t notice when they were running towards each other.
And when we were close to each other.
We jumped to the side! Both drakelings head-butted each other, the energy of the impact raising the back of their bodies.
SLASH!
I cut the neck of the one that was nearby. I was not as fast as Aspen, but I had more control over the momentum of my body, so it took little effort to kill the first one!
The other fell ft, almost unconscious from the great impact to its head.
I yelled and hit the side of its body to force it to roll to its left.
Aspen ran in and lunged to it to force it to roll over further. That allowed me to reach its exposed neck and kill it with ease!
[You gained EXP!]
[You gained a level! 10/10]
[Aspen gained 3 levels! 10/10]
[Warning… max level allowed for body achieved. Rest for further progress options.]
[Aspen progression halted because of Master’s current rank. Increase personal rank to let follower evolve]
I reached max level! But now I had to rest. And evolution options for Aspen? I had to take a look at that.
Knowing where their weak spot made the fight easier. And I didn’t need the System to give me an answer!
[I was done analysing, but it seems you didn’t need me… hmmm…]
Why do I get the feeling the System was insulted?
“I am… I feel on fire! I never could have thought to kill these things before! And I do feel stronger and faster than ever!”
“There was a fourth cn some time ago, these things made it dissolve. They are too powerful!”
But, the magnitude of how impressive of a feat it was came next.
The warrior wolves that were beginning the evacuation noticed what was happening, and they slowly approached with the rest of the pack to check on the bodies and us. The elder, who saw all up close, was observing stunned how Aspen and I managed to kill two of those things.
“W-what is the meaning of this?! That wolf from the other cn and that human sword killed 2 of those monsters?!” One of the warriors yelled in surprise.
“Actually, we killed 3, hehe…” Aspen was sounding proud of herself.
“Expin, wolf from the fake king’s cn! What is this human weapon doing here?!” The elder demanded an answer.
I hated that I could not communicate. I needed a solution soon. Maybe Ade could teach me a spell to speak.
“I am just… hehe… doing my job as a proud follower of El’s teachings… hehe… it was nothing…”
“Hey! No one else can say they killed one of those things! Give me a break!”
“That’s not part of El’s teachings!”
“H-hey! Who said I want those?!”
The rest of the wolves were looking judgingly at us like we were some freaks.
“I think… that wolf lost it.” one said.
“But they killed two of those beasts… is not like anyone here can say they ever got close to that…”
“Wolf from the false king! How did you…?”
“My name is now Aspen, old tail. I don’t belong to that murderer’s cn anymore!”
Everyone whispered. “A name?” Some said, “only El names the ones she speaks to!”
“Okay… Aspen… don’t tell me you came in to make us owe you our lives…” the elder asked.
There was silence when he asked the question.
That is something I did manage to ask Aspen about during the couple of days we traveled.
When a wolf of these nds was saved by another, they owe their lives. They can repay them how they seem fit, but usually comes in the form of giving their lives for that person, and following them for the rest of their existence. It is a pact of servitude.
And from how he talked about Aspen’s ex-cn, it seemed that said king was not well received there. I imagine they have to be panicking at the implication.
Because nature doesn’t always give second chances. Being injured and trapped could mean the end of a wolf's life, so there are no more opportunities, except when someone gives you one.
Why not use your second one to repay the one who gave it to you?
Aspen chose that, although she seemed adamant.
And if a whole cn owed them…
“You don’t owe me anything, old tail,” I was gd she interceded. I did not want to do it, too many to count.
“Instead, do it with her,” with a paw, Aspen pointed at me, “she is my master, Alice the human soul, and who named me, and she is the one who figured out how to kill those monsters. You owe your life to her.”
Then my system got flooded with notifications about wolves slowly realizing that they wanted to begin a pact with me.
I tried to yell, but I could not scream at them to not do it.
“A sword, and a human soul? Then this is a sign from El!” the elder said, and he dropped to the ground as if he was kneeling to me, “Alice the sword, holy messenger of El! We give our lives to you!”
[You have 46 requests for soul pacts from different Moonless Dark Wolves. Accept?]
What the hell was happening?! I was flooded with many messages and they all were showing respect towards me. I just came there to help, not to gain a following.
“Are you sure?”
[Confirmed. All pacts accepted]
Ah! Not to you, System!
But it was too te, all the requests went through, they all entered a soul pact with me.
And that was how I became the leader of a pack of wolves, even when it was not my intention at all.