Richard Adams

My hands were shaking, my knees felt weak. The taste of bile coated my tongue, as I managed to swallow what was left of my breakfast. The week had passed by in what felt like a haze. My body felt like lead, hardly able to move, while my head continued to throb. I took a deep shaky breath, before coughing. I needed to breathe, I was forgetting such a basic thing. All my focus was on the small cluster of cells, that I was using my magic to control.

"Are you okay lad?" Oswald's voice sounded distant, and far.

I barely managed to shake my head, before I slumped forward a little. A healing potion was pressed to my lips, as I drank. The world slamming back into me, as color, sound, and even more feeling came crashing into my mind like a tide. I jolted back, falling onto the ground, sputtering and coughing. Looking up at the ceiling, blinking away tears. Each ragged breath, an effort. Though it was far more natural now. The body wanted to live, even if the mind was succumbing to strain.

I closed my eyes, resting for a few moments, before Oswald poked my stomach. I jerked a little, before sitting up. This past week was probably the worst I ever had. Oswald had kept me here, practicing and studying every waking moment. I was allowed to cook, and that was my only time for taking a break. "Are you trying to kill me brother?" I managed to laugh a little, despite the fact that it hurt to do so.

"Not yet lad, there are better ways to go about it." He slapped my back hard, before laughing. "A few more days, and you'll be able to do it all by yourself. Once you manage that, your focus will increase by leaps and bounds. Though you must never try to take over your brain. It can go very wrong, very quickly. It requires all the focus you put into your body, and then some more."

I nodded at that, "Yeah, I won't touch it for a while. Not unless you're there to guide me." Everything felt like it was calming down. Then Oswald injected some more of the mixture into me.

"Control one cell for the day lad." I naturally jumped and looked at him. Then nodded, as I slowly got up. I was opening the cell wall, closing it, allowing the liquid to take over every part of it. I never knew how many thousands of tiny connections went into it. How it was alive and constantly breaking everything apart, and putting other things together. How there were tiny ribbons inside the center that needed to be split and put back together to make a new copy of the cell itself.

I rubbed my face, before slowly getting up. "What time is it brother?" I was only allowed to call him that in private, so I had to make the most of it. I was honestly, extremely happy about having him as a family.

Oswald instantly replied, "Almost noon lad. You have been lost in trance for about a few hours. I figured you deserved a break. By which I mean, you're going to be mixing some stuff and telling me the results without looking at my notes."

I let out a small groan, before shuffling to the desk. "Are you certain there isn't else we could be doing? I'm about to burn out, brother."

Right as I finished saying that for the tenth time, I heard it. Both of us freezing in place, as we heard the alarm bells going off. We looked at each other for a second, before Oswald started to hobble towards the door and stairs. I quickly put everything where it was supposed to go, before following after my mentor. I managed to get in front of him, and offered to let him ride on my back down the rest of the stairs. He took me up on the offer, and we made it down quick enough. I set him down, still feeling exhausted. "I'll go outside and see what's going on you can stay here and get everything ready.

"Aye lad, let me know if they need me. The bells are still ringing, which means something big is coming." I nodded, before running to the door. Opening it, I found Wyatt himself about to knock. He looked like he was dragged through a gutter. Missing pieces of armor, and have more than a few open wounds. We both blinked at each other, before he moved past me.

"Oswald, we need you. I'll fly you to the front right away." Oswald looked at Wyatt, before nodding.

"What happened? I need details." He grabbed the satchel he had hidden on the underside of a table.

"A horde of whispering wolves, multiple reds, purples, and even a silver. To make it worse, no magic can be done in an area around the pack leader. I'm not sure about talents, but I had to run before they overwhelmed me. There are at least a hundred." Wyatt stood at attention, telling Oswald what he could. "You're probably the best for this, since you can take control of the poison gas after the anti-magic field is gone. If you decline, we will have to find another way."

Oswald nodded, "I see, how did you escape them?"

Wyatt winced, before looking away. "Mimi used her strength to throw me outside of the field. I used my magic to fly above the trees. I heard a Banshee scream, and looked to see the an Oldest had managed to chase off the pack. Though Mimi was laying still on the ground as it approached. I can only assume she was killed by the scream itself. The pack will be here in a matter of hours, and we need to prepare."

My heart dropped at what Wyatt said, I swallowed hard before stepping towards him, "Weren't you supposed to protect her!?"

He looked at me for a second, before his ears fell low, "Yes, I was. I was too weak to protect her, and in the end she saved me with her strength. She shall be honored after this is over. I regret my inability to save her..."

Oswald stopped him, "There's no time for that Wyatt. Take me to the front now." He was holding a book in his hands, before tearing out a piece of paper. "Richard, hand this to one of the guards outside. Tell them this is what I'll need to make a batch of invisible death."

I quickly ran to his side, taking the paper. "Yes sir." My heart stung from the news, but I couldn't stop here. I had to help Oswald save whoever he could.

Wyatt swallowed hard, "You can yell at me all you want later. I'm... I'm sorry." He frowned before lifting Oswald with some wind. They flew out of the front door, while I held the paper. I sniffled a little, before running out of the room. The first guard I found was given the paper and the orders. I don't even know why I was so upset about this news. She was just a monster I met out in the wild. Though deep down, I knew it was because she showed me compassion while we traveled together.

I started to run after the guards, to make sure they were getting the right ingredients. When I remembered something, her hive was still in her room. I quickly turned around, and ran back into Oswald's estate. I ran up the stairs to find the window frame falling outside. The faint sound of glass hitting the ground, as I blinked. I saw a large swarm carrying what appeared to be the hive covered in sheets. With many more staying inside the what looked like a hole. One particular bug noticed me and seemed to hover around me, before I reached towards it. The thing landed on my hand, looking a lot more intimidating than the warriors I saw at the cave.

It seemed to lick my fingers, while it's bushy antenna waved here and there. The swarm with the sheets, flew through the open wall. I had no idea what was happening, then the bug on my hand started to tap my palm. It started to drag its stingers over my palm without stabbing me. "Q-U-E-E-N pause A-L-I-V-E pause S-A-V-E." I let out a small laugh, as two more swarms came out of the hole in the closet. The bug on my hand flew away to join the first swarm, while the other two seemed to go in different directions.

I blinked, watching them go, frowning a little. It would be one thing if they were searching for Mimi. Though it was a real problem to allow monster bugs to just roam about the city itself. After everything is over, I had to tell Oswald about this. He needed to decide what to do, since this was against the law. I knew deep down, that I should just burn the whole hive. I didn't have it in me though, it was Mimi's hive. The only thing I might be able to remember her by, unless she was still alive. I quickly turned away and left the room. It wasn't too late to make sure the soldiers got the right ingredients. The hive wasn't rampaging, so it wasn't a big threat right now. It needed to be dealt with later, since it left Oswald's estate to find other places to nest more than likely.

Oswald Manfred

The lad was probably hurting over the news, and it truly was a shame to hear she passed. Even as we soared through the air above the city, I felt a pang of regret myself. I truly wanted to study her more, to find out how to recreate the various things her body made naturally. It was unfortunate, but life is unpredictable like that. I looked at the captain, who kept me by his side as we flew. His wind carrying us above the inner walls, towards the outer walls where we would meet this pack of Whispering Wolves. I could study their bodies after we finished, the invisible death more than potent enough to end them and anyone else down there.

Wyatt himself was holding a wound on his hip, looking a little pale from blood loss. Overall he just seemed tired. "I trust you requested some healers or priests to meet us at the top of the wall?"

Wyatt nodded his head, "Yes, I told the guards on the wall. After they heal me, I'll be ready to help you however I can. Is the Count coming?"

"No lad, he only moves if anything makes it into the inner walls. He can be requested to come, but I doubt he will unless it's night time. I hope you don't mind if we run a few tests when the pack crosses into the field around the walls. I want to see if talents work on them, or if it's a true null field. Ideally we'll keep the silver tip alive, for proper study. Though if it becomes too difficult we'll try to keep the body intact as much as possible."

"Got it, so you are testing them, before killing them. Can I ask why?" The wall was coming steadily closer.

"There is no harm in that. Though I thought you weren't the type to think about these sorts of things. Are you feeling alright?" I watched his ears as they went down again.

He shook his head, "No, I just realized how stupid I was." His voice was somber, and full of hurt. "I thought a horde would be nothing, because I was strong. I made the decision to attack them head on. Even when Mimi said she sensed something was wrong. We were surrounded and she protected me as best she could. When she realized we couldn't escape, she sacrificed herself to get me out of there."

"It's good that she did then. Did you hit any of them? Did you feel your talent working?" I kept my voice calm.

He shook his head, "No I didn't. I hit them, but didn't feel anything happen. Like even talents were suppressed. I even kicked some sand at one, but there was nothing."

I nodded slowly, "Seems we don't need to run the test then. We just need to outright kill them with the poison gas. As for your earlier question, we do this so it is easier to deal with next time. The more we know, the more likely we are to survive. Knowledge is a power all its own, and experience helps to temper us boyo."

Wyatt balled his free fist, "Oswald... am I a good captain?"

We were almost at the wall now, "You cannot tell anyone I said this, but my answer is maybe. You're as dumb as a Bew, but you are strong. It's because of your strength that you were given this position. Though if you ask me Wyatt, it's not strength or brains that makes a captain. It's their integrity. The strength of their character when no one is watching. You give the people hope, because you give the Orphans hope. Vivian might run the guard, but you lead the people. No one person can do everything. There is no such thing as a perfect captain. Though when it comes down to it, you can be an inspiring leader. You're just too young, and stubborn right now."

He started to say something, before bowing his head a little. "Thank you Oswald. I'll do better, I promise."

I only nodded, as we finally reached the top of the outside wall. We could still hear the bells ringing on other parts of the wall. Though it was silent here. Anyone with sharp eyes was watching the gentle shaking of branches on the trees past the open field. It was cold up here, where the barrier itself didn't extend fully. Many questions going through my head, but the most important was if this was the result of a talent or not. I walked towards the edge, to look down. Thankfully nothing seemed odd, but it was hard to see from this far away.

At least it should have been, as I moved the liquid around inside my goggles. Allowing me to use them like a pair of binoculars. I could hear the healers talking to Wyatt, as they ushered him away. Between the trees, I could make out the red tips leading in the front. Suggesting that when a pack becomes this large, they all grow in strength. It explained why Jack had so many of them when he was alive. A recruit walked to my side, "Sir, we have the supplies ready."

I recalibrated my goggles before turning back to the young man. "Good, I trust my apprentice made sure you had everything right?"

The man nodded, "He left us for a few minutes, but he arrived after we got everything. He's currently in the tower, suffering from teleportation sickness. Can we get you anything else? Do you need help mixing everything?"

I shook my head, "Make sure you read up on how Alchemy works boyo. I need to mix it, so I can control it. You can bring everything here to me, as I make a few barrels. Then you and some other men can toss it over the walls towards the trees. Do we have any Tamers on standby?"

"No sir, the Tamers have withdrawn since a report claims that bonds with any creature around that pack, are broken. We do have a few magic users of different types, with more lining up on the inner walls."

I walked to the other side, to see the men and women farming while shackled. Frowning deeply, I nodded. "They won't make it past this one. Where the fuck are my supplies!?" I shouted, while turning to look at the now surprised recruit. He quickly looked around and pointed to the small wagon of materials coming my way. Roughly five barrels in total. I looked them over, "We have about ten minutes before they get here. They are probably exhausted, from chasing after Wyatt. They also had a fight before coming here."

I spoke to no one in particular, but the recruit nodded along anyway. "This will be easy sir?"

I smiled a little, "Well, if you can't do magic you just use what you have available that isn't magic. This gas I am about to make will hang low to the ground, spreading outwards. Everything that breathes can be killed, because it needs proper air boyo. When the barrels break on the ground, a few things might happen." I began to make the mixtures, using my magic to keep it from reacting and killing everyone on top of the wall. "They might be startled by the barrels being dropped, but they won't smell this gas. There is no color to it, no smell."

"C-can you control it sir?" He swallowed hard looking at the mixture I continued to put into the barrel. Shovel fulls of this powder or a few drops of that ingredient.

"Of course boyo, if I couldn't we'd all be dead by now. Which is why we're dropping this in front of the wall. No magic involved, they breath it in, they die. Then I can use magic to move it away as we collect the bodies for study. If we can't use magic because of a talent. Then that no longer applies since the one with the talent is now dead. Their soul passes on and the talent leaves the body. If it's a natural trait however, then we need to know. Which is another reason why I'm mixing this here gas. I can feel if I can control it or not. Even if I can't use magic, I only have to wait until it's gone. The gas will eventually become inert and harmless. It only takes a few hours."

"You thought of all this, before the captain even brought you here?" He seemed suitably impressed.

"I've been in battles before boyo. I'm the head alchemist for a reason. Normally I wouldn't come here myself however. Normally I wait until the outer walls are breached, and protect the inner walls. This time it was a personal request, because the captain cannot protect the outer walls. Go off and get some more recruits over here. I'll need you lads to throw the barrels since I'm old and fat." I laughed a bit to ease the recruit's nerves.

He smiled back, and clicked his heels together at attention. "Yes sir!" It was important to keep their moral high. Not a lot of people are willing to risk their lives for others. The coin was there, but the threat of death was never far off.

Wyatt to his credit, managed to limp back over to me. His wounds healed, though he was still looking rather pale. One of the healers followed after him in a huff, clearly upset by his refusal to stay down. "Is there anything or anyone I can get you?" The healer crossed her arms, looking at me with a small pleading expression.

I chuckled a little, "Get your recruits to do the running around for you. Though I would like someone that can restrain a banshee. If it appeared that early in the morning, it had a reason for doing such. Just to be safe, get whatever recruits you can and prepare to restrain anything that pops out of shadows. The gas won't work on undead."

Wyatt nodded, "Understood." He turned to the healer, who relented as long as he promised to rest. Which he did, before limping back. I finished my barrels with five minutes left before the pack broke through the tree line. A group of strapping recruits coming over to me. A few healers running around, and Richard finally made it over.

"Are you feeling alright lad?" I looked him over. He seemed a bit pale from the sickness, but nodded his head. "Good, you get used to it after three or so times." I turned to the recruits, "Throw the barrels whenever they break through the tree line. If you hit one, they will die and you get to brag to everyone about your aim." I continued suppressing the gas inside the barrels. The recruits cheered, before working in groups to grab a barrel, preparing to throw such.

Richard walked towards the edge of the wall, looking through the magic scope placed there for watchers. "Do you mind if I give the order sir?"

I clapped the boy on the back, "You may, you're just as green as these boys here. It should do you some good lad, just don't wait too long or I'll give the order myself."

He smiled at me, before looking back through the scope. Then he frowned, "Uh... sir? Mimi is out there."

I frowned a bit, before looking with my goggles. Then I saw her tearing into the pack, moving much more like a monster. Her hands ripping and tearing into the enemy. As they broke through the trees, most trying to run from the sudden intruder. Then I saw it. Mimi was tearing into the silver tipped Wolf, eating it's heart and brain. Ignoring the others attacking her, while in her combat form. The purple tips seemed to leave scratches, but were otherwise unable to harm her. I tapped Richard on the shoulder, "Order them to throw the barrels."

"B-but, Mimi is down there!" He looked back at me, clearly not wanting to.

Still, my gut told me we needed to throw them now. Something was wrong, and we needed to restrain or kill Mimi right now. I looked at Richard, then back at the Wolves getting closer to the wall. There wasn't time to debate, people would die if I didn't do anything. "Throw the barrels now!"

The Recruits quickly threw the barrels, a few even hitting the Whispering Wolves below. My gas spreading and reacting quickly. The wolves in the area barely had the chance to open their mouths before wobbling and falling on their sides. Their breathing slowly starting to stop. Mimi on the other hand was a completely different story. She finished eating her meal, which I was glad the recruits couldn't see from this height. Then she seemed to roar before going to the closest dying wolf. Just tearing its head off and biting into it.

Me and Richard both watched her for a moment, as she started to wobble. Then she stung herself, moving the armor to do as much. Which made her perk right back up and continue on her buffet line. Richard seemed a little relieved, but I just frowned. The monster was extremely hard to kill, and gasses wouldn't do much unless it displaced all breathable air. Otherwise she'd adapt like she did just now. The Recruits seemed nervous about the monster below them, just shrugging off the same gas that killed around one hundred Whispering Wolves.

Thankfully, I could feel my magic in the gas. We needed to restrain or kill her if she made any moves to break through the wall. Richard started laughing, "Her hive knew she was alive." He seemed genuinely happy, that Wyatt was wrong. Which helped remind me about his story. A Banshee attacked, and it was the oldest type. Someone had been controlling the Banshee before, and packs this big usually do not happen. My eyes went wide, as I realized this was a distraction!

I quickly pressed the gas around Mimi, forcing the breathable air away from her. Richard was watching her, through the scope. "Sir... something's wrong. She's starting to cough."

I turned towards the recruits, "My magic is working, get a team down there to restrain the monster! I will put her to sleep, but she needs special restraints. I also need the quickest of you to find me a damn teleporter! Move it!"

The others were stunned, but as I clapped my hands together, they went into motion. Richard swallowed hard, "What's going on?"

I turned back to him, "This damn pack was a distraction for someone to do something. The Raven is making his move, and I have no idea what he's aiming for. Stay by Mimi, try to keep her calm, since this is the best way to prove she wasn't a part of whatever the plan was. Take her back to her hive under my orders and lock her in her room."

Richard looked back at me confused, then shook his head, "Her hive ate through the window... there's a big hole in the wall now. Some swarms went off in different directions. One wrote on my hand about the Queen being Alive. I think they were trying to save her."

"When was this? When did you see this?" I glared at him a little, but the goggles hid such.

"Right after Wyatt flew away with you. I was going to tell you right after we dealt with the pack, and I am now." I felt Mimi fall to the ground with my magic, and I let some fresh air slowly filter to her lungs.

"You made the right decision lad. I had to focus on this, but she needs to be kept secure. Take her to her hive and have someone fix the damn hole in my house. Preferably with metal!" I actually yelled at Richard, which seemed to startle him.

He quickly nodded, "Yes sir! What about the swarms outside the estate?"

"We'll deal with them later. Now get your feet moving lad! I have more important things to deal with." I quickly turned to the recruits behind me, there were five in total. "You three, listen to my apprentice and help him secure the monster. Take her to my estate, and do not let anyone take her. Richard has my authority and will make the decisions if you have questions. You two, one of you tell Wyatt the Raven is moving. The other find out how long before the tower teleporter is up and working again."

I heard Richard run off, while the other three chased after him. The two recruits in front of me heading off to do what they were told. I saw another recruit fiddling with the wagon. I let the smoke from my satchel roll out and cover me. "I sincerely doubt you're my teleporter. What are you doing with the wagon exactly?"

The recruit froze, before turning towards me with a small smile. "Nothing sir, I just felt you needed a little help." I could see the man was missing teeth, and wasn't properly shaven.

My goggles began to glow, "Who do you work for, and what were you trying to do?"

He put his hands up, "Oh nothing, just appreciating the work of a fellow alchemist. I appreciate the trick you pulled off down there. Isn't it kind of crazy how you got all these supplies so quickly?"

I reached out a hand as the smoke shot towards him. He managed to use the invisible gas to block a bit of it, before I bore through it and into his lungs. He struggled, clawing at his neck before I walked to his side. Using the smoke itself, I managed to throw the entire wagon over the wall. The man attempted to stab the back of my leg in an attempt to break my focus. Only for his knife to bounce off the thickness of it. I had it compressed enough to be my own personal armor. Once the wagon hit the ground, I used the smoke around the man to grab him. Using my own focus on the gas already there to affect the mixture the man made and disperse it quickly.

Others would interrogate the man. Right now, I needed that damn teleporter to take me to any tower that knew what the fuck was going on. The bells had yet to stop. I could see them still being rung over and over. I quickly looked at each tower, to see which ones were still going as I marched towards the next group of guards. Then I saw it, the bells around the Hole were not ringing. I turned towards the guards, "Where the fuck is my damn teleporter!?"

Pain went through my hand as I had to let my focus over it go for the few seconds it took to deal with the assassin. I focused back on it, to make everything right once more. As recruits quickly did as they were told. I needed to get to the Hole and stop whatever the Raven was planning there. He probably didn't even realize what it was actually for.