The moon rises.

Sitting around the campfire I glance at the mother and daughter who seem like they were awaiting punishment. I understood why their faces were drawn as such.

Sitting across from me was the girl who murdered my father, and her mother.

It was hard to not see it this way. Even if it was my father's words that prompted Claire to participate in the ceremony the fact that it happened is still hard to ignore.

So my father wanted to bring back the old days, huh? 'He wanted a fresh canvas' as Claire's mother Joye had explained.

He didn't want my mind to be tormented by the actions of his predecessors and himself. The countless war and murder, he didn't want my mind to see it. He wanted me to see a better world.

We were the very same Blood Hook Tribe after all, the acts of near genocide the stories talked about weren't false.

It explained my father's occasional unpleasant expressions. I can't imagine the weight of over two hundred years of memories of war. The years of memories I received from nameless earth man were hard enough to handle.

I'm partially happy he didn't pass his mind to me, but I was also sad for the loss of the connection.

It seemed the thing Joye was most curious about was if the ceremony had in fact worked.

The first ceremony was something that was a vague memory my father had. He had assumed it would work but he wasn't positive the situation had been fulfilled. It seemed lots of complicated events transpired before the first ceremony so he was careful while raising me to do the same.

Put simply.

In the ceremony, a larger horizontal void was opened inside the skull of the predecessor, incense smoke was then introduced into this void-space.

She had removed the top of my father's head. The thought of the scene disturbed me deeply.

It all seemed very mystical and confusing but, Claire explained the process to me easily with traces of tears dripping from her cheek.

I consoled her as best as I could but I really couldn't say much.

Everything was somewhat hard to accept.

I confirm to Joye that the ceremony had worked. She had assumed as much apparently.

She had received word of my recent actions a few night prior via raven.

Joye truly did have a few witch-like aspects.

As the sun finally set and we were strictly lit by the crisp full moon, Joye began carrying some various objects and placing them in front of me. There was a large table that reached my chin while standing, on it she placed a small metal plate and then seemingly whispered something into the air.

Rapidly half of the transfusing faeries dashed off into the forest and then returned with a selection of herbs and barks from various trees.

This would surely be useful.

I need this skill so I can find cinnamon faster. Please Joye, teach me this skill.

I quite his thoughts and refocus on the carefully preparing woman in front of me.

She took one of the herbs a faerie had brought and began ripping it apart, it looked similar to hops, a plant on earth used to brew beer.

It also looked similar to another herb but the memories seem much too hazy to remember its name.

She then took the tree bark and broke it into three pieces grating one with a knife and tossing another into the side of the fire.

After assembling all the ingredients she places the piles of green and brown powder onto a plate.

She then retrieves the now glowing chunk of tree bark from the fire and places it on top of the pile of herbs.

They quickly ignite in green flame but she blows on them softly and it turns to a glowing pile of ash. She motions to Claire who gingerly rises and walks over to us.

Joye takes out a knife and places it to Claire's finger tip. She pulls the knife quickly and draws a small drop of blood onto the blade. She tilts the knife over the pile of continuously embering herbs and with a light hiss the blood drops and turns to steam.

"With virgin's blood it's complete. Go ahead and breathe deeply. It's time to release your magic" The witch says grinning at the blushing Claire.

"Ah! Wait, release my magic?!" I ask double-taking comically. If I had coffee I'd spit it out.

"Right I'm the one who locked it. So of course I'll be the one to unlock it too." She says so like it's obvious, I suppose from her point of view it is.

I take a deep breath of the smoke which has now turned to a dull black.

My vision goes white but there is no sensation of falling.

Well not for me.

I open my eyes what felt like a moment later.

It wasn't.

"Ah you are back are you?" Joye sitting at the fire says glancing up at me who was still standing in front of the knew burnt out pile of incense.

Claire was sleeping soundly on the pile of furs. Had it actually been some time?

Now looking at it the sun was beginning to rise again from behind. It was actually a marvelous view from this high up, but I don't have a chance to think about that.

"Yeah. She couldn't handle the pulse. To be honest I couldn't either. Heh, I doubt those filthy faeries will be back anytime soon either."

Ah, she has just said a lot, I'll take my pick I guess.

"Pulse?" I ask starting in chronological order.

"Well to be honest it's even slightly overwhelming now. We really need to get you in better control. Come with me." Joye says before struggling to her feet and then gripping at the air like a piece of cloth.

Then before my eyes she tore a void larger than any I had seen Claire create.

It wasn't black either, it seem to shimmer lightly with the sunrise and was perfectly clear. She grabbed a hold of my hand and then quickly stepped through the man sized hole.

I didn't pass through to the other side. Well I did but this wasn't the same place.

It was a pitch black grove of trees. The camp was nowhere to be seen. Standing there was just a large grass field and Joye and I.

It was slightly terrifying.

"Ah please don't be scared, you would be surprised how much influence your aura has over others. especially now that you have no ability to restrain it. Or even see it."

I did my best to do as i was told.

As she says, my magic is released. I have no idea what my magic is, so I need to think logically, and not make any mistakes until I'm able to control it. I will carefully follow her instructions.

When I glance at Joye for a moment she has the same look of terror as I do.

I see that's what she meant by my 'aura influences others'. She isn't scared, but my aura is forcing her body to be frightened to better fit in with my overwhelming aura.

She explained that first I would need to learn to see it.

Now it wasn't exactly 'seeing' it but being able to see its effects on the world.

As I glance around I notice in a uneven sphere around me all the grass had been forced down. And as I walked all the grass in front of me around thirty feet also immediately flattened.

So that's the range of my aura.

I see.

She had said i needed to learn to reign it in. Form it into a shell around myself. But that wasn't something I could even comprehend. I couldn't even see this force and now i was being told to draw it back inside me. How?

She instructs me to meditate on it.

When I mention that i was slightly worried about Claire sleeping alone in camp she smirks and tells me that time doesn't exist here, we would return as if we had just stepped from one side of a door to another. It was a very convenient place. Could Claire learn this one day? I can think of various uses for it.

The words she said earlier suddenly came back to me.

"You said 'Filthy faeries', why did you say that? Didn't they just save your daughter's life?"

"Mhm, it's a start. But healing a minor wound like that won't be enough for me to forgive those dreadful brats."

"Forgive them for?"

She said nothing for a moment.

"You're father killed my husband, did you know that?" She asks suddenly turning to me.

I was somewhat awestruck, I didn't know what to say at all.

I had heard my father and Claire's were good friends, had that been a lie?

"But it was the faeries who turned him into the kind of monster that needs to be killed twice." She explains walking over and sitting across from me who was still seated in a meditative position.

It seemed either she had gotten used to my aura or it was friendly enough not to force her away.

She coughed lightly as she sat down and began.

"Faerie kisses, as you saw have great restorative abilities. They can seal the wound from a dismembered arm. Or in cases where the arm isn't entirely severed they often even regain movement. Truly miraculous magic. But faeries are gluttonous creatures. If they spot a newly killed corpse they have no choice but to gorge. And in certain scenarios the person can regain some semblance of life. But it's not life. It's terror, indiscriminate violence. I thank your father for his actions nearly every day. I'm glad I didn't have to see him like that. I just hope you're father was able to act before Cal harmed anyone."

So he had become one of these monsters then, and my father had killed him.

I see.

No wonder it didn't sound like something my father would do.

That couldn't have been easy. I'm not sure I could handle a situation like that.

The only thing that came to my mind was a demonic Claire running at me with death in her eyes. It sent a shiver down my spine, and then down Joye's spine in turn. I apologize for my aura and then refocus my thoughts on my meditation.

I do feel things I hadn't earlier today. There was the feeling of a swirling mass in my gut. I thought it was the salted fish but if I focus carefully I can tell the sensation also spread through my entire body.

It just seemed especially focused in my gut.

This seems important.

So I begin by focusing on drawing upon the tingling sensation. Press it firmly into the churning in my gut. It all seemed somewhat off the top of my head but it felt correct so I continued finely refining the feeling and concentrating it in turn.

I may have done this for hours.

It was entirely impossible to sense time here.

I just focus on amassing the tingling into my gut. When I take a peek from time to time I notice the grass was now at ease except for an area of around ten feet around me.

I was making progress.

Even if its limited.

Joye seemed impressed with my work and walked around the orb seemingly looking at it.

I notice she would burn incense from time to time. She says it's something that would give her the ability to see mana.

I asked to try it but she said it would cost me too much life force at my age. So it wasn't worth it.

She used many terms I didn't quite understand with 'my mind' but the other guy seemed to understand it. Though mostly from fiction and movies, but it's good enough it seems.

I continue forcing the mana deep into my body.

With each full body worth of mana I forced into my gut the sphere would decrease by about six inches. It was slow work but steadily i was able to inch it down to five feet and then a single foot around me.

The witch claims this was good enough but i wasn't entirely satisfied.

She says anymore and I might lose control of it but I still feel like tempting fate.

In my earlier testing it seemed each session drew the aura in half a foot. So I can theoretically afford to do at least one more I think.

I began with the tips of my fingers.

I was used to this now. At first I had started with my right and then gone to my left, but the break in concentration messed me up. So I learned how to do all my limbs symmetrically.

Once my fingers were dry of mana I move to my elbows and then shoulders, I force the mana in my head deep inside as well.

This area seems to be a larger mass than elsewhere. It took considerably longer than my arms or legs. Once i was done with that I began my legs. That's when things began feeling strange.

It began to take more effort. The mass of mana in my gut was no longer churning. Boiling, would be the right term. It was frightening, but I couldn't release it, I knew that, so I add more pressure.

I was so close. I just had to finish my legs and then this would be complete.

Drawing all my remaining strength I clench my body and forced all the mana into my gut.

With this it was finally done.

With this I should be shrouded in less than six inches of aura.

Honestly I should have just stuck with one foot as the witch said. But well I kind of wanted to impress Claire's mom.

Oh? I may have made a mistake.

Suddenly i realize my body couldn't unclench.

It was beginning to feel slightly painful, but I should have had a little wiggle room right?

I was sure it was going six inches each time earlier.

Oh! I guess if it's decreasing by volume then the smaller I make it, the more overall it will shrink.

Damn you math.

Finally I was able to release, but at that moment i realize another something strange has occurred. In the last few moments, the once churning, turn boiling mass of mana was gone.

Instead was just a lump of what felt like stone. It was only uncomfortable when I think about it, like a cavity. You lose if you think about it.

It doesn't seem to be a problem. It gives off the same feeling the mana had earlier, it just feels to be concentrated to its maximum. Well, that's convenient now I don't have to carry around all that bulky mana.

I open my eyes and Joye looks quite happy.

"So you've crystallized it then?" She asks with a grin.

"Should I not have?"

"Nope its tradition for the witch to say stop at the one foot point, and then for the leader to goes one step further. I'm actually relieved by the result. Good work I'm proud of you."

Oh, so all of this was part of tradition as well? It makes sense. Degin had mentioned as much. Tradition and secrecy were bound to come up on this flight a few times.

With that it seems this part of the training was complete. I was somewhat curious how we would get out but Joye simply grabs my hand and takes a step, and then we were once again next to the fire in camp.

Claire is squirming comfortably on the pile of furs and the sun is still rising beautifully.

It really hadn't been a moment since I began training.

This is an extremely useful skill, I will surely ask Claire about this later. I wonder what its limits are? Can it be achieved any time?

Though as I thought that, Claire began squirming further and then peels open her eyes towards the morning sun.

She glances at her surrounding, confused by her locations.

I suppose the last thing she remembers is getting her finger nicked to release my magic, and then being embarrassed by her mother.

The moment my aura had been released it had knocked both Claire and Joye to the ground forcibly. Joye recovered after a few minutes but Claire had been knocked out for the entire night.

But to be fair, she was sleep deprived.

Seemingly realizing the situation she checks her surroundings then carefully reaches a hand down to her groin before frowning slightly in embarrassment.

Oh.

I suppose that would happen in this situation.

I will have to carefully apologize for this later. But that's a topic I should tread upon very lightly.

Joye places some bowls of fruits and nuts in front of the two of us who happily accept. We had run out of salted fish so this was something I would gratefully accept.

I had seen a few of these berries before in the forest but at the time i wasn't sure if they were edible.

I had thought about using my earth knowledge of poisonous plants but I gave that up as many berries often look similar to each other. So it would be dangerous.

For instance, the most poisonous berry on earth, and the most delicious berry on earth, look exactly the same.

After chomping down on some of the nuts Claire finally spoke casually for what seemed like the first time since we had arrived at the camp. "Do you hate me now?"

"No, I… I understand. It was my dad who had planned this. You really had no choice but to follow what he said. I think I understand things better. including my dad's motives. I'm not happy. But i'm also not going to hide. If my father thought this was my destiny, then I won't let down his hopes. It wasn't you who killed my dad, it was our traditions and himself who choose the path." I state the things that are rattling in my head then quickly add "And anyways, I can never hate you. You are one of my oldest friends. That's something I will always cherish."

Claire again was crying heavily.

I suppose this guilt has been weighing on her heavily.

I gave her a deep hug and pat her back attempting to comforting her. It couldn't have been easy, if dad had asked me to do it I don't think I would have been able to. But I also know I couldn't refuse either. He had that way about him.

I then began to think of the story I was told about our fathers.

I wonder if she knew?

She likely did. I doubt my dad would have kept it from her. She seems to have an understanding of the faeries and such so she could have heard of the scenario before.

Everyone really had kept a lot from me. But I can't blame them, it's no wonder Degin was so upset when he had heard someone calling themselves the 'Blood Hook tribe' was attacking villages in the grove.

It was a situation so absurd that he couldn't help but get angry. Who would use our name to attack people in our own backyard. Totally out of line.

Suddenly my lust for their blood grew strong.