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Chapter II – A choice to be carried with the winds

It was indeed a shame, Alexander. However, sorrow should not be the conclusion. After all, you've become my apprentice through loss as well.

• From the letter at the fifth of Dark

1st of Wind, 6th cycle – Morning

The smell of soap mixtures stood with him after the expensive bath. Not as pleasant as the humans put it — the exotic smells seemed to overpower one another — yet much better than the odor of human blood from before. Expending that much money just to get an especially crafted heir bath would hurt his finances this week, surely, but the comforting feeling of his fur being soft and clean had no price.

Cairo shivered through the stone streets of central Solholm, the most crowded place he could be at the start of a new week and month. Merchants of all trades gathered around the town square with their stalls, selling everything from meat and leather to weapons and even some magical trinkets; they'd always feel much safer transporting their goods through the lands without the danger of feral heirs and other dark beasts lurking around.

“Like myself?" Cairo wondered with a sigh. Despite the many looks he attracted for being one of the few heirs in Solholm, he'd never thought about other people fearing him, nor about hunting humans.

“You'll control it, don't worry," his parents used to say, and him, to believe. Nothing back then hinted about himself developing a taste for human blood, but his yesterday experience explained why some humans would give him those weird stares, and also why there would be at least one Temple officer at each of Solholm's key locations, always looking for any kind of trouble an heir could make. Cairo turned his head around in search of one and there he was, huddled in a corner beside an alleyway that divided the taverns from the inns, a large and strong lizard with emerald scaled arms crossed and a glare that ascertained his authority.

Another gust of wind blew against Cairo, his fur still not warm enough to provide the protection against these first winds. Walking without a coat other than his own natural fur seemed like a good idea, however his shiver reminded him to wait for the Call before trying such a thing.

Cairo walked away from the crowds and gazed at the many inns, hotels, taverns and stores around the main street. Feeling small before the largest, most prominent and important buildings in Solholm, the Merchant's Guild headquarters, the Palace of Truth and, of course, the Inn of the Silver Stag, he couldn't help but smile. Humans liked their large limestone and granite buildings, each one portraying their own unique style, and smell, if only to grab the attention of any passing customer.

A dog barked at him, awakening his awareness. Black fur ran from its head to the tip of the tail, changing to gentle shades of tan and white around the paws. Not a stray one this time, but Buck, the Shepherd dog from Mister Wright.

Buck's tail wagged as he approached and Cairo leaned in closer, laying a gray furred paw over the dog's head and smelling the wild scent that the dog gathered from Mister Wright fields: wet grass, sheep and cows. Buck's tail swept wildly as he opened his mouth, panting near the wolf's warm fur. Short sparks of pain flew through his arm as he gently moved his paw around the animal's head.

“Doesn't hurt as much now, at least," he thought.

“You're lost again, aren't you?" Cairo said in a soothing tone he couldn't resist mustering around the animal, “Mister Wright can't run around the city looking for you every time," Buck only licked his nose in response, “I should find him before you get really lost. It's going to get cold in the next days."

Buck sniffed Cairo's paws briefly before snorting and shaking its head.

“You can smell it too, can't you? I know it's weird, but you wouldn't like the previous one."

“Or would he?" Cairo wondered. Right in front of him stood an animal, in every sense of the word, and it still managed to be a kind, domesticated beast that helped his owner. He was sure Buck would enjoy the smell of a large and succulent piece of rib steak; he'd offered him such a treat many times before. Would the same happen with human meat?

“Cairo!" Mister Wright shouted in the distance before approaching the wolf, who felt glad to have those uncomfortable thoughts drifted away. The human was covered in a gray wool coat with thick wool pants and leather boots. A bit excessive for today, but understandable for the Wind week had just begun, and the human's age would call for such measure. Mister Wright would reach his fifties before the Glimmering, impressive in enough itself.

“Don't worry Mister Wright, I got him! He won't be running around this time!" Cairo looked at the dog's face as he barked happily at his approaching owner.

“It's no use..." Mister Wright said, leaning in to his dog, “Ya heirs will always have the upper hand for training dogs."

“Don't say that, Mister Wright. Look, he loves you! He is probably just trying to have some fun in the city. You should get him a friend."

“By the moons! I would have to chase two bloody hounds around! But if a wolf is telling me to do it..."

“Don't take my word that seriously, Mister Wright, I am just an heir."

The old man laughed as Cairo continued to pet Buck, scratching softly behind his ears.

“Do you need any help, Mister Wright?"

“'Course, if ya paw can handle some weight," the human grinned and Cairo stopped, for Buck's sadness. The dog turned around and tilted its head in his direction.

“How can you-"

“Son, ya can't hide that shaking from me. Ya're training too hard these days, take a break."

“It wasn't that… Still, I am sure I can handle it, Mister Wright."

“Ya sure?"

“Of course, I am almost a swordsman now! You can trust me, Mister Wright, I've had worse injuries."

“Good lad. I bet the old Buck 'ere will like your company too."

Buck was on his hind legs, attached to Cairo's own furred leg with a slowly swinging tail, muzzle buried in his fur and ears drooping.

“Yes, of course."

---

Telsin felt the first sun rays descending from the wooden window frame to the light fur on his belly when he heard two quick knocks on the door, followed by an envelope being sled into his room. It stood there as the fox appreciated the sounds of the early birds, doing what they could to wake him up, but he managed to close his eyes and relax into the warm bed once again, drifting off to another sleep.

Another knock on the door made his ears twitch, and this time he had no excuse. Sitting up on the bed, he yawned and stretched before the annoying knocks came again with more vigor.

“I'm coming, I'm coming. Don't break the door, please," Telsin said as he clumsily walked to see which visitor felt so eager in this Wind morning.

One of the human servants stood there, surprised at the shaggy and scrunched fur along the fox's body.

“Um, sir, you have a carriage expecting you. Haven't you been warned?"

“A..." Telsin said with a yawn, “carriage?"

“Yes, sir. It has the Temple crest on it, so I thought-"

Telsin's tail stood up and his fur bristled before he quickly turned his body around and picked up the letter from the ground, running through his stashed clothes to grab and wear at least a coat, a hat and some trousers. He flew out of the room, barely able to say “Thank you!" to the confused servant before he threaded through the inn's corridor into the main hall. The mounted tables displayed inviting colors and smells, but he didn't have the time to savor them. Ignoring the beautiful meals, he got into the vehicle, stomach grumbling in hunger for the missed breakfast.

Inside the carriage, the fox could finally relax in his cushioned leather seat and read the letter, confirming his destination with the coachman.

“Headquarters?" Telsin said.

“Yes, sir. May I ask why the delay?"

“Uhmm… The... change in moons?"

“Understandable."

Telsin heard a giggle from the man, but decided to not care about such meaningless things. He had a letter to read, after all.

_Lazy fox, lazy fox,

Wake up, lazy fox._

Where are you, lazy fox?

Winds are out,

They creep, they sweep,

It's a new week, lazy fox.

Where are you, lazy fox?

It's a beast,

It bites, it strikes,

Trust the lights, lazy fox.

Where are you, lazy fox?

They need us, they call us,

Such a fuss, lazy fox!

Where are you, lazy fox?

Can't you hear? It's so clear!

We're here, lazy fox!

Lazy fox, lazy fox,

Wake up, lazy fox.

Telsin snorted at the letter before a wide smile formed in his muzzle. He couldn't hold his laughter any longer, almost yipping from the sheer happiness that his friend could bring on a Wind morning. He folded the letter once again and put it inside his pocket; every opportunity to make fun of his friend was appreciated, even if the contrary was much more likely.

“Is everything fine, sir?"

“Oh, yes, sorry. Are we getting there?"

“Just a few more streets, sir."

A few streets proved to be much faster than he expected as the comforting warmth of the wagon sent the fox to another sleepy drift before the doors clicked open and he stumbled out of the vehicle, yawning at the morning winds.

The Temple headquarters on eastern Solholm towered in front of him, but he couldn't check all the fancy decorations along the entrance once again. Strolling past round and yellow eyes, slitted pupils, scales, wings and horns, Telsin reached the assembly room just in time to block a dragon heir's attempt to close the firm door.

“I'm here," Telsin said between breaths, “Just a little late, sorry."

“Telsin Grahard," a deep voice came from the dragon, along with a clear mist from his nostrils, “your delay was expected, and almost on point. How ironic," the dragon said, licking his nose. His dark green scales and black horns reminded him of someone important, but Telsin's drowsiness didn't allow the complete memory to emerge.

“Yes, yes, sorry. The last Dark night proved to be not so simple, after all," Telsin entered the room and grabbed a seat by the round table. Three heirs on the assembly room could signify a brief reunion, or something far more serious they didn't want to gather attention. Yet, any semblance of seriousness could be snatched away by the squeaking rodent that grinned towards him. “And good squeaking day, Zavi'sh," he also grinned; there was no other way to greet that old rat.

“The lazy fox awoke, yes?" Zavi'sh said between happy squeaks, “Late and delayed, but also expected and on point, no, yes?" He relaxed on his chair, “An irony, an impossibility, an accomplishment, yes, yes?"

“Yes, Zavi'sh, you did it again," Telsin rolled his eyes, but kept his smile. It had been a long time since he'd heard his old friend's voice.

The mouse gave another laugh, only stopping after the dragon closed the door and sat down on the larger chair. Stretching huge, powerful wings, he began to search through a pile of scrolls over the table.

“To the point, shall we?" the dragon started with a sigh, “Your report, Telsin, had more information about the werewolf that has been spotted on Fillar's forest, correct?"

“Yes…" Telsin trailed off, not able to produce the name of the dragon by memory.

“Anginus," the dragon focused on the fox, “We've met before, when I gave your assignment at the first of Dark."

“Oh, yes, Anginus. Sorry."

“The light forgets, yes? It leaves memories to the dark, yes, no?" Zavi'sh said.

“Zavi'sh, please," the dragon said, snorting clear smoke into the room, “Telsin, the report talks about something that happened to someone other than the Ferals, correct?"

“Yes, a cub. The gray wolf from Remdrall's Academy. He was bitten by the beast, but managed to get a good strike with his sword."

“And how did this knowledge come to you?"

“The smell from his blade and the wounds on his arm didn't lie. Also, he said the creature was a huge black wolf."

“So your report says… And it also talks about a dead human in the forest."

“Yes, which was also witnessed by the cub."

“Can you see where your report and this last one lead to, Telsin?"

“I am certain the cub wouldn't do something like this, and it also wouldn't explain the wounds on his arm and chest, Anginus."

Zavi'sh squeaked once again.

“You accuse, you doubt, dragon, yes, no? There is light within this fox. It cannot obscure, it cannot lie, it shows truth, and can't show nothing more, yes, no?"

“Zavi'sh," the dragon elevated his voice, stretching his wings before calming himself, “I will send you both to investigate Fillar's forest. If this beast actually killed a human, you two should be able to track it."

“Why didn't you send anyone before? I sent my report yesterday, didn't it achieve priority?"

“We've sent someone, but received no answer until now."

“Who?" Telsin asked, receiving the dragon's glare.

“Someone," Anginus' voice slowed, “Not a tracker, however. You two should be able to do it much faster.

“This information has not been released to Solholm's west guard, and it shouldn't be until we conclude our investigation. Also, I don't want any of you messing with the wolf's Call, at least until the fifth of Wind. Do you understand?"

“Yes," they both said in unison.

“Good. Now, Zavi'sh, I need to discuss your other assignment in private."

---

1st of Wind, 6th cycle – Noon

Instructor Aiden moved his hand through Cairo's shaking arm, applying pressure into the specific muscle regions the human identified so easily, eliciting a few winces from the wolf with each firm touch.

“And how did you get this wound?" Aiden asked. He held the serious gaze of an instructor, and yet the soft expression of someone untrained in the sword arts.

“I went into Fillar's forest yesterday..." Cairo said.

“Nice," the instructor let the irony float around that word like the mists at the end of Earth, “Someone healed the external wound and also set the muscle to regrow, fast. Who did this?"

“A Temple officer we met after that."

Aiden stared at the wolf's yellow eyes, the slightest head movement pointing to a disapproving shake.

“'We', Cairo? You better not extend this story much longer, I don't want to know what kind of problem you might have gotten with the Temple."

“I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention."

“And you've also strained this arm even further, haven't you? Did you actually attend training with an arm like this?"

“No," Cairo said, “I… helped a friend by carrying some stuff. It wasn't that heavy."

“It was heavy enough, you should not have done it. The regrowth will have to be extended now, and the pain will follow."

Bright dazzling light escaped from the human's finger, twisting in the air and falling onto the wolf's arm, burying itself under the gray fur that covered the damaged muscle. The pain didn't lessen, however.

“Don't strain this arm, simple as that. No swordplay, no heavy lifting, no pressure on it."

“No swordplay!?"

“Do you actually want to handle a sword with a shaking arm like that, Cairo? Give it a rest and use your other arm while you still have it."

“Fine," Cairo sighed, “I probably won't need it for this week anyway."

“Speaking of this week," the instructor stood up from his chair and checked one of the many books in his table. Cairo didn't bother to try and see the letters; he would hardly guess their meaning. “Your Call will happen on the fourth, right?"

“Y-yes," Cairo said, frowning, “Is this a problem?"

“That depends. The only heir I've treated before his Call didn't wander around like a stray dog," the instructor returned to his chair, smiling, “Go home, rest that arm, don't get into any more trouble and your arm should be healed before your Call. I don't want to see you until the next Earth, Cairo. You're dismissed."

“Can I take my sword, at least?"

“I'll make an exception in this case, but only because you're almost graduated. Still," he narrowed dark and menacing eyes to the wolf, who distanced his muzzle from the instructor's face, “If I see you here again before the next Earth, your graduation will have to wait for that arm, and my patience, to fully heal."

Exiting the infirmary, Cairo stretched under the cloud covered sky by the Academy's training grounds. He'd managed to avoid everyone's attention by entering through the back fence he and Max discovered some cycles ago. Lifting his sword with the left arm, he found it surprisingly heavier than he remembered, but, at least, still usable.

Cairo smiled while looking at it, his toothy grin reflecting on the steel. He was almost a complete swordsman now, and could finally turn his eyes to the Solholm's school of knights, not with just wonder, but also as a new challenge. The promise he made to his parents floated back to his head, imagining their happy faces upon seeing his Solholm knight sword, gleaming near the fireplace as he tested a few slashes through the air.

It was a shame they wouldn't be with him in his Call, to at least oversee his transformation. They wouldn't even see his graduation, but he already expected their meetings to be much rare since they got promoted. Together.

“Always together," he thought, smiling to himself.

Something jumped behind him, clinging to his back and pulling his body down until both of them sat on the sandy floor of the training grounds. Looking behind him, Cairo saw the giggling girl that he recognized as his junior, still attached to his back fur.

“Sarah!" Cairo said, a warm smile spreading through his muzzle as he tried to get up, “One of these days you're gonna break my back, you know?"

“Oh, shut up you fuzzball! You get here and don't even say hello? What are you thinking?" she said, burying her face on the darker fur in his back.

“I was trying to keep a low profile, okay? And I didn't want to get pounced on!"

“There's no running away, Cairo," Max's voice came from behind them. The human had his skin covered by a leather coat, hands protected by wool gloves, “How's your arm?"

“Getting better, if only I wasn't assaulted near the Academy every day!"

Sarah kept hugging his fur, giggling towards the wolf's reactions.

“Good luck trying to get her off of you," Max said, laughing.

“Yeah," Cairo said, getting up along with her, “I was about to go home to see if they had already sent someone there."

“No training today?" Sarah asked.

“No, I got dismissed," he lifted his right arm, visibly shaking in the air without any weight or force applied, “they don't want to mess with my Call."

“Can we go to your house later today?" Max asked, for their surprise.

“Max!" Sarah said, finally letting Cairo's fur go from her grasp.

“What?"

“That's asking too much, don't you think? Isn't the Call, like, private and secret?"

“It's not that private, they send someone to help. Why wouldn't we help as well?"

“They… I don't know if they will-" Cairo said before being interrupted.

“I know," Max said before clearing his throat, “The Temple regulations allow it in certain cases, but we have to show that we are there to help. And not just fur clingers, Sarah!"

“But it's so warm and soft!" Sarah said, smiling as she hugged the wolf again, “Come on, Max, you have a coat and we don't!"

“Cairo doesn't need a coat. He is a walking coat," Max laughed and Cairo could only snort and smile at that, “And if you let your hair grow, you will also have a lot of soft… erhm… kind of fur."

“And then be expelled from the academy. No, thanks. I need my one hundredth victory against you."

“We should get back to training. I will never be able to surpass Sarah otherwise."

“You have to surpass me first, Max. I will be waiting for a challenge on the sixth, only you and me. Sarah can watch."

“That is unfair! You'll have, like, spirit magic to throw around." Max said.

“I promise I won't use my spirit," Cairo smirked.

---

Back inside the wagon, Telsin could finally relax, waiting for his time back on the Keeps' Counter to sleep what he'd lost after being hurried to the Temple's headquarters. He would be more comfortable if there wasn't an old rat occasionally laughing at something unusual he laid his brown eyes upon from the wagon's windows. His friend acted like a child, even with his old age and the wooden cane by his side to prove it.

“I've read your poem, Zavi'sh," Telsin said to distract him. The rat turned back his head with eyes glowing in anticipation, “It was pretty funny."

“As it should be, lazy fox. The poem is not the thing to be read, fox of light, but the thing to happen, yes, no?"

Telsin straightened on the seat, preparing for another one of those conversations he dearly missed. A feeling he wouldn't let the rodent know, if only to make it more interesting.

“What thing to happen?" he asked.

“The poem, yes, yes?"

“The poem can't happen, it's just a bunch of words in a piece of paper."

“And what can happen, fox of light, yes? Things happen, yes, yes? Is the poem not a thing, yes, no?"

“I don't know where you're trying to get, Zavi'sh."

“I'm not trying to get anywhere. The wagon, the horses, the fox of light, they're getting somewhere, yes?"

Telsin sighed to the rat's smile. He needed to be more specific.

“What I meant is that some things cannot happen, they just are. Like a rock, a moon, the sun. They don't happen, they exist and that's their end."

“Oh," Zavi'sh leaned in, twitching his nose, “The poem is a rock, a moon, or the sun, no, yes? The poem happens, yes? Not just the words, not just the paper, but everything else. The lazy fox, the winds, the werewolf. You didn't wake up, it happened, yes?"

“You're saying that… You knew I would be too lazy to wake up and still sent that poem to me."

“A lazy fox, yes? It was a fun joke, an exercise, a hello from the past. The fox laughed, the lazy fox found it funny, yes? I made something good happen, yes? Call that a poem, no, yes?"

“Fine, you win Zavi'sh. It happened… In some way," he paused, giggling from the rat's happiness, “Anyway, what made you return to Solholm, Zavi'sh?"

Zavi'sh returned his gaze to the window, his tail lashing against the wagon's floor in the process.

“Simple, calm, boring, dragons. Humans do things, they are not heirs, they are not beasts. I missed these kinds, I missed their scents, I missed their ambition," he turned back at the fox, “I'm here to see the humans, yes? Even if they rather not see me, no, yes?"

Telsin sighed. The rat was almost always right; humans would usually be good storytellers and story makers. They refused to stay put, always trying to reach for the highest spots, the most dangerous limits and never giving up. In every sense of the word, humans were interesting.

Leaning on his seat, Telsin could smell the mouth-watering scents of baked fish, tender potatoes and succulent cuts of beef all around central Solholm, knowing that a good meal awaited for them in the Keeps' Conter. A place he didn't see the need to abandon for some unclaimed glory. He wasn't a human, after all.

“Yes..." Zavi'sh grabbed his attention with an overly dragged out word, “I want to see… How they fare, yes? For danger walks in this city, yes?"

Telsin turned his head towards the rat, who moved out from the window to let the fox see what happened on the outside. Something walked on a distant street, its slow steps along the narrow and gloomy alleyway carrying the weight of duty along with the pressuring presence of anger, flowing from the blurred sinister body to the stone street, like a brief ominous stain of dark magic following the creature's steps. Telsin's fur bristled and he shivered as the wagon continued its way, losing the figure to the buildings that blocked the fox's view.

“Zavi'sh… What was that?"

“The light sees it, yes? The light is right, it doesn't lie, no."

Telsin snarled.

“You know what that was, right?"

“How can I know, fox? I cannot see, for I have no light in me, no, yes?" his grin widened as his face returned to the window, “No… I cannot see at all."

[“Telsin..."] the voice in his head finally awoke, its tone irregular and nervous.

“Hazel? What's the problem?" Telsin thought.

[“I'm afraid, Telsin. That thing is no normal creature."]

“Shh… Everything is okay. Is it human? Is it an heir?"

[“I'm not sure, it might be something else."]

“Something else?"

[“Don't get near it, please, Telsin."]

“I will if I have to, Hazel. I can't just run away."

[“And you won't. You will find it again, and you will fear it, but you will not run."]

Telsin felt the truth within those words, reminding him of previous incidents. Luckily for him, old scars don't need to be visible.

“Zavi'sh, Hazel is afraid of it."

“She should be. She sees the dark instead of light, yes?"

“Are you going to let that thing just walk around the city?"

“It's guilty already, yes, no?" the rat said, incredulous, “You will use the light and smite it for its nature, yes? What is the thing, fox of light?"

“I don't know, but-" Zavi'sh jumped from the window to the fox's lap, the black nose almost touching the vulpine muzzle as he spoke.

“Will you act without knowledge, fox of light?"

Zavi'sh let the question hang in front of the shuddering fox before returning to his seat, moving his tail out of the way and turning his muzzle upward to smell all the food that expected them. Telsin bared his fangs and growled. No matter how wrong it felt to leave that creature walking around, he couldn't just jump from the car and attack it; it was against the regulations.

[“If you have to, Telsin, I will help you."]

“Thanks, Hazel. You should rest now."

The cart stopped and their conductor opened the door, motioning towards the inn's grand entrance by his side.

“Let's eat, yes?" Zavi'sh said.

---

“Do I have permission to give up, Master?" Alexander said, still rotating the smooth wooden object in his paws.

“Not yet, Alexander. At least one last try," Aurion said while reading one of the many letters piled up on the dining room table, “It's actually one of the few times I heard you give up."

Alexander squinted at the object and sniffed it on both ends, receiving only the faint smell of old maple wood. The object had two holes through which it was possible to transport some kind of fluid. The first one, at the front as his Master put it, was much bigger and deeper than the second, enough to hold some kind of small berry, as its upward position would allow for it. The object thinned out through its body and curved upwards near the other end, a tiny slit on the extreme side granted another entrance. Alexander could make nothing of it, except for maybe some kind of instrument.

“You may use something other than your eyes or nose, Alexander," Aurion said and then added, “However, do remember to clean it up afterward."

“Yes, Master," Alexander said, bringing the object to his muzzle and blowing at it. The tiny slit did not fit his canine lips, as expected from a human instrument, but the sound that came from the other end didn't resemble any kind of delightful sound he'd heard before, as if blocked by what laid inside the wooden tube. He decided to try the opposite, inhaling from the tiny slit, and the air that came flowed much easily from the tube, making the fox cough from the faintly scented air that invaded his maw.

“It's something to draw air from," Alexander said.

“Indeed, but why would we draw air from something like this when we can do the same with our mouths and noses, Alexander?"

“It must be related to this larger hole in here," he tapped the hole with a claw, “I believe you can put scented herbs in this end to make it smell better."

“Better, apprentice? Did it smell of something else than fine maple?"

“Yes. It had a faint, dry and sweet smell. It reminded me of some kind of herb I've encountered before, but I don't know its name."

“Tobacco probably," Aurion said, turning around. His face showing an angered expression.

“Master? Did I do something wrong?"

“No, no apprentice," he calmed himself, running a hand through his short white hair, before returning to his letters, “I've been fooled, that is. A small mistake on my part."

“Can you explain what is this thing then? Or, at least, tell me the name?"

“Yes, certainly. As I told you, the name has the purpose of the object. It is a smoking pipe, which was supposed to be clean, fresh from the hands of the craftsman."

“And this scent proves it is not?"

“Yes, apprentice. It has the remnants of tobacco from the previous use… I must get some of my money back."

Alexander examined the object once again.

“You said that you didn't have any intention of using it, Master."

“Yes. It was supposed to be pristine and immaculate. A new decoration to be added to my room. However, it has not been properly cleaned," he said, putting a letter to his side and grabbing another one from the pile, “Don't you agree that I should, at least, get some of my money back?"

“I don't know how the regulations work for something like this. I will be back," Alexander went to the kitchen in order to get a cup of water to prepare his spell.

“Would you return it, Alexander?" His Master shouted over the dining room, flinching the wolf with the loud sound.

“No," he shouted back, starting a transmutation circle in the air next to the pipe, hoping this conversation would not break his concentration, “and you don't need to shout, Master."

“Are you saying that from a human or a wolf's perspective?" Aurion said as he began to read yet another letter.

“Human's," his last shout made him twitch his paws for a moment, and the almost complete circle faded into the air, vaporizing into a thin silvery mist. He bared his fangs, resisting the temptation to curse. “May I skip the explanation, Master?"

“No, Alexander. Your reasoning is not obvious in this case," Aurion moved another letter from table to pile, “but you can make it brief."

Alexander sighed. Even if this exercise would prove to be useful in the future, he didn't look forward to having to redraw the circle after every phrase. However, he would certainly try.

Drawing the outer circumference, Alexander muttered his response with enough intensity to not let his fingers twitch, and also to be sure his voice would reach his Master's less sensitive ears.

“The price of the object carries the service to clean it, and make it presentable," Alexander said as he completed the first straight lines inside the circle and began working on the symbols.

“Certainly a poorly done service," Aurion said, grabbing the quill and ink to scribe something.

“With the senses of an heir, yes, Master. However, my perspective is of a human."

The symbols shimmered inside the circle with alternating shades of red, blue and silver, urging Alexander to complete the inner star.

“Yes, continue apprentice."

“It is not possible for a human to clean this pipe so thoroughly if he can't see the need to do so," Alexander examined the complete circle, waving his paw around it and narrowing his eyes on the pipe over the table.

“So, was it just beyond his ability to properly clean the pipe?"

“Yes and no, without a contradiction."

Water flowed from the cup to the pipe, entering through the slit at the thinner end and spreading inside the various divisions he could gather about, before emerging from the other side and swishing in the air.

“The seller cleaned the pipe, properly, as much as he could see, smell and taste. Any other human would agree the pipe was clean."

Water flowed through the pipe once again, entering through the wider hole and reaching out on the thinner end, adhering to the outside of the object and cleaning the few particles of dust that managed to gather on its external part.

“Even by being dishonest, Master, the lie is part of the service, no matter if he didn't believe it was indeed a lie."

“Thanks for the clarification, apprentice," Aurion said, “your reasoning improved since the first times we attempted a similar discussion."

As flattering as the praise sounded, Alexander wasn't sure of how to take it. He still didn't feel ready to tackle his Master's research by himself, and his reasoning was just the bare minimum required to be accepted as a Temple officer.

The spell ended with the dirty water pooled inside the cup once again. Alexander exhaled from the strain this discussion caused on his concentration and threw out the dirty water, proceeding to wash his paws.

“Come here, I have something for you, apprentice."

Alexander grabbed the now clean and pristine smoking pipe and walked back to the dinning room, seeing the much smaller pile of letters his Master had to read, and another pile he would have to prepare and send. Placing the pipe on its metal stand, Alexander sat down by his Master's side, receiving an unsealed envelope with the Temple's crest drawn upon the violated seal.

It was a summon, for him to be the supervisor of another heir's Call.

“Why me? I didn't even finish the officer training."

“Your Call was, as the officer agreed, exceedingly smooth. Granted, you had all the knowledge I could gather before it happened, and everything went as best as it could."

“It wasn't any kind of skill, only luck."

“Don't you have the honor and services crest with you?"

“Yes, but I don't think I'm prepared for something like this."

“You were prepared for yours, and you have more knowledge than any other young heir could have. Also, you both share species."

Alexander leaned back and reminisced his Call. He did not achieve any sort of communication or understanding, but he achieved control. His own spirit stood quiet every time he tried to talk to it, with the only rare response being the word 'Watching' in a warm, soothing voice. Still, he did have access to his fire.

“What should I do, Master?"

“Whatever you want, apprentice. You don't have much time, his Call is in three days."

“I'm almost late then," Alexander stood up, holding the scroll carefully in his paws, examining the date inscribed on the text. Fourth of Dark, the day of his failure.

“But he'd forgiven me..." he thought. With enough built up curiosity, Alexander couldn't resist the question.

“Why did you hide this letter, Master?"

Aurion tried to stand up as well, however his shaking struggle was too much for the wolf to bear, and he provided both arms to help the old and tired human.

“I'm sorry. I think I've grown too fond of you, wolf."

“You need to rest, Master. The amount of orders only grows with each Wind; you won't be able to supply that amount of enchantments this time. How many could you do today before feeling this tired?"

“A lot," he smirked, “Still, I will keep trying, Alexander. Like every week, I will try my best to accomplish what others rely on me for," he paused to take a breath, “Can you see what I'm saying, apprentice?"

“Yes… but-" Alexander bit his lip. “But you're a human" would be his classic response, and however content he made himself with it in the past, his Master made sure to remove this conviction, “Who will take care of you, Master?"

“I can hire a butler while you're out, apprentice. Don't worry about me."

“A hired butler won't have training in enchantments. How can I not worry about you, Master? At least drop some of these orders, there is no way I can help this heir and leave you to deal with these jobs by yourself."

Aurion sighed, “These enchantments must be done, apprentice. I can promise you to stop whenever I feel incapable of continuing."

“And when will that happen, Master? I've seen you forgetting to eat and sleep! I don't want to… Think about what could happen without me around," Alexander helped Aurion to the dinner table. The old human brushed his white hair, looking with pleading eyes to the wolf, “Please, don't do this to yourself, Master."

“Would you choose me over that heir, Alexander?"

Anger and protest swelled up his neck, bristling the fur on his head before reaching the ends of his lips, producing a snarl he failed to contain.

“Is that why you hid the letter, Master? To force this choice upon me?" Alexander contained his anger. He knew that his Master didn't mean ill upon him, or even the poor young heir. Yet, the trap was set, and Alexander knew this test would teach him something new. “You know how conflicted I feel over this. The heir needs the guidance, and the Temple trusts in my ability do it."

“And I trust you to make the right choice. Choose, apprentice."