It’s been another two months since Helo visited Bernard. Practicing diligently Helo can feel things up to five meters away. It isn’t far but it is enough to get a feeling on the other side of a tree or wall. The thing that Helo learned is that Aura is felt like pressure. But the more pressure he exudes the more he can feel, but so can whoever is being seen. So, Helo still focuses on his natural senses more.

  Not only can he see, he found that his natural aura when condensed in front of him is a swirling blackish purple and gold. It is very beautiful. He can’t physically move an object yet, but he is hoping that he will be able too soon. Infusing his aura with his bloodline makes it use its unique nature; he has yet to be able to test the ‘gold’ other than the rapid healing. Thanks to Mr. Bernard’s help he learned that all the shadows are a secondary effect. It is still within the possibility of using the shadows, but it takes a lot more energy. The main use is its ability to nullify. When doing so blackish purple shadows are a byproduct. Helo practiced this by specifically blocking off specific senses. He would erase the sounds he makes. Then the smell he gives off. Helo found this great, because erasing just his sounds is a lot easier to focus on and takes less mental energy.

  So, using this technique he can move faster in the woods without making a sound and using less energy and concentration. Helo likes to move through the trees so the animals he hunts can’t see him anyway and he moves too quickly and decisive for smell to matter if he is downwind.

  After another month of practice, using his abilities is becoming second nature. Silencing a step, erasing a smell, hiding in the shadows. The main effect of his bloodline seems to be the ability to hide and conceal. But there is more there, effects

  He has even gotten better at controlling the secondary effect, manifesting shadows around him. He can maintain them on and around his body easier now. With time he is hoping to create a field of shadows.

  Lelai has been practicing as well. “Come on Lelai. Let’s go check the traps.” Stepping out of a fog Lelai appears. She was hidden in a fog too thick to see into and four meters square. “That is impressive Lai. You’re getting much better at that.” Lelai has been growing faster as well. Her physical strength has not risen much but her agility, dexterity, and stamina have gone up a ton.

  Walking together down the path it is getting darker out. Something is wrong with Helo’s senses. The sound is off from the usual sundown noise, it’s too quiet. Crouching onto the ground Helo waves Lelai over and listens to his surroundings. It’s not totally unheard of for there to be hunters, poachers, or even hikers walking through the forest. But this late is weird. Motioning for her to stay close, she and Helo have played this game before. They often hunt together. She will play support, and Helo will go for the kill.

  Pulling from his blood, energy flows into Helo. Whisps curl around his body. They play around him; it looks so natural it’s like it was always meant to be this way. His nails lengthen and canines sharpen. He is hoping that it is some kind of predator trying to move into a new territory. Rarely will Helo kill another hunter. But he does enjoy the fight for dominance. Staking his claim feels amazing.

  Pulling up and kissing his necklace, which is something Helo has found himself doing more. With his enhanced senses he can feel the immense energy held within the small object. Helo is ready to hunt.

  Climbing a tree and nullifying his traces he starts to work his way through the forest. Below him Lelai follows his image in the trees. She learned how to infuse her eyes with mana to improve her night vision a few weeks ago. Now Helo moves skillfully, cloaked in darkness but not fulling manifesting his ability to create a layer of weaving twisting shadows. This is why Lelai can still follow him. But, to anyone not looking specifically for him he is much harder to see.

  “Uncle! You said we could go tonight, and it is getting later! It is almost sundown.” Alli says, stomping her foot infront of the doorway.

  Luna looks at her boss in confusion. Hinata leans over, “She isn’t as haughty as she likes the world to see. Your real boss is whiney and shy.”

  “Hey! Don’t you go spreading rumors about me. You like to keep up that calm facade but we both know the Kitsune in you is strong with mischief.” Alli yells.

  Hinata stickes her head to the side and pretends she didn’t hear. Luna is looking at the two, wondering how this is going to work out.

  “Alli speaks up. Don’t worry. Were planning on having you take care of all the management stuff and the fighting and survival will be on Helo.” Luna looks at Alli thinking. Is that supposed to make me feel better. So far all I know is that Helo lives in the wood and murdered four men.

  Putting on a brave smile that Luna doesn’t feel right now, “Okay! I’m sure it will work out.”

  Pulling out her phone Alli says, “Can you believe this. I don’t know who keeps talking about the dual, but someone is trying to make a big deal out of it. Seriously it’s ridiculous.”

  “I know. Why would they make it into a whole thing. It’s stupid.”

  “Wait are you two talking about the idiot who challenged the Starhaven Heir to a dual?” Luna says.

  “What there did you hear that!” Alli says indignantly. “That stupid idiot challenged Helo to a dual.”

  Bernard walks out now giving her a thumbs up. “Ahahah that’s the spirit girl! I don’t know who, but someone is trying to monetize it. I’m not sure what though. But you all said you wanted to meet Helo. The thing is from what I know the kid trains his aura in the morning until he passes out from mental fatigue. Then he does it again after dinner. He leaves around sundown to check his traps. We will arrive in his clearing and wait for him to show up.”

  The three girls look at him in astonishment. “Wait! Did you say aura! The thing uncle practiced for years and couldn’t do until he was 25 and what you were 30 or something!” Alli isn’t sure what she was hearing.

  “How is that possible.” Hinata says.

  “Well, it isn’t really for me to say. But I will say that to find one’s aura they must align their will with who they are. Then they must will into existence a phenomenon that aligns with themselves. This can be an affinity or an action. Really anything could go. But this kid had been doing it for years. It is easier for some people for certain reasons. You can ask him yourself if you want to know. But it is considered rude.”

  Still dazed, the girls followed Bernard into the wood. As they left the gates a massive and beautiful stag stepped up near them. “This is Twigs. He is a nice guy and agreed to show us the way.”

  As they followed the stag it started walking slower. Bernard put a glowing hand to the ground. “Something isn’t right.”

  “Is Helo, okay?” Hinata asks.

  “Mhm. Oh yeah, he is probably fine. My reach doesn’t go all the way to his den so I can’t be certain though. But something is riling up the forest.”

  They slowly carry on for 20 more minutes before they hear gun shots in the distance. “Girls we are going to go slowly okay. Stay close to me. Nothing will hurt you if you stay close.” Then Bernard let his presence roll over the land.

  The girls can feel the energy being emitted from Bernard and are all shocked. Getting closer to the noises the girls can hear screams of men but they can’t see anything in the pitch-black forest.

  At first Helo wasn’t sure what to think. A mile or so from his usual hunting grounds he found a bunch of men trekking through the woods. The all have guns and helmets with flashlights. The one in the lead was holding out a compass and following its trail. Slowly following them, Helo realized that they were heading up his path toward Lelai. Taking off he quickly passes the men and got in front of them. As he passed, he heard a few of them say, “Aye what was that!” and others, “That branch is moving.”

  Continuing in front of them he got to Lelai and had her move off the path with him. Moving closer to the men on the ground he crouches in a bush about 100meters from them so he can listen to their conversations. “Hey. Everyone shift left. The compass is turning.”

  What a moving compass? I wonder what they are following. The men continue moving and Helo realizes that they are heading his way. He moves with Lelai back to the path in front of the men. He wants to get out of the way of whatever that compass is tracking. As he moves, he pauses to listen as the man holding the compass says. “Pause! It is moving again. This damn thing must be running around. Spread out and face front.”

  At this point Helo realizes that they much be tracking him. Telling Lelai to wait, Helo circles around them. Moving quickly and without a sound and reaches the back of the men only for them to keep moving forward. What… what is going on. Confused Helo dashes back infront of the men so that he can get to Lelai before they do. Reaching her they go off to the other side of the me. “It’s close enough to circle us.” The boss says. “If you find it just kill it. The young master wanted to wear it as a necklace for some dual. In the next year.”

  “Huh…” Wait. Helo thinks looking at Lelai. They are tracking you. Moving further away with Lelai Helo sits down pulling her on his lap. “Now these men are after you. They came into our house trying to hunt you down. I intend to return the favor.” As he speaks his eyes start to brighten and his smile turns vicious.

  Lelai is smart. She might not be able to put all the pieces together. But she knows what her packmate wants to do. Yipping in support and letting out a piercingly haunting howl the hunt is on. This is what she has been training for. She might not be dealing massive damage, but she could skulk in the shadows and confusion her packmate creates and add to the chaos.

  Seeing Lelai excitement Helo gets up and gets ready. Pulling his hair that has been growing, into a bun he then pulls his hood up. Tightening his knives, Helo takes a breath and starts running through the Forest. Lelai knows what to do. They have played this game before. He will attack, she will confuse and then it starts all over again.

  Smelling the humans in the air, Helo jumps into a tree and counts their numbers. Moving smoothly wherever he hears movement Helo counts nine humans. They are spaced out in pairs. But they are still visible to one another. Spreading out his senses to the max Helo can also feel the slightest buzzing happening outside his skin. This means that some of them are awakened. Whatever that means. But the feeling is mostly coming from the man with the compass. He is pointing in whatever direction Lelai is. He is doing a good job of making the men look all over the place as Lelai runs around.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  Feeling ready, Helo meets with Lelai one last time before running to the right and jumping into a tree. Lelai breaks left intentionally making noise about 20 feet from the men closest to her. As they yell and point all the men move in that direction. The two pairs in the center spread out wide to the left and right. The closest pair move forward pointing their rifles and the last pair of men run to catch up. The leader is moving with the front men shouting directions. They start firing their weapons.

  As the last pair try to catch up to the men in front Helo sneaks up behind them. He is always surprised at the weakness of human sight. What kind of species would evolve to need artificial light at night. When the moon through the trees is enough to see by.

  Moving far faster than them through the dense trees Helo pulls out his knives, crossing them behind the man’s neck when he steps behind a tree, he slashes them across drawing blood. As the man drops Helo shoves his face into the forest floor. Due to the angle of the Kukri blades both sides of the man’s neck have their carotid artery cut open. Reaching his hands for his neck as blood gushes out the man groans into the forest floor.

  No longer able to hold his head due to his neck being cut, he quickly bleeds out. Staring down at the man Helo wonders if he feels anything but, in the end, they choose to enter these woods as hunters. They should be ready to become prey. It is their fault.

  The second man can’t hear his friends death over the gunfire, but he turns around to see his partners flashlight behind a bush. He walks around the bush only for a blade to slide under his helmet up into his skull. Helo waited for the man to round the tree and reversed his grip on his blade, so that it curved up. Helo stabbed, killing him silently and quickly. Withdrawing the blade Helo starts to feel a little fatigued but before he can do anything he hears more gunfire. They are getting further away.

  Feel worried for Lelai who is running away from seven men who are trying to catch her. He quickly gets closer; he can feel his breath start to quicken and his heartbeat is really starting to pick up. It is getting harder to contain his killing intent. It wants to burst out smothering the area, but Helo needs to keep it under control and focus on hiding his presence. Helo is starting to really enjoy the hunt. But his worry for Lelai is keeping him from slowing down. Finding the boss and two men facing away from him with the last two groups 20 paces ahead facing in Helo can only assume that she is cornered.

  Taking to the trees Helo works his way over the two men on the left. Focusing on his heartbeat, this kill need to be perfect. Calming his mind and infusing his entire being with as much aura as he can, Helo drops down on top of the man. Before he hits, he sees whisps of aura wrapping his blades. Then the blades both sink down into the man’s chest from his neck.

  “Huh…” Standing over the corpse Helo is momentarily frozen. His blades sliced so cleaning down that it felt like there was only water in his way. Looking at his chest it looks like it was cut with a razor blade. Reaching down Helo flicks off the man’s light before disappearing into the woods.

  From across the way he hears one of the men shouts. “Hey Squad Three, did your partner trip?” The man looking over realizes that his partner is gone, he starts looking for him, tripping in his search he starts to push up only to realize he has fallen on his partner.

  Hearing the men yelling to one another. Lelai, who is in a fox hole. She claimed it from a groundhog she hunted. She can’t help but think how stupid these humans are. They are trying to catch her on her home turf. From the burrow Lelai starts creating fog using her mana. As more and more fog starts to billow out, she dashes from her hole and past the men and away from her packmate. He is busy hunting; she is the distraction.

  “She is getting away. Squad two she is running near you!” The last two groups chase after her as Helo walks behind the man on the ground.

  He walks slowly because his mind is focused on his aura. For a moment he thought that he coated his blade. Something weird came from it. Trying again, Helo can see a single swirl run up his left blade before it drops. “Dangit.”

  Helo is far too distracted, letting the man on the ground roll off his companion, while drawing his firearm. He shoots Helo in the leg and hip.

  “Ahhh!” Yelling in pain Helo tosses both his knives. One hits the gun in the man’s hand while the other hits butt first into the man’s face. Diving down Helo drives his claws onto the man’s head and bites on his neck. The man tries to push Helo away. He succeeds on his third push but a piece of his neck goes with Helo.

  “Phhht. Ahug. I didn’t want to eat you, just your blood.” Helo says while standing up. He can feel the wound closing but it still hurts.

  The last five men all stop when they hear two gunshots about 50 meters behind them. “Where is squad three? Come to think of it, four is gone as well.” One of the men say.

  The leader looks at his compass but yells, “Dammit. The compass is going haywire. I have seen this before. It means that a second magic beast is in range. This technology doesn’t work when we are in a druid’s domain. Dammit!” Putting the compass away the man looks up only to find that they are surrounded by fog. “When did this happen?”

  “Huh. Oh. Isn’t that the same fog that came out of the bushes.” Another man says.

  “Yeah. This fox is far smarter than anyone gave it credit for. But what happened to three and four.” The boss says turning to look at the fog surrounding them. “The only other person out here is a 13-year-old kid.” Looking back, he sees the faces of team one but not team two. “What happened to two? Something is hunting us, circle up back-to-back! Now!”

  Drawing the other two away was easy. Lelai flashed her tail around a tree, and they came running only for Helo to ambush them. Helo isn’t sure what he prefers. Right now, he is filled with energy, but he must be more cautious about his movements. The energy is quickly dissipating though and as soon as he finishes explaining the last plan all the golden energy is gone.

  Climbing a tree above the three men they are all wildly looking around and slowing shuffling together out of the fog. As they slowly move, Helo prepares to drop. Once they are directly below him Lelai makes a loud yip.

  All three heads whip toward her and their movement pauses. The man closest to her is the boss with the compass. He takes a step forward. At the same time Helo falls from the tree. Holding the kukri blades down like twin fangs Helo focuses on his desire for nothing to be in the way of his blade. The dark energy responds to his call. Draining a massive chunk of mental energy darkness bursts forth wrapping the blades in a swirl of aura, once the spiral stabilizes into a mini tornado the black whisps rush in coating the edge of the blades. It looks like each blade is born from the darkest night. When they meet the men’s helmets, they pass through like nothing is there. With his concentration broken from the spectacle of the blades. Both Kukri get stuck, and Helo topples onto the floor. Landing on the two men Helo tries to pull his knives free but they are stuck. Looking at the men one of them has a knife on his waist. Grabbing it Helo slowly rises.

  With the sound of three men dropping, the leader of the group whips around. He squints his eyes and can barely make out anything through the thick fog. But he can see the toppled over bodies. One of them is slowly sitting up. Carefully making his way forward he points his rifle at the man. When he gets within five feet, he can see that the man isn’t wearing any of their gear. Opening his mouth to ask what is going on he looks down at his comrades only to see blood on the ground. Pulling the trigger, he feels the recoil then his gun jerks to the left. Looking up he sees the man that was five feet away and on the ground. He is now holding his gun by the barrel with a bullet hole going through his right shoulder. “Awwe. That hurt.” A high voice says, he hears realizing that this isn’t a man. This is a child. A little tall for his age and muscular, but a child.

  About to put the kid in his place he looks into his eyes and freezes. The glowing eyes of the monster in front of him draw him in. With a flash of movement, he feels a sharp pain in his stomach. Shaking from shock he slowly drops to his knees. “Please spare me! I was paid to come here! I can give you the money! I’m an awakened, if you kill me, they will send people after you!”

  Helo pulls the man’s knife from his shoulder sheath and stabs him through the eye. Biting the kneeling man, his scream is quickly cut off. Helo drinks until his shoulder wound is healed. This is the most injured he has ever been. After about 30 seconds he feels better and the vitality within his body feels stable again. The vitality flowing in his body makes his red eyes change to gold.

  He can feel the hole in his shoulder slowly recovering. Standing over the corpses of the last three men Helo closes his eyes and waits for the pain to fade. Focusing on his senses Helo can hear four more people, “This isn’t good.” Helo says before rushing back into the trees. Catching Lelai as he is running, he circles around the four to get a better view while Lelai waits up front.

  Waiting a moment for the overwhelming golden energy to fade, Helo decides that he needs to focus on figuring out the other side of his bloodline energy. The healing is great. The cleansing of fatigue is also great. But it blocks off his stealth and leaves far too quickly. Helo drank from the leader of these poachers for about 20 seconds. He healed his shoulder, and the energy lasted less than a minute after.

  With golden eyes shifting to red a pitiful amount of black whisps trail up Helo’s body. He only has the mental strength left to erase his sound and it won’t last long.

  With a refreshed if a bit worn body Helo climbs a nearby tree as quickly as he can. Crouching along a branch he is about able to see them. Then he hears happy yipping. “Huh Lelai.”

  Crawling forward he sees her enter the now fogless clearing where they just killed five people. She happily bounces up to the four stunned people and starts excitedly yipping. Seeing white hair next to black. Helo drops from the tree. Landing heavy due to his tired mind he stumbles back onto his butt and closes his eyes saying. “Ah. Hi.”

  “What do you mean you don’t know what is happening! Isn’t this your forest!” Alli says to Bertram.

  “My domain doesn’t spread this far Alli and I can’t commune with surrounds correctly if we don’t slow down. Plus, it’s easier to connect with animals. But all of the animals have left the area because of an angry predator woke up.”

  “Bernard-san what do you mean?” Hinata asks.

  “Helo is upset for some reason. All the animals are fleeing the area.” He says while hurrying them along.

  As they draw closer, they start to see fog covering the ground. The further the go the denser it becomes. Hearing gunshots in the distance they push forward only to hear a final gunshot. The screaming starts afterward only to get cut off quickly.

  They are able to see further as the dense fog is rapidly dissipating. “Mhm. This fog is definitely magic based. I wonder who made it.” Bernard says while looking around. As the last of the fog clears out of the clearing, five bloody corpses appear in the center. Using his aura, Bernard can feel a familiar fox in front of him. Focusing harder Bernard can barely sense the aura dropping from a tree at their rear.

  All the girls are staring around the clearing in shock. They have no idea what to think, but Alli and Hinata know who did it. Not seeing him nearby they jump as a happy fox bounces into view. Leaping over the bodies with not a drop of blood on her. She is yipping happily and talking to them basically saying, “Look what we did! Are you proud of us.”

  From behind all the girls are surprised to hear an “Ah. Hi.” This makes Alli smile because this is always his greeting to her. It makes her feel like they have a ‘thing’.

  Turning around she lets out a gasp and rushes forward seeing the extremely bloody Helo. He has holes in his pants and one through his shoulder. He is covered in blood, but Alli doesn’t care as she reaches him. Dropping next to him she starts patting his body. Not feeling any wounds, all she feels is hard muscles. “How are you not injured! What did this?”

  Looking at the five men in the clearing Helo isn’t sure how to respond. He doesn’t get the chance as Hinata is right behind Alli. She lightly drops on his other side and takes in his state. “Good evening, Helo-San.” She says while smiling at him, worry clearly in her eyes.

  “Good evening Hinata-San” Helo says as he slowly recovers. Thankful for the chance to recover energy.

  “You look very tired. We are going to take you to Bernard-sans house to rest." Hinata says while grabbing Helo's arm and wrapping it around her shoulder.

  Surprised by how forward her friend is being, Alli realizes that she is still feeling Helo up and helps him get up as well. As they take their first step a happy Lelai walks up and stares at Helo. “Yes Lai. You did a very good job. Your magic output has gotten very good.” he says smiling at the fox that is ever happier.

  Quickly recovering Helo removes his arms from the girl’s and walks over to the two men crumpled over in the center of the clearing. Reaching out he withdraws one blade and then the other. Cleaning they both on the men’s shirts, he looks up and sees everyone staring at him. Smoothing putting the blades away he asks, “What”

  “So… this was all you?” Alli asks. She looks at Bernard, but he doesn’t seem like he is going to say anything. Luna who has been quite the entire time is staring at Helo with fear and shock and Hinata is waiting patiently.

  Scratching the back of his head he mutters, “Yeah.”

  “How!?!” Alli yells, “There is like five grown men here.”

  “There was nine.” Helo says.

  Everyone looks at him with even more shock. “What do you mean nine.” Bernard says.

  “Four squads. Two-man teams. With a leader. His compass tracked magical beasts somehow. And he had something magical buzzing around him.” Helo quickly says while he starts walking away.

  “Hey, where are you going!” Alli chases after him.

  “I’m dirty.” Helo calls out.

  “Helo-Kun.” Hinata calmly says. “Remember I said you’re coming to Bernard-samas home.”

  “Ah. Sure.” Helo says awkwardly, turning around. The rest of the walk is quiet as everyone has something on their minds.