A King's Legacy Ch. 30

"One more time... I told you, I'm hitting you back, even if I have to use Oust to do it..." The bear simply chuckled at the enthusiasm. Oust was stepping back a bit, putting some distance between them, undoubtedly per the Fox's direction. The tiger had a bit of a worried look on his face, making the bear even more expectant that they were about to try something either crazy, or stupid... Rust muttered his trigger, and jumped to the opposite side, the two seemingly trying to surround him again. Corper turned sideways between them, keeping both somewhat in his sights as he awaited the obvious charge. True to his expectations, Rust hollered out the signal, and the pair rushed the bear once again.

"Now!" Rust jolted forward first, Oust hanging back a bit, just as they had discussed. As the tiger started his own sprint a second later, Corper tilted his frame some to prepare to intercept the fox first. Just before Rust was in range, he shouted his trigger, all still well within Corper's expectations. As the fox disappeared, the bear quickly refocused on the tiger. Just before Oust made it to his target, Rust reappeared directly behind the tiger. As Corper launched his fist towards Oust, Rust snatched a hold of the tiger, and shouted his trigger once more.

"MARK!" Rust vanished in an instant, the part the bear hadn't expected, however, was Oust vanishing with him. Sure, Corper was well aware that was possible from his time fighting with members of the Sicario clan, but he never expected Rust to be able to manage it after such a short time. As his wits returned to him and the surprise faded, Sir Corper quickly spun, assuming he would intercept the duo behind him. There was nothing there... Or at least, that's what Corper's first thought was. Then he noticed the shadow.

Just as the great bear raised his gaze upwards, Oust launched a strike with blinding speed, his fist connecting directly atop of his master's muzzle as the tiger and the fox fell upon the bigger beast from above. It turns out, Rust was right. They had finally managed to land a blow this time... And then the three went crashing to the ground in a heap of bodies, one atop of the other with Rust landing safely on top. As the other two beast's were lost in a state of disbelief, the young fox was quick to recover, quite literally doing leaps and bounds in joyous celebration as his tail swooshed behind him.

"YYYYEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!! I KNEW IT! I KNEW WE COULD GET YOU! TAKE THAT, YOU GRUMPY OLD BEAR! You can thank my uncle for that one! He told me always going behind was predictable!" Rust wasn't even trying to hide his ecstatic gloating, but even Sir Corper had to admit, it was no simple feat... A booming laughter soon filled the air around them as the retired knight couldn't help but laugh at the reality of it all.

Two days, that's all it took for that cub to actually pull off getting his revenge. The bear couldn't even lie, he had enjoyed the game almost as much as the fox had. Oust was simply silent, still in a state of disbelief for actually striking fast enough to hit his mentor. It wasn't until his master's laugh rocked into the air that the tiger finally realized it had actually happened. It didn't take long for all three to end up laughing together for entirely different reasons... And then Rust fell to his knees, and lost every bit of lunch he had eaten as he vomited shakily.

Oust was almost alarmed, quickly jumping to his paws, but Corper quickly explained, still chuckling at the cub's previous excitement.

"Don't worry, it just takes a lot to move another person with his skill. If I had any idea he was at that level already, I'd have warned him. The good news is, it's like a muscle, the more you use it, the easier it becomes. The bad news is, there's no healing that fatigue. You need some good old fashioned rest, so are you finally satisfied with your revenge, little fox?" Rust groaned a little, but managed to give the bear a thumbs-up regardless. Sir Corper spoke once more with that settled.

"Good, with that said, Excellent work you two. To be quite honest, I didn't actually expect either of you to pull it off... So, I've decided..." The bear turned towards Rust, and smirked down at the adolescent as he spoke.

"You'll be training with me, little fox. You've got some damned good potential, and I was not mistaken that night you slayed that demon at the orc village... You truly are a warrior worth the investment. So... I hope you hold on to that fighting spirit tightly the next few days, you're going to need it." Rust looked up to the bear from his position on all fours, and groaned a bit. Maybe he had gotten himself into more than he bargained for after all... At least he had Oust with him... As if in response to that thought, the bear quickly turned to his other student, and spoke with a tone Oust couldn't quite identify.

"And you, my young student, have finally started exceeding your own limits. The ones you wouldn't let yourself overcome before... The ones you were told you never could. You have finally allowed yourself to grow, and in turn, allowed yourself to heal. Now take that growth, take that strength, and make it your own... I have already told you, young one, it is time for you to start building your own dance. It is time for you to start finding your own rhythm. It is time, for you to take another step on the road before you..." Sir Corper rested a hand on Oust's shoulder as he looked down at the tiger, and smiled genuinely. He gave his final order for the evening.

"Three hours alone. Every single day. For the first hour, practice the steps I've shown you. For the second, add your own... Figure out what works for you, what works for your body. For the third, do both, merge them into something of your own creation, flow as the water does, strike as the lightning does, breathe fire into your creation, into your body, and channel everything about who you are into those movements. Accept those things, and accept that they too will move with you. This is the next thing you must learn, these steps will lead you down your true path in time... You need to hear me well, Oust... You should be proud of your progress. I certainly am."

Oust bowed in respect, accepting his assigned task with both determination, and with a flutter in his heart for finally feeling worthy of the praise denied to him by his family for so long. For the first time in years, Oust really was proud of who he was becoming.

However, none of the three had any idea what fate had lying just ahead for them, but by the following evening, only these three beasts would truly realize how much everything was going to change... And that discovery was going to shake them to their very core, shifting the course of every single decision or plan they had going forward.

===

"So then we detour through the smaller town of Cayne first, and then we push north? We don't have much to barter for restocking with, so can't we just make the journey with what supplies we do still have?" Prince Tyfin was a bit uncertain. Sure, they had walked nearly two full days south due to the fissure cutting them off, but the young lion was trying to remain optimistic. Captain Rix was as much a realist as ever in response.

"No. We would very likely die of thirst. That's about a week of walking, my king, and we wouldn't have any guarantee we could find another clean water source before then. I do not like the idea of parading you anywhere too crowded with things how they are, but I like the idea of leaving you without an escort even less..."

The bull and the lion had been pretty well going back and forth on this for a while, and as much as the crocodile enjoyed the moment to rest, Fraxis was growing anxious to be back on the move. The croc cleared his throat a bit, drawing the attention of the two more noble beasts with a bit of surprise from both. The croc wasn't much for chatting usually, something Rix actually enjoyed about him.

"Why don't I just make the run into town then? Captain, you could stay with the prince perched off somewhere nearby, and I could hit the market to secure some water if nothing else..." Fraxis trailed off, feeling like he said something wrong as the other two beasts just stared at him. In truth, they were still just surprised to hear him suggest something so obvious, yet so effective... Something they had both clearly overlooked. The pair looked towards each other, and Tyfin just shrugged at the bull. It wasn't a bad idea... Rix looked back towards the croc, let out a small huff, and spoke firmly.

"I'm not so sure I trust you with that. It wouldn't take much to betray us... Especially since me, the prince, and Lady Alice are all presumed dead right now... There are many beasts who I bet would want to keep it that way, and wouldn't mind dropping some gold to the one that has that information. You've done little to impress me, or yet to even prove yourself capable." The prince recoiled a bit for the croc's sake over the bull's harsh words, but Fraxis didn't seem too bothered by the response. The croc answered plainly.

"That's fair, to be honest with you, I don't know if I'm cut out for all of this after what we've been through, so I'm not too concerned about the glory or whatever you nobles seem to prioritize... But I'm common born, if that wasn't obvious enough, and I joined for reasons that are just as important to me... Money. You have a fair point, Captain." The prince was a bit shocked about such blatant confessions, but the bull just snorted a bit as he turned back towards the problem at hand. After a moment, the prince finally cut away from the bull, and turned back towards the croc abruptly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help but to say something... Are you really doing all of this for gold? The Selection, choosing to push forward from the Orc village with us, and even now, staying with us. You're really telling me it's all just simply for pay?" The croc bowed his head a bit as he replied carefully. He wasn't trying to be rude...

"Yes... Look, being common born means one thing, working until the day you die... There's a few things on our mind constantly, where our next meal comes from, how we will keep our homes, and how can we make it just a little easier on our families... Things that all take gold, my prince... Yes, I trained my ass off, and got lucky beyond a doubt in my pairings in the Selection... For gold... Because that's the only way my ma' doesn't have to keep working until the day she dies." The croc lowered his head a little more as he cursed himself for letting that last part slip. The prince just stared at the beast, realizing how shitty his question probably came off as. The lion spoke a bit softly then.

"Is it just the two of you?" Fraxis nodded, answering honestly.

"Always has been... She took care of me for a long time, I just want to take care of her for the last years she has left... That's why I couldn't stay with those orcs. She probably thinks I'm dead, and that might kill her if I can't make it to her soon... She needs to know I'm alive." Tyfin closed his eyes, and bowed his own head a little while he thought some more on it. After a moment, the prince smiled softly, and turned back towards the Captain, speaking in a decided tone.

"Fraxis can secure our water at Cayne. I trust him." Captain Rix snorted, and huffed, and argued against that idea with everything he had, but eventually, the bull conceded to his king's order. Fraxis would fetch the water, and the captain and the prince would hang back with the sleeping mage when they were closer to the small town. Rix had a really bad feeling about all of this... The instincts of such a seasoned warrior were never too far off.

===

It was in the early evening when he awoke... The first thought to cross his mind was how much his right palm was itching. It wasn't until Aster tried to scratch that itch that he really jolted awake.

His eyes went wide as they shot open, his vision darting to where his right hand was... To where it should be. As his eyes focused on the bandage covering the last remains of his forearm, they slowly dilated in horrific realization. Aster wasn't breathing in that moment, his brain scrambling to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness, all despite the deafening ringing that was growing in his ears. As the memories returned to him, the boy recalled the injury from the falling stone... Aster knew it was bad then, but he ignored it for the most part... He expected to be dead, after all... But now, seeing the aftermath? Seeing what he would be living with? Well... Aster finally found his breath.

He exhaled shakily just as the first silent tears began falling, his entire body trembling as his thoughts ran far beyond his control. The human wasn't stupid, he knew exactly what this meant... His fighting days were over. He could not wield his staff with one arm... As that thought spiderwebbed across his mind, another horrible realization came to the boy then. Aster raised his right arm, despite the throbbing pain shooting up his shoulder, and called for his shield.

It did not come without his hand there to hold it... Aster had lost his second shield... Which meant Aster had lost the heartbeat... And Aster had lost the only dream he ever really had along with that realization. Stahl Aschefell awoke from his short hour of rest next to the boy to both the insuppressible gasping, and the uncontrollable sobbing of his mate. The shield had been broken, and the wolf was there to cradle what remained of him within seconds as more and more of the human fell away to his own despair.

"Shhh. I know, Aster... I know. I'm sorry, my love, by the gods... I'm so sorry Aster..." Despite everything he had talked about with his sister, Stahl was quickly losing the little composure he had tried to remember to keep... And so, in a moment of the rawest emotion the two would ever share between them, Stahl Aschefell and Aster Venatus were both soon simply bawling uncontrollably. The wolf held the wounded boy lovingly as they finally let it all out together. They weren't dead, but nothing could stay the same anymore... It was nearly nightfall before they finally managed to stifle one another's tears.

As Aster sobbed out the last of it, his face still buried into Stahl's chest, the beast spoke in the most pained, yet compassionate tone Aster had ever really heard him use... For just a moment, Stahl Aschefell sounded exactly like his father Byron to the human.

"I want you to decide what we do next. I want you to simply listen for a moment while I lay out a few options, and if you hate all of them and want something else, it's alright, just tell me... But if you hear one you like, no matter how you think I'll feel about it, I want you to let me know... I want you to lead us for a while, because I am not certain I trust myself with those decisions anymore." Aster sniffled a bit, and finally squeaked out a response in a whisper so raspy, that the wolf had to strain to hear it.

"I trust you." Stahl felt like crying again, his boy was truly incredible, but Stahl didn't feel he deserved that trust back so easily. To say the wolf was taking all of this quite personally would be an insulting understatement. The beast replied in that same, steady voice.

"I know you do, my love. But I trust you more than I feel I can trust myself right now... I want you to lead us for a while, and I just want to follow your lead wherever it may take us... I ask this of you as a knight, Aster Venatus... Allow me to follow the king I have chosen to serve. Allow me to aid you in those decisions as much as I can, but ultimately, I want you to decide what we do... Will you listen to the options I came up with?" Aster wasn't moving much, and his eyes were still blurry with tears, but the boy nodded ever so slightly, agreeing to hear his wolf out, if nothing else. If Aster was being honest, he wasn't sure there was any path left that could give him hope in that moment. Stahl brought his right arm up, carefully avoiding Aster's injured arm, and began lightly caressing his mate's hair again as he made his first offer.

"The first thing I want to put out there, is staying dead." Aster was almost startled by those words, until Stahl clarified for him.

"The last the people of Alora laid eyes on us, we disappeared in an attack by the sword demon. Since then, our group has been through another massive battle, and then we were swallowed up by the earth itself. That was the last any had seen of us, Aster... I will talk to my father to keep it that way if you wish to escape all of this... We can leave all of this behind, and go forge new lives far, far away from any of this. We can go back to the orc village if you want. We can go searching for another small group of vagabonds and outcasts to join. I bet we could even track down Dally if you wanted... I guess what I want to say here, is we can choose an entirely different path if you want..."

Aster listened closely, just as his wolf had asked of him. The boy pretty well knew that wasn't what he wanted to do, but he would hear his beast out before making any comments. The human whispered another squeaky response, somewhat grateful to have something to think about in that moment.

"Alright. The next option?" Stahl could tell his mate wasn't thrilled about that, but he just wanted to cover some bases. The wolf laid out the next one just as steadily.

"Aster... Back then, when I first kissed you... I took advantage of your inexperience... In hindsight, I unfairly laid a claim on you before you really even knew what I meant by that... I don't want you to ever not become who you want to be because of me... If you need time... Or even if you just need me to go for a while... I will... I will escort you to your father, and I will leave you alone until you call for me, even if that time never comes." Aster sighed, feeling irritated by the very suggestion. He was quick to counter.

"The last thing I want is to lose you too right now. I may need some time for all of this Stahl... But I still want you nearby. I wanted you just as much back then as I do now. We run to each other, my wolf, and we run next to each other... But we don't run away from each other... Things have changed, Stahl, but that has not..." Stahl closed his eyes, and nodded slowly in agreement, bringing the hand stroking Aster's hair down to gently rest against the boy's face. The wolf spoke the next option a bit hopefully.

"The next path is nothing changes. We continue pushing towards my mother's estate as we planned to before, and most likely reunite with your family, my family, and the rest of our group. We make it there, and then we reassess what we know, what we do going forward... I made contact with my sister earlier, so I should have word from father by sometime soon... He may have some sort of good news for us, but there's something else you need to know first..."

Stahl took a deep breath in, and told Aster what he may have once withheld in effort of sparing his mate... But that wasn't what Stahl wanted to do anymore. He needed to be open about all of it. Stahl told Aster everything that happened after he lost consciousness. He told him of the conversation with the demon that had saved them. He told Aster of what the demon had instructed him to do, to go north. He told Aster of the mention of his own father's mercy, and how he planned to get that answer tomorrow. He told Aster of the sword, and of some kind of trial. The only part the wolf left out, was his bold exclamation to propose after he won that sword some day. Stahl was almost certain his mate was going to think he was making all of that outlandish story up, but the thought never even crossed Aster's mind. Instead, the human tightened his left hand over Stahl's arm, and spoke a bit more darkly than before.