Ensorcelled

Chapter 11 (Auxilium)

Broken whispers of truth

Are often the greatest misconception of direction

Leading your actions

Influencing your warrior's hate and affection

Giving it a chance

Is closer a risk than a justification of morals

For the possibility

Is far too great to prevent thought quarrels

The false answer

Is the strongest power that destroys all.

Calci Grendish (IM Poet)

Six weeks had passed since the last meeting, and Auxlium had noticed marked improvement on his own and his soulbound's fighting tactics. It had been especially difficult for Auxilium to learn how to fight, something he had neglected at his pack.

Now the dark wolf was quicker, stronger, and far more balanced. It was all thanks to Parvus, who knew more about wolf fighting technique than Auxilium did, and taught him all she could.

At the moment, they were once again practicing in the Combat Arts room. Mr. Wren was reading at his desk, but when he noticed the four of them back again, he placed a bookmark in the pages and stood up. "I couldn't help but notice you all coming here quite a lot. Are you thinking of coming with us on the attack mission?"

"Yes, sir." Theada said to her shoes. Over the short period of time he had known her, Auxilium found out that Theada thought direct eye contact with people she didn't know well very uncomfortable. She also tended to speak quiet, and was repeatedly asked to talk louder. In the past few weeks, however, she had grown even more silent and out of place. At times she would lash out, or just sit staring at a page in her textbook, pretending to read. Auxlium was beginning to feel worried for her, even though Soluseth and Parvus had not noticed her change as much as the wolf did.

Mr. Wren looked down at her, and after a moment drew out his pen. "Would you like to dual? I know you have been practicing duals with Vanessa Deserae, but would you like to try something more advanced?"

Looking up quickly, Theada nodded. She grabbed her pen and stood ten paces from her teacher. Auxilium, Soluseth, and Parvus watched attentively, ready to observe how a master would duel.

The duel began, and Theada drew something that resembled a green Q in the air, and tapped it forward like a projectile. She had recently begun to be able to draw in the blank space in front of her, instead of on a surface. Mr. Wren darted a scribble in front of him and twisted it with his bare hand. It grew into a large red circle with symbols adorning its surface, and the green Q that shot at him was caught. The color turned red, then launched back at Theada.

She was too quick, and sidestepped while drawing a ribbon. She caught it by one side and then dashed a thin line. The ribbon twined around it and Theada slashed the ribbon forward, around the quickly fading red circle. Mr. Wren dropped down and grabbed the green ribbon, which turned yellow around his fingers. With a light tug, Theada made the ribbon twirl around his wrist and wrenched him to the floor, but Mr. Wren stabbed the air with his pen and four trickles fell from the air's gouge. Two of them caught him and stood him up as he sketched a small triangle with lines crossing it into four sections. The other two trickles dashed to Theada and bound her legs while trying to take the pen from her hand.