Orc Wars 2 : Lazarus

Chapter 26 - Familiars

Valentine, Thief Level 75 came out of dungeon 50 at a run and crashed into Lazarus who was waiting outside. Both went down tumbling and sprung up apart in battle mode. They faced each other with weapons drawn.

"What the hell?"

"Oh, it's just you," Lazarus laughed, relaxed and sheathed his deadly hunter's knife.

Valentine looked hurt as he asked, "What do you mean it's just me? I could have killed you."

"You can try."

"I could've."

"Uh-huh, sure you can."

"Hrummphh. Do you know how many fangirls are dying to see me?"

"I'm not one of them ..." Lazarus smirked. "What were you running from? Did you kill the Boss?"

"Yeah, I ... " suddenly Valentine froze. "Don't move!" he said in a low urgent voice.

"What?"

"Behind you, about twenty paces, there are two wild wolves ..." the Thief's voice was hushed and his eyes wide. He slowly bent down and his hand went to his boot where long blades were hidden.

"Oh you mean ..." Lazarus turned casually but never finished his sentence.

Valentine reached for the hidden weapons and flung it aiming for the beasts who were sneaking up behind Lazarus.

"No! Val!!"

Lazarus sensed his friend's actions and looked from the two huge wolves to Val and back again. In a split second, he leaped in between the flying blades, his hunter's knife in hand. He somersaulted, flipping in a graceful arc. Metal struck metal as Lazarus knocked Valentine's blades out of the air and onto the ground. He landed lightly on his feet and turned around to look back. The two wolves had stopped in their tracks, hunched and were ready to pounce on Valentine. Thank god they were not hurt.

"What the hell! Laz!" Valentine cried out but froze in fighting stance, the savage beasts were too near. He was in battle mode, his sword already in his hands. One wrong move and at least one of the beasts would be dead.

The two wolves were growling menacingly.

"No! Stop! Val! Stop, all of you," Lazarus shouted. "They are friends. FRIENDS!!" He signalled to the wolves and they both calmed.

Valentine thought he had heard wrong. "What?"

"He is my friend," Lazarus said warningly to the animals, pointing to the Thief. "Don't hurt him." They twitched their ears as if listening, then abruptly relaxed, sitting on their hunches, panting. They eyed the Thief curiously, assessing him. 'Friend' meant a possible Ghost Lord. They had stopped growling.

Umm, okay, that was better but Valentine still didn't trust them.

Lazarus cleared his throat. "I wanted to introduce you but when you came bolting out of that dungeon, I guess I got distracted."

He turned to the two patient wolves. "Please change to human form. I want my friend to see you."

Valentine gasped as the two shimmered and transformed to young teenage girls. The silver white wolf had changed to a slim silver haired girl with bright blue eyes whilst the other tawny wolf with black ears had turned into a tawny haired girl with black eyes.

"Oh my God. What just happened?" He threw Lazarus an inquiring look, but kept his hands on his sword.

"They are familiars. They followed me here."

Before Valentine could compose himself, the two girls started arguing.

"Ohhh! Did you see that? He protected me!"

"No! Not you. Me. He saved me from harm!"

"Did you see the way he blocked that blade for me?"

The tawny haired girl stuck out her tongue at the silver haired girl as they continued bickering.

"The new human is handsome too but he is a bit rude."

"I know right? If he throws knives at me again, I'm gonna bite him where it hurts."

"Where do you want to bite him? Not there!" She wiggled her brows suggestively.

The two collapsed giggling.

Valentine blinked dumbfounded whilst Lazarus smiled. 

"They sure talk a lot. Are you sure they are familiars? They are wolves? She-wolves?" Valentine asked doubtfully.

"No, they are familiars. This is their alternate form, their true form was the animals before. Please meet Anya and Tania."

"Are they both yours?" Valentine asked in awe, appreciating their cute human forms.

"Nope, I haven't chosen, but I can only have one. I have only one slot. They are both free for the moment."

The two started nudging each other. Anya came closer facing Valentine. "Can you see us human?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"No, what she means is can you see us," Tania stressed.

Valentine stared at them, then at Lazarus.

"They either look like natural animals or normal humans to everyone below Level 76 and all other NPCs." Lazarus explained. "But to me, they glow and they look furry even in their human forms, that's how I identified them. Anya glows a light blue just like her eyes and Tania has a soft orange light."

"Oh, I don't see that." Valentine admitted.

"Awww," Anya and Tania chorused. "We thought you could see is and choose." They said disappointed. "He doesn't want to choose yet," she pouted at Lazarus.

"Be nice to him, he will be able to see you and choose soon. He is already Level 75," Lazarus said.

"Oh, okay!" They both perked up and started arguing again.

"Which one do you want?"

"I don't know but they seem to be in the same pack. If they choose us, we will be in the same pack too."

Valentine looked at Lazarus. They were not like what he had expected. Familiars were cool creatures who were supposed to be loyal fighting companions. One who helped in combat or quests. He turned back at the two girls, they had sat down on the grass but still bickering.

Lazarus coughed and grinned. "Umm, technically they are still 'puppies'. We will have to train them for them to evolve."

"They are cute in their human form and their wolf forms are awesome!"

"Shhh!!Don't get them started on how cute they are."

"What's with the choosing thing? Is that why they are following you around?"

"It seems their destiny as familiars is to be chosen by Ghost Lords. Only then can they grow and fulfil their great life's mission."

"What's that?"

"Beats me."

Valentine laughed. "And I thought you knew everything. So why haven't you chosen one?"

"I don't know. Anya just popped out of nowhere from Kwan's place. Then her friend appeared. I just don't like to be pressured into anything. I thought I'd concentrate on levelling first and choose when I get to know them better. Also ..." he trailed off looking down.

"Also ...?"

"I don't know how long Lazarus will last. I don't want them to be left alone. I won't take someone in only to have to abandon her later," he said righteously.

"There is that." Valentine looked at Lazarus. He understood how his friend felt.

"Did you get Kwan?"

Lazarus smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "I sure did. Now I have Kirana's Orb too."