Truths from the Past: Book 5 of the Kinstone series

The weekend arrives and with it, back to my old training routine. Fenris and Rhea spend the weekends with each other mostly, with the latter becoming more and more shocked with her student’s progress.

However in the evenings is when he and I practice our fusion. Tonight in particular I focused more heavily on my ability to compress and control my magic. It’s only been a couple months since Serasfall set me down this path, but it’s something that I’ve come to relatively master quickly. In that time, I’ve become able to maintain the control for a greater period of time, now up to a full three hours.

It’s not that I have to maintain this level of concentration over that period, but merely learning how to maintain it as a whole. I’ve always been a quickly learner and to have the sensation become second nature is nothing new to me. The goal of course is to contain the power of both of us while fused together.

I stand in the center of the training yards, holding the ball of compressed magic. Its weight is incredible, again wanting to pull me to the ground yet I hardly feel it as my tails gently swish around me. Over time I’ve simply gotten used to it, knowing it’s but a part of me.

I know Celes and Serasfall are standing alongside our wolves off in the distance. All five are watching, waiting to see if something wrong were to happen.

I smile as I close my eyes, feeling the power held within flow around me as air. It’s no longer the raging torrential storm, threatening to tear me apart. It’s now become a peaceful river, flowing gently around me. I imagine standing in the middle the river, feeling the water calming flow against my body.

I open my eyes to look over to see Serasfall smiling to me. “Well done my dear,” she says. “You have come a long way in such a short amount of time, and with it, mastered what I taught you.”

I grin, calming standing with the ball of magic in my hands, gently cradling as if it were a doll.

She nods, “Now, let us see how this translates to your fused state.”

I nod, calmly releasing the magic. I drop my hands to the side and nod to Fenris. He nods, quickly hopping over. He rounds my body, standing next to me.

I close my eyes, feeling the bond between us pulsate, and our hearts beating as one. I know a third heart beats in sync with my own, yet it doesn’t interfere, merely feeling proud and warm. I smile as Fenris and I synchronize completely.

“Fenris,” I whisper.

Fenris lets out a mighty howl, echoing off of the buildings as I feel him flying into my shadow. Our magic and minds slowly combine, feeling his flowing through me and mixing with my own. We have become one. I smile, feeling him gently nudging me in my mind.

A slightly powerful pulse of magic emanates from me. While not as violent as previous times, it’s still a sign of our successful fusion. My tails flow and swish softly around me, feeling the peace and serenity of water, recalling when Marron and I visited the shrine.

This feels even more natural than any other time we’ve fused. It’s like whenever you hop onto a bike and ride without thinking. It’s just there and you simply do it.

I slowly open my eyes again, seeing a beaming Serasfall as everyone walks over to me. Celes then pulls out a mirror and hands it to me. I smile, seeing that I’ve hardly changed, holding my hair and gazing into my darkness-filled wolf eyes. I peer up at them.

Serasfall beams even brighter, “Well done my girl. Now you can assume this form without straining your body.”

I giggle, twirling for them, gracefully waving my tails through the air. I smile look to them as an idea pops into my head. “Hey, do you think it’s possible that Fenris and I can fuse on the fly now?” It’s not like my enemies are going to just stand there and allow Fenris and I sync up.

It’s then I realize that my voice is now normal as well. Although I do miss hearing myself sound older.

Both women looked at my confused. I giggle, shaking my head, “Right, sorry. I mean can we do this without having to take time in order to sync with each other? Say in the midst of a battle.”

They raise their heads in understanding with Serasfall looking me over. “I believe so my dear. However that will take even more time and practice. The two of you already possess an incredible link, so to find a way to shorten the time needed should not be too difficult.”

I nod, smiling. I then feel Fenris nudging at my mind. “We should practice our abilities while in this form. I know you have been watching while I have been training.”

I giggle, nodding. Yep, when not training with the knights, I still sneak off and watch as Fenris undergoes his own lessons.

I leap back into the shadow, disappearing into it. It doesn’t feel quite as awkward as before, being rather normal now. I then reappear behind everyone as they look around, trying to find where I’m going to pop out. I grin, tapping each of their heads with my tails before slipping back into the shadow just as they turn around.

I reemerge atop a pillar, smiling down at them.

Celes chuckles, shaking her head, “You little trickster.” I giggle, summoning tendrils of shadow, having them wave around like my tails.

I’ve also been training with Rhea while fused and unfused in shadow magic, becoming rather proficient with opening shadows and even redirecting magic. I still can’t shadowwalk yet or use tendrils like Fenris when unfused. But it’s a start.

My sister grins, summoning mud golems who then charge at me. I giggle again, wrapping the tendrils around a few and drag them into the shadows below. I leap off the pillar and dive into a shadow.

Several golems soon fly from the shadow, slamming into pillars and into each other. I come up against from a shadow just in time to dodge a disc thrown at me. I smirk, launching a stream of shadows to catch it and hurl it into another golem.

I jump out and open several shadows just as the golems change into their sleeker, faster forms. I catch one and watch it appear in front of another. I giggle, thinking it I could really use this in a fight.

Several more golems hurl themselves at me. My ears flick back, waving my hand as one golem after the next falls into shadows. A few manage to dodge and press on.

My tails swish then rise up, forming a wall of shadow, watching as it pulses with each golem hitting against it. I soon release the barrier, wrapping the remaining golems with my tails and slamming them into the shadows below me, only for them to reappear in a heap with ice sticking out of them.

I slowly swirl shadows until they form a massive visage of a wolf. It lowers its head towards the pile of golems and opens its huge jaws, revealing icy fangs. The golems scurry for a moment but before the shadow wolf chomps down onto them, instantly freezing and destroying them.

I dispel the wolf and fall back onto the ground, panting heavily. While this was fun, it’s really exhausting having to control a form of magic I really need practice with.

Serasfall smiles, clapping her hands, “Wonderful my dear, truly wonderful.”

I grin, “Thanks.”

She nods, “Now, why not defuse and take a rest?”

I nod. “We really did it, didn’t we Papa Wolf?”

I feel him smiling within my heart, “That we have, daughter.”

I giggle softly as our power begins to separate. I pull my legs into my chest as I watch my tails revert from the midnight black with silver-bluish tips back into the normal pinkish blonde with white tips. I run through my mind so many possibilities now with using shadow magic, how to apply it with my other abilities.

I feel a cold wet nose nudging my face as Fenris appears beside me. I grin, stroking his face.

“I feel our time in that form has grown immensely,” he says. “However as to the duration of it, I do not know. Especially now that you and I are not injured and facing a nightmare.”

I nod, pressing my face into his.

“A nightmare?” chirps up Serasfall. “You fought a nightmare?” I look over to see both women looking to me in shock and confusion. “What does he mean by that?”

I look to Fenris who nods to me. “Last summer,” I start, turning back to her, “Fenris and I fought against a nightmare who is bound to my birthmother after she was resurrected and altered into a teenage girl by them.” I curl my tails around me, “We nearly beat it a few times only for it to simply come back.”

Serasfall and Celes both kneel down in front of me with their wolves encircling me. I smile, wrapping my tails around theirs.

Serasfall nods to me, “You did very well Aria. However you continually refer to your enemies as 'them'. Who else was there and who is responsible for this abominable act?”

I look away slightly, “I can’t say his name, nor his partner.”

Serasfall gazes for a moment and then nods, “That would be for the better. If you were to say their names, I personally would hunt them down and slay them. Which if I were to, would severely alter history.” She then looks to me, “Which I would never have the chance to have you here with us.”

I giggle softly, blushing.

She smiles, “Now, do you know the difference between the Bond and something being bound to another?”

I nod, “The bond is when two beings are connected through the heart, much like family. Something that is bound to other is forcibly shackled to whatever is summoned. However there is no love, no warmth, only pain.”

Serasfall nods, “Correct. Now, here is something more about nightmares that you may or may not be aware of.”

I look up at her, ears perked up high. She grins, seeing my eagerness. “When a nightmare is summoned from the realm of the dead, it can only be held here in our world by means of a specially crafted container. This process in no different than that of a lich.”

I nod slowly as I listen.

“That being said,” she continues, “if you were to destroy the container, you will be able to not only banish the demon horse back to where it came from, but possibly destroy it completely. This will in effect, also remove the corrupting influence upon whomever it was bound to.”

“How?” I ask, stroking Athena’s head. “I remember Diana, my resurrected birthmother’s reaction when I used kitsune-bi on her nightmare. She was in utter horror as I surrounded it with my flames.”

“When you fought the nightmare, its form appeared to be streams of fire coursing through metal-like segments correct?”

I nod again.

“Well,” she continues, “that is because it’s actually its armor. Your kitsune-bi as you have described them to me, are of the spirit realm. This diametrically opposes the flames of the dead. This harms them deeply. Granted dragonfire is equally as potent as spirit flames.”

I giggle, “My dragon sister actually backhanded the nightmare, causing it stagger.” Even though I was about to pass out at the moment, seeing Silvi one-shot Orobas was awesome to behold.

She chuckles, “Dragons truly are powerful beings, standing atop as one of the pinnacle races of the mortal realm.” She then settles herself, “Getting back onto our topic. If one were to remove the armor surrounding the body of the nightmare, you can then plunge your weapon into its heart, destroying its container. After that there’s one more step to it.”

I tilt my head, “What’s next?”

She nods, “You must completely destroy the demon’s physical form.” Serasfall leans back, “However, if you plan on doing this, you still require more training.”

I slump forward, “Seriously?”

She nods, “I am. Despite how powerful you are now, you still lack the raw power to utterly destroy a demon such as a nightmare. I would suggest in two or three years.”

My jaws drops into my lap, “You’ve got to be joking.”

She shakes her head, “Not in the slightest young lady. Demons of that caliber are extremely powerful. I understand you and Fenris managed to hold it off if not beat it back. However it is still a demon nonetheless.”

I lean back for a moment, feeling Rhea’s fur against my back. I tap my knee and then glance over to Fenris. A grin stretches over my face, “Well…I can always just fuse with Fenris to get the job done.”

Celes leans over and ruffles my hair, “Silly little fox. I never took you for a cheater.”

I giggle, “Hey, all is fair in love and war.” She chuckles again, pulling me into her, hugging me tightly. I look up her grinning.

Celes in turns flicks my nose, “Such a mischievous girl.” I stick my tongue out at her. She chuckles, ruffling my hair.

Serasfall simply smiles at us. “My girls, my most precious girls.”

I blush softly and smile at her. Celes hugs me tightly, rocking me back and forth. I giggle, looking at them both.

Serasfall’s smile widens, “Since you now are seemingly refreshed, than why don’t we put that energy into use and resume your training young lady.”

I giggle, “Yes Ma’am.”

She leans over and flicks my ear, “Oh, speaking of your studies, I have heard nothing but glowing reviews of your efforts. If you keep on this track, I have no doubt you will be top of your class by the time term ends.”

I giggle, “You’ve been talking to Lord Ashlan haven’t you?”

She smiles, “That I have my dear. He is a good friend and an honest man. Although he did enjoy when Penelope chirped up and you became distracted by her. Your little interaction was the highlight of his morning.”

I giggle, still hoping they get better soon. I’d love to take them back to school with me. I know the girls would simply die as they fawn over them.

Serasfall then leans over and kisses my forehead, “Now, let us begin the next phase of your training.”

I blush and nod. Celes releases me from her embrace and we all stand back up. Fenris and I take a few steps away from them as they summon more mud golems.

We stand there for a moment as they charge at us.

I close my eyes and again hear his heartbeat syncing with mine. It’s faster than before, now able to hear it more clearly. But before we can do it, the golems rush up to us and bonk us each on the head.

I grumble as they hurry back over to their starting points. The way I see it, it’s about shortening the time needed to sync. Normally this should be a simple matter, just let our hearts become as one. If we can get it to where the sync is instantaneous then we’re in business.

I glance over to Serasfall as she watches us. I again feel and think of her as a mother, yet I hold back. I can’t claim her as my mother the same way that Celes is my sister. However, she is closer to really being one than Yukari, which is strange. I love Yukari to death and during my spring with her, I slipped into the fantasy that she and I were mother and daughter.

The more I think about it, is it because I’m related to Serasfall that I have these feelings? Both women treated me as their daughter in a way. With Serasfall, it’s stronger, and I’ve only known the woman for four months. So that’s insanely fast to develop such feelings.

For Mom it took me about three to think of her as mother. Granted I wasn’t living with her at the time, so maybe that’s one reason for it.

In the end…I really just don’t know. What I do know is that I love her and Celes dearly. They are truly my family.

I shake my head, pushing the thoughts from my mind away for now.

Fenris and I resume our training, each time failing, yet continue to try. Each failure is met with a small decrease in our timing, but with all things this will still take us a while to master. Hopefully not that long.

I wish Marron could see this. I know she’d be thrilled at watching us train. I sigh, I miss her deeply.