Chapter 8 Chapter 8
"You don't need to keep running, Aurora. Whenever possible, face your enemy head-on so you can analyze their movements!" Ryuk shouted at her while she was running and dodging the shuriken he was throwing at her. However, unbeknownst to the young man, she was just biding her time. She was moving between the trees, looking for an opportunity to strike because he wasn't an ordinary opponent—he was strong, skilled, intelligent, and experienced with all kinds of weapons.
She stopped for a moment on a branch and observed Ryuk, studying his every move. She didn't want to end up like their previous training sessions where he almost took her life. She had tried using her teleportation style to approach Ryuk, but he always knew the direction she was coming from and would attack, ultimately catching her and throwing her somewhere. She would get bruised, and once, he even broke her rib.
She was running away from the man, but not because she was afraid; she was actually studying his movements better when there was distance between them. When she saw her chance, she immediately ran towards him, and when she was just a few feet away from Ryuk, she teleported behind him. She was about to punch him when he caught her arm again.
"You're not being careful again!" he shouted at her. Ryuk punched her in the stomach, sending her flying into the air. She felt pain but not too much. Ryuk thought she would crash onto the grass, but he was surprised to see her slowly shape-shifting. Her golden eyes sparkled, and she smiled, revealing her sharp fangs and claws. She grinned at him.
He was delighted by what he saw, as it meant she was finally able to control her transformations. "Finally, you've learned, Aurora. You're good—" He was about to say more when she vanished from his sight. Before he could even react to the surprise, she appeared from somewhere and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him flying. He felt his ribs break before he could even assess the damage, and he shape-shifted before his body could hit the big tree.
Just as he was about to stand up, he felt himself lifted into the air. Interesting! He was so impressed that he almost clapped, but he knew it wasn't the right time. He knew Aurora still had hidden abilities and powers that they needed to unleash.
It was an honor for him to be Aurora's guardian, even if it meant being a noble. Yfraim himself had ordered and appointed him to watch over Aurora while she was in the hands of mortals. He knew Yfraim trusted him greatly, so he took good care of the young woman. It was his honor to protect a "gift" from their deity, so he had taken great care of her since she was a baby.
He looked closely at Aurora, who was standing in her wolf form with her hand raised. She smiled at him, making it impossible to read her thoughts. Ryuk became alarmed when she raised her hand again, and this time, he knew what she was going to do to him. And indeed, she threw him far away through the air; as a result, all the trees he passed through were destroyed. Even in his wolf form, he couldn't deny that he was severely injured. He felt like his ribs were broken.
He leaned against a tree when he finally stopped flying through the air. He closed his eyes for a moment before standing up when he heard Aurora's voice. She had already approached him.
"Can you still manage, Ryuk?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
"What did I tell you, Aurora?"
"Don't lose focus whenever possible, but I'm just worried about you."
"What do you think you're doing now?" She pouted at him.
"I'm just asking, you look like you're in bad shape," she said, making excuses. "Don't worry, I'm taking everything you've taught me to heart."
"I'm glad you're valuing everything I've taught you." He stood up completely, and Aurora supported him.
Leora, Yfraim, and the others met them, and he saw admiration in their eyes.
"You look like you've been beaten up," Yfraim said, laughing as he looked at him. This was the first time he'd been severely hurt.
"Your brother is really something, Ryuk. Look how badly hurt you are, but he can still laugh," Leora commented, pretending to punch Yfraim, who easily dodged it. The others laughed.
Aurora lay down on the wide bermuda grass as night fell, looking up at the stars in the universe.
"Why do the stars shine so brightly in this place?" she asked, as if she was just talking to someone.
"It's because we're close to them," Nexus replied. She couldn't mistake the voice; she knew it was Nexus. She smiled when she saw him.
"King Yfraim is summoning you..."
"Again?" Nexus nodded.
When she arrived at Yfraim's residence, she immediately saw the Alphas of each branch of wolves, along with Leora, Ryuk, and Yfraim. She bowed as a sign of respect to them.
"Good evening to all of you!" she greeted them.
"Good evening to you too, Aurora!" they replied in unison. "I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore," Yfraim said when he faced her. She felt nervous. "From what we've seen every passing day, I know and we all know that you're ready." "What do you mean?" she asked curiously. She looked at Leora, who just shrugged. Ryuk, on the other hand, was smiling at her.
"You can now return to the world you're used to." She was shocked... utterly shocked!
"But I know you know that I want to find my parents, don't you? How can I find them? I still haven't gotten the dagger of life," she asked them one after another.
"You've already been with the answer, Aurora. Don't keep your mind blind to the truth. Don't be swayed by outward appearances, because they are the ones who can help you. Your heart is the only one that can recognize them," he replied meaningfully to her questions. She was about to ask who, but she hesitated because she knew he wouldn't tell her. "Your heart knows them," he added firmly.
The next day, she immediately left the place where she had been staying for a short time. She was happy to think that she would be reunited with her dad and Fiel, as well as the three other men who had taken care of her. She would take her dad to that mountain to make sure he would be safe. It's her birthday today, so she's happy about returning.
She went to her dad's favorite restaurant to eat and also to take a chance to see her dad there. Despite learning the truth, her love for her dad hadn't changed, even though they're not blood-related. As soon as she entered the restaurant, she was drawn to four men with an elderly man. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat because of what she saw. Even though they were facing away from her, she knew exactly who they were. Her heart skipped a beat especially when the person she was looking for turned around.
Fiel!