"Resulatt Whitemaw..?" a voice spoke out.

"Indeed, Conrad. A former professor at Cubicle, whereabouts unknown."

"Why is this person so important?"

"His family, you leveret. He's one of few people on this continent to possess Spirit Zhangwan; we need to eliminate him. He goes in the way of the chieftain's plan."

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To think a spirit of that caliber would choose my grandson... is both exciting and mortifying. I ought to teach him how to control it; If it runs wild, there's no guarantee to tame it. 

I woke up groggy the next day, with my bed disheveled and a pillow on the floor. I must've slept through the entire day. Gramps was also knocked out cold when I made my way downstairs. I yawned as I took the loaf of bread we had gotten the other day and began portioning it, eating two slices before heading outside.

Twelve is an awkward age—I'm too old for regular school but too young for Cubicle. I figured I must have woken up earlier than usual since I didn't hear the rooster's crowing. With that being said, I decided to make my way to the local pond, kicking pebbles to the side while scaling the road. 

My spot of choice wasn't special, nor was it boring. It was a big, old willow tree that my late parents had planted before I was born. I never really knew them, but according to Gramps, they were both Warlocks, which would naturally explain my goal to be one. Sitting beneath its long branches and thick foliage, I stare at the horizon as the sun peeked its head out before steadily rising in all its blazing glory.

"What'cha doin, Ky?" a playful voice entered.

I turn back and get greeted by a girl with pink-rose hair that drifted with the wind, her sky-blue under-hair matched her eyes. My body was enthralled in joy as my face flushed with heat.

It was Aeri. My childhood friend and a person I was enamored with. 

"Hey, Aeri." I respond wryly.

"Pfft... What's up with your face?" She adds with a gleaming smile, her crescent eyes covered by long eyelashes. I end up staring at her for quite some time, perhaps not noticing the approaching footsteps, because as I know it, the girl of my dreams is sitting next to me, her face portraying a smirk.

"You're cute Ky, you know that?"

My mouth gaped and my already smooth brain lost any means of coordination with my mouth, because all I could verbalize were haphazard strings of gibberish.

"U-um-uh-uh-uh-um-mm-ohm-ahu-ohm-uh, t-the baker c-calls me cute all the time."

Her lips curled up into a smile.

"Mm. Ms. Ruckerburth calls us that all the time, though I'm not so sure if that applies to me..." she said, twirling her hair and hugging her knees. Her tainted apron covering them.

"Do you think I look pretty?"

No doubt about it! You aren't crowned Miss Citadel only because you live in the boonies! 

"O-of course.. you're this village's pride and joy. Your beauty is that of the rising sun." I stammered, pointing to the yellow splotch that was now high in the sky, showing me its love by glaring its rays.

She giggled.

"You're such a gentleman. Who taught you to be so quixotic?"

"Have you seen my grandpa? There's a reason he's popular with the ladies."

We spent the rest of the morning chatting and laughing, rambling on and about on what we were going to do, and who we were going to be. Ultimately ending up on the topic of Cubicle.

"Ooh, so you're interested in going to Cubicle, eh?"

"Yeah, I feel like the entire village knows at this point."

"That's very admirable, Ky. I want to go there too," she commented

My face must've lit up because she smiled at me, pinching my cheek.

"We're going to be classmates, alright?"

"Ow-owrite!" I pleaded, grabbing her hand instinctively.

Her fingers slid in between mine, pushing our hands down.

"That's a promise, okay?"  She pouted

I couldn't even react accordingly.

"Y-yes!" 

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I twirled and shrieked into my palms with excitement. The villagers laughed at me; my face was flushed with heat, both cheeks were blushed in scarlet, and my pupils dilated into hearts. His skin was so soft, I want to pinch them again! I thought, aimlessly walking up to my doorstep, falling against the wooden door, and burying my face in my knees. That Ky, why is he so charming with his words? I ponder, breaking into a giggle.

The door opened.

"Ye finished with ye business?" a voice called.

I looked up, seeing my father's scornful eyes– his stare engraved into my conscience, searching it for any sign of impurities like a hound sniffing out a criminal.

"Yes, Father," I replied.

"Get'n, ye have lots t'do."

Getting up from the ground, I reluctantly entered the place called home.

"Them dishes first, then 'em floors," he instructed.

I immediately got to work, washing the only set of plates, along with their designated cutlery. I thought of Ky while doing so, which was a terrible idea. Father heard me laugh, making my hands tremble, nearly dropping the fork in my hand. However, the grace of Helios must've shone on me today as he merely returned to flipping pages.

Shelving the last plate, I began sweeping the floor, my small hands tenaciously gripping the wooden stick, embedding tiny splinters into my skin, wincing in pain. I requested to go to the room.

"You are to stay here, Aeri." he thundered, inching closer and dropping my broom. "I can do something about those splinters myself..." His cold, brawny hands enveloped my hips and my brain froze in apprehension, my body numb with paralysis. His rugged breathing brushed my sensitive ears, sending goosebumps all over my body.

My heart rate soared.

No! I retaliated. A burst of energy surged through my veins, and in what I can only recall as a flash of light, I suddenly appeared in my room.

My breathing quickened, each puff piercing my chest, barely perceiving the footsteps approaching my door–they were heavy, like Father's. I run to the door, narrowly locking it in time. Bang, bang, bang.

"OPEN THIS DOOR, AERI!"

I thought it was going to break down, the constant pounding of the door resonated with anger, ringing my ears. My breathing slowed down into a rhythmic pulse, the harsh noise sizzling down. My eyelids turned heavy, and everything faded to black.

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Buoyant as a balloon, I began hopping my way back. The shifting of dirt and stone played along with my melodic whistling, each step remembering the scene. She kissed me... THE Aeriel Lightstracs kissed me! My brain replayed the sensation of her soft lips on my cheek repeatedly, each replay torching my cheeks with a vermillion hue. Alfred, our local butcher, saw me.

"Looks like someone woke up on the right side of the bed!"

"That's right Sir, I, indeed, have woken up on the right side of the bed!"

"You say G'morning to that sinecure silver wolf of yours!" He jeered. Crashing his machete down, cleaving a flank of steak with utmost precision, every grain detached down to minuscule detail. I nodded and waved goodbye, approaching my house and enthusiastically opening the door.

"Someone's up early," Gramps said with a tired expression, "I'm the one who had to make breakfast."

"Sorry, gramps! Had to do something important today."

"You're awfully jubilant today, Aeri kissed you or what?"

My face froze as I felt my aura of radiance dissipate into the frigid atmosphere.

"I'm spot on, help yourself with the stew." He snarked.

He really is a silver wolf...