“SAVE ME!” This was the third person. “ARGHHHHH!”

The girl did well up until now but the pack’s tactic of tiring their preys out worked even better.

Pace yourself out but keep the prey within reach. Overwhelm prey but never overcommit. Go for weak points when they are exposed.

Surround. Observe. Attack.

Simple and effective such is the way of nature.

It was the perfect way of using number to their advantage. No wonder such small predators can hunt something as big as an adult deer.

That one is gone. That one is gone. That one is gone… Their head repeated it like a mantra to crowd out the sound of tearing flesh.

Leaving their own, even a dead one, to the fangs of wild animals made their stomach turned. They couldn’t do anything else. The drooling jaws ahead required their full attention. A slip was all it takes to become the next victim.

They have lived for over two centuries. These muscles have trained with bow and sword till they hardened into woods. Their brain has constructed countless spells till it wanted to drop dead. Decades of training earned them the reputation as a reliable security company.

Dragon, wyvern, griffin, deep valleys of the northern region… they have survived them all, yet… yet they were being killed by these wolves not even a tenth their age.

They had pride in their hard work, but none could deny that these seemingly normal wolves were the hardest challenge they have ever faced.

The reason was simple. Their leader was a very old wolf, that one over there. The one that was being held off by the person with fox ears and tails.

Wolves are social animals. They hunt in pack. When a wolf becomes a spirit wolf, it becomes stronger. Its spirit strengthens its body. Power alone, however, a spirit wolf is inferior to any solitary spirit beast of similar age. What they lack in strength, they made it up by empowering their own pack.

These younger members of the pack might be 12 to 20 years old but was as strong as a typical spirit wolf.

Three wolves in the front lunged at the mercenary leader. One of them was a spirit wolf.

The man was no pushover. The shield being held on his left hand in upward style immediately bashed one of the wolves while it was still on the air.

The curved sword on his right slashed down at the coming spirit beast. His target was its forehead. He wanted to cleave the foul creature’s skull in two but felt a disappointing hardness instead. The force of his sword was still strong enough to make it spin and land on its back.

The third wolf met range supports behind the leader. The two arrows enhanced by magic were supposed to pierce through its abdomen and neck. In reality, they only gorged out a bit of flesh at the point of contact.

At least, this one spirit wolf needed to be neutralised. His fingers let the shield strap slipped down to his wrist. Both hands gripped tightly at the sword hilt. This is a very strong magic and a hard one to land a hit.

Having premonition, four other wolves in the back rushed out. They would reach him before he could finish the spell.

He would have to either forfeit this opportunity or continue. The first one is not an option. This is a critical moment. They wouldn’t have another chance like this.

In time like these, the best you could do was fighting with the group in mind and left everything else to his comrades. With the spell Tremendous Strike in his hands, he went forth.

On this moment, he only had eyes on his target. Even if those teeth were to gnaw on his face or his neck, his body would not flinch.

The beasts were within arm reach. In the next few hundredths of a second, blood would blossom. The mercenary’s resolution was solid. He would not bat an eye…

…and he didn’t have to, because his friends had his blind spots covered.

Sticks, stones, and objects of heavy weight showered the approaching fangs.

The archers and even the caravan employees helped out. It was a simple Lift spell, simple enough to use in short window of time, simple enough to use during a panic.

A lot were missing. Of course, they were. They didn’t know where the wolves would be. As with most spells, location input was required at the start. They had to predict where the wolves would be. It sounds simple on paper but a new kind of hell in real fight where panic can reduce or increase the casting time of your spell, or even mess up your calculation.

None of those wolves would get any hurt from that but it was ok. The main objective was only one.

 

BOOM!

What an explosive attack!

Lying unconscious at the centre was the target. This spirit wolf received his sword strike. Blood was dribbling down the diagonal wound on its face, but he knew it was but a scratch.

Sword is a great weapon against enemy without armour. Landing a hit on a good place, and the bleeding would take over the fight for you.

If it wasn’t a spirit beast, he wouldn’t have to resort to dangerous tactic like what he did. Spirit wolves are all old wolves. Their excessive fur imbued with their spirit acts as cloth armour. His sword wouldn’t work. Magic could work, either a strong one or multiple weaker ones.

The problem is those types required time. The magic that he and his elves have been using to buff their attack was the fastest kinds. It was also simple to activate in the mid of combat. The big bulky spells, however, needed a long time to cast and required location input at the start. By the time they moved on to activation, the wolf might have jumped on them. Furthermore, those dull spells were easy to dodge for these agile creatures especially ones that have been empowered by spirit beast.

Hence, the only other way was to strike when the beast was out of position.

By using his sword as the medium, it was easier to direct the mass of energy onto the wolf’s belly causing it to cough out blood. That should rupture its organs and kill it.

He immediately retreated. His instinct was on point. The other wolves have returned. The fierceness on their face spoke volume of their protectiveness.

Just to be sure, he calmed his mind and sharpened his senses. The shape of the beast’s spirit was slowly revealed.

“Damn it!”

“What’s wrong?”

“It was not dead!”

He could see a large spirit coating the downed beast. Tracing to the source, it was the pack leader. Could that one lend its spirit for this wolf the moment he attacked? Whatever the case, he could feel weak breathing from this wolf.

Two other wolves quickly came to retrieve the unconscious wolf. At least, he incapacitated one spirit beast. Sadly, they wouldn’t be able to pull out a stunt like this again. The pack wouldn’t fall the second time.

Overall, the pack’s strength should have gone down by a level, but the elves haven’t evened the odds.

The leader checked on the wolf that ate his shield bash. It got back up already. That attack wasn’t his best since he aimed to kill the other with his sword. Still, it was hit with whatever strength he could muster in that split second. Rather than suffering a fractured skull and a lot of bleeding, the beast was completely fine. It bared its teeth in fury showing the damage, two broken teeth and a missing tooth with bloody gum.

Fuck these wolves!

This morning, his band of 17 elves were in charge of security for over 20 other people. Now he only had half the party and two caravan crews that couldn’t find an opening to run off.

The mercenaries have chipped away at more than half the pack, but the pack were all alive. The more injured have been staying behind to secure the parameter and recover. At this rate, they would be wiped out.

YA!

The mercenary leader made quick glance at the shouting one. It was one of the three people that came to their rescue. The young man was very skilful at incorporating enhancing magic into his swordplay. Regretfully, his recent attack was futile against the fur of a 70-years-old spirit wolf.

“Damn it!” It was the voice of the female sorceress.

The Wind Blade spells were undoubtedly a damaging magic… if it hit. With the other spirit wolf disrupted her and its minions waiting for an ambush, she couldn’t aim correctly.

The other man was clearly a spirit fox. The number of tails speaks one’s age. Three tails meant he was at least 2 centuries old. That number was barely anything to the elves but being a spirit animal put this in new light.

Elves can live for very long, so long that none have ever lived to the end of their natural life. Until they were 11 years old, they grow at a normal rate. After that, their growth slows down to a standstill. The elves enjoyed their life without the weakness of old age. They were quite literally a superior lifeform.

In comparison, mouses die after 4 or 5 years; Cats and dogs, 15 to 20 years in the wild; Wolves like these ones have 3 decades to spend. However, in rare case, there would be those that survive. Those that overcome their natural death would return as a spirit animal. Such beings grow in power at a magnitude the elves can’t hope to compare.

Elves have a long life but there is a limiter in their physical prowess and learning capacity. Before they hit this wall, they learn thing very fast like archery, reading, magic… Once they went pass the limiter, their development becomes almost stagnant. What one could learn in one year before is as much as in a millennium after. It’s kind of balancing thing out.

Return to the scenery at hand, a three-tail fox fought against a hundred-years-old spirit wolf with its pack. Who is going to win?

The leader elf could only hope for the wolf to lose. Without context, a two-hundred-years-old spirit fox would triumph against any spirit beings a hundred years younger. It would not even be a fight. It would be a curb-stomp. He didn’t see such thing happened when that fox man joined the fight. That could only mean the man could not pull such a feat. For half an hour, no wolf has been killed, and they didn’t gain the upper hand. Those were the harsh true.

“We won’t die! Just don’t show them weakness!”

Animals are businesspeople. They weigh options and follow the most profitable route.

Getting their entire group of elves and horses is a nice catch. Such feast could feed them for weeks. No scratch that. This number was more than the initial 40 he estimated. This number probably closer to 60 or more. That would make this meal around a week.

Returning to the topic, getting more food was a great thing for a pack this large, but they have more thing to worry than food, their hunting capability. No wild animal overdoes anything. If there is, those would be young ones. For a pack under the leadership of a spirit beast, they know better.

Getting severe injury in the wild is fatal. Getting their pack weakened is dangerous. They must save their fighting power for competing predators, territorial war against other packs, and, of course, for the next hunt. As long as the elves maintained a tough prey, the wolves would have to reconsider.

Moreover, they must have gotten something from the stragglers be it horses or elves. Thus, the elves only needed to show the pack that pushing thing are detrimental to them and the pack might retreat. After all, this is not the wolves’ territory. This is elven travel road. For whatever reason, they had to make a dangerous venture out here for food, but that wasn’t enough to get their entire pack killed or too wounded.

Furthermore, the leader believed reinforcement would soon come their way. Keeping themselves vigilant would deny the wolves another kill. The longer the balance stays in its place, the more beneficial for the elves.

With both sides stuck in a deadlock, a loud noise disrupted their concentration. The sound was similar to something just exploded. It was somewhere near the alpha wolf.

The mercenary leader was the first to break out of the interruption.

This is an opportunity. Yes. It is an opportunity.

He swung his sword. This wouldn’t be like last time when he aimed for the spirit wolf’s forehead. This time, the element of surprise allowed him a bit extra time to add a little magical enhancement on the attack.

As expected from an animal empowered by spirit, it has already begun to move.

It was supposed to slash onto the wolf’s back, but the slash hacked down on its left shoulder instead.

Damn it! It was fast. No matter I got half of the shoulder.

Indeed, it was. It was not a clean cut, but it was arguably the better outcome.

A disabled limb with heavy bleeding causes a lot of problems to any living creature. A limb that was still attached but can’t be used will be dead weight to the entire body. Furthermore, any touching would elevate the pain. In most case, a limping leg like that would be much worse than being completely severed.

He could safely say. “One down!”

His legs which have been bored with all the small movement leapt off the ground. It was time for the second one.

His left hand grabbed the running wolf by its foot. The pointy end of his sword quickly found the animal’s soft tummy. Despite his best attempt, he could feel it failed to cause serious wound through the coat of fur. It was by a hair's breadth that he got that wolf in his fingers. It was such a waste he couldn’t do more damage.

He let go of the wolf. The other 4 wolves must have regained their attention. Without moving an eye, he could feel the presences going for his throat. While still on the ground, he made a quick turn. By adding the momentum to his left hand, this shield bash would be much stronger than the previous time.

The sound of steel instrument into flesh and bone was as he expected. The second wolf that was approaching behind was also within his expectation, and he replied with the thrust of his sword into its gaping maw.

Now all that left were the other two wolves that were coming. Not that he didn’t expect them, he just didn’t have an answer for them.

His shield hand was out of position, he couldn’t recall it in time. Only his right arm could move to intercept their jaws. The man retracted his head as much as he could into his shoulders. If the vital points aren’t harmed, he can fight back.

Already he could feel their fury embraced his arm and wrist. The armour should hold. It was plate surrounding chainmail. These beasts were strong, but they weren’t on the level of biting through metal yet.

He shouldn’t need to wait for long.

Yes, he knew it.

Arrows came flying and the wolves retreated. Taking his chance, he got back on his feet and ran back to his position.

The elf surveyed his work. The wolf that received a shield to the face was fine. That was a given.

His eyes studied the one that got his sword. It laid dead.

He breathed out in relief. If that one was still alive, he would be very disappointed.

The one with the tummy wound was still on the front, but the wolf that got hacked onto its shoulder was hopping back behind the line. That one wouldn’t be able to hunt for a while or its entire life depending on the seriousness of the wound. If their alpha got any trick up his furry paws, thing might even be better for that wolf.

He lost his sword, but the situation was a bit better. He wounded two and killed one. The man unsheathed his dagger. He wondered what caused the explosion.

---

 

Taka was having a very bad day. How bad it was? The veins on his face would answer that question. Got into a fight with spirit wolf like this was an issue. Having your 9-years-old son at the same place was a terrible joke of fate.

He got to calm down. This is a battlefield. It was no place for mistake.

The wolf from the other side have been watching him closely. It was just your ordinary wolf be it size, colour, or outer look. Such deceptive appearance for a creature wielding as much power as it.

Meanwhile, Taka on his rage looked more like a hybrid of fox and man. Long nails erected from his fingertips. The usual black eyes turned orange. The pupils contracted into splits. Sharp teeth peeked out from his lips. The human ears shaped into pointy fox ears. The fickle tails floated in the air like cinnamon flame.

The three-tailed fox was stronger than the alpha. That was the true but so were all the other spirit animals it has fought before. The fox got the strength to back up his monstrous appearance, yet that level of power wasn’t enough to deter its pack.

Like the bear or the stag many seasons ago, the pack approached with caution. They probed the older spirit fox to deplete his stamina while searching for weaknesses.

Such tactic was apparent to the fox, he gave the wolves no chance to enact. Those that got too close would get a taste of his might. Those that go for his flank and back got blow away. Every time he attacked, he always focused on the weakest or the most exhausted one while ignoring the rest, only pushing them aside if they tried to attack. He did know that the alpha was waiting for any error on his part. Hence, he never let himself too exposed.

Both sides burned through their resources quickly. Taka has started sweating, and the Alpha had to call back some of the wolves that were hunting the escapers.

With the addition of another spirit wolf in his command, the pack was going for a kill. The total assault would have won if not for the fox cub. This one launched a surprise explosion at the wolves on the flank, thus, restoring the deadlock.

However, the arrival of this youngling was an opportunity. The alpha walked down from its observing position. A bait needs to be set.

With the alpha on the move, other wolves left their position to join the fight. The entire pack including the reserves and the lookouts swarmed at Taka.

The fox man retaliated with Lift spell and his fox fire. Many wolves got caught on fire, others suffered various injuries from the flying stones.

Like berserkers, those that was knocked down got up and continued the charge.

Two locked his right arm. Three got his left arm. One latched onto his left hand. Five others jumped for his tails. Four pinned his legs. Many more tried to get a hold of his upper body.

Taka resorted to brute force. With two still clung to his arm, he made a swing using his right hand. Its strength slapped two wolves that were about to bite his left thigh. One of the two on his right arm also lost its grip and came flying. The now freer right arm delivered a fist onto the back of the wolf that latched onto his right leg. The damage to the spine took its life instantly.

Taka has been restraining himself expecting the alpha to mix into the attack but found no trace of him. When his instinct screamed for his body to search for the alpha’s whereabout, an explosion and gush of wind got his attention. He franticly turned his head to the general direction just to find the alpha was after his little boy.

The first volley of spells couldn’t hurt the wolf nor slow it down. These were the same Wind Bomb that could break a tree branch, and it couldn’t change the wolf’s expression.

The fox boy retreated while preparing for the next barrage.

No. It would be too late.

That small miscalculation costed him a precious second.

The panic caused him to throw the fox fire sporadically instead of a large concentration. Those little attacks coming one after another were little annoyances to the spirit beast.

As their gap shortened, its fangs, its teeth, and then its gums became more exposed.

The boy’s heart raced with each change in the beast’s face. He could tell the beast was close to its striking range.

“NIKO!” Taka has broken free from the pack.

The fox man chased after the alpha with all he got hoping to get there in time.

Deciding their relative distance was in perfect spot, the alpha leapt to the right side. Using the tree trunk as a jump board, it bounced back onto Niko. Its front limbs touched the running boy’s back turned itself toward Taka.

The boy could feel the power of a spirit beast in full motion as the alpha used his back as a springboard. The strength of that entire jump transmitted down to its paws and then to the boy back. The force he received was more powerful than the punch of ten men. Luckily, it didn’t press on his spine but several rib bones on his back fractured under stress. He fell chest first spewing blood from his mouth.

Taka shocked as the wolf’s boosting speed. He soon came to conclusion that it hid its true power. It could have chased down Niko if it wanted too. This was a trap. Then he saw another spirit wolf arrived at his flank. This was the one that was called back by the alpha, but it didn’t join the swarming with its pack. It was waiting for this moment.

The fox man also realised three more wolves. They all attacked at different angle and direction. These ones were empowered more than other wolves. The alpha must have enhanced them.

His thought accelerated as death was looming. The other wolves he could endure, but the major problems would be the two spirit wolves. No, even the other wolves would be a problem, each of them was aiming for his vital. The spirit wolf from the flank would come first. He could put the right arm to action. Two wolves were arriving at the opposite side. He could swat them away with his left arm, but what about the other wolves? He was running out of time.

He was too focused on the wolves that he just recognised two shadows from the bush on his left. Just a split of second but he saw a strange boy went after the wolves on the side. The second shadow was that of his conjoined sons.

---

 

Around 10 minutes ago.

“Should we go now?”

“No.” “No. You saw the wolves. Even the Wind Bomb spell didn’t kill any of them, and that one could break this branch. We are just kids, and we didn’t even know offensive spells like that. We wouldn’t be able to do anything.” “Our best weapon is the element of surprise. We will wait here and ambush them. We won’t be able to harm them, but we could break their attack. Buying even a second would be more than enough.”

“Alright.”

“Also, Rand.”

“Yes?”

“You can see this as our request, but…” They pointed at Taka “…no matter what, protect that man for us. He is our father.”

---

 

The two-headed boys unleashed the branch at the alpha, an obvious attack to force the wolf to respond.

Crack!

The alpha caught the club with its jaws. It could bite off the wooden stick, but it didn’t.

The leaping momentum of the wolf pushed the boys slightly to their left tumbling the boys. This was the reason why it held onto the club.

Snap!!

The stick fragmented in a single bite stunning the boys.

Not wasting a moment, the alpha stepped forth to punish the creature that foiled its plan.

Choc!

A slight discomfort averted its eyes. Something just flew past it. If it had human vocabulary, its brain would identify the object as a sword. The one threw this thing at it has lunged himself at the wolf.

The two, beast and child, rolled over on the ground much to the disbelief of Ren and Gowen.

“Rand!”

Their father finally got rid of the last wolf. He hurried toward the alpha.

The spirit wolf was now on top of the boy.

Taka clawed at the wolf but instead hitting empty air.

Despite being occupied, the alpha still preserved its battle sense. It evaded Taka in the nick of time.

 

“ATTACK!!”

The shouting and voice of tens of elves vibrated in the wolf’s eardrums. It howled for retreat and quickly withdrew from the scene.

 

The twins, however, had no mind to care. They kneeled beside Rand.

The wolf got his neck. Blood soaked the boy’s clothes. The red liquid would soon make a small crimson pool on the ground.

“Rand!”

The twins put the boy’s hand in their palm.

The human boy looked terrible. Blood was making its way out of his mouth.

“Are… you… unharmed… master?”

“We are.” “Stupid! Care for yourself first. Use the Close Wound!”

“It… wouldn’t… work.”

“Stupid! Why did you do that?”

“But… you are… my master.”

Tears streamed down the boys’ cheeks.

“I am… sorry… It seems… this is… as… far… as… I… could…”

The tear on Rand’s eye rolled down. Serving his master was his greatest joy. To not be able to be by his master’s side was also his greatest regret.

“No, please.” “Please!” “Please!” “Don’t die!”

As the twins strengthened their grip, the boy loosened his own.

It was regretful that he wouldn’t be able to be of use to his master, but in this moment he was happiest. His master cried for him.

His lips formed a bright smile.

“Thank you!”

---

 

SLAP!!

Gowen was the last one.

The twins and his older brother, each got a burning cheek.

“WHAT DO YOU THINKING YOU ARE DOING? WHY ARE YOU HERE?”

No word could describe Taka right now.

“DON’T YOU KNOW IT WAS DANGEROUS HERE? YOU COULD HAVE ALL DIED!!!” He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Niko inhaled then made an audible sigh. He looked at Taka with a bored look.

“So what?”

“YOU!”

“I rather die than becoming an orphan!”

“Y-”

Taka grinded his teeth in frustration. His brain couldn’t crack up any response for that.

Not waiting for a reply, Niko walked back to the city.

“NIKO!”

 

Dusk set on the parent and the youngest children. The twins have kept their face down the entire time. They didn’t react to neither the shouting nor the slap.

The boys then headed up. Their face was soulless. He couldn’t believe these eyes that always sparkled with will and life could become so dull. They have been silent, holding back their sadness but try as they may their sorrow still slipped out into that expression.

“Father.” Ren broke the silence. “We are willing to receive any punishment, but just as our brother has said. We rather die than becoming orphans.”