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28 - Many Returns

The squirrel and the rat chittered urgently to the other skeleton creatures and spirits, and they hurried out of the hall afterwards. 'I suggest we head for that library where you fought Demetrus.' said Elzbieta. 'Use that as a starting point if our little friends haven't found her by then.'

Ulric nodded and looked at the squirrel. 'Can you guide us there?'

It chittered in affirmation and hopped towards one entrance.

'I really hope she's still alive.' said Iphigenia as she picked up her pack. 'Or dead or whatever state she's supposed to be in.'

Ulric looked at Kaui. 'You're sure she's still around?'

Kaui nodded. 'As long as her name is listed in the familiar bonds, she's not gone, Master.'

He clenched his fists.'I wish I had one of those detection skills like in the games, then I could locate her on a virtual map.'

'There are people who have an ability like that.' said Kaui as the party left the hall in a hurry, following the squirrel and rat. 'They can perceive the direction of party members, demons, animals.'

Ulric thought he recognised the area as being close to the large library when a couple of creatures and spirits awaited them and guided them to a higher floor, and stopped at a smaller set of double doors in a long hallway lit by stained glass windows on one side. Ulric tried the door handles. 'Locked.' he said and looked over the wooden doors. 'Looks like normal doors to me. I'll give them a kick.'

'Wait!' said Kaui. 'It's possible there's a trap which will trigger when you break them down.'

'True.' said Elzbieta. 'It's not uncommon for magic users to set traps for defence.'

'How will we know?' Ulric asked.

'I can't sense anything.' said Iphigenia while she held her hands against the doors. 'But that's no guarantee since Demetrus could set up traps I can't detect.'

The squirrel chittered and sat down in front of the doors.

'You can get inside?' Ulric asked.

They watched in surprise when the spirit body of the squirrel detached itself from the skeleton and slipped through the crack between the doors. The skeleton looked up a moment later and chittered again.

'No trap.' Ulric said, that's good. 'Stand aside, everyone. Just in case.'

The squirrel and the girls stepped away, and Ulric kicked the middle of both doors. A loud crack of wood was followed by the slamming of both doors against the walls inside. 'Open Sesame.' he said.

In the light from the corridor they saw the room was a large bedroom with more bookcases against the wall, a couple of cluttered writing desks, and a wide, heavy wooden canopy bed. The squirrel's spirit body sat on the edge and the skeleton chittered next to Ulric. 'She's on the bed!' he said and hurried inside. They found Valdys laying naked and silently on her back on top of the dark red covers. Ulric held his breath as he laid his paw gently on her chest, and exhaled in relief. 'Her heart is beating, she's as alive as she was last time.' He shook her carefully but she showed no sign of waking up.'

Kaui leaned closer and touched her cheek and forehead. 'I can't tell for sure but it seems she's all right.'

'Any ideas on how to wake her up?' asked Ulric. 'Some spell or something?'

Kaui pat Valdys's cheek. 'I read of some that might do that but none of us have the means to perform them.'

Iphigenia chuckled. 'It's like one of those days I just don't want to wake up because I want to sleep more in Wolfie's embrace. Unless it's to have some little fun.'

Ulric looked up at her. 'That's it!'

She looked puzzled at him. 'You want to wake her up by doing it with her?'

'Darling..?' said Elzbieta and gripped the handle of her sword while her gaze pierced him. 'That wouldn't be your intention, now would it?'

He held up his paw. 'Of course not! But it reminded me of a famous fairy tale in my world where a sleeping cursed prince wakes up from a dragon's kiss. I thought I could afford to at least try that.'

Elzbieta nodded. 'I can allow that.' she said and relaxed her grip. 'But keep it decently.'

He chuckled. 'You don't rust me by now?'

Iphigenia smirked a little. 'I think she's just a little jealous.'

'What!?' Elzbieta said flustered. 'I'm just making sure darling won't lose out to temptation! Valdys is naked here after all!'

Iphigenia chuckled. 'Oh, you're right!' she said and pulled the folded sheet at the end of the bed over her.

'I was so worried about her that I didn't even realised it myself.' said Ulric and chuckled. 'Anyway, let's see if a little fairy tale magic will work.' He leaned over Valdys and kissed her softly on her cold dark lips, then sat up again.

Everyone gazed at her for a few moments. 'I guess something stronger is needed.' said Iphigenia.

'The only alternative I know is coffee, but I haven't seen that here.' Ulric said and stroked Valdys's cheek.

She stirred and groaned softly.

'You did it, Wolfie!' said Iphigenia.

Valdys blinked her eyes and stared half awake up at everyone standing around her. 'I just dreamt you were my enemies.' she whispered. 'Are you?'

'Not unless you want to steal away our Wolfie.' chuckled Iphigenia.

She rolled her head to look at the bloodwolf sitting on the bed. 'I know you.' she whispered and smiled softly as she cupped his cheek. 'You saved me.'

Ulric stroked her forehead. 'You saved us all in the end.'

She looked up at the canopy. 'I remember destroying the book.'

'You disappeared at that moment.'

She closed her eyes. 'I saw part of his life. Events from his past. Some of his experiences and knowledge must have transferred to me when I destroyed the book.' She opened her eyes. 'He is gone, isn't he?'

Ulric nodded. 'I think so. He cried out while vanishing in little pieces.'

She took a deep breath and sighed long. 'That nightmare is over.'

'How are you feeling?'

'Tired, but I think my strength is slowly returning.'

'I could make you something to energise you but can you drink it?.' said Kaui.

Valdys focussed for a moment on her body, and smiled. 'I think I actually can once again. Something else that returned to life.' she said and looked at Ulric.

'I'm full of surprises.' he said and chuckled.

While Valdys recovered with Kaui's care, she directed the others to the writing desks and the notes from Demetrus that she knew were there. They laid them all out for her on the bed after she sat up straight. 'The demon lord was never here.' she said. 'Demetrus had been collecting all knowledge he got his hands on about him though.' She pointed at a drawing of a flat ring with symbols engraved in it. 'He found out the demon lord lives in another plane and it can be reached with the help of that displacement ring. The only trouble is that it's made up of several pieces and those are spread out over the world and in the hands of other demon rulers.'

'So, to get to the demon lord, we'd have to collect all those pieces from those other demons?' said Iphigenia.

'Yes. But there's a catch.' said Valdys and pointed to another page. 'The pieces and the symbols on them need to be connected in the correct sequence, otherwise the target of displacement is unknown.'

'Oh great, that's worse than dialling a wrong number.' said Ulric. 'Did he knew the sequence or where to find it?'

Valdys shook her head. 'He suspected only a select few of the highest ranked demons know.'

Ulric leaned back against the headboard of the bed. 'No one said this quest would be easy.'

'It's even worse.' said Valdys and gestured at another page. 'The demon lord is planning to take over the whole world and his underlings are already busy with preparations.'

Ulric groaned. 'In other words, we'll need to take out the lord as quick as possible to avoid confronting every army he has.'

Valdys nodded once.

Elzbieta took a deep breath. 'We need to warn everyone.'

'Yes.' said Iphigenia. 'Even then, the battles will be brutal. How are we going to warn everyone?'

'I can send a tat to the wizards once we're outside.' said Elzbieta. 'They'll have to send out word to other countries.'

Iphigenia nodded. 'In the meantime, we gather all the pieces of the ring and the sequence and try to take out the lord.' She looked at Valdys. 'Any clues on where those pieces are exactly?'

Valdys shook her head. 'No, but there's a way to locate them.' she said and pointed at one of the desks. 'Can you take a look in those drawers, my love?'

'Sure.' said Ulric and went over to the desk.

'Love?' asked Iphigenia softly and giggled.

Valdys blushed. 'I said it without thinking.'

Iphigenia smiled. 'It's inevitable once you're caught in the familiar bond, right, girls?'

Elzbieta cleared her throat and blushed while Kaui nodded shyly once as she blushed.

'Found it!' said Ulric after rummaging through a couple of the drawers full of small notes, writing and drawing utilities, small magical paraphernalia, and what looked like a petrified half eaten apple. He returned to the bed and placed the section of a metallic stone ring with a faded golden outer and inner band, and an intricate rune etched deep into it on both sides. 'I see no holes or pins to connect it with another piece. Could this be something else?'

Valdys picked it up and sensed the latent power it held. 'No, this is one piece of the ring.' she said and spread her fingers as she held it up in her open hand. A moment later, it twitched for a bit, then rotated a quarter turn and she pointed in the direction of the inside. 'The next piece is in that direction but I don't know how far.'

'Only one way to find out.' said Ulric. 'We'll go as soon as we're rested.' He looked at Valdys. 'Even though we have a familiar bond, you have no obligation to come with us.'

She smiled softly at him. 'My love, you saved my life. I will follow you to the ends of the world and beyond.'

He blushed and smiled. 'It'll be dangerous.

She nodded. 'I have no desire to stay here any longer than I have to.' she said and looked at the squirrel and rat sitting at the end of the bed. 'I will leave the mausoleum in your paws.'

The squirrel chittered in protest.'

'Are you sure?'

The squirrel chittered once.

Ulric chuckled. 'That's settled then, you two are members of Quaint now.'

The rat chittered and Valdys nodded. 'I'm sure you'll take good care of this place.'

The rat chittered once and hopped from the bed, looked back once at Kaui, and left the room.

'Good luck to you too!' said Kaui.

Ulric looked at the squirrel. 'You're going to need a name when you're coming with us.'

The squirrel tilted its head.

'What name would fit you?'

Iphigenia looked closer at the squirrel. 'Are you a boy or a girl?'

The squirrel puffed up its chest and draped its fluffy spirit tail around its feet with a resolute chitter.

Iphigenia chuckled. 'A lady, of course.'

'Then how about Trixy?' Ulric asked. 'Because the separation you can do with your bones and spirit body is a very neat trick.'

The squirrel pawed her tail for a moment, then gave another resolute chitter.

Ulric smiled and held out his paw. 'Nice to meet you, Trixy. Glad to have you as part of our party.'

She hopped towards him, and put her paws on his fingers and affirmed with another chitter.

***

When Valdys was completely recovered and the others rested, Iphigenia found a large wardrobe with a wide variety of clothing. Because Valdys needed a new outfit, she pulled her along and with the help of Elzbieta and Kaui chose something suitable for her to wear. When they returned, Ulric gazed with some excitement at her new look. She wore a black skirt resting on her hips and coming down to the floor with a split at the side that revealed some of her pale skinned leg, and a short black strapless top with short sleeves, stringed together at the front with red string, and three blood red stripes at the back sown on by Kaui. It also had a wide hood to cover her head and which was now used by Trixy to nestle in.

She blushed as she smiled a little at Ulric's admiring gaze. 'That looks so very good on you, I don't know what to say.' he said.

She stepped towards him and kissed him. 'Those words are enough, my love.'

He looked at the others. 'Four incredible beauties.' he said and a chitter came from Valdys's shoulder. He chuckled and stroked Trixy's chin with one finger. 'In your case we're talking very cute.'

She accepted it with a cheerful chitter.

Kaui moved forward. 'There's just one thing missing, Master.'

He looked at her, then at Valdys. 'Missing?' Valdys raised her chin and he got the hint. He smiled softly, took the collar from Kaui who held it up, and fastened it around Valdys's neck. 'With this, I'll swear to protect you to my full abilities, just as I do the others.'

She smiled and kissed him again. 'And I'm all yours to possess and command.'

Trixy led them towards the mausoleum after they gathered the ring piece and a map of the world that looked nearly compete. On the way they stopped by the ruined library and saw skeleton creatures everywhere restoring the fallen cases to their upright position and returning the books and objects they held. Valdys squatted down when the rat leader hopped closer. 'Great work.' she said and the rat chittered cheerfully.

'All those books.' said Kaui. 'No wonder he had to live forever to be able to read all of them.'

Valdys stood up. 'Actually, there's a faster way.' she said, closed her eyes, and spread her arms forward, chanting a silent incantation. A shimmering appeared to cover all the books, and a spiritual image of each of them pulled free of them. They drifted for a moment, then floated as shards of mist towards her and in a small whirlwind surrounded her and faded into her. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath. 'I now possess the contents of all the books. I can call on anything written in it.'

Ulric blinked his eyes when something itched at the back of his head. 'Is it like seeing books all around you with coloured lines between them?'

She spun around towards him. 'You can see them!?'

Kaui shut her eyes and concentrated on the image that faded into her mind. 'I can see them too.'

Iphigenia and Elzbieta realised they could as well.

'I never heard of anything like this.' said Valdys. 'Can you focus on one book and open it in your mind?' The others nodded after a few moments and she laughed. 'I can only imagine it's because of your familiar link, my love.'

Ulric chuckled. 'I begin to wonder if my status and ability quirks aren't a major advantage.'

Iphigenia wrapped her arms around his neck. 'Who knows what interesting abilities you'll show in the future?' she said and kissed him. 'You should gather an army of women to find out.'

He chuckled and blushed. 'I doubt I have any luck left and will gain any more after your four girls.'

She grinned. 'I think your luck is one of those quirky abilities.' she said. and pulled back. 'Let's find out on our quest.'

***

When the party stepped outside the entrance to the mausoleum they inhaled the fresh air deep into their lungs. 'Is it me, or does the air smell better than before?' asked Iphigenia.

Valdys looked around. 'No, there's a change.' she said. 'The fog feels slightly less dead.'

'Look!' said Elzbieta and pointed at the ground.

They took a closer look at a tiny green shoot. 'Life is returning here.' said Kaui.

Ulric chuckled. 'Soon they'll start wondering what happened here when they see the dead forest return to its green majesty. Maybe people will return as well.'

Valdys smiled. 'I hope so. There used to be a happy time here and the country deserves to experience that again.'

Ulric took her hand and smiled at her. 'I'm sure it will, thanks to you defeating the death that held this country in its clutches.'

She smiled. 'I could never have done it without all of you.'

Elzbieta gestured in the air for a while, then looked up at the tiny blue bird vanishing in the grey sky. 'I sent a message to the wizards, informing them of what happened and the plans of the demon lord.'

'I hope they'll get word out soon.' said Iphigenia. 'It'll be horrible if the demon armies aren't halted as soon as possible.'

'We'll just have to trust they'll do what they can.' said Ulric. 'We must do what we can.'

Valdys confirmed the direction of the next ring piece and they headed out after Valdys said goodbye to all her spirit and creature friends that had gathered at the entrance.

***

A shadow in Demetrus's bedroom stirred, and out of it stepped a black cloaked figure. It pulled back its hood and the canine scanned the room. 'So you finally met your demise, eh?' he said to himself. 'Enlighted will be pleased.' He stepped towards the bed, looked over the notes, and hummed while collecting them before stepping back into the shadows.

29 - Family is Family

'Ahhh, it's good to be surrounded by green again.' said Ulric when he woke up a couple of days later in a sheltered spot under a large tree where they had slept under their large covers.

Iphigenia ran her fingers through his chest fur. 'Yeah, even better when there's also a certain wolf's fur surrounding me as well.' she whispered.

'If only I could wrap myself around you girls all the time.' he sighed.

'We just might not get anywhere then with the effect that has on us.' giggled Valdys and rubbed her cheek against his soft abdomen.

'Well, promises have to be kept.' said Iphigenia. 'Especially when we were rather drained from fighting.'

'I don't mind fulfilling promises like those at all.' chuckled Ulric.

'We can see that.' said Elzbieta and stroked the length of his hard and hot flesh with her fingertips.

'Master?' whispered Kaui in his neck.

He stroked her back. 'What is it, my dear?'

'I think one of my tallies hasn't reached maximum yet.'

He smiled and stroked her plump behind. 'It would be better to maximise all your numbers, yes.' he whispered in her ear and slipped his fingers into the warm and wet folds between her thighs while Elzbieta and Valdys wrapped their lips around his hot shaft and Iphigenia hummed in pleasant anticipation as his other paw moved down towards her behind.

***

Fully energised, they made good progress through the low hills and halted once more when they began to feel hungry again. Ulric surveyed the meadows and sections of trees around them. 'I smell deer on the wind.' he said. 'I'll go fetch one.'

'All right, we'll be ready to roast it when you return.' said Iphigenia and kissed him before he ran off towards a clump of trees.

The temporary camp had been set up swiftly when Elzbieta suddenly looked up at a nearby edge of the trees and the thick bushes between them. 'Something's coming!' she said over the link.

The others put down what they had in their hands and gathered around her. 'What is it?' asked Iphigenia.

'Not sure.' said Elzbieta. 'I think it's a couple of animals.'

'Do you need my help?' asked Ulric as he gutted the deer he had caught. 'I'm almost done here but I can leave right away.'

'I don't think you need to if it's just some animals.'

'All right.' he said but hurried with his task.

'I can hear them.' said Kaui, 'They're on the other side of the bushes.'

'Erratic breathing.' said Elzbieta. 'Kaui, Valdys, you stay behind us.'

She and Iphigenia drew their swords silently while the other two moved behind them and Valdys prepared an enchantment in case she could help.

Without a warning, two wounded bloodwolves sprang from the bushes and rushed at the girls. Elzbieta didn't hesitate for a moment and hew the head off of one of them while Iphigenia evaded the other and fatally stabbed it twice.

The two wolves sagged and fell dead to the ground. 'Bloodwolves!?' said Iphigenia. 'Here!?'

'Girls!? Are you all right!?' asked Ulric.

'We're fine, darling.' said Elzbieta. 'We took them down.'

Ulric let out a breath of relief.' 'I'll be back soon.'

Kaui examined the two bodies. 'They're heavily wounded.' she said and gestured at broken arrows in their sides. 'They must've fled someone hunting them.'

Elzbieta looked up at the bushes again. 'I hear another one!'

'It sounds like whining.' said Kaui. 'Not like an adult wolf.'

They moved carefully closer to the source of the whining and saw a black muzzle underneath the bushes. 'It's a pup?' said Iphigenia.

'it's a young wolf, yes.' said Kaui. The young wolf whined again and Kaui squatted. 'We're not here to hurt you.'

The wolf looked at her, then looked quickly at the others and let out a soft growl.

'Bad prey?' chuckled Iphigenia. 'I've not been called that before.'

'Bloodwolves likely see us as mere prey.' said Kaui. 'It could be we're bad because we fought back and hurt them.'

'That sounds about right.' said Elzbieta. 'Especially if they've been hunted by others just now.'

'What did you find?' asked Ulric while dropping the deer near the fire after running back.

'It's a young bloodwolf.' Iphigenia said.

'Bad prey!' whined the wolf when her language became clearer to understand. 'Kill family!'

Kaui looked back at the two dead wolves. 'Were they your mother and father?'

'Mother and father killed by other bad prey! No family alive.' the wolf whined and spotted Ulric when he stepped closer. 'Family!?'

Elzbieta looked sideways at the trees. 'I hear riders!'

From a bend behind the trees came several scruffy looking men in hunter outfit riding on their mounts.

'Goats?' said Ulric. 'Are they riding goats the size of horses!?'

The group halted at a short distance from the girls and the young bloodwolf darted from the bushes towards Ulric and hid behind him, trembling and whining. 'Bad prey!'

He looked back at her. 'They killed your family?'

'Hello there.' said the first rider. 'Looks like we made it just in time to save you girls from the last bloodwolves we've been hunting.'

Elzbieta looked at him. 'We don't need saving from them.'

The riders laughed. 'I'm sure you can use that sword but those wolves are a mean and vicious bunch.' said the first. 'You better leave them to us.'

Three of the riders drew their bows and aimed their arrows at Ulric and the young wolf.

Elzbieta and Iphigenia drew their swords while Kaui and Valdys moved beside them, and even Trixy sat defiant on Valdys's shoulder. 'Put down your bows!' said Elzbieta and glared at the first rider.

The leader frowned. 'We're here to eradicate all bloodwolves from the area. Don't get in our way!'

'Wolfie is ours!' said Iphigenia. 'Touch him and die!'

The leader snorted. 'Are you insane!?'

'Why are we talking about this, Mick?' said one of the archers. 'They need to die.' He let his arrow fly.

It broke in Ulric's armoured paw and he crushed the head as he snarled. Iphigenia jumped up at the archer, kicked him from his mount and pinned him to the ground with her sword at his throat. 'I told you you'd die!' she hissed.

The other riders aimed at her but Elzbieta cut down the second archer with her sword while Kaui knocked out the third with a rock to the head and Valdys startled the mounts enough to throw their riders from their back by calling forth the enraged spirits of the dead bloodwolves in front of them.

'Wait!' growled Ulric and moved towards the fallen leader. He scrambled up from the ground and swung his sword at Ulric. He caught it in his paw and didn't let go.

The leader tried to pull it away but he lost his grip instead. 'What are you!?' he said as he backed off from the red glowing eyes and the killing aura.

'He is our precious partner.' said Elzbieta. 'We will not tolerate anyone trying to harm him or any of us belonging to our party.' She moved alongside Ulric and shot daggers at the leader with her furious gaze. 'It would be wise for you to go back to where you came from before you end up slaughtered like you did with the wolves.'

The leader glanced around and sensed the overwhelming power from the strange women. 'We'll go.' he muttered.

Ulric threw down the sword at his feet and snarled once more.

The others pulled back while Iphigenia let go of the archer, and they all rode away in a hurry on their big goats. She sheathed her sword and took a deep breath to calm down. 'Are you all right, Wolfie?'

'I'm fine.' he said and turned back towards the young bloodwolf. It came running up to him and nearly punched out his breath when it landed against his stomach. 'Daddy!' it whined.

'Daddy?' giggled Iphigenia.

Ulric looked down at the trembling young wolf crawling up to him. 'Who? me!?'

It looked up at him with doleful eyes. 'Daddy only family.' it whined.

'But I'm not really..' he said but he had no resistance against helpless creatures. He sighed and stroked her head. 'Crap.' he muttered.

Kaui stepped closer and the wolf tensed. 'Bad prey!'

Ulric put one finger against her nose. 'They're not bad prey.'

It glanced at Kaui and the others. 'Good prey?'

He shook his head. 'They are not prey at all, they are precious family.'

It looked up at him. 'But they not like family.'

'Family does not need to look like family.' Ulric said. 'Family is family because they are together.'

The wolf dropped its ears. 'Family gone.'

Kaui moved a little closer again. 'Family is gone, but we can be new family.'

The wolf looked at her. 'New family?'

She held out her hand. 'If you want, you can be family with us.' she said and looked at Ulric. 'If we leave it here it'll get killed sooner or later.'

He nodded. 'Yeah. We have no choice but to take this pup with us.' and looked at the young wolf. 'Want to be with our family?'

It looked up at him. 'Daddy feels safe. Want to be with daddy's family.'

He smiled a little and stroked its head. 'Then you are now family.' he said. 'No need to be afraid of the others.'

The young wolf looked at Kaui, sniffed at the tips of her fingers. 'Family.'

With a little hesitation and some nervousness, it sniffed at the other's fingers and even Trixy came forward to sniff at one another's noses. With a little encouragement from Ulric, it let Kaui stroke its head.

'What's your name?' asked Kaui.

'Name?' it asked.

'How did your other family call you?'

The wolf made a sound and Ulric's bloodwolf instincts understood. 'Daughter.' he said. 'It roughly means daughter.'

'Then you'll need to give her a proper name.' said Iphigenia.

He looked at her. 'Me?'

She nodded. 'You're the alpha male. It's your responsibility now.' she said and giggled.

The others agreed and he racked his brain for inspiration. 'All right.' he said after a while. 'She reminds me of a sweet, black dog I knew when I was young and I like the name.' he looked at the young bloodwolf. 'I shall name you Susi.'

She looked up at him. 'Susi?'

He nodded. 'Susi .'

She thought about it for moment. 'Then Susi is Susi?'

'Susi is Susi.' said Ulric. 'Susi is family.'

Her tail wagged a little. 'Susi is Susi.'

Her stomach grumbled and Iphigenia giggled. 'Susi is also hungry, time we roasted the deer.'

Ulric dug a deep hole and Susi touched the dead wolves' muzzles before he buried them there. He sat with er for a while, stroking her head while she stared at the mound of earth with droopy ears. 'Life isn't fair.' he said softly. 'All we can do is protect each other the best we can.'

She leaned her head against him.

Her mood cheered up during the meal, and when they went to sleep she was no longer nervous around the others and lay with her head on Ulric's shoulder while Iphigenia stroked her head. 'It may be dangerous for her to come with us, but it would be worse to leave her behind.' she said over the link.

Ulric stroked Iphigenia's back. 'We'll just have stay out of danger as much as possible.' he said. 'But in case we come across a safe home for her, we should consider leaving her there.'

'I don't think I'd like it, but it's for the best.' said Kaui. 'I think she's a good girl despite the reputation bloodwolves have.'

Ulric yawned. 'Come what may, for now our family has grown.'

Iphigenia giggled. 'Yet another female vying for your affection.'

Ulric chuckled. 'I hope you don't mean in that way.'

Iphigenia grinned. 'Who knows? Bloodwolves grow up fast, and you're essentially one.'

Ulric groaned. 'No, I'm not into that. Let's get some sleep before things get even more weird.'

***

Half a day later when it was barely dark they spotted lights in the distance while they continued their trek 'That would be a small town according to the map.' said Valdys as she recalled the map spirit she'd extracted from the real one. 'There doesn't seem to be any real road around it.'

'It's not a problem.' said Ulric. 'We can take the opportunity to buy some supplies and try to get some information on the country behind it.'

'I hope the next piece is there though.' said Elzbieta as she squinted into the distance. 'We'll have to either go over or around those mountains.'

'I believe the piece is somewhere there.' said Valdys. 'When we went around the lake I noticed the piece rotated slightly into that direction.'

'All the more reason to gather as much information as we can on that area.' said Ulric. 'If each piece is protected by someone like Demetrus we're in for quite a lot of fights.'

***

'I smell many bad prey.' muttered Susi when the party neared the town walls.

'Don't think of humans as prey.' said Ulric. 'There are good and bad humans, but they're not prey.'

Susi looked up at him as she walked next to him. 'I won't if daddy says so.'

He smiled and gave her ear a nuzzle. 'Good girl.' he said and noticed the slight shiver rippling through her fur. 'You don't have to be afraid, most humans are good people and we will protect you from the bad ones as long as you're with us.'

She smiled a little and leaned against his side, feeling more at ease.

'No one touches family without receiving all our wrath.' said Iphigenia and stroked her head.

Susi looked up at Iphigenia. 'Family good.'

'Family good.' said Iphigenia.

'We'll use the same cover as we did at Winter City.' said Ulric. 'You'll just have to convince the guard Susi as safe because she's my daughter.'

Iphigenia ran her fingers through his thick neck fur and grinned mischievously. 'If they don't believe it, I'll show them I'm much more dangerous than a cute young bloodwolf.'

'Please don't!' said Elzbieta. 'You'll get us in even more trouble.'

Cornel, the guard at the town gate, nearly dropped his spear when out of the dark popped up several women clad in black with two bloodwolves in their midst. 'Captain!' he said back towards the guard chambers. 'Captain Wolse!'

Out of the doorway came a grumpy man whose uniform was a tad too large for his small stature. 'What is it!?' he grumbled. He halted and stared at the party walking up the road as soon as he saw them. He'd seen plenty of strange characters and groups but this was new to him. "A pig orc I've seen before with humans, but together with an elf, and even a couple of monster beasts!?" he thought and squinted his eyes at the pale skinned woman. "Is that, an undead woman!?"

He nudged Cornel. 'Do your job!'

Cornel looked from him to the group and back again. 'Yes, sir.' he said with a slight hesitation in his voice. He stepped into the middle of the road and planted his spear in the ground. 'Halt! State your business!'

Iphigenia held up their party identification card. 'We're here to buy some supplies.'

Cornel lifted his heel to take a step closer but put it down as he glanced at the wolves. 'What about those?'

Iphigenia looked at Ulric and Susi. 'Familiars.'

Cornel looked back at Wolse, who gave him an urgent nod. He cleared his throat. 'Dangerous beasts aren't allowed in town.'

Iphigenia giggled. 'Dangerous?' she said and ruffled Ulric's fur. 'Wolfie's the sweetest thing I know and his daughter's cute, not dangerous.' she said and Ulric gave her cheek a lick for emphasis.

Cornel looked once more at his captain urging him to check their identifications. He stepped closer while keeping his eyes on the two wolves. He looked at the names on the back of the guild card. 'Who's Ulric?'

Iphigenia gestured with her head at 0l.' That's him.'

Cornel gazed at the bloodwolf. 'He's listed first!? That's supposed to be the party leader!'

'Well, he does lead us usually to where we go.'

Cornel turned to his captain again, who finally stepped forward. 'I've never heard of such a thing.' he said. 'Do you have a fake card?'

'These things can't be falsified.' said Elzbieta. 'At least not without expert knowledge and skills, not to mention money.' She held up her card. 'You can confirm my identity with the Winter City council.'

Wolse hummed while examining her card and its seal. He then took another look at the guild card and Iphigenia's card and frowned. 'How come it states you are familiar to this wolf?'

Iphigenia glanced at Elzbieta, who put her hand on Ulric's head. 'Da-, I mean, Ulric is a special case.' Elzbieta said. 'He's unique in that we have multiple familiar bonds with him, unlike a normal familiar. It's something the Wizard Council is looking into.'

Wolse glanced at Susi. 'What about this one?'

'She's his daughter.' said Iphigenia.

'Familiar as well?'

'Through Ulric.'

Wolse hummed more as he pondered the situation but he couldn't think of a good reason to send the group away, especially when they were associated with the Wizard Council of which it was said they could make one's life very difficult if one irked them. He stepped back. 'Very well.' he said. 'I expect you to obey the rules and keep these beasts in check.'

'No worries.' said Iphigenia. 'We know exactly how to handle Ulric.' She gave Ulric a wink. 'Don't we, Wolfie?'

He gave his best performance as a happily panting dog wagging its tail frantically.

Wolse waved them through urgently while Cornel quickly stepped aside and the girls tried desperately to keep a straight face as they walked away.

People on the streets gazed at the four women and the two bloodwolves as they passed them, and as they entered the local guild building and inn the crowd inside became silent when they noticed the visitors. One drunk man sitting with his back to them finished his ale. 'I tell ya, I ain't scared of no group of adventurers or pack of bloodwolves!'

30 - Air Superiority

'How about a group of adventurers including bloodwolves?'

'What do you mean, including bloodwolves.' the drunkard asked.

His eyes went wide when a chill shot along his spine, spun around on his chair to see who stood behind him, and fell backwards onto the floor with his mug on his face. 'You!?'

Iphigenia bent over slightly and smirked. 'Us.' she said and looked at the others at the table. 'I hope you haven't bothered any other familiar.'

The hunters shook their heads quickly.

'Good.' Iphigenia said and returned to the party sitting down at another table.

A young woman with twin red braids down to her waist arrived at the table. 'Good day to you.' she said and gazed at the bloodwolves sitting on the bench. Ulric sat a little sideways because Susi had crawled underneath one arm. 'Are they really bloodwolves?'

'They are.' said Iphigenia and stroked Susi's head to put her at ease. 'Although special ones.' The woman kept her gaze on the wolves and Iphigenia chuckled. 'Would you like to pet them?'

The woman's eyes grew big in excitement. 'Can I?'

Iphigenia looked at Susi. 'Do you mind?'

Susi looked up at Ulric and he gave her a nuzzle. 'It's all right.' he said. 'I'll let her pet me first.'

Susi nodded a little.

'Pet Ulric first, Susi is very shy with strangers.' Iphigenia said.

The woman smiled. 'Okay.' she said and stroked Ulric's head when he leaned it a little closer. 'He's so fluffy!' she chirped. 'I'm Nina, by the way, I handle the reception desk for guild business and am the waitress for the inn.'

Iphigenia introduced the rest and after Susi sniffed her fingers, Nina gently stroked her head. 'They're really friendly.'

Iphigenia nodded. 'More so than some people.' she said and shot a glance at the goat riders.

Nina nodded and gasped when Trixy crawled out of Valdys's hood and sat on her shoulder. 'What's that?'

Valdys stroked Trixy's nose. 'Trixy's a special little friend. There's even less reason to fear her.'

Nina chuckled. 'It's a unique sight, but I think she's cute as well.' Trixy hopped down on the table and sat down on the edge near her. She reached out and carefully stroked the undead squirrel's nose. 'She's soft to the touch!'

Valdys chuckled. 'Her spirit body is so dense it feels like soft fur.

'Ah, I'm almost forgetting my duty! What can I get you?'

The girls ordered drinks with one in a bowl for Ulric and a bowl of milk for Susi. When Nina returned with the drinks she giggled at Ulric taking a drink from the side of the bowl. 'I've never seen an animal as civilised as him.'

'He's surprising in many ways.' said Valdys and smiled as she looked at him over the brim of her mug.

'Thanks for petting them.' said Iphigenia to Nina. 'Things calmed down.

Nina glanced around at the crowd which had returned to their usual chatting and merriment. 'No problem. 'I can't imagine a demon beast that's tame enough to be in the company of ladies to be a danger in general. I just had to set an example.' She gave Susi another pet and Susi shyly wagged her tail. 'What brings you here?'

'We're heading towards the mountains.'

Nina raised an eyebrow. 'Why would you go there?'

Kaui put down her mug. 'We're looking for the rare mineral Antheum.' she said. 'It has some uses for alchemy and we found some indications we could find some there.'

Nina looked into the direction of the mountains as she pondered. 'I haven't heard about that before.'

'The texts that spoke of it were a bit old.' said Kaui. 'It also seemed pretty unknown.'

Nina nodded. 'That wouldn't surprise me, that there is harpy territory and they've been attacking anyone getting close.'

Ulric gestured with his eyes to the empty spot of the bench next to him and Iphigenia gestured at it. 'Would you care to join us in a drink and tell us more about it? It seems Wolfie and Susi like receiving some attention from another pretty woman as well.'

Nina blushed and looked at the handsome and cute wolves. 'Sure! give me a moment to serve the rest.' she said and went to the bar.

Elzbieta raised her eyebrows at Ulric. 'You do, eh?'

'If we want to learn as much as we can about what's going on here and at the mountains, I'm willing to endure it.' he said.

Elzbieta huffed. 'Endure. Right.'

He smiled gently at her. 'It just makes me want to feel the fingers of you girls through my fur that much more.'

Elzbieta blushed. 'Fine. I'll allow her to pet you. For now.'

Valdys giggled. 'You're not the only one feeling a little jealous of another woman petting our beloved.'

Elzbieta took a quick drink to hide her face behind her mug. 'I'm not.' she muttered.

Nina joined them after a while and brought a round of new drinks. She sat down next to Ulric on the bench and dug her fingers deep into his neck fur while scritching Susi's ears, and showed the magic in her fingers when Susi laid her head on her lap. 'It happened for the first time a while ago.' she said. 'While normally no one goes deep into harpy territory, they never attacked anyone who wandered around the edge of the mountains unless they made trouble. Then one day a group of men gathering herbs and roots returned wounded. They said they were suddenly showered with rocks and heavy branches from the sky by a flock of harpies. Another group of travelling adventurers endured the same days later. Some of the harpies even dove at them and slashed them with their talons.'

'Any indication as to why?' asked Elzbieta.

'None whatsoever.' said Nina and Ulric realised the seriousness of the situation from the tension in her fingers. 'We sent people to investigate but they were discovered and attacked each time by the harpies. They've also been attacking people ever closer to the town and we fear they might come here eventually. They could cause a lot of damage from the sky before our archers might shoot enough of them down. We've called for help from the capital but that'll take some time before they can come.'

'Could the harpies be defending something important?' asked Valdys. 'Is something threatening them?'

'Not that we know. The only thing we have in common is the hunt for flying fish.'

'Flying fish?' asked Kaui. 'Those fish with fins large enough they can fly some distances from water to water?'

Nina nodded. 'There are a lot of smaller lakes spread throughout the mountains and the fish move frequently between them. Our fishermen shoot nets at schools flying through the air and catch them in that way. But they always hunt farther away and don't come near harpy territory. We know we'd anger them if we hunted them there and steal their food source. No one has even dared to see if there really is a treasure.'

'Treasure?' asked Iphigenia.

'There's talk of a legendary treasure somewhere in the mountains. An old and great hoard of gold and jewels gathered over many years from people that died in and around the mountains. The harpies have no use for valuables but they might like the shine of it.'

'When it's ancient it's either already plundered or it never existed in the first place.' said Iphigenia.

'Most here don't believe it but sometimes the rumour surfaces again.' Nina said and smiled at Susi's sleeping face. 'I don't believe it either but it's a nice fantasy to have.' Ulric's stomach grumbled and she giggled. 'I recommend our flying fish speciality if you want to have a bite here.'

***

'Are you sure you want to go there?' asked Nina when the party was ready to leave while she held Trixy in one arm and stroked her from head to tail. 'Or at least wait until it's light again?'

Iphigenia hoisted her pack over her shoulder. 'We have to.' she said. 'It's sort of a life and death matter that we find what we're looking for. We might have a better chance while it's darker as well.'

Nina thought a party like theirs would not get into things light-heartedly. 'All right, just be careful.' she said and knelt on one knee before Susi and Ulric to pet them. 'Especially you, little one.' she looked at Ulric. 'Take good care of her.' Ulric put his paw on her knee and gave her an affirmative huff. Trixy hopped onto his shoulder and chittered in confirmation. Nina giggled. 'Yes, I feel better knowing you'll look after the both of them.'

She waved them goodbye as they left the inn and walked towards the gate and road leading to the mountains. Iphigenia giggled. 'I'll bet she'd come along just to make sure you two will come back safely if she could.'

Ulric chuckled. 'She'd be freaked out when she witnesses the real me.'

'I'm sure she'd become one of us if she did find out.' Iphigenia said and ruffled his head. 'She totally loved you and Susi.'

'A lot of women love dogs and other animals in my world. Doesn't mean they'd go that far.'

'You're saying we're weird?' said Elzbieta.

'Yes.' he said. 'And also incredible and lovely and I'm using up lifetimes of luck just knowing one of you.'

She gently and briefly grabbed his ea as she blushed. 'You're the weird one.' she muttered.

'The guards must've heard about us.' said Valdys when the two men on guard duty stared at them but didn't seem surprised at the sight of the party.

'Good, saves me the trouble of pretending to be a cute pet.' huffed Ulric.

Iphigenia giggled. 'No need for that, you are our cute pet.'

'There goes my tough man club membership.'

The guards watched the girls pass by giggling but didn't dare ask to find out the reason.

With the lights from the town behind them they got a good look at the overhanging rough cliffs of stone filling the sky in the distance under the soft blue grey shade from the moonlight. 'I thought these were normal mountains.' Ulric said.

'By daylight they look like layers of lighter and darker clouds overhanging high up in the sky.' Valdys said. 'There's even a legend of a country at the top.'

'Is it even safe to walk underneath there? If a piece of rock breaks off it'll leave quite a hole in your head. If there'd be anything left of your head.'

Valdys chuckled. 'I've only read of one death, and that was because they slept out in the open instead of in one of the many caves or at the base of a large tree.'

'Ah. Good to know we can find shelter then.'

***

Ulric still wasn't quite used to how tall some trees grew in this world and often looked up at the dark clouds of leaves blocking the sky on top of huge pillars of wood while they moved through mostly forested land and went around lakes. Once they heard a frantic splashing and a moment later a cloud of silvery glittering rose to the sky and disappeared behind the crown of the trees.

'If I told anyone at home about this landscape, they'd think I'd been drinking too much inside a dream.' Ulric said.

'This doesn't exist in your world?' asked Valdys.

'We do have our share of unique features but nothing the scale of this. Sometimes I feel as small as an ant when I stand near the tallest trees. Especially with mountains like these looming around us it feels like I'm trapped into an adventure game.'

'I hope you get used to it soon though.' said Iphigenia. 'Especially when it looks like it'll take a while before we can even get close to the demon lord and gain the power to send you back home to your own life and body.'

Ulric's ears went down a little. 'Yeah.' he said softly, then halted and sniffed the air.

'What're you smelling, Wolfie?' asked Iphigenia.

'Smells like, feathers.'

Elzbieta looked up and around. 'Just the normal birds?'

He pondered the scent. 'No, it's mixed with the scent of skin.'

'Harpies.' said Iphigenia. 'How far?'

Ulric sniffed the air again. 'I'm not sure. Maybe a thousand paces. I think there's around ten of them.' he pointed halfway to the left. 'That way.'

'How's our direction?' asked Elzbieta.

Valdys held the ring piece in her hand and waited until it settled. 'Still straight ahead.'

'I suggest we take a little detour to the right.'

'Agreed.' said Ulric.

Susi looked up at him as they continued their walk. 'Daddy has a good nose. Susi did not smell harpy.'

He smiled a little. 'It's thanks to Kaui that I have such a good nose.'

Kaui blushed a little. 'But that was only possible because of you, Master.'

Susi looked back at her. 'Susi can't get a good nose from you?'

'It only happened because I'm a special bloodwolf.' said Ulric. 'But you already have a better nose than the others so you can be happy about that.'

Susi smiled and her ears pricked up. 'Susi will if daddy says so.'

Kaui stroked her head. 'You'll learn you have things you're better at than others. We all have some of those.'

She looked up at Kaui. 'Yes.'

Following the edge of another lake they came upon a wide stretch of open land. 'Do we cross?' whispered Kaui.

Ulric sniffed the air. 'I only smell the harpies faintly. It's a chance but I feel if we keep to the trees we're only getting closer to them.'

'If we're careful enough we should be able to cross over to the other side unnoticed.' whispered Iphigenia.

Ulric looked at Elzbieta, who nodded. 'Our direction?'

Valdys pointed a little to the left. 'We're still good.'

'Then let's go quietly.' Ulric whispered and they continued along the lake.

They were nearly halfway to the other side when Ulric and Susi heard a splash and breathing. They halted and gazed at the water. 'Something's there!' Ulric said over the link.

The rest frozen in their tracks. 'Where!?' asked Iphigenia and Elzbieta at the same time.

'The water!' Ulric said and figure rose from the water and spread its wings.

It turned around and stared at the group of people and wolves at a short distance on the bank of the lake. It opened its mouth and shrieked a deafening alert.

'Run!' shouted Ulric over the link and the girls ran towards the trees while Ulric kept to the rear.

Shrieks sounded in front of them and more winged figures appeared against the backdrop of the grey mountain cliffs. 'Crap! They're in front!' said Elzbieta. 'We might have to fight because there's no place to hide here!'

Ulric gritted his teeth. He knew Iphigenia and Elzbieta could evade anything thrown at them but Valdys, Kaui, and Susi were at risk. Hiding would have helped a lot. The solution hit him. 'Kaui! Do you have some of those smoke bomb!?'

'My cloud jars!?' she asked. 'Yes!' She understood his intention and fished them out of her bag.

'Just throw them in front! I'll lead you all through the smoke.'

Kaui threw her jars and soon a thick cloud welled up in front of them. They ran inside and slowed down a little to lay a hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them while Kaui threw more jars to their right and their front.

The screeching harpies came closer but their sounds were more of desperation than confidence.

'Throw the rocks!' shouted one of them.

'But we can't see them, Conchim!'

'Doesn't matter! You might still hit them!'

Ulric and the girls heard the thumps of rocks and heavy pieces of wood hitting the ground around them but they kept close to the bank and moved as silently and quick as they could. He noticed Susi's flat ears and her tail tucked between her legs and put a paw in her neck. She increased her pace a little. 'Don't panic.' he said. 'They keep throwing in the middle of the cloud cover.'

By the time they reached the edge of the trees, the harpies were screeching in frustration at a distance behind them. 'We keep to this dense forest for as long as possible so they can't see us.' said Ulric. 'We'll take a rest when we're well out of their way and find shelter.'

***

Ulric couldn't smell any harpy around them much later and slowed down, 'I think we lost them.'

'What's the plan now?' asked Iphigenia.

'How's our direction?'

Valdys checked and pointed halfway to the right. 'That way.'

'Can everyone still walk?'

The girls confirmed and Susi as well.

'Then we keep going for now while we think up a strategy for the next time.' he said and looked at Kaui. 'I don't think we have much of those cloud jars left, right?'

'Not many, Master.' Kaui said. 'And I don't think I can find much of the materials out here to create more.'

'You still have plenty of grenades left?'

'Yes.'

'I'm thinking we'll upgrade those to flak grenades.'

'Flak, Master?'

'We're going to train in throwing with a sling and teach them they're not that safe up there in the sky.'

###