Penumbral

Chapter 32: Blood Turmoil

Encased in clear ice Nemea and Shinju darted through the crystalline waters, in few minutes the two hit the snowy sand and cause a strong impact, the ice cocoon fades, the harytas falls on the sand, the Queen touches the metal motor and it shrinks to fit in a pocket, she hands it to her fox who still wondered why she came along.

-Ah Elantaheim- The woman summons a small blazen orb that circled her -Brr a comforting cold I'd say-

Shinju places his hand on her shoulders and the Beastkin's eyes told everything the Goddess needed to know.

-This will speed the process of me getting the Icons, and you wouldn't know how mundane the experiments with the Heart are- Nemea waves her hand and the two head towards the exiled Gelic's encampment.

The sun rising meant nothing but light to the winteryscapes, however to Alimur it meant another day, the Human lovingly caressed Aurora as she rested on top of him.

The Demi-Human opened her eyes and tightly hugged her boyfriend, she trusted him with her life just as he did, her mind in turmoil would finally be put to rest.

The couple exited their room together, Danlioden sat on the counter and waved a letter in their direction, the woman rushed at the bard and almost ripped his arm off trying to take the letter, the green clothed man's smile never faded.

Aurora read her name and ran outside, Alimur smiled softly as he looked around the Guild filled with various Beastkin, a white lion with a golden mace strapped to his waist stood out to him, the lion looked at him with a sadistic smile, the Human winced and left the Guild in search of his girlfriend.

"My dearest daughter, I'm truly sorry but I did not tell you the whole truth_"

Aurora looked away and breathed deeply in and out.

"... I did it to protect myself from retaliation alongside your father, but it was for you too as I didn't know what my mother would do to you, the Seles are complicated, masters of redirective martial arts, strategy and healing, however they despise direct confrontation and revile those who fight with their own strength, I trained in secret with the Maidens of Salok before meeting your father and running away, I swear I'll love you even if you hate me for being selfish in your early years, I ignored your father's actions in Huia because I mistakenly believed strength was the only way to protect someone I love, maybe the Seles Matriarchs were right, sweetest kisses my little Rora.  —Rosaria Seles"

Aurora crumpled the letter to reveal Alimur sitting on the snow, the Human had a serious look on his face, she flashed him a concerned look.

-I take it were bad news?-

The woman tried to hand him the letter but was stopped by his palm on her arm.

-I don't need to know if you don't want to-

-... Ok, I was right in a way... I want to talk with my grandmother-

-Then I'll be right behind you-

-That can wait I'm sure-

Aurora held the paper over a nearby torch and watched it slowly turn to ash, the remains were carried by the soft icy winds away from Deighel, the Demi-Human now faced her boyfriend she lowered to his height and gave him a brief kiss, to bypassers it was a pathetic show of affection but to the couple the brief moment their lips met an insurmountable love was exchanged, they held each other's hands and with intertwined fingers they head towards the colosseum in Deighel.

An imposing structure of stone and wood like no other in the continent of Elantaheim, stone pillars lined with black bark forming straight lines from the dirt to the sky, arches with pelts and animal heads resembling Beastkin, the crown jewel of the Beastkins, the Pugbeha a place that decided rulers and the Beastkin seat of the Council, a place that showed a warrior's strength, a place that decided the fate of criminals and heros alike.