Penumbral

Chapter 43: Carnal Bond

Salazar carefully danced his knife of light on the wood and carved every minute detail of how he remembered his captain, once the lizard got sick he passed onto his Scaleborn friend and captain's lover, he carved a very thin tongue and looked across the room to see Mia reading a book, he gritted his teeth and audibly cursed calling her attention so when it was fully on him he spoke.

-A snake lies-

-Would you not say anything to keep Jen safe?!- She rebuked aggressively.

-Captain needed to know the truth! If I knew you'd lie I would've come with- He set down the sculpture and unsummoned his knife.

-Answer the question Sal!-

-OF COURSE I WOULDN'T! I love her through and through and that's why I would tell the truth-

-You don't understand do you? He has a new life with Aurora, the last thing I want is to ruin that-

-Will he not question it? You're manipulating him!-

-I LIED TO PROTECT HIM!... MAYBE WE SHOULD'VE LET YOU ROAM THE STREETS ALONE!!- Mia gasps and cover her mouth.

Salazar sheds tears and runs out of the home.

-SAL WAIT!-

Aurora faced her grandmother with an iron gaze and the elder began a tirade.

-Look at you, weak skin and wasting energy for nothing- She spoke in a disgruntled tone.

-Grandmother, why did my mom run away?-

-She was weak of spirit, we should've taken her birth as an omen-

-This doesn't make sense! She's a more than capable fighter-

-Oh child, you know nothing of our ways-

-Then tell me why-

-We do not waste our strength needlessly and that was Rosaria's mistake... she traded her family for the maidens of Salok... a coward-

-Fighting with your own strength is necessary! Not every challenge can be overcome simply using your opponent-

-Then maybe I should show you- Madah took a stance leaving little of her body exposed from the front.

-I don't want to fight you-

-If you want to be accepted by us you'll have to prove you're strong of body at least and besides you ruined my training-

-Again, I don't want to fight you-

A swift attack came from behind Aurora who narrowly dodged it and swept her assailant's leg, the Demi-Human took note it was the maid that took her here.

-Fine-

Aurora gritted her teeth and summoned a spear while turning to face Madah, the Demi-Human rushed the Scaleborn and tried to pierce her stomach but Madah used her wings to abate the spear along Aurora's momentum to shove her against the wall, the young woman used her wings to propel herself from the wall and bash against the elder who narrowly dodged and tripped Aurora with her tail, the Demi-Human flipped on the air and sloppily landed away from Madah who taunted her.

-Just as expected from an impure, your Human side disallows you from truly harnessing your body's power-

Aurora took a deep breath and threw a shining spear which Madah caught with one claw.

-Weak- Before Madah could berate Aurora further the Demi-Human darted across the room and narrowly missed a punch.

Aurora followed with an uppercut but missed again, the Demi-Human jumped and flew into Madah with another punch but the elder simply redirected the attack by making the younger woman fly into the wall, Aurora flipped and put her feet on the wall following with a dash and feigning a punch but she instead smacked Madah with her wing and rolled onto the ground.