Nexus Bond

Band of Wolves Arc: Part 4

The trio sprinted back toward the house, their breaths ragged and their hearts pounding. Suddenly, Mel skidded to a halt in the middle of the field.

"Our sheep!" she exclaimed, looking back toward the pasture.

Akira and Raz turned to see wolves swarming the field. But instead of attacking the sheep, the creatures moved with singular purpose, ignoring the flock entirely.

"They have a clear target," Raz muttered grimly.

One wolf, faster than the others, lunged directly at Mel. Before she could react, a powerful jet of water slammed into the beast, throwing it aside. Grandma stepped forward, her hands glowing with magical energy.

"Mel, go to safety!" Grandma commanded.

Behind her, another wolf charged. "Watch out!" Akira shouted, hurling a blue fireball that struck the beast, sending it tumbling. 

"She's right, Mel. You can't use magic—hide inside!" Akira urged.

Mel hesitated but nodded, bolting for the house.

"Akira, be careful," Raz warned. Even though that fireball was accurate, you still don't have full control of my magic."

"I know," Akira replied, stepping beside Grandma. "Ready for wave two?"

The wolves charged again. Akira leapt at one, slamming it to the ground. Another lunged, claws swiping. Akira caught the first claw, then the second, wrestling with the beast until Grandma's water blast knocked it away. More wolves surged forward. Grandma dispatched them one by one, but one managed to slip past her defenses, clamping its jaws around her neck.

"Grandma!" Akira cried, launching another fireball. The wolf yelped and fell away, but before Akira could recover, a larger wolf—their leader—caught him from behind, lifting him into the air.

"You are the biggest threat," the leader snarled.

Akira struggled in vain as another wolf clamped its jaws on Grandma's leg, dragging her to the ground. She screamed, blood seeping into the dirt.

"No!" Akira shouted.

"Silence!" the leader barked. "Bring the hag here."

The wolves encircled them, dragging Grandma to the leader's feet. Blood dripped from her wounds as she pleaded, "Please, let us go."

The leader's grip on Akira tightened. "After what you did to my brother? Never."

"What are you talking about?" Grandma asked, her voice trembling.

"The wolf you humiliated at your farm was my brother. He returned disgraced, forcing me to kill him to restore my honor. Now, I'll kill you—and then this boy."

A sudden light flared from Akira's body. In an instant, he transformed into Raz.

"Now, put me down," she commanded, her glowing eyes locking onto the leader's.

"Where is the boy?" the leader growled.

"I said, put me down," Raz repeated. Fire erupted around her as she summoned a massive flaming tornado, blasting the wolves backward. She caught Grandma midair, landing safely a distance away. The leader was flung into the chaos, watching helplessly as flames spread, consuming the field.

"What have you done?" he roared, seeing his comrades burning and fleeing.

Raz smirked. "Just the beginning." As she spoke, shadowy forms emerged from the ground—Asurs, monstrous creatures of darkness. The Asurs attacked indiscriminately, forcing the wolves to retreat in panic.

"Eldric, we must retreat!" a wolf called to the leader.

Eldric stared at the destruction, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Raz standing amidst the flames. Her form shifted back into Akira.

"You," Eldric whispered, before howling the order to retreat.

The wolves vanished into the forest, but the Asurs remained.

"Wolves are gone. Now it's the Asurs' turn," Akira said, his voice resolute.

"Princess," one Asur growled, lunging at him.

Akira met it with a punch, slamming it into the ground. "She's my princess now," he said, his eyes flashing. He fought off the remaining Asurs, dispatching them one by one until the battlefield was clear.

Breathing heavily, he returned to Grandma, who lay propped against a tree. "Are you alright, Grandma?"

"Yes," she said weakly. "But the fire… it's spreading."

Akira glanced at the raging flames. "I'll handle it."

"How?" Raz asked. "We don't have water magic!"

Akira's eyes landed on the well nearby. "I have an idea." He climbed onto the well's edge, peering down. "There's so much water in here."

"What are you planning?" Raz asked suspiciously.

"Just tell me how you summoned the fire tornado."

"Idiot! That'll make more fire!" she snapped.

"I mean a smaller one," Akira insisted.

Raz sighed. "Concentrate your Ou in one place and say 'flaming tornado.'"

Akira closed his eyes, focusing his energy. "Flaming tornado!" Nothing happened.

"Focus harder," Raz said. "Pour all your energy into it."

Akira's eyes glowed devilish red as he tried again. This time, a vortex formed within the well. He manipulated it, pulling water from the depths and flinging it into the air, creating a makeshift rainstorm. The flames hissed and died under the torrent.

"Well done." Raz Appreciated 

Akira smiled, then hurried back to Grandma, helping her. "Let's get you inside."

As they entered the house, Akira called, "Mel? Are you here?"

Grandma joined in. "Mel, dear, it's safe now!"

Silence answered them. Raz frowned. "Why isn't she answering?"

Grandma's eyes fell to the ground. She froze at the sight of claw marks leading away from the house.

"No… it can't be," she whispered, before fainting.

"Grandma!" Akira caught her, following her gaze to the tracks. His stomach dropped.

"Those are wolf marks," he said, his voice trembling. "Raz, they took Mel."

Grandma stirred, her voice breaking. "The wolves… they've taken her."