Arad opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling as he sat up. Aella curled beside him as the rays of sunlight pierced through the window with a cold breeze. “Wake up, it’s morning,” Arad poked her face, and she flipped to the side smiling, “Give me a moment,”
After checking his hip, Arad stood to wear his armor and get ready for a long day. The griffon’s problem has ended, but not the werewolves.
Jack opened his eyes to find Lydia’s butt on his face, “Again?” He growled, trying to push her to the side. “Wake up,”
Lydia growled, looking back to find herself sitting on his face, “Good morning,” she looked down, and Jack opened his mouth, biting her as Hard as he could, “Get off my face!”
“AW!” Lydia cried, leaping away, “Don’t bite, I’m moving,” She rolled to the side of the bed, staring at him with a sad face. “How could it happen twice?” Jack glared at her.
“I flip a lot in bed,” Lydia scratched her face, “I can’t control it,”
“You know this is on another level of bad when you’re naked?” Jack stood, stretching his arms, “Let’s go. I bet Arad and Aella are awake.” He started wearing his armor, and Lydia followed him with a smile.
***
Going downstairs, the two met at the tavern, “Arad, are you okay?” Lydia asked, staring at Arad, sitting a bit crooked.
“Still got a faint itch, but it’s getting better.” Arad replied with a smile, eating his breakfast, “Recovery takes time, right?”
“Yeah, depending on the wound,” Lydia replied, taking a seat. “You can’t expect the severe injury to disappear immediately with healing magic.”
“Don’t strain yourself, Chief.” Jack sat beside him, smiling, “And be careful, the girl over there almost killed the entire forest.” He pointed toward Aella.
“I just wanted to make sure he was safe. We couldn’t waste time,” Aella cried, “I might have killed a few tens of bandits on the way, but they were bandits.” She gasped.
“It doesn’t matter,” Arad sighed, “Let’s focus on the big problem. Finding the werewolf.” He added with a smile.
***
After breakfast, the three went outside to inspect the village.
“Jack and Lydia, you two inspect the village. While Aella and I will check the forest,” Arad stated with a smile, pointing toward the church, “You can talk with them, right?”
“I can,” Lydia replied, “We came here for them after all.”
Jack stared at her, “Then you check with the church while I inspect the market, talk to the people and try to get something out.” Jack smiled, “I hope there are some thieves with honor around here as well. That would make my job easier.” 𝒷𝒹ℴ𝓿𝓁.𝓬𝓸𝓂
Arad nodded with a smile, heading to the forest with Aella behind him, “Are we going back to the nest?” She asked, tilting her head to look at his face.
“Yeah,” Arad replied, “I need to eat that thing.”
The two of them started rushing forward, running at a medium speed. “Is your back okay?”
“I said earlier. I’m getting better.” Arad looked at her, “Don’t worry about it.”
After a while, Arad and Aella reached the nest, finding the two corpses untouched. “I thought Hank would have taken them,” He looked around, scratching his head.
“Maybe he didn’t return yet.” Aella stared at Arad approaching the corpses. “I will eat those anyway.” He then touched the corpses, sucking them into his stomach.
“It’s amazing no matter how much I see it.” Aella smiled, “Can’t you hide living things inside?”
Arad shook his head, “I can’t,” He looked at her, “They will suffocate and die. And that if my void didn’t rip them apart beforehand.”
“How should we start looking for the werewolf?” Aella asked, approaching Arad.
“I don’t know.” He looked around, “The church is our best bet,”
“Should we ask Hank about it?” Aella replied, “He seemed to know something about it yesterday.”
Arad looked at her, “He might have encountered the beast in the past. Let’s knock on his door.”
***
Arad and Aella headed toward Hank’s lodge in the middle of the forest, “Is this where he lives? It’s in the heart of the beast.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Arad stared at her.
“I mean, he lives in the middle of a monster-infested area.” she looked around, “But monsters are scared to approach, like how animals won’t approach the fire.”
“A man who can beat a griffon is just another monster for them to avoid,” Arad looked at her, “You saw him fight, right?”
Aella scratched her head, “Yeah. I bet monsters won’t see him as a human.” They approached the door, knocking on it.
“Hank!” Arad looked at the wooden frame, “It’s me, Arad.”
“Wait a moment,” A woman’s voice came from the inside.
“Who is that?” Aella looked at Arad, “Hank’s wife,” He replied.
CREEK! The door opened, and the woman stared at them with a smile, “Welcome. Hank is waiting inside.”
Aella smiled, “Sorry for coming so early.”
“It isn’t a problem.” Hank’s wife smiled, “Just don’t come at night.”
“Of course, we won’t.” The two walked inside, escorted by Hank’s wife, finding him sitting on a wooden chair by the fire.
“I presume you have some questions?” Hank said with a smile, staring back at them.
“The werewolf, what do you know about him?” Arad asked directly, “I need to find the progenitor before it’s too late.”
“Sit down, and I will tell you something.” Hank pointed toward two chairs. His wife brought them tea and sat beside him.
“Have you heard of beast people?” Hank looked at Arad, “Some even call them Lycan.”
“No,” Arad replied.
“Are you talking about Cat people, dog people, and rest?” Aella looked at Hank and then at Arad, “They are common in the elvish land.”
“So they are humanoids? Sane, right?” Arad asked to confirm.
Hank stared at him, “Yeah, they aren’t mindless beasts like some werewolves or werebears.”
Aella looked back at Arad with a smile, putting two fingers on her head, “They look like humans but have animal features like bunny ears or long fangs and claws.” She explained.
“So what does this have to do with the werewolf?” Arad stared at Hank.
“It has everything to do with him,” Hank looked at the fire.
“Beast people inhabited this forest before the humans invaded and killed them,” Hank’s wife said with a sad face. “Of course, they didn’t completely disappear, as some of their descendants still get born from time to time,”
“I still can’t see how that relates to the werewolf,” Arad stared at Hank, “If they are born, then good for them.”
Hank glared at him, “The church doesn’t think the same way. They see beast people as unholy monsters. Children born with the animalistic feature are killed after birth or have their ears and horns cut off.”
“What? That was true?” Aella stood, glaring at Hank, “You knew beforehand?”
“No, when the elves started the war against humans just a few months ago, they stated one of the reasons was beast people’s oppression by the church.” Aella stared at him, “We thought it was a lie.”
“You’re an elf,” Hank’s wife stared at her, “You don’t believe your people?”
Aella stared at her, “War is full of bullshit. It was more likely they made lies to justify it.”
“Then it was a lie at the start, but true as well?” Arad stared at Aella, “No, I think the elves lied. They surely didn’t know what was happening here, or they will have used it to push further.”
Arad stared at Hank, “Then the werewolf is protecting them?”
“No,” Hank replied, “I believe the beast is just guiding them outside the forest where they can head to the elvish kingdom and join other beast people.”
Arad scratched his head, “Then if our progenitor is such a good person, how could I meet him? I do have a curse to take off,” He smiled.
Hank closed his eyes, thinking, “You better investigate the church and expose them to the world. That might get the beast to your side.”
Arad nodded and looked at Hank with a smile, “Then, one last question.” Arad’s eyes flashed purple, “How do you know all of this? What is your relation with the progenitor?”
Hank’s wife stared at him, worried, “I helped him once in the past, just like you. He told me the whole story.” Hank stared back at Arad, “I don’t care about whether the people I help are humans, beasts, or dragons,”
Arad sat back on his chair, “Fair enough,” He looked down, “Sorry for being so rude.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Hank smiled, “Keep this conversation a secret from the church.”
Arad nodded, “Of course, I will,” He smiled. “Why is that?” Aella asked, staring at them confused.
Hank looked at her, “If any priest came here seeking me or my wife’s life. I will make sure to grill him alive, and I’m not joking,” Hank clenched his fist on the chair’s armrest, crushing it.
BAM! His wife smacked him on the head, “Don’t break the furniture,”