The Fable of a Lost Wolf

by Solaris Night


Chapter 4: Preparing For War

"Is what you told us true?" Shepherd asked, his face twisted in grimace.

"It is." Avaia replied to everyone in the room. The men who made up the high ranks of the rebel forces immediately began to speak to each other.

"This is preposterous!" One of them cried out.

"But what if it is true? What should we do?" Another spoke up over the other.

Soon the entire room was filled with voices talking over each other. The more they talked the louder they got and Avaia was afraid that it would soon break out in a brawl.

"Will you shut up already!" The sudden shout silenced everyone in the room, and all eyes turned to the agitated Trider.

Shepherd nodded in gratitude and picked up the conversation. "Thank you Trider." he began, before addressing everyone in the room. "I'm sure everyone has their doubts about what was told, but I am certain that what Avaia and Trider had told us is all true."

"How can you be so sure?" A rather old Kanisar said. "Did you even consider that maybe they made it all up? I mean youths these days will do anything to earn attention from adults." His eyes then turned towards Trider and his gaze hardened. "Not to mention that one of them is 'him'." he spat out as he addressed the Kanisar in question.

Avaia looked at Trider with a saddened expression, while everyone else became alert, preparing for what he might do. The young Kanisar however just hung his head and sighed.

Clearing his throat, Shepherd turned to the old Kanisar. "While I do agree that Trider’s past is something that can't be overlooked, but I have known him for a long time and while he is rather impulsive and short tempered at times, I can also tell you that Trider is one of the most honest people I know and I would never doubt anything he told me." The older Kanisar sagged into his seat and didn't reply back to Shepherd. "One the other hand there is also Avaia, who I'm sure most of you know quite well."

Everyone nodded and mumbled praises at the girl, who tried hard not to blush from the attention she was getting. "So let me ask this, who here believes that she would make up such a lie?"

The room went deadly silent.

"Thought so." Shepherd said and gave the girl a kind smile, which she returned.

"Still." the old Kanisar spoke up again. "It's really hard to believe what we were told. A Kanisar working with the humans to destroy humans? A masterplan to commit a genocide on humanity? And what about this Super Kanisar? If you ask me it's all one big phooey."

"So, what you're saying is that if we show you proof you'll believe us?" Trider said, as he walked out from the back of the room where he was for the most part of the meeting.

"That is exactly what I said punk." the man replied, not averting his gaze away from the approaching Kanisar.

Now standing in the middle of the room, Trider continued to stare at the old man, his face expressionless. Suddenly the air became tense and heavy. Suddenly with an explosion of energy Trider’s hair turned white and everyone stared at him with wide eyes.

"Super Kanisar." Trider simply stated and turned back to normal. The old man continued to stare at him, holding his breath in surprise.

The room once again went into turmoil.

"Quiet." Shepherd raised his voice and everyone went silent once more. "Now that we have been presented with the proof, do you still doubt what the two of them have told us."

Everyone in the room shook their head, but somebody spoke up. "While the issue of their truthfulness has been cleared up, that leaves us with the problem of how to deal with it."

"True." Shepherd nodded in deep thought. "And this is a predicament. Now we are fighting a war on two fronts. And like Syver said, his roots are already too deep within the Kingdom to dig them out completely."

"We'll just have to fight them both then." Trider's statement garnered the attention of everyone in the room.

"How? We are having trouble with just the Kingdom, so how are we supposed to deal with Syver as well?"

"Simple." Trider said matter-of-factly. "We'll teach every Kanisar here how to turn Super."

The silence of the room was deafening. The looks of surprise, disbelief and fear spread throughout the room.

"And let me guess you'll be the one to train them?" the old Kanisar spoke up again. "Good luck with that."

"No." He replied. "She will." he said and pointed at Avaia.

Avaia nearly choked on her spit. "M-M-Me?" she said flabbergasted.

"Yeah."

"But why?" she asked.

"Because no one would want to be trained by me. The distrust for me is already too great to be fixed by simple words. And even if there were some who'd be willing to train with me, the humans would begin to think that I'm just doing to further my own agenda." Trider explained. "You however, are already trusted by everyone and so they would listen to you."

Avaia was at a loss for words. The amount of trust and responsibility Trider was placing on her was tremendous. She was almost happy to be so relied upon.

"I got it. I'll do my best." she said proudly.

"Good, we'll start early tomorrow."

"Already? Why so soon?"

Trider’s face turned somber and he lowered his gaze. "Because we don't have time."

"Care to elaborate?" Shepherd asked curiously. "I know we are pressed for time, but I don't think there is need to rush." His face then turned to one of suspicion. "Unless there is something else you're not telling us."

Trider sighed loudly and turned to the man. "There is." he said. "I'm certain everyone already knows about my disappearance and what happened to me during that time."

"Are you talking about your insane story of how you were transported to another world by sentient humanoid horses via magic?" the old Kanisar asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Exactly." Trider said and nodded. "You can believe me or not, but at least listen to what I'm gonna tell you." The room remained quiet, as did the Kanisar.

"Thank you." Trider said before he started. "I had many adventures in that world, but during one of them I lost a family member and a close friend. They were taken from me by a guy named Comet Trail, who was corrupted by an ancient artifact with tremendous power. That close friend managed to take a fragment of that artifact and gave it to me so I could keep it safe. Then I was sent here to keep it as far away from their world as possible. But unfortunately it was stolen from me by Syver."

A woman raised her hand and Trider allowed her to speak. "If this thing can corrupt people, why did he give to you? Wouldn't it have corrupted you as well?"

"The object apparently only corrupts you through the magic in your body. And since we don't have much of it, the effect is miniscule." Trider explained.

"Stop me if I get something wrong." Another person said. "If I understand correctly, this artifact is magic right?"

"Right."

"So it can only be used with magic and it corrupts via magic?"

"Exactly."

"So why is it that important that you're telling us this. As far as I can tell it's completely harmless."

Trider’s gaze hardened and his expression stiffened. "I thought so too. But after I had it for a while I learned that it's not that simple. First I never said we don't have magic, I said we had small amounts of it." He let the statement sink into everyone before he continued. "It will corrupt us eventually. And as for it being useless as a weapon, after what I saw in Syver’s labs I wouldn't be so sure."

The room remained silent, before Shepherd spoke up. "I believe you Trider. And I'm all up for your plan." he said and raised his hand. "All those in favor say 'I'."

Everyone in the room exchanged glances and slowly began to raise their hands as well. While some were still skeptical, the majority of the room were holding their hand high.

"It is decided then. We will go with your plan and let you train Avaia, so she can teach other Kanisars."

Trider nodded and began to walk out of the room. He stopped by the entrance and gazed back. "I was gonna do it even if you said no." he said and smirked.