Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Chapter 86

Chapter 86

My hair billowed behind me as it bent to the will of the gusting wind. It hadn’t been long since we began training, yet the weather had grown darker and far more recklessly turbulent.

I had my arms wrapped around my chest as I waited for Marcellan to finish with the preparations. He had maids packing in some weapons, many of them forged from steel, catching the reflection of the fading sun where dark clouds roamed the sky and rumbled lightly.

Even the trees swayed harshly in response, as though a heavy rain might soon pour.

"What are we doing?"

Finally, I threw out the question that had been bothering my mind.

"Just watch," Marcellan said.

I cast a wary look at him, my weight shifting to my other leg as I watched him finish setting the stage. The once bland expression on his face disappeared, replaced by a much more gracious smirk.

He dusted off his hands as he turned to me.

"Now, we can begin."

"Okay..." I slurred.

My steps diminished the distance between us. Once we were close, he came to stand beside me.

"So, what’s the basis of your power?" he asked, setting his eyes upon me.

In response, my gaze rolled to the side, searching for the right understanding so I could answer properly. He caught on and helped me out.

"I mean, how does your magic work? Is it telekinesis, spell-casting, based on intentions...?"

"I... I haven’t really thought about that."

I shrugged, and he shot me a look framed by a single raised brow.

His windswept hair plastered itself across his face, a few strands resting atop his upper lip, but he wasn’t bothered enough to wipe them away.

"How can you be so oblivious?"

"Are you insulting your Luna?" I retorted.

He groaned and rolled his eyes, putting a metre of distance between us. He turned around and spread his arms.

"Do something."

I sighed as I weighed the options in my mind.

Flicking my lashes towards the weapons, my gaze settled upon a spear. Its wickedly spiked length gleamed beneath the fading sunlight.

My fingers twirled, and the spear came to life. The shaft stirred before the entire weapon heeded my command and rose towards Marcellan. He weaved to the side with a single step, then caught the spear by the end of its shaft.

"Good."

"Now, do the same with me."

"What?"

I sounded as though he’d asked a question befitting a man who’d gone mad.

"Your power is based on manipulation. You can switch things however you like, bend them to your will, and make them heed your demands. Do the same with me."

I swallowed.

I wished not to agree, but this was only training, right? It wasn’t like he was going to get hurt... right?

I twisted my fingers as I steeled myself, my feet firm against the sand, and let out my aura.

Out of the blue, Marcellan’s feet dug into the ground before he sprinted towards me, his movement a dash too swift for my eyes to follow. Before I knew it, he stood before me with a dagger pressed against my neck.

"That’s cheating..."

"I cracked the code," he said. "Things without life are much easier to manipulate than those with life, and you must understand that wolves will definitely fight back." He paused. "To kill you."

"Very funny," I barked with a stoic expression.

He basically cheated...

"Want to know what’s funny?" he prompted, and something told me I didn’t wish to know.

"When they come for your heart and snatch it out of your chest because you’re too slow to fight back."

I batted my lashes, words failing me as I searched for the most appropriate thing to say in this situation.

And here I’d thought he was the type who made people laugh.

"When did you become so... brutal?"

Words failed me, and I settled for the closest thing my brain could summon.

"I merely speak the truth."

I blinked.

"You know what? Fuck you."

I turned around and muttered the rest. "Chess really does suit you. I can’t wait for Clawface to come back. He was a better teacher."

Something prickled the back of my head. The hard object resembled the weight of a stone.

Turning around again, I glared at Marcellan.

"What?"

"We aren’t done," he simply said, then pressed on. "Now that we’ve established the basis of your power, we can focus on the pros and cons. Start with levitation."

"Elaborate," I huffed as I folded my arms.

Call me unstable, but I knew I needed this training. It was no less true that Clawface would be busy for who knew how long. It was plain that capturing Leo and Nathan wasn’t going to happen within a few days.

Possibly not even within a few weeks.

And so, if Marcellan was my last option for learning how to defend and protect the ones I loved, then I’d let go of my pride.

Even when he was being a complete dork head right now.

"Weapons easily bend to your intentions. Since your binding with the One Tree, you don’t exactly need to exert a spell before you can bend things. However, to be truly efficient, you do require spells."

I paid attention without wavering.

"For much stronger beings, they fight back, hence making it less effective."

Marcellan spoke as though he’d become a scholar, finally embracing his moment.

"You wish to fight? Then be smart about it. Bend weapons to your will. That’ll destabilise your enemy."

We stood at opposite ends of the training ground.

I let out the aura of my power, feeling the weapons heed my command.

On the other hand, Marcellan let his wolf rise to the surface. His nails curled into what looked like talons, perilously sharpened, while his calves shifted to increase his stance and stability. His canines lengthened into fangs, his mouth parting slightly as his jaw deformed beyond its usual shape.

"Ready?"

His words came out more like a growl, and I nodded.

It began.

I threw another spear his way, but he was quick to sway out of its path. His feet dug into the sand, scooping it up and using the resulting dust to hide his frame.

With my left hand, I bent the surrounding air to my command, blowing the dust away.

Just as the air cleared, Marcellan was much closer to me.

As much as I knew this was merely training, my survival instinct kicked in, and my subconscious reached for a sword to clash against Marcellan’s incoming claws.

It whipped through the air, aiming for his wrist, but he tumbled, sliding behind me.

Quickly, I spun around and hurled a dagger his way.

It slid past his thigh, drawing a bruise.

Marcellan blinked up at me.

I hadn’t finished grinning when he raced towards me. His speed was inhuman, and his approach was dangerously relentless.

My eyes widened as I brought more of the weapons before me, forming a shield.

Marcellan clawed at my face, each strike meeting steel instead. Sparks burst at every point of impact, his intensity colliding against the hardness of the metal.

Then he went low, lunging out with his feet to destabilise my stance, only to be struck by the blunt end of the shield.

"That’s good," Marcellan said. "You learn fast."

"Really? Here I thought you were the slow one who just couldn’t keep up with me."

I taunted him, earning a laugh.

Then he scowled.

He landed one mighty punch against the metal, resulting in a loud creak and a force that sent me sliding backwards.

"Did I just hear you whine?" he feigned innocence. "Oh, such a little Luna."

"Shut up!"

I roared and came for him again.

My fingers flicked, sending two spears towards his legs. He flipped over them, hovering in the air, then I used gravity against him, making it weigh a ton and sending him crashing down.

Not giving him a chance to recover, I sent the remaining weapons surrounding his throat.

There was no escaping.

"Yield," I groaned breathlessly.

"Hm."

Marcellan huffed.

I let go of my control over the weapons and sat down. As Marcellan stood, he cracked his knuckles.

"We aren’t done. You’ve proved ambitious at controlling weapons visible to your sight. Now, I need you to conjure them."

"That makes no sense."

"I’m the teacher. You’re the student. Stand up and resume your training," he replied curtly.

I was less than an inch away from cursing the hell out of him, but restraint found me, and I stood as he’d bid.

I readied myself for the next phase.