Chapter 44: Wolf Girl Training

The next morning brings a campfire necessity – bacon. Before sunrise, I place strips all along the fire. The sound and smell never get old. Some of the fattier pieces even create little fireballs as oil pops from them and into the fire.

Victoria is the first to wake up-

“Good morning,” she says as she stumbles out of her tent and towards the fire, “what are you making?” she asks.

“Bacon, it’s a good breakfast food,” I explain with a smile before handing her some, “take as much as you’d like, you’ll need the energy today.”

Victoria takes a piece to her mouth and crunch.

“mmnom it’s so crunchy and salty,” she says as she slouches her shoulders.

“Glad you like it,” I reply. She isn’t eating like she’s in prison this morning. That’s good progress.

Selena and Kara wake and join in for breakfast. They chow down with pleasant smiles before asking some questions.

“Victoria said you broke into the Alarian castle and happened to find her there, but why were you at the castle?” Selena asks. Little shit has always been observant.

“They started a war with Sante, so I was out taking care of that..” I answer without making eye contact.

“Right.. and the prince fell to his death while you were there..” she adds suspiciously, squinting her eyes at me.

“Well, he had been drinking, and he just happened to slip and fall off his balcony,” I add, my eyes still darting around the campfire.

Victoria seems to read the subtext of our conversation and breaks out in a small smile.

“Naturally..” Selena says while side eyeing me, “Will that be enough to end the war? Did the Alarian Empire send its military to Sante?” she asks quietly.

“They tried..” I respond, “oh Kara, some guy in their military said he was your cousin and that I should let him go, but I killed him..” I continue with a slight frown.

“Wha- my cousin? Working in the Alarian military?” Kara stumbles over her words as she thinks, “That prick Darren!? Was he a bigger guy who seemed like an idiot?” she asks.

“That’s him,” I say, and cock my head, trying to read her attitude.

“He used to watch me change when I was younger,” Kara says and shakes her head uncomfortably.

“That’s.. ok then,” I reply in confusion. I guess he was a prick, so it’s fine? “Anyways, finish eating, I have some training ideas for today,” I say with an evil grin.

Everyone finishes their breakfast and takes a hearty drink of water. After some discussion, we decide to walk north towards the ocean to conduct training.

The cliffs ahead of us are jagged, and the ocean beyond them smells salty. I press magic into the earth through my feet and create a bench to sit on before making everyone a cold-water blob to quench their thirst. Selena and Kara don’t seem very tired, but Victoria looks like she hasn’t done cardio in years. I step in front of them to explain my goal to everyone.

“Today I want to focus on creating small patches of dense magic. If you become effective with this, you’ll have a lot of options available to you in fighting and hunting,” I explain.

I create a number of magic footholds to mimic a staircase, then walk up them and stop on the highest one.

“Whoa!” Selena yells.

“That’s just condensed magic?” Victoria asks with a tilted head, her eyes are focused on the magic at my feet.

“That’s all it is, and we’re all going to use it to walk on water,” I reply with a shit-eating grin.

“Wha- how are we supposed to figure it out on the first day?” Kara protests.

“I’m not sure, but if you can’t, then you’ll fall in,” I answer, “I’m going to set some traps in the ocean. When I’m back, I’m going to start taking you out to the water.”

“”Ugh”” Selena and Kara groan in unison, but Victoria just nods along before I turn and take my leave.

***
Victoria holds a hand to her cheek in contemplation before turning to face a depressed Selena.

“I don’t think it’s going to be that hard, Selena. It looked like the old man released some of his magic and compressed it into a thin surface,” she says confidently.

“Nothing he does is normal, Victoria,” Selena says while crossing her arms, “and he’s not even old, he’s our age and wears a weird disguise,” she adds with an exasperated huff.

Victoria’s ears twitch at the new information.

“He’s.. our age?” she asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Yep, he’s just a freak who plays dress up to hunt and beat up bandits,” Selena adds while glaring towards the ocean.

“Ahh! I almost had it!” Kara yells. While the other two have been talking, she’s been steadily compressing more and more of her magic. Kara forms another sphere of magic near her feet, then compresses it into a disk. She steps on it gingerly, then puts the rest of her weight on it and stands for a moment before it breaks, and she drops back to the ground.

“See! See!!” Kara yells from the ground, her platinum hair blowing into her face from the ocean wind.

Victoria tries to copy Kara’s magic by creating a sphere of magic and flattening it into a disk. She releases magic and forms a circle several times larger than Kara’s before compressing it.

“I think I get it!” Victoria yells and steps onto her magic foothold. Unlike Kara’s, Victoria’s doesn’t break, and Selena steps onto it with her.

“Wow, it really is sturdy,” Selena says.

Kara furiously creates another magic foothold and steps onto it.

“Phew, we won’t have to go swim-“ but the foothold shatters, and Kara falls on her butt again, “owww.”

“”hahha”” Selena and Victoria laugh.

Kara picks herself up and brushes the dirt from her backside before hanging her head.

“I’m going to get wet,” she mumbles to herself.

***
I swim up to the surface of the water and look around. The ocean is calm and not making much noise along the rocky shore. I wonder if I took long enough for the girls to get the basics down?

I fly back to the cliff edge where I left them and see all three girls standing on one large disk of compressed magic.

“I knew you could figure it out!” I call out to the three.

Selena turns to face me and flashes a small smile.

“It’s more like Victoria has it figured out. Every time Kara and I step onto our compressed magic, it breaks, and we fall down,” Selena says.

Victoria picks her eyes up from the magic foothold holding her and looks at me excitedly.

“I think this type of magic agrees with me, it’s way easier than running magic through objects without breaking them..” she says.

“Using magic as a solid doesn’t require control as precise as you need to strengthen things; it’s more important to have enough of it at your disposal,” I explain, but this causes Kara and Selena to hang their heads.

“So we don’t have enough magic?” Kara asks quietly.

“I’m not sure, you have more than most people. But Victoria has a ton..” I respond, “You should be able to increase the total amount of magic you have with training, so even if you can’t keep up with Victoria today, you shouldn’t give up,” I add.

Selena picks up her head first-

“Are you really going to drop us over the ocean now?” she asks uneasily.

“Hmm, how about Victoria makes footholds with magic all the way down and you follow her,” I suggest, “the water is pretty cold.”

Victoria gingerly leads Selena and Kara down the cliffs to the ocean. Her magic control is rough, but she has so much of it that the footholds she makes are sturdy and large enough to fit several people. The girls walk around the edges of the platform Victoria is making and watch the small waves roll by beneath them.

“It’s weird to be standing out over the water..” Selena says.

“We’re walking on water..” Kara adds.

Victoria hasn’t spoken since descending from the cliffs.

“Feeling alright, Victoria?” I ask.

“Oh – yes, it takes a lot of concentration, and it’s harder to make level footing when the ground beneath me is moving..” she replies while staring into the water below.

“It comes with practice, when you’re high in the air, it’s also difficult to create level footing,” I explain.

Selena is standing as close to Victoria as she can, but Kara is exploring the edges of their foothold and practicing her magic by extending it out further. She releases a larger area of magic than before and flattens it into a foothold that goes further over the water. It looks the same as Victoria’s, but it’s lacking in density. I’m quite sure it will break when she-

“gurgblug – HAAA,” Kara drops like a rock through her foothold and into the water.

“”HAHHA,”” Victoria and Selena cackle with excitement, but this breaks Victoria’s concentration.

“WAHH”

“NOO”

Victoria and Selena crash into the water to join Kara.

I walk over and look at the three treading water. It appears their moods have soured.

“Are you guys ok?” I ask gently while scratching my head.

“I’m wet,” sulks Kara, prompting Selena to nod in shameful agreement.

“I lost my concentration..” Victoria admits quietly.

“It was bound to happen. Try to make handholds to pull yourselves up. If you can’t, I’ll pull you out,” I say.

Victoria pulls herself up calmly and creates a large platform to stand on again. Selena makes handholds and pulls herself up quickly before jumping to Victoria’s platform. But Kara is hopeless-

“I’ve got it, I’m fine,” Kara says as she makes handholds for the third time. As soon as she pulls on them, they shatter, and she falls back into the water.

“One more try, then I’m pulling you out, Kara,” I say with a sigh and a hand on my cheek.

She makes handholds again and pulls herself up enough to place her right knee on one, but they break, and she faceplants into the water again. I walk over and take her flailing hand to pull her out.

“Relax for a second, I’ll pull you up,” I command.

“R-right.. fine,” Kara replies in resignation.

I pull Kara up swiftly and catch her in a bridal carry. I walk her over to Victoria’s platform, where Selena is snickering.

“Hey Kara, didn’t you like being held last time..” Selena says in a teasing tone.

“Huh?” I ask, then look down at Kara. She’s blushing all the way to her ears.

“No! It was just comforting to be held when we were flying last time you were here,” Kara stammers as I place her down on Victoria’s platform.

“Right, the air can be a little scary..” I reply. I think Kara would be more age-appropriate for me, but I’ve gotten this bitchy get away from me vibe from her?

“Anyways, we’re soaked, can we call it a day?” Selena asks.

“That’s fine, I should head home too. I’ll make a bit of warm air to dry everyone before I leave,” I reply before conjuring a summer’s breeze.

Victoria closes her eyes, leans into the wind, and lets out a large sigh.

“It feels so nice,” she says to no one in particular.

“If the temperature is any lower, it’s impossible to make a breeze this warm without fire,” I say, “luckily, the weather has already changed, and the north isn’t too cold to begin with.”

“I wasn’t sure I’d feel a warm breeze again, so I’m savoring it,” Victoria replies.

Yikes, she’s been so cheerful today, I forgot she’s been in hell for however long in Alaria.

“Yea, I understand,” I say solemnly, “do you need any help getting back to camp, or can I fly back from here?” I ask.

Selena turns to look at me somewhat sadly.

“We’ll be fine, but you’re leaving already?” she asks.

“Yes, I should check how things are in the capital. I wiped out the invading troops before they could enter Sante, but I’m sure there were already Alarian soldiers inside the walls to disrupt defensive efforts,” I answer.

“Oh, right.. did you have to kill a lot of people to stop the invasion?” Selena asks quietly.

“I’m not sure you want me to answer that, Selena,” I reply with a frown.

Selena pulls her eyes off me, and Kara walks over to wrap an arm around her.

“There isn’t much we can be mad about. No one was forced to join Alaria, and then they started a war,” Kara says while holding onto Selena gently.

“Did you know more people who went into military service for Alaria?” I ask, and Selena looks back at me.

“Lots of people actually.. not all of them are people I would miss, but some are,” she answers quietly.

“I only noticed 10 people with enough magic for me recognize them as city-staters,” I say.

“Out of how many?” Kara asks this time.

“15,000 or so,” I reply flatly.

“ACK Wha-“ Victoria chokes on air. Selena and Kara seem surprised at the number, too, but Victoria seems shocked.

“That’s nearly the entire military – you fought them all!?” Victoria screams.

“Well, yes, but I used some traps and ambushes on the road. I didn’t try to fight that many people individually; it would’ve taken forever,” I answer.

Victoria looks at me for a moment before stiffening her back and putting on a serious expression.

“Old man, will you take me with you and keep training me?” she asks.

She would probably be a kick ass student to have.. but I’m still in my own training. And what, would she live in my dorm secretly? The Princess would show up unannounced and find that I have a wolf girl with me. It’d actually be pretty sick to live with a wolf girl.

“I live in a school dorm, and I don’t really have time to do anything during the week,” I answer.

“What about on the weekends?” she asks, not giving up in the slightest.

“I hunt during the weekends.. but I’ll make you a deal, if you can develop your magic to the point where you can strengthen objects by the time I come back with your illusion spell stones then I’ll take you hunting for a weekend and we can train,” I reply, “but don’t complain when it’s hell, the last person I took hunting with me looked like they wanted to die.”

Selena and Kara grimace, likely imagining grueling training, but Victoria smiles from ear to ear.

“It’s a deal!” she yells and pumps her fist.

“So it is, keep practicing, I’ll be back in a few weeks,” I reply, “Selena, Kara, do you two need anything from Sante?” I ask.

“What? You’d get us something from your Kingdom?” Selena asks cautiously.

“I’ll be bringing something back for Victoria, feels wrong not to offer you two something,” I answer with a shrug.

“Clothes!” Kara yells, “It’s hard to get strong clothing in the north,” she adds.

“Haha, ok, so hunting clothes is one, what about you, Selena?” I ask.

“Oh, um.. You made dinner last night with some spices I haven’t had before, if you could bring some with you..” Selena asks shyly.

A foodie, I knew I liked this one.

“Spices, good choice, I have some in storage if you want them now?” I ask, but Selena shakes her head.

“That’s ok, it’ll be more fun if we all get something together,” she says with a smile before looking at Victoria and Kara.

“Got it - illusion spell stones, hunting clothes, and spices. I’ll see everyone in a few weeks,” I say with a wave, then dive into the water for my lobster traps

I don’t think Sante would struggle with a few spies inside the capital causing disruptions, but hopefully they didn’t do anything crazy. If they damage the capital too much, the academy could even close for the year. Yea, I should hurry back.