Past, Present and Wolf

Her voice began to shake immediately.

“When we started to die out, people got desperate. No one really knew much about anaruhi traditions… or the magic behind them.”

She shivered.

“I was sixteen at the time.”

His breath caught. Her parents had died when she was sixteen. Was it all connected?

She continued.

“People don’t talk about it anymore because of how horrifying it was. But there wasn’t a single anaruhi or spouse that escaped that night besides me. They call it the Extinction Rape now.”

She shuddered again.

“Tens of thousands of people… all trying to get the last hundred or so anaruhis pregnant, or trying to get pregnant by them. The spouses were included in that number, mind you. And the children.”

Joash could do nothing but listen, kneeling in the grass by Neko-chan’s broad flank as Foebe poured out memories she had carried alone for years.

“Being a sixteen-year-old girl…” Her voice tightened. “For many of them, it wasn’t even about survival. They were just using the event as an excuse.”

She lowered her gaze, staring at her knees.

“But none of them were able to lay a hand on me.”

She swallowed.

“I’ve lived in the capital my whole life. I was well known. So a lot of people tried to get me and my parents. I’d put the number at around two thousand.”

Tears began to fall freely down her cheeks.

“My parents… my mother was powerless against them. But my father had takune magic. And they’d agreed beforehand, if it ever came to this, they would protect me.”

Her hands trembled.

“So when he realised how hopeless the situation was, he broke the rules of takune magic.”

She sniffed.

“You’re not supposed to give objects multiple intentions. It destabilises them. But he started blessing the attackers’ clothes with as many as ten intentions at once. They exploded.”

Joash felt sick.

“He kept it up for four minutes. Four minutes of holding them back. And then the building, our home, collapsed under the horde forcing their way in.”

Her voice softened.

“But by then… my mother and I were already hiding in the church.”

Joash moved closer, sitting beside her. He gently placed a hand over hers, clenched tightly against her thighs.

“Hey… you don’t have to tell me all of this-”

She shook her head violently.

“No. I do. I have to.”

And she continued.

“They found us after my father’s location was stolen through magic torture. I’m told he died shortly after…” Her voice cracked. “But knowing what the event was named, I doubt it was quick.”

She wiped her face roughly.

“Before the mob reached us, Marek found us. We thought he’d turn us in to save himself.”

A weak, humourless laugh escaped her.

“But he didn’t. He’d predicted someone might try to take refuge in the church. Us, or the other anaruhi family in the capital. He’d prepared a safeguard.”

Her breath hitched.

“When we saw a group of adventurers coming through a side door, we thought it was over.”

Joash squeezed her hand gently.

“But they took one look at us… and went to guard the door instead. Weapons drawn.”

She stared into nothing.

“I couldn’t see it, but someone fired a warning shot. It went wrong. A fireball detonated and killed a lot of the mob.”

Tears spilled onto Joash’s hand.

“They retreated after that. Didn’t try again.”

Her voice dropped to almost nothing.

“When they called all clear, my mother looked at me… smiled… and collapsed.”

She broke.

“There was no injury. No wound. Her bond with my father had been severed.”

Her shoulders shook.

“She died with him.”

She sobbed openly now.

“And it was all for nothing,” she choked. “Once an anaruhi is married and completes the first-night ritual, they can only conceive with their spouse. And vice versa.”

Her fingers curled into his sleeve.

“That’s why summoned men start forming harems. They know they can’t get anyone else pregnant.”

Her voice failed completely as she collapsed against his side.

“I’m sorry…” she whispered. “Please don’t leave me…”

He held her in his arms, her trembling body so fragile it felt like he was carrying a fractured glass jar. He leaned close and whispered into her ear.

“Why would I leave you?”

She shook, breath hitching.

“Because… because…”

He didn’t rush her. His voice stayed gentle, coaxing rather than demanding.

“What happened next?”

She sniffed, inhaled, then sniffed again.

“Next…” Her voice steadied just a little. “The mob came to a halt. They’d killed all the anaruhis, and no one dared enter the church.”

She swallowed.

“We have fragile bodies, you see. Being used over and over like they were… it must’ve been horrible.” Her fingers curled into his clothes. “They were probably relieved when they passed. Knowing they were finally free.”

She shuddered.

“My mother’s death was announced, and for a year people believed it was over. My existence was only known by the adventurers who protected me, the church staff, and the royal family.”

She glanced aside.

“Rinji was one of those adventurers.”

Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she continued.

“A year later, I was revealed to the public. I was terrified… but instead of hatred, I was treated like a deity. The ringleaders of the mobs had been executed, and the secrets surrounding anaruhis were finally released.”

A weak smile appeared.

“I was the last one.”

She exhaled.

“I healed because people were kind to me. And then… you came.”

Her tears returned, fresh and heavy, and Joash pulled her closer, pressing her against his chest. She drew her legs up, curling into him, finally giving in to the sobs she’d clearly held back for far too long.

“I’m sorry…”

He shook his head immediately.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

She nodded, though it was clear she didn’t truly believe it yet. So he didn’t argue. He simply held her - warm, shaking, alive - until the storm began to pass. She had survived. It had hurt unimaginably, but she was here. She was safe.

And she knew it.

She clung to him like he was the last steady thing left in the world.

Neko-chan let out a soft meow.

They would need to move again soon.

He leaned down, whispering into Foebe’s ear.

“Foebe?”

Her sobs quieted. She was listening.

“You’re incredibly strong. You know that?”

Her crying faded into sniffles as he went on.

“You went through all of that… and then you went and did Rinji’s combat training?”

She let out a strangled, almost incredulous laugh. He smiled. She was coming back.

“And then you faced the public again. On your own two legs. You were only seventeen.”

He lowered himself so she had no choice but to look at him.

“You saw all of that, and you still stood back up.”

Her eyes locked onto his.

“You’re amazing.”

He smiled softly.

“I’m the lucky one. I really am.”

She bit back another laugh, nearly choking on it as her voice came out in a shaky whisper.

“I’m an emotional wreck…”

His smile didn’t falter.

“You’re beautiful.”

That did it. She laughed properly this time, tear-streaked and breathless, but real. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, still smiling weakly.

“I’m going to hug you all day.”

He chuckled.

“You can hug me once we’re back on Neko-chan.”

She nodded, allowing him to help her to her feet. Soon they were seated on Neko-chan’s back once more - his hands buried in fur, her arms wrapped firmly around his waist.

The great ngeru began to run again.

As the wind whipped past her ears, Foebe found herself smiling.

Joash had said he was lucky to have her.

He had no idea just how lucky she was to have him.