To my readers: I am sorry but I am having a rather hard time sticking to my ideal schedule of a finished chapter a week. I will be adjusting that to a new chapter every fortnight instead with WIP releases leading up to the weekend drop. I am currently working a new job that takes a lot of my energy and am juggling the situation of two new job offers nearly in my paws to possibly replace this one. In replacement of the time adjustment, I will be continuing the WIP idea with one caveat. If i am to give my readers incompleted chapters to read over, then the completed versions will be of a much higher quality and length instead. The high-level of details will be even more robust since i am taking more time. Thank you for your patience, and as allwys keep up the DMs and Telegram chats. Don't be shy.

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3
Ascension

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Ten minutes later I am still in the wash-tub mulling it all over in my head. Mother not wanting to meet my eye as she exited the wet room quickly when I asked her what she was hiding. Father was keeping from me likely the same thing. It was big, big enough that our rule of “no secrets in the Longfang house”, was broken. But what was this secret? From what I could gather from our Meldr’s bond, he had a decision to make, one he was hesitant on. Of what though, I could not sort out as he set out to gods only knew where as soon as I went upstairs. I could tell by how far away he was, that he was near the village center. That is where our council chamber was. Was I not going to ascend today? Had something ominous been reported by one of our trusted traders? Did I suddenly grow a third ear or fifth toe? What was this sudden aptitude that I just discovered that allowed me to force Meldr bonds back open? I have never read about that one, it seemed useful. Snickering to myself as I checked my right lower paw, I confirmed that the fifth toe idea was not the case. I was now annoyed that only one Meldr at a time was permitted to have the oracle aptitude in use at any given time. I could have solved this issue quickly. It still nagged at me, what could cause father to become emotionally stricken and my normally talkative mother struck quiet. The water was getting cold, so I placed my bare foot on the exposed section of the Lycan stone at the other end of the tub. I concentrated and energized it by sending animit energy into it to reheat the water. I started to bathe, no need to be looking like hell when I was supposed to be in my best form tonight. That is if there was going to be a ritual at all now. That thought didn’t help either.

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Freshly bathed and dried, I headed down the kitchen stairs dressed partially in my formal vestments for the evening less my shirt. I had hours still, till the evening festivities started. I heard other Talee all around us outside busying themselves louder than normal. My hackles more fluffed up than I wanted to admit having to do with my tense thoughts. Gisha was busy in the kitchen preparing some sort of earthen bread by smell and by the amount, for the whole village. I slumped into the kitchen table, not looking up but saying “Hi” to her “Hey hon”. Not sure how I was to proceed without gaining the annoyance of my mother, I thought out my next words. While doing so, I half decided half instinct ignited the table candle stick nearest me with my elemental-fire aptitude I learned last week. I was still getting used to it and was more likely to set the whole thing on fire still. Out the window the sun was on its way down, but we were a long way off from Midnight. ”So”, I said to my mother who was doing her best not to look at me, “Do I get to hear it from you or am I just going to have to pick a fight with father about it?” She again didn’t look up but this time she stopped kneading the dough she was working on. With a distinct groan she tossed the dough she was working, down on the work-board in the kitchen and joined me at the table. “You will not get anything out of me about what you think you know my son. I suggest you just drop it and enjoy the evening’s festivities and the beginning of a new cycle” She got back up and went back to her task. “Also testing me with that tone will result in a grounding. You are not a man till the end of the ritual pup and I can have it postponed for a needed reminder” “So be it, I’ll forgo dinner then”, I said. “I will not starve my only son over needless anguish. You will know soon enough what is afoot”, she said while making a mess of her apron and placing her hands on her hips. I was staring intently at the candle light source ignoring her at this point and was going over possibilities that would cause father to leave while he was supposed to be readying me for ritual. A thought went through my mind, did I fail my last test today and not know it? I spent the entire day at the conservatory being poked and prodded, drilled and inspected. As far as I knew, I had done well. I sensed as much through the Meldr’s bond that all Meldr’s present shared. With this revelation of possibility, the candle in front of me burned brighter than natural and shattered with my sudden emotional reaction. My ward blocked the candle pieces as did mothers, but the floor and table were covered with it. “Honey, whatever you think is going on is making you distressed. I am not allowed per the council to divulge their business. It is not as bad as you obviously think it is though”, She said while gesturing to the table and floor. “Ma, then tell me!” I half yelled while simultaneously realizing it was council elder business which was worse! I expected a reprimand for my tone. She just smiled, “have trust and respect in the guiding hand of those appointed before you to guide you, and you will do fine.” Convinced that I was not going to get anything else out of her now, I stood up and collected the shattered pieces of the candle wax. I held them in place with my element-earth aptitude and called my fire and heated the outside edges. This fuzzed it in somewhat of a straight example of what it was before. I went outside to calm down, this revelation that it was council, and not family business was worse.

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Father arrived home an hour before midnight according to the maji-tech clock I heard chiming happily in the living room from outside where I sat after hours of isolation. I sensed him growing closed for the past ten minutes, but as he got closer to home, he went dark. He was hiding something, possibly more now. He poked his head outside the back door and gave me a fright when he spoke. “Hey kiddo, put your tunic and cloak on we need to start out soon.” Not at all ready to be bossed around after I had been in at least in my mind abandoned all day to sulk, I said “No!”, much louder than necessary. I was sitting on the back porch wrapped in a house blanket cold and stressed out from hours of worrying. Gisha deposited a blanket near me earlier when I refused to respond to her. Telar stepped outside shutting the door firmly behind him and plopping down next to me and let out a long-exasperated sigh. “You know Kells, I wonder”, he said, as I expected another lesson soon to be launched about how I am still too young and so disrespectful and obnoxious at times. “What exactly were you trying to achieve in irritating your mother in that way”, he said. I huffed and still looked away still trying to see how guilty he was about all of this. He didn’t seem phased. “It is unfortunate that you had been so observant”, he said. “But there really is nothing wrong and no plot against you. So, will you please just be the calm Tala I know you can be and come inside?” I turned to argue with him but he hugged me to him instead. Shocked, I resisted and went rigid, but he just held me anyhow like the statute I was imitating and hugged me harder. I eventually gave up about forty-five seconds in when he started rocking me and stroking my head fur and main like he did when I was a pup. I couldn’t keep ignoring his overtures of comforting me, especially when they were working. I gave up and hugged him back and leaned into him. I breathed in his scent, the scent that would always remind me of safety, love and happiness since the day I was adopted by him. That day he held me, much like he did now and made me feel so secure. With that memory resurfacing, I started to cry along with the release of anguish and stress from the days worry. He spoke first, “Kelso, so many things are about to change in your life, my son. Never forget that I am not one of them, as such I have not lied to you, merely postponed telling you for a few hours.” “Dad, you left me alone all day and you are not sharing your bond with me, something is truly wrong isn’t it?” He cupped my cheeks and looked me in the eyes “No my son, nothing is wrong, interesting and possibly extraordinary yes, but not wrong.” Realizing he said exactly nothing of consequence, this frustrated me. Like a reflex and almost not intending to do so I reached out across the constricted bond between us and forced it open. Like a window shutter being open to the morning sun I felt his mixed grief and excitement and lack of understanding and, and, growing anger… at me. “I’ll ask you to stop doing that Kells”, said father. With that he went dark again. “There are many things that the council wishes to address with you directly. I will grant them that request. I will give you this much, so you will get up with me, Farget suspects your new aptitude has to do with your father...” I stopped him not grasping what he was saying because of my emotional state. “I do not understand, you are my father forever, so what did you do?” Telar smiled, “I am touched Kells, I feel the same way, you are my pup forever, nothing changes that”. He squeezed me harder and leaned up and licked my forehead, something he had not done in a while. Something only a parent or lover would do. I knew he meant what he said, he would always be my father, my rock. ”Your birth father had the same rare ability. We did not have much time to study it before his young death. We didn’t have a name for it. He was discovered as a Meldr at an advanced age. He had not yet reached the age of 25 though, but why he was not tested younger we will never know. He had a family already but learned very quickly but thoroughly. He died on council business just after he was done with his practical training as a Meldr and had only sat the council for less than a year. He was seen as a bright light of talent and ability, able to do the same things as you and much more. You were reborn by ritual as my blood, true but your majikal abilities survived as they always do. He was the most level-headed negotiator and was very fair and selfless in council sessions. You in contrast are beginning to show that as well, but not on account of his blood as it does not flow through your veins anymore. You will find your calm, just as I once had to son.” Understanding some of his emotions a bit more I was able to relax somewhat. But that still did not explain what the decision and feeling of trepidation about it he was feeling. This was going on for the past week now. I was just realizing it was there the entire time. I went to open my mouth to ask him more, but he cut me off by standing me up and taking me inside. I was sat down at the dinner table where I had refused to eat hours prior where mother was dressed and waiting for us. She started brushing my pelt straight with a disapproving look that told me enough. Father handed me a bowl of cold supper and I quickly consumed it. Father majiked his under-tunic and padding and then his armor on over it all. He retrieved his sword from his strongbox in their bedroom as a flying sword was hazardous in the most controlled circumstances. He laid it on the table along with his staff next to mine. We had no need to arm ourselves regularly. We did have village guards that were armed though. We were secluded away well enough that not many other races knew where we were, save our trusted traders who sold our wares for us. The weapon could have been completely dull and that wouldn’t have changed a thing. For even I was extremely deadly with the amount of pure animit energy flowing in my veins. Also, we carried swords more often but no armor, except for rituals. I carried around my neck an amulet of the five points of our spirituality. It was imbued with a powerful charm known as a ward, an invisible force of energy that kept me and everything in it within sacred space. When properly maintained, common strength majikal works and most physical blows would be deflected away. The sword was a majikal Wieldr's last line of defense in case they were depleted of animit energy and could not summon more in time, fat chance, the number of aptitudes I had now was somewhere near half of our peoples know abilities. I would receive my own sword tonight, the scarbard and the glyphs of the blade would be the color of fire orange and of a specific design denoting my station. Finished with brushing my disheveled fur, mother quickly stood me up with her melded elemental-earth aptitude. I was tingling all over as I was suspended in mid-air. She was a Tau-bindr, meaning with practice she could just make it past most weakened wards, mine sure was, it was the end of the moon cycle. She removed my now dirty garments from hours of sitting on the back porch. replaced them moments later before I had a thought for modesty. My under tunic, then my vestments on me just after that. She received a lot less resistance from me from before since I now had some of the answers that I wanted. She put me down affixed my cloak in the one position it did not sag in, it was also the one position it was most uncomfortable in. “I am done growing”, I said. “That is possible, but I needed to be sure before I altered this”, she said while gesturing to the new cloak. I was finally dressed and ready save one last item. I would not be allowed to join the circle in the emotional state I was in. The thanes would detect this and bar me from ritual. Father called to a cube shaped silver box from over in the book shelf in the living room. It zipped across the room as fast as an arrow. He opened the box and extracted the large raven obsidian secured inside with the LongFang family glyphs on it in a singular line around it’s midline. Mine being the newest on the right side of Gisha and Telars. My adopted great, great, great, great grandfather’s glyphs being at the very beginning. My mates and our children’s glyphs would one day be on there. I let that emotion wash over me as it no longer mattered right now. He transferred it to my paws and I focused on the ancient volcanic glass deeply. I found the charm hidden inside and activated it. I felt the psionic and emotional fug that permeated me get knocked lose by a concussive wave of majik that pulsed several times from my paws. It all left me in one quick wave back through my paws and into the stone. Feeling immeasurably better, I put the obsidian gingerly back in its case and father put it away. I was now feeling as right as rain. I closed my eyes and took in a breath deeply and let it go slowly. I opened my eyes and I opened my arms towards mother. She grasped me in a full hug and licked the top of my head same as father had done. She smoothed my head fur back down and said “It’s okay hon, you were nervous and I didn’t help it much.” I was ready to attend ritual and afterward, I would ascend.
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We left for ritual just on time as it was nearly high moon. All three of us staffed our way along the saturated path marked by torch light. We were headed to one of our fallow fields that was large enough to accommodate our entire settlement of nearly 2,500 Tala. All Talee were to attend whether born Whieldr, Meldr or a non-user. All were welcomed and expected to attend. This being our culture and more than a religious or majikal gathering, it was also spiritual. Furthermore, your ability to use majik did not determine you station, rather one’s skill and effort at their trade did. A Tala's true worth being effort, skill and heart. We did not use currency like other peoples we were aware of. There was no need to trade the very metal that more than a fair few could procure at the turn of a spell or aptitude. We were the only race that possessed the elemental-earth aptitude. We instead used a form of internal barter that basically consisted of trading favors and wears for other favors and wears. If I needed parchment, I’d sing it from a living tree and leave it living when I was done. Any spare would go to the village scribe and so on and so forth. We had a way to walk. As we went, we were joined by other families on their way as well. Father and I were met with slight bows as a councilman and myself soon to be. Meldr's were always made village elders and councilmen upon reaching master. I groaned at the gesture and received a warning glare from Telar. “Get used to it Kells, you are to help lead them now; respect and honor it”, he said. I had to set him straight. “Father it has nothing to do with honor and respect. I seriously accepted my role and future place in this village the day I accepted your name. I know I have studied hard and excelled far ahead of schedule and deserve the honor but it's just that…”, I paused to collect myself. “I am only sixteen and almost everyone choosing to bow to me is at least over 60 years old. It's just weird and I feel uncomfortable and possibly embarrassed”, I finished. Fathers face lit up with amusement and he let a chuckle slip out. To the face I was making at him he said, “Kells there's no need to be embarrassed. You will stop aging physically when you are about 25. You will advance in years of wisdom and experience but will remain young and vital to protect our people’s ways as is required of your station as a Meldr. Get use to it as you will nearly always be the youngest physically in every room.” I nodded my head, I would try to get used to it. I had to. It was true though, nonusers aged at their pace while majik users aged at theirs. Wieldr's, that remain untrained lived longer and aged slower than nonusers. Bindr’s lived several hundreds of years and aged even slower. Tau-bindr’s lived usually twice that and Meldr's, save physical harm; could live forever as far as we knew. The amount of animit energy flowing through us stopped us from aging after a while and our oldest Meldr High-Master Bright-Heart was 2,800 years old. He was born before it was traditional with our culture too have a family name. That was one of the reasons why the Talee saw each other outside our immediate family as extended family. He had retired from council minister many years before I was born but remained on the council. He was Telars master and Telar at nearly 400 years old was his last Meldr student to date. He was the high master of the conservatory now where he taught Tua-Bindrs.

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We made it to the field and headed to line up with the rest of the white cloak laden village before the circle was formed. “Oh good, crisis averted”, father said. We passed through the first group of thanes that were granting entry to the line. I held my breath as we passed them. I was fine, but I may have had a few bits of emotional residue on me leftover from the day. They let me pass without a glance, thankfully. Our priest of the night was off in the near distance practicing one last time with his assistants. He was a gentleman I did not know but his wife was one of mother’s healers in training, so that made him either a Bindr or a Tau-Bindr. We did indeed have priests and priestesses that were non-users of majik, recall that our religion is not of majik and its use. More of our world and everything in it, majik was just part of it. I asked mother and she told me his name was Shane NorthWind. He seemed to have finished his final run-through as he now started to perform majik. I only had to perform a small number of spells and charms now as my aptitudes had grown immensely. I felt the large amount of animit energy around me being drawn to him and it was incredible, yep he was a Tau for sure; one seemingly as strong as a Meldr which was possible. Amazing, he was actually straining my ward to block the draw. I listened in to his casting, curious how a Bindr versus a Meldr did things:

To the earth I call from one too all,
Come forth to me and do not stall,
A sacred circle of life and light,
I call to protect us in this rite,
From those that would pose to do us wrong,
I call mothers protective embrace in song.


A sphere of shimmering silver energy formed around him that touched the ground and rose to the sky overhead. When it settled, there was just a hue in the air where it still located was but perfectly still now. That was a beautiful work of majik and many clapped for him including myself. He was able to shape his intent into a proper circle of light and that took major concentration. He then sang several rows deep of stone benches out of the ground in a complete circle. He sang from the ground an alter and platform for it to rest on. The last piece was in the very center of the platform, a large basin to which he spelled water into. His assistants that were on the inside of the circle planted their staffs in the ground on either side where the entrance was to be. They performed charms at the same time and the staffs formed a large archway. The thanes on the outside called the lines to order. We stopped our talking and proceeded to gain entry to the circle. Several thanes were holding bowls of coals in which sage was burning in. They smudged several of us at a time and they moved on to the next thane for challenge of entry. It was my turn and my smudger greeted me, “good evening sweetie”. His name was Norton and for some reason, I guess it was nerves a memory of a moment we once shared slipped out. It was last year’s fall harvest festival. He was drunk, and I was getting there. We danced together most of the night as we had just always clicked that way as friends. There was a slow song and we were dancing closer than friends should. At one point he hugged me and licked my muzzle and nuzzled me and said “I love you Kells”. I was shocked, but in a good way. I thought in that moment that love had found me, and the curse was over. The look on my face must have scared him though as he grabbed his face in embarrassment and ran away. It took me a few minutes to find him crying behind a nearby house. He tried to get away from me when he saw me approach, but I tackled him. Lost in the moment, I picked him up in my arms and kissed him back. It was the very first forceful thing I had ever done, and I loved it! He kissed me back and we stayed there for a while just kissing. I heard my name being called so I had to go back to my father. After that, we both sort of lost our nerve and it faded back to friendship over time. Gods damned curse of patience! We were just friends again, good friends. I just nodded as I was not supposed to speak while being cleansed by smudging. I lifted my foot paws one by one and he wafted sage smoke with a feather on to and underneath each one in turn. He blew the heavy smoke on me and I brought it further on to me with my paws and rubbed my fur with it. The majik was working. I felt lighter and more at ease with the second more powerful cleansing. I hugged him and moved on to the next thane. This was the part I was more nervous about, I could be declined entry here if I was carrying too much burden with me. He said, “To enter this sacred space you must be free of ill intent and free of emotional pain, how do you enter?” Meaning it every time I have entered ritual space, but in slight doubt based on recent events and memories I answered, “In perfect love and perfect trust.” The thane held his paw out till it was just in front of my Torso and closed his eyes. The rune painted on his central pad glowed. I felt it penetrate my ward and give him access to me. He was done quickly and retreated his hand from me and I felt my ward close. “You are processing a lot young sir and it is expected so given tonight’s significance. I ask that you keep your restless energy at bay and do not disturb our circle. Can you do this?”, he asked. “Yes sir”, I said. He hugged me and said, “Go in peace, with my love and our trust.” I was in.

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I entered the circle clockwise and proceeded to the basin. It was filled nearly to the brim with ocean water sung from the ground. This detail was specific. I removed my amulet and with it, my ward and placed it in the basin along with everyone else’s. This was the reason for the powerful circle and shield of light. It was to protect us while we were not protected from negative energies without our wards. I would get it back after ritual. I proceeded in a clockwise path to my waiting mother and father. I felt colder now, my wards effects were thinning and breaking down. With everyone now inside and seated, Shane began the rite. He thumped his staff adorned with a silver ball at the end of it on the platform a few times. All went quiet. The thanes closed the archway. We were now outside of time and collectively closer to mother than before as the mundane was left behind outside. I said my own grounding spell to shape my intention to be at peace. “In this circle round I stand, and cast away which is out of hand, living in the hear and now, this time for the gods and me I vow.” Nothing of my life mattered or bothered me at this time, I was free! Shane began directing the quarter calls to strengthen our circle and called the elements animit energies to bear witness and be present. We started with the north and earth and then the east and air, then south and fire; lastly west and water. For each we finished the call with “hail and welcome” My skin and fur were crawling with the large amount of animit energy we were attracting to the circle. I was tingling all over and felt 100 times more intense than when I called it to me. Shane was very, very good. With the circle at full strength he began calling mothers presence and her symbol, the moon to us:

“Blessed mother who walks this earth,
Her sacred song we’ve heard since birth,
Hear our words our people’s plea,
As we make bare our hearts and spirit to thee
Grant us your glance your guiding light,
That guides us each day and every night”

With that, the moons brightness directed at us increased immeasurably. Shane walked to the basin and directed his attention to it.

“An open door yet strong and sheer,
One that closes when harm is near,
A shield against hate, a channel for love,
One as strong as the stars and sky above.
Connected to all rooted thick and thin,
A foundation for the person found within”

The basin erupted with the direct moonlight for about a minute. It was so bright; my wolf vision was screaming in pain. I had to look away. When the beam of light was extinguished, the basin glowed with animit energy. All nearly 2500 amulets were recharged for another while to protect us and our people. Shane performed a summoning spell this time and a bracer appeared before us at each quarter and was alight with fire. Shane spoke, “Cast away your inner fears, hates, anguish, and unhappiness and to the fire it goes. Take away from this sacred space, peace, happiness, comfort and joy. Make goals for this new cycle and accomplish them. Do not let them be the failure you cast in the fire next cycles start. Love one another and be at peace.” I thought a bit and cast away my uneasiness of the past day. I made a goal to be more steadfast in my decisions and not be so easily dissuaded from what I knew I wanted. With that, Shane released the spell and the space where the bracers were returned to normal. Shane called us in sections to retrieve our amulets charged with mother’s grace. Some called them by there various aptitudes others walked up and did it manually. All of us dipped our paws in the seawater to wash them together as a sense of community. Shane directed the quarter releases in the opposite direction. We finished each release with “hail and farewell”. Shane released the circle of light and I again felt colder than before due to the release of energy that was humming around us. Shane proclaimed above all the murmurs of conversation that was starting up, “The circle is open but never broken, let’s share with one another in harmony, cakes and ale”. The alcohol was passed around along with the bread that mother had baked all day. We all relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company and conversation. I met up with Norton and we danced together to the drum circle that started up for a while. When we parted we hugged and he kissed me on the cheek and I did the same. That was all, I was sad for a moment but there were more people to talk with and enjoy my time with. This was a celebration of life and everything in it. I wasn’t going to waste it. I looked around to see if there was anyone garnering my attention and noticed that the fallow field we were on was no longer fallow. There were sprigs of grass and weeds sprouting everywhere now. It was a nice side-effect of a ritual that we used to our people’s advantage.

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Our village minister High-Master Farget StarGazer stepped up onto the platform and we all went silent. He addressed us all and my ears started turning red. I knew what was coming “We have in this new cycle a new Master Meldr to install to our people. Many of you know of him and what he has achieved in his young years of life. I would like to tell you that I am personally impressed with his skill as a Meldr and it no doubt has to do with his father Grand-Master LongFang. You hard ass slave driver!” He was known for his twisted humor and this was no exception, father glared and Talee all over laughed and chortled. He continued, “All fun aside, I would like to present to you all, Mr. Kelso LongFang.” I was standing next to my father and he squeezed my shoulder, I was still soaking it all in. I was ascending literally now; my life was changing irreversibly right now. So many things were now possible for me. Father shook me slightly and that was enough to knock me back into reality. Farget cleared his throat and I received a few murmurs of hilarity for my delay. I climbed the three steps to the platform and was met by Farget whom clasped me on the shoulder and said, “there you are”, and smiled. He continued, “On this moment and upon this hour and graced by the animit power, I call to it to be known and forever more seen and shown, A Meldr of the accomplishment of Master”, he finished. I was ready for it, the pain and the mark that would dawn my skin and fur. I opened my cloak and tunic. Farget’s paw glowed with the charm he had sung. Animit energy pouring from it. He touched my chest a few centimeters beneath my collar-bone. I heard the squelching sound as the marke of master was majikally tattooed into my skin but there was no pain. How very odd, I was told the pain was immense, but there was none. When Farget removed his paw. I looked down, the sigil/glyph was indeed in place and the fur above it was forever altered into the same shape but the color of hot orange. It read “Master-Meldr”. I was starting to cry and Farget hugged me and addressed the people waiting. “May I present to you Master Kelso LongFang. One of us and part of you.” He let me go and looked at me directly. “Your father would like to say a few things” With that he left the platform for my father to take his place. “Son”, he said. “I am the proudest of fathers and the most humbled of teachers to grant you the title of Master and claim you one last time as my own blood forever. You have surpassed my expectations and have showed me more of what you are capable of with heart and spirit. I present to you your armor of station.” With that several smiths came up behind me and started adding to my garments and removing others so that my armor would sit comfortably. I was adorned in full armor a minute later. My family crest emblazoned in the hot orange of my station. The crowd in front of me cheered again. Telar continued, “I present to you your chits of stationary rank of mater.” My ears on both sides in the snug area stung sharply as I received two new orange chit ring piercings, one in each ear to elevate me to master in the old tradition. “Lastly”, he went on. “I present to you your sword.” I noticed immediately that there was an issue, the sword was of a shade of orange that matched my station, but the design was way off. The scabbard looked of a design close to what I had only read about. But it couldn’t be! What did I do to deserve such a curse! Why would I be presented with a wayward sword? The sword of banishment, for the god’s mercy what did I do?! Father saw my face as the smith presented it to me and I gave him a pleading face. He gave me a shake of the head to indicate that I was mistaken and said, “go on”. I received the sword from the smith and looked at it more closely in the moon light. It was not of the same design after all and my fears were allayed a bit. The lycanthropic glyphs on it spelled out my name and then also the words “Sword of the Wanderer”. I was the wanderer, a champion to be sent on a quest for my people. Of what though I would not know till later. I supposed this was the big secret and the source of father’s distress and his decision he had to make. I was fearful and honored at the same time. They chose me for this once in a generation tradition, my life was truly never going to return to how it once was.