**Back to the drive to the Valley Kingdom**
I awoke from my short nap and sneezed. Guessed someone was talking about me… as the superstition goes. Or it was just the pollen in the air we passed through just a moment ago. Regardless, I was awake now.
Past the edge of a cliff we rode along, vast plains extended to a large, faraway city. So large that even from our distance, it seemed so close by, but it had to be at least fifty or so miles away still.
The city was wrapped entirely by a large wall that separated the outer plains from the bustling streets just on the other side of it. From our height, we could even see inside the walls.
Tall buildings of steampunk metal and pipes that blew out smoke could be seen deeper within toward the center of the city. And it was harder to see beyond that as it seemed to just keep going—the colors blending and finally taking the same hue as the sky the farther out you looked.
We finally made it back home to the Valley Kingdom.
Flying vehicles and airships could be seen in the skies within the city as well. Some similar to the one we had rented. That classic yet futuristic look about it. The one thing that could not be seen but could be sensed with mana was the invisible dome wall that covered the city from above and draped down toward the walls—protecting it and all its residents at all times.
The dome was there… apparently… from what I've been told by my crewmates and other mages.
Unlike them, however, I could not sense mana.
I didn't care, though. I still knew how to fight. And that was all that mattered in this world to survive.
Plus, I did use magic. It was Copper magic… I think…
I simply hung low in the background as Ophelia and Havoc argued about the Keeper knew what… I just kept my eyes on the city and then the sky. There were a few clouds today. I enjoyed the time to myself, however brief.
Once we entered the Kingdom through the West Gate, we were met with lines of people and vehicles extending from outside the walls—coming in and out of the city. There were few guards stationed throughout city walls because of the city's barrier. Residents could enter and exit freely.
After we had entered, we perused the city and made our way to drop off our rented vehicle. We then headed to a teleportation waypoint that linked to other waypoints in the city for a quick get-around.
Only one of us out of the Black Wolves could use Teleportation type magic, and he was back at our home, not here with us currently, so these waypoints were a useful way to get around this huge Kingdom.
I laid a hand on the waypoint, and it lit up, casting a sigil on the ground around us. One didn't need mana to activate these, as it was used for all citizens. In a few seconds, we warped to the opposite side of the Valley Kingdom to the East Gate.
Just beyond that was our home. Once we passed the gate, we were met with grass fields and trees that spread throughout a grove.
From here on, we had to walk. Usually. But I didn't feel like it, so I had Ophelia use her magic to send us there. She used Ghost magic. Or more properly described as Full-body Ghost magic. Her ability let her permeate literally anything and could—what seemed like—fly through the things or people she went through. She could even use her magic on others so long as she was touching them and regulating the mana she used on those she was touching. Her magecraft had other abilities, too, but I wanted her to use that part of her power to take us underground and fly all the way home.
"Okie-dokie, you boys ready?" she said cheerily, then placing one hand on each of our shoulders.
In an instant, we fell through the ground as if it didn't exist and disappeared beneath it.
She then took control and jetted through the underground, flying through it as if it were clouds.
As we sped to our destination, getting closer, Ophelia slowed us down, and we emerged from the ground, still in motion, until we were on our feet. Once we were fully emerged, she dropped her hand from our shoulders and let us walk normally in that same direction, as if we had walked up a nonexistent flight of stairs.
We walked a short distance past the trees, where the grass merged into a dirt clearing with patches of grass scattered throughout it. Tall, aged, and worn stone pillars were lined up to guide us to the gothic, steampunk-looking castle that waited ahead of us.
The castle was not wide but fairly tall. It was all shades of dark colors like black, charcoal, and dark gray with hints of red. It had metal plating bolted on and some machinery all over it on random parts of its structures.
The castle had seen better days, but regardless of its wear and tear, it was still cleaned regularly and kept up to living standards. It sat, as if perched in the center of the clearing.
This was our home, the Wolves Den.
I walked in front of both Havoc and Ophelia, who were trailing behind me on each side. Hands in my pockets and slightly hunched over, I casually walked toward the giant double front doors of the Den. The doors were closed, and a giant wolf's head holding a ring in its mouth was at the center of it, as if welcoming us.
A male figure was standing outside, leaning back on one of the pillars closer to the entrance, legs crossed casually. His fur hood was over his head with a white curved bill hat and a black wolf logo on it. His hair, which peeked under his hat, was medium-short, white, and had black tips, which ombre'd back to white on his roots. He wore gray, slim, round glasses that were fairly thin on the temples, rims, and bridge—like it was close to falling off his face. The jacket—Black Wolves. Pants, charcoal gray and tattered. And signature black boots complemented the similar uniform we all wore.
He bore tattoos under his white shirt that stopped under his chin. His arms were crossed with one hand, palm to his mouth, holding a cigarette—more tattoos on each finger—nails painted black. He was more tattooed than even I.
His eyes remained closed as we walked past him to the Den, as if we didn't see him—or rather, were ignoring him.
Once we were a few feet past him, he slowly removed his hand that was holding the cigarette and flicked it in front of himself. His hand formed a snapping gesture. I took another step, and just before I could complete it—
Snap...
In a blink, I disappeared and reappeared instantly right back in front of him, where the cigarette was flicked. The cigarette was now where I originally had been in front of Havoc and Ophelia, having switched places with it.
Ophelia, frantically trying to catch the falling cigarette, ended up juggling it a bit before finally getting a hold of it and putting it in her mouth to take a casual smoke.
"You just gonna ignore it again, huh?" the male said sternly, almost agitated. His voice was raspy and low, as he looked at me with his light gray eyes that looked almost blue. There were slight bags under them. He was only a little bit older than I.
I stayed motionless for a second before finally taking a step forward and then just stood there. Still facing away from him and toward the Den.
Havoc, unfazed, continued walking toward the double doors as if that hadn't just happened—fully aware that it did, he just didn't care. Ophelia, now smoking, just stood there, trailing behind and pretending not to pay attention to the male and me having a conversation.
"Well?" the male added, raising his voice slightly.
"I already told you—"
"It's not up for discussion anymore. We have to do it this time," he interrupted, now standing up straight, no longer leaning against the pillar.
I normally hated being interrupted, though I kept it to myself most of the time. When it came to him, it was different. I took it and simply said, "Then my answer is still no."
"You damn fool," he snapped and then raised his right hand as if to hit me. But instead, in his palm, he held a small charm within it. He made that gesture with his other hand—
Snap…
A digital scroll appeared in his raised hand, the charm gone.
"Go on. Read it," he demanded. The arm that held it extended to me.
I sighed and looked up at the sky like it was a drag, then slowly made my way to him, hands still in my pockets.
Once I made it to him, an arm's reach away, I glared at him for a few seconds before snatching the scroll from his outstretched hand. He left his arm there even after I took the scroll and started reading it, taking his time to finally drop it back to his side—glaring right back at me.
I read it in silence. And when I finished, my eyes widened.
"By the fucking Keeper…" I ground out.
"We don't have a choice anymore," he said, calmer now, sensing I now understood the situation we were in.
Ophelia still stood there, a little bit ahead of us, smoking, pretending she wasn't listening.
I closed the scroll and tossed it back at him. He caught it easily. I then turned away, continuing in the direction of the Den, throwing my hands back in my pockets as I reluctantly said, "Fine."
He kept his eyes on me as I continued walking, my back facing him now. He sighed and fixed his glasses with his middle finger. "You hungry?"
I stopped in my tracks again, trying to play it cool. It was barely 0815, and it was obviously that time of day…
For a moment, I couldn't control my salivation to the point that both he and Ophelia could have sworn they saw me drool.
She snickered out a laugh. "Man, you are so easy to manipulate."
"Shut up," I said to her jeeringly.
The male behind me walked in my direction, hands in his pockets, and kept walking until he was just a bit ahead of where I stopped. He turned around and said, "Come on, I'll make breakfast."
I composed myself, then replied, "Thanks, Code."
As we all headed toward the Wolves Den, Havoc, who was the closest, neared the double doors. Code, Ophelia, and I followed a couple of feet behind after our interaction. Havoc stuck out an arm to open the doors and then—
BAM!!
The doors flew open, sending him back and on his ass. A body flew out from the double doors right over him, wearing a Black Wolves jacket. He flew over Havoc and landed just before the rest of us.
A sinister female's laugh invaded our hearing, and a girl's silhouette could be seen past the doors from the inside.
"HAHAHA! You pathetic fool. I feel sorry for how weak you are!"