Howling 18
In the blazing sun inside a large fort, a group of children wearing training outfits with light leather armor were practicing military formations. Opposite them, the trainer unleashed spells. The kid soldiers in the front held shields and blocked the attacks. They then couldn't hold on and were knocked back. "Failed, next group step forward." Another group of children raised their shields using Mana, and their bodies and shields glowed.
On the other side of the training grounds stood Fillan. A wolf beastman child, Fillan had been excluded because of his lack of magical powers. Fillan stood there staring at the children without expression. A few of the resting children saw him and insulted him.
"Why is he still here? He is just a burden." "I heard they are having him clean the toilets." They laughed, "I heard General Musashi is keeping him as a servant." "Oh, yeah, I heard he can easily beat all of you without magic." A boy with green and red hair said. The others look at him. "Shia…"
A demon boy was about to retort when he saw a large figure standing behind the green and red-haired boy. They lowered their heads upon seeing his expression. "Barret, don't stare too long; they are scared." Barret, a bear beastman teen, didn't say anything. "Next group," the trainer said.
In the back, by himself, another demon boy angrily stared at Fillan. "Everyone looks down on you, and you still have the nerve to act all high and mighty. I will show you, Fillan; you will wish you had never stepped in front of me." "Finley, hurry and come forward," the trainer yelled.
Fillan left and headed towards a secluded area with a well and a small shack. He opened the door and stepped inside. The room had some candles. Fillan lit them and sat down. He closed his eyes and concentrated. The aromas filled his head, making him lightheaded. After a while, he drifted into his subconscious. Fillan heard children laughing and yelling.
When Fillan opened his eyes, he saw himself standing in a small yard. A boy with light skin and red hair was running, holding a makeshift wooden sword. "I have come to save the princess. The hero has arrived." The boy looked like he was five or six years old. Fillan was also around the same age; they wore old, worn, stitched clothes. "Fillan, prepare to be defeated," he yelled.
Fillan smiled and held a branch. "I will not let the princess go." "Please, hero, save us, " a young girl around the same age with blonde hair and blue eyes shyly said. She also wore worn-out stitched clothes. The girl looks at Fillan; her eyes show a hint of embarrassment.
The boy and Fillan pretended to fight; they swung their weapons like they knew what they were doing. In the end, Fillan fell to the ground, a smile on his face. "Fillan, you can't be smiling when defeated." Suddenly, another voice interrupted. "Fillan, you be the hero next time, and I will be the princess." "Misaki, I can't be evil; I am a hero of justice."
A girl with messy orange hair the same age as them stared at the boy. "Rick, why can't Fillan be the hero? He always plays the villain." The girl with blonde hair hurried and tried to calm them. "Misaki, calm down." "Chloe, don't try to defend him, he…" "Now, now, don't fight." An older man said. "Father William," Fillan shouted.
Fillan got up and ran over to him. Rick, the red-haired boy, followed. "You are back. What did you bring?" Rick blurted out. Father William laughed, "Go help bring in the supplies." Misaki was a fox girl beastman, and she scolded Rick for what he said. Chloe, a human girl, pulled Misaki away, "Let's go help sister Angie.
Fillan followed Rick, and they headed to the front of the house, which was connected to a chapel. A wagon with supplies was waiting. Two other children were already taking things. One was a human boy named Blake, who was older and around ten or eleven. The other was a cat beastman boy, Max; they wore farmer clothes.
Rick and Fillan went over to help them. Fillan took a sack and went around to the back. There was a small shack. Fillan opened the door; it was a storage room. There were other supplies and some farmer's tools. On the side hanging were two fishing rods. Fillan placed the sack inside and left. Rick was complaining about a heavy box. Fillan helped him take it inside the house.
Chloe and Misaki were in the living room inside the house. They had milk bottles and were feeding two human babies. Misaki looked up and saw Fillan holding the box. Rick lazily followed. She glared at Rick. Rick notices and immediately helps Fillan. They placed the box in the kitchen. A middle-aged woman in a sister's outfit was cooking dinner.
Later that night, the children were sitting around the table. The dishes were set, and they were eating happily. Father William was listening to them. Fillan also listened to the others, a smile on his face. Suddenly, the world stopped. Fillan got up from his chair. "What is going on? Father William, Sister Angie. Chloe, Misaki, Rick."
Fillan felt something and turned around, meeting the gaze of the shadowy beast. "Who are you?" he shouted. A thunderbolt hit the shadowy figure, blinding Fillan. When Fillan regained sight, he stared at a destroyed modern building. In front of his face, unfamiliar words and displays appeared. Suddenly, he hears someone talking to him on comms.
"This is Raptor one, commencing bomb run." "Nest, here, copy that Raptor one. Alpha, Bravo, prepare to engage." Fillan heard a noise from above and saw a metallic shape. It was a fighter jet that passed by him and dropped bombs. The explosions stunned him. "Hey, Fillan, why are you doing standing there?" A lazy voice asked.
Fillan regained his senses and realized he was outside the shack. He turned around and saw the candles had already gone out. Fillan turned to see Shia and Barret walking towards him. Fillan was at a loss for words. "Are you okay?" Shia asked. Fillan walked to the well, and in a buck with water, he splashed his face.
Fillan relaxed and told them he was fine. "This training is tough on my mind. I need some time to relax, " he said. Looking at Barret and Shia, Fillan knew something happened. Shia sat on the edge of the well. "Finley got what he deserved." Fillan didn't react upon hearing this.
Shia recounted what happened. During sword training, Finley's opponent was some who followed the demon boy Fillan fought. Finley attacked viciously, but his opponent was better than him and toyed with him. This upset Finley, and he wanted to attack head-on. The children whispered about Finley. Finley caught some words. He then went on the defensive; he dodged and retreated. "Fearty is up to his old tricks," someone said.
Finley was ultimately defeated. The whispers of the other calling him Fearty made his blood boil. Fearty was something they called him for, always using cowardly tactics when he proclaimed he was strong. Finley left in frustration after practice. Fillan felt nothing for him. "Finley should reflect on himself," Fillan said.
Shia changed the topic and asked Fillan about his visions. "There is something in my past I can remember. It scares me." Shia looked at him. "Something scares you. That is surprising." They talked some more, and then a horn was heard. "Oh, dinner is ready; let's enjoy some bliss." Shia hurried left.
All the fort's heads met in a large building. General Musashi stood before them. "As you already know, we are moving out once this fort is finished. We will march into human territory; our goal is to bring down the Umbridge Kingdom." "Where are our forces?" Another demon captain asked. General Musashi answered.
Soldiers were now moving north, occupying the other forts. General Musashi explained that the newly arrived forces would be here by the end of summer when the fort would be finished. "Have the soldiers on hand begin preparing for actual combat." The other discussed their situation. "What about the children?"
General Musashi hesitated for a moment. "The children will also be entering battle. As some of you know, according to my intuition, they were accepted as a special project approved by the Demon King himself. They will also prepare for real combat." More discussions arose. General finished by saying that they would follow orders.
Everyone was dismissed, and General Musashi returned to his office. He sat and prepared tea. Then someone knocked on his door. "Come in," he said. The door opened, and Fillan walked in. "General, can we talk?" General Musashi greeted Fillan and asked what he needed. Fillan said he wanted to discuss something, and General Musashi offered him a seat.
Fillan sat and thought about it before he started. "There is little progress. I still don't know much about my past, and in the dreams, there is still so much that I can't understand." General Musashi stared at him. "Can you give an example," he asked. "I see this dark figure, a beast or monster, in my dreams. It terrifies me."
General Musashi thought about it. "This dark figure can represent different negative emotions or trauma. Keep at it, and soon. It will show its true meaning." Fillan stayed silent. He then thought about telling him about the strange world, but he kept quiet. Fillan thanked General Musashi and left.
General Musashi stared at Fillan as he left. "There is great pain in your heart. Once you learn to let go, you can move forward…" General Musashi had a flashback. He and his forces were marching along a road. Then they heard an explosion. They got close to the source and saw a beastly figure on top of something. General Musashi returned to his senses and drank his tea.
Fillan returned to his room, where everyone was already preparing for bed. Shia asked Fillan where he went. Fillan replied that he had met General Musashi and reported his progress. Shia leaned on his bed, and his lazy, calm tone said he should have eaten more. "That braised chicken was very delicious; I couldn't help but get seconds. I should have gotten thirds."
Finley was still upset about what happened during training; he was writing something in a notebook. Shia told him to relax and let it go. "You want me to let it go. They aren't even in the same class as me, and you, you know what? You shouldn't meddle; you are just an orphan abandoned by his parents."
Finley was angrily staring at Shia when he said that. Finley then looked down at the notebook. Suddenly, he felt a cold gaze on him. He looked up and met Shia's eye glowing through his hair, which usually covered his face. Finley trembled at the sight. Shia's stare felt chilling and murderous. "Shia," Fillan called.
Shia's eye was covered with his hair, and he returned to his carefree attitude. "It's okay, Fillan. Are you going to participate in the training tomorrow?" Fillan shook his head. "I need to help the blacksmiths. It was an order from the captain." Shia and Barret were confused. Finley, after regaining his composure, felt happy.
Fillan headed to the blacksmith's shop the following day after breakfast. They were already hard at work. The head smith saw him and gestured to him to come over. His name was Oberon; he was muscular with black hair, red eyes, and dark skin. He also had four horns coming out of his head. "You must be the guy they said was going to help," Oberon said in a deep, hoarse voice.
Fillan nodded. Oberon pointed at some iron ores. "Distribute them, and then go fetch some wood." Fillan didn't say much and began to get to work. Another blacksmith with red hair and blue skin approached Oberon. "Is that the kid that can't use magic?" "That doesn't matter; get back to work," Oberon retorted.
Oberon stared at Fillan; he remembered a conversation with General Musashi. "I keep hearing complaints about one of your boys." "You must be talking about Fillan." "Fillan, so that's his name. I heard he can't use magic." "Indeed, he is experiencing something." Oberon looks at the cup of tea. "He doesn't express himself." "He can't…"
Oberon then thinks of something. "Decay?" "Yeah, and at such a young age. Someone wanted something from him." "Sometimes I wonder who the real demons are." General Musashi laughed. Oberon snapped out of his flashback and went back to work. Fillan finished bringing firewood and was let go.
Fillan headed to the shack. As he headed over, he recalled what he had heard during work: "Hey, make sure they are sharp. We can't have the blades dull." "We will be getting another five thousand troops." "We are going to die before we even start this war…" "I have until the end of summer to get ready," Fillan thought, determination in his eyes.
Fillan entered the shack and began meditating. He soon drifted into his memories. When he opened his eyes, he was picking up wooden sticks in the woods. "Daniel, you need to move, Sister Angie is waiting." Fillan looked over to where the voice came from. Standing not far away was a boy other than Fillan with black hair and brown eyes; he was a little chubby. Next to him was a girl about the same age.
The boy seemed unmotivated, and the girl with long black and brown hair scolded him. She was also a little chubby, and her skin tone was lighter than the boy's. Amara and Daniel were siblings brought to the orphanage. Fillan came with them to get firewood. It was getting colder, and it was their turn to get the wood.
Once they had enough, they returned home. They strolled back because Daniel was slow. Amara tried to hurry him, but it didn't work. Once they reached the chapel, Rick and the girls played in the front. "I, the hero of justice, will say evil, princess, follow me." Misaki grabbed Chloe's hand. "don't listen to him; he is evil."
"Hey, that's not how you play." Misaki and Chloe laughed as they ran around. Chloe saw them arrive and immediately ran over to help. Misaki also went to help. Father William told them to hurry inside because it was cold. They lit the chimney and warmed up. Sister Angie was making dinner, and Amara helped out.
They set the table, and they all sat to eat. The conversation had become livelier. Amara was talking to Sister Angie. She wanted to know about becoming a sister, so Father William inquired about it. Amara said she saw how Sister Angie helped the townsfolk and cared for the children. She said she wanted to be someone like her.
Sister Angie shed some tears. Father William nodded in approval. Rick then blurred that he would become the knight he was talking about. "Amara, I will ensure all the children don't lose their parents." Sister Angie scolded him for yelling. Father William then asked everyone else about their future; he looked at Chloe.
In a shy tone, Chloe lowered her head and said she wanted to be a bride; her eyes instantly looked at Fillan. Misaki noticed and felt some jealousy. "Father William, I will make money and support the orphanage, so rest assured." Father William laughed and supported her dream. Father William asked the others about their future.
Blake said he wanted to start a family and have a farm, and Max said he wanted to become a teacher and teach in a village. "That is perfect for you. I will try to get you more books," Father William said with a smile. He then turned to Daniel. Daniel hesitated and said he didn't know what he wanted to do. Father William comforted him and told him to take his time.
Fillan was eating when Father William asked him what he wanted to do. Fillan thought, and a glimpse of peaceful lakeside scenery popped into his mind. "I want to live a peaceful life fishing," he said. Father William felt a little disappointed with his answer but soon turned to laughter when the two little ones also tried to say fishing.
After dinner, the children went to get ready for bed. Fillan went to the kitchen for some water. As he returned, he walked past Father William's room. He overheard him; he was tired. You should let Max and Blake handle the work; you are already old." Sister Angie was helping him get into bed. I don't want to overburden them. They are still young." Sister Angie sighed. She then asked about the recent problems.
Fillan was confused and wondered what they were talking about. "The demon forces are slowly moving north, and there is a new wave of refugees. The kingdoms are doing all they can to support them." Fillan finally understood. He had heard about it before. The demon race has been acquiring territory, leading to refugees.
Fillan didn't think much about it, and whenever they went into town, he chose to ignore it and focus on the people close to him. Fillan heard Father William say he would be busy and wanted Sister Angie to look after them. Fillan didn't want to hear more, so he left. Fillan returned to the room and lay down, thinking about what he had heard.
The next day, the children were in a room that resembled a classroom. Inside, they learned to read and write, and they were taught a few days a month. Sister Angie was going over a lesson; the girls were listening along with Max. Rick was lost in his little world. Black and Daniel were having trouble staying focused. Fillan stared at the mountains far in the distance.
Chloe's eyes wandered on Fillan, and she smiled. Misaki noticed and again felt jealous. She raised her hand and asked to hear about the races. Sister Angie saw that everyone was tired and answered Misaki's question. She began talking about the human race from the textbooks. "We humans haven't been here long. According to legend, the first humans were called upon for help."
Everyone became attentive. She continued by saying there was a great war, and the humans fought each other for power. She followed by saying that a single-family rose to power. "The First King established the Umbridge Kingdom. King John Umbridge was his name just as his descendants gained his name."
Rick shouted that he would serve him as a knight. Sister Angie told him to quiet down. She then moved on to the dwarfs. "The dwarfs are close friends with us, and they are strong. They are also very talented at building and making things." Sister Angie looked away and said they were a rowdy bunch, too.
"Now, I believe their king's name is Sloan…" She had trouble remembering his last name. Sister Angie then moved on to the next race, the beastmen. The beastmen were categorized into two groups: those who looked human and had animal characteristics like Misaki, Fillan, and Max. The other were animals and walked on two legs like humans.
"Most of them live on the western side of Lilith. They recently gained a new King; I don't know much about him." Sister Angie then mentions the longest-living race, the elves. "The elves are still a mystery to us because they keep to themselves. A few live among us, but they are still hard to approach. I believe there was mention of a civil war when their king died; now, his descendants are aiming for the throne."
Rick then asked about the elven family, but Fillan interrupted by asking about the demon race. Sister Angie and the rest were stunned by his question. Sister Angie awkwardly smiled. "Those who are attacking claim to be them. We often mention children's stories, but I don't know if it's true. Once the matter is settled, we will get answers."
Sister Angie then changed the subject. She said Father William had business with the church, and they would handle getting the supplies. Everyone was excited about going to town. They hurried left to get ready. Sister Angie looked at Fillan as he left; she felt somewhat strange. She regained her composure and cleaned up.
Fillan opened his eyes, a strange sense of wary. "More memories about that orphanage. There must be something I am missing. I need to focus more next time." Fillan walked over to the well, washed his face, and left. From the fort wall, General Musashi stared at him; in his eyes, he noticed a strange aura coming off Fillan.
Fillan returned to his room and lay on his bed. He considered his dream: "King's Land, I was there. Something happened? I need to focus on remembering those days." Fillan faintly heard Shia calling him; he looked up and saw him. "What are you thinking about?" he asked. Fillan shakes his head. "Nothing much; I just keep remembering the orphanage." Shia thinks, "Was there someone important, or is it something important."
Fillan didn't know what to say. He spoke about the other children to determine if it was related to them. After some talking, Fillan said he would try something else. They headed to bed, and Fillan went to work the following morning. Fillan did the same thing as before. The blacksmith's work was different this time. They were making arrow tips. Once done, Fillan headed to the shed.
Fillan entered and began his meditation. As he drifted into his memories, he thought about everyone; some words echoed in his mind, and then he heard familiar voices he couldn't recall. His heart raced, and suddenly, he heard the sound of chains; his body trembled. A cold, sarcastic voice called him, "Boy, have you learned your lesson?"
Fillan opened his eyes, and he was on a wagon. The other children were also on, entering a large city. The city had many buildings built by various architects. This was King's Land. Many people of multiple races walked the crowded streets. The children eagerly stared at the store, pointing and shouting. Father William laughed.
They eventually reached the cathedral. Father William met with the heads of the church. Sister Angie took the children to get supplies. They then returned to the bustling city. The children got off the wagon and ran around. Sister Angie got mad and scolded them. They then went around carrying everything Sister Angie was buying.
Amara and Chloe held the babies, and the boys carried some things. After getting everything they needed, they stopped, and Sister Angie let them rest. They stopped where performers were performing, and Sister Angie promised to get them something. They all rushed to the candy stall and looked at the candies.
Fillan, on the other hand, walked and stopped by a stall selling fishing equipment. "Oh, Fillan, is that you?" The stall owner said. Fillan smiled and greeted him. "Interested in buying something? I just got some good bait." Fillan looked around, and a pole caught his attention. He knew it was expensive and looked at the lures.
"Is Father William here with you?" "Yeah, he has a meeting," Fillan replied. The shop owner nodded. "I hope it goes well; there have been more and more refugees coming; I wonder what the kingdoms will do." Fillan stayed silent. The shop owner remembered Fillan was an orphan and immediately offered a discount on something.
"I see you are having trouble choosing. How about this: Since you are a regular customer, I will give you a discount." Fillan smiled and chose a colorful lure. That was a good choice." Fillan paid and left. He returned to the others who were watching a dancing performance. Sister Angie scolded him for going on his own.
They all returned to the wagon and loaded it. They got on and left the city, and the children were sad. Sister Angie promised to bring them back. They returned home, and Rick jumped off and ran back home. Sister Angie yelled at him to help. Everyone laughed, and they brought the supplies down. Once done, they rested and did their own thing.
It got late, and they ate. Fillan asked about Father William. Sister Angie told them Father William would return in a couple of days. This made them worry, but Sister Angie reassured them it was fine. The children continued their peaceful lives, helping at the chapel. Many of the old folk living in town visited to pray, and Sister Angie would give them blessings.
A few days passed, and they were eating dinner. Sister Angie was scolding Rick because he was playing with a wooden sword. She took it away from him, and Rick begged for it back. Then, horses were heard out in front. They all got up and ran to see. A carriage was stopped in front of the chapel. The door opened, and Father William got off.
The children ran out and hugged him. Father William was surprised and greeted them warmly. Fillan stood in the doorway smiling. Sister Angie walked over to help. She and Father William talked. Father William looked at the carriage and waved his hand in a jester to come. The carriage moved, indicating someone was inside.
A woman dressed as a nun stepped out. She had silver hair, ears, a tail, and blue eyes. Fillan stood frozen, looking at her. The children were stunned by her. "Hello, my name is Adolpha. It's a pleasure to meet you…" Fillan's mind went blank, and he passed out.