The ashes before Strife

Episode 1 : Forest Warden ; 5

Cayde Barbaten POV:
It's now been 7 months since I've brought lupra back to the cottage. I had been secretly fighting with the beasts in the forest slowly fighting stronger ones in that time.

I reignited the joy for fighting I had in my last life as I challenged all the strange creatures like goblins, giant beetles, and slimes.

Now for practicing magic I only need to create 1000 fireballs to complete the task Dendra gave me but it's also a special day for me. Today is my birthday October 26 in the middle of autumn. The date when I first came to Laegii from Earth.

I woke up greeted by the hot breath of a lupra who was now as tall as I was when walking on all fours with a now much darker shade of blue mane with platinum white fur surrounding it.

Her yellow eyes bore into me waiting for me to acknowledge her "good morning lupra. Is Dendra awake? I want to ask her something?"

Instead of an answer, I got a rigorous licking to the face-covering me in her saliva.

I then had a quick bath in the wooden tub next to my bed forcing lupra in with me though she tried to resist splashing the water about.

After I dried myself with fire magic I put on a grey shirt with black shorts and fiddled with my burgundy hair until it fully covered my left silver eye only making my right eye visible and headed into the main room where I saw Dendra waiting for me with breakfast ready.

This was rare as I'd normally have to make it, perhaps it was because it's my birthday that she did? "Child, sit down, there's something I want to check with you." I quickly sat down at the table while Lupra sat next to me waiting to steal my food.

Dendra then raised the curtain of hair covering my left eye and stared into it curiously while prodding at it with golden tentacles of mana that tickled slightly as they scanned my eye. "There is a village an hour south of the here child. I was thinking of letting you go now that Lupra is big enough to scare people off."

A village? I was happy that Dendra had enough trust in me to let me go there but I had the feeling nothing good would happen if I went there and it would distract me from my training.

"Do I have to go Dendra? I feel like it would only get in the way of my training."

She gave me a comforting look which put me off "child, I'm telling you to go for your own good. It's not healthy for you to stay cooped up in this forest with me."

Her unwavering smile and happy face started to terrify me as it wasn't in its natural aloof look, she then took in a deep breath "child. Your not thinking of disobeying me right?" Her words were soaked in terror reminding me of my mother's natural persuasiveness.

"Of course not Dendra! Look i-ill grab my spare pelts to sell and go immediately!"

I ran to the chest in my room opening it and sucking all the furs, skins, claws, and feathers of the animals I had killed into my void ring dangling atop my pendant while Dendra's gaze stayed on me.

I then whistled for Lupra to follow and she quickly did as I waved goodbye to Dendra while walking out the door.

I was confused on why Dendra started doing this so before I left I peeked in through the window and saw her reading a red book with a golden title called "how to conquer the wombs monster for adoptive parents." I

was happy that she was learning to try and raise me but I couldn't help but let a snigger out, the book was then thrown against the wooden wall next to me "I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE YOU BRAT!"

I quickly ran away in the village's direction as Dendra also shouted to come back just before dinner and not any sooner.

I walked through the red forests shrubbery breathing in the autumnal wind, I've always had a love for the autumn season that I can never explain.