"So hold on tight."
*
I can't believe this is happening. was the only thing Noble could think after what he heard from Obora, the Luna of this isolated wolf pack in the mountains.
Noble never thought this special day would come when he finally became an official beast tamer. It seemed like an impossible feat to him since of his age and his physical status. He was in no condition in any section of his life to take on being such an artist of an ancient magic, so to speak. No one in the village of Merdith believed in him, and truth is told, he hadn't either. He was just weaker than the other kids. He was always that child who would get the sickness that everyone was just about immune from at the age of six. In fact, he got it every year until this day.
The question was, what was going to happen to him during this ritual in the first place?
There had been many rituals that always had a different result. Depending on your spirit, it will factor what ability or change you'll go through. Callum, naturally, got faster and a lot stronger. Daley . . ., he missed her so much, had gotten more patience and a gentle nature. She was motherly and nurturing. It was helpful to Noble when he needed to be comforted, and she was always at his side at an instance.
A number of things could happen to Noble. He could grow a heck of a lot more stronger, and perhaps taller than what docile giant he already was. He knew for a fact that he would gain magical abilities with the pact with Raja as every beast tamer obtained. Then again, he had his doubts. Would the ritual go bad? Would he possibly . . . die? It was possible to die if you weren't strong enough for the process to overcome you, to inch into your mind and absorb your life force.
"Think not negative thoughts, my dear Noble. I will make sure all goes well." Obora assured, seemingly reading the anxious boy's mind. Maybe he was just his worried facial expression, or how tightly he was holding the poor lion's hand like he was giving birth. Either way, Noble was nervous yet excited. In a couple minutes, he would become official, and Raja would be a part of his life until the day they died.
A couple werewolves approached behind them to make sure they did nothing funny of the sort. It wasn't like Noble had the energy to pull some kind of attack, and Raja looked as if he hadn't gotten much sleep these past couple days. They were both tired, and it was definite that they were to get some kind of sleep as soon as they were done. Noble could feel just about how tense these wolves were with the presence of the snow lion, a beast shedding no energy to rip them apart in two seconds flat. Little did they know that this ruthless killer was nothing but a gentle kitten that loves being pet.
After a couple more turns, Obora leads to a pair of double doors. Noble felt his mountain lion tense next to him for some unknown reason. When Noble stared closer, he noticed a gold decorative plating symmetric for both of the doors. It was the symbol of the moon with a small dot inside. Little wings, similar to hummingbird wings inched out both sides. Something stirred inside his stomach, watching as his brain recognized it but rejected the offer of completing the process, defusing any information Noble may obtain for this memory.
Obora pushed the doors opened with ease, and an enormous room with a crystal dome entered their sights. It was strikingly similar to Meridth's town hall, but the view? No one could beat it. Noble had pushed Raja to guide him over to the window as it revealed vast snow top mountains. Anyone could see the snowy terrain spread for miles on end. Noble hadn't seen something so beautiful as his own eyes were beholding.
That's when Raja gazed over, seeing how amazed Noble had been at the amazing view, to slide his arms under his. Like a child with his father, Noble was raised to Raja's level of eyesight, the view more whole, and epic in its own rights.
That's when all the fun ended.
"We must prepare with haste. I am sorry to ruin your moment." Obora tapped Raja's arm while she impatiently beckoned the two to follow her to a pool in the middle of the room. The both of them were so mesmerized by the view that they completely trailed past the pool with a small, flowing waterfall. It had white flowers floating side, and the rock on top of the waterfall had the same symbol as the door.
"I did not know you had such wonders, Luna Obora." Noble said in respect.
"It is simply what you must do when you live so close to Luna herself," She giggled, "There is a monastery not far from here. A very beautiful one at that, my friend. Only the holiest may enter, or if you are one of twelve of Luna's dragon riders."
"Dragon Riders?" Noble repeated, leaning more on Raja, "So, you're saying that dragons do exist?"
"Oh, my poor boy. You have not seen much of the world to see such beauties. Luna is the one who created such creatures as well as my species. She blesses us with strength as she does to you. Dragons, however, have not been seen much these past few decades. The one who shall not be named tried to massacre them all, and there is only so many lefts that are hiding at the moment."
"I guess I'll have to see for myself." Noble smiled, trying to lighten the mood, "But I say we move on, shall we? You said it yourself that we need to make haste."
"Of course," Obora grinned back, and the door behind them slammed shut, almost like a supernatural force slammed it shut for good. She asked with her hands that both Noble and Raja stand in front of the pool, facing each other silently. When Noble arched his head up, all he could see was Raja staring back down with his red scarf blocking most of his face and his bright blue eyes staring back, pupils split in half, "Now, I must ask both of you to hold out your hands."
Both complying, Noble asked, "Why--?"
Obora, as quickly as she could, cuts small enough for both to bleed. Noble was the only one to make a whimpering sound while Raja's eyebrows furrowed in pain. Droplets of red liquid dripped of both their hands.
"Now, rest your foreheads together. This will be much quicker since you are both of human form." Obora urged, and both of the boys listened without a complaint. The closeness actually helped Noble with the searing pain in his hand. Obora's nose scrunched when she swapped sides and collected blood from both of them. Noble watched as she smeared both bloody fingers on the stone he had gotten from Miles.
"I have never seen the ritual performed in this way. What are you even doing, Luna?" Noble spoke his mind, but all he got was a crazed grin stretching across her face.
"We are not doing your petty, small tamer ritual, boy. We are doing one of higher magic and power. Only worthy of the fallen." Obora explained, and Noble's brows furrowed together in frustration. What was this mad woman going on about exactly? That's when she dipped the stone into the waters of the little pool. It reacted instantly as it exploded in light like dust. The small drops of blood had been completely cleaned off, and beaststone was in a more crystal-like state with smooth edges, unlike its previous form.
That's when his forehead started to force waves of pain on himself. The burning feeling had returned, and Noble cried out, tears almost seeping from his silver eyes. Out of all the times, these outbursts of pain had happened, this was by far the most painful of them. Staggering to keep afloat with only Raja as a support, he wasn't the only one whimpering of agony. Raja was whining and crying out in pain just like the human beneath him. Whatever this crazed werewolf was doing, Noble knew for sure that if it were to go on, he would surely pass out.
"Yes! Yes! It is working! Praise Luna, I have fulfilled your request!" Obora screeched in excitement before switching sides yet again with the stone in her hands, "With both of your wounded hands, hold it dearly. You will go through unbearable pain, but there must be a sacrifice to join together. In order for your souls to join, you will have to reveal every hidden secret within you, even ones you don't remember. Reveal yourselves to each other!"
The Luna settled the stone in between the two bloodied hands, and both boys' hands sizzled. The stone glowed brightly, seeping through every little inch of their systems.
With one harsh breath intake, Noble was sucked into a not-so-pleasant memory.
*
Noble determined that he was looking through eyes of not his own body. He could feel, see and smell everything. The smell of iron and smoke entered his nose, but his actions were not his own. Tears streamed down the face he was possessing, and Noble began to wonder just what was going on.
"Inzei! H-He's not fairing too well. The infection is getting much worse by the hour. I'm afraid--!"
"Don't you dare tell me." Raja's voice barked, and his fists clenched with raw strength. His head turned to look upon a man with a long, blonde ponytail behind him. What stood out most to Noble was the fact that he had piercing silver eyes and a symbol on his forehead stretching across his hairline and down his pale nose.
"Soro is doing all that he can, but it simply spreading through his system too fast." The man frowned, making his way to the flap of the tent they were in, "There is much to do with him now, Inzei. It is best to let him go on. You best say your words before it happens."
Raja slammed his fists on the table, breaking a considerable amount of the poor wooden platform. He walked over to a dresser, a shard of a mirror in front of him. Blue eyes stared back at Noble with much grief and hatred. Raja's appearance had significantly deteriorated. He once the sun-kissed skin was now much paler, only showing a pinch of once copper skin that laid there. His blue eyes were dull and lifeless. His white hair had changed to a light gray like he had aged. He wasn't a mere young boy anymore. He was a man.
Noble followed in the body of Raja as he followed the man to another tent not far from his own. Once he entered, Noble was shocked to find men huddled around a cot, but what was more shocking was the fact that every man he had seen so far had such bright blonde hair. With an array of different heights and body types, they were all connected somehow. Once Raja entered, he could hear the faint of one singing a lullaby of sorts.
It was all clicking but so confusing to Noble. Obora had said this was going to be a memory, but . . . he hadn't remembered.
"Deep in the meadow, hidden far away. A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray. Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay. For when again it's morning, they'll wash away." A soft voice sang, and the group huddling the bed so tightly parted ways for Raja to enter. A small man with curly, long hair sat next to the wounded man in the cot. His hands glowing a white light. Noble assumed this was 'Soro', "Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you against every harm . . ."
What Noble was forced to see after tore him apart, ripped him into tiny little shreds until he was a pile of confused and pained hurt.
It was Noble. It was Noble with a dagger in his stomach, lodged in so much to the point where no one was able to pull it out without paining him and potentially killing him.
Tears leaked out of Raja's eyes, crumbling to his knees next to Soro. The male lifted himself from the chair as he stopped singing beautifully, "I did all I could, Inzei, but he is withering away at a drastic rate. My magic is unable to heal him."
Noble stared into his own eyes, seeing such sorrow and pain. Dry blood stained his chapped lips, and it was true. He was going to die. Noble was watching himself die right in front of his eyes. Raja reached with an outstretched hand to cup his cheek, and Noble turned his head with tears of his own in his eyes.
"You knew that was coming, my love." Noble coughed, his signature red scarf wrapped around his arm, "M-Mother told us . . . all of us that one of us was going to pay the p-price. And--!" He coughed up more of the iron liquid while Raja quickly reacted by holding his hand tightly, trying to use some of his own magic to heal him, "I am g-glad that you all live . . . and he is stopped. P-Please, tell mother I will be j-joining her for m-me."
Noble's once lively silver moon eyes turned dull, lifeless.
"No, no, no, no, no, no." Raja muttered, jumping to his feet and onto the cot. Noble didn't react, laying as still as he could with his quickly deteriorating body, "Hikari! Please don't leave, NO!"
The last thing Noble heard before being zipped out was the screaming of Raja as he wept in utter, miserable grief.
*
Noble opened his eyes to reveal a mirror being held in front of him. What stared back at Noble wasn't him but it was at the same time. He still had his silver eyes, bright and full of life, thankfully. However, the changes he began noticing had set him on the path of having a panic attack. Instead of brown curly hair, it was blonde, just like those . . . men in the memory. He had the exact same marking on his forehead and nose, and instead of freaking out, Noble . . . started to cry.
Glancing down, he was no longer a small, frail boy he uses to be. The clothes that were too big on him were now perfectly form fitting to his body. It must be why Obora had given him such big clothing in the first place. When Noble lifted his hands, the mark of the beast tamer was on his palm like an inked tattoo. Did that mean Noble had gotten Raja's physical traits? He lifted his arms to his head, only to realize that what around him wasn't air, but water.
Noble was just floating there, below the water gazing at his own reflection. A hand reached into the body of water, and Noble, without any control, reached for it. He was pulled from his peaceful yet endearing pool. He caught his breath, and as soon as he opened his eyes once more, he spotted familiar wooden doors. Many pairs of eyes stared at him, but the only ones that mattered were the bright blue ones staring back.
"Raja?" Noble whispered, his voice a small amount lower than before.
Not much changed about Raja, but it alerted Noble that this was real. The symbol identical to his own was stitched into his copper skin. Noble trailed his long fingers against it, reassuring himself that it was actually there, and to his surprise, it was.
Everything was happening.
But more importantly, he was finally bonded with him. Finally.
Noble's tears turned happy, and Raja could only hold his face, smirking and catching the teardrops with his own fingers.
Obora narrowed her eyes to the two men with a smile on her face. With her two fingers, she killed them and laid them on her heart. "I have fulfilled your request once more, Luna. Only a matter of time that you soon turn your grace to those two." She pushed past her fellow werewolves, all of them aware who these two were now. Positioning herself in front of Raja and Noble, she slapped both of their backs, finally able to stop from holding back from her strength, "Congratulations, Noble, Raja. May I welcome you to the world of magic but also obstacles . . ." She paused with her grin growing, "May the Fallen Tamer rise again."
She left without letting anyone contact her. Noble now knew that this was going to impact his outlook on everything. Everything in his head looked so different and more real, less hazy. Yet those words she whispered under her breath had spooked Noble. It sent chills down his spine.
"May the Fallen Tamer rise again."