Rumours Has It…?

Chapter 20
Mirean in Inverno means unfortunate offspring.

Mireans do not inherit the genetic uniqueness of their parents and ancestors.

The term applies to all races. Witches, wolves, and others.

In Inverno, werewolf children born as Mirean cannot transform into wolves like their parents.

Usually they would be ostracized or banished to other communities to become manual laborers.

They were considered as inferior as ordinary humans. Mireans are really not considered valuable.

Nalani was lucky that she was brought into the kitchen by Enya and stayed there with a guarantee of safety directly from Alpha Ahlf.

Otherwise, she would have long ago fallen prey to some hungry wolves who were sick and unable to hunt in the forest.

Many times she had seen one of the servants pulled from the kitchen by a wolf and chewed up before her eyes.

Her helplessness as a Mirean was so ingrained that it made her extremely shocked to see what was happening before her eyes.

“Is... is that magic?” she asked, her eyes widening at the sight of a sprout bursting out of the ground, ready to grow.

“I don’t know what else to call it but magic,” Bertold said. “You have that power within you.”

Nalani hesitantly touched another section of soil.

Her palm rested flat on its surface.

She waited a moment and then lifted it.

There was nothing. Not a single sprout grew from the soil. She tried again, this time concentrating. When she lifted her palm, nothing happened.

She felt confused. “Bertold, why can’t I do it again?”

Bertold nodded. “There are two possibilities, my lady. Your ability is just a remnant of the spark of life that brought you back to life. Or it is a raw power that still needs to be trained.”

They still tried several times. Nalani pressed her palms against the ground, but to no avail.

“What are you doing?” A voice behind them asked.

Nalani turned her head and looked at Karina with furrowed brows.

For days Karina had disappeared from everywhere, with Nalani only occasionally bumping into her in the corridors. Karina only nodded briefly with a somber face and a mismatched house dress.

However, the Karina in front of her was back to her usual self. With a beautiful dress wrapped around her body, a carefully made-up face, shiny blonde hair and a smugness at the corners of her lips.

“We are testing the fertility of the soil, Miss.” Bertold replied before Nalani did.

Karina’s eyes traveled all over the garden. Nalani could see amazement briefly cross her face before returning to her haughty mask. “Wow, this garden is almost back to its former beauty...” she murmured.

Then, she turned to Nalani with a suspicious look. “But it shouldn’t have grown this fast, right? Believe me, I know a bit about gardening. What’s going on? Where did these flower pistils come from?”

Again, Bertold answered. “Apparently my experimental plant fertilizer worked, Miss. I’ve been mixing it for days in my laboratory.”

Karina snorted. “You should be more useful than that, Bertold. You can only make plant fertilizer, but you couldn’t make medicine for my father until he was dying and died.”

Bertold’s face changed, but he seemed to be holding back. Karina left without another word. The hem of her dress waved as she turned to leave.

“What was that about?” Nalani looked at Bertold. “What happened to her father?”

“Don’t mind her,” Bertold said. “She’s been spoiled and disrespectful since childhood. Everyone is used to it.”

However, what Karina said had already disturbed her mind.

"Bertold, who is Karina's father?"

"His name is Brass."

"I mean..." Nalani could not finish her question because Bertold got up and left the garden without intending to explain more. She sighed and resolved to find out.

She wondered what had happened in Mond, which might have something to do with Karyan's sudden rise to alpha or something that happened 50 years ago.

Nalani recalled the daunting yet impressive competition to become the new alpha in Inverno.

She remembered Kabar's strength and handsomeness during the event.

Was the ceremony to find a new alpha in Mond the same as the ceremony in Inverno? She added the question to her mental notes.
***

The legend of Mond's calamity had been circulating for five decades among all kingdoms and human tribes.

One day, Enya, who felt responsible for imparting general knowledge to the witch child she had rescued, told Nalani about Mond's wolf kingdom.

"Have you heard of that story?" she asked.

Nalani nodded. "Only a little," she said. "From nosy mouths. We witches are not in the habit of discussing rumors. And my grandmother, the Great Witch, doesn't like us wasting time that could be spent learning new spells."

"I'll tell you the story that's been circulating, then. I don't like you being an empty-brained Mirean. At least, if you can't do magic, your brain should be filled with knowledge."

Enya then continued her story.
"Before the disaster, the Monds were known to have mixed powers of magic and wolf power. The alpha's palace was in the middle of a wilderness inhabited by various monsters created by their magical powers. The forest was the first line of defense, covered in an invisible web of magic that would cripple anyone who trespassed. It was said that the palace was grand and beautiful, the grounds full of flowers planted with the magical abilities of its women.”

Nalani was listening to every word, carefully.

“However, fifty years ago something happened. A rumor circulated that the Mond wolves lost their magical abilities. All that was left of them was the strength of wolves like any other wolf people."

"That's... terrible," Nalani said. She, who had lived among witches who were proud of their abilities since childhood, could imagine how they would feel if the magic suddenly disappeared.

"Yes," said Enya. "Even for us Inverno wolves who have no magic, we can imagine how horrible it would be."

"Why did they lose their magic, Enya?"
"There's no definitive news on that," Enya replied. "There's a lot of speculation going around. There are rumors that they've done something forbidden. There's another saying that they were cursed. Others are nonsensical love stories. It's all confusing and confounding. However, it all caused a stir among the other wolf kingdoms. Everyone wants to attack Mond and take their territory."

"The Wolf War...." Nalani muttered.

"You know what?" Enya was impressed.

"My father mentioned it once upon a time. He said it was a futile war and ambition. None of the invading troops could penetrate the forest surrounding Mond."

"Right," Enya nodded. "The only magic left in Mond is the magic that protects their territory.”
***

Nalani stood in front of the old castle building. Her head was up, watching the unguarded castle tower. Long ago, the tower must have been guarded by some warrior wolves.

It was unbelievable that she was now at the source of that legend, Mond who had lost their magic. And that was why she was here. To investigate the truth of the tale and the weakness of the Monds for Kabar, her lover.

Kabar hadn’t told her to go back yet, which meant she still had a lot to investigate.

Where was the power of the Mond wolves? What magic is there in that wilderness over there. Many monsters, Enya said. But she hasn’t seen one yet.

Nalani missed Kabar and Enya. She wanted to go home quickly, because this was not her home.

“Why are you walking this way?”

Nalani’s reverie was interrupted. In front of her, Karyan stood tall, staring at her with squinted eyes.

Looking left and right, Nalani was surprised. She had unknowingly walked towards the building where the dungeon was located.

She looked up and Karyan’s face was still waiting for a response. “I... I didn’t mean to,” she said. “I was daydreaming earlier.”

Karyan’s eyebrows rose. His gaze was incredulous. “Really?”
***