Master Of None

Laurence pulled a small bandana from his pocket, digging around more He pulled more bits of cotton for fire starting as well. ” I may not have the perfect pair but...” tying the bandana and cotton around Hyde’s head a makeshift pair of earmuffs came to be, ” hopefully this make things easier.” Hyde bounced around visibly excited.

” Hyde says he loves them, they are perfect.” The widest smile anyone had ever seen on Laurence graced their eyes.

The energy began to grow again as onyx started to translate full conversations between Hyde, midnight, and himself. They were all excited to hear answers to questions they’d always wondered. Midnights favorite food as toasted chicken but she would eat any meat. Hyde enjoyed sunny days near the mountains. Onyx couldn’t stand it when it’s rained because it made him cold too fast. The cracklings of fire was most relaxing to midnight. The questions could go on and on forever.

” Is that onyx?! He’s so big, what happened? Did you over feed him? Did you use a time magic spell? Is this his real size and you’ve just been hiding it!” Ah and there was Elise full of energy as always. Stella was glued to her hip as the two ran up to the group.

” Stella how is your wing?” Onyx asked Stella immediately. Elise went silent, she’d just heard a voice but saw no mouth move. She thought she had finally lost her mind.

” brother Stella says he won’t is still sore can you heal it again?” Having gotten his reply onyx asked walker to heal Stella again, her wing was still a bit swollen and had seemed in need of the next treatment.

Stepping behind Stella Elise watched with wide eyes. After Stella had been healed again she seemed visibly more relaxed. ”Brother Stella says that’s enough, she thinks after another treatment tomorrow she will be ready to fly again.”

” that’s great! I’m glad you’re feeling better Stella. Thanks for translating onyx, a great job.” Realization flooded Elise as she connected the dots. Onyx could not communicate with others through their minds and hold full conversations. It was a miracle skill not many tamed beasts could develop.

” y-you developed the ability of telepathy after growing. You’ve unlocked your system as an abyssal black serpent. Can you translate for me, I need to tell my sister something.” Quickly being reminded about her fear that Stella held it against her when they collided and injured Stella’s wing, Elise asked onyx for a favor.

Seeing his head bob up and down Elise focused herself on Stella. ” I am so sorry for breaking your wing. I never meant to hurt you, but if you hate me I’ll understand...” her voice shook at these words, if Stella hated her for it she would need to accept the greatest pain in her life this far.

Stella listens carefully and soon moved her Face in front of onyx. The two were still as stone until Stella seemed to become a bit happier and even brushed onyx in the head. Returning to stare back at Elise Stella awaited onyx to send her reply.

” Stella said, I have loved you since the day we first met. You’re my family and I can’t wait for you to show me your wings.” The words were simple enough but the emotion in her eyes shown brighter than any fire. The two embraced as more pent up stress left Elise. These past days had been extremely emotionally taxing in the two and now they could finally let it all go.

The night continued with much the same, onyx translated constantly and seemed to really enjoy his new central position in the party. Instead of just watching and learning he could now participate. No longer would he sit and watch while he hid, no he would hunt.

” brother please take me hunting tomorrow, I wish to catch up to you and sister. I know I lack the title but I will work harder.” The resolve clear to walker there was nothing to argue.

” then it will be so, in the morning be ready I’m goi to partner you with midnight. She will sneak you close and you can do what you do best.” Appeased by walkers plan the night continued in until everyone had headed home to rest. Naturally Riley wasn’t eager to have onyx translate for him, his tamed beasts were wild and reasoning with them would be the same as talking to a wall. However he did congratulate onyx and midnight which surprised them all since he was of few words.

The morning seemed to rush at them since they had stayed up much too late conversing. One of the most surprising things walker had gleaned from the conversations was that midnight had made a bit of a rivalry with Remey. This seemed to be since they were the two most capable of front line combat. Remey may be more charging in and midnight more sneaking but front line combat indeed. This was a bit worrying but maybe a good motivator for the two to put more in to training.

While thinking on the day to come walker realized he was the first awake. Being so he stoked the fire and started some food. Once the light had began to pick up Remey followed however something weird happened.

Noticing Remey had woken up walker turned to greet her but instead of the usual good morning she fell to her knees laughing too hard to breath. ”You-...hah..hah- your face-hahah” completely lost walker began to look at himself, his left hand seemed fine but as his eyes trailed to his right the black top of a tattoo showed on his palm. Following it the tattoo wrapped his arm all the way to his shoulder, he could only imagine where else it traveled until walker found the head on his chest. Onyx had gone in to tattoo form to sleep wrapping himself around walker giving him an incredibly amusing appearance.

Looking back at Remey who was still doubled over on the ground walker couldn’t help but feel defeated. He wouldn’t get angry at onyx for sleeping but it was still rough that he had chosen this particular position to sleep. He would definitely be having a few words with onyx on how rude it is to sleep on someone’s face.

Everyone soon began to stir and as not to fully embarrass himself walker woke onyx as well. The serpent felt it was too early for a lecture but could understand why walker was a bit upset over it. Remey of course told everyone of what she saw first in the morning making walker the target of a few hoodlum jokes.

” so no that the bandit member has done the cooking are we planning on hunting the same way as yesterday?” Gil wanted to join the same group he had before because he had been their only long range attacker which gave him the practice at long range sniping.

” yes same way as yesterday brainless.” Walker shot him a gore in revenge. ” although onyx will be going with midnight. Midnight I want you to hide away in your shadow wrapping and sneak up on monsters. Once close enough let onyx use bind on them and jump in when needed. It will be your job as the older sister to help him along.” Midnight stood tall growling with anticipation. Her and onyx would be an invincible team!

The second Otis arrived things went much like they had the day prior. Otis was leading midnight and onyx after some snow imps that had been moving too close to the walls. The sneaky monsters didn’t know to stay away and would always try to ambush the returning foragers.

Quickly coming ion a group of three midnight headed walkers plan disappearing from sight. Onyx was coiled on her back ready to launch at any target when midnight was ready.

The sickening crunching of bones a learned the two imps who reacted in terror as Otis crushed their third.

This was a perfect distraction for midnight who had circled around behind the imps. Creeping one foot after the other she watched for any sign they may notice her, however one had already rushed off to fight Otis. The second was perfectly distracted trying to make ice needles to hit Otis from a distance. Midnight was not having that.

Giving onyx the signal she ounces forward giving him the perfect striking distance. Onyx flung himself from her back and began to wrap around the snow imp. The imp didn’t even have a chance to claw at him or bite, its legs and arms bound to it and its magic useless the imp whined for freedom. It’s struggle didn’t give onyx much trouble as he slowly began to tighten. Seeing that onyx had things handled she stepped back slightly watching her younger brother work.

The sound of air being forced from the snow imps lungs gave way to shallow breaths. It’s bones began to creek while its mind faded. The skin turned more and more blue until final large cracking sounds were heard. The system immediately notified him of his victory over the snow imp. Real easing the imp to see that it had taken a strange shape Otis approached holding his two defeated ups.

” congratulations on your first hunt onyx. Midnight did well getting you to a surprise attack.” With that they were off after another prey.