The Burning Fiend

The next morning Reynolds felt relieved with a clear mind and a clear hearth, he found a big boulder and placed it on the garden for Windsor before he started dancing with his spear on the other side of the garden.

A few minutes later a tired beautiful woman arrived at the garden smiling as she saw her Master training and felt touched after she found the boulder that had ben arranged for her at the other side of the garden, she went to collect her chisel and smiling like a little girl started studying the boulder thinking of one of those rank 5 wind wolves that had seemed so fierce to her but died in a second under her Master's spear.

Yale and George were woken up by the sound of steel hitting stone and unwillingly made their way out to the garden to find a extremely beautiful woman working completely focused on a giant boulder while their fourth brother was dancing with his spear. "You know second brother, right now I'm feeling truly jealous. I think that the student had surpassed the teacher, how could fourth brother managed to tame that enchanting little vixen?" George for once forgot to try correcting Yale's crude personality while watching Windsor working and muttered. "I think I would have to find a wife as soon as I go back to my family." Yale laughed at that while shaking his head.

At this moment Reynolds was on a trance acc.u.mulating everything that had happened in the past few days and the fantastic mood he felt his morning, his stances and moves seemed as true fire as fire magical essence was visible around him and his spear seemed heavy at one time and weightless the next moment. He continued for a whole hour and finally stopped his spear dance, he was breathing heavily but he was smiling. He had managed to steep firmly on the second realm of wielding weapons, his strength had grown to a point that a normal 8th rank warrior was not his opponent.

He was going to clean himself but decided to wait as he noted that Windsor would probably finish with her work in a few minutes. The discernible figure of wind wolf had been born from the boulder, she looked at it for a moment satisfied with her work before destroying it without hesitation, she had seen Linley's sculptures at the Proulx Gallery and understood when she was instructed that her work couldn't be seen before his approval to avoid damaging his reputation. She liked sculpting but what she really licked was the feeling of improvement of her spiritual essence so she felt no frustration as she destroyed her beginner level sculpture.

She heard a chuckle and looked around finding Reynolds covered in sweat waiting for her, she knew she was also covered in sweat herself and understood his intentions. "Lets take a bath Windsor" She smiled and bowed while saying in a melodious tone. "Master, your slave obeys your command". They both entered their room oblivious of the fact that both Yale and George were left behind with their mouths fully opened at their last exchange. "Hateful! First they wake me up and now they are showing up in front of me... I need to find a woman right now, damn" Yale muttered as he made his way towards the main building and George decided to take a cold bath and find a place, out of hearing range from this garden, for his meditation.

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A few days later the three brothers were taking a stroll. "The city is overwhelmed with people, father managed to make an excellent profit while gathering food and wine as soon as we arrived. Now I understand why they said that war and natural disasters are merchant's best friends." Yale said happily while looking around at the desperate people.

"This people should keep moving north, here they would only find despair" said George. "I think we should also keep moving north, the invasion would reach here sooner or later. I'm thinking of spending a few years of training while traveling within the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts as I make my way slowly with Windsor to the O'Brien empire. I think that by the time I manage to arrive there I would be already and 8th rank in both warrior and magus systems".

Yale looked resentfully at his youngest brother and said. "You have no shame, talking about having adventures while enjoying the service of you pet-slave. You have no mercy either, even if I brought two pretty courtesans to attend me last night I could not get rid of the thought of that woman in your room. The thought that you were playing with that delicious vixen next door, you really are a cruel brother!" Reynolds looked startled and laughed faking innocence but choose to make no comment.

"Second brother are you going back to the Yulan Empire? Don't forget to tell that girl Delia that fourth brother is alright, I'm thinking that the future happiness of our dear brother depends completely on that woman not giving up on him". George smiled and said "Will do".

Then an annoyed voice surprised them. "Who's future happiness are you worrying about? You disloyal brother of mine!" Linley said pretending to be angry but Bebe jumping on his shoulder seemed to agree with Reynolds leaving Linley with a feeling of betrayal. They all laughed as they made they way back to the Dowson Conglomerate headquarters.

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A couple of days later Yale's father invited a blacksmith to help Linley to forge a heavy sword. Reynolds was enchanted with the forging process but seemed to find that it was not right for him. One could not be too greedy, he already had his meditation through spear training and learning a new skill from the beginning didn't felt right at the moment. Perhaps he would try it after becoming a saint, then the thing that he would not be lacking will be time itself.

He was abruptly brough out of his thoughts as lightning descended from the sky hitting the blacksmith, he then was fascinated as the blacksmith bursted into flames and started healing. This image was imprinted on his heart and seemed to resonate with something but he could not identify what.

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A few days later at night a beautiful red haired woman was resting n.a.k.e.d on the arms of a young man as he played absent mindedly with one her b.r.e.a.s.ts while his other hand was behind his own head as he looked pensive at the ceiling. "Master, is there something troubling you" the melodious voice brough Reynolds back to the present as he smiled at her.

"Well, nothing is really troubling me but I need to ask you to make a decision. I plan to spend the next few years training while slowly making my way through the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts heading towards the O'Brien empire. I would like you to come with me, I'm sure I can protect you and it will be good for your training" he took a moment before continuing. "I consider you my property I have always been clear about it, but you have the freedom to leave if you wish it and perhaps it is time for you to make the decision as leaving me while traversing the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts would be nearly suicide for you. So think about it clearly as you still have a few days".

He said that calmly and with confidence, his hand never stopped teasing her left b.r.e.a.s.t. She did not hesitate and her melodious voice sounded in response. "Master, your slave wants to stay with you. Please don't leave me behind". She had made her mind the very day he had started teaching her magic, being his personal maid was a happy life, he had never abused her and even if he treated her teasingly as a pet she knew he care for her and for some reason, that she could not understand and never would have imagined before she scaped from her family, she did enjoy the feeling of being dominated by him, she blushed with shame as she realized that trait of hers.

Reynolds smiled and hold her with both arms while saying. "Thats my girl!" Then he started what would become another happy and memorable night.

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The next morning the three brothers were taking another stroll in the city as they would be parting ways soon. They were a little reluctant but they knew they were no longer children and they would have to chose and follow their own paths.

They were walking towards Linley thinking of having a nice get together before the moment of parting, but midway they heard the sound of battle and made their way carefully in curiosity. When they arrived they found a group of corpses that seemed to be inquisitors from the Radiant Church surrounding a soulless Linley that was not even acknowledging Bebe who was trying to make him react by hitting him gently with his head and making desperate noises.

Yale and George run to hold Linley by each arm taking him away while Reynolds started chanting a fire spell to destroy the corpses on the ground.