Chapter 106: Chapter 105: Missed Moments

When everyone had reconvened everyone took a turn asking Carl and Bahamut to clarify a few points from their recount and when they were satisfied Carl sat down and asked who was up first.

Everyone looked at Kyubi or Klaire, but after an eye roll, Klaire declared they were going last.

“In that case, maybe we should go first…” Gillian said as he stood with Noah and Blaine. “…We managed to use diplomatic negotiations and hunting parties to gather a massive amount of creatures. Originally we had them here on Haven, but then there was a changed on Lunelia.”

“What change? Has Majesty gone out of control?” Carl quickly checked his connection to her and she seemed calm but nervous about the sudden and intense observation.

“No, quire the opposite, she proved her loyalty and they were nearly wiped out as a result. After we three and Klaire went in t-”

“Guys stop, start from the beginning tell me the whole story.” The trio winced, unsure of what to say, until Klaire stood up and took centre stage.

“Fine, no interruptions, just listen.”

— After Klaire returned from her conversation with Kyubi on Archyon—

Klaire returned home and asked Aegis where Carl was.

“What the hell do you mean h- Ugh, fine, whatever.”

[ PRIVATE MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM KLAIRE : FAYLORNA, WE NEED TO TRAIN, CARL’S RAN OFF TO GET CREATURES WITH BAHAMUT AND I NEED TO BE ABLE TO KILL HIM WHEN HE GETS BACK. ]

Faylorna appeared instantly, the same joyful expression she always wore before she put Klaire through hellish training. She opened a portal to Lunelia where they had been training and they she ushered Klaire through excitedly.

When they were alone however, that expression changed to one of intense focus.

“Klaire, I won’t lie, you are going to kill and hate yourself for it…” As she spoke she rolled up her sleeves and revealed black cracks that spiderwebbed across the flesh and were slowly spreading.

“No matter what I do, they won’t heal. I believe that your howl has become the voice of the laws of Soul and Death. Only someone of equal or greater power in both of those would have a chance of healing me.”

“I’m sorry Faylorna, I’ll try to heal it when I have more control.”

Faylorna shrugged. “I’m not particularly concerned either way. The legacy of the clan is secure with you, that is the only concern I ever had and truth be told I live a rather hollow existence and won’t complain about it coming to an end.”

“Tough, if I’m going to be the reason you die, it will be because I want you to and not because I did it accidentally. Anyway, I need you to make me strong enough and safe enough to fight Kyubi as an Equal.”

“Oh really? So she is actually challenging you for the right to claim Carl for herself?…”

“Actually… We may have agreed to share if, and that’s a big if, Carl actually accepts her feelings.” Klaire tried to act confidently, but the nervousness and doubt was definitely there.

“You sure seem nervous over “a big if”. Why would you put yourself in this situation?”

“I’m not an idiot, or blind, most boys and men would kill to have that beauty throwing herself at them. I mean her figure alone makes me jealous… I really don’t think Carl will accept her feelings, but at the same time, he never really starts anything with me either….”

“I see, so she’s beautiful and your husband has made you self-conscious. So are you sure you haven’t just doomed yourself to a lifetime of misery? If he did accept her, wouldn’t you always wonder if he simply doesn’t find you that attractive?”

“Yes, but I also kind of love how Kyubi loves him… Carl is the just the most determined and kind-hearted person and after watching all the girls on SATS drool over his body, brains and shallow stuff like that; It makes me happy to see someone love him for all the same stuff that I do.”

“You know it would be quicker to just say you’re a teenage mess of hormones.”

“I’m a teenage mess of hormones. I want to be stronger and give this fight my all, please help me take on the fox… That beautiful, seductive, ample chested, perfectly toned bodied fox.”

“Are you sure you don’t have a thing for her?”

“I really don’t know, that’s the other thing… Me and Carl are eighteen and I have no doubt we will be together forever, but is he the only person I’ll ever want and vice versa? Neither of us really ever explored that stuff too much.”

“Oh good grief…” Faylorna suddenly back-handed her, her right arm becoming the blackened bone of her true form in an instant. “…I just figured out why you’re suddenly starting to fall behind Carl.”

Klaire collided with trees, rocks and tore through several carnivorous plants which started a feeding frenzy as the subterranean mouths opened and swallowed both Klaire and the various debris.

A moment later, Klaire burst out of the ground covered in some kind of viscous fluid. “Never mind my problem, what’s yours!”

“Mine is you. Yours is distraction. You think you have the luxury to wonder about who you will hold your heart in the future? Girl, the man who holds it now is marching to his death!”

Klaire froze, Faylorna’s sudden intensity catching her off-guard. “What do you mean?”

“He is going against the variants, they are not to be underestimated. What did I tell you before? When he is pushing forward, you need to be his eyes from a distance. If you’re too busy looking at the fox’s admittedly unfair-figure, then who will see the blade moving for his throat?”

“I get it, fine. Now tell me how you transformed so quickly…”

“Transformed? We aren’t demons girl, if you are trying to change your form, then I’m not surprised that you’re struggling to change. We are two beings in one, you don’t change your body, you swap parts of your physical body out with your soul-form.”

The revelation hit Klaire like a SATS shuttle. “Damn it, that’s why…”

Klaire tried and succeeded in swapping out her right hand, but swapping back was more difficult.

“As I said, you’re swapping out with your soul-form, which for us have their own desires. The more restrained you keep that other half, the more you will struggle with it. You must get your current form and soul form on the same page to be as fluid as me.”

Klaire nodded, then focused. “Okay… I’m sorry I kept you locked away and didn’t understand you, I’ll try to take your feelings into account.” Mist began to leak from her and a disembodied voice came from it.

“Stupid girl! You gave that fox our love!”

“Impressive, that took no time at all… It took me ten years to release its mind without form.” Faylorna admitted with no small amount of interest.

“I had to… I love Carl and trying to own him would be awful… I don’t even deserve him, how can I stop someone who values him as much as I do from pursuing him?” Klaire was getting teary as she spoke.

“What right did you have to speak for both of us?”

“I didn’t have any right and I’m sorry I was too ignorant to realise you were there. I should have when we ate Dracula’s soul and it tasted horrible to me but delicious to you.”

“I challenge you girl, for the right of control.”

“Kl-!”

“Agreed, I don’t have any reason to deny you.”

“You stupid girl!” Faylorna closed the distance and slapped her, about to start yelling when her soul-form howled and took them to Faylorn.

The banshee dispersed immediately as the Lunelian sunlight trespassed into their lightless realm.

“Faylorna. Do you agree to oversee and uphold the match?”

“I have no choice, you arrogant brat.” Faylorna spat the words in response to Klaire’s soul-form. “Klaire, I said you need to stop Carl marching to his death, not sprint to your own.”

“I’m not… what are the terms?”

“If I win, you yield control and bend to my whim. If you win, the same.”

“Agreed. I win.”

Klaire’s sudden declaration made them both stop in confusion. “What do you mean?” Klaire’s soul-form asked after a moment of failing to figure out what she meant.

“Simple. You love Carl and don’t want to break his heart, you showed that with the tender display upon seeing him. Unfortunately, because of my ignorance, he loves only me and losing me would break his heart…”

Faylorna laughed to the point she doubled over. “Well… I do think… The girl is right…”

The mist became much thinner, as though trying to disappear from embarrassment. “She is… I yield…”

“I really am sorry, Me. I will explain everything to him and introduce you… I understand why you would be angry I considered giving Kyubi a chance with him before you. I acted thoughtlessly and hurtfully.”

“Do you think he will accept us?”

“Well I’ve shot him so many times I think he sees me as the biggest monster alive aside from Margo. I also don’t think he has it in him to reject us on any level. It’s too late to stop the challenge with Kyubi however, so if you don’t like it, we will have to get strong enough to win.”

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