The Blessing

We drove through a beautiful garden area filled with all kinds of blooming flowers. I saw sunflowers, and roses, but I also saw weird flowers that seemed to glow blue and some that seemed to suck in the light towards a center that was pitch black even during the middle of the day.

"This is the Elder's personal Alchemy garden. He is pretty famous for being the alchemist that discovered how to use the Dimensional Tears fauna. He discovered the recipe for Health Potions, Magic Potions, and a variety of other things that come straight out of an RPG game. It's so awesome.... But damn is it expensive, Thankfully us shifters have an awesome regeneration factor."

Brian was very enthusiastic as he explained a few of the flowers and what they can do, He didn't go to far into details, saying he wasn't an alchemist so he only knows the surface level knowledge.

He continued spouting off random knowledge until we finally arrive in a circle drive in front of a huge marble pillar entrance.

We got out of the vehicle and within seconds, 15-20 men and women dressed in black suits circle around us.

"Clan Midnight Shifters.... Where's your Alpha? Don't you think this is a little disrespectful of you to show up at the Elder's house without your Alpha?"

"Calm down Sean, I know Barton already sent a message ahead and confirmed an appointment, Don't try and show off in front of the newbie. Just let us in already."

The man in black who spoke up instantly deflated, before he was puffing out his chest and acting high and mighty but now he's hunched over with a sad look.

"Aw, comeon Bryan, You can't talk to me like that when we are in front of my subordinates. That just sets a bad example for them."

"Oh yea? Like their leader hunched over with a pathetic look on his face even though he is a giant of a man? You're 7 feet tall you fucking giant, you're about as wide as a brick shit house to boot so don't act all pitiful to me."

After a few tense seconds where I could damn near feel the tension in the air..... The two men start laughing at eachother. They then clap eachothers hands and shake.

"Man it's good to see you again Bryan, It's been a few months hasn't it?"

"Yea, something like that. First we get sent out on some bullshit Tear to clear, then Barton gets a hit on his super radar while out on his little walks through human land." Then they both turn to me and Sean looks me up and down like he's evalutating me.

"Hmmm, well he has the smell of an Alpha. But I also get the feeling he has something else rooting around in there? It's weird like he has monster blood or something."

"Yea we smell it to, but he hasn't shown any corruption signs so far, so we figured might as well bring him up to speed and get him hunting as soon as possible."

"Gotcha, well the Elder already knows you're here so go on inside."

The group in black make way for us as we enter the mansion. Inside was beautiful as all around was mellow colors of white with a hit of yellow all throughout the entryway, Further inside I could see brighter colors like green and red that were the colors of most of the rooms. It didn't make much sense and it clashed more often than not but Still the sheer size of those rooms were just extraordinary.

The hallway ended in front of two large Black metallic doors. As we approachedthe doors moved and as they opened I saw two men dressed in black visibly straining as they push the door open.

"FINALLY YOUR HERE. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GIVE UP WAITING AND GO BACK TO SLEEP!"

The group instantly kneels and after a few seconds bryan speaks without looking up.

"The humble clan of Midnight Shifters has arrived in order to recieve a blessing from the elder for our newest member."

"HAHAHAHA rise up, rise up, I'm not a king by any means. I don't need all the bullshit pleasantries those other bullshit Elders make their followers do."

I rose up and looked and in front of me, literally within inches of my face was a a man. He had a huge beard that flowed down to his chest. His hair was brown and wavy and very much still intact. But the thing that shocked me most was that this guy wasn't at his full height. He was bent over in front of me so that he could look me dead in the face.

"Hmmm" He started looking at me up and down. He did the cliche old man move and started stroking his beard as he thought.

He took a deep breath a few times as he looked at me, I tried to move but his eyes turned a sort of golden crimson that stopped me in my tracks.

"You're not a full shifter are you boy? I smell monster in you." He then looks over at Bryan.

"Did he get corrupted somehow during his stint in that horrible facility. Those damn scientists will do whatever they want because they have immunity directly from the King." He shook his head before looking back at Bryan.

"I'm sorry Elder, Those bastards injected him with what we guess is a mixture of Primal Shifter blood and the liquified remains of an Ancient tier core. We think the combination of the two has halted his progress but at the same time we have noticed an increase in his pressure as an alpha. Barton is currently in the middle of acquiring a Tear for the Newbie's first mission."

I spoke up quickly since I felt it was only right to correct that mistake.

"Actually, I was the one who injected myself with the mixture. I was actually trying to inject myself with the syringe filled with silver. At the time I didn't see any way out and.... I decided to end it myself versus be tormented to death for their sick research."

Silence filled the room.

"You tried to kill yourself?" The Elder asked.

"Yes Elder. I didn't want to go through the pain of being tortured endlessly. The woman who brought in the syringes was incredibly powerful and broke my wrist so easily.... It scared me to think of what else they could do to me." I was staring down at the floor in shame as I spoke. I feel like it was a horrible move now, but back then I didn't see any way out.

I felt a hand press on my shoulder before squeezing a little.

"I understand where you're coming from, I have lost many a shifter to those bastards. If they weren't under the King's protectiong I would have massacred them all and razed that building to the ground. But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you're still here with us, I promise to do whatever is in my power to keep you safe from the Scientists ok?"

I looked up and his eyes held a seriousness that I have never seen before. But then another kind of seriousness shined as his voice took a different tone.

"But I do have to punish you for doing something so stupid as try to kill yourself. Even if you failed, you still thought only of yourself. I know you weren't given the full plan but you are now apart of our family. Your a Shifter, and no Shifter will ever just lay down their lives, understand?"

His hand then started to squeeze a bit tighter and I started to lean over in pain, then it got tighter, and I was then kneeling on the floor with the Elder hovering over me.

I heard a loud snap and a raging pain spread out from my shoulder.

"That's it for now, just remember that you are a fucking shifter now. You are one of the most powerful groups of beings this world has ever seen. Not only that but you have the blood of an Alpha Shifter. You are destined for great things so grow stronger and get rid of whatever pathetic weakminded feelings you have got it? I don't want to hear that something like this happened again, you withstand this worlds torture, you use the hatred it brings and you get strong enough to never be put in that situation again."

His words were like swords that pierced completely through my body and directly into my soul, I could feel as every syllable was etched onto my heart. I felt a part of my soul take every word as if it was life or death.

"And done, as the first order from your Elder I hereby give you my blessing to join in hunting the Dimensional Tears. I got a special gift just for you that I hope you'll like. Since we don't really know what the Tears will give you when you enter for the first time I have to assume what I hope you'll get and plan from there." The Elder snapped his fingers a few times and from a side door walks out a woman in a maid outfit.

"Darling Genevieve will take you to the changing room.... Don't do anything I wouldn't do boy."

He winks a couple times at me and my face goes blood red as I look at the made and all she does is smile at me. Steam just exploded from my head as the embarassment reached an all time high.

I just try and shuffle the maid in front of me as fast as I can so I can put an end to this moment as fast as possible.

She leads me down another long hallway and into a room that is covered in silk furniture. The bed, silk. The couch, silk. The fucking drapes over the windows, silk.

"Would Master Alaric need help changing?" Genevieve said with a slight smirk.

"Um... No, I'm all good. Is this the gift from the elder here on the bed?" I went over and picked up what looks like a fur skinned jacket. The fur was greyish white that covered the outside and the inside was lined with cushioned leather that had 2 pockets on each side.

"Yes, Elder has chosen to give you this himself, I heard this was his original piece of equipment from when he first started hunting. He had it with him throughout his entire career as a hunter and it has absorbed some of the powers from the Dimensional Tears. You are very lucky, Master Alaric."

She winks at me and smiles then starts to help me put on the jacket, every couple of seconds she would get to close and touch my back saying that she needed to make sure it fit just right. But the same time she was rubbing her chest on me in a very tempting manner, I wasn't a virgin by any means so this was definitely working. But I had to get out of here, I didn't need this kind of attention just yet while I'm still new to this world.

"Great, thanks, gotta go." I said before quickly bolting out the door and running back to the meeting room.

"Ah, looks like the newbie is a two pump chump. Damn shame, but hey newbie everyone has their pros and cons. Don't be ashamed." Bryan said as he and the others along with the Elder started laughing hysterically at me.

"Master Alaric was a gentleman... Despite my subtle advances." The maid spoke up out of knowhere from behind me. I jumped in shock since I'm sure she was still in the bedroom.

"How..."

"She's pretty fast right? Don't worry about it my boy, I figured you could use some stress relief and Genevieve here wanted first crack at the newest Alpha to show up. Hahaha, she like em new... If you get my drift."

"Hold up... But I'm not 'new' like that, I'm not a Virgin whatsoever."

"Hahaha, no boy new to this world. You still have your human energy running through your veins, It takes a little bit to get rid of but species like Genevieve here can harvest that energy and it makes them stronger."

I look in shock at the maid as only one species comes to mind that can use energy like that. "So your a-a-a..."

"A Succubus, correct Master Alaric." She gets close again and starts rubbing her body against me while my arm was nestled in between her breasts.

"I would love to help you get rid of that pesky human energy. You'll just lose it anyway when you enter the Tears so why not have some fun and help a poor succubus get stronger."

She says that last part with a pout that almost makes me dizzy with cuteness.

"That's enough now, he isn't going to fall for it. Go back and get my gear. I want to see this pups power in action firsthand."

"El-Elder, what are you saying? Are you saying you're joining us on our hunt?"

"Damn straight boys and girls. This old wolf is stretching his legs. I had been in contact with Barton while I was waiting for you to arrive. He gave me the address of a newly spawned Tear that popped up within your territory. We will head out in 1 hour."