Beast Taming

WINIFRED

Saying I could see the future was a bit tricky. Since I couldn't see, I wondered exactly what I was looking at when I looked at the sky. Very clearly, I could see the blue sky getting darker and the portal-like structure forming as an eye. Inside the portal, I could see the faint, familiar outline of the beast.

It was just like what I saw before. I thought the beast was standing right at the corner of the tomb but thinking about it, it was probably further away. If it wanted to hurt me, it would've come for me first since I was the one who saw it first. But it didn't. Either that or we just got really lucky.

The beast was really huge, resembling a black-furred Borzoi dog. It had huge horns like an antelope and its red vertical pupils really gave off a demonic-crazed look. It was constantly drooling so I could tell it wanted to make a meal out of Nathan. While I would delight in seeing that, I still needed him intact.

"Do you see me winning this fight?"

"That's not how it works. I think I can only see things a few minutes into the future. I didn't see you get chewed up by the beast."

"Wait, if you can see the future, does that mean…you know what we look like?"

Like I said, it was tricky. I didn't know what they looked like just yet. It was the same situation where I could only see things with enough mana, like Nathan and the beast. But, they didn't need to know that.

So, I just smiled.

Nathan seemed to understand the meaning behind my smile and hurried them into the mansion. I just realized then that I was a good liar.

"You were lying, weren't you?"

Of course Nathan had to go and burst my bubble.

"I can see the future."

"No, you were lying about the fact that you won't get hurt. That beast actively hunts darkness. It will kill you."

I had a trick up my sleeve. I didn't know if it would work but the worst that could happen is that I die. Honestly, if they get to live, I wouldn't mind dying. They were worth protecting. But I didn't need to tell them that.

"You won't die on my watch, Winifred. Don't think about doing so."

"You're cute. Just watch your back."

He almost didn't avoid that attack. It came from his blind spot, a giant maw enough to wrap him twice over.

"Warn me earlier, damn it!"

"Oops!"

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to kill me."

"But you know better, don't you?"

He rolled his eyes. While he was out battling the beast, I was safely in a bubble be engulfed me in. The beast did glance my way but Nathan got its attention first. That way I could focus my attention on the spell I wanted to try.

Beast Taming.

No, I wasn't just pulling it out of my ass. Beast taming was one of Winifred's many talents, a talent she used to darken the sky with the sheer amount of beasts she had in her arsenal and put the entire capital on lockdown.

Winifred was a learned woman. She had enough knowledge and power to become a god but chose to revive a god risking her own life. Or, did she?

The story was supposed to end when Winifred was defeated. It was an emotional end and well, that was it. There was nothing more about Winifred. But she said she reversed time. A magical spell that huge, considering how magic worked in this world, couldn't have gone unnoticed.

I could make several assumptions but the truth lay with her. So, all I could do was ask her.

{What is it you say in your world? You don't have enough mana to unlock that knowledge.}

You're having way too much fun in my world, aren't you? Why don't you come back inside your own body?

{I can't. I already reversed time. I need enough mana to be able to do such a switch.}

Okay, okay. Can you at least tell me how to tame that beast?

{It requires less mana and more of concentration and will. That beast is thousands of years old. It would ordinarily be weak but it has been gathering mana in that tomb for too long. Can you will conquer it?}

That is honestly a foolish question. I'm only a little above 30. I don't have the will to triumph a centuries old beast.

{How do you think beast taming succeeds? A beast, no matter how old or powerful, is still a beast. Do with this information what you will.}

Although I didn't appreciate the hold on the information, I loved her sarcasm. Something tells me she's not so different from me after all. I mean, she has the attitude down to a tee.

There was a ridiculously long incantation to take a beast. I didn't know it and thankfully, she didn't withhold it from me. All I had to was repeat what she said in a whisper, focusing my energy on the beast while fighting the urge to focus the energy on Nathan.

What would it feel like to control a centuries old annoying man? Stay tuned for the updates.

"WINIFRED, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Beast Taming, oh dear teacher of mine."

"This is NOT how I wanted your help!"

"You know the thing about shooting two birds with one stone?"

He looked horrified. That was on me. I forgot his familiar was an easily pissed off crow. But then, the look on his face was satisfying. I craved more. Too bad I was still a child. A strap on wasn't looking too bad of an idea…Right, I need to focus my energy.

My body suddenly felt like it was being pierced by a million tiny needles I couldn't see. They dug into my skin, particularly my head and continued to burrow deeper. I made the mistake of coughing and my mouth became wet. I just knew it was blood.

{Focus, Winifred. This is the moment of truth. You won't die but it'll leave you very helpless for a while. You are similar to me so you just hate being helpless, don't you?}

Do you know how incredibly difficult it is to maintain consciousness while being blind?! I can't even tell if I'm conscious or not!

"WINIFRED!"

Oh, there he was, my knight in shining armor. He was all I needed to know I was still present. He grabbed me and ran, keeping a suitable distance from the beast.

"I swear if you die on me…"

"Tell me when I'm successful, Nathan."

He sighed and held me tighter.

"Yes, my lady."