THESE HIDDEN WINGS

[34.1]ORIGINS CLASS 521: SHADOW WOLVES

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Elek and Eri are no ordinary wolves.

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MY BONES REMAINED stiff; eyes focused on the large shadows that moved amongst the trees in a fluid motion.

Everything was deathly quiet around me, only the rapid shallow breathing of classmates betrayed our anticipation. Two red lights suddenly revealed themselves from the shadows of the woods, hovering between the trees, causing a gasp to implode somewhere. Mr. Ogustus immediately raised a hand, forming it into a fist to signify we should remain quiet.

Another pair of burning red eyes appeared a small distance from the first, equally hidden by the intruding shadows. Mr. Ogustus beckoned the rest of us to stay as he grabbed a hold of his crutch.

"Whatever you see younglings, your biggest mistake is to run," he warned yet again without looking back as he hobbled near the edge of the woods. We watched him get closer, an air of anticipation and fear around us.

He paused a few feet from the tree line, leaning on his crutch. His eyes seemed to study the two pairs of red flames staring back at him.

Sighing, he shook his head, "Must we wait an eternity for you magnificent beings to grace us with your presence?" he called out lazily.

A growl erupted from both directions and almost immediately two irregular-sized wolves leaped from the trees, coming bounding towards him, their fur as dark as night, eyes a burning flame.

I didn't think they would have been visible at night, and yet as big as horses they stood lowering their heads as they approached Mr. Ogustus's outstretched hand, their noses sniffing and then rubbing against it.

I blinked twice at the sight, unable to believe the sizes of the wolves I was seeing. Kingsland was going to mess me up with these illusions. Their size, however, was not the only thing irregular about them.

Their glowing red eyes seemed to mimic red hot flames, flickering to and from.

Their paws had sharp claws but even with their sizes, I didn't see any footprints they had left. The woods were littered with dry crunchy leaves and twigs, yet even as they stepped on them, the ground didn't sink beneath their weight, nor did the leaves crunch.

I noticed an array of intricate patterns on their bank, ancient and powerful.

They emitted low growls, their ears up and on high alert as if they had never rested a day in their lives, their teeth were deadly sharp and steam rose from their nostrils signifying that somewhere somehow, they were extremely hot.

If anything, the wolves in front of me should have taken me as scary which to some extent they were, however, I found myself more fascinated by them than anything else, so much so I believe it quenched my fear.

Claire and the rest of the class on the other hand needed no explanations.

You could tell from their horrified looks and the way they huddled close to each other to avoid bolting back to The Crown, I presumed that they were terrified to the bone. Claire's hand tightly squeezing mine accompanied by her sharp low breathing let me know she too was frightened.

Mr. Ogustus hobbled around the wolves, his hand passing through what looked like soft fur. He paused, turning back around to face us, his eyes falling on our frightened expressions with a low chuckle.

"Once again, I see fear," he stated.

Knowing his previous teaching on Fear and how it is men's greatest weakness, I felt he was trying to teach us something. I couldn't pinpoint exactly what, but it seemed to get to most of us, students slowly becoming less huddled up.