....Silence ....

The dumb struck fox was sweating profusely and now that it was caught, it didn't know how to proceed from here.

Looking at the guilt dripping all over the fox's face, Eluraa was feeling a lot of things. But most importantly, she was furious. She felt used and taken for a ride. This was the type she detested the most, taking advantage of innocent people. And in a second, she can shatter its soul and dole out the punishment.

She has killed before. She did take lives back in the forest and while they were fighting in the school. But this time, she was hesitant for some reason. There was something holding her back from doing this and getting rid of the menace once and for all.

Slowly, looking at the bustling streets outside her room's octagonal window, Eluraa decided to go with her intuition. Even through all of this lying and cheating, she could sense a feeling of helplessness from the beast in front of her. And that is why she ultimately decided to give it one last chance.

"I would like to think of myself as a somewhat kind person. But I have my limits too. I would ask you for an explanation for all of this. But then again, I don't trust you and I don't think I can trust anything else you say."

"Feel free to leave right now. The beast contract can't be undone. However, rest a.s.sured, I will not shatter your soul."

"But, do make sure that our paths don't cross ever again. Then, I wouldn't care about any consequence and instantly shatter your soul."

"....."

The little fox was scared out of its wits and was thinking what to do, "s.h.i.+t. I didn't expect to get caught red-handed like this. I can't leave her. So that is completely out of the equation. But she really does look furious and one wrong word out of my mouth would mean my funeral."

"...."

Watching the fox's face contort in multiple angles from deep thinking, "What now ? Are you trying to devise another scheme? You better hurry up and leave before I change my mind". Eluraa got up from her bed. She decided to freshen up, put all of these events behind her and take a stroll in this new city.

Seeing Eluraa almost ready to walk out the door, the fox finally let out a few squeaks. Then, after establis.h.i.+ng a mental connection with Eluraa, it slowly communicated, "Ok. Looks like I have no other choice. I will come clean to you. If you still want me to leave after that. I will do as you wish."

Eluraa gave no response. She continued walking out and closing the door.

"Please stop. Yes, I am able to communicate with you. But, it is only because of the beast contract. I am too weak right now to verbally communicate or establish mental communication with someone else."

"I do in fact belong to the dragon kind and what you guys first saw somewhat resembles my original form. Well, without all the pomp and the frills that is. I am over a five hundred years old. And you are far too young to be threatening me."

Hearing that, Eluraa immediately gave a threatening glance.

Apologetically clearing its throat the fox continued," I used to be at the top of the food chain and pa.s.sing my days peacefully. But unfortunately, one fateful day I decided to take a nap in this cave behind a waterfalls."

"There seemed to be many smaller beasts in the cave with particularly high magical energy in their body and that too they were littered all over the place. It was like a continuous supply of food for me without doing much work. So obviously, I had to stay there."

"I snuck inside the cave stealthily and made sure I didn't scare away all these beasts. And I went deep inside, found an empty spot and just relaxed there. There was even an energy rich hot water spring near me. I was living the life."

"I spent more than a hundred years peacefully resting there. Going out for fun now and then. But one day, unfortunately, a team of druids located my cave and started killing and clearing out all my beasts. I was furious. I was the king of that area. That territory belonged to me."

"And I had been lazy for so long that I was itching for a fight. There were merely puny druids. So I wasn't worried about anything and just swiped them left and right. I had almost cleaned out more than half of their team. But, who knew the druids had one of the legendary relics. My bad luck that I had to run into those freaks."

"I don't know much details about the relic they had. But, it definitely was poisonous. Though they couldn't kill me, I was injured heavily and escaped from there. From then on, the druids started hunting me crazily."

"I think they have a divination expert. No matter where I go, they always end up finding me. And with years, my condition only worsened. I couldn't hunt for a cure or search for means to get rid of the poison easily. It was a soul devouring poison. There was nothing I could do."

"I couldn't even spend the rest of my days peacefully, with the f.u.c.king creeps on my tail all day long. Then I came across you. You had an extraordinary soul strength, high enough to ensure a successful beast contract with me, a beast of the dragon-kind."

"And these were my last 20 years. I was feeling weaker every pa.s.sing day. I really didn't have any other choice. Though, I do admit my intentions were not pure. I was planning on forming a beast contract silently and then leaving you. I didn't think you would know anything about it."

"And you know the rest of the story...."