Without being called twice, Reaper showed up beside me, spreading his wings wide and making a bat noise. It was deafening. Everyone covered their ears, groaning in pain. As soon as he stopped, his bat form scattered into small versions of him, swirling protectively around me. He was shielding me from any threats that might appear while waiting for my wife's arrival.
As I waited, I curled on the ground like a cocoon, settling myself from what had happened. In a few seconds of rest, something smelled like burning skin. I looked around at my peers, and they were on standby; no harm came to them. I was relieved that I didn't harm them, and my instructor dismissed the class early. I was grateful for that.
"Are you okay now?" Lunaria asked as soon as the class was clear. I nodded, smiling sheepishly when I jolted. Then she asked worriedly, "What is it?"
"My wife is coming." I smiled weakly, trying to sit up when I smelled burning flesh against my nostrils; it was annoying. I frowned. "What's that smell?" I wondered softly, slowly getting up before I looked at myself. I checked both arms, and I was terrified. "What is this? What's going on with my arm?"
My voice was shaking, frightened as my skin burned, etching tribal marks from my left hand up to my shoulder. I wasn't sure what kind of tribal marks were tattooed on my arm.
Lunaria quickly went to my side, checking my arm without touching. "Oh my God…" she gasped and carefully touched them. As she was tracing them, the redness on my skin became dark and permanent. "These tattoos were both Celtic and Buscalan."
I frowned. I knew the word, but I forgot what it was. Then I asked curiously, "Buscalan?"
"Philippine tribal tattoos," she answered, but her eyes never left my arm, checking it carefully. "Don't be afraid; it indicates the changes had happened earlier." Her voice was soft and grateful, as if she had been waiting for this to happen. She was almost crying before saying, "You're going to be a promising warrior."
I chuckled, not believing her words. "A warrior? I don't believe you."
"Haven't you noticed? You're a gamma now," Lunaria pointed out, and despite my disbelief, deep down I knew that I was fooling myself in denial. I knew it. I felt the change. But hearing it personally, I was certain I wouldn't be able to hide from it anymore. Then she continued, sounding like a warning to me. "And from the looks of your growing tattoos, you'll be facing a lot of danger."
I knew the weight, but danger? I don't need it in my life again, but when people I care about get involved, that will be a different case.
I sighed, resting my back on the wall before glancing at my tattoos that kept crawling on my skin. Then I asked, "Do they hold meanings?"
Lunaria gave me a skeptical look, but she nodded anyway before she offered her hand, helping me up. Then I was shocked by her word. "Strip." I looked skeptically at her, but she was serious before adding, "I wanted to see the entire tattoo before I could tell you what they mean."
I was agitated because of my scars, but I was more curious about my tattoos. I closed my eyes, sighing, and removed my top, but she stopped me midway through removing my racerback shirt. Lunaria studied my body carefully. I was nervous, trembling a little as she traced the markings delicately.
Then she gave me a space to breathe when she was done. She even giggles before teasing me, "Now you can breathe."
I frowned. "Not funny."
"I know, but you're adorable," she complimented me as she gave me a new set of clothes.
I didn't care what type of clothes she was giving me. I took it grumpily. "I'm not trying to."
"Okay, about your tattoos." Her voice dropped seriously, catching my attention before she continued, "On your left shoulder was a Celtic Dara Knot for strength, endurance, and mental fortitude. It was connecting to a Buscalan centipede tattoo on your arm, which meant protection, strength, resilience, and adaptability, and over your wrists were lines and mountain patterns, which were about ancestry and journey. Then on your hand was a Celtic shield knot for warding off evil spirits and safety on the battlefield." She was showing me the lines tattooed on my left arm before going to the right. "On your right wrist was the same as your left, but on your shoulder was a Buscalan sun and moon tattoo symbolizing balance, life, and harmony, connecting to python skin, symbolizing protection, longevity, new beginnings, or a transformation. And over your hand was a triquetra, which signifies the interconnection of mind, body, and spirit or the cycle of life, death, and rebirth."
"Now I can see why you mentioned danger." I sighed and was about to wear the clothes to cover my tattoos when I began groaning. I leaned forward to the desk, trying to contain the pain carving at my back. "Dammit."
"Let me see." Lunaria got worried and went to check my back, and she went quiet.
"What's…wrong?" I asked, groaning in pain as I scraped the desk that I was leaning on for support.
Lunaria took her time before answering, "I think these are the last tattoos on your body." Her voice was steady, amazed. Then she continued, telling me what had been etched on my back. "From your neck was another Celtic symbol known as Ailm. It signifies inner strength and personal growth; connected to it were widespread wings from the Buscalan eagle, meaning courage and freedom, and for the Celts, it meant vision." I shivered when her fingers traced the pattern downward to my waistline, and then said, "There's a dragon and a wolf, which I think mean power and loyalty."
I panted as the pain eased before asking, "The last ones, are they added or something?"
"It might be representing your new beginnings," she answered and helped me wear my new clothes. Then I heard her sniffle. I turned and looked worriedly at her, but she shook her head, saying, "I just remember someone who was once excited getting their Fenrir tattoos." Her voice was filled with assurance and familiarity. She even wiped her tears away before patting my shoulder. "You'll do great."
"I am not sure about that, but if given, maybe I could do it," I said calmly as I sat down on the chair, resting, when I felt my wife's presence by the door before speaking, "You're late."
Mirxalyn didn't say anything and went to me, holding me in her arms as if I'd vanish if she didn't. I was about to say something, a tease, but I couldn't. She was trembling. I forced my way out of her embrace to look at her.
"Hon, what's wrong?" I asked worriedly.
Mirxalyn clenched her jaw tight and didn't answer me. Instead, she faced Lunaria, and I could feel tension in her. I quickly held her hand, grounding her, and she did sigh. Then she calmly asked my instructor. "What happened here? I heard from your students that you dismissed them early out of Bernila's distress?"
"I did," Lunaria answered with familiarity.
"What happened then?" Mirxalyn asked, not letting go of my hand.
Lunaria didn't answer quickly and gave me my shredded clothes. I got shy immediately, but Mirxalyn checked, frowning before looking at me. I could not look straight at her eyes until she stepped closer, towering over me. She even lifted my chin like usual. Her eyes were searching mine until she sighed, leaning her head on my shoulder.
"You got me scared," Mirxalyn admitted softly.
"Sorry, but scared of what?" I asked carefully as I caressed her head, easing her worry. Then I continued, "I remember telling Reaper to call you because I had no strength left to telepath to you."
"I did. I heard him, but again, I couldn't feel you," she answered brokenly, making me push her a little to see her.
My wife looked weak and angry at the same time, but that was not the thing that was bothering me. "What? How?" She shook her head before pressing her forehead against mine. Then I looked at Lunaria, who was in her deep thought, making me ask, "What is it, instructor?"
"Oh, nothing, but…" Lunaria was skeptical, but when she met my steady and eager gaze, she nodded. Then she answered, sharing what she thinks about that issue. "I think it might have something to do with her changes. She's now a gamma, Lady Mirxalyn."
Mirxalyn studied me carefully before she leaned in, inhaled my scent, and kissed my neck lightly. I almost moaned if she didn't stop. Then she traced the pattern etched on my shoulder blade. They were soft against me. It sent tenderness throughout my body, where I could feel our desire and restraint entangled together.
I don't want her to stop touching me like this, but we're in public, and I don't want our first time on school grounds.
"Don't touch me like that," I whispered hoarsely because I was starting to feel the heat under my skin.
She faintly chuckled but understood. Then she turned to Lunaria, and coldly, she asked her directly, "What happened before I came here?"
"Her gamma rank had awakened during class; that's why I had to dismiss it early. We don't know the danger of an ascending omega to a gamma. That explains her shredded clothes," Lunaria answered honestly as she glanced over the shredded clothes on the desk, where Mirxalyn noticed claw marks. She traced it before she looked puzzled at Lunaria, waiting for her to explain it. "It happened a few minutes ago," she continued, walking to the spot where I had restrained myself from hurting anyone. There were claw marks on them, too, making Mirxalyn grab my hands to check them, but they were totally fine, healed. Then Lunaria continued, clarifying what happened. "She was clawing the ground during her shift, but over the desk, she clawed it from suppressing the pain from the tattoos she earned."
Mirxalyn frowned, asking it again. "Tattoos? What kind of tattoos?"
"A tribe tattoos," Lunaria answered before we went to her desk and showed her a worn-out book containing different types of symbols, from ancient to recent ones. Then she continued. "It's a mix of traditional tribe tattoos from the Philippines and the Celtic culture. But I think the rest of her body will be filled with a new generation tattoo according to her experience."
"Filled with what?" I was shocked. I hadn't thought that I would be covered with tattoos until my instructor mentioned it.
Mirxalyn nodded to the information before guessing, "So, she's an enhancer?"
Lunaria nodded. "Pretty much like it. She'll grow stronger, but I'm not sure about Lord Gilmesh." Her agreeing voice held pride, but as soon as the old man's name had been mentioned, everything went still. We're quiet until she continued, "I'm not sure what he has been waiting for from Bernila to hold her elite training with him."
"Grandpa could see things as Mom does. But with Grandpa, it's peculiarly different. He could see spirit guardians. They were souls guiding and protecting the person between life, death, and rebirth," Mirxalyn said, explaining what her grandfather might be thinking about not training me as an Elite rank. "And maybe the reason why he's not accepting you yet is because of it." Her voice was steady but gentle. Then she reminded me about my mood swings. "Be patient. Let your spirit guardian show their true soul to my grandfather, and by then, you'll have his answer."
"So that means I have to train harder to get his attention?" I guessed carefully, making them chuckle.
"To simplify it, yeah, you can say it that way," Lunaria answered before she looked at the time, grinning. Then she reminded me of my last class. "And I think you need to hurry and please him."
"Holy shit! Almira!" I exclaimed as I ran to the door, but only to stop. They were puzzled as I returned to get my kiss from my wife. "I almost forgot that." Then I dashed out of the class, running down the hall, ignoring how red my cheeks were. I was blushing because I had never done that before, and Mirxalyn was making me do it. I sighed and focused on dealing with the old man. "Like it or not, Old Man, here I go."