The Essence Flow

Chapter 21: Trial By Moonlight

A while later, Towan and Elliot were preparing the tent

Towan dropped beside his half-assembled tent with a dramatic groan.

—“Aren’t you gonna help us with this?”

His voice was somewhere between pleading and offended.

Leon didn’t even glance up as he flicked a spark into a pile of dried leaves.

—“This is your training, not mine,” he said, already working on a small fire.

A smug little smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Towan made a noise halfway between a sigh and a dying animal.

Elliot chuckled, dragging the last support pole into place.

—“Come on, drama king. You can complain when we survive the wilderness without tripping over your tent.”

Dinner was simple—roots, herbs, and some dry rations. Nothing glamorous, but warm enough to settle in their bellies. Within minutes, the exhaustion caught up. Towan crawled into the tent and collapsed like a dropped sack of flour. Elliot wasn’t far behind.

Sleep hit them like a wave.

But it didn’t last.

In the pale hours just before dawn, Elliot blinked awake, shivering. Cold wind pressed through the tent walls, rustling the fabric like whispers. He sat up slowly. Then he heard it—low, guttural, and close. A growl that didn’t belong to any wind.

His heart skipped.

He reached out and shook Towan.

—“Towan. Wake up.”

Urgent. Quiet. Not panicked—but close.

Towan blinked blearily.

—“Whuh...? What time is it...?”

He yawned, then squinted at Elliot’s face and instantly sat up.

—“What’s wrong?”

Elliot didn’t answer. He grabbed his cloak and pushed open the tent flap.

Wind lashed against his face. The fire had long since gone out. And Leon… was nowhere to be seen.

—“Where is he?” Towan asked behind him, scanning the clearing.

Then they heard it again.

Another growl. Then two more. All from different directions.

They turned.

Three pairs of glowing eyes shimmered between the trees—low to the ground, unblinking. The wolves had returned. But these weren’t curious or cautious. They moved with intent.

The air felt thicker. Colder.

—“This is bad,” Towan muttered, already channeling Essentia to his limbs.

His stance was shaky, fingers trembling slightly from fatigue.

Still, he raised his arms, ready.

Elliot stood beside him, wind tugging at his clothes.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from NovelBin. Please report it.

No sign of Leon.

Just them… and the wolves.

Instincts kicked in.

Towan barely had time to react before one of the wolves lunged from the shadows—jaws wide, claws slashing through the cold air.

He jumped back, just enough to avoid the teeth, landing hard on one knee.

—“We have to create distance!” he shouted.

—“Got it!” Elliot answered, already peeling off in the opposite direction.

The wolves hesitated for a heartbeat, unsure which target to follow.

Now, the brothers had split the predators’ attention. The wolves stood between them, growling, heads turning from one boy to the other.

Three against two. Still not great odds.

Towan’s breath came fast. His Essentia flickered erratically—he was running on fumes.

Elliot narrowed his eyes, reading the terrain.

—“The slope,” he called out.

Towan saw it too—a small incline behind the wolves, with loose stones and tangled roots. A nightmare for footing.

Towan smirked, teeth showing.

—“Let’s herd ‘em.”

He darted in, just close enough to taunt one of the wolves before dashing toward the slope. The beast took the bait.

Elliot mirrored the move, flanking from the other side. A second wolf lunged at him—and slipped, claws scrabbling against dirt as Elliot pulled back just in time.

The third wolf, sensing the ambush, tried to stay centered. But its hesitation created chaos.

Now all three wolves were bunched up on uneven ground, their footing unstable. Growling and snarling—but no longer coordinated.

Towan threw a quick burst of Essentia toward a patch of rocks. They tumbled forward—just enough to knock one wolf off balance. It stumbled sideways into another. Limbs tangled.

—“Now!” Elliot shouted.

The brothers moved as one.

Towan swept low, pulling one wolf’s legs from under it with a burst of raw force.

Elliot, faster and more precise, launched a quick strike to the second’s jaw, sending it reeling into a tree trunk.

The third, still standing, leapt toward Elliot—but Towan tackled it mid-air, redirecting the momentum just enough to slam it into the ground.

Silence.

Panting. Steam curling from their breath in the cold air.

The wolves didn’t get back up.

For a moment, the clearing was still—just the rustle of leaves and the rapid thud of two racing hearts.

Towan wiped a bit of blood from his lip.

—“Remind me to never camp in a forest again.”

Elliot, hands on his knees, chuckled between gasps.

—“Next time, you pick the sleeping spot.”

A branch snapped nearby.

They both spun, already raising their guards—

Only to see Leon, casually munching on a piece of dried fruit.

—“Huh,” he said, eyeing the downed wolves. “Didn’t think you’d actually fight them. I figured you’d scream and climb a tree.”

Towan glared.

Elliot muttered, “He was definitely watching the whole time…”

Leon smiled, unfazed.

—“Get some rest, we’re moving again at dawn.”

—“I don’t know if we’ll be able to fall asleep now…” Towan muttered, even as a massive yawn betrayed him mid-sentence.

Elliot rubbed his arms, still shivering slightly.

—“At least it’s warmer in the tent than out here with the oversized murder puppies.”

Leon gave a faint smile, almost imperceptible in the firelight.

—“Don’t worry. I won’t leave again,” he said, voice steady, reassuring.

The brothers exchanged a glance—half trust, half exhaustion—and ducked back inside the tent. The flap rustled shut behind them, and the forest fell into a hush once more.

Leon remained by the fire, sitting cross-legged, his expression thoughtful. The dancing flames cast shifting shadows across his face.

(I really thought I’d have to intervene…) he admitted silently, eyes on the tree line where the wolves had come from.

His hand moved to his belt, fingers brushing against a set of metallic rings—small, elegant, engraved with faint Essentia patterns.

He pulled them free, turning them in his palm. Each ring hummed softly with stored energy, subtle but unmistakable to someone trained.

—“Guess… I’ll give these to them tomorrow,” he murmured, a half-smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “They’ve earned it.”