As Akane and Ava went on with their hand to hand combat, Benji explained everything Wyatt had told him during his feasting. From the beasts' consequences to Reina's prophecy.

"Some beasts' side effects aren't huge. Some could be, stay underwater for a day or something like that. And according to Wyatt, for some beasts, the consequences aren't compulsory. However, it is after you have all of them under control that the effects don't bother you," Benji went on.

He also told them Vampire blood was the next best thing after human. Since they were already dead, their immunity cleaned out the blood and most of the magic content. Benji tried to explain it deeper, but Silas' attention drew back to the fight in the ring.

Ava was in attack mode, going for Akane any way she could. Surprisingly, it was as if Akane could see right through her methods. She dodged Ava's swing and caught her arm before she could pull back. Pulling on that same hand,Akane caused Ava to lose her footing and Akane swung at her face, stopping seconds from contact.

Ava's eyes widened, and she pushed away from the Asian, who smirked. "You have good skills, but you are too easy. I have met bad people and following rules won't get you anywhere. If you must fight, you must fight dirty. Trick, deceive, make them see you as weak and then surprise them."

"I had no defense, and you are stronger than me." Ava huffed and stood up straight. She met Akane's eyes with her hands on her hips.

"Silas, you aren't listening to me," Benji called to him, but he only ignored him. Akane had just bested his sister. He had to learn how she did that.

"I may be stronger, but strength isn't everything. Speed, agility, stamina; they all make for a good fight," Akane said. "You are also half Steal. Tell me, how do you adjust it into your fighting?"

"The power flows through my body. It amps up my punches and kicks."

"But only by half the actual strength of a steal. If you want to have a taste of a Steal's full power, adjust it to just one arm. All of it. Then come at me."

Ava tilted her head, contemplating what she had been told then shrugged and lunged at her. Akane blocked it quickly with her arm then stepped back.

She rubbed the spot and said to Ava, "If I hadn't used magic, that hit would have broken my bone."

"You have magic?" Silas abruptly asked, and Akane met his gaze.

"Yes. Though, it's just to enhance my strength." She turned back to Ava and said, "In that contact, both of us were equally matched. Your average strength plus your Steel was equal to mine. I'm only telling you this because it would be a good surprise attack. People born with powers like this are already at one hundred percent. The power matches your physique so as you grow, it increases. Anyone who weighs a couple more tons than we do could crush us without a doubt.

"Spreading the power through your body as you did before isn't a good idea if you are fighting someone with the same power type. At that point, you are at fifty percent, but when you attacked me just then, you were at one hundred. You see how it works?"

Ava gave her a nod then stared at the hand she had used to punch the other girl. She clenched it into a fist just as Akane closed up the space between them and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"From one girl to another," Akane started but slowly leaned in to whisper to her. What she told Silas' sister made her furious, and she smacked the Asian girl's hand off her.

Ava glared at her as she stormed out of the ring and marched from the room. Akane watched her with a blank stare until she had left then turned to the boys, her eyes on Edgar.

"Edgar, it's your turn."

The boy stiffened visibly beside Silas, but he relaxed after an awkward laugh. "Wait, hand to hand or?"

"Are you interested in physical combat?"

"Nope," he answered quickly, already heading to pick up his sword.

     When Akane moved away from the ring, Silas turned to Benji and asked, tilting his head towards it, "Wanna go a couple rounds?"

Benji raised a brow at him then stared at it with disgust. "I'd rather not."

"Oh come on! You are the one with a beast. I'm sure you've got some extra strength somewhere. Besides, don't you want to see what that fang can do in combat?" Silas wiggled his brows at him, and Benji scoffed.

Silas knew he had won the boy over when he looked back at the ring.

"Sure. Whatever. And make it short."

The curly haired boy snickered then excused himself for a moment to check on his sister.

Silas hadn't yet come out of the training room when he heard something weird. There were some scuffing sounds and he even heard a small growl. It was low and animalistic.

Quickly looking back in the room, he noticed that it was as if no one had heard a sound and Benji was still eyeing the ring. Silas swallowed as he neared the door and looked out, ready to call for Akane if it wasn't just his imagination, but froze at the sight before him.  

Ava's hair had come out of its cute braids, and she gripped it as if she wanted to rip it out. Her back was hunched over, and Silas covered his mouth when he noticed something moving in it. Ava's mouth was agape, silently screaming as Silas watched a large tail rip from her lower back.

The tail wasn't slim like Wyatt's Stealth or Ava's other beast, Kaymon. It was thick and long, and it had a weird red look to it. The tip almost looked like a claw and Silas' eyes widened when he realized the tail was still forming and was only showing the muscle part.

Ava released a low chilling scream and Silas had to look away. What was that? That couldn't have been his sister, could it?

"Silas, are you still going to check on your sister?" Benji called to him from inside the ring and Silas took a step away from the door.

He didn't reply but instead stared numbly at the door, lost in thought.

"Silas, are you okay?" Edgar's voice called him from the other side of the room, and he managed a nod.

Silas was alright but what about his sister? He ran back to the door, about to call Akane when he saw that Ava passed out on Reina who cradled her on the floor. Her tail was oozing blood as it slid back inside her, leaving a trail of the red liquid in its wake. The next time he blinked, the blood stain was gone and so were his sister and Reina.

It was like he had never seen what he saw, but he knew. Ava was struggling to control her beasts, and one had almost ripped her back open. Oh god. What had Reina thrown them into?

~::~

     For some reason, Ava woke up with a running nose. Her body felt oddly heavy, but she didn't dwell on it as she took a long shower before joining the gang on the ground floor.

Everyone was in their usual get up except Reina. Edgar had on something simple like Silas: loose blue jeans and a plain white shirt. Benji wore shorts instead, showing off his toned legs and Silas, simple as always. Black trousers and a red sleeveless top. The boy had surprisingly worked on his hair, putting it in a high bun. Ava was in her usual combat outfit while Reina wore her usual belly dancing outfit adorned with beads, but instead of the normal color - white - it was in black. Like the one Ava had seen her wear when she saved her from the monster at the camp.

Reina played with the beads that ran down her arm before she cleared her throat and said, "Okay people. Today is the big festival and since it's indirect 'food heaven', Izzy didn't bother making breakfast. Since I'm sure we are going to split up at some point, Silas, Edgar, and Benji, you are Wyatt's responsibilities. You are to stick by him, and he will bring you home by 5 pm. Then, we'll continue our training.

"Really? Five?" Benji frowned at her. "What are we? Kids?"

Reina rose a brow at him. "Yes. And it is because there are some things I need to explain to you about your beasts."

"Like how they have consequences? Effects that could be really scary?"

Reina flinched, having realized that all of them already knew. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "That still doesn't permit you to stay later."

"And then that prophecy," Benji met her gaze with a glare and Ava stared at him confused. "When were you going to tell us that we were just the butter that started the frying?"

"Food reference?"

"Not now Edgar." Benji hissed, and the boy backed away from him.

That was when Ava finally noticed his new hair style. It suited him.

"How did you find out?" Reina stood up straight with her arms folded over her chest.

"Wyatt had to tell me. My beast got hungry, and I almost died."

Reina blinked, and Ava narrowed her eyes at the blonde who looked sharp as ever. That boy almost died?

"How come? No one told me any-"

"Hey! What is the time?" Wyatt's voice came from behind Ava, and she turned just as the man crawled out of the floor.

Ava could only gape at him as he lifted himself up. His body had literally passed through the ground... like a ghost. The blond girl could only stare at him as he approached Reina, speaking quietly as he led her out of the tower. That was when Ava remembered Reina telling her Wyatt was a Stealth, just like the monster that had almost killed her. Stealth, ability to walk through walls and night ray vision were what they were excellent at. Ava should have expected it, but Wyatt wasn't one to pop out of a wall. That shit was just creepy.

Rolling her eyes, she left the tower that the boys were in behind and caught up with Reina who was so deep in her thoughts that she had almost walked into a tree. Ava had to pull the little lady into her arms as she held back an eye roll.

"You need to start paying me for all the times I have saved you from bumping into walls...or trees."

Reina seemed to notice their closeness, and she frowned, taking a step from Ava. The blonde girl almost felt hurt by her reaction until she held her nose in a childish manner and made a face. She instantly understood why she had frowned.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Be glad the radius isn't wider or you'll have men and women at Izzy's door." The woman shrugged then continue walking, this time paying attention to her surroundings.

     As Ava followed quietly, she brought her shirt to her nose, hoping to catch a whiff of what Akane and Reina were smelling, but nothing. It was her usual plain odor. After Akane had told her about it, she had been really pissed and had tried to suppress the Kaymon's effect with Koron's, but it worked out poorly. The beast had not only surpassed the barrier but had pinned her down. The look in the monster's eyes was nothing short of crazed bloodlust. Ava had never felt fear so strong, it only made the beast stronger.

If Reina hadn't suddenly appeared and pushed it back in its cage, then Ava didn't know where she would be. Probably off making the festival hell.

Dealing with the Koron's side effect of being meat hungry was one thing, but the sex wave that the Kaymon had brought on was another thing altogether. Reina said the heat wave would start by calling all the men and women before the Kaymon's host felt it. And the moment they did, it was like they were on drugs. They would do it until the cycle was over. It happened only twice a year and sadly, the month they were in was one of those times.

If Ava hadn't been so judgmental about the Bloodboar, this would be Edgar's curse. Or blessing since he had Silas.  

     The minute Ava and Reina left the forest surrounding the tower, they were assaulted by music and a jubilant crowd. Normally, the buildings close to the forest were houses, but now, there were stores and shops, all selling charms, clothing, foodstuffs and things Ava hadn't seen before.

Reina led Ava to a Charm store and greeted the seller as politely as she could. "Good morning! How are you finding the festival so far?"

The Arabic-looking man smiled sweetly as he stroked his mustache. "So far it's been busy. It's my first year here. My wife and kid and I, we had heard so much about the festival. I mean it's a festival about new food, and you know what new food brings."

Reina smiled, glancing quickly at Ava who raised a confused brow at her. The woman chuckled before looking back at the man. "Well, I come here every year, it is most entertaining at night. Do you sell cancellers?"

The man immediately beamed when he realized Reina wasn't just there to chat. "Yes I do, and they are pretty solid. Spell or beast cancellers?"

"Beast. You see, my friend here got a bad case of Kaymon, and I would really love to imprison her at home, but that's just sad. I mean, it's the fucking Omar festival, right?" She raised her brows, feigning worry as she continued, "Would you be so kind as to show me the best one that would work?"

The man nodded, falling for her fake concern. "Oh yes, I would." He went into his store to get it, surprisingly confident that they wouldn't steal his displays.

"What are you playing at, Reina?" Ava asked, not understanding why she had to talk sweetly to him. It's not like she was that friendly with  anyone else.

"If you didn't know," She started in a hushed tone so the other sellers wouldn't overhear them as she played with the display charms. "Cancellers are fucking expensive, and I'd rather not buy it but we are going to be in a sea of fucking people, and the gods know I don't want to deal with the shit that brings."

Ava nodded to show her understanding. Looking around her, she noticed a set of air balloons. Two were setting flight while the other three lay at rest on the ground. Ava watched them fly, wondering if she was ever going to go on one with Reina. It might be nice.

"So here you go," The man came back out after taking forever and handed Reina the small round wooden charm.

From what Ava had gathered, Charms could be in anything. A vase, a flower, toy, wood and just about everything else. However, what really made a Charm work was the person who cast it. Someone with magic could sense the potential but to ordinary people like Ava, it was just wood.

"This is good. How much can I have it for?"

"67 Pecu. It's the lowest price, and I'll need her to use it urgently because even though I have a wife, she is starting feelings in me I don't normally have. I am a loyal man." He gave Ava a weak smile, and she managed to return it.

Reina nodded and slipped the wooden charm into Ava's khaki's. "Thank you so much," She told the man as she counted the money for him.

After the man thanked her and wished them luck, they began their journey to the festival on the main street.