A silver light erupted from the white book, causing Rey to narrow his eyes against the brightness. Turning his jade eyes, the student felt his breathing cease at the sight before him. A strange aura surrounded the wolf, its eyes glowing palely. The exploding sphere hovered in the air--as though its position was retained by an unseen hand.
What . . . is happening? Rey stared silently, entranced by the sight before him. Then, he heard a voice.
"Cast the orb back at him, now!"
Not questioning the source of the voice, Rey nodded, his expression becoming focused and determined. Raising one hand, he pointed directly at the child. "Go!"
The sphere obeyed, swiftly returning to the child. Panicking, the child raised his hands to defend himself, calling, "Stop! Stay back!" A sudden explosion halted any further words.
Quickly snatching the wolf by its neck, Rey pulled it away from the explosion as flames rippled toward them. Ducking behind a large boulder, human and wolf waited until the fire had vanished and the smoke had dispersed until finally assessing their situation.
Glancing about the area that had once been a field, Rey brushed dirt from one cheek, commenting, "That was . . . overwhelming, I suppose."
"Get used to it."
Turning at the sudden voice, Rey saw the wolf staring purposefully toward him. "Did you . . . " Rey said slowly, too doubtful to complete the question.
"Speak? Yes," the wolf the replied, approaching the human. "As you may now find apparent, I am not a normal wolf."
Kneeling before the canine, Rey nodded. "Yeah, I picked up on that."
"Actually, I am not a wolf at all. I am a Mamodo. And, you are my bookholder."
Glancing at the book in his right hand, Rey cleaned its cover with his left forearm before replacing it in the wolf's harness. "Well, about that. I held the book, but I don't think that makes me your bookholder."
"True. It doesn't. You are my bookholder for another reason entirely."
Rey raised an eyebrow incredulously. I can't believe I'm talking to a wolf . . . Wait, what am I thinking? I'm kneeling in what remains of a field after some crazy kid threw explosives at me. A talking wolf should be nothing. Slowly inhaling and exhaling, the student's eyes locked with the wolf's. "Alright . . . So, you lost me when--nevermind. You never had me. Mind giving an explanation?"
Seating itself calmly beside the boulder, the wolf nodded. "I suppose it would be logical to start from the beginning . . . "