A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

After glancing around at the fearful first-rankers in and around the Institute, Erik slowly and quietly strolled his way outside, smirking a little at the fearful faces around him.

Alice, who was still comfortably clutching his back like a koala, looked around smugly. She enjoyed the scared glances thrown in their direction. They may not technically be aimed at her, but it still felt good to see these people who had imprisoned her so afraid.

The first-rank guards and scientists in their way quickly made a path for the pair, afraid to catch the werewolf's wrath.

"You know, you don't have to keep clutching my back. It was mostly to make the fighting easier," he softly suggested to Alice by turning his head slightly.

Alice pouted in response and tightened her arms and legs. "No! I like it here."

"As you wish then," Erik chuckled with amusement. It's not like it was an inconvenience for him.

When they reached the second-rankers, Alex had finally taken his eyes off the women in front of him to glare at Erik instead. He also shortly glanced at Alice, who was sticking out her tongue at him. "Doesn't feel good to be powerless to stop someone, huh!" she growled mockingly.

It's not that Alex ever did anything truly terrible to her, but he was usually the person who went to get her when it was time for samples to be drawn or tests to be done. Frankly, after after so many days of being powerless and alone, it felt good for Alice to have some support.

"Where are Alistair and the others?" Alex growled furiously, yet cautiously, at Erik while ignoring Alice's taunts.

"They tried to trap me, so I killed them," Erik shrugged while continuing to walk towards the others. "I'm not currently inclined to make you join them, but you could try and change my mind if you like?"

"You… You dare!" Alex roared, as fury filled his mind. He snarled and bared his fangs at Erik. Part of him wanted to snap and simply attack, damn the consequences. But one look in the dangerous amber eyes of the taller, armored werewolf in front of him quickly calmed the man down. Fear and pragmatism threw cold water over his fury.

Seeing the struggle in the man's eyes, Erik snorted with indifference. "You should remember that the rest of these people would likely share whatever fate you chose for yourself," Erik growled softly as he passed the seething Alex.

That was the last straw for him, as he took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and took a step back. "Fine. Get out of here, and leave us in peace."

He shortly glanced at the enslaved council envoy and considered saying something but then decided it wasn't his problem. He just wanted these people out of here so he could assess the situation and bury his dead comrades.

Finally, Erik reached a brightly smiling Emma, a relieved Astrid, and a confidently grinning Emily.

Emily was currently in the process of slightly rotating the orb in the second-ranker's eye socket, just to watch the man squirm a little. Despite the fact she had lived with these types of feelings for the better part of seven years, she still surprised herself at the joy she felt doing this, and realized that it was all because of her corruption.

But she didn't care. Not really. Not so long as her sadism and bloodlust didn't target anyone she cared for, and, according to Erik and Elora, that wouldn't happen so long as the corruption didn't go any further, which the enslavement was supposed to prevent.

"I'm glad you're back, Master!" Emma chirped happily.

"Welcome back, Erik," Astrid smiled softly, still brandishing her swords, and not taking her eyes off the guards for a second. She was a fighter through and through.

"Took your time, huh?" Emily grinned, as if his return was never in doubt. Still, Erik could see relief and discomfort in her eyes. Discomfort that likely stemmed from her relief in the first place. She still had a little trouble quantifying and uttering her care and concern for Erik.

After they greeted Erik, Emily and Astrid stayed focused on the guards, while Emma turned her attention to the little head sticking out from Erik's right shoulder. "Hi! You must be Alice," she smiled warmly in welcome.

Alice, for her part, looked at Emily and Astrid with curiosity, although her gaze changed drastically when her eyes fell on Emma. They all gave her different feelings. While Emily made her feel a little uncomfortable, and Astrid awakened her fighting instincts, it was Emma who had the most profound impact on the girl.

Despite their mere eight years of age difference, Emma made her feel like a mother, which was a strange feeling for Alice. She didn't remember her biological mother, and the woman who raised her, while loving, had told Alice early on that she and her husband were not Alice's biological parents.

Thus, she never really saw Marta as a mother, even if she did love the woman. But with Emma, it was almost instinctual.

Naturally, this feeling came from Emma's nature affinity.

It was much the same as the human faction within the council, which had turned into somewhat of a cult. Their leader, the nature affinity wielding Zara Yaga, was revered as sort of a holy mother figure, who was not to be disobeyed or insulted.

Of course, as a third-ranked Arcanist, Zara Yaga's effects on the people around her were far more profound than the mere first-ranked Emma. Even so, Emma could still have a slightly calming effect on even second-rankers, but for a young girl in the first rank, who never had a real mother, Emma's aura was particularly deadly.

"H—Hi," Alice slightly stammered as she looked into those warm and caring eyes of Emma, and felt like she had finally come home. "Y—Yeah, I'm Alice."

"My name is Emma," the white-haired girl beamed, before indicating to the two women besides her. "These are Emily and Astrid. I hope we'll get along!"

"We'll need to teach Emma to control her aura soon," Elora chuckled in Erik's soul. "Nature affinity can have an almost brainwashing effect on people that hang around it for too long, causing people to really see that person as a mother figure."

Erik nodded in response but didn't feel the urgency for now. There was no way for Emma to affect him, while the effect on Astrid and Emily would also be negligible. As for Alice, well, she could use a mother, so what was the harm?

With the introduction out of the way, Erik quickly scooped up a softly giggling Emma into a princess carry since his back was occupied now, and turned to Astrid and Emily. "Time we got out of here, girls."