《Vows of the Wolves》


 Chapter 1: The Boy With White Hands

    ¡°I¡¯ll go now, Mom!¡± Raoul shouted as he burst through the wooden door, not even looking back once.


    ¡°Don¡¯t run, Raoul!¡± his mother yelled after, though, of course, she had no power over him now that all the dough had been kneaded. ¡°You will trip!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine!¡± With his palms still covered in flour, he passed through the buildings and the villagers, giving each one a brief wave and a short answer whenever they called out to him.


    ¡°You going there again, Raoul?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Uncle Wistin!¡±


    ¡°Boy, slow down a bit!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry, Aunt Fleri!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s play, Raoul!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t now, Alec!¡±


    Eventually, the boy reached the village gate and stopped, Andre and Jake standing guard while looking like they would fall asleep at any moment. The teenagers noticed Raoul.


    ¡°Again, you little rascal?¡± Andre said as he stopped leaning against the stockade, yawning and stretching. ¡°You know the rules. Come back before the third bell.¡±


    Jake gave the boy a nod before nodding off.


    ¡°I understand. See you later, Andre, Jake!¡± Raoul dashed through the gate into the forest. He had to hurry since there were less than three hours left before the third bell, and where the boy was going, the sound of the bell couldn¡¯t reach. He had to keep track of time through the sun, which he rarely did.


    If he came back after the third bell, his parents wouldn¡¯t allow him to go out the next time there was a dough-kneading session, and he thought that had to be illegal, though he always refrained from reporting the crime to the village chief each time.


    There was a clear path in the forest at first, but as Raoul got deeper and deeper, the path slowly began to fade, only faint trails left by his footprints from his previous ventures remaining. The adults were concerned for his safety, of course, but after the tenth time or so that nothing happened, they reluctantly allowed him to continue his adventure. And though there were beasts residing in the forest, none dared to tread the path Raoul was taking.


    Raoul finally reached the hideout, a deep cave at the bottom of a high cliff. The darkness in the cave seemed to permeate into the air outside, and Raoul noticed two pairs of glowing blue eyes amidst that darkness.


    Two azure wolves strode out of the cave, one gigantic beyond what should be possible, her fur almost grazing the cave walls. The other one was the size of a Great Wolf, though compared to his mother, he seemed like a normal young wolf.


    ¡°Al, Agnes!¡± Raoul rushed forward and sank his body into the young wolf¡¯s fur, rubbing his face in the fluff with glee. ¡°I missed you two!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only been three days, Raoul,¡± Alwig said, nudging the boy with his snout.


    ¡°That¡¯s three more days than it should have been,¡± the boy said.


    Then, his feet were suddenly off the ground, Agnes lightly biting onto his tunic¡¯s collar and holding him in the air. The mother wolf walked a few steps away from the cave before putting Raoul down. ¡°Child,¡± she said, her voice both soft and strict, ¡°I said this many times before. You need to act with grace. Now then, let us try this again.¡±


    Agnes strode back to Alwig before nodding toward Raoul.


    The boy sighed before he awkwardly bowed and said, ¡°Greetings. Have you two been well?¡±


    The wolves did their own bows by going down on one hindleg and one foreleg, replying, ¡°We have, son of man, and we hope the same goes for you.¡±


    ¡°Is that good enough?¡± Raoul said, still in bowing position.


    Agnes nodded, and the boy darted forward instantly, jumping into Alwig¡¯s fur once more. ¡°Why do we even need those greetings?¡± he said, gripping masses of fur in his hands and releasing, feeling the fur expand in his palms. ¡°We already know each other.¡±


    ¡°Sincere etiquette shows good character,¡± Agnes replied, sitting down to watch the boy and the young wolf frolic with each other, the young wolf always catching up to the boy to cuddle with him. ¡°And composure shows that you are in control.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Raoul climbed up Alwig¡¯s back, his head barely above the sea of fur. ¡°And greeting will give you those?¡± the boy asked, genuinely curious.


    ¡°It accustoms you to them,¡± the mother wolf said, her deep blue eyes mysterious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it¡­¡± Raoul looked down at his wolf friend. ¡°Do you, Al?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± The young wolf shrugged. He couldn¡¯t make the gesture like humans did, of course, but he imitated the motion of one by mimicking what Raoul had shown him.


    Agnes smiled like a human, something Alwig couldn¡¯t do yet. ¡°You both will understand soon enough, my children.¡±


    Raoul and Alwig continued to play, chatting about the three days they hadn¡¯t seen each other, the boy telling the wolf how the children at the village couldn¡¯t keep up with him physically anymore, the wolf telling the boy how animals in the forest no longer were a challenge to him. Despite the wolf having far superior physical prowess than the boy, they agreed that being together and playing was the most fun time for them.


    Afterwards, they competed together in hunting animals in an area opposite the village¡¯s direction. Agnes had left her scent all over the path between the cave and the village to ensure no beasts would harm Raoul while he traveled back and forth.


    The boy mostly hunted rabbits, using an old bow and dull arrows. The young wolf hunted deer, elk, and foxes. And at the end of their one-hour hunt, they tallied their catch.


    ¡°I won!¡± Raoul pumped a fist into the air. ¡°Did you see that, Agnes?¡±


    ¡°I did indeed.¡± The mother wolf nodded, crossing her paws. ¡°Good work, my child.¡±


    ¡°But Mother,¡± Alwig protested, ¡°I hunted way larger animals than Raoul, so can we say that this is¡­ a tie?¡±


    Agnes glanced at her son with warm eyes. ¡°Alwig,¡± she said. ¡°Remember, you need to always act with dignity. You have agreed to the rules beforehand; you also need to be able to accept the outcome as well.¡±


    The young wolf looked down. ¡°I know¡­ but this is the first time I lost¡­¡±


    ¡°Remember, my child, Raoul is a human. There would be no need to compete if you assumed leveled standing grounds.¡± Agnes stood and strode toward Alwig, nudging him with her head. ¡°But the world doesn¡¯t necessarily run on equality but instead on equity.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, Mother¡­¡±


    ¡°You will one day, my child,¡± Agnes said before she turned to Raoul. ¡°Besides that, isn¡¯t it about time you head back, my child?¡±


    Raoul¡¯s smile froze, and he craned his head up to see the sun hidden behind the trees. He almost screamed. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now, Al, Agnes!¡± he shouted while picking up his sack of dead rabbits before running, looking back once at them with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll beat you again next time as well, Al!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting!¡± The young wolf tried to smile like a human, only to fail miserably.


    ¡°Slow down a little, child¡ª¡± Agnes said, though Raoul was already too far away to hear the rest of her words.


    On the way back, Raoul couldn¡¯t help but smile and giggle to himself. This was the first time he won against Alwig. He had been waiting for this day for years. Agnes told the boy that Alwig had an early growth sprout, and Raoul would soon catch up, and this might be the start of that.


    Soon after, the village stockade came into view, Andre and Jake about to leave and change shifts. Raoul lunged through the entrance when the bell sounded right after. The boy smiled, turning around to the teenagers. ¡°I made it in time! You saw, right?¡±


    The teenage guards looked at each other for a second before they sighed and giggled. ¡°I suppose,¡± Andre said, shrugging. ¡°I¡¯ll tell your mom and dad that you kept your promise, Raoul.¡±


    ¡°That aside, I thought you were a beast or something, seeing how fast you were going,¡± Jake mused, leaning against the stockade.


    Raoul gave them another bright smile. ¡°I am just built different,¡± he said before turning toward his house and waving at the teenagers. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now! See you, Andre, Jake!¡±


    On his way back, the boy saw adults ushering their children to their homes. They believed the evil spirits would taint the children¡¯s souls if they were outside after the third bell. He didn¡¯t believe such a thing but also didn¡¯t want to upset the villagers, so he tried his best to return on time. And judging from his mother¡¯s and father¡¯s reactions to him being occasionally late, they also didn¡¯t mind the superstition much.


    His house and his mother came into view, the baker crossing her arms with a stern look.


    Raoul froze and almost toppled over, but he got a foothold and sauntered toward his mother as if dealing with a rabid beast.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you,¡± she rasped, tapping her arm with one finger, ¡°that you need to get back before the third bell?¡±


    ¡°I-I did!¡± Raoul said, acting indignant. ¡°You can ask Andre and Jake! I returned before the bell¡ª¡°


    A fist lightly landed dead center of his scalp. ¡°Seconds before the bell rings, you mean,¡± his father said. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to how close you should be, Raoul.¡±


    The boy rubbed his head, pouting. ¡°That¡¯s still before the bell¡ª¡°


    ¡°Raoul?¡± his mother said, her voice deep.


    Raoul¡¯s mother, with her walnut hair and verdant eyes, was a beautiful woman; even the villagers agreed. They always joked with his father about how such an average-looking farmer was able to hit it off with his mother.


    They had not seen her when she was angry.


    Raoul¡¯s first instinct in front of such a presence was to go to Uncle Wistin, for his mother would return to normal in an instant had there been a villager in the scene, but even he knew that that would only prolong the inevitable. Raoul finally resigned himself and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I was too distracted¡­¡±


    There was a moment of silence before his mother sighed. She came over, knelt, and looked him in the eye, a faint smile on her face. ¡°Just don¡¯t make me worry like this next time, alright? I don¡¯t know how far you went into the forest, and there could be beasts there in the deeper parts. Who knows what could have happened?¡±


    Raoul nodded, looking down. He was sure his mother would also include Alwig and Agnes in those ¡®beasts¡¯, so he had to keep quiet. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, Mom¡­¡±


    There was another moment of silence before his father slapped him on the back. ¡°Now, now,¡± he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of this gloomy atmosphere and see how many you¡¯ve caught today, why don¡¯t we?¡±


    Raoul brightened up instantly. ¡°I caught a lot today, Dad!¡± he said, rushing into his house. ¡°Come look!¡±


    His parents smiled and entered, the three of them celebrating Raoul¡¯s new hunting record well into the night.

 Chapter 2: A Bakers Nightmare

    The next day, there were strange people in Raoul¡¯s house.


    They were men clad in light armor¡ªsome injured¡ªwho had piled their spears and swords and knives next to the door, and they were eating the boy¡¯s breakfast.


    Raoul was peeking from the kitchen door when one soldier with a scar running over his mouth met eyes with him. The boy felt a shiver run down his spine and hid in the kitchen instantly.


    His mother was scary, but these people were different kinds of scary. While his mother was always warm when she was scary, these people were scary because they were always cold.


    It took a moment for the boy to gather the courage to peek his head out once more, and luckily, the soldier was busy stuffing his mouth with the boy¡¯s breakfast. Since his family ran a bakery, almost all meals in the house were bread, and they were the best bread in the kingdom, the boy might argue¡ª


    ¡°The hell is this!¡± The soldier stood suddenly, the chair falling backwards, a piece of bread crumbling in his hand as he spat out what he had eaten. ¡°Why is this thing so damn hard!¡±


    ¡°S-sir.¡± Raoul¡¯s father rushed from the corner of the room. ¡°It is supposed to be hard like that. I can assure you that our bread is the best in this village¡ª¡°


    The soldier glared at his father. ¡°Well, your best can¡¯t even be called average in the capital! This is why I didn¡¯t want to come to this place, damn it.¡± He then threw the broken pieces of bread at the boy¡¯s father, bits of dough in the farmer¡¯s hair and all over his body. ¡°Go make a new one and make it soft.¡±


    His father still put on a smile. ¡°S-sir, we can¡¯t afford finer flour to make other types of bread¡ª¡°


    ¡°Then what use are you to the kingdom!¡± The soldier stepped forward, making the boy¡¯s father step back, the other soldiers sitting where they were and silently observing the situation. ¡°We were fighting for our lives while leaving our family behind, and you aren¡¯t even willing to make half-decent meals? My brothers died out there, not so you can be a useless moron!¡±


    Raoul¡¯s mother heard the commotion and exited the kitchen, running up to them. ¡°Sir, please calm down. We will make sure to serve you with better¡ª¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± The soldier looked back, eyeing the baker up and down, mysterious glints in his eyes. ¡°The one who served us these damn stones and told us it¡¯s food.¡±


    His mother kept a cool head and replied, ¡°We apologize if the food is not to your taste. We will contact the villagers who know other cuisines that will satisfy you right away.¡± His mother was about to head to the door when the soldier grabbed her by the wrist.


    ¡°You will not go anywhere,¡± the soldier said, looking back at the other soldiers, each one of them smirking. ¡°It¡¯s clear what you are doing. You are trying to poison us with these things, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What outrageous¡ª¡° his mother started but was suddenly yanked toward the soldier and lost her footing, making her fall to the ground.


    ¡°Lora!¡± his father said, rushing forward to help her up, only for the soldier to trip him with his foot, making him fall as well.


    ¡°You both will come with me to explain your crimes.¡±


    When Raoul first awoke this morning, he had heard the village chief talking with his parents. The chief had told them that they were to provide the soldiers with everything they asked for while giving them not a single rejection and go along with whatever they demanded. They were heroes who protected the kingdom, he said. They were distinguished guests that wouldn¡¯t visit the village unless it was another lifetime, he said. They were loyal subjects who devoted everything to the throne, he said.


    Despite knowing all that, at that moment, something inside Raoul snapped. The boy was scared of them, but he also knew when to be unafraid. With a surprisingly cool head, he lunged forward, using the fallen chair as a step to jump off. The soldier noticed him too late, and Raoul grabbed the adult by the neck and bit onto his nape.


    Almost immediately, the boy tasted iron in his mouth, and a second later, the soldier screamed as he frantically tried to shake Raoul off.


    The other soldiers acted quickly, getting up from their seats and pulling the boy off the soldier¡¯s neck, throwing him to the ground. Raoul rolled on the floor a few times before grinding to a halt. He got up to his feet in an instant.


    The soldier held his neck before looking at his bloody hands, his expression turning murderous in an instant. ¡°Damn brat, do you know what you have just done?¡± He looked at the other soldiers. ¡°Brothers, capture that brat!¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°No, please!¡± His father got in the way first. ¡°He¡¯s just a child, so please forgive him just this once!¡±


    While his father argued with the soldiers, his mother approached him and whispered, ¡°Run away when you see the chance, Raoul.¡±


    ¡°What? No, I can¡¯t leave you¡ª¡°


    ¡°Raoul,¡± his mother continued. ¡°We will be fine. Your father and I know someone among their ranks; he just hasn¡¯t arrived yet. Though, even he can¡¯t protect you, so you will have to wait until they are gone before you can return, is that understood?¡±


    Raoul¡¯s mouth flapped open and close, no words coming out. He hadn¡¯t fully realized what he had done yet, but if hunting animals with Alwig taught him anything, it was that he must be decisive. And he knew that, at this moment, he couldn¡¯t afford to be reluctant. Finally, he nodded.


    ¡°Get out of the way now!¡± The soldier finally pushed his father away.


    ¡°Now,¡± his mother whispered, and Raoul darted forward without hesitation, dashing past the soldiers when they still hadn¡¯t prepared themselves. He easily got past them since his father had been blocking their vision all this time, creating a blind spot out in the open.


    Raoul reached the door and broke into a run, trying his best to ignore the sounds from both the soldiers and villagers. At the village entrance, there were older men standing guard, and the boy rushed through without giving them a chance to stop him, and he entered the forest once more.


    ¡°W-what was that?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, dawdling around? Catch that brat!¡±


    ¡°H-huh? That was a kid?¡±


    ¡°L-let¡¯s give chase first!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take Raoul long until he no longer heard his pursuers bickering with one another. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, but his feet brought him to one place on instinct: the wolves¡¯ cave.


    ¡°Child?¡± Upon his arrival, Agnes strode out of her abode. ¡°What are you doing here at this time?¡±


    The boy blinked as reality slowly sunk in.


    He thought back to the soldiers, what he had done to them, and finally, how he was chased away from his own home while not knowing what they would do to his parents. Then suddenly, he felt rage taking over, his fists clenched, his teeth gritted.


    Why did he have to run away when it was their fault?


    ¡°Child,¡± Agnes said, having reached the boy¡¯s side without him realizing it, a paw on his shoulder, her blue eyes solemn. ¡°Keep your composure and tell me what is going on.¡±


    Before Raoul could tell his story, Alwig woke up and exited the cave to see the heavy atmosphere between Agnes and the boy. The young wolf might not know exactly what had occurred, but he instantly came over to hear what his friend had to say.


    As Raoul recounted what happened, he once again felt rage toward those who harmed his parents, then he felt guilt toward the villagers weighing down his shoulders, and finally, he felt fear for what might happen to his parents. He had no relatives, and the two were his only family. If something were to happen to them, then he would be alone in this world without someone to rely on. If such a fate were to come true, he wouldn¡¯t know how to react, and he was even more afraid to find out. He didn¡¯t dare think further.


    ¡°Raoul¡­¡± Alwig whined as he strode toward the boy with tiny steps. ¡°It will be alright. They are soldiers of the kingdom, aren¡¯t they? They wouldn¡¯t harm innocent villagers. Right, Mother?¡±


    The young wolf glanced at his mother, but Agnes stayed silent momentarily with an expressionless face. Finally, she said, ¡°That¡¯s right, child. Your parents must be impatient for you to go back. We just need to wait for the soldiers to leave the village, so for now, you can stay with us.¡±


    Agnes was someone who always managed to clear up any concerns the boy had and cheer him up in the past, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t feel the same ease he had felt countless times before. Raoul stood silent with his head down for a long moment. Finally, he looked back up with a smile. ¡°Then, I hope they will leave quickly,¡± he said, turning to his wolf friend. ¡°This is great, Al! We will get to hunt together every day!¡±


    Alwig blinked before he tried his hands at smiling, though this time, the smile came out even more inhuman-like than usual, his face stretching too unevenly, his fangs too prominent. ¡°Yeah, Raoul! Let¡¯s go hunt now, why don¡¯t we?¡± The young wolf then darted away into the forest. ¡°I won¡¯t lose this time!¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± the boy shouted, lowering his body and dashing after his friend, ¡°I won¡¯t lose as well!¡±


    Despite the bravado, Raoul¡¯s steps were shaky and uncertain, his speed hindered by his mind, and his strength weakened to the point that he couldn¡¯t shoot his arrows properly. His body seemed to be out of his control, with the hunt proceeding in a blur in his mind, the scenery of the forest spinning around him until he felt dazed. The rabbits easily escaped his pursuit, and he barely hunted half of what he would normally get.


    Yet, he won against Alwig.


    He didn¡¯t know how long they hunted, but the sun had already set before he knew it. Raoul followed Agnes¡¯s instruction to ignite fire over the pile of dead branches and prepared his dinner.


    ¡°You are definitely improving, Raoul!¡± Alwig said as he chomped on a dead deer.


    Raoul had skinned and drained the blood out of a rabbit and was now roasting the meat. ¡°Really?¡± he said, his voice smaller than he had meant it to be. ¡°This was the least I got for the first time in years, though¡­¡±


    Alwig stared at the forest and said, ¡°I think the animals are hiding or have already migrated somewhere else?¡± He licked blood from the carcass. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how hard it is to hunt these guys nowadays.¡±


    Raoul didn¡¯t reply, and he slowly roasted the rabbit meat over the bonfire, watching the grease ooze and drip onto the flame. The meat became cooked, and Raoul ate the catch bite by bite, not saying a word until he finished.


    ¡°That was delicious,¡± Raoul said, smiling. ¡°If there isn¡¯t anything else, I think I¡¯ll go sleep. I¡¯m really tired today.¡±


    Agnes and Alwig watched the boy from afar, the mother wolf nodding with a calm demeanor while her son bid him farewell with a worried voice. The boy gave them another smile before turning to the other side and curling himself on the ground.


    That night, he cried himself to sleep.

 Chapter 3: Reconnaissance for Three

    It was a few days later, yet the numbness in his mind still remained.


    Despite the protest of the wolves, he did the only thing that could cure him of this apathy: coming to the village. He stared at the entrance and the stockade while hiding at the edge of the forest as if trying hard enough would make him able to see through walls.


    He saw the village guards slacking off as usual, saw people going about with their lives through the entrance, kids playing, men and women laboring. There were wheat fields outside the stockade, and the boy scanned all the farmers to find something amiss.


    Raoul¡¯s father wasn¡¯t there.


    The boy knew best when his father was supposed to tend the crops; he even knew which fields belonged to his father, though right now, no one occupied that spot.


    His mind raced.


    Was today his father¡¯s off day? No, he was certain of the date.


    Was his father taking a break? No, the schedule should be fixed.


    Was there something that made him unable to come? There was. The soldiers.


    Over the last few days, Raoul had thought about what punishment would be awaiting him if he was captured by the soldiers, but more than that, he thought about what would happen to his parents. He didn¡¯t know how laws and punishments worked, but from what he saw of the soldiers, he wouldn¡¯t put it past them to do something outrageous. Coupled with his wild imagination, the anxiety that had been brewing in his guts only grew more frantic.


    Raoul was considering revealing himself so that he would at least be able to meet his parents. Before he moved, however, he saw Uncle Wistin heading toward the forest near where he was. The aged farmer entered the bush, looked around while fiddling with his pants, and met eyes with Raoul, who had moved in his sight intentionally.


    ¡°Oh my Lord!¡± Wistin wailed, stumbling back a few steps. When he recognized who the boy was, he put a hand against his heart and heaved a gigantic sigh. ¡°It¡¯s you, Raoul?¡± Then, his eyes suddenly widened. ¡°W-wait, you shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Uncle¡ª¡°


    ¡°You alright there, Wistin!¡± someone yelled from the fields.


    The aged farmer looked between the fields and the boy a few times. Finally, he shouted back, ¡°I¡¯m alright! There¡¯s a snake, is all!¡±


    The working farmers laughed. ¡°Just come back quick!¡±


    ¡°Will do, Gorg!¡± Wistin heaved another sigh.


    ¡°Uncle Wistin,¡± Raoul pressed. ¡°What is going on? Where are my parents?¡±


    The aged farmer evaded the boy¡¯s eyes and scratched his head. ¡°The thing is¡­ Your parents are under strict surveillance right now. They can¡¯t leave the village; those soldiers are afraid they would run away.¡±


    The boy¡¯s anger suddenly flared up. ¡°So they cut off my dad¡¯s source of income instead?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all¡­ They also don¡¯t allow your household to purchase anything other than the absolute necessities, so your mother can¡¯t even do the baking.¡± Wistin looked back at Raoul for a brief second before looking away once more. ¡°Other than that, they have been spreading rumors about your parents, that they intentionally raised you to be rabid and that they were aiming for the soldiers¡¯ lives from the start.


    ¡°Of course, most villagers don¡¯t believe the outsiders, but there are some small patriotic groups that¡­ do not take the rumors lightly, so they have been harassing your parents for a while now¡­ I¡¯m more worried about the soldiers, though. Seeing how they are taking it this far with your parents, I don¡¯t know what they will do to you if they manage to capture you, Raoul.¡±


    The boy was speechless for a long moment, repeating in his head what he had just heard. And unsurprisingly, he was irate once he finished mulling over the information. ¡°Who do they think they are?¡± Raoul snapped.


    ¡°They think they are the saviors of the country, and most people would agree, Raoul.¡± Wistin looked back at the boy, got down to one knee, and grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°Listen to me, Raoul. You should already know that the best course of action is to stay hidden. Wait until they are gone, and then we will be able to welcome you back with open arms.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Of course, Raoul knew best what he should do. However, accepting that he had to do what was best might be the most difficult thing the boy had yet to learn.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t just ignore this, Uncle Wistin,¡± he said, almost pleading, wanting only just a single word of encouragement. ¡°Let me help my parents somehow.¡±


    Wistin scratched his head once more, glancing at Raoul with the corners of his eyes. ¡°You can hunt, right? I think your parents would appreciate some meat on their plate,¡± he said, sighing while he closed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll bring what you hunt to them discreetly. You can leave the meat right around here, and I will come to pick it up around this time.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Raoul half-yelled, only for the farmer to slap the boy¡¯s mouth shut.


    Wistin looked over the bush to see his peers still working, and he sighed yet another time. ¡°You are going to make my heart stop one of these days, boy,¡± he said. ¡°Now that we have an agreement, I would like some down payment in the form of privacy, Raoul.¡±


    The boy cocked his head. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means I need to take a leak.¡± The farmer shooed Raoul away, shoving him back where he came from. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I need to say this but take care of yourself in the forest. You don¡¯t know what kinds of beasts there are.¡±


    For the first time in days, Raoul smiled. ¡°Even the king of beasts won¡¯t be able to do anything to me!¡±


    While Raoul made his way back to the cave, he sensed a familiar presence, and a smile crept up on his face without him realizing it. He suddenly broke out into a run, jumping over tree roots, ducking under branches, and dodging stumps and trees with ease.


    The presence quickly followed, approaching the boy, and it didn¡¯t take long before the young wolf pounced from Raoul¡¯s side and blocked his way.


    The boy didn¡¯t stop, using his two hands to push himself off the wolf¡¯s back, flipping himself in the air one time and landing on his feet. He looked back and saw the wolf stretching his face into what was supposed to be a smile.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Raoul said as he walked into the wolf¡¯s fluff, caressing his fur. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I would be fine?¡±


    ¡°And you expect me and Mother to believe that?¡± Alwig nuzzled him back. ¡°There was at least a seventy percent chance you would do something idiotic.¡±


    ¡°Is that a lot?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s seven out of ten times.¡±


    Raoul removed his face from the fur for a second to count with his fingers to seven. ¡°That¡¯s not that much, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°How far are you from ten?¡± Alwig questioned back.


    ¡°Wait a second¡­ One, two, three. Three, I think,¡± Raoul answered, only half-certain.


    ¡°The seven is you doing something idiotic, and the three is you actually not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± the boy murmured, closing his eyes and frowning, ¡°not a lot?¡±


    The wolf sighed, striding away. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mother to teach you more difficult arithmetics.¡±


    ¡°W-what? Hey!¡±


    On the way back, Raoul rode the wolf, who casually strolled and detoured another path. They encountered many animals, but most had already fled before the two could properly see them.


    Raoul suddenly thought back to when he first met Alwig. He had run away from home back then. He still remembered vividly that he threw a tantrum because his mother was taking the side of another village boy who got hurt playing with him. The boy cried when no one backed him up, and before he knew it, he had run to the forest. Even the smallest animals scared him then, and he hid under a tree while not knowing where his home was. He cried for the second time that day.


    And that was when Alwig showed up, and the boy would be lying if he said that he wasn¡¯t afraid at first. The young wolf, however, spoke human words. And though it hadn¡¯t been long since the boy talked to someone, he was glad to have someone to converse with. After talking it out, the boy decided to go back and apologize to his mom and the village boy he had hurt. Alwig gave him a ride back to the edge of the forest, and since then, Raoul would often venture into the forest to find the young wolf.


    They had been like brothers since.


    ¡°Hey Raoul,¡± Alwig said suddenly. ¡°How¡­ um¡­ how do you feel now?¡±


    The boy smiled as he patted his friend¡¯s fur. ¡°I feel fine, thanks to you and Agnes. I¡¯m sorry for before. I must have made you two worried.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Alwig said, his stride a bit faster. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you back to normal. And¡­ well¡­ I think everything will work out somehow!¡±


    ¡°I hope so too, Al.¡±


    The cave came into view, with no traces of Agnes anywhere to be found. Raoul looked up at the sun. She must be hunting right now.


    ¡°Do you want to go hunt something too, Al?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Now the wolf¡¯s tail waggled left and right. ¡°Let¡¯s do it for real this time!¡±


    ¡°So you admit that you were going easy on me these last few days,¡± Raoul said, jumping off Alwig¡¯s back.


    The wolf cringed. ¡°Why are you so smart at times like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe you were just too obvious.¡± The boy shrugged. ¡°Anyways, shall we?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t lose this time!¡± Alwig said before he dashed into the forest.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you say every time!¡± Raoul shouted after the wolf before he went in the opposite direction his friend had gone. He picked up his bow and arrows that were resting near the end of the glade without needing to slow down.


    He quickly made his way through the forest, eyes daring left and right and detecting any movement.


    The boy concentrated for the first time in days, immersing himself in nature, becoming a part of it. And he felt something amiss in an instant. He could hear the sounds of leaves rustling from a big creature¡¯s footsteps, yet he felt no presence around him. He looked around and located where he heard the sounds, but before he could react, something jumped out of a bush and pinned him to the ground. His bow and arrows flew in the air.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± said the soldier pinning him. ¡°And don¡¯t make a sound.¡±

 Chapter 4: Fated Encounter

    The soldier was unfamiliar.


    He had long blonde hair and amethyst eyes, the traits of a highborn. Even if there were dozens of soldiers, Raoul was sure he would remember someone with such distinct features. This could only mean that the soldier arrived after the boy had left the village.


    ¡°Keep quiet,¡± the highborn said, his hand on the boy¡¯s mouth, his eyes looking the boy up and down. ¡°Are you the one they have been searching for?¡±


    Raoul instinctively reached for anything his hand could get to, and he managed to grip a stone. He swung his arm, only for the soldier to catch it with one hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy,¡± the man said, putting pressure on the boy¡¯s wrist and making him drop the rock. ¡°And I can¡¯t have you involved with a Great Wolf like the one you were with just now. Who knows when it will turn against you.¡±


    Raoul grabbed the soldier¡¯s arm with his free hand and bit the man¡¯s palm with enough force to make him let go of his mouth. The soldier cursed something under his breath as he yanked his hand free. The boy kicked the soldier in the stomach and rolled backwards. ¡°Al is a he, not an it,¡± Raoul spat. ¡°And you soldiers are all my enemies.¡±


    ¡°Listen here, boy,¡± the man said as he got to his feet, his tone still calm. ¡°I am here to¡ª¡°


    Suddenly, the soldier looked back and drew his sword from the belt. A second later, Alwig appeared from a bush with his claws bared.


    Raoul was sure the sword would cut through the wolf¡¯s claws effortlessly, but somehow, the claws held on, clashing against the blade on equal grounds. The soldier was pushed back by the sheer mass of the wolf step by step until his back was against a tree.


    ¡°Run, Raoul!¡±


    ¡°Run, boy!¡±


    They shouted at the same time before they looked at each other¡¯s faces with puzzlement, Alwig confused why the soldier would tell the boy to run while the soldier confused about how words were leaving the wolf¡¯s mouth.


    The highborn glared at the wolf. ¡°I already thought that you were not normal from how you received my sword, beast, but it seems you even possess demonic nature.¡± He strained his body to raise his sword along with the claws, and he swiped the blade to the side, bringing the claws along with it to the ground. ¡°It seems I need to eliminate you this instant.¡±


    Alwig didn¡¯t lose balance and attacked the soldier with his other foreleg. However, the hilt of the sword was already close to the wolf¡¯s face from the soldier¡¯s previous movement. The man smashed the hilt into Alwig¡¯s face in one sharp and precise movement.


    This time, the wolf lost his balance and stumbled to the side a few steps.


    The highborn raised his sword up high. ¡°Perish, beast.¡±


    Raoul tackled the man with his body, both of them falling to the ground.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡± The man groaned. ¡°You might think it is harmless, but don¡¯t let it fool you! It is just a savage beast that needs to be rid of as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Raoul murmured, his eyes deadly, before he shouted, ¡°You are the beast! Who do you think you are to judge people like that!¡±


    ¡°T-this boy!¡± The soldier tried to yank the boy off him but couldn¡¯t. Then, he saw Alwig with his maw open, lunging for his head.


    The soldier didn¡¯t block or run. Instead, he rolled over to protect Raoul, showing his back to the wolf and clutching the boy tight.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Without the boy having to say anything, Alwig stopped beside them. ¡°Shall we talk, human?¡± he asked, his tone unlike anything Raoul had heard the wolf use before. It was a tone filled with doubt and hatred.


    The soldier finally looked back, blinking. ¡°Shall¡­ we?¡±


    His name was Valent. He had many surnames, but Raoul couldn¡¯t remember a single one. Sir Valent was a man who never forgot a debt, as apparent in his willingness to risk his life to protect Raoul. Apparently, he came to search for the boy at the request of his parents who saved the soldier¡¯s life during one of the battles that bordered the village. This happened before Raoul was born, according to the man.


    And now that the war was over, Valent was able to start to pay back that debt, even if Raoul¡¯s parents insisted that he shouldn¡¯t have. This was until a few days ago when Valent received a letter from them requesting help.


    ¡°Listen here, boy¡ªRaoul, you cannot stay with¡­¡± Sir Valent insisted, stealing glances at Alwig who was sitting beside the boy. ¡°With him. We don¡¯t even know what he is, let alone what he would do to you.¡±


    ¡°I have visited Alwig in the forest constantly for the past¡­¡± Raoul, while sitting on a log, started counting with his fingers. ¡°Four years now¡ª¡°


    ¡°Five years,¡± the wolf cut in.


    ¡°Five years now, and nothing happened. On the opposite, Alwig is the one who saved me many times from danger.¡±


    ¡°He might be aiming for something else!¡± Valent got up from his seat. ¡°We can never trust what beasts might or might not do!¡±


    Raoul felt hotness rising from his guts. He stood. ¡°Beast this, beast that; who are you to call Al a beast? From what I see, you soldiers are worse than beasts!¡± he yelled. ¡°You act like everyone is under you; you are ungrateful of what we are willing to give; you are petty and vicious; you take things too far; and most of all, you are all unreasonable!¡± The boy whirled. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Al. There¡¯s no need to waste our words on someone like him.¡±


    Alwig got up and strode by Raoul¡¯s side, and both of them didn¡¯t even bother to look back, only heading toward the cave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Valent called after, hurrying to the boy. ¡°Let us talk about this matter more thoroughly, why don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Why bother?¡± Raoul said, still not giving the man a glance. ¡°You won¡¯t change your mind over this matter anyways.¡±


    Even without looking, the boy could hear the sound of the man¡¯s teeth grinding in panic. Finally, he half-shouted, ¡°Alright! I will believe you that being with him is safe!¡±


    Raoul turned around to look at the soldier. ¡°You should have said so from the start,¡± he said as he made his way back to the log, Alwig also returning to his seat.


    Valent shook his head before he sat opposite the boy and the wolf.


    ¡°From what I have gathered,¡± the boy started, trying to sound like Agnes as much as possible, ¡°you are in a high position within the army, correct?¡±


    The soldier blinked briefly before answering, ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°If you really want to help my parents, then you should know that making the other soldiers leave will be for the best. Why haven¡¯t you done so?¡±


    There was no flustering in Valent¡¯s behavior anymore. ¡°Having the soldiers return isn¡¯t as easy as it might sound,¡± he explained. ¡°Since the war lasted for almost two decades, most soldiers already gave up on returning to their previous lives. They don¡¯t believe their wives would remain faithful, and others don¡¯t believe their families are still alive since some cities their loved ones were residing in got caught up in the skirmishes. Most knew they could not go back to the way things were, even if they were victorious.


    ¡°To force the soldiers to return would look bad not only on the army but also on the kingdom, as most would see it as cruel. Some are also traveling the kingdom to find a new place to settle in, so I cannot exactly dismiss them from the chance of settling here.¡±


    Raoul grabbed his chin, thinking.


    To be honest, the boy had no idea what he was doing, and he was even more lost now that he had heard the reasons from Valent. Nevertheless, he remembered Agnes¡¯s lessons and recited them in his head.


    ¡®Composure shows that you are in control.¡¯


    ¡°I see,¡± the boy replied, nodding. ¡°Then, have the soldiers shown any intention of leaving the village?¡±


    ¡°Though I cannot say much since I have only spent little time there, most of the soldiers seemed eager to leave; they were simply waiting to find and deal with you before they depart.¡±


    ¡°Then,¡± Raoul said, ¡°it means that we need to give them a reason to leave quickly.¡±


    Alwig perked his head up. ¡°Raoul,¡± the wolf called. ¡°Do you think your village chief will cooperate with our shenanigans if we are able to make the soldiers leave?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Raoul replied, thinking back to when he saw the chief that morning he ran away. The elder seemed pretty stressed by the soldiers¡¯ arrival, but at the same time, he also seemed excited.


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Alwig mused. ¡°I have a plan, but it would require the help of someone like the village chief¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Valent said.


    The boy and the wolf looked toward the soldier, blinking.


    ¡°If it is the village chief,¡± the highborn continued, the corners of his mouth lifting, ¡°then I might be able to convince him of some mischief.¡±


    Raoul and Alwig looked at each other, and no words were needed between them.


    Alwig got to his feet, looking toward the village¡¯s direction. ¡°Here¡¯s the plan¡­¡±

 Chapter 5: Turning Point

    Raoul was fast, not just for someone his age but for a human in general.


    However, right now, it was hard simply to take a step forward. He was making his way to the village while carrying bags upon bags of meat to deliver to Wistin. He thought he could easily make it, but he had never carried anything that weighed almost as much as himself while running before, and after a few short spurts of dashes, his stamina had already depleted.


    Nevertheless, his pride didn¡¯t allow him to take a break, and he forced his legs to move, even if he could feel every bit of his muscles protesting. Finally, he reached the rendezvous point and dropped all baggage to the ground.


    The boy rested against a tree, sighing.


    It had been three days since he, Alwig, and Valent implemented the plan. As far as Raoul knew, everything was going smoothly. However, the meat he carried played no part in it; he simply wanted to give his parents some of it.


    Then, his thoughts were suddenly disrupted.


    The boy sensed someone approaching the bush before the rustling sounds even reached his ears. He wasn¡¯t alert when the aged farmer entered the clearing.


    ¡°This is¡­ quite a lot, Raoul,¡± Wistin said as he counted the bags. ¡°Do you intend to make your parents eat nothing but meat for days?¡±


    ¡°I mean to give some to you as well, Uncle, so please accept it,¡± Raoul said, getting up and stretching. The soreness hadn¡¯t receded still.


    ¡°That aside, I have some good news, boy,¡± the farmer said, smiling. ¡°The village chief is subtly chasing away the soldiers! The first thing he did was to gather all hunters in our village and¡ª¡°


    ¡°And give them vacation, am I right?¡± Raoul smirked, nodding to himself.


    ¡°H-how did you know that?¡±


    ¡°And he also cut off the trade routes temporarily, right? That must have made the soldiers quite agitated, having neither meat nor traded goods.¡± Raoul couldn¡¯t help but giggle. ¡°They may have been to war, but I doubt they would want to experience that time of their lives where they eat nothing but slob. They will probably leave soon.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Raoul,¡± Wistin cut in, his mouth open. ¡°Was that your doing?¡±


    The boy puffed up his chest, holding a fist to his chest. ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s nothing that could stop me and my friend.¡±


    That was when the village¡¯s bell rang, the sound small yet ominous where they were.


    Wistin froze, his face turning paler. ¡°Your¡­ friend? No, wait. How did you get in contact with the village chief in the first place?¡±


    Raoul clicked his tongue a few times while waggling his finger. ¡°Connections, Uncle. The answer is connections.¡±


    The farmer suddenly swallowed, sweat running down his body. ¡°Raoul¡­ You, where have you been sleeping?¡±


    The boy cocked his head. ¡°Some days in a cave, and some by a campfire.¡±


    ¡°I-I see, I see.¡± Wistin stepped back.


    Of course, Raoul noticed the farmer¡¯s strange behavior, but at age, he was still naive enough to think it was some adult issue he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand yet. ¡°Are you not taking the meat back with you, Uncle?¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°A-ah, of course, of course,¡± Wistin said before he hurriedly picked up each bag. ¡°I¡¯ll be s-sure to give your parents your regards. I¡¯ll get going n-now.¡± The farmer then fumbled his way back without once looking Raoul in the eye.


    The boy could only scratch his head and give up on thinking in the end. He felt soreness surging back in his legs and decided to rest some more before going back. He propped himself against a tree, his legs crossed, two hands behind his head. And before he knew it, he started to drift off.


    Raoul dreamt.


    It was neither a prophetic nor a cryptic dream; he simply dreamt of doing chores, running around with other children, and spending his daily life like normal. Even though it was a dream where his consciousness was barely there, he hadn¡¯t realized how much he missed the normal, monotonous life he had before.


    He enjoyed his time with the wolves, of course, but unbelievably, he thought that he had enough adventure for the month. It was something he wouldn¡¯t admit aloud, however. He felt like his parents would say something smugly if they knew what he was thinking.


    ¡®I told you that the village life isn¡¯t that bad.¡¯


    ¡®You finally see the value of working, huh, Raoul?¡¯


    He could already imagine their faces, and he was not one bit pleased.


    Then, the dream was cut short as he heard rustling sounds approaching him. He thought it was Uncle Wistin at first, but when he focused on his senses, he realized that there were multiple presences. Raoul immediately got up to his feet, forced his legs to walk through the pain, and hid behind another tree.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± he heard a woman yell. It should be Aunt Fleri. ¡°Where is that devil child?¡±


    ¡°H-he was here not long ago,¡± Uncle Wistin said.


    ¡°Damn that devil! How dare he taint our village chief!¡±


    For some reason, dots connected inside his head, and Raoul knew instantly what was happening.


    They thought that an evil spirit had taken over his body since he hadn¡¯t been inside a house after the third bell for days now. Wistin must have told the other villagers after realizing that fact. The superstition had eluded Raoul completely as he was occupied with something all the time; the same must go for the villagers as well. Until today.


    Normally, they wouldn¡¯t mind the superstition this much, but from the misunderstanding that stemmed from Wistin, they had concluded that the village chief who had been acting strangely for the past few days was the result of a devil influencing him. For them, that was enough evidence to take action.


    Raoul suddenly found it difficult to breathe. There were so many villagers, all used to be kind to him, but when he peeked one eye out to see their expressions, he only saw loathing and disgust. And the cause of those emotions was him. Nausea rose in his throat, but he swallowed the invisible lump of emotions back down.


    ¡®Composure shows that you are in control.¡¯


    And being in control right now was what he needed.


    ¡°What¡¯s with all the ruckus!¡± a voice boomed.


    The sound of heavy footsteps followed, the soldiers entering past the bushes one by one. This group was the one Raoul recognized, the ones who made trouble on their first day at the village.


    ¡°You,¡± the soldier with a scar over his mouth said. ¡°Tell me what is going on.¡±


    ¡°U-uh¡­¡± Aunt Fleri fluttered, no other words leaving her mouth.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s like this, sir!¡± Uncle Wistin chimed in as he stepped up. ¡°T-the child that had attacked you¡­¡± There was hesitation in his voice, but regardless, he continued, ¡°He, he is around here somewhere, but he must have been tainted by the evil spirit! That must have been why the chief acted so strangely!¡±


    The soldiers looked at each other, smiles appearing on their faces. The scarred soldier turned to the other villagers. ¡°Worry not,¡± he assured, tapping the hilt of the sword on his belt. ¡°I will purge the evil spirit and protect the village!¡±


    There was a moment of silence before the villagers started cheering.


    ¡°As expected of the kingdom¡¯s heroes!¡±


    ¡°To think we were unwelcoming to you before! We are ashamed!¡±


    ¡°The saviors of our village!¡±


    It took a while for the noise to quiet down, but finally, the scarred man ordered, ¡°I want you to help me search the vicinity, find out where the devil is, and report its whereabouts to me as fast as possible! We will rid the kingdom of this demon and bring light upon this village once more!¡±


    Even Uncle Wistin was cheering, and Raoul didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore. From how the adults were reacting, what if they were correct? What if he was a devil? Perhaps he was already tainted before he left the village, and that was why he attacked the soldier in the first place.


    Raoul shook his head.


    No, Agnes had told him many times before that he should believe in himself. He trusted the mother wolf, so he wouldn¡¯t doubt himself.


    The soldiers and villagers spread out. Some villagers were even holding farming tools as weapons while each soldier was equipped with some sort of weapon.


    Raoul lowered his body and started to move, taking each step with caution he never exerted before. He was always the one hunting and not the one hunted. He could feel his heartbeat going frantic, and we wondered if his pursuers would be able to hear it.


    There were many paths in the forest, but unfortunately, the path back to the cave was occupied by some villagers and soldiers. They trod deeper and deeper, and another realization flashed inside the boy¡¯s mind.


    It was only a matter of time before they found and hurt Agnes and Alwig.


    Raoul knew he had to take a risk to reach the wolves before these pursuers did, and he didn¡¯t hesitate. He bolted through the forest, not caring if others saw him anymore.


    ¡°W-what was that?¡±


    ¡°There it is! The devil!¡±


    The boy didn¡¯t need to look back to know that a horde of people was chasing after him. He also knew that they would catch up soon.


    A throb ran down his legs from the previous soreness. He stumbled but managed to right himself after. He could feel presences closing in on him, but still, he didn¡¯t look back and only ran forward.


    The path slowly became harder to run through. And though Raoul realized a while back that this would happen, he still didn¡¯t prepare himself mentally when he tripped and fell to the ground, his body rolling on the dirt a few times from his momentum.


    He pushed himself off immediately, but a soldier had already reached him. The scarred man grabbed him by the collar and pulled him off the ground with one hand. ¡°There you are,¡± the man panted, ¡°you damn rat-like brat.¡±


    Raoul was so tired he could faint, but he willed himself to stay awake and glared back at the man.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The man¡¯s veins were visible on his forehead, his face red. ¡°Look at you. Don¡¯t you know¡­¡± He punched Raoul in the stomach, the boy sputtering saliva and choking. ¡°¡­that you should respect adults?¡±


    The scarred man let go of Raoul, and the boy fell to the ground with a thud. He wheezed for air, looking up with a glare still.


    The man¡¯s face became even redder, and other soldiers started to catch up to them, watching the spectacle from behind, giggling and jeering with each other.


    ¡°At first,¡± the scarred soldier started, ¡°I was going to just teach you a lesson when I find you, but look at the circumstances now.¡± He shook his head and smiled, even if Raoul could still feel immense rage from him. ¡°If I don¡¯t bring back your corpse today, then how would the villagers be able to rest easy? Surely you understand¡­ my predicament!¡± He kicked Raoul in the stomach, the boy feeling a jolt of pain taking over his body, and he curled on the ground with his consciousness fading.


    It started to not hurt, and he didn¡¯t think that was a good sign. He looked up. ¡°W¡­ hy¡­?¡± he said, his peripherals turning dark. ¡°Why¡­ are you soldiers¡­ such losers?¡±


    All at once, the soldiers¡¯ face distorted into one single emotion: anger.


    ¡°This little bastard¡­¡± said the scarred soldier as he unsheathed his sword. ¡°I am a hero who won countless battles on the frontline. Get better pair of eyes in your next life.¡±


    Raoul closed his eyes, ready for the blade of the war hero to slay him, the devil. Though, because his eyes were closed, his other senses were heightened, and he noticed a presence fast approaching. He smiled and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not my time to go yet, it seems¡­¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you¡ª¡°


    A guttural, bestial roar filled the forest. The boy opened his eyes and saw his friend blocking the soldiers. Alwig looked back at Raoul; then his eyes¡¯ color turned from blue ocean to icy snow. The young wolf glared at the soldiers, the wind suddenly turning tumultuous.


    Alwig growled. ¡°You will not leave here unharmed today, I can assure you.¡±

 Chapter 6: Essence of Life

    ¡°Run, Raoul.¡±


    ¡°What? And leave you behind?¡±


    Alwig didn¡¯t look back, and he said with an ice-cold voice, ¡°You will only hold me back. Just go.¡±


    The boy gritted his teeth. His friend was correct, of course, but could he simply just run away without doing anything? When Alwig could be in danger? He knew that the young wolf was strong, but with this many soldiers, Raoul wasn¡¯t sure if his friend could emerge unscathed.


    Regardless, he didn¡¯t want to hinder Alwig, and the boy got up. ¡°Take care of yourself, Al,¡± he said before turning around.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should be saying,¡± the wolf replied, eyes still fixed on the soldiers.


    Raoul darted away, heading toward the cave.


    ¡°That brat is getting away!¡± one soldier shouted, dashing after the boy.


    Alwig got in his way first and tackled the man to the ground, biting through his shoulder¡¯s armor, blood gushing from the wound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t show your back to it!¡± the scarred soldier commanded. ¡°Surround this unholy beast!¡±


    Raoul gritted his teeth and continued running, the sound of fighting slowly fading with distance. Please be safe, Al.


    ¡°That brat is there! After him!¡±


    A group of soldiers and villagers closed in from the sides, having circled Alwig, the boy assumed. Raoul needed to get to Agnes soon. And with the thought of the mother wolf came the composure that he needed. He steadied his breathing, shuffled his legs back and forth rhythmically, and shifted his arms in a running posture with precision.


    Raoul didn¡¯t feel any change, but he knew there had to be differences. He chose to only look forward to his destination with a clear mind.


    It felt like forever before he reached the hideout. Raoul almost fell forward when he stopped in the middle of the glade, looking around and unable to find traces of Agnes anywhere. Did he come back when she was out hunting again?


    ¡°T-there he is!¡± a soldier panted as he entered the glade.


    ¡°D-damn devil. T-this kind of stamina must be from dark magic!¡± a villager cursed.


    Raoul ran once more, or he tried to, but his legs completely gave out, and he fell face-first to the ground. Daze took over his mind, but he held on to his consciousness and started clawing at the dirt ground. He wasn¡¯t even sure if he was moving, but nevertheless, he dug his nails into the dirt and strained his arms to push himself forward.


    Pain suddenly shot up from his back and stomach.


    ¡°This brat,¡± said the soldier stomping on Raoul¡¯s back, grinding his foot with each word. ¡°Do you even realize how much trouble you caused?¡±


    The boy didn¡¯t scream. He gritted his teeth through the pain.


    A middle-aged villager, Uncle Felic, caught up to them, a pitchfork in his hand. ¡°Devil in the guise of child,¡± he panted. ¡°You will not harm another soul more!¡±


    There were other soldiers present, but Raoul could only watch the villagers with wide eyes. Those who had been nothing but kind to him all his life; those he had trusted; those he wished to have a peaceful life with. They were all dead, and the people standing in front of him were husks of what were supposed to be his allies.


    Tears rolled down the boy¡¯s eyes.


    Where did things go wrong? What did he do to deserve such scorn? And would his parents have the same eyes as these people when they looked at him?


    Pain kept him barely awake, but he could hold on no longer. He supposed they would drag him back to the village. And from what he heard of devils, he remembered that people would burn them at stakes in the stories. Would that happen to him? He hoped his parents wouldn¡¯t be there to see him.


    Before his consciousness faded away, he thought he saw a pair of ice-blue eyes emerging from the forest, but he was also sure that he was simply hallucinating.


    Giant green eyes were staring Raoul down from above.


    The boy trembled under the pressure, and he quickly looked down, only to see black eyes the same size staring at him from below. Then, he noticed all kinds of eyes staring at him from every direction, endless shades of irises spanning in the black space, each pair telling a different story.


    One pair was different. They were eyes of oceanic blue, and they grew with each passing second, expanding into his vision until he could see nothing but the color blue.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°Child, can you hear me?¡±


    Raoul jolted awake and saw Agnes¡¯s face uncomfortably close to his while everything else was dark. He blinked.


    ¡°G-greetings?¡± he said on instinct.


    ¡°Greetings, child of man. I was hoping to ask whether you have been well, but the answer is quite apparent.¡± Agnes strode out of his vision, and Raoul had to sit up to see her exit the cave. Something was strange about the mother wolf. Perhaps it was how she went away without saying anything further. Perhaps it was how she didn¡¯t help him up. Perhaps it was how distant she seemed.


    Raoul tried to stand, but his muscles wouldn¡¯t allow him to. Instead, he crawled out of the cave, and the sight outside sent a chill down his spine.


    Corpses littered the moonlit glade, blood still spilling out of the lifeless bodies, pools of blood spreading. The boy threw up that instant, his throat burning with bile. He coughed, slowly looking up and hoping the sight from before would already be gone. It remained.


    ¡°Did you¡­¡± he rasped. ¡°Did you do this, Agnes?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± the wolf replied, still striding toward something. ¡°And I have no regret.¡±


    Raoul willed himself to get up, yet he couldn¡¯t help feeling that the wolf¡¯s back was larger than he remembered. ¡°Why did you¡­¡± His voice trailed off, not because he couldn¡¯t find words but because he saw the reason she did what she did.


    Lying in front of Agnes was Alwig with swords, spears, pitchforks, and arrows lodged into his skin, his blue fur visibly darker, blood pooling under him.


    ¡°No¡­ no, no, no.¡± Raoul broke into a run, only to stumble and fall to the ground. He got up immediately and hobbled past Agnes to his friend, going down to his knees and grabbing the young wolf¡¯s paw. Alwig was breathing, if only barely. The boy breathed a sigh of relief before he looked at Agnes. ¡°Is¡­ is he going to be alright?¡±


    Suddenly, wind enveloped the mother wolf¡¯s body, spiraling into a miniature hurricane. Her fur seemed to spark lightning while the earth seemed to tremble under her feet, droplets of ice condensing in the air, falling, and shattering on the ground. Raoul watched with wide eyes while feeling the gust, the heat, the tremble, and the cold simultaneously. It took a second for the mother wolf to calm down, the elements vanishing into thin air, and replied in an emotionless tone, ¡°I do not know, child¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡­ can we do?¡±


    ¡°I have done everything I can to heal him, but as you can see¡­¡± the mother wolf said, looking at her forelegs, ¡°I cannot remove those steels myself. At least not without excessive blood loss. I have already tried that with his other side; I don¡¯t think he will last if I proceed with this side.¡±


    Raoul swallowed. ¡°If¡­ If I remove them¡­ will you be able to help him?¡±


    The boy and the mother wolf locked eyes with each other for a long moment, each moment that passed somehow unbearably intense. Alwig was half a step away from crossing the threshold called death, and Raoul pleaded in his mind that there was a way to pull him back.


    Finally, Agnes replied, ¡°I believe I can.¡±


    Raoul brightened up. ¡°Then¡ª¡°


    ¡°However,¡± the wolf interrupted, ¡°that is in the case that the wounds do not expand from the removal, not even as far as the thickness of your nail, which is to say impossible¡ª¡°


    ¡°Mo¡­ ther,¡± Alwig suddenly said, his voice so tiny it was almost drowned out by the sound of leaves rustling, his blue eyes determined. ¡°I¡­ can take it¡­¡±


    ¡°Child¡­¡± Agnes whispered with a trembling voice. Raoul thought he could see tears welling up in her eyes as she opened her mouth and closed it, but perhaps it was because she also noticed the determination in those eyes of her son that she said afterward, ¡°I understand¡­ Raoul, child, please¡­ please save Alwig.¡±


    The boy took a second to reply, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± He looked his friend in the eye, gripping his paw tight. ¡°You will be fine, Al. You will be.¡±


    The young wolf smiled, though it was still twisted and looked nothing like an actual smile. ¡°That¡­ is a given¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Raoul said, smiling back. ¡°No way this kind of thing will put you down. You will be back up hunting in no time!¡±


    ¡°Child, we should start.¡± Agnes circled her son¡¯s body and pointed her snout to a spear on the young wolf¡¯s back. ¡°We should start with this. It is the smallest and most shallow wound.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Raoul said, moving himself to the spear. He gripped the hilt tight while trying not to move the weapon yet. He looked toward the mother wolf, and when she nodded, he pulled the spear up in one quick movement.


    Alwig howled uncontrollably, his limbs frantically shuffling back and forth, his mother holding him as best she could. Blood gushed out from the open wound briefly before luminescent green light covered it, and Alwig¡¯s flesh started connecting and closing. The source of the light was Agnes.


    The mother wolf gave out a sigh. ¡°You are doing well, both of you,¡± she said, pointing her snout to a sword this time. ¡°We will do this one next.¡±


    Raoul and Agnes continued until there was only one left, a pitchfork that was lodged deep into the wolf¡¯s body. The boy didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but he knew he had to hurry, as apparent in the pool of blood on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s almost done, Al!¡± he shouted. ¡°Just a little more!¡±


    However, there was no reply.


    ¡°Al?¡± Raoul looked toward his friend, but he saw no light in those blue eyes. ¡°A-Al?¡±


    The boy felt his heart drop, and he knew that it shattered. He had seen death before, but those were all people outside his life, someone he had met only once or twice and never talked to ever again. He had never lost someone truly important to him.


    Suddenly, his vision blurred, sobs replacing any words that he could say.


    ¡°Raoul!¡± Agnes roared, the boy jumping at the sudden sound. ¡°Remove this steel first!¡±


    ¡°A-alright,¡± Raoul said, gripping the handle. Agnes nodded immediately, and the boy pulled out the pitchfork in one quick, yet trembling movement.


    Verdant light gushed out of Agnes, covering the wounds and closing them in a blink of an eye. ¡°Get away, Raoul!¡± she shouted as her body exuded gold. The golden rays intertwined and merged with one another as they made their way to Alwig.


    Extreme heat enveloped Raoul¡¯s body, and he had to step far back. The golden light continued surging from the mother wolf into her son, yet the boy also noticed the changes that were happening to Agnes.


    Her fur was losing its color, and her body was shrinking. Wrinkles started appearing all over her body, and she looked no different from an old Great Wolf.


    Her sacrifices were not in vain, as light reappeared in Alwig¡¯s eyes, and the young wolf manically gasped for air. The young wolf blinked, looking at Raoul at first, then his expression was of pure horror when he looked at his mother.


    ¡°Mother!¡± the young wolf shouted, hurrying to her side. ¡°Did¡­ did you just use your own life to heal me? W-why would you do such a thing?¡±


    ¡°It goes without saying,¡± Agnes replied, smiling. ¡°You are worth to me more than that, Alwig¡­¡±


    Then, she collapsed.

 Chapter 7: A Debtors Duty

    Raoul stumbled and fell to the dirt ground, a jolt of pain running through his body, reminding him of how exhausted his body was, even after the short sleep.


    He pushed himself up, ignoring his body¡¯s plea for rest.


    ¡°Can you get up?¡± Alwig asked, his voice barely containing any emotion. Agnes was on the young wolf¡¯s back, her body small, her breathing unstable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, Al,¡± the boy replied, getting to his feet. ¡°We need to move.¡±


    Alwig didn¡¯t continue forward, instead, he stood still amidst the forest. They were in an uncharted part of the biome, and the moon was their only source of light. Raoul couldn¡¯t see the expression of the young wolf well, but he knew without needing to look that anger was simmering underneath the darkness that covered his face.


    ¡°Al, we need to move,¡± the boy enunciated. ¡°We need to find a resting place for your mother.¡±


    The young wolf looked down, and the sound of canines grinding with each other could be heard. ¡°I know¡­ I know,¡± he said as he looked up and started running.


    Raoul rushed after his friend, struggling to keep up, willing his body to move despite all signs his body told him. After Agnes collapsed, Alwig was intent on taking revenge on the soldiers and villagers, and Raoul did his best to calm his enraged friend. The boy even had to latch onto the wolf¡¯s leg while getting dragged along the dirt ground at one point. The wolf wouldn¡¯t listen to a word he said, not until he mentioned Agnes and how she needed time to recover herself.


    Even without much thought, they knew that the soldiers and villagers would come back to exterminate the wolves after gathering reinforcements, and they were sure to come back to the cave soon, if not immediately. There were endless soldiers constantly coming to and going out of the village, and the boy did not doubt that they could join forces to hunt them down tonight.


    They ran for what seemed like hours before finally, Alwig stopped.


    ¡°Al?¡± the boy panted.


    Then, he saw them. Endless pairs of yellow eyes glowed all around, the coyotes sauntering out of the dark with caution and hostility. They might be opportunistic predators, but they were still predators, it seemed.


    Alwig growled, making all coyotes freeze for a moment, but when one of the beasts took a step forward, so did the rest of them. Raoul looked back and noticed glowing eyes behind them as well.


    ¡°Raoul,¡± Alwig said calmly. ¡°Hold your hands out.¡±


    The boy blinked but did as he was told anyways. Suddenly, ice started condensing above his palms, shaping, elongating, hardening until a spear made of ice fell into his hands, the coyotes stopping briefly in caution.


    ¡°It won¡¯t last long since I didn¡¯t have time to imbue more mana into it,¡± the young wolf said. ¡°We need to finish this quickly.¡±


    Raoul gripped the spear tight, feeling the coldness rising up his arms, sending shivers down his spine. He had barely used spears before. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, leaving his back to the wolf and brandishing his weapon. ¡°I¡¯ll try to take as many as I can.¡±


    Alwig let his mother off his back, gently placing her on the ground, and at that moment, the coyotes lunged at them all at once.


    He roared.


    Raoul also screamed his lungs out as he dashed forward, ducked under the coyote in front, and plunged his spear through its abdomen while it was still mid-air, its body limp and following the spear¡¯s trajectory. Other coyotes landed on nothing but instantly charged at the boy. He counted four of them.


    He thought the spear would be lodged into the coyote¡¯s body, but surprisingly, the spear¡¯s sharpness made it so that not even bones could resist it. Raoul swung his spear as he whirled around, keeping the other coyotes at bay out of his range. The beasts, however, crept closer step by step.


    The boy couldn¡¯t fit them all into his vision and had to turn his head left and right, frantically pointing his spear at the one taking a step forward at the moment. He could feel his heartbeat betraying him once more as he realized that he could die at any second.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    A coyote out of his vision jumped when he was the most distracted, and Raoul reacted too late as he was unable to turn the speartip in time, and the coyote was hit by the spear¡¯s handle instead. The coyote whined and landed past the boy, though that one coyote was the least of his concern.


    Turning around, Raoul saw the three coyotes jumping him all at once. The boy knew he couldn¡¯t dodge them all, but he also didn¡¯t plan to be the only one at a loss, so he stepped to the side toward the collapsed coyote and swung his spear at its neck, almost beheading the animal.


    The nearest coyote dashed as it landed on the ground and bit Raoul¡¯s dominant arm. The boy couldn¡¯t feel the pain, and though he doubted it was a good thing, he was thankful for it. He let go of the spear in his right hand and caught it with his left before driving the speartip into the coyote¡¯s head, its maw releasing in an instant.


    Then, the two remaining coyotes pushed him to the ground, his spear flying away, and blood started spraying.


    Pain overwhelmed him in an instant, every nerve in his body screaming at him, burning sensations erupting from his shoulder and left arm. It hurt so much that he could do nothing but scream, his mind mere moments away from shutting down.


    ¡°Raoul!¡± Alwig was far away, trying to shake off at least five coyotes that were mauling his body.


    Funnily enough, Raoul thought back to the countless times Alwig had run toward him. The wolf¡¯s enthusiasm, gait, and even expression; he could see everything vividly. Every time they met each other, he would hug Alwig while feeling his fur, and warmth would exude from the wolf to him. Even now, just seeing the images overlapped, he felt discomfort leaving his body.


    ¡°What are you making that face for?¡± Raoul said, smiling.


    Tears streamed down Alwig¡¯s eyes, trailing in the air behind him, his expression in horror. ¡°Raoul!¡±


    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t do it properly¡­¡± Raoul whispered, strength leaving his body. ¡°You were the coolest when you smiled¡­¡±


    The boy closed his eyes, all sound dying down.


    And everything was finally silent.


    Yet somehow, he felt warm liquid dripping onto his face. He strained his eyelids and saw a coyote¡¯s face right above him, its snout almost touching his nose. There was a blade penetrating its head.


    Raoul blinked, the sounds coming back, the pain reemerging.


    ¡°Boy,¡± said Sir Valent. ¡°I can¡¯t let you die. I won¡¯t be able to face your parents otherwise.¡±


    Only then did Raoul notice that all nearby coyotes had already been slain. Only the ones fighting Alwig were left.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± the soldier said, pulling his sword from the coyote¡¯s corpse. ¡°Your friend seems to need help.¡±


    The highborn then ran into the battle, and Alwig, after seeing Raoul out of immediate danger, went back to rip, bite, maul, and tear the coyotes apart. The trees, the bushes, the dirt. Everything was dyed red, and with the help of Sir Valent, the crimson only spread further.


    Soon, only a small number of the beasts were left, and they scurried away the moment they realized they stood no chance.


    ¡°Raoul!¡± Alwig rushed to the boy¡¯s side, tears still flooding out of his eyes, green light gushing out of his body to Raoul. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Raoul. I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    The boy felt warmth entering his body not unlike what he felt moments before. He could feel the wounds closing, though he still felt light-headed.


    ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± Raoul said, reaching his hand out to touch his friend¡¯s bloody fur.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you resent me?¡± the wolf murmured, looking down with tears about to burst out of his eyes. ¡°I was inconsiderate, I pushed you even though you were already exhausted, and deep down, I was blaming you for what happened to Mother¡­ just because you are human¡­ I am a bad friend, Raoul.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that, Al¡­¡± The boy rubbed his friend¡¯s fur, feeling strength rising in his body. ¡°I understand how it feels¡­ when someone important gets hurt¡­ Do you remember a few days ago when I made you and Agnes worried? You could also say that I am a bad friend¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡ª¡°


    ¡°No different from what you are experiencing,¡± Raoul insisted, locking eyes with the wolf. He sat up despite jolts of pain hitting his nerves and held his friend¡¯s head to his, touching their foreheads together. ¡°But you were there for me, and I will also be here for you. That¡­¡± He smiled. ¡°¡­ is what friends are for, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Alwig sobbed as he hugged Raoul. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do without you, Raoul¡­ I really don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Come now, you will do fantastic with or without me.¡±


    The wolf got down to the ground to give Raoul something to push himself off of. The boy stood and almost fell down again, but he got a foothold thanks to him leaning on Alwig.


    ¡°I would have loved not to say anything,¡± Sir Valent suddenly said, ¡°but you need to move.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raoul asked, walking with the help of his friend toward the soldier. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the soldiers¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Valent said as he leaned against a tree and cleaned his blade, not looking either of them in the eye. ¡°They gathered enough people for a medium-sized company, and they have already started their search.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± the boy mused, trying to think through the pain. Then, a realization flashed inside his mind. ¡°Ah!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I haven¡¯t properly thanked you yet, Sir Valent!¡± Raoul bowed as he had been taught. ¡°For saving my life and assisting us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡±


    ¡°I thank you, soldier,¡± Alwig added, bowing in his way.


    ¡°Save your thanks. I have no need for them,¡± the soldier replied coldly. He sheathed his blade into the scabbard and strode away. ¡°I did what I did only because I was indebted to your parents. I will now consider myself free from it.¡±


    ¡°A-ah, sure,¡± Raoul muttered as he straightened himself. ¡°Y-your help so far is greatly appreciated.¡±


    Sir Valent looked back at them with eyes full of hostility. The boy could see it clearly, even in the night. ¡°My opinions on that beast over there have not changed from what I thought before,¡± the soldier said, tapping the hilt of his sword, his voice low. ¡°The next time we meet, consider ourselves enemies.¡±


    With that, he disappeared into the dark of night, his words lingering in Raoul¡¯s head.

 Chapter 8: A Soldiers Oath

    ¡°He must have seen that.¡±


    ¡°I think so too,¡± Alwig replied, walking with care so that Agnes, who was lying on his back, wouldn¡¯t be awakened. ¡°That soldier seems like someone devoted to his duty.¡±


    Raoul thought back to the scene outside the cave: the bodies strewing all over the ground, the pools of blood spreading, the smell of iron overwhelming. Just the thought made his stomach churn. ¡°I understand why he said that¡­¡±


    ¡®The next time we meet, consider ourselves enemies.¡¯


    It had only been a few hours since the mother wolf sacrificed herself to heal Alwig, but for the boy, it felt like days, if not weeks. The scenery never changed, the forest seemingly spanning forever with its dark-green foliage and damp smell, the only variable being how the night grew darker with each passing moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised he helped us at all,¡± Alwig commented, striding with a pace Raoul could keep up with.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the kind of person he is,¡± the boy said. ¡°He may be devoted to his duty, but he is also someone who never forgets a debt.¡±


    However, Raoul still couldn¡¯t understand why the soldier didn¡¯t attack them at sight. His comrades had died due to the wolves, and the boy doubted such a loyal man would watch the killers from afar and not do anything, even if he was somehow indebted to them. Unless¡­


    Raoul shook his head. He had to be thankful that Valent came to help Alwig.


    That was when a realization struck him.


    ¡°Al!¡± the boy exclaimed, his memories coming back, though he calmed himself immediately afterward as not to disturb Agnes¡¯s rest. ¡°How did you make that spear out of thin air?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Alwig said, looking up as if pondering. He finally looked down at his friend. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t really know?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Raoul frowned. ¡°Agnes could use that¡­ uh¡­ that magecraft thing as well. I think that¡¯s what it¡¯s called.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Our divine arts are quite similar to magecraft on the surface.¡±


    ¡°Divine arts?¡±


    ¡°Magecraft for our kind,¡± Alwig said simply, the boy feeling the lack of enthusiasm in the wolf¡¯s voice. Nevertheless, the topic was too interesting for the boy to stop.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use divine arts when you were fighting?¡±


    The wolf sighed. ¡°Three reasons,¡± he stated, pausing for a second before explaining, ¡°First, I am not used to hunting or fighting with divine arts. I just can¡¯t focus on two things at once. Second¡­¡± This time, he paused for a long moment. ¡°It is because I am incompetent.¡±


    ¡°Incompetent? How could you be incompetent, Al?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as great as you think, Raoul,¡± Alwig replied with sadness in his eyes. ¡°In reality, I am mediocre in every aspect; I just have different circumstances from you, which made you feel that I am greater than I actually am. Ineptitude is an understatement when it comes to my divine arts.¡± The wolf sighed. ¡°And the third reason. Since I just received Mother¡¯s lifeforce, I am not used to the new divine arts in me yet. I cannot control them right now, which also confirms my second point: that I am incompetent, am talentless. I cannot even acquaint myself with the new¡ª¡°


    ¡°Al.¡± Raoul stopped in his tracks, clenching his fists, his eyes serious.


    The wolf also stopped. ¡°R-Raoul?¡±


    ¡°Do not ever say that you are incompetent or mediocre,¡± the boy said with a hint of anger. ¡°No matter what you think of yourself, you cannot change my opinion of you, and I will tell you what I think, so you better listen carefully.¡± Raoul breathed deeply. ¡°You were always my goal, Al, someone I aspire to be like. You always give everything your all, except when it comes to me, because you are just that considerate. But when you try your best, you also shine the brightest.


    ¡°There is nothing as cool as the moment when you figured out difficult arithmetics after hours of mulling over the question Agnes gave, or when you learn about human knowledge for weeks and finally see it in action in the village when I gave you a tour, or when you wanted to run in circles for no reason other than to see if you are faster than you were before and succeeded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even make me mention your tail. I don¡¯t think you realize, but it waggles. A lot. Especially when you are happy or excited. You often ask why I smile for no reason; well, it is because of you and your treacherous tail. How can I not when I see you accomplish something and show that kind of reaction?


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°My point is, you are wonderful, Al, even if you don¡¯t realize that. Who cares if you can¡¯t wield your new divine arts the moment you receive it? You are much more than that. You are you, and that is all I can ask for.¡± Raoul took his time breathing, finally calming down, and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t put yourself down. Ever. If not for your sake, then for mine and Agnes¡¯s.¡±


    At that point, Alwig was curling on the ground while using his mother¡¯s body as a shield against Raoul. The wolf trembled and covered his ears with his paws, his eyes unopened. ¡°P-please no more, Raoul,¡± he pleaded. ¡°I-I might die from embarrassment.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the boy said, stepping forward, Alwig cringing. ¡°If you still behave that way, then you won¡¯t hear the end of it, even if we have to stay here all night.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Alwig yelled, opening his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t do it anymore, so please never do that again!¡±


    Raoul scoffed. ¡°You better keep your word,¡± he said, continuing forward and looking back. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get going. We need to find a resting place.¡±


    Right after Raoul¡¯s speech, they found a giant tree hollow that could fit both Alwig and Agnes inside. The boy gathered leaves to make some cushion for the mother wolf while the young wolf was the one who moved her.


    Raoul was not sleepy yet, and neither was Alwig, it seemed. They had no objectives and continued to sit there inside the hollow, listening to the mother wolf¡¯s breathing stabilize in silence.


    They didn¡¯t speak for a long time, the two of them staring up at the starry sky and listening to the sound of the wind.


    ¡°Hey, Raoul.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Neither of them looked back down, eyes fixed on the stars and the countless constellations blessing the land.


    ¡°I just want to say thanks,¡± Alwig said as he curled himself. ¡°Not just for before, but for all you have done.¡± He closed his eyes and turned away, most definitely from embarrassment. ¡°Mother loves you like she would her kin, and I also see you as a brother, Raoul. Thank you for being here.¡±


    The boy smiled before he turned the other way and said, ¡°I also see you guys as my family. Good night, Al.¡±


    ¡°Yes, good night, Raoul.¡±


    It was faint, but Raoul could hear the sounds of fighting. Blades clashing, arrows whooshing, but most important of all, a wolf growling.


    The boy jolted away at the realization, looking around the tree hollow to only see Agnes sleeping, the surroundings still dark, Alwig nowhere to be found. He got to his feet and instantly dashed toward the source of the noise, his sleepiness shedding away.


    Raoul forgot all about the fatigue accumulating in his body and willed himself to run until he could see shadows of soldiers battling one wolf in the distance. His first instinct was to jump into the clearing to help his friend, but he composed himself instead and observed, Agnes¡¯s voice sounding in his head.


    ¡®Composure shows that you are in control.¡¯


    He hid behind a bush, peeking his head out. Seven soldiers remained in a formation while three of them lay dead around Alwig. Raoul couldn¡¯t see injuries on his friend, but since it was dark, he couldn¡¯t be so sure.


    ¡°Fire!¡± one of them shouted, prompting the two archers to release the arrows.


    The wolf easily dodged the projectiles, but the three swordsmen and two spearmen lunged forward with their weapons aimed at him. Raoul observed and noticed that his friend was different from the previous fight with coyotes. Alwig seemed calmer, more level-headed. The wolf always took into account the positions of every soldier while he stayed out of the range of four soldiers and attacked the isolated one.


    ¡°D-damn this beast!¡± said the swordsman receiving Alwig¡¯s claws.


    ¡°Help him!¡± another yelled, rushing forward, though it was already too late.


    The wolf bit the swordsman¡¯s neck with just enough force to kill him, not lingering for a second more than he had to, and jumped away from the incoming attacks.


    An arrow plunged into Alwig¡¯s foreleg, another one missing entirely. He didn¡¯t make a sound, instead biting off the arrow¡¯s shaft so as not to hinder his own movement.


    ¡°Attack!¡± The four melee combatants jumped all at once, the archers readying their arrows.


    Raoul knew exactly what he had to do and picked up a thick branch on the ground. He snuck behind the two archers and smashed the branch into one¡¯s nape. The archer fell to the dirt silently, and before the other one could react from difficulty seeing in the dark, Raoul also rendered him unconscious.


    At that time, Alwig felled two more soldiers.


    ¡°Archers! What are you doing!¡± one of the two remaining soldiers shouted, snapping his head back to see Raoul and the two archers on the ground. ¡°W-what? It¡¯s the brat!¡±


    ¡°Shit! Run!¡± the other one yelled before he darted away.


    ¡°D-damn it!¡±


    The soldiers hurried off, vanishing into the night. Alwig seemed to want to chase after them, but Raoul got to him first, only then seeing the cuts and wounds on his friend¡¯s body.


    ¡°Al! Are you alright?¡±


    The wolf looked down at himself. ¡°This much is nothing,¡± he said as green light enveloped his body, the arrowheads pushed out of it while his wounds closed themselves in front of Raoul¡¯s eyes. ¡°That aside, you should rest, Raoul.¡±


    ¡°What? And you shouldn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can fight till morning without breaking a sweat since I have Mother¡¯s lifeforce with me.¡±


    Raoul frowned. ¡°I doubt the lifeforce would help if you receive spears in your guts enough times.¡±


    ¡°Come now.¡± The wolf smiled his unnatural smile. ¡°You can add a hundred arrows into the mix, and I will still be fine.¡±


    ¡°Al, you really shouldn¡¯t push yourself¡ª¡°


    Suddenly, Alwig shoved Raoul to the side, and a barrage of arrows zipped through the air and landed all over one side of the wolf. He whined.


    ¡°Al!¡±


    The wolf jolted his head back instantly, Raoul doing the same to see soldiers and villagers blocking their way out. The wolf quickly emitted green light, and the arrows in his body fell out one by one, his wounds regenerating.


    There were audible gasps all around.


    ¡°T-that beast can really use magecraft!¡±


    ¡°W-what evil sorcery!¡±


    ¡°This unholy thing must have devoured so many mages to gain this ability!¡±


    All voices died down when Valent stepped out into view, his expression grim. He looked around at his peers. ¡°Enter the formation,¡± he said simply, making soldiers move quickly and create an encirclement just outside the glade. The villagers stood dumbfounded, their farming tools in their hands.


    Sir Valent looked back at Alwig and Raoul with a venomous glare. ¡°We will now exterminate the demon beast.¡±

 Chapter 9: Fault in Existence

    The soldiers had every intention to kill Raoul, though what made his heart ache was the fact that the villagers also had that same intent.


    The glade wasn¡¯t small, but the night made it difficult to see any oncoming projectiles from outside. Alwig and Raoul were facing Valent at the moment, but the boy made sure to keep an eye on their backs.


    ¡°That devil. He¡¯s a stain to our village.¡±


    ¡°I-I heard that devils like the flesh of women and children.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I will let that thing near my family!¡±


    ¡°Protect our family!¡±


    Raoul gritted his teeth. Even if he had heard their scorns before, he couldn¡¯t completely ignore their words. They were people he knew before, in a life that seemed to belong to someone else now that he looked back on it. He still longed for that faraway life he knew would never come back.


    Sir Valent unsheathed his sword and pointed forward. ¡°Attack!¡±


    Arrows darted through the air, and Alwig quickly got in front of Raoul, blocking most of the arrows with his body, but there was still a wave of unhindered projectiles from behind.


    An arrow sank into Raoul¡¯s thigh, and he had to give it his all not to scream.


    ¡°Raoul!¡± the wolf exclaimed despite countless arrows on his body. He came over to the boy and covered him with his body.


    ¡°What are you doing, Al!¡± Raoul shouted, trying to push his friend off.


    Green light enveloped the boy, warmth rising from every part of his body, and the arrow dislodged itself, and his wound healed.


    Raoul widened his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this for me, Al! I will be¡ª¡°


    ¡°Listen to me, Raoul!¡± his friend roared, though the sound of arrows hitting his body still hadn¡¯t stopped. ¡°I will break through their line, so you need to use that chance to run!¡±


    ¡°What? No! Are you¡ª¡°


    ¡°Raoul, please!¡±


    The boy gritted his teeth, his mind racing in that split second before it made a conclusion. Raoul tapped the wolf¡¯s torso two times, the sign they had used since long ago whenever the wolf wrestled with the boy. ¡®I give up.¡¯


    ¡°At my signal, alright?¡± Alwig said, taking his signal as agreement. The wolf waited for a few seconds before he shouted, ¡°Now!¡±


    Sorry, Al.


    The wolf pounced forward in Valent¡¯s opposite direction, the soldiers and villagers scattering at the sight of him. Raoul hurried after his friend, though when he reached the encirclement, instead of running away, he tackled an archer who was still startled to the ground.


    ¡°Raoul? What are you doing!¡± Alwig paused for a second but was too occupied with the attackers to talk.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± the boy shouted, grabbing the bow from the archer and smashing the soldier in the head with it, knocking him unconscious. He snatched the quiver and slung it over his shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can run away right now!¡±


    A swordsman nearby lunged at Raoul, but the boy jumped back while nocking an arrow with the bow, releasing it even before he landed on the ground. The arrow found its way dead-center into the soldier¡¯s forehead, and his lifeless body toppled over.


    Suddenly, Raoul felt his hands trembling. This was the first time he had taken someone¡¯s life, but he also knew that if he wanted to protect what was dear to him, then this was something inevitable. He clenched the bow tight, nocking another arrow with a newfound resolution. He would do whatever it took to protect his friend.


    Sir Valent was shouting orders, and the soldiers shuffled about into a new formation. They had at least a dozen men in the center and half a dozen on each side, spreading into a half-circle. There were remnants of soldiers and villagers at the back, so it would still be difficult to flee.


    ¡°Soldiers!¡± Valent commanded. ¡°Charge!¡±


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


    Alwig was clashing against a group of soldiers blocking his way as he tried to break through, and he was getting impatient, Raoul noticed. The wolf¡¯s attacks were quick but sloppy, and instead of breaking out, he suffered wounds on his body instead.


    ¡°Al!¡± Raoul dashed toward his friend and shot the arrow into another soldier¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless!¡±


    ¡°But if this keeps going,¡± he said, swiping his claws at a swordsman, ¡°You will die sooner or later, Raoul!¡±


    A spearman charged at Alwig, but another arrow from the boy managed to land on his chest before he could attack the wolf, the soldier screaming on the ground.


    ¡°Says the one with a bunch of steel in him!¡±


    Raoul noticed a group of soldiers closing on him from two sides. At the forefront, Valent lunged forward with his sword in the air, the boy barely able to keep up with the highborn¡¯s speed. Raoul knew he couldn¡¯t dodge the soldier, but surprisingly, his heart was calm.


    Alwig was only held back by him, regardless. If he wasn¡¯t there, then his friend might already have broken through the encirclement and fled elsewhere.


    The world seemed to slow down when the sword descended with ferocity, though Raoul noticed that Valent was still dashing. The soldier went past the boy while Alwig received the attack. Claws and blade clashed with one another to a standstill.


    ¡°This time,¡± Sir Valent said, pushing forward, ¡°I will end you, beast.¡±


    ¡°This is quite ironic.¡± Alwig pushed back. ¡°In my mother¡¯s time, even your king had to bow under us.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense¡ª¡°


    A soldier rushed up to Raoul, and the boy prayed silently for his friend as he focused on the oncoming attacker. The boy noticed a large group of villagers mixed with soldiers at his back, all of them hesitating to attack. He hoped they would remain like that.


    Raoul jumped backward while shooting an arrow at the soldier, but the man managed to deflect it with his sword, charging forward without stopping. The soldier reached the boy before he could nock another arrow and swung. Raoul ducked past him, only for another swordsman behind the first one to kick him in the stomach.


    The boy sputtered, but instead of falling to the ground, he pushed himself off the dirt and continued to run. If he couldn¡¯t make it out through the back, then he would do it through the front. Soldiers attacked him, but he didn¡¯t stop moving, even when a sword struck his side or when a spear stabbed his limb. Raoul was used to the pain now and continued until he faced the last line of defense.


    If he could just enter the forest, then he would be able to support Alwig from outside with his archery. Though, just before he was about to dodge an archer¡¯s dagger, he suddenly fell to the ground with another wave of pain pulsing.


    A sword had left a deep gash in his back, and every movement hurt. He couldn¡¯t push himself up and stand. Raoul once more felt his mind falling unconscious, and he crawled forward with his nails digging into the ground.


    However, once more, his heart was at ease. Perhaps Alwig would be able to run away with his death. Raoul stopped trying and closed his eyes.


    He could hear the villagers cheering from the back, hear Alwig roaring, hear the soldiers shouting. Then, the sounds started to die down.


    He could feel his body growing colder, the surroundings ceasing to exist. Right now, nothing else mattered.


    ¡°Raoul!¡± he suddenly heard his mother and father shout.


    He was sure he was hallucinating, though he looked up regardless, and his eyes widened at the sight ahead. His parents emerged from the forest, hands tied behind their backs, bruises all over their bodies. They didn¡¯t seem to care about their own wounds one bit, however.


    ¡°Raoul!¡± they shouted once more, rushing forward, only for the villagers behind to pull their ropes. They fell backward, tears streaming down their faces.


    ¡°Raoul, can you hear me!¡± His mother got to her knees and crawled forward using her chin to hold herself, wriggling on the ground while slamming her chin into the dirt. ¡°Raoul, please!¡±


    ¡°You bastards!¡± his father yelled, glaring at the soldiers and the villagers. ¡°He¡¯s just a child!¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­ Dad¡­¡± Raoul rasped, reaching his hand forward.


    ¡°Raoul! Raoul!¡± His mother continued to wriggle on the ground, yet the villagers held her back from reaching him. They were mere feet away from one another, but neither was able to close the distance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom¡­¡± Raoul said, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°It seems I won¡¯t be able to¡­ help you with the chores¡­ anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Death to the devil!¡± one villager suddenly shouted as he stomped the boy¡¯s mother in the back. ¡°Death to its fosterers!¡±


    His mother jolted from the pain for only a second before she tried to reach her son once more, her chin and knees now streaming blood.


    ¡°Bastard!¡± His father got up and tried to tackle the villager, only for the one holding his rope to pull him back. Another villager came over and beat him with a shovel, others joining in. Raoul¡¯s father took all the hits while struggling to remain standing, blood trailing down his face and all over his body. His eyes were bloodshot, his tenacity preventing him from fainting.


    ¡°Damn the devil fosterer!¡±


    ¡°He must have gained that strength from evil arts!¡±


    Raoul cried, unable to form words, only sobs leaving his mouth. Everything was his fault. The village was supposed to be his home, their home, but because of him, those who were supposed to be his allies now turned against his whole family. He hadn¡¯t known he could hate himself so much.


    Finally, his father collapsed, though he was still conscious. The villagers brought his parents forward, forcing them on their knees. And two villagers stepped forward, each with a knife.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Raoul managed to say as he reached forward. ¡°No¡­ no, no¡­¡±


    A villager stomped his hand. ¡°Pay for your sin,¡± he said, grinding his boot. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have dabbled in the evil sorcery!¡±


    Raoul ignored the pain while crawling forward. He bit the villager¡¯s boot with his all, making the man kick the boy¡¯s face with his other foot. Tears blurred his vision, and he could taste blood, could feel blood running down his lips.


    ¡°Not them¡­¡± he muttered, willing himself to stay conscious.


    Then, the villagers slit his parents¡¯ throats.


    Lines of blood appeared, and his parents widened their eyes as blood gushed out. They toppled forward, crimson spreading under their lifeless bodies.

 Chapter 10: The Path Untaken

    Raoul couldn¡¯t even scream, his voice deep inside his throat, unable to break free.


    Tears and snot trailed down the boy¡¯s face, and he once more started crawling, ignoring the pain on his hand. ¡°Mom?¡± he murmured, yanking his hand out from under the villager¡¯s boot. ¡°Dad?¡±


    His parents¡¯ eyes had no light in them, eyes as if looking at something distant. Raoul sobbed, ¡°Please answer me¡­ Please¡­¡±


    A soldier kicked him in the stomach, turning him on his side, wound in his back spilling more blood. The man was the scarred soldier that started everything, though Raoul had no energy left to let his anger show. He looked at the scarred face for only a second, not even hearing what he was saying, before glancing back at his parents.


    ¡°Please answer me¡­¡±


    Then, something thudded on the ground next to him. The boy craned his neck to the side, and his eyes widened. Alwig was lying next to him, his fur almost dyed entirely red, weapons jutting out of his skin not unlike his previous injuries.


    ¡°Al¡­¡± Raoul reached his hand out to his friend, touching his blood-crusted fur. ¡°Al¡­ No, please¡­ open your eyes¡­¡±


    The wolf did, though the boy wasn¡¯t sure if his friend could see him.


    ¡°Is that you¡­ Raoul?¡± he said, his irises wavering, other voices around them dying down. ¡°Sorry¡­ I can¡¯t see that well¡­ I think I lost too much blood¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ I¡¯m here, Al¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ That¡¯s good,¡± Alwig muttered, his voice shrinking with each word. ¡°I¡¯m glad my last moment is with you, Raoul¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ talk like that,¡± Raoul said, using his elbows to move closer to his friend, his mind mere seconds from shutting down. ¡°You will make it¡­¡±


    Though the movement was small, the wolf shook his head. ¡°I know my conditions well¡­ I have one last bit of mana to use divine arts one last time.¡±


    Raoul¡¯s hope flared up. ¡°Quickly¡­ use that on¡­ yourself¡­ and run¡­¡±


    However, from the corner of his eyes, he saw the scarred soldier raising a dagger up high, and the end of the blade found its way into Raoul¡¯s neck. The boy felt warm blood running down his cold nape, and his vision turned completely dark.


    Raoul was walking among a crowd.


    Everyone was transparent, the crowd stretching infinitely both in front and back. There were people without arms or legs, yet they moved and walked as if an invisible force was supplying what they lacked.


    Raoul didn¡¯t know what was happening, but he headed forward with the crowd as if he was drifting along the flow of a colorless river. He felt at ease.


    Days passed, or that was what Raoul felt.


    A giant castle came into view on the horizon, people entering the gate in waves. Dark figures were hovering in the air, looking at every person that passed. There was no exact shape to the creatures, simply a shifting mass of black that changed appearance with the wind. One such figure stared at Raoul.


    The boy continued forward without minding the entity, only for him to bump into the dark figure who had appeared there without him realizing it.


    ¡®Boy,¡¯ the figure said, though there was no voice, just a thought coming to his mind. The figure glanced to the side. ¡®Get out of the Path first, and we can talk.¡¯


    Raoul nodded, going along with the figure until they were outside.


    The figure didn¡¯t have eyes, but the boy could feel them looking at him. ¡®There were two people who left you with a message,¡¯ the entity said, voice containing no emotion. ¡®What you do next is up to you.¡¯


    And the figure disappeared from the boy¡¯s sight.


    Suddenly, visions appeared inside his head, and he felt something being unlocked in his mind. His memories before his death.


    With the sudden flood of emotions, he fell to the ground and screamed, remembering everything from Agnes¡¯s deteriorating body to his parents¡¯ deaths to Alwig¡¯s dying state. There was nothing he could do now, however.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Tears started dripping down his face.


    It was all his fault, and everyone he held dear paid for it. He hugged his knees, feeling himself smaller than he had ever felt in his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he muttered, eyes closed, tears bursting out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    More images flashed in his head, though this time, it was the memories of his parents. The normal everyday life he had lost forever. His father was shouting from the field for some water, his mother was demonstrating how to preserve the dough, the three of them were eating dinner together. It was a normal life, but right now, those scenes seemed like the most valuable days he would trade anything for.


    He felt ashamed of himself. He was the one who robbed his parents of those days.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Raoul gritted his teeth, his eyes still closed. ¡°I¡¯m the one who killed you two.¡±


    Suddenly, a voice of the memories sounded in his head.


    ¡®Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too unreasonable, Raoul?¡¯ his mother said in one of the memories.


    ¡°I¡¯m a disappointment,¡± the boy murmured, shaking his head.


    ¡®Now, I don¡¯t think you need to push yourself that far, son,¡¯ his father said.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m cursed and fated to have nothing.¡± Tears streamed down his face again.


    ¡®What nonsense are you speaking, Raoul?¡¯ His mother¡¯s voice was playful.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been born¡­¡±


    ¡®Never speak like that to your mother, son.¡¯ His father¡¯s voice was stern.


    ¡°What value do I even have?¡±


    ¡®Remember, Raoul. You will always be a child I am proud of.¡¯


    ¡®Son, don¡¯t ever put yourself down.¡¯


    ¡®Raoul, don¡¯t listen to others and hold your head high.¡¯


    ¡®I know it might be hard, but you, my son, can definitely do it.¡¯


    Raoul looked up, tears never ceasing. ¡°I should just give up already¡­¡±


    ¡®We love you, Raoul.¡¯


    Alwig knew his life could last for seconds more.


    His vision blurred, but he could roughly make out the shape of his friend lying on the ground, lifeless, blood streaming out of the boy¡¯s neck. Alwig felt only mild anger, and the rest of his emotions was that of melancholy.


    The young wolf prepared himself mentally before he sent waves of green healing mana into the ground, the energy weaving through the dirt to Raoul, closing the wounds all over the boy¡¯s body.


    The soldiers and villagers were too busy celebrating to notice the injuries healing themselves, and the preparation was complete.


    Alwig closed his eyes, feeling the energy in his body, and smiled.


    It has been fun, Raoul.


    ¡®Raoul, we are proud of you.¡¯


    ¡®Raoul, don¡¯t feel so down.¡¯


    ¡®Raoul, please don¡¯t give up.¡¯


    ¡®Raoul, you are our blessing.¡¯


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say anything more,¡± Raoul said, sobbing and wiping tears off his face. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve your kindness.¡±


    New sceneries played out in his head.


    When he first hunted an animal, his parents threw a celebration where they invited neighbors to the feast.


    ¡°Why are you showing me this?¡± The boy continued sobbing, emotions conflicting in his mind as he watched the scene play out before a new memory surfaced.


    It was his first time helping his mother prepare the dough, and even if he wasted a lot of flour, he could still remember his mother¡¯s bright smile when he succeeded.


    ¡°It¡­ still doesn¡¯t change what I¡¯ve done.¡±


    This time, the memories went way back to when he could first walk as a toddler, and his father bragged about it to everyone in the village for days.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a terrible son.¡±


    Images of his parents reaching out to him came to his mind, his small hands grabbing those big and warm hands, the boy in the memory smiling.


    ¡°So why¡­¡±


    Sceneries from his birth played one by one, images flashing by. One second, he was a baby, the next he was a toddler, then a child, and finally, he saw himself laying on the ground in a vast space of white, Alwig next to him.


    ¡®You know what you have to do, right, Raoul?¡¯


    Then, the memories stopped, and a single scene lingered in his mind. His parents were smiling with tears in their eyes. Then, they waved at him for a long moment before looking at each other. They held one another¡¯s hand and entered the colorless river, disappearing into the endless flow of people.


    ¡°Mom¡­ Dad¡­¡± Raoul slowly got to his feet, wiping his face. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡±


    Suddenly, as if waiting for his resolve, green particles enveloped his body, and he felt warmth permeating his body down to its core.


    ¡°Al¡­¡± he said, looking at his hands, noticing how they were growing more transparent until finally, his body vanished from the Path.


    The first sight Raoul saw after opening his eyes was the color of pure gold.


    The luminescence gushed out of Alwig¡¯s body, the light weaving with itself into countless strands of gold, entering the boy¡¯s body one by one. He could feel life itself blooming in his body, rejuvenating what was damaged and enhancing what existed. Raoul could feel power rising in his body.


    ¡°Al!¡± The boy scrambled to his feet and rushed to his friend, holding his body. Only then did he notice that the young wolf weighed only a fraction of what he once was. Alwig had become thoroughly wrinkled, his body small and skinny, his eyes clouded.


    ¡°Raoul¡­¡± the wolf whispered, golden light still gushing out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I won¡¯t be able to hunt with you again¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± Raoul said, holding in his tears. He knew what was about to happen, and he couldn¡¯t let his friend depart while seeing that kind of face. ¡°I should be the one who is sorry. I gave you so much trouble.¡±


    Alwig laughed weakly. ¡°Although we always say that we are friends, Raoul¡­¡± he said, then he smiled, and though the smile was still unnatural, the boy thought that the expression was no different from a human¡¯s with all the emotions he displayed. ¡°I always thought of you as my brother¡­ so it¡¯s alright. We are a family, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Raoul nodded, managing to hold back his sob except for a single drop of tear trailing down his face. ¡°We are, Al,¡± he said, grabbing his paw and holding it tight. ¡°We are, Brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always¡­¡± Alwig whispered, strength slowly leaving his body, ¡°wanted¡­ a little brother¡­¡±


    The wolf¡¯s body went limp, his body motionless in Raoul¡¯s arms, golden light ceasing. Though, he heard Alwig¡¯s voice sound in his head one last time.


    ¡®Thank you for everything.¡¯

 Chapter 11: A Vow Unspoken

    ¡°Rest well, Brother.¡±


    Raoul lay Alwig¡¯s body down gently and wiped the single drop of tear off his face. He stared at the wolf¡¯s smiling expression briefly before getting up and looking around.


    Villagers and soldiers stood still, mouths agape. No one dared move.


    ¡°Please leave us alone,¡± Raoul said first, his voice calm, his eyes cold. He could feel the energy Alwig had left him with, and he felt that his body was integrating the new source of power swiftly, acquainting themselves with one another in an instant. The boy felt in control. ¡°I will not hold a grudge nor take revenge if you leave now.¡±


    All was silent.


    And the first one to break that silence was the scarred soldier.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you kid me!¡± he shouted, pointing his sword at the boy. ¡°Do you not realize the situation you are in? Do you even think you have any say in what will happen?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Who do you think you are?¡± another chimed in.


    ¡°This brat is still arrogant, I see!¡±


    ¡°The devil must perish!¡± A villager pointed his pike.


    ¡°Your evil arts can¡¯t save you!¡±


    ¡°The boy is already long gone! What is inside is the devil!¡±


    One by one, the men yelled and condemned the boy, throwing accusations and blaming him for misfortunes that had happened in the village for the past decade and more. Drought, famine, beast attacks. The villagers recalled each event that had happened since the boy was born and put him at the center of it all.


    ¡°The devil must have sent your parents! Those traitorous bastards!¡±


    Raoul snapped his head toward the villager, energy inside him growing turbulent. Frost spread under his feet and snaked through the dirt, freezing the villager from his knees down. ¡°Do not talk ill of my family,¡± the boy warned.


    The villager looked down at his legs, his expression turning blank for a second before he screamed. ¡°It burns! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!¡±


    The men around kept a distance immediately, not daring to go near the icy ground. The scarred soldier was on the other side of the circle when he yelled, ¡°Get the brat!¡± and charged forward, his peers following behind.


    Raoul whirled and channeled more energy into his feet, and this time, the ground split apart, the men falling into the fissure and struggling to get back up. The scarred soldier managed to hold onto the ground, his body dangling in the fissure.


    The boy walked forward.


    ¡°M-monster,¡± the soldier said, sweat streaming down his face.


    ¡°If that is what I have to be,¡± Raoul said, tapping his foot once, making the part of the ground the soldier was holding onto break apart, ¡°then so be it.¡±


    The scarred soldier screamed as he fell into the deepest part of the pit. The boy waited for other soldiers to get out before he closed the ground under his feet, burying the scarred soldier alive. He looked back.


    ¡°This will be your last chance,¡± Raoul said, his energy turning into a whirlwind. ¡°Get lost.¡±


    The villagers were the first to flee as they threw their makeshift weapons away, screaming as they disappeared into the forest. The soldiers were next, though they managed to hold onto their weapons as they scattered in every direction. Even the man with frozen legs was carried away after others broke off the part of ice connected to the ground.


    Only Sir Valent was left.


    They locked eyes for a moment before the highborn glanced toward the boy¡¯s parents¡¯ lifeless bodies. He strode forward, and Raoul didn¡¯t stop him.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Valent reached the corpses and knelt, putting a hand to his heart. ¡°You were good people,¡± he said with a steady voice. ¡°People who take care of others before themselves, and for that, you have earned my respect. You have also raised an incredible son you can be proud of.¡± He paused for a second. ¡°I will definitely ask for your forgiveness when I meet you.¡±


    With that, Valent stood and turned to Raoul while getting into a stance with his sword, the blade still dripping blood.


    ¡°Child, no, Raoul,¡± he said, his eyes turning emotionless. ¡°I do not wish for this outcome as well, but since I have seen your actions, I shall carry out the oath I gave to my brothers in arms.¡± He closed his eyes and breathed in, and when he opened them again, there was a newfound resolution in those eyes. ¡°For my brothers, I shall put you down.¡±


    Valent lunged forward with inhuman speed, though Raoul calmly gathered his energy and created a shield of ice in thin air, blocking the sword with a reverberating clang.


    Raoul glanced at Alwig¡¯s body for a long moment before he looked back at the soldier. ¡°I understand,¡± he said, a puff of cold air leaving his mouth. ¡°I, too, will fight for my brother.¡± An ice sword materialized in his hand, and he willed the shield away while slashing at the soldier.


    Their swords clashed, and a flurry of swings followed, neither side holding back. It was Raoul¡¯s first time handling a sword, though somehow, there was knowledge of the blade engraved into his very soul, and his body adapted as if it was second nature.


    Raoul quickened his attacks, and the soldier was slowly pushed back bit by bit, though, for some reason, there was a smile on the man¡¯s face. Each swing sent a gust into the surroundings, each clang creating a sharp sound that pierced into their ears.


    And finally, Raoul saw an opening, and he sent the soldier¡¯s sword away with one decisive slash, the blade spinning in the air before lodging into the dirt. Valent was looking at the boy with respect and resignation, and even without having to say anything, Raoul knew what the soldier wanted and what he had to do.


    Raoul drove the ice sword into Valent¡¯s chest, blood instantly seeping out of the wound and trailing down the clear ice. The soldier fell to his knees before looking up with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, blood dripping down his mouth. ¡°I simply hope that¡­ you will let those foolish brothers of mine go¡­¡±


    ¡°I meant what I said,¡± Raoul replied, sighing. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take revenge on them even if you hadn¡¯t done this.¡±


    Valent laughed. ¡°I know,¡± he said, closing his eyes. ¡°I simply hope that¡­ I could atone for their sins, even if it is a little¡­ There is no excuse for what they did, yet¡­ they are still my family¡­¡± The man coughed blood and groaned. ¡°And well¡­ I am the one responsible for your friend¡¯s¡­ your brother¡¯s death¡­ so wouldn¡¯t you say that¡­ this is killing two birds with one stone?¡±


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Raoul said, eyes unwavering. ¡°I would say that you did something useless.¡±


    Valent laughed another time, though blood wouldn¡¯t stop leaving his mouth as a result. ¡°You are someone with¡­ great power now, Raoul¡­¡± he said, light leaving his eyes. ¡°Please¡­ remember your¡­ heroic heart¡­¡±


    Finally, the soldier fell to the ground as the ice sword melted away.


    ¡°I will,¡± Raoul whispered, nodding toward Valent¡¯s body. The boy then looked at his parents and Alwig.


    He brought their bodies together and knelt next to them. He gently put his head down to the ground and paid his respect. ¡°Thank you for everything,¡± he said.


    Raoul tapped into the vast energy running in his body. A small part of him considered bringing one of them back to life with the lifeforce. Though, other parts of him, the calm and logical parts, knew that such action would bring nothing but self-justification, an act that satisfied only himself and left others with grief.


    He knew he had to live on while holding them in his heart, even if he had no family left.


    Raoul shook his head.


    No, he still had someone left, someone who cared for him like a family would one another.


    ¡°Child?¡± Agnes appeared just outside the glade. She limped toward Raoul and noticed the corpses in front of him. Her expression turned into one of pure sadness at the sight, and she came over to her son and held his cold body. ¡°My child¡­ I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be here¡­¡± She nudged him with her snout, tears dripping down her face. ¡°I love you, my child. Since I first laid eyes on you and forevermore.¡±


    Raoul watched in silence as the mother wolf continued holding her son¡¯s body.


    She remained there for a long time. The sun eventually rose and enveloped everything in a warm orange hue, shedding light onto the bodies in front of the boy, and only then did he notice that all three of them were smiling.


    Raoul gritted his teeth while feeling tears well up in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he muttered. ¡°Al¡­ He used his own life¡­ for me¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, child,¡± Agnes said, looking at the boy with eyes full of nothing but kindness. ¡°It was his choice, and I am proud of him for that.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡°


    The mother wolf got up and walked over to Raoul¡¯s parents. She looked at the boy once more before glancing back at the couple and smiling. ¡°You two have raised such a wonderful child¡­¡± she said before she bowed in her way. ¡°I will be sure to take care of him from now on. You needn¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Agnes?¡±


    The wolf smiled. ¡°You may also call me ¡®Mother¡¯ as well, but I will not force you.¡±


    Raoul gritted his teeth as he tried his best to hold in his tears, though he could no longer stop it. He ran into the mother wolf¡¯s embrace and cried his eyes out.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, child.¡± Agnes comforted him with her paws. ¡°It¡¯s alright now, Raoul, my child.¡±

 Epilogue

    ¡°I¡¯ll get going now, Agnes!¡±


    ¡°Wait for a moment, my child,¡± the mother wolf said, striding out of her cave. She approached Raoul and used mana to check the quality of the weapons on his person. His daggers and shortswords, his bow and arrows. It took a moment, but she nodded in the end. ¡°Everything is in order, though remember to be careful, child.¡±


    ¡°I will, Agnes,¡± Raoul said, smiling. ¡°Then I¡¯ll¡ª¡°


    ¡°Hold on, my child,¡± Agnes said, her mana whirling around her, and a sigil made of ice slowly appeared before Raoul¡¯s eyes. She put in the effort of applying a thick layer of mana onto the sigil to make sure it wouldn¡¯t melt.


    The sigil was an intricate emblem picturing a wolf in front of a big moon, and Raoul watched in awe, thinking how much skills were needed in order to create such an elaborate piece of art.


    ¡°Take it with you,¡± she said as the sigil landed on the boy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Raoul looked at it from every angle with curiosity.


    ¡°A good luck charm,¡± the wolf said with a smile. ¡°Who knows? Perhaps if the king sees it, he will like it so much that he will be eager to marry you with his daughter.¡±


    ¡°What kind of king is that?¡± Raoul laughed, pocketing the sigil in his pouch. ¡°Anyway, thank you for that, Ag¡ª¡°


    The wolf gave him a stern look.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± Raoul said while looking away and scratching his cheek.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    She brightened up in an instant. ¡°Farewell, my child.¡±


    He sauntered away while waving toward Agnes, the mother wolf watching him go silently. Raoul made his way down the hill and continued down the road. When he was halfway through the forest, he took a detour to a small clearing with three tombstones.


    He got down to his knees and brought out the flowers in his pack. He laid one for each of them. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to visit you guys for a while, and I probably can¡¯t stay long this time. I¡¯m sorry for that.¡± He looked at the first tombstone. ¡°Dad, I just realized how incredible you are recently since I tried growing my own crops. At first, nothing survived, and Agnes started calling me the Bane of Wheats. It was so embarrassing. I still wonder to this day how you are able to grow all those crops.¡±


    The wind rustled the leaves, and he felt calmed by the sound.


    Then, he looked at the second one. ¡°Mom, I know you would probably get angry by this, but I have been hunting more¡­ um¡­ challenging beasts lately. It¡¯s nothing dangerous, I assure you. I barely ever get a scratch on my body, really.¡± He laughed dryly, the wind howling, though somehow, he felt that it had turned into a gust instead of a breeze. ¡°And I just want to tell you that¡­ I miss the time spent with you two. Very much.¡±


    Birds were chirping, flowers were blooming, and on days like this, Raoul wanted to simply lay down and admire nature.


    Then, he moved to the third tombstone and sat comfortably instead of kneeling. ¡°Brother,¡± Raoul said with a smile, ¡°Guess what? I can already break your records in hunting! And no, I did not use mana. Are you proud of me?¡± He puffed up his chest and continued, ¡°I have to admit though. Hunting all those bigger animals was totally different from hunting rabbits. It took me a while to get used to it but look at me. There¡¯s simply nothing I can¡¯t do.¡±


    The wind came in waves as if laughing with him.


    Raoul looked up at the bright sky and sat there for a long time. He hadn¡¯t realized how much time he had spent there until he noticed the sun reaching its apex.


    ¡°I really need to go now,¡± he said, getting up.


    He headed toward the clearing¡¯s exit, though he looked back once at the three, and he thought he could see them waving him off. He smiled and looked forward, waving back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡±