《FIRST BONE》 THE SAGA BEGINS THE SAGA BEGINS The sign at the entrance was on the verge of falling, bearing a wolf emblem. Dead bodies lay scattered throughout the front courtyard. They looked like ordinary human beings, except for their fangs and elongated nails resembling those of wolves. A man, appearing to be in his late thirties, stood before a painting no smaller than a door. The artwork depicted a wolf stood in front of a Witch. As he gazed at the painting, an old man rushed in, clearly distressed. ¡°Master, the enemy is about to reach the mansion! All of your personal guards are dead, and their bodies are lying in the courtyard.¡± Despite the urgency in the old man¡¯s voice, the man did not seem to react at all. He continued to stare at the painting as if it were his only priority at that moment. The old man¡¯s face was etched with worry as he implored him. ¡°Master, please! I beg you. You must escape! I¡¯ll distract the enemies with the remaining forces.¡± But the man remained unresponsive, lost in his own thoughts, oblivious to the old man''s presence. He began to speak to himself. ¡°They said he was special. He was practically a god. He was the one to unite all of us.¡± The old man interrupted, lowering his head. ¡°What are you saying, Master? You are our King. The enemy is at the door, and you need to escape and survive. You must.¡± The old man was cut off again by the man. ¡°I wondered how he did that when all of the tribes were at each other''s throats and the Vampire tribe was hunting us.¡± The old man pressed on, trying to convince him once more. ¡°Please, Master, I beg you to escape. You are our people¡¯s only hope. Without you, all of the tribes will be at war. Only you can bring peace.¡± ¡°Peace? What have I achieved while being a king? The enemies are at my door, and most of my closest allies are dead. I have achieved nothing, old man.¡± The man replied, turning his head toward the pleading old man. The old man looked up and said, ¡°You united us, master. We enjoyed peace for nearly 300 years. All of this happened because of you. If only we hadn¡¯t been betrayed or trusted them in the first place.¡± The man gazed at the old man, stepping forward two paces and pointing at the painting. ¡°I tried everything to be like him. I fought bravely, uniting others. But in the end, I failed.¡± ¡°There¡¯s still a chance you can do that again. Please, escape,¡± the old man begged. But the man was resolute in his decision. ¡°I will not run from my enemies. I¡¯ll face them head-on. Bring out my sword; it¡¯s time I teach them their place.¡± The old man spoke again. ¡°The war is already lost, Master. The enemies are at the main gate. If you don¡¯t run now, we¡¯ll lose our king.¡± Nearly a hundred people approached the burning mansion, all dressed in black hoodies. Only a few of them wielded swords. Inside the mansion, the man asked the old man. ¡°Bring out my sword, old man. It¡¯s an order. It may be my last war.¡± ¡°Master!!¡± This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The old man looked into the man¡¯s eyes, realizing there was no stopping him. Suddenly, the sound of someone falling and rolling on the floor broke the silence. Both men turned to see a four or five-year-old wolf child, complete with wolf ears and claws, sprawled on the ground. A mysterious figure stood nearby, making it seem as if they had thrown the child to the floor. ¡°Did the intruder run off after killing everyone in the mansion?¡± The man inquired of the suddenly appeared mysterious figure. ¡°They escaped with their prisoner before I reached the prison chamber. Their scent was still fresh. They''ll likely meet up with the main force outside the mansion,¡± The mysterious figure reported regarding the child. ¡°They only left this little pup behind, half dead. He''s one of them. I had no idea what to do, so I brought him here.¡± The old man looked at the kid and said, ¡°If they leave one of their kind, then he must be an anomaly.¡± He stepped forward, grabbing the kid by the neck, lifting him up like a small pup, and pulling him closer. The kid was bleeding from his forehead, but His eyes burned with fury as he fixed his gaze on the man. ¡°Tell me, kid. How do I kill you? You are one of them. You are my enemy, and there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let you go.¡± The old man appeared shocked, while the mysterious man remained unfazed. ¡°Master, there¡¯s no time. The enemies are already gathered outside the mansion. You should¡ª¡± The old man was cut off by the kid''s words. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you kill me, but don¡¯t call me one of them.¡± The man replied, ¡°Interesting. Any last words before I snap your neck? Perhaps I should leave you here half dead. You¡¯re dead anyway¡ªeither by your own kind or from bleeding to death.¡± The kid fiercely replied, The man replied, ¡°How many times do I have to tell you they are not my kind? I¡¯ll kill every one of them.¡± The kid¡¯s eyes shone, and the man laughed heartily. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Ha ha! Old man, I hereby name this kid my successor.¡± The old man was in shock, left frozen in place. ¡°But master, it is not the time to discuss these matters. I am sure we will find someone of royal blood.¡± The man placed the kid on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s an order, old man¡ªno, Uncle Bren. Raise this kid to be my successor. Escape with him, Uncle.¡± The old man seemed convinced somehow and walked toward the kid. ¡°Is this another one of your gambles, King Jacaerys?¡± the mysterious man asked, tossing a sword toward the King. ¡°It¡¯s a gamble whose outcome I won¡¯t live to see. The last gamble of my life.¡± The old man carried the child on his back as he approached the mysterious figure. ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t grown weak from sitting on the throne.¡± The mysterious man glanced at the old man, who was carrying the child, and added, ¡°Follow my scent if you can¡¯t find the hidden passage. I came through it. With all the enemies gathered outside, you shouldn''t encounter any. Stay safe, Uncle Bren.¡± The old man, known as Uncle Bren, nodded and left the room. ¡°You should have run while you had the chance. But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Xyrus.¡±¡± The king unsheathes his sword and begins to move. The mysterious man also advances in the same direction as the king. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a while since I tasted werewolf blood. Today, I¡¯ll have a feast.¡± His claws are growing slightly larger. Outside, a figure with a sword signals by waving it toward the mansion. ¡°Attack!¡± All the forces then rush into the mansion to launch their assault. HOMECOMING HOMECOMING A young boy and an old man were paying their respects at a cemetery. The sky was clear, but there was no sunlight, as it was early morning, with clouds obscuring the sun. The boy wore black jeans and a black jacket, with a white T-shirt underneath. He looked up at the sky and then bowed his head again. ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t skip his death anniversary. You didn¡¯t show up for the last few either,¡± The old man said, gazing at the name inscribed on the grave: ¡°King Jacaerys.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for the anniversary, Grandpa. It¡¯s just a coincidence, nothing more,¡± The boy replied, placing his hand in his jacket pocket. The old man looked surprised. ¡°So what brings you here on your father¡¯s anniversary, Liam? He would have been so happy to see this rebellious side of yours if he were still alive,¡± The man remarked with a slight smile. Liam looked annoyed. ¡°It¡¯s not like he was my real father or anything. He just found me before his final battle.¡± ¡°But he named you his successor, didn¡¯t he? He saw something in your eyes. Maybe you reminded him of his past self.¡± The old man seemed to enjoy Liam¡¯s annoyed expression. Liam responded as he stood there, ¡°Stop making things up, Grandpa. I was there too. He just went insane before his death.¡± ¡°Well, even though you and he weren¡¯t related by blood, he was just like you back then¡ªalways annoyed and living by his own rules,¡± the old man said as he started moving toward the castle. ¡°Again, stop making things up, Grandpa. I¡¯m here for other reasons anyway,¡± Liam replied, starting to move as well. The old man almost caught up to him. ¡°So what brings you here? Is it a girl, or do you want to go on another trip to Himalaya to enjoy the mountains?¡± Liam replied with a sigh. ¡°Not any of them. I want to go to Maplewood High School. The Art and Language programs there are excellent. They recently won an international award for best painting.¡± The old man interrupted, ¡°No. I won¡¯t allow you to go there.¡± Liam looked at him with surprised eyes. ¡°You never had a problem with my education until now. You even allowed me to go to the Himalayas.¡± The uncle replied with a straight face, ¡°I don¡¯t have an issue with you going to any school. I have a problem with where that school is located.¡± Liam¡¯s tone shifted suddenly. ¡°Please, Grandpa. You know people. They don¡¯t take admissions in the last year, but you have connections. If you could just pull a few strings¡­¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The old man laughed and said, ¡°Just like him, you change your tone when you need something. Where has your attitude gone now?¡± Liam attempted to convince him further. ¡°You always look out for me anyway. What could possibly happen?¡± The old man''s face turned serious. ¡°I¡¯m not worried for nothing. That place belongs to that damn witch¡¯s territory. If she finds out you¡¯re the real successor, she will tear you apart. "Although no one has seen her in the past hundred years." Liam tried to convince him again. ¡°Look, nobody has seen her in 100 years. She might be dead, too. It¡¯s not like she can sense me from her grave. Even if she is alive, it¡¯s not as if she would come out into the human world to check if some young wolf invaded her territory.¡± The old man looked at Liam and said, ¡°Well, rumor has it she had a daughter, and she¡¯s in college. If you run into her, she could alert her mother.¡± Liam interrupted by glancing at the old man¡¯s face. "If the Witch is still alive, it¡¯s only a year, Grandpa. I promise I won¡¯t fight anyone. After a year, I¡¯ll turn 18, and I¡¯ll have to start taking my responsibilities as King.¡± ¡°I thought you hated being a king. You really are stubborn,¡± The old man replied as they reached the mansion. ¡°Why do I have a bad feeling about this? Remember, I¡¯m doing this so you don¡¯t do anything reckless,¡± Liam said, a smile playing on his lips. ¡°I promise no fights, no meddling with other tribes, and no contact with those vampires,¡± The old man responded. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ring that should control your blood scent. And remember; don¡¯t mingle with that Witch¡¯s daughter. If you sense any danger, call me.¡± Liam grinned and playfully grabbed the old man¡¯s arm. ¡°Who knows, I might make that Witch¡¯s daughter fall in love with me.¡± The old man looked at Liam, who then gave him a side hug, saying, ¡°I¡¯m kidding, Grandpa. Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± A soccer match was underway on the field, with a signboard nearby engraved with ¡°Maplewood High School.¡± Four girls were seated in the gallery, enjoying the game. One of them, a blonde, was positioned at the center, flanked by two girls with black hair on either side, while a girl with red hair sat in front of her. ¡°Who do you think will win, Margaret?¡± The red-haired girl asked the girl in the center. Two players from opposing teams collided over the ball; they were tall, white, and handsome. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Tyler from Team Red since he has the stamina to keep up. He¡¯s the lone warrior of the team,¡± Margaret replied casually. The girl with red hair looked at her. ¡°But Ryan¡¯s team is working together like a pack of wolves to counter Tyler¡¯s brute strength.¡± Margaret continued watching the match and responded, ¡°Whatever happens, I just hate wolves. Plus, I think Tyler is kinda hot.¡± She smiled as she focused on the game. In that moment, the blue team leader clashed with Tyler. ¡°Who knows? The hottest boy in the college might just be wandering around while we¡¯re busy watching this practice match because Margaret thinks Tyler is hot,¡± The girl on the right remarked. The girl on the left replied while still watching the game, ¡°After all, she is our princess. I think I might just faint from watching these hot guys sweat.¡± ¡°And finally, I am here!¡± Margaret suddenly felt a breeze and turned around. Liam was standing at the entrance of Maplewood High School with a school bag in hand, wearing blue jeans and a black shirt, and with a smile on his face. FIRST COUNTER PART ONE FIRST COUNTER PART ONE The academy was as busy as ever. All the students were engrossed in studying, playing, or chatting with their friends. The campus consisted of three modern buildings surrounded by trees and green fields. The playing ground was on the left side of the pathway leading to the administrative building and was clearly visible. The gallery wrapped around the other side of the playing ground, encircling the field. Liam ran toward the fencing that marked the boundary to watch the boys play. He smiled to himself and then turned to walk along the pathway to enter the administrative building. Once inside, he noticed all the students were focused on their own activities. He stopped a guy walking past and asked, "Hey, can you please tell me where the principal¡¯s office is? This is my first time here." ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just go right, and then look to your left. You¡¯ll see ¡®Principal¡¯s Office¡¯ written on the board,¡± the guy replied politely before continuing on his way. Liam thanked him and headed in the direction he had indicated. ¡°Thank you, friend,¡± he said. A man who appeared to be in his fifties was sitting and reading a newspaper. Across the table, Liam was seated, glancing around the room. The word "Principal" was engraved on a wooden plaque on the table. The room featured two wooden armoires displaying trophies, and a few photos of students holding trophies and medals adorned the walls. The Principal finished reading his paper and looked up with a sigh. Liam, noticing, stopped his wandering gaze and sat up straight, trying to appear polite. ¡°So, Mr. Liam, were there any inconveniences during your trip? I hope you didn''t encounter any trouble finding this academy,¡± he inquired. Liam smiled and responded politely while still keeping his bag on his back. ¡°No, Sir, not at all. The people from the towns are very friendly and helped me get here easily.¡± ¡°That''s great to hear. I''ve known your grandpa Sam for a long time. When he called me the other day, I was surprised! Usually, we don¡¯t take enrollments this time of year, but you are a special case,¡± The Principal explained. ¡°Thank you for accepting me into the academy, Sir. Grandpa sent his regards,¡± Liam replied while lowering his head slightly. "The Principal commented while smiling warmly, ¡°He is a very generous person, your grandpa.¡± Liam smiled in response but said nothing, doing his best to sit as politely as possible. The principal continued, ¡°So let me welcome to Maplewood High School. Our soccer team will be thrilled to have such a strong young talent like you.¡± He flashed a smile. Liam however looked confused. ¡°But sir, I applied for Arts and History. I left soccer years ago when I was in middle school.¡± The principal appeared taken aback. ¡°Ahem. But with that impressive physique of yours, I¡¯m sure you could take on a guy or two easily.¡± ¡°No sir. Grandpa strictly prohibited me from fighting. That was the only condition he agreed to let me study here.¡± The principal seemed to reconsider and sighed, ¡°I was so excited about your arrival that I didn¡¯t even check your enrollment form. But you needn¡¯t worry about your grandpa while I¡¯m here. Follow your heart.¡± ¡°But sir, I am genuinely here to study Arts and History.¡± Liam insisted politely. The principal removed his glasses and said, ¡°Alright then, Mr. Liam. You can start tomorrow. Please collect your schedule from the administrative office.¡± Liam stood up and lowered his head slightly once more. ¡°Thank you again, sir, for accepting me.¡± ¡°Enjoy your time here, Mr. Liam,¡± The principal replied, holding his glasses in his hand. Liam nodded and left the room. As soon as he was out of the room, Liam appeared very uncomfortable. He closed the door, began to shake, and pressed his hand against his lower stomach. He muttered to himself, ¡°Damn. I need to find a bathroom. Where is it?¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He looked around while pressing his lower stomach. Spotting the previous guy ahead of him, he dashed toward them while still holding his lower stomach in an inclined manner. He asked, ¡°Hey, hey, you again. Could you please tell me where the bathroom is?¡± The guy looked at Liam''s face and replied politely, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you again. Did you find the principal''s room?¡± Liam appeared desperate but managed to respond, ¡°Yes, but thanks. Now, please tell me where the bathroom is. I really can¡¯t hold it anymore.¡± ¡°Go straight to this direction and turn left. You will see Man¡¯s locker room. Bathroom is there¡± Liam didn¡¯t let him finish his sentence as he ran towards the bathroom. He didn¡¯t look back. The guy seemed little surprised but he didn¡¯t stood there. Liam entered and locker room. He went straight to the bathroom and Looked so relaxed. He was looking up ward to the ceiling while he sound voice ¡°Click!!!¡± Liam didn¡¯t pay attention until a few seconds later when he heard a girl¡¯s voice. He finished his job and approached the door, only to discover it was locked from the outside. He tried to open it but was unsuccessful. Then, he heard a boy''s voice. Placing his ear against the door while holding the lock with one hand, he listened intently. Outside the bathroom, in the locker room, Margaret and Tyler were locked in each other¡¯s gaze. Tyler leaned against the wall, while Margaret¡¯s face was just a step away from his. Here¡¯s a revised version of the line without altering the content: ¡°Margaret smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re bold, Tyler."Taking me to the boys¡¯ locker room.¡± Tyler took a deep breath while gazing at Margaret¡¯s face. ¡°I thought you wanted us to be alone. You were watching me the whole time I was playing.¡± Margaret remained expressionless as she pushed Tyler¡¯s arm with her bare hand, causing his back to hit the wall of the room. Concerned, Tyler didn¡¯t smile or show any expression. ¡°What if somebody catches us? I would be ashamed.¡± She grabbed Tyler¡¯s arm and pushed him further, leaving him no space to step back. Tyler appeared anxious and began to breathe heavily, with Margaret¡¯s face only inches from his. ¡°I asked everyone not to come to this room. And everyone listens to me. So nobody will know.¡± Tyler''s voice shook heavily. Margaret glanced at his face and said, ¡°Is that so, Tyler? So now everyone knows we are here alone. Trying to be brave and cool, huh?¡± Tyler appeared even more terrified as Margaret stepped closer to him. Margaret''s face was so close to Tyler''s that she could feel his breathing. She examined his face closely while keeping her hand on his arm, maintaining a few inches of distance to ensure her body wouldn''t touch Tyler. ¡°I I IIII ammm sorry¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Margaret interrupted while looking straight at Tyler¡¯s face. "Shiiii. Shut up. Even if we didn¡¯t do anything bad here, people will still think of me as s**t. What are you gonna do about it, Tyler?" Tyler began to sweat, rendered speechless. Meanwhile, Liam listened to their conversation while scanning for an escape route. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a large hole in the ceiling. A smile crossed his face as he muttered, "Look like there''s a way out. I could break the door, but that would attract too much attention." Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose. ¡°The scent of the trees is coming from that direction. I should be able to sneak out.¡± Liam wasted no time; he placed his feet on the door lock and jumped upward to reach the hole. With little space to maneuver, he could barely lean against the ceiling. Liam began to move forward, using his hands like a snake. Tyler was sweating and terrified; he couldn¡¯t grasp what was happening in that moment. Margaret moved closer to Tyler and said, ¡°Since people will think of me badly, I might as well do it too. Remove your t-shirt, Tyler.¡± Margaret smiled, leaving Tyler in shock. He responded, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said remove your t-shirt.¡± ¡°But you said ¡­¡± Tyler felt a mix of fear and confusion. Margaret ignored his hesitation and simply continued to look at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a hot shot these days? Isn¡¯t that why you brought me here?¡± Liam started to move slowly, like a snake, without making a sound. He could hear their voices clearly. ¡°You wanted to show me how impressive you are. So show me, Tyler, what you¡¯ve got.¡± Margaret appeared more annoyed than angry, looking at Tyler''s face as if mocking him. Tyler seemed traumatized, not realizing how close Margaret¡¯s lips were to his. He was breathing heavily, and Margaret could feel it too. Liam moved swiftly, remaining silent as he crossed halfway across the room. Suddenly, he heard a cracking sound and glanced at the ceiling. Margaret¡¯s eyes taunted Tyler, making him feel like nothing more than an insect to her. While she stared at him, she heard a noise. ¡°Dhoomm!!!¡± "She released Tyler¡¯s arm and looked around. Liam fell from the ceiling onto the floor. Debris from the ceiling was scattered around him as he checked his body while lying on the ground. Liam shouted, ¡°My back!!!¡± Margaret and Tyler rushed to Liam, both surprised. He was still on the ground with a painful expression. ¡°Hi, guys!!!¡± Liam said with a smile.