Stephen woke up early in the morning. It was still dark outside but he thought of leaving the hut. The wolves are still asleep and the surroundings are also quiet. The only sound you can hear is the little whispers of crickets.
He yawns and stretches as he looks around the hut to see if Alviary is around. As he went back to the hut, he sees the same smoke that he saw yesterday. "Alviary," he subconsciously said. Then he covers his mouth, but it was too late when all of a sudden the trees start moving.
He looks around the trees and was about to go inside the hut when he sees the ethereal man again. "You called?" Alviary said. Stephen startles when he suddenly speaks. "Y-You can speak?" Stephen blurts out. "Of course, I can," Alviary said as he snickers a laugh. "How?" Stephen asks.
Then he realizes what he just said. "I-I mean, I couldn't understand you before. H-How can I understand you now?" Stephen said stuttering. Alviary chuckles and smiles at Stephen. "Oh, that," Alviary hums.
"Well, I made you understand me, so you won't have a problem understanding me since I will guide you till you arrive at Phantom Island," Alviary explains. "Plus, this is the language most of us speak," Alviary added. Stephen nods at him and smiles.
"Thank you. That will be a great help," Stephen said as he was about to say goodbye, Alviary grabs his arm and turns his face to his. Then, Alviary blows a puff of air in front of him. Stephen closes his eyes and rubs them.
The moment he opens his eyes, he is in a different place just like a change of scenery. He steps back for a second when he felt as if he bumps into something.
He turns around to see but he was met with big wolves. He was scared to death so he ducked and watches as the dogs jump over him and run away. He peaks into his surroundings and he saw one dog approaches him.
It was a caramel-colored wolf. He looks so beautiful and his eyes are magnificent. The wolf sniffs his head and grumbles to himself. He growls lowly as he backs away. Stephen doesn't know what to do so he sat down and watches as the wolf does the same. They stared for hours and hours and Stephen began to feel more scared.
Not far from the place where Stephen is, Alviary watches as he tries to tame the dog in front of him. Oh, Alviary just wishes that this could change what was about to happen to Biringan. He looks away for a second and when he looks at Stephen again, the dog is already in his lap. Alviary smiles at what he sees. 'What a good soul,' Alviary thought.
Stephen stays there petting the dog. He doesn't know what happened but the moment the dog stood up, he just opens his arms and the dog walks to him slowly. He pats the dog with care and scratches his head.
The dog lays on his lap and sleeps for a while. On the other side of this realm, Triton woke up and at his side. He was alarmed when he saw that Stephen is not by his side. He immediately went out of the hut and saw him sitting there by a big tree. He was about to touch his shoulder when Alviary stops him.
"Alviary?" he said. Alviary shushes him and asks him to sit far away from Stephen. Triton just nods and sits far away from Stephen as he worries as to what Alviary is doing to him. Alviary just swirls around the boy as he smiles and laughs on his own.
Triton was so curious as to what is he laughing about when he felt the sudden urge to protect. He never felt this kind of feeling before. He held his chest and scrunched his shirt as the sting hurts him even more.
'What the hell is this?' he thought to himself. When Alviary saw this, he sighs and snaps his finger.
Moments later, Stephen went back to the hut. The latter blinks slowly then rub his eyes. He, then realize, that he was back at the hut so he looked around and saw Triton crouching down. He yelps and tries to help the young wolf.
"Triton, what happened? Are you okay?" he asks in a panic. "M-My chest. It-It hurts," he said as he tries to use little magic to remove the pain. Stephen tries to ask him more information as Alviary watch in a pissed-off face.
'He has a good soul. But he is dumb,' he thought to himself. He sighs and whispers to Stephen, "Ask him to turn in his wolf form," he said.
Stephen looks at him and did what he was asked to do. "Triton, please try to turn in your wolf form," he whispers to Triton. Triton grimaces but complies. Triton tries standing up as he focuses on transforming into his wolf form.
He exhales a heavy sigh and groans. Alviary pulled Stepehn away from the grimacing wolf to prevent him from getting hurt. The sounds of ripping clothes and struggling breaths woke the two old men.
They rush to the source of the sounds but was stopped by Alviary and his trees. "What is happening?" Uran asks. "Shush, he is transforming," Alviary answers. As Alviary observes how much the wolf struggles to transform, he rolls his eyes and asks Stephen to place his palm on Triton's face.
Stephen is scared of getting hurt but he complies. He did promise that he will help the wolf no matter what costs. Laryo was against the idea but he has no choice but to stay quiet since Alviary is around.
Triton gritted his teeth and groans as his bones crackle forming furs and claws. He huffs but was relaxed when he felt Stephen's hand on his face. He growls lowly and grimaces as felt his body is being ripped apart.
'It hurts,' he thought. 'I haven't transformed in many years so I never got used to it,' he said to himself. Stephen's encouraging words gave him more strength to get pass-through this hurting experience.
His body is so exhausted yet he doesn't still finish transforming. The crepitating sound of his bones echoes throughout the woods giving the small animals a fright. He growls and growls in agonizing pain then finally he transformed well.
Laryo and Uran almost clap their hands as they wiped their tears away. They felt very emotional as they watch the white wolf transforming into his true form.
"Are you okay?" Stephen asks. Triton just looks at him and boop his face with his nose. The wetness of the dog's nose tickles his face so he giggles. Then, the giant dog suddenly licks his whole face leaving a bucket of saliva in his face.
Stephen wipes it off with disgust as he grumbles. "Disgusting. Never do that again," he said in between his grumbles.
The wolf just runs around in place and nods at Stephen. Knowing the wolf, Stephen prepares himself for the worst. After wiping the saliva off, the latter looks at Laryo and Uran and smiles.
He even looks at Alviary and thanked him for the advice. "You need to train more," Alviary said. "Avoid training with the wolf so he could be used of you not being around him. In case he creates chaos just because he misses you by his side," Alviary recommends.
"Talk to him first before doing training. Use bribery if he doesn't listen," he added then he vanishes. Stephen nods and went to the white wolf and gave him belly rubs. Stephen plays with the wolf for the rest of the day but before the day even ends he talks about the training and what he saw in the other realm.
"Triton, we need to talk," he said calmly as he does not want the giant dog to startle. The begrudgingly follows him and sat beside him near the hut.
"Earlier in the morning, I saw Alviary passing through the trees. As I watch him, he saw me and went to him. He even speaks to me. He said that he did something magical to make me understand your language.
He even brings me into a different realm and I saw a caramel-colored wolf there. I don't know who he is or if it is even a he but I felt sadness in his eyes so I comfort him. After that, I came back here and helped you turn into your wolf form.
Now, Alviary asks me to train without you so you would get used to me not being in here. So, you won't miss me too much, he said. Will that be okay with you?" Stephen said.
The wolf looks at him with sad eyes then nods. "I am so glad you understand. In exchange, I will do my very best to train and talk to the people of the Phantom Island, okay?" he said. The wolf nods happily and they stayed there for the rest of the day.
Stephen knows it will be hard not to know what he would expect if he goes to the island. But he will do his very best to get help for the people of Biringan.