Morning sunlight crept through the small workshop windows as Tyr sat cross-legged on the cold floor, his breathing slow and deliberate. The room was silent except for the faint hum of machines in standby mode. For once, Tyr wasn't tinkering with gadgets or studying blueprints. He was meditating.
The past week had been... strange. His body felt like it was changing, evolving. His cuts and bruises from fights that should've taken days to heal now disappeared within hours. His strength had noticeably increased—lifting heavy crates in Finn's shop felt almost effortless. It wasn't just his body, either. His telekinetic abilities had become sharper, more controlled, and for the first time, he could use them even in stressful situations.
Despite these advancements, Tyr couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more—something fundamental about his power that he hadn't yet understood. That was why he was meditating again.
His earlier attempts at meditation had been frustrating, yielding little insight. But now, with his enhanced senses and control, Tyr hoped he could finally uncover the truth about what fueled his abilities.
---
He closed his eyes, focusing inward. His breaths became steady, his mind quiet. At first, he felt only the familiar flicker of energy within him—the same force he had been using for his telekinesis. It was a gentle flow, subtle but constant, like a stream running through his veins.
But then he reached outward, and the sensation changed.
For the first time, Tyr could feel the faint traces of that energy beyond himself. It wasn't strong or overpowering, but it was there—a hum in the background, faint yet undeniable. It wasn't just his own energy he was feeling. It was the energy of everything around him.
The realization sent a shiver down his spine.
'What is this?' he thought. 'What am I tapping into?'
He focused harder, trying to understand the flow. Every living thing in the world seemed to emit this energy, this pulse of life. It connected him to the people in the city, to Finn in the shop above, even to the plants growing in the cracks of the sidewalk. The more he concentrated, the more aware he became of this web of energy.
At first, he thought it might be some form of chi manipulation—a force like the ones described in ancient Eastern philosophies. Chi was supposed to flow through every living being, granting them strength and vitality. But the more he explored the energy, the less it felt like chi.
Chi was tied to balance, discipline, and the body's natural limits. This energy wasn't bound by those rules. It wasn't tied to him in a physical way—it transcended him, flowing through him and around him at the same time. It was far greater than chi.
He considered other possibilities. Some advanced form of psionics? A mutation? A new, unnamed phenomenon?
Then he stopped.
The bear.
Tyr's eyes snapped open as the memory resurfaced. That moment in the forest when he'd stopped the bear with a simple gesture. It hadn't just frozen—it had obeyed. It was as though he had entered the creature's mind and bent it to his will.
Mind-switching. Control.
Tyr's heart raced as he put the pieces together. This wasn't just raw power or a natural phenomenon. It was something specific, something he had seen before. He had felt this kind of energy in the memories he had inherited from Theon. It had been there all along, hiding in plain sight.
"The Force," Tyr whispered, the words heavy on his tongue.
The thought seemed ridiculous at first. The Force wasn't real. It was a creation of fiction, a myth from a galaxy far, far away. And yet, everything about his power—its connection to life, its ability to move objects, even its influence over others—fit the descriptions perfectly.
He shook his head, trying to dismiss the idea, but it kept coming back.
The bear. The telekinesis. The way he could feel the energy of the world around him.
It had to be the Force.
"But... that's impossible," Tyr muttered to himself. "Isn't it?"
The more he thought about it, the less impossible it seemed. After all, TOAA had told him his powers were unique, unlike anything else in the multiverse. If anyone could wield the Force, why wouldn't it be him?
Tyr leaned back against the wall, his mind racing. If this truly was the Force, then he had a responsibility to master it. But he had no guide, no Jedi Order to train him, no holocrons to study. He was alone.
He clenched his fists, a mix of fear and determination surging through him. He couldn't afford to be afraid. The Force—if that's what it was—had chosen him, and he would use it to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.
---
That night, Tyr patrolled the city as he always did, his mind still buzzing with the revelation. The nickname "Black Wolf" had begun spreading among the criminals he hunted, and he found himself growing fond of it. The name suited him—a predator in the shadows, hunting those who preyed on the weak.
By the time he returned to Finn's shop, his body was sore but his mind was clear. He collapsed onto his cot, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in his mind.
As he drifted off to sleep, a news broadcast played faintly on the old TV in the corner.
"The so-called 'Black Wolf' struck again last night, dismantling what police are calling a major arms smuggling operation in the city's Lower East Side. Witnesses describe the vigilante as ferocious and unrelenting, leaving multiple suspects with serious injuries. Authorities are urging the public to come forward with any information on the identity of this mysterious figure..."
A small smirk crossed Tyr's lips as he listened.
"Black Wolf," he murmured. "I like that."