Somewhere in the forest, an old shaman, known as Elder Kael, stood outside of his modest hut, gazing into the velvety tapestry of the starry night. His weathered eyes held a wisdom forged by years of communing with the forces of nature, seeking solace in the celestial whispers that danced among the constellations.
Tonight, however, the air around him felt unusually charged, an intangible shift that prickled his senses. As the shaman's gaze shifted from the heavens to the dense forest ahead, a sudden gust swept through the trees, causing the leaves to rustle in an eerie symphony.
Kael's heart quickened its beat.
The forest, usually serene in the dead of night, now seemed to hold its breath. He knew this sensation all too well—the imminent awakening of the beast that haunted these woods, who caused fear in human hearts, and made legends of these sacred woods.
A solemn sigh escaped the shaman's lips as he felt the weight of responsibility settle upon his weary shoulders. He reached for his staff, an ancient relic etched with symbols of protection, and adorned himself with talismans woven from herbs and ancient incantations.
With a steely resolve, Kael stepped forward, his every footfall a deliberate echo against the hushed backdrop of nature. The moon, a radiant orb in the sky, cast eerie shadows that danced at the edge of the forest, hinting at the creature's imminent emergence.
The shaman raised his gnarled hands, calling upon the spirits of the land and the ancient magic that coursed through his veins. He murmured incantations that resonated with the very essence of the forest, seeking to calm the beast before it succumbed to its savage nature.
He knew all too well what would happen when that beast awakens, he had to murmur his incantations, to calm the beast to come, to protect him from humanity, that once took everything away from him.
A mindless beast would do no good in this new generation, either he himself or the humans won't survive, thus, leaving him to calm it down before he could cause any damage.
Elder Kael's eyes glinted with determination as he braced himself for the impending confrontation. He knew the delicate balance between man and beast rested upon his shoulders, and tonight, he would once again navigate the treacherous path between darkness and salvation.
With the wisdom of ages etched upon his weathered features, the shaman ventured deeper into the heart of the forest, where the beast awaited its awakening. The fate of the night hung in the balance, a delicate dance between the forces of nature and the primal instincts of a creature bound by the phases of the moon.
Amidst the shadows and the whispering trees, Elder Kael continued his solemn journey. His chants resonated through the forest, weaving a protective barrier against the raw ferocity of the awakened beast.
As he ventured deeper into the heart of the woods, the shaman's keen senses guided him unerringly toward the source of the disturbance. Amidst a clearing bathed in moonlight, lay the transformed beast, its once fearsome appearance now rendered human and unconscious.
With careful reverence, Kael approached the fallen creature. The savage snarl and feral eyes were replaced by the serene countenance of a man in repose. The shaman recognized the duality of this being—the struggle between the human soul and the primal, untamed essence that had overtaken it.
He bent on his knees as he took a closer look at the man he once knew as a beast.
As he laid there, unconscious, he looked too harmless, just like any other human, his complexion was pale, his eyes shut closed, wirh one of them bearing a scar, starting from his upper side of his brow, cutting through his left brow, til below his left eye.
He traced the scar with his bare fingers and he felt the beast's pain it went through when he experienced this.
"It might have happened long back, but the scars are still fresh.....tsk tsk tsk"
He tsk as he stared at him, he looked young, he was young from the moments he knew him, but years has passed, so many years, yet he still looked the same.
A young man, aged 21, with a disturbing past, and a heavy burden of the creature of the night, reawakened after thousands of years.
With gentle hands guided by ancient knowledge, Kael lifted the beast's unconscious human form, cradling it in his arms. He could feel the residual warmth of the transformative magic slowly ebbing away, allowing the man's humanity to resurface.
Bearing the weight of both man and beast, the shaman retraced his steps, navigating the labyrinth of trees and moonlit paths back to his humble abode. The faint glow of hearthfire beckoned from his hut, a haven amidst the enigmatic wilderness.
Arriving at the threshold, Kael carefully laid the transformed figure upon a bed of furs, surrounded by protective talismans and imbued with the soothing energies of the forest. The tranquil aura of the shaman's sanctuary embraced both healer and beast, offering solace and respite from the night's turmoil.
Elder Kael tended to the man's wounds, invoking ancient healing rituals to soothe the residual effects of the transformation. With each tender gesture, the ferocity of the werewolf's essence gradually receded, revealing the fragile humanity beneath.
As the night wore on, the man stirred, his onr eye fluttering open, while the other, left shut, to meet the gaze of the shaman who had bridged the gap between two worlds.
The man blinked, his gaze slowly adjusting to the soft light of the shaman's hut. Confusion clouded his features as he tried to piece together the fragments of his memories, disjointed by the passage of time.
Elder Kael regarded him with a knowing gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the man's bewilderment. "Rest easy, You've been granted a reprieve from the grasp of the primal forces that dwell within these woods."
The man struggled to sit up, his movements tentative as though relearning the nuances of his own body. "Who... who are you?" His voice, tinged with uncertainty, echoed within the tranquil confines of the hut.
"I am Kael, a humble servant of nature's rhythms and the keeper of ancient wisdom," the shaman replied, a gentle warmth infusing his words. "You have been asleep for a long time, ensnared by the cycle of the werewolf's curse that has haunted these lands."
With the mention of the werewolf, memories flushed in his mind, as if a dam being broken.
He recalled, all that happened to him, all these humans did to him.
They murdered him, even after all everything that he did for them, they still murdered him, calling him a beast, a beast of the darkness, who deserved nothing but death, so that they could live in peace and not in fear.
These memories were like a sharp knife piercing through his flesh, the swords, spears and folks that pierce his body, left a scar in his mind and soul.
After a thousand of years he might have healed from them, but the pain was still there, freshly stored in his mind, and it's all because of that human.
But wait, exactly how long has he been asleep, or better yet...dead?
A flicker of recognition crossed the man's face, mingled with a profound sense of loss. "How long has it been since....."
His heart ached with what he wanted to say, but kael took the words out of his mouth
"You died?"
His heart skipped a beat, hearing the word awaken something in him that he was never familiar with....fear.
"1300 years, eight months, and 28 days.... you've been gone for that long" kael answered cryptically, his eyes reflecting the weight of the man's burden.
Hearing it with his own ears he couldnt believe it, he slept for quite a long time he admitted, 1300 years, 8 months and 28 days.... how much time he lost, how much changes he must have missed?
"But fear not, you were given a secind chance by the great one, use it wisely"
The man's gaze fell upon his own hands, now free from the primal claws that had defined his existence for centuries. Emotions wrestled within him—a tumultuous mix of gratitude and a lingering fear of the unknown.
"Why did you help me?" The man's voice wavered, touched by an undercurrent of disbelief.
The shaman's weathered face softened with empathy. "All beings, no matter their struggles or afflictions, deserve a chance at redemption. The forest whispered of your turmoil, and I heeded its call to bring balance to your restless soul."
Silence enveloped the sanctum, carrying the weight of unspoken gratitude and uncharted paths ahead.
The shaman turned and looked at the man, again. He had young facial features, but he was way older than he was. Regardless of the time he was asleep, he still lived way back before that.
But though he was older, he still felt like he should educate him of the changes that happened in the world, while he was gone.
And he wasted no time.....