For the next few days, Dom and Dae begin their knight-ship under their respective sub-divisions, which, for the moment, consisted of training drills and chill social gatherings.
And even though it was actually a fun and fulfilling experience, Dom still has his hopes set on his own personal sub-division request as well as meeting Anthony after so long.
By the fourth day, Jasper greets some knights on his way into the division's massive gym where he finds Dom and Dae working out.
Once Dom sees the folder in Jasper's hand, he grins.
A moment later…
The three figures find themselves comfy looking lounge in the corner of the gym.
"Seriously?" Dae asked from his position on the couch.
Jasper nods from the chair just opposite him. "We have Tony and the Commander's approval. We thought it would be hard to get the Council on our side... but they surprisingly agreed to it." He gives Dom a smirk. "Looks like you'll get your squad after all."
Dom, seated beside Dae, folds his arms with a wide grin on his face whih he throws in Dae's direction. "I win." He said and Dae clicks his tongue in frustration.
"Hold your horses, kid. There's a catch." Jasper said as he holds up the folder.
"I knew it was too good to be true." Dae mumbled as he takes the folder and opens it with Dom peering at its contents from the side.
"What's this?" Dom asked, his eyes scanning the different images and writings.
"The Lupus Job." Jasper said as he takes out his cigar and blows some smoke in their direction.
"A village on the border between our country and the Milo Kingdom lives just outside a forest controlled by Class C mana wolves. They usually stay in the forest and only attack trespassers but they occasionally attack the town itself."
Dae's brow raises as he sees something catches his attention in the reports. "It says here that over 20 soldiers have died for this mission in the course of two months." He said.
"Seriously?" Dom asked as he looks closer, confirming Dae's words.
"Yeah." Jasper sighed as he runs a hand through his hair. "The first army squad they sent went totally MIA. After waiting 2 weeks, another team was deployed this time with 10 B class soldiers and a few A class"
Dae flips the report over and his eyes widen at a dark beastly sketch dominating the page.
"The only survivor reported that the wolves were led by a powerful humanoid-wolf." Jasper said before pointing at Dom. "Your job is to capture this alpha for research . The army will handle the other wolves."
Dom narrows his eyes at the sketch of the monster in question.
"Since it was able to beat them, doesn't that make this an A class job?" Dae asked, his expression curious.
Jasper's expression hardens. "Not only that… For it to completely decimate three top A class soldiers, it's possible that it's already an S class job."
Dae leans into the couch with a heavy sigh. "That's two classes above ours." He grumbled with a glance thwon at Dom who remains silent as he takes the reports from Dae to look at. "Isn't the Council are being a bit unfair?"
Jasper shrugs. "To be faur, a Captain should at least be an A class. If Dominic beats it, he'll make the cut. I heard it's not the first time you've fought an A class beast." Jasper commented with a smirk that makes Dom grin with pride.
"Why just Dom?" Dae asked.
Jasper takes his cigar out and taps the ashes into the overflowing ash tray on the centre table.
"This mission…" Jasper said. "… was already assigned to the seventh division before Dominic's request came in." He points the half finished cigar at Dom. "He wants the approval so he has to show that his squad is worth the effort. And since he's the only member right now-"
"Actually…" Dom said with a smirk thrown in Dae's direction.
Dae notices Dom's smile and sighs heavily. "Due to certain conditions… I have already agreed to be his…Vice-Captain." He said the last part with visible disappointment.
Jasper looks between the two of them before leaning into his chair with the cigar back in his mouth. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised with how close you two are."
Dom nods, his grin still wide while Dae rolls his eyes with an exasperated sigh.
"For the record.." Jasper said as he folds his arms, his expression now dead serious. "Roy and I are completely against it."
Dom's smile fades once he sees how serious Jasper stared at him.
"This job just smells like trouble. The Council say that they're testing you but they're actually just messing with you." He points at them. "I get that you really want this but I seriously recommend giving up and waiting for a better chance."
"I completely agree, Mr Garfield." Dae said with a stern nod before sighing. "But after spending three years with him, I already know what this muscle-brained idiot will say."
As if on cue,Dom tosses the folder on the table, spilling some of its contents out, including the terrifying image of the beast.
"We just have to hunt this thing, right?" Dom said as he stares at sketch with a confident grin on his face. "That was easier than I thought."
Dae slaps his forehead with a loud smack.
Jasper suddenly bursts into laughter. "The boss said to expect a response like that from you… Seriously. How screwed up in the head, are you?" Once Jasper ends his laugh, he gives Dom a cunning smirk. "You're taking the job, right?"
Dom picks up the beast sketch. "I get to save people from a monster wolf and get my own squad, right?" He suddenly crushes the paper, his smile reflecting his confidence. "There's no reason for me to say no."
One long trip later…
Lupus, a vilage that lies in an isolated region of the South-Land. A humble yet fruitful land bounded on one side by the mountains forming the eastern boundary of the kingdom and its fruitful vast forest on its west side.
Being such a small place, there is no activity or individual no one didn't know within the village walls… until the villagers watch as two strangers bearing the magic knights uniform walk through the village on horseback in the morning.
Dae sighs heavily. "I can't believe we're really doing this." He said, his expression completely depressed, unlike Dom' bright grin as he rides beside him.
Riding beside him, Dom speaks with a bright grin on his face. "It's been 4 days already. Stop complaining."
Dae rolls his eyes as they take a turn, earning some more stares from bystanders. As Dae momentarily moves to the front, Dom's gaze falls on the two katanas strapped to his back.
Unlike the ones Dae uses in training, Dom recognizes these particular blades to be the ones Dae tends to everynight with extreme care.
"Hey." Dom said as he tugs on his reins, guiding his horse to walk beside Dae again. "I wanted to ask. Those swords… are they…"
Dae's grip tightens on his reins. "They… they belonged to my father and grandfather."
Dom looks at the swords again, noting their uniquely designed sheathes which both bear the bold initials, RS. "So that's why you treat them differently."
Dae nods, a bitter-sweet smile forming on his lips as he reaches for one of them. "It's one of the few things I have left to remember them."
Dom smiles but then frowns as he suddenly stops his horse.
Dae stops and turns, his expression curious as Dom looks around.
"Hey. Is it just me…" Dom mumbled as he turns to the side where a small group of villagers stare at them. "… or does it look like they hate us?"
Dae notices it too. Every single villager from the oldest to the youngest all seem to hold an obviously hostile look on their faces. Their eyes tracking their movements while they whisper to each other.
Dae narrows his eyes at Dom. "What did you do?" He asked.
Dom raises a brow. "How is this my fault?"
"Because you always find a way to get us in trouble." Dae responded with a sceptic look on his face.
Before Dom could come up with a retort, a boy runs up to them.
"Go away!" The furious boy shouted.
Dom glances at Dae who gives him a cocky smirk.
"Just go! Leave our hero alone, you stupid soldiers!" The boy added, his tiny fists trembling with emotion.
Dom's eyes widen just as a woman quickly appears to drag the boy away while shouting into his ear.
"Hero?" Dae asked, his brow raised in curiosity just as an elderly man walks up to them.
"You two must be the knights sent from the Capital. I'm Lupus' Chief." The man said with a bow.
"Nice to meet you." Dom said as he and Dae dismounts. "I'm Dominic and this is Dae."
Dae nods respectfully and the man shakes both their hands.
"Well then, Mr Dominic and Mr Dae. Let's discuss this in my office." He gestures in a direction and they follow with their horses in tow.
As they move, Dae glances at Dom who stares at the boy from earlier still giving him a hateful look from the sideline despite the scolding his mother is currently giving him.
A short moment later… the weary horses are grazing at a stable located just outside the Chief's home which is one of the few biggest buildings in the entire village… even though its size is that of an average home in the Royal Capital.
Inside the Chief's office, a middle-aged woman pours some hot tea into the cup in front of Dom seated in a chair.
"Thanks." Dom said with a smile.
The woman nods politely and moves aside, giving Dom a view of the Chief seated across the table.
"So…" The Chief said as the woman pours some tea for Dae. "…You're also here to hunt the wolves."
"Actually…" Dom said as he picks up his cup. "… we're only here to catch their alpha. The army will deal with the wolves."
That stement makes the Chief flinch while the woman suddenly spills Dae's cup, staining his pants with the hot liquid.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The woman kept mumbling as she tries to clean it while Dae politely forgiving her.
Dom narrows his eyes at them before looking back at the Chief who now has a conflicted look on his face. "You okay, Chief?" He asked.
The Chief already wondering mind returns to find Dom giving him an attentive stare.
"Is there a problem?" Dae asked, his expression just as curious.
The Chief spares a glance with the woman who frowns at him.
With a sudden determined nod, he stands and bows his head to the young mages.
"I know this must sound selfish… maybe even impossible… but can you please consider aborting this mission?"
Dom furrows his brows, confused.
Dae narrows his eyes. "Does this have to do this hero we heard?" He asked.
The Chief nods.
"Care to explain it to us?" Dae added.
The Chief glances at the woman who nods in understanding and leaves the room while he retakes his seat.
Dom takes a sip of his tea while Dae folds his arms as they wait for the Chief to collect his thoughts…
A moment later, he speaks again, his expression serious yet sincere.
"As I'm sure that you're informed, the forest west of here is basically ruled by those wolves. It especially makes hunting and scavenging hard for us. A lot of our hunters have been killed over decades in their territory."
He smiles a little. "But despite the inconvenience, we've accepted it as a part of nature. We got to know their patterns, their routes… found a way to share resources. To co-exist…" His smile quickly fades away as a bitter memory crosses his mind.
"That is…until about 6 years ago."
The Chief pauses briefly, leaving a touch of tension into the air with the silence only broken by Dom's tea sips. Dae gives Dom a glare, but Dom is too engrossed in the Chief's tale to acknowledge it.
"Our town was attacked by mana wolves that were completely different from the ones we knew. We suspected that they migrated here or that they were forced out of their old home."
"So, they tried to turn your village into their new home." Dae said.
The Chief nods. "Our defenses and soldiers were powerless against them. Within minutes, the village was completely overrun…" He tightens his fists as the scene replays in his mind. "But then…" A hopeful smile covers his face again. "… our wolves showed up… led by a wolf we've never seen before."
Dae narrows his eyes. "The Alpha." He mumbled.
"We've heard rumors from surviving hunters about this alpha which appeared a few years prior to the incident but it was our first time seeing it ourselves."
The Chief leans back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling in memory. "At first… we were terrified that it was going to kill us before the invaders did… but not only did it pay no interest in us, it killed the invaders for us and just… went back into the forest."
Dom smiles. "Cool."
"Strange." Dae said as he rubs his chin in thought.
"Since that day, the people saw that beast as guardian… myself included." The Chief turns his head and the two follow his eyes to the small statue on the shelf behind, its beautifully sculpted design a clear image of the beast they saw in their reports.
"Since we're not under the direct control of the Capital, we had to rely on ourselves for survival." The Chief's expression hardens as he stares at the statue. "When we were almost destroyed, it was the Alpha that saved us, not the Capital."
Dom frowns as he sets his empty cup down. "That explains the hate stares we keep getting." He said.
The Chief frowns. "Every single one of us, adore and respect the Alpha. There are some citizens who go as far as calling the Alpha, their god. They actually worship it and leave offerings at an altar someone created in the forest."
Dom hums, his expression now conflicted.
"None of this was in the report we got." Dae said with a serious look in his eyes.
"I'm honestly not surprised." The Chief said with a hand on his forehead. "We never put in the request for help but the first group just showed up anyway."
"Seriously? They made it sound like the wolves were attacking you guys."
"Lies." The Chief grumbled as he suddenly slams his fist into the table, rattling its contents. "I don't know why they're so focused on us now after all those years of neglect. They even tried to buy off the village and told us to evacuate within the week."
Dom's eyes widen. "This definitely wasn't in the report."
Dae nods, his expression just a perplexed.
"They refused to give us the reason… but for us to leave this land that our ancestors left for us. Neither my people nor I could agree to it." The Chief shakes his head. "I tried to them our story but they never listened. After the first team never returned, the second came and it was the same ting all over again"
Dae sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "And now they sent us."
"To be honest with you two...…" A warm smile fills the Chief's face again. "I was glad the first two teams. It felt as if God was protecting our protector."
The Chief's expression falls again as he continues to stare at the statue.
"Then when I heard they were sending their knights, I was afraid that our protector really was doomed…"
Dom and Dae share a conflicted look just as the Chief turns to them with a hopeful smile.
"But you two were the first who actually listened to me… to our story. Destiny sent you two instead of the countless knights. So please… I am begging you… not just on our village's behalf but on my behalf as well."
He stands from his chair and bows his head again. "… "
"Hey-"
"Please." The Chief said, his noticably louder voice cutting Dom off. "Mr Dominic. Mr Dae. The guardian saved my life that day… along with the lives of my family and many others. Please spare it."
A heavy silence follows the Chief's request. Dae looks at Dom who stares at the Chief's humble stance with visible conflict in his eyes.