The winds had begun to howl again, sweeping through the towering trees with an eerie intensity. Kael gripped his spear tighter, eyes narrowed, his senses sharpening as the howls of the creatures echoing through the forest grew louder. The wilds were never silent, and after his brief encounter with Yara, he knew that no place out here was safe. But this was different. The tension in the air was thick, heavy—like the calm before a storm.
He had barely set camp for the night when the first growl reached him. Low, guttural, vibrating through the earth beneath his feet. Kael stiffened, his heart racing in his chest. The sound came again, louder this time, followed by the unmistakable snap of twigs breaking underfoot.
There was no question in Kael's mind now. He was being hunted.
Dropping into a crouch, Kael's senses flared as he scanned the surroundings, his breath steady, his body primed for action. The shadows of the trees played tricks on his eyes, but he had been trained to trust his instincts. The air was thick with the scent of blood and earth, and it only took a moment before he saw them—a pack of dire wolves, their eyes gleaming in the darkness, their teeth bared.
But something was different. These weren't just regular beasts. Their eyes burned with an unnatural glow, and their movements were too coordinated, too purposeful. They weren't hunting just for food.
They were hunting for him.
Kael's pulse quickened as he reached for his spear. The relic that had been dormant in his chest seemed to stir again, reacting to the imminent danger, like a call to arms. He felt a surge of energy rush through him, not quite the same as before but potent all the same. It was raw, unrefined—but it was enough to awaken something deep within him. The shard pulsed in his chest, and he knew, without a doubt, that it was connected to these creatures. It was calling them to him.
"Time to test the power," Kael muttered to himself as he steadied his breath and prepared for the onslaught.
The first wolf lunged, jaws snapping. Kael met it with a swift, practiced strike, his spear cutting through the air with precision. The creature recoiled, its howl of pain cutting through the night. But before he could react, another wolf launched itself from the shadows, claws raking across his chest. The pain was sharp, but Kael gritted his teeth, spinning out of its reach and striking again.
He was faster now, more agile, the relic's power making every movement feel heightened, like the world had slowed just for him. His strikes were relentless, each one finding its mark, each wolf falling one after another.
But the pack didn't retreat. Instead, the leader—a massive, hulking wolf with fur as black as the night—stepped forward. Its eyes burned like embers, and Kael felt a chill run down his spine. This was no ordinary beast. This was something different.
The wolf lunged, and Kael barely had time to react, the creature's fangs narrowly missing his throat. His heart pounded in his chest, the relic's energy surging within him as he barely parried the next blow. He could feel the connection—the call between him and the beast.
A strange clarity washed over him, and in that moment, he understood what the wolf was after. It wasn't just his death—it was the power he held. The relic was a beacon, a signal that had drawn them all in.
Kael's eyes narrowed as the wolf circled, waiting for its next move. He could feel the energy within him crackling, almost as if it was alive, eager for release. And he realized, with a sudden clarity, that the relic wasn't just a tool—it was a weapon, one that could bend the very fabric of nature around him.
With a roar, Kael thrust forward, his spear catching the wolf in the side. The creature let out a deafening howl, but it didn't retreat. Instead, it charged, more frenzied now, as if the fight itself was what it sought. Kael knew that he had to end this battle before it consumed him.
With a quick motion, he drove his spear into the wolf's chest, the blow landing with a sickening thud. The wolf's body went limp, its fiery eyes dimming as the life left its body.
Kael stood over the fallen beast, chest heaving, sweat pouring down his brow. His hand tightened around the relic. The power was still there, still thrumming within him, and the thrill of the fight coursed through his veins. But he knew that this victory came at a cost. The wilds were no place for anyone who wasn't prepared to lose themselves to the power.
His breath slowed as he wiped his blade clean, his thoughts lingering on the encounter. The creatures he had faced were no ordinary beasts. They had been drawn to him, to the relic inside him. And with each battle, he felt himself slipping further into the depths of this strange, uncontrollable force.
The relic was no longer just a tool. It was a part of him—his greatest weapon, but also his greatest curse. And Kael knew that he couldn't go back. Not now. Not after what he had become.