Inside a dark cave a shadow could be seen faintly, this shadow was hunched and turned out to be an old woman, but despite her fragile figure, there was an air of authority around her and her eyes seem to contain boundless cruelty and wildness. The old woman stood patiently, seemingly waiting for someone and not long after, her restrained aura fluctuated slightly as a cruel smile appeared on her face.
She stared at an empty spot and continued with a sneer
"Hhmp! If this the kind of skill the people of your organization possess" she narrowed her eyes and continued in a colder tone
"then you never had a chance against him even after the events of three years ago."
"You've succeeded in wasting my time. I'll be leaving if—"
"Whether we ever had a chance against him or not has nothing to with you!" a voice interrupted in a hoarse and cold tone as a figure appeared from the empty spot with shadows still concealing his face and her eyes narrowed at the interruption.
"You just have to fulfill your side of the deal."
"You don't need to worry about me Jegal, just don't harm the girl and the child or I'll make you and your organization regret the day you approached me!" she threatened in a menacing voice and released a whiff of her aura which caused the cloaked figure to retreat hurriedly in fear.
"Hhmp, I'll be awaiting the good news then" she turned to leave, but before she could the cloaked figure asked hurriedly
"My superiors wish to know if you have the agreement of the king on this matter!" Jegal pushed once more.
The old woman frowned at this question feeling her temper getting worse, she answered in a more dangerous tone
"I am an advisor to the king himself and I am capable of representing my king at times like this, my agreement is also the king's agreement!"
"Tell that to your superiors" she said as she left the cave.
The expression of the figure under the cloak relaxed as he was finally satisfied with that answer. Although he still had some doubts, he didn't dare to question further for fear of the consequences and with that in mind he vanished from the cave, darkness covering up whatever may have happened there.
..............
Groans could be heard coming from the interior of a small cottage in the middle of the woods. Outside the cottage, a man was pacing back and forth constantly, one of his hands shaking so much he had to use the other to hold it down as if it would hold down his worries.
If the enemies and those who knew of this devilishly handsome man could see his current state, they'd be shocked to the bone.
For this was the man who caused a rein of terror and founded his reputation on the blood and bones of those who dared to cross him and made all those who thought they could look down on him question their own thoughts, he did a myriad of crazy things one of them which was his wife, the daughter of the alpha of a particularly feared wolf pack.
He brazenly claimed her despite the threats and warnings of the alpha leaving him speechless. This led to the Alpha who couldn't take such a thing laying, to disown his daughter whom he doted upon with a heavy heart. Despite this, even the alpha couldn't deny the respect he had for this handsome man.
This man who had gained this ferocious reputation went by the name Galen Egon and currently he was restless because he was about to become a father and despite his immense strength he was helpless.
"It's a good thing that heartless bastard sent his pack healer to help, guess he still cares about her." He muttered to himself
"I should have just learned from those midwives when I had the chance."
"Sigh!"
"AHHHhhhhh..." suddenly a sharp cry filled with pain and determination echoed from the cabin and it was soon followed by the soft cry of a newly born baby.
"wehh…wehh…."
The newborn's cry was a soft but insistent, as if it were trying to make itself understood by the world.
This sound caused him to release the breath he didn't know he was holding. Despite hearing the baby's cry, he still couldn't bring himself to let go of his worries.
Just as he couldn't hold back anymore and was about to rush into the house, a cold, hoarse voice which made him pause in his steps from rang from within
"Don't step inside until I say so."
"They're fine so stop acting like a child who wet his pants in front of his parents, what would you think would become of you if people saw you like this, eh?"
After hearing the confirmation from the healer and ignoring everything else he was finally able to calm down.
A few minutes later, an old lady came out, glanced coldly at him and said,
"Both her and the baby are fine. It's a boy by the way. Now that I'm done here, I'll be taking my leave. Remember to feed her and the child the medication I left behind, it'll help them regain strength faster."
"I can't thank you enough for this Zara. I'm forever in debt to your pack." said the man.
"Hhmp! My pack doesn't need your favours!"
"I just hope that once the news of your son gets out, with the number of enemies you've gained over the years, you'd be capable of keeping this family safe" Zara said as she walked past him further into the distance without waiting for a reply from him
His face which had gotten calmer was hardened with worry and anger, for he knew the kind of enemies he had gained over the years. He also understood the hidden meaning behind her words. But his expression quickly changed into one of determination, he had made up his mind
"No matter who they are, let them come! I'll slaughter them all the same!" A dark glint flashed past his eyes, his aura getting increasingly cold and sharp as he stepped towards the cabin door.
The moment the stepped through, his sharp aura disappeared completely, making him appear like a harmless mortal. A loving expression appeared on his face as he looked at the woman who made him realize that there was more to the world than his rage, his wife and the mother of his newborn son.
She leaned against the bed for support, her features pale and drawn. Her hair was disheveled, and her eyes were still glazed with the memory of pain. Yet even in her weakened state, she exuded a fierce strength and determination, the mark of one who had just accomplished an incredible feat, the result of which between her arms. His gaze slowly shifted from her face and moved towards of the baby in her arms who had his eyes closed.
He was wrapped in a soft blanket, his tiny, dark hair peeking out from beneath a little cap. His little fists were balled up tight, his fingers tiny and perfect. His dark hair was a striking contrast to his pale skin, and his little face was peaceful in sleep. He could be described a tiny miracle.
As he struggled to move his feet which seemed to be glued to the ground for fear of disturbing the sleeping baby with the creaking of the floorboards, his wife who finally noticed his presence looked up at him, presenting a weak but happy smile as she looked up at her husband who stood tall and confident, his features pleasant and kind. His soft white hair which was always neatly styled was slightly disheveled yet he still had a quiet dignity about him as his tender eyes stared at the baby in her arms lovingly.
"Come closer Galen! He's fast asleep so he won't wake up due to the sounds of your footsteps", she said to him.
"Hmm..." he responded dazedly as he slowly walked to the side of the bed in which they laid. He raised his hands shakily to caress his child's face as if afraid they'll hurt him.
"Hehe…." a chuckle resounded beside him as she looked at him struggle to touch his own baby
"His hair is black, quite different from your white and my brown hair", she pointed out to him. He looked at the head of the child which was covered with a cap, and saw a few strands of black hair poking out.
"Hmm…it is different! —" he said in a low voice. Everyone in his family had white hair.
"— but perhaps that's good for him, it'll prevent him from standing out." He muttered lightly. At his words she frowned.
"We might have to leave soon, don't we?" she asked.
"Sigh…. you heard her too right?" he asked
"Haa…. I'm really tired of running around like fugitives, especially now that we have a child!" she sighed
"Hmm, I also wish for the same but it seems fate has something else in store for us" he said with a somber expression as he thought of the actions he took years ago
She looked at the side view of his face with a complicated look in her eyes and comforted him
"It was never your fault", but he refuted
"It is! If only I had listened to the old man—" he couldn't go further as the remembered the events of the past which still seemed to hunt him.
The sigh of the woman beside him snapped him out of his world of thoughts, as he turned to look at her, he saw a complicated expression in her tear-filled eyes as she smiled at him
"Trust me, it wasn't your fault" her tone firm as if she knew something no one else did.
"You saw something!" he said looking at her
"Hmmm, I did and don't bother asking" she said while sniffling
"Why don't we end this conversation, we should be happy, we have a baby now!" she said trying to lighten the mood. He stared at her for a few seconds, sighed and didn't try to question her any further. She smiled at this action of this.
"What do you wish to name him?" she asked looking at the small miracle in her hands like he would disappear if she looked away. Galen who noticed this small detail frowned slightly and answered
"Since he has black hair, let's name him 'Kieran'!"
At that moment the baby purred in his sleep as if trying to show his satisfaction towards the name given to him. This made his mother laugh. Anyone who could have witness this moment would have hoped for it to remain like that, but unfortunately it couldn't.
"We have to go" she said with a sigh.
"Yes, according to Zara, some people might have caught wind of the child. We'll have to move out of here to—" before he could finish speaking, their heads snapped towards the door.
It seemed trouble had come faster than they expected.
Before heading out he turned towards his wife,
"If anything happens, I want you to take the child and leave!" he said without giving room for opinion. It wasn't that he wasn't confident enough in his self, but he felt if even Zara had warned him then that was enough reason to be cautious.
As he opened the door and stepped outside, his aura fierce and powerful he didn't notice the tears streaming down his wife's face.
"And to what do I owe this pleasure, Cyrus?", he asked the young man who stood not too far from him, clad in a white overcoat which seemed to reflect the sunlight, forming a sort of blinding halo around him, giving the impression that he must be an angel, with the warm aura he radiated, like the warm rays from the sun.
"Ah, Galen! I came to give my blessings, old friend. I would love to see my nephew!" He said with a bright smile.
Galen's aura shifted the instance he heard those words from the one who addressed him as an old friend, becoming more hostile.
"Your blessings aren't needed. You aren't welcome, Cyrus! Leave with the other two strangers you brought along, while I'm still lenient!" Galen advised him, looking to an empty spot beside Cyrus where two masked figures revealed themselves.
"I thought you wouldn't notice!" Cyrus replied with a small laugh.
"As for your request, I offer my apologies!" he continued, the warm smile still on his face.
Galen said nothing and the whole space seemed to freeze, like a moment captured in an artwork, the subtle tension caressing their still figures.
RUMBLE!!
The beautiful moment didn't last long though, as a powerful aura burst out from Galen, the bright and clear sky clouding over with deafening roars of thunder coming from the heavens, as if voicing out the rage of the man who stood still, his expression glazed like an ice statue with his white hair to complement the bone chilling feel he gave off.
The two beside Cyrus seemed to be affected, as his halo shone even brighter and hotter to ward off the sudden burst of chilliness.
"Ah! Do we really have to do this old friend? You would end up dying at my hands!" Cyrus sighed.
"Shame!" Galen said, his voice distorting the space around him, as a transparent blade materialized at his side.
"Shame indeed!" Cyrus muttered, his smile every present as they both stared at each other, ignoring every other thing, before it happened.
They vanished!
And on this day, something which shook the entire supernatural world happened, something which signaled the dawn of a new era and all this happened in front of a small cottage in the middle of nowhere.