Kael froze as the voice rippled through his mind, low and cold, like frost creeping over stone. It didn't feel like his own thoughts. It was something other. The growls of the massive wolves around him echoed in the dark, but that voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
"Break the bond."
Umbra twisted and leapt at the lead wolf, her small form weaving through its snapping jaws. The shadows around her flickered and coiled, almost like they had a will of their own.
"Umbra!" Kael shouted, gripping the hilt of his dagger tighter. It wasn't much, but it was all he had. "We gotta get outta here!"
The wolf's claw slashed down, narrowly missing the fox as she darted to the side. The others crept closer, their glowing red eyes locking onto Kael. His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
"You're weak."
The voice again. It slithered through his thoughts, leaving a bitter taste in its wake.
Kael shook his head, his knuckles white around the dagger. "Shut up," he muttered. He didn't know if he was talking to the voice or himself.
Umbra lunged at another wolf, her teeth sinking into its flank. The beast howled, twisting to shake her off. For a moment, Kael felt a pulse through the bond—a surge of anger and determination that wasn't entirely his own.
But it was faint. Fragile. Like a thread stretched too thin.
The lead wolf snarled and stepped toward Kael, its burning eyes fixed on him. Its lips curled back, revealing teeth that glinted like shards of obsidian.
Kael took a step back, his heel catching on a root. He stumbled, nearly falling.
"Umbra!" he shouted again, panic rising in his chest.
The little fox turned, her yellow eyes locking onto his for a brief moment. There was something fierce in her gaze, something that almost looked like trust.
Kael's breath hitched.
"Break the bond, or you'll both die," the voice hissed.
"No!" Kael shouted, shaking his head.
The lead wolf lunged. Kael barely had time to react. He threw himself to the side, rolling as the beast's claws raked through the dirt where he'd just been standing.
Umbra was there in an instant, a blur of shadow that slammed into the wolf's side. The creature stumbled, snapping its jaws at her, but she darted away too fast for it to catch.
Kael scrambled to his feet, his mind racing. He couldn't fight these things. Not like this.
"C'mon, girl," he muttered, gripping his dagger tighter. "We gotta—"
The wolf pounced again, its massive form blotting out the moonlight.
Time seemed to slow. Kael saw the glint of its teeth, the glow of its eyes, the way its muscles coiled as it closed the distance.
And then something inside him snapped.
It wasn't the bond. It was something deeper. Something older.
His hand shot out, palm open, and a burst of shadow erupted from his fingertips. It wasn't like normal magic—it was wild, raw, and untamed. The darkness coiled and lashed out, slamming into the wolf mid-air.
The beast yelped as it was thrown back, crashing into a tree with a sickening thud.
Kael stared at his hand, his chest heaving. The shadows still clung to his fingers, swirling and twisting like smoke.
Umbra trotted to his side, her tail swishing once. She looked up at him, her yellow eyes gleaming with something he couldn't quite place.
"Did... did you do that?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The little fox tilted her head.
Kael swallowed hard and turned his attention back to the remaining wolves. They had stopped advancing, their glowing eyes fixed on him. For the first time, they looked hesitant.
The lead wolf struggled to its feet, shaking off the impact. Its red eyes burned brighter, and a deep growl rumbled from its chest.
Kael felt the voice slither through his mind again.
"Power is yours for the taking. You only need to break the bond."
He clenched his jaw, his fingers curling into a fist. "No," he muttered.
The shadows around him pulsed, almost as if they were alive.
The wolves hesitated for only a moment longer before surging forward as one.
Kael braced himself, his dagger ready, but before the beasts could reach him, Umbra moved.
She leapt into the fray, her small form a blur of motion. The shadows around her rippled and twisted, lashing out like whips.
Kael felt the bond surge again, stronger this time. It wasn't perfect, wasn't whole, but it was enough.
He raised his free hand, the shadows responding to his call. They shot out like tendrils, striking the nearest wolf and wrapping around its legs. The creature yelped and collapsed, its red eyes dimming as the darkness swallowed it.
Umbra darted between the remaining wolves, her movements precise and calculated.
Kael didn't know where the power was coming from, didn't know how he was doing any of this. But he didn't have time to think about it.
The lead wolf lunged at him again, its teeth bared.
Kael sidestepped, his dagger slicing through the air. The blade caught the creature's shoulder, and it howled in pain.
Umbra was there in an instant, her jaws closing around the wolf's throat.
The beast thrashed, but she held on, her small body fueled by a ferocity Kael hadn't thought possible.
The remaining wolves backed away, their glowing eyes filled with something that looked almost like fear.
Kael stood there, his chest heaving, the dagger trembling in his hand. The shadows around him flickered and faded, retreating back into the night.
Umbra released the lead wolf, letting its lifeless body collapse to the ground. She turned to Kael, her yellow eyes meeting his.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then the little fox padded over to him and sat at his feet, her tail curling around her paws.
Kael let out a shaky breath and dropped to his knees. He stared at the blood on his dagger, at the still forms of the wolves around him.
"What... what just happened?" he whispered.
Umbra tilted her head, her eyes glinting with that same strange, ancient light.
Kael reached out, his hand hovering over her head. He hesitated, then let it fall, his fingers brushing against her fur.
"You're not just some weak little fox, are you?" he murmured.
The fox didn't respond, but Kael could've sworn he saw a flicker of amusement in her gaze.
He looked down at his hands, at the faint traces of shadow still clinging to his fingers.
The voice was gone, but its words lingered.
"Break the bond."
Kael shook his head. "Not a chance," he muttered.
Umbra's tail swished once, and she let out a soft huff, almost like a laugh.
Kael pushed himself to his feet, his legs trembling. He looked out at the forest, at the bodies of the wolves, at the darkness that seemed to press in from every side.
This wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
But for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel entirely alone.