"Whaa! Whaa!"
Sniff!
A little boy was crying out loud as eight Hollowsky wolves surrounded him. The kid was wearing ragged clothes and was covered in dust; he had bruises on his arms and legs. The wolves were slowly closing the distance, savoring the moment with their prey.
"Leave him alone," a voice echoed in the air. Six of the wolves began trembling as the man who spoke released his aura.
But two wolves that were mutated didn't flinch and attacked the man. Before they could reach him—
Howl!
A menacing howl resonated as a ghostly figure appeared behind the man who was in his late 20s and stood tall at 6'1".
Seeing the ghostly figure fully manifest behind the man, the wolves froze in their tracks.
Grr!
The ghostly figure growled, transforming into a massive, seven-foot-tall wolf-like beast. It had violent eyes, black, fog-like fur, sharp claws, and menacing canine teeth.
Before the mutated Hollowsky wolves had any chance to move, their bodies dropped lifelessly to the ground, their heads severed. The shadowy wolf now stood over their corpses.
Seeing the scene, the kid became frightened. When the man turned his gaze toward him, the boy began sliding backward, crying even harder.
"Haha! Don't be afraid, child. I don't mean you any harm," the man said, picking up the boy from where he was sitting.
The boy hesitated but was too tired to resist.
As the man lifted the boy in a gentle princess carry, the shadowy wolf approached, making the boy flinch.
"Don't worry. He's not like those bad wolves," the man said with a reassuring smile, patting the Wraith Wolf's head. "He's a Shadow Wraith Wolf, and his name is Nectoar."
"Alright, Nectoar, let's go." The man climbed onto the Wraith Wolf's back, still holding the boy securely, and gave the wolf a gentle pat to signal him to move.
The wolf began to run, his speed was astonishingly fast, yet he moved with complete silence—like a shadowy assassin gliding through the darkness.
After a few minutes, they arrived at the entrance of a massive cave. The Wraith Wolf bent down, allowing the man to dismount with the boy still cradled in his arms. The boy seemed to have passed out from exhaustion.
The man stepped inside the cave. The cave smelled of damp stone and old moss, his presence was greeted by another beast—an enormous wolf-like creature towering at least eight feet tall.
{So, what brings you here, brat?}
A deep voice echoed as the beast opened its massive maw. Seeing the beast, Nectoar bowed his head and didn't dare to look up.
"Sorry to bother you, but I have a small favor to ask, Zer," the man said, placing the boy gently in front of the beast before stepping back.
{Who is this boy?} Zer's piercing gaze examined the unconscious child. {And where do you think you're going?}
"Just suppose you went back in time and this is me, simple," the man replied, pointing to the boy with a faint smile and gave a casual wave. "Bye, Zer. Hope to see you again."
{What do you take me for—a babysitter?} Zer's tone turned icy as he rose to his full height. {Why don't you take him with you? He's human, just like you.}
"I would, gladly," the man said, his expression turning serious as he locked eyes with Zer. "But I'm afraid I can't. There are too many spies and assassins roaming around. If they find him with me, I'd only be putting his life in danger."
{Hmph! Since when you started caring about others?} Zer scoffed.
"It's different. He's just a child, and I'm not that heartless."
{If you care so much, then take him with you and make him your apprentice.}
"Haha! No, I don't care about him that much. I just don't want him to die because of me," the man paused and smirked. "Besides, there's no one better in the world to teach him than you. Haha!" He chuckled and turned to leave.
{You brat! The next time you come here, I'll kill you. Pray that day never comes.} Zer glared at the retreating figure.
Just before leaving, the man stopped and bowed deeply. "Thank you for everything, Master Zerathaeis!" he said before mounting the Wraith Wolf and disappearing into the shadows.
{You can't lie to me, brat,} Zer murmured to himself, settling back onto the large rock at the far end of the cave—his usual resting spot. Closing his eyes, he sighed. {Just who is this boy to you?}
After a few minutes, the boy opened his eyes. Slowly, he pushed himself up and glanced around, confused to find himself inside a cave.
{Finally decided to wake up, boy?}
The boy flinched at the sudden voice. Hesitantly, he turned his head toward the source, and when his eyes met the imposing figure of Zerathaeis, his heart skipped a beat.
{Who are you?} Zer opened his maw, his deep voice reverberating in his mind.
The boy's eyes widened in terror, and he stammered, "T-Talking beast!"
His breath hitched, and he began crawling backward in panic.
{Scared, huh?} Zer smirked, amused by the boy's expressions.
"Whaaaa!" The boy screamed, bursting into tears, and bolted toward the cave's exit. But as he neared it, he froze. A pack of wolves was already waiting for him, their glowing eyes fixed on him.
Howl!
The wolves howled in unison, sending a shiver down Kai's spine. Overwhelmed with fear, he stumbled and fell back, landing on his butt.
{They'll kill and eat you the moment you step outside,} Zer said, his voice calm but laced with indifference as he raised his head to watch.
{Don't worry. I don't eat human flesh—it's disgusting,} Zer added while lowering his head back into a resting position.
Hearing this, the boy hesitated, then crawled back into the cave. He sat down, leaning against the cold stone wall, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging them tightly. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he began crying silently as they streamed down his cheeks.
Minutes passed. The wolves outside continued to roam.
{What's your name, boy?} Zer finally asked, lifting his massive head to look at him.
The boy flinched at the sound of the voice and turned his tear-streaked face toward Zer.
{I'm talking to you, boy!} Zer's voice sharpened, causing the boy to startle.
"I-It's... K-Kai. My name is Kai," he stammered, his voice trembling as he tried to suppress his sobs.
{Come here,} Zer said calmly.
Kai hesitated and just sobbed as he stared at Zer's massive and terrifying form.
{Don't be scared. I will do no harm to you,} Zer reassured him, closing his glowing eyes for a moment before opening them again. {If I truly wanted to kill you, I would have done the moment you woke up.}
Kai wiped his tears with trembling hands and slowly stood up. His legs shook as he hesitantly stepped toward Zer, gripping his arms tightly to steady himself.
As he approached, Zer's eyes glowed faintly, and a soft white light enveloped Kai. He felt warmth wash over him as his bruises and injuries faded away.
Kai blinked in surprise, unsure of what had just happened, but still too scared to speak to Zer.
{Don't be surprised—I healed you,} Zer said, moving his neck slightly closer to Kai. {My name is Zerathaeis.}
"Z-Zerraheties?" Kai stammered, his voice shaking.
{Haaah! Just call me Zer,} Zer sighed, leaning back into his resting position.
Kai gulped and nodded. Before he could react, Zer opened his maw again.
{You want to know where you are and why, Am I right?} Zer asked, narrowing his eyes.
Kai nodded silently, still trembling.
{Right now, you're in my den, but I won't tell you where it's located…} Zer paused briefly, then continued, {As for why you're here, I have no idea.}
Kai blinked in surprise at the unexpected response.
{The man who brought you here didn't tell me anything. You're free to leave whenever you want.}
"Oh, that guy…" Kai murmured, remembering the man who had saved him.
{I don't know much about him, either,} Zer said dismissively. {Let's just say I've met him only once. So don't ask me about him again.}
Zer's tone shifted as he continued, {The outside won't be safe for a few more days. There's a beast wave coming. I suggest you stay here until it's over.}
Kai's eyes widened at the mention of a beast wave, but he reluctantly nodded. Zer had healed him, and that alone was enough to earn a measure of trust.
Zer watched Kai silently for a moment before lowering his head back down to rest.
Kai observed him for a moment before lying down, curling up on the cave floor and drifting off to sleep.
A few days had passed, and Kai had grown friendly with Zer. He often shared stories about his life, and Zer, surprisingly, welcomed the company, occasionally telling Kai tales from his past.
"Wow, Zer, you're so cool!" Kai's eyes gleamed with admiration and excitement. "Are you really that strong?"
{You bet. I'm the strongest of them all,} Zer replied, amused by Kai's enthusiasm.
"Then that means that man is awesome too! His beast was super strong!" Kai said, recalling the man who had saved him.
{Who knows?} Zer shrugged, but Kai didn't press further, knowing Zer wouldn't tell him anything.
"But why don't you ever go outside? Why do you always stay here?" Kai asked curiously, leaning back with his hands supporting him on the ground.
{It's because of this,} Zer said as he released a faint aura, guiding Kai's attention to his leg and abdomen.
"What?" Kai's eyes widened in astonishment.
{You wouldn't understand, so just assume this injury can't be healed,} Zer said matter-of-factly.
"But… how? That's impossible!" Kai blurted out, confused.
{Well, it could be healed, but it would require special herbs and potions that aren't easy to come by,} Zer explained.
"Don't worry, Zer! I'll help you!" Kai stood up, clenching his fists with determination. "Just like that nice man, I'll become a beast tamer and heal you!"
{Haha! Yeah, thanks, boy,} Zer chuckled, entertained by Kai's fiery resolve.
----
"…And that's how I met Zer, hehe!" Kai said, laughing as he picked up Zer's massive paw and playfully placed it on his head. He smiled at Lira, who was listening intently.
"Then… did Mr. Zer heal?" Lira asked curiously, tilting her head.
{It's a miracle I'm still alive after taking all that shady stuff. Haha!} Zer chimed in with a booming laugh.
Kai rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Nah… I tried, but it didn't work," he admitted, his cheeks flushing red as he remembered giving Zer herbs and potions he'd bought from shady merchants.
Suddenly, Lira's attention shifted, her gaze fixed on something near the rock where Zer was resting.
"Um, Kai… something's there," Lira said, pointing to the side of the rock where a faint glint of something was exposed.
The two cautiously approached and peered closer.
"Whaaat!" they shouted in unison, their voices echoing in the cave.