Darkness engulfed him, deeper than the storm, heavier than the weight of betrayal. It was not the darkness of death—it was something more insidious, a cold void that crawled into Kieran's soul.
For what felt like an eternity, Kieran floated in the abyss, his body weightless yet heavy with pain. The searing cold of the wolf's bite had burned away the agony of the blade in his side, replacing it with something sharper, something alive.
"Awaken," a voice called, low and guttural, echoing in the void.
His eyes snapped open, and he gasped as if surfacing from drowning waters. The storm had passed, leaving the temple ruins cloaked in an eerie stillness. Rainwater pooled in the cracked stones, reflecting the pale light of a rising moon. But it wasn't the moonlight that illuminated the space—it was the shimmering figure before him.
The wolf stood tall, its frost-covered fur glowing faintly in the night. Its glowing blue eyes bore into Kieran, unblinking and unforgiving. The creature was no ordinary beast. It radiated an ancient power that seemed to hum in the air, vibrating in Kieran's bones.
Kieran pushed himself upright, his hands trembling as they pressed against the damp stone. The pain in his side was gone, but his body felt different—heavier, colder, as if the blood in his veins had been replaced with ice. His breaths came in short, ragged bursts, each one visible in the frigid air that surrounded him.
"What... what did you do to me?" Kieran rasped, his voice hoarse.
The wolf tilted its head, amusement flickering in its eyes. "I saved you, little human. Or perhaps I cursed you. Time will tell."
Kieran glared at the creature, his hands curling into fists. "Saved me? You call this salvation?" He gestured to the ground where blood still stained the stones, a reminder of his near death.
"You were dying," the wolf replied coldly, pacing around him. "Weak and broken. Your life meant nothing, your existence forgotten by those who betrayed you. And yet, you clung to life like a pathetic worm."
The words struck deep, each syllable a dagger to Kieran's fragile pride. But he didn't flinch. He couldn't. There was a fire inside him now, a spark of defiance that refused to be extinguished.
"What do you want from me?" Kieran demanded, his voice steady despite the tremor in his limbs.
The wolf stopped, its massive frame looming over him. "I gave you power, boy. I gave you the means to rise above the ashes of your pathetic life. But power always demands a price."
Kieran swallowed hard, his throat dry. "What kind of price?"
The wolf's grin widened, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. "Your soul."
The words sent a chill down Kieran's spine, colder than the frost that clung to his skin. He looked down at his hands, now pale and trembling, and felt the weight of the wolf's gaze pressing on him.
"You bound yourself to me the moment you begged for life," the wolf continued, its voice echoing like the rumble of distant thunder. "You carry my mark now, little human. My power flows through you, but it is not a gift. It is a bond—a pact forged in blood and desperation."
Kieran's mind raced. He didn't remember agreeing to anything, but the memory of his words came rushing back: Yes. I don't want to die. Those words had sealed his fate, tied him to this ancient beast.
"So what happens now?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The wolf stepped closer, its glowing eyes narrowing. "Now, you decide. Will you remain the weakling they left to die? Or will you take this power and make them pay for their betrayal?"
Kieran's heart thundered in his chest. He thought of the faces of those who had abandoned him, the smirks, the cold indifference, the betrayal that had cut deeper than any blade. He thought of the life he had lived, filled with scorn and pity, of the years spent being nothing more than a burden.
"I want revenge," he said, the words spilling from his lips like venom. "I want to make them suffer."
The wolf's grin turned feral, its eyes blazing with approval. "Good. Then let the hunt begin."
Before Kieran could respond, the air around him shifted. The wolf's form dissolved into smoke and shadow, its presence folding into him like a cloak. He gasped as an icy surge coursed through his veins, filling him with a power that was both foreign and intoxicating. His vision sharpened, his senses heightened. He could feel the heartbeat of the earth beneath him, hear the whispers of the wind, smell the faint traces of those who had passed through the temple.
Kieran staggered to his feet, his body trembling with the weight of this newfound strength. The world seemed brighter, clearer, as though he were seeing it for the first time.
"You are no longer the boy they betrayed," the wolf's voice echoed in his mind, a constant presence now. "You are more. You are mine."
Kieran clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. He would not be the weakling they had cast aside. He would rise from the ruins of his old life, stronger, colder, unbreakable.
The temple felt alive around him, the shadows whispering secrets he couldn't yet understand. He took a step forward, his boots crunching against the wet stone, and felt the power thrumming beneath his skin.
But power alone wouldn't be enough. He needed more. He needed to learn to wield this gift—or curse—and turn it into a weapon.
He glanced at the ruined altar, its surface cracked and worn with age. Symbols etched into the stone glowed faintly, as if reacting to his presence. The temple, once a place of solace, now felt like a crucible—a place where he could forge himself into something new.
"Where do I start?" he asked aloud, his voice echoing in the stillness.
The wolf's laughter echoed in his mind, low and sinister. "The path of vengeance is steep and bloodied. You will need allies, weapons, and knowledge. But first, you must prove your worth."
Kieran frowned. "Prove my worth? To who?"
"To me."
The words barely left the wolf's mouth when the shadows around the temple stirred. Shapes began to form—twisted, monstrous forms that snarled and snapped as they emerged from the darkness. Their eyes glowed red, their claws glinting like steel.
"Survive," the wolf said simply.
Kieran's heart raced as the creatures lunged toward him, their roars shaking the very ground beneath him. There was no time to think, no time to hesitate. The power inside him roared to life, cold and sharp, like a blade drawn from its sheath.
His body moved on instinct, dodging the first strike and lashing out with a force he didn't know he possessed. Ice formed at his fingertips, jagged and lethal, slashing through the nearest creature with ease.
The battle was chaos—a blur of claws, teeth, and frost. But through it all, Kieran felt a strange clarity, a rhythm to the fight that guided his every move. The wolf's power surged within him, a constant presence urging him forward, driving him to survive.
When the last creature fell, its body dissolving into shadow, Kieran stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving, his hands slick with frost and blood.
"Well done," the wolf said, its voice filled with approval. "You are stronger than I thought."
Kieran wiped his hands on his tunic, his expression hard. "This is only the beginning."
The wolf chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the temple. "Indeed. Let us see how far you're willing to go, little human."
As the first light of dawn crept into the ruined temple, Kieran stepped into the new day with a cold fire burning in his chest. He was no longer the boy they had betrayed.
He was something else entirely.