The forest was eerily silent, an unnatural stillness settling over the trees. Moonlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting ghostly patterns on the ground. The wind carried the distant howls of wolves, but they were too far to be a threat.
Tolu and his pack moved cautiously through the thick undergrowth, their senses sharp, their steps light. The battle with Olumide's scouts had left them shaken, but there was no time to recover. They had to keep moving. Every second they wasted gave Olumide more time to fortify his forces.
Kemi tightened her grip on the hilt of her blade. "How much farther?"
Ope, who had been leading the group, paused and sniffed the air. His expression darkened. "Not far, but something's wrong."
Tolu tensed. "What do you mean?"
"I smell something... old." Ope frowned. "Like decay, but not exactly."
Jide's hand hovered over the dagger at his waist. "You're saying we're walking into an ambush?"
Ope shook his head. "Not exactly. It's more like we're walking into a graveyard."
A chill ran down Tolu's spine. He had trusted Ope's instincts too many times to ignore them now. He turned to the others. "Stay close. Weapons ready."
The pack advanced cautiously. The deeper they went, the colder the air became. The mist thickened, wrapping around them like unseen fingers. Tolu could feel something—an oppressive weight pressing down on his chest.
Then, without warning, the forest around them shifted.
Figures emerged from the fog, their forms barely distinguishable from the shadows. They moved with eerie silence, their eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.
Tolu's heart pounded. He recognized the scent now.
Werewolves.
But something was wrong with them.
Their eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and their movements were almost... too fluid. Like puppets on invisible strings.
The Forgotten Ones.
---
A Battle in the Mist
Jide swore under his breath. "This isn't good."
Kemi pulled her sword free, her muscles tensed. "I thought they were just a myth."
"They were." Ope's voice was grim. "Until now."
The Forgotten Ones had once been proud warriors of the werewolf clans, but they had been exiled for crimes too great to be forgiven. Some claimed they had died out. Others whispered that they had become something worse.
Now, standing before them, their existence was no longer in question.
The leader of the Forgotten Ones stepped forward. His fur was pitch-black, his amber eyes gleaming with something unnatural. Power radiated from him, pressing against the air like a storm about to break.
"You walk dangerous paths, young Alpha," he said, his voice rough but measured.
Tolu met his gaze. "We have no quarrel with you."
The leader of the Forgotten Ones tilted his head slightly. "But you will."
Then, without warning, he lunged.
Tolu barely had time to react before claws slashed toward him. He twisted out of the way, countering with a powerful strike to his opponent's ribs. The impact sent the wolf staggering back, but he recovered quickly, his movements unnaturally smooth.
Jide and Ope fought back-to-back, their attacks sharp and precise. Kemi ducked beneath a swipe, landing a brutal kick that sent one of the warriors crashing into a tree.
But the Forgotten Ones were unlike any enemy they had faced before.
They were fast.
Tolu barely saw the next attack coming. A blur of motion—then pain exploded in his side as a fist connected with his ribs. He stumbled back, gritting his teeth.
"These things don't fight like normal wolves," Jimi shouted as he fended off two opponents at once. "It's like they know our moves before we make them."
Tolu narrowed his eyes. That wasn't normal.
Then he noticed it—the way the Forgotten Ones moved, the eerie glow in their eyes.
They weren't just exiled wolves.
They were cursed.
---
Breaking the Chains
Realization struck like lightning. These wolves were bound by something stronger than exile.
Magic.
Tolu took a deep breath, centering himself. If this was a curse, there had to be a way to break it.
He met the leader's gaze. "Who did this to you?"
The wolf hesitated for the briefest second.
It was all the confirmation Tolu needed.
"This isn't your fight," he continued, his voice steady. "You were forced into this."
The wolf snarled, but there was something in his expression—doubt.
Tolu pressed on. "I can help you break free."
The Forgotten Ones hesitated, their attacks slowing. The magic that bound them wavered, flickering like a candle in the wind.
Then, with a final, desperate growl, the leader of the Forgotten Ones collapsed to his knees. The glow in his eyes faded, and the others followed, their bodies trembling as if waking from a nightmare.
Silence filled the clearing.
It was over.
For now.
---
The Truth Revealed
The leader of the Forgotten Ones slowly pushed himself to his feet. His expression was unreadable, but something in his eyes had changed.
"You are stronger than I expected," he admitted.
Tolu exhaled, his body aching from the fight. "Who did this to you?"
The wolf's eyes darkened. "A warlock. One who serves Olumide."
A cold weight settled in Tolu's stomach.
This war was bigger than he had thought.
If Olumide had magic on his side, things were about to get a lot more dangerous.
Tolu clenched his fists. "Do you know where he is?"
The leader hesitated, then nodded. "I can lead you to him. But be warned—he is no ordinary warlock. He has been preparing for years. If you face him, you must be ready."
Tolu met his gaze. "We don't have a choice."
The leader of the Forgotten Ones studied him for a long moment. Then, slowly, he extended his hand.
"Then we fight together."
Tolu grasped his forearm firmly.
A new alliance had been forged.
The war was far from over.
But now, Tolu had an army.
And he was ready.
They were now stronger both in number and might. Tolu viewed them all and felt joy. He had come a long way from a boy living in seclusion with his mother protectintg him. His army was rising fast and the hope of winning the war to come is now visible although slim.