The moment the wolf moved—
Everything broke.
Its body blurred forward, claws tearing through the space where Kael had stood a heartbeat before. He twisted aside, but not cleanly.
A sharp pain tore across his side.
Kael's breath caught as heat spread along his ribs. His shirt split slightly, and a thin line of blood surfaced where the claw had grazed him.
Fast.
Too fast.
He barely had time to regain his footing before it came again.
The wolf lunged a second time, lower, more precise.
Kael raised his wooden sword—
Clack!
The impact slammed into him.
This time, he couldn't hold his ground.
His feet slid across the dirt, his arms trembling under the force. The vibration ran through his bones, leaving his grip unsteady.
This wasn't training.
There was no restraint.
No control.
This was real.
"Kael!" Rynel shouted.
"Stay back!" Kael snapped, forcing his voice steady despite the pain.
The wolf didn't rush again.
It circled.
Slow.
Measured.
Its glowing eyes never left him.
It wasn't attacking blindly anymore.
It was studying him.
Hunting him.
Kael adjusted his stance, ignoring the burning in his side.
Think.
One mistake—
That would be enough.
Behind him, he could hear uneven breathing.
Tovin.
Liora.
Rynel.
Fear.
Good.
They needed to stay back.
"Move slowly," Kael said quietly. "Don't run."
They listened.
But fear made movements clumsy.
A foot slipped.
A twig snapped.
The wolf reacted instantly.
It vanished.
"No—!"
Kael turned—
Too late.
The wolf burst toward them.
Rynel stepped forward on instinct, raising his arms—
The claw struck first.
He was thrown back, hitting the ground hard with a pained grunt.
"Rynel!" Tovin's voice shook.
The wolf didn't stop.
It turned again.
This time—
Toward Tovin.
He froze.
Completely.
His body refused to move.
Liora grabbed his arm, pulling—
But her footing slipped.
They fell.
The wolf closed the distance.
Jaws opening.
Everything slowed.
Kael's vision narrowed.
The world shrank.
Sound dulled.
Only one thing remained—
The distance.
Too far.
Too slow.
He stepped forward—
Pain flared through his side—
But something deeper responded.
A sudden heat ignited in his chest.
Sharp.
Burning.
Kael's breath hitched.
"What…?"
The sensation spread rapidly, like fire beneath his skin.
Then—
It gathered.
A faint pattern formed across his chest.
Hidden beneath torn fabric—
But unmistakable.
A mark.
Ancient.
Unfamiliar.
Glowing faintly.
And in the next instant—
Everything changed.
His body moved.
Not forced.
Not strained.
Natural.
His foot struck the ground—
And he was already there.
Faster than before.
Faster than thought.
The wolf's jaws were inches from Tovin—
When Kael's strike landed.
A heavy crack echoed through the forest.
The blow sent the creature sideways, its body skidding across the ground.
Silence followed.
Kael stood where he was.
Breathing steady.
Too steady.
The pain in his side—
Gone.
The weight in his limbs—
Gone.
Everything felt clear.
Sharp.
Focused.
Behind him, Rynel groaned, pushing himself up with difficulty, one hand clutching his shoulder. Liora sat up slowly, her arm scraped, while Tovin remained frozen in place.
None of them spoke.
Because what they were seeing—
Didn't make sense.
The wolf rose again.
But this time—
It hesitated.
Its instincts had changed.
It felt it.
Danger.
Kael stepped forward.
His movements were smooth.
Precise.
Each step placed exactly where it needed to be.
The wolf lunged—
Kael met it.
Clack!
The impact stopped.
Completely.
This time—
He didn't move.
The wolf faltered.
Just for a moment.
But that was enough.
Kael shifted.
Redirected the force.
His counter came immediately.
Clean.
Direct.
The strike landed.
The wolf staggered.
A low growl escaped it—
But it lacked certainty now.
It wasn't hunting anymore.
It was wary.
Kael advanced.
One step.
Then another.
The faint glow beneath his skin pulsed again.
Not wild.
Not chaotic.
Guiding.
The wolf tried to retreat—
But Kael was already there.
His final strike fell.
Decisive.
The impact drove the creature to the ground.
This time—
It didn't rise.
Silence settled over the forest.
Heavy.
Unmoving.
Kael stood still.
The glow on his chest flickered—
Then faded.
The heat vanished.
The strength disappeared.
Reality returned.
The pain came first.
Sharp.
Sudden.
His legs trembled.
His breathing broke.
Kael dropped to one knee.
"…What…"
His voice was faint.
Uncertain.
Behind him—
Rynel stared.
Tovin stared.
Liora—
Watched.
Not just what had happened—
But him.
"…Kael," she said softly.
But Kael didn't respond.
His gaze remained fixed on the fallen wolf.
That power—
That feeling—
It hadn't been normal.
It hadn't been learned.
And it hadn't felt like it belonged to him.
Deep within his chest—
Where the mark had burned—
Something remained.
Faint.
Dormant.
Waiting.
As if—
This was only the beginning.