The wind shifted.
Kael froze on the hillside, his hand resting on Veyrion's hilt. Night had fallen completely now. The moon hung low and heavy, casting pale light over the grasslands. The stars were bright, but something about the air felt… wrong.
It was too quiet.
No insects. No owl cries. Just wind.
A low growl rolled in from the edge of the woods.
Kael turned, squinting into the dark tree line. Nothing moved. But the hairs on his neck stood up like antennae.
Sixth Sense: Passive alert triggered. Proximity threat detected.
He backed down the hill, slow and cautious. "Okay. We're doing this tonight, huh?"
His feet moved without thinking, posture low. He slipped behind a rock outcropping and whispered, "Soulbound Weapon."
Lightning snapped in his palm. Veyrion appeared in his hand, crackling faintly with energy.
Another growl—closer now. Lower. Wet, guttural.
Beast Taming activated. Attempting to identify creature…
A blur shot from the trees.
Kael rolled to the side on instinct. A massive shape slammed into the grass where he'd stood, dirt flying. Yellow eyes flashed in the dark.
He caught a glimpse—fur, fangs, too many limbs.
Species: Duskfang Warg (Lesser). Status: Hostile.Taming attempt failed: Creature is enraged.
Kael's blood went cold. He'd seen "Warg" in the skill list. Pack predators. Fast. Smart. Lethal.
The beast lunged again, and Kael activated Time Dilation.
The world slowed.
He saw every ripple of muscle under the warg's skin. Its eyes locked on him. Spittle flew from its open jaws.
He sidestepped smoothly and slashed.
Veyrion tore a gash across the warg's flank. Sparks of lightning arced into its flesh.
Time snapped back to normal. The beast yelped and stumbled, smoke rising from the wound. It backed off, pacing in a circle, watching.
Kael kept his blade up. "Come on, then."
The warg snarled, but it hesitated. It was bleeding. Cautious now.
You're smarter than you look, Kael thought grimly.
Then the wind shifted again—and another growl echoed from the trees.
His stomach dropped.
Two more shapes slinked into view.
Three wargs.
Kael took a step back.
Shadowstep. Don't freeze. Think.
The pack fanned out. The wounded one hung back while the others advanced, low and silent.
"Okay," he muttered. "First real fight. Outnumbered. Probably outmatched."
His pulse pounded in his ears.
But then he smiled.
Let's see what these skills can really do.
The first warg lunged. Kael used Shadowstep, blinking behind it in a flash. He struck fast—one clean slice through its hind leg.
The beast crashed to the ground, howling.
The second charged.
Kael spun and parried with Veyrion, sparks flying as fang met steel. He shouted and pushed forward, blade surging with Lightning Affinity, slamming the weapon into its chest. The current surged through the beast.
It collapsed, twitching.
But the wounded warg, the leader, wasn't done.
It howled—a terrible, echoing sound—and sprang.
Kael raised his blade, too slow to dodge.
Claws raked his shoulder. He staggered, felt blood running hot down his arm.
Then something deep inside him pulsed.
Regen (Enhanced) activated. The wound slowed its bleeding instantly. Tissue began stitching back together before his eyes.
Kael gritted his teeth. "You want to see a real monster?"
He gripped Veyrion in both hands, pushed power into the blade.
The storm answered.
Lightning burst from the weapon, coursing over the metal in wild arcs. He lunged—and brought the blade down in a sweeping arc.
The warg tried to dodge.
Too late.
Kael's blade hit with the force of a thunderclap.
The alpha dropped.
Silence returned.
Three bodies lay motionless in the grass, steaming slightly.
Kael stood panting, hands trembling from the surge of energy. The light of Veyrion dimmed slowly, returning to its dormant hum.
He sat down hard in the grass.
"Okay," he gasped, "I just… killed three magical wolves."
His mind raced.
He should have been shaken. In his old life, this kind of thing would have broken him. But now…
He felt alive.
Luck of the Fates: Minor reward trigger activated.
He blinked. "Huh?"
A soft glow rose from the body of the alpha warg. Something floated above it—a tiny crystal, faintly blue.
Item Acquired: Beast Core (Lesser)Can be used for alchemy, enchantment, or trade.
Kael picked it up. It was warm in his hand, humming with energy.
A noise startled him. He turned quickly—blade half-raised—but it was just Rynn, running up the hill with a torch in hand.
Her eyes widened when she saw the bodies.
"What in the nine hells happened?!"
Kael exhaled. "Wargs. Came out of the woods."
"You killed three of them?"
"…Yeah."
"With what, a shovel?"
He stood slowly, Veyrion vanishing into light.
She stared at his shoulder. "You're bleeding!"
"It's healing."
She gave him a look. "What?"
He paused. This was his first real decision. First test. Hide the truth—or begin to reveal it?
He held up the crystal.
"I think I've got some explaining to do."