Chapter 21: Rekindled Flames

The dawn light spilled slowly across the landscape, leaving Flame Rock Village shrouded in ruined debris and the lingering scent of gunpowder. The battle from the night before was like a nightmare, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation. Shattered wooden huts lay toppled upon the scorched earth, and broken fences stood in silent testimony to the village's suffering.

Kael slowly opened his eyes, the intense sunlight blurring his vision. Paleclaw, held close in his arms, was still asleep. Though its body was stained with blood and covered in wounds, its breathing remained steady, and its spark of life endured. Kael let out a soft sigh of relief, his hand stroking Paleclaw’s fur as complex emotions stirred within him.

"We won..."

Kael murmured to himself, looking around. The wolf pack was scattered in small groups among the carcasses of the Black Wolves, their gazes heavy yet tinged with a sense of relief. The body of the Black Wolf King lay not far away, its dark red pupils having lost their luster, its once-menacing form no longer a threat.

Yet, Kael knew deep down that this victory was merely a temporary respite. The shadow of darkness still loomed ahead, and a new threat was only a matter of time.

"Kael!"

A familiar voice called out from afar. Kael looked up to see Alan hurrying toward them with a few surviving villagers in tow.

"You're alive!" Alan could not mask his excitement as he rushed over. His eyes swept across the pack at the village entrance and the corpses scattered everywhere, his expression filled with shock and awe. "You actually held off the Black Wolf King..."

"Only for now." Kael stood up, exhausted, gazing at the gray, misty forest in the distance. "The darkness will not retreat so easily. They will return."

Alan fell silent for a moment, his expression grave. "There are fewer than thirty people left in the village. How much longer... can we hold out?"

Kael did not answer immediately. He lowered his head to gaze at Paleclaw’s sleeping face, as if lost in thought.

"I will go find the answer," Kael said slowly after a while, his gaze resolute.

"Find the answer?" Alan frowned. "Where are you planning to go?"

Kael looked toward the north, his gaze deep and distant. In the depths of those far-off mountains lay a long-buried history—the secret of the true origin of the wolf kin.

"The Wolf Soul Mountains."

Alan’s face paled. "You’ve lost your mind! That place has long been a forbidden zone. No one has ever returned alive..."

"That is exactly why I must go," Kael interrupted, his tone brook no argument. "If we simply hide in this village, we will eventually perish under the encroaching darkness. Only by finding the true power of the wolf bloodline do we stand a chance at survival."

Alan opened his mouth, but ultimately, he could not find the words to object. He understood that Kael had already made his decision, and he could not deny that the future of the village was hanging by a thread.

"I will stay behind to protect the villagers," Alan sighed, patting Kael on the shoulder. "Go with peace of mind. We will wait for your return."

Kael nodded and turned to look at the pack. "Paleclaw and its kin will leave with me. The safety of the village is in your hands for now."

Alan gave a bitter smile. "I only feel truly safe when you are around."

—

By evening, at the edge of the forest outside Flame Rock Village, the glow of the setting sun bathed the hills. Embers drifted in the air, carrying a faint, lingering warmth.

Kael stood in the woods. Paleclaw had regained consciousness and stood by his side, its eyes bright and alert as if it had long sensed the journey ahead. The pack followed in silence, steady and orderly.

Kael took one last look at Flame Rock Village. Every piece of rubble, every fragment of fence on that land held memories of his upbringing. Now, he had to leave it all behind and embark on a journey to find the truth.

"You must hold on," he whispered, as if making a promise to the village.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Kael and his pack stepped into the dense forest, their figures gradually vanishing into the end of the golden light.

—

Night fell, and the forest grew silent, save for the leaves swaying gently in the night breeze. Kael walked along the forest path, the pack moving like shadows at his heels, vigilantly watching everything within the darkness.

Suddenly, Paleclaw stopped and let out a low, warning whimper.

Kael came to an immediate halt. His gaze swept the surroundings, and he vaguely sensed a faint aura drifting in the night—a cold, ancient presence that sent a chill down his spine.

"Come out," Kael said in a low voice, his hand slowly gripping the hilt of the long blade at his waist.

After a moment of silence, the bushes ahead rustled, and an old man cloaked in gray robes slowly stepped out. His face was etched with deep wrinkles, and his eyes were profound, as if they could see through everything.

"You are... a descendant of the wolf kin," the old man said, staring at Kael, his voice low and raspy.

Kael frowned slightly. "Who are you?"

The old man grinned, revealing missing teeth. "I am the guardian of the Wolf Soul Mountains. I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Kael felt a jolt in his heart. "You know me?"

The old man nodded. "The blood of the Ancient Wolf King flows through your veins; you were destined to walk this path. Since you have chosen to head toward the Wolf Soul Mountains, it means the time has come."

Kael stared at the old man with wary eyes. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Will I... truly find the answer there?"

The old man smiled without a word, turned, and stepped into the depths of the forest. "Come. The darkness will not give you much time."

Kael took a deep breath, nodded at Paleclaw, and led the pack to follow, eventually disappearing into the dark of the night.

Behind them, in the night sky above Flame Rock Village, the silhouette of a wolf rose against the moonlight, as if silently watching over this band of brave travelers.