Chapter 13: Memories of a Past Life

Kale sat on a rock, gazing deep into the forest, his eyes lost in thought. Since the appearance of the silver wolf, countless unsolved mysteries had been swirling in his mind. Whenever the night grew silent and still, fragments of memories—belonging to another era—would involuntarily resurface in his thoughts.

His body still felt weary; though his wounds were bandaged, a dull ache lingered, reminding him that the battle was far from over. Yet, what unsettled him most was the growing intensity of a premonition: none of this seemed coincidental. It was as if he had been swept into a vortex destined long ago, centuries past.

“Kale, what’s wrong?” A woman’s voice broke his silence, tinged with concern. She approached him gently and patted his shoulder.

Kale lifted his head, his gaze complicated. “I feel that my past is closing in on me.”

The woman furrowed her brows. “Your past?”

He nodded, his eyes piercing through the mist as if seeing all that once belonged to him. “For years, I couldn’t recall my previous life. But ever since stepping into this forest, certain images have begun to emerge.” His voice was low and hoarse, as if recounting a tale unrelated to himself. “I believe my past is intricately connected to the wolf pack—and even this forest.”

The woman fell silent for a moment, seemingly pondering his words. She sat down, leaning against a tree. “Do you think those memories are real?”

Kale took a deep breath, his gaze filled with both confusion and resolve. “They are real, yet unclear. I can sense a familiar presence, as though none of my past has ever truly left me.”

“So what shall we do?” she asked, unease coloring her tone.

Kale stood, his eyes resolute. “We must press on, uncover the secrets hidden in the darkness. Only by unraveling them can we truly understand the role my former self plays in this whirlpool of fate.”

At that moment, Allen came running from afar, his expression anxious. “Kale, Kale, come quick!”

Kale and the woman exchanged a glance and rose swiftly, heading toward Allen. He was standing in a clearing, pointing at strange symbols etched into the ground. “What are these?”

Kale knelt and examined the markings. There was a circle of ancient, intricate runes glowing faintly blue. Their arrangement was peculiar, resembling some forgotten language imbued with mysterious power.

“These runes…” Kale’s face grew grave. “They are ancient wolf clan symbols, representing both taboo and strength.”

The woman frowned slightly. “Wolf clan symbols? Are these connected to us?”

Kale’s gaze deepened, a strange light flickering in his eyes. “These symbols may relate to my previous life—or perhaps a hidden secret awaits us to uncover.”

Allen looked puzzled, but Kale said no more, focusing intently on the runes as hazy memories began to sharpen. Fragmented scenes and voices resurfaced: ancestors of the wolf clan, ancient oaths, rituals beneath the blood moon, the call of war, betrayal in the shadows...

Kale’s eyes trembled slightly, as if witnessing scenes from a distant past—a dark sky with a blood-red moon hanging high, wolf warriors gathered around an altar, crimson blood flowing like rivers. A priest raised a sacrificial blade, whispering ancient incantations, and Kale stood beside the altar, seemingly the centerpiece of the ritual.

He shook his head fiercely, trying to expel these memories, but they only grew clearer and stronger.

“Kale…” A deep, mysterious voice echoed near his ear, as if from another age. His body shuddered violently, and he murmured, “Who is it...?”

“Kale?” The woman’s voice called again, pulling him back to the present.

He snapped back, looking at her. “These runes—they are the key to the past, the clues to unlocking my former life’s memories.”

She looked surprised but did not doubt him. “What do you intend to do?”

Kale inhaled deeply. “We must find their source and unravel this mystery.”

In the days that followed, Kale, the woman, and Allen ventured deep into the forest’s heart. Guided by the runes, they arrived at an ancient site hidden in the dense woods. The air was heavy and oppressive, as if time had stood still here for millennia.

“This is... the wolf clan’s ancient tomb,” Kale said, his voice trembling barely perceptibly.

The woman glanced around in astonishment. “How do you know?”

Kale gazed at the old relics, eyes filled with awe. “These stone tablets bear the history of the wolf clan. This place may hold their ancestors’ remains—or perhaps the secrets of my previous life.”

They tread cautiously through the site, coming before a massive stone door. Its surface was carved with patterns similar to the forest runes, which resonated with the power within Kale.

“This is... my former strength,” Kale’s voice was low and hoarse. He reached out to touch the door, and suddenly, a fierce energy burst forth from its cracks, a powerful shockwave knocking them back violently.

“Kale!” The woman and Allen called out simultaneously. Kale gritted his teeth against the overwhelming force, managing to steady himself. His gaze was unwavering. “I’m fine. Let’s move forward.”

As his words fell, the stone door slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black passage. At its end, a faint light flickered, beckoning them onward.

“Let’s go in,” Kale said, determination blazing in his eyes. “Only by entering can we find the answers.”

Step by step, they ventured into the corridor. The air grew heavier, as though countless secrets had been sealed within this tomb. Kale’s heartbeat quickened; an inner urge surged stronger as lost memories seemed to awaken, pounding against his consciousness.

Suddenly, a low, rumbling roar echoed ahead, like some ancient power stirring to life. Kale gripped his dagger tightly, leading the woman and Allen swiftly onward.

“That sound…” Kale whispered, “It’s the call of the wolf clan—or rather, the call of my former self.”

At last, they reached a vast hall. At its center stood a colossal altar. Resting upon it was an ancient corpse, its eyes hollow yet seeming to pierce through the millennia, staring directly at Kale.

His heart raced wildly as a powerful summons flooded through him—the corpse appeared to be calling to him.

“This is me…” Kale muttered, his eyes filled with shock and tangled emotions.

The woman and Allen stepped beside him. Allen’s eyes brimmed with doubt. “Kale, what is it?”

Standing before the altar, Kale silently studied the corpse before him, then extended his hand to touch its skull.

“You are... my former life.”

At that instant, Kale’s body convulsed violently, and his consciousness was thrust into another time and space—the era of the wolf clan a thousand years past. Beneath a blood-red moon, wolf warriors fought bravely, and Kale’s previous self was one of the rulers of this ancient realm.