Chapter 15: Walking Toward the Light

Kale stood motionless in the center of the dark hall, his gaze fixed on the stone door that was about to close, a complex light flickering in his eyes. The runes etched into the stone walls gradually faded, leaving behind a chilling silence, as if the recent battle and the memories of the past had all been but a fleeting dream. Behind him stood Allen and the woman; the three shared a moment of wordless stillness, the silence stretching thick in the air.

“The farther I walk this path, the less I know what I truly desire,” Kale murmured, his voice echoing softly through the vast ruins, tinged with bitterness.

The woman stepped closer, her eyes fixed gently on his profile. “Do you know now?”

Kale closed his eyes, transported back to countless blood-red dusks—the losses, the buried past—all shadows that clung relentlessly to his heart. Slowly, he opened them again, a tender yet resolute light shining within.

“I want to protect all of this,” he said quietly, his tone unwavering. “No matter what lies ahead, no matter how fate may twist and turn, I will not let the tragedies of the past repeat.”

The woman smiled faintly, approval glimmering in her eyes. “Then let us walk this path together.”

Allen sighed from the side. “Sounds like you’re ready to face fate head-on once more.”

Kale turned, patting Allen’s shoulder. “If we don’t confront it, we’ll always live in shadows. I refuse to run away any longer.”

—

The three emerged from the ancient tomb. A gentle night breeze swept through the forest beneath a canopy of countless stars, as if myriad eyes watched over them. Kale lifted his gaze to the night sky, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.

They walked until they reached a hill overlooking the valley. In the distance, the village still burned with lantern light, peaceful and serene. Yet beneath this calm, Kale sensed an impending danger lurking.

“The darkness hasn’t dissipated; it’s drawing near,” he whispered.

Allen sat on a stone, idly fiddling with dry grass. “Yeah, after a battle like that, people deserve some time to catch their breath.”

The woman looked toward the village below and suddenly asked, “Kale, when all this ends, what will you do?”

Kale was silent for a moment before answering slowly, “I want to find my own peace, perhaps in a distant land, to build a new home. No slaughter, no strife—just sunlight and the howls of wolves.”

The woman paused, then smiled. “You want to live with wolves?”

—

Kale nodded gently. “The wolf pack was once my only home. I hope that one day, there will be no hostility between humans and wolves, that we can coexist on the same land.”

She said no more, quietly settling beside Kale, as if she could feel the yearning deep within him.

Allen suddenly laughed. “Sounds beautiful, but your dream’s a tough one. After all, humans and wolves have been sworn enemies for ages.”

“Precisely because it’s difficult, it’s worth doing,” Kale replied calmly, his gaze unwavering. “Someone has to take that first step, and I’m willing to be that person.”

The woman whispered, “If that day truly comes, I hope to stand beside you beneath that sunlight.”

A warmth bloomed in Kale’s heart, and he nodded slightly.

—

But the peace was short-lived.

At dawn the next day, a piercing wolf’s howl shattered the forest’s quiet. Kale awoke abruptly from his dream and dashed from the tent, his eyes fixed on the valley. Smoke billowed from the distant village, mingling with the harsh cries of battle and the snarls of wolves.

“Something’s wrong!” Allen burst out from the other side, his face grave. “The wolf pack is attacking the village!”

The woman’s expression tightened as she swiftly pulled her cloak around her. “Impossible. Wolves don’t attack humans unprovoked.”

Kale’s face darkened; he sensed something amiss. “These aren’t ordinary wolves—they’re corrupted, driven by dark forces.”

With that, he drew the short blade at his waist and charged toward the valley at the lead.

—

Within the village, flickering flames cast light upon bloodstained streets. Villagers fled in panic while the dark wolf pack slaughtered without mercy under the influence of shadows. Kale plunged into the fray, his eyes cold as he swung his blade to fend off a black wolf.

“Stop!” Kale roared. The pack faltered, their golden eyes flickering with hesitation.

“They still have some reason left…” Kale realized, turning swiftly to the wolves who had not fully succumbed. “You don’t have to kill. Whoever is controlling you—stop now.”

Suddenly, a massive black wolf leapt from the shadows, roaring as it lunged at Kale.

“Kale, watch out!” The woman quickly drew her blade, blocking the wolf’s attack. Sparks flew as steel clashed against razor-sharp teeth.

Allen raised his bow, releasing a volley of arrows into the beast’s flank. The wolf recoiled in pain but its eyes remained fiercely red.

Kale stepped before them, voice low. “Don’t kill it. It can still be saved.”

The woman and Allen exchanged glances, then lowered their weapons.

Kale approached the black wolf cautiously, kneeling to gently stroke its forehead. “Do you remember who you are? You are a warrior of the wolf pack, not a servant of darkness.”

A flicker of struggle sparked in the wolf’s eyes, as if it fought against the corrupting power.

After a moment, the wolf emitted a low, mournful howl and slowly collapsed. The crimson in its eyes faded, replaced once more by clear golden light.

Kale softly caressed its head, murmuring, “This war is far from over, but at least, I have saved you.”

The woman stepped beside him, whispering, “You did it, Kale.”

Kale lifted his gaze to the burning village, knowing deep within that this was only the beginning. The shadow of darkness still lingered in the forest, and he must press onward—for the dream in his heart, and for the vows already lost to time.

“Let’s go,” Kale said quietly, leading the wolf pack and his companions onward into the new journey ahead.