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Chapter 21: The Beginning of Holidays
In the snowy land of the Siberian North, beside a wooden cabin buried under white frost, a white wolf with golden eyes lay resting. He was far larger than others of his kind.
Suddenly his nose twitched. His ears perked up, listening. At the sound of dry branches snapping, he rose, took a deep breath, and dashed swiftly toward the noise.
A man in a coat of polar bear fur, with a hat on his head and dark glasses covering his eyes, trudged heavily through the snow. A large backpack hung from his shoulders. He paused as he heard the rapid footsteps approaching, smiled faintly, and knelt down, as if waiting for someone.
Moments later the great wolf leapt forward, tackling him into the snow. The man fell on his back beneath the wolf's heavy weight, yet he embraced its head and stroked it warmly. The wolf breathed calmly in his arms, just like a family reunited after a long separation.
Minutes later they both stood and happily walked toward the cabin.
They were William and his eternal companion—the little wolf Beta, now fully grown.
William laughed and said:
"Alright, alright… easy now. This time I'll be staying much longer."
He lit the fireplace, removed his bear-fur coat and heavy winter boots, and sat by the fire. Stroking Beta, he tried to comfort him, for months of missions had kept them apart. Beta had waited outside the cabin for him every day. William apologized and promised to take him out more often this time.
Three days earlier, Merlin had approved William's long leave of absence. After saying farewell to everyone, he set off for Siberia to start a new life. But before that, he needed to prepare himself for blindness.
The next morning William unpacked his large backpack: warm clothes, personal items, the legendary dagger, a firearm, and two Spartan swords. There were also a shovel, pickaxe, axe, and rope—tools useful in this harsh land.
Among the gear were strips of black cloth. He took one, tied it over his eyes, and decided to train his other senses. When true blindness came, he wanted to be ready.
Taking up the axe, he muttered:
"Easy… alright, not too hard. Just a bit faster!"
But dizziness struck him suddenly. "Ah! Damn, my head!"
He drew deep breaths and tried again. After stumbling into the walls a few times, he finally found the way outside. He counted his steps carefully, searching for a tree to cut down. He wasn't afraid of getting lost—Beta padded behind him, tongue hanging, always watchful.
Soon William found a tree. Pressing his ear to the trunk, he listened for signs of life within. Feeling the bark with his hands, he guessed the size and chose the best spot to strike.
After chopping the wood, he returned to the cabin, shed his clothes, and sat near the fire. Beta lay down beside him.
William said:
"Ah, if only we had a hot spring here too, right Beta?"
Beta growled softly: "Hmm, hmm."
William chuckled: "Maybe we can build a bath. Sounds like a plan… imagine a hot bath in one of the coldest places on Earth!"
Then he thought aloud:
"What do we need? First, strong tools—good thing Uncle Johnny made this pickaxe and shovel from Adamant alloy. Strange as his inventions always were, they sure come in handy. Thanks, Uncle Johnny.
Next, wood. Plenty of that here. A metal water tank too.
But most importantly… manpower. Which we don't have! Just you and me, Beta."
Beta puffed proudly: "Hoo!"
William laughed: "I'm sure you're the strongest, most beautiful wolf in this land."
...
Hours later William sat cross-legged inside the cabin, shirtless, breathing in a steady rhythm. Sweat streamed down his body, creating an odd scene in the freezing cold.
Years earlier, William had joined his organization and MI6 in storming a terrorist base in China. The group was called HAND. They had infiltrated England to steal the Queen's royal necklace, believing it held the secret of her long life.
In the battle, William faced strange warriors with incredible speed. Agent 007 called them ninjas. Though fast and deadly, they could not withstand bullets.
Inside that base William found an ancient book—ninja teachings. As always, he secretly took it with him. The book was written in old Chinese. Translating it slowly, William discovered passages on breathing techniques: ways to ease fatigue and realign the body's cells.
After testing them to ensure they were safe, he began to practice. Months later, he finally felt results. His illness slowed down. For William, it was a ray of hope in the darkness.
Though endless missions dulled the effect, he never abandoned the training. Now, in Siberia's cold silence, far from missions and human corruption, he felt its true power.
With each breath, a faint life energy stirred within him. That small spark was enough to keep his spirit alive.
His days passed in chopping wood, digging soil, studying books for the blind, and breathing exercises. At times, he trained in the martial arts of the "bald man."
Above all, he sharpened his senses: smell, hearing, touch, taste… and a unique instinct he called "the sense of death." Over time, it grew into something like a sixth sense.
This was William's daily routine—his way of preparing for an uncertain future.
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