Chapter 3:The theft at the wolf's den.
The journey to the wolf's border was a march through ice and hunger. Shackled in chains, Jamak stumbled over frozen woods. The cold ran through his thin, servant clothes. Around him, the convicts filled with curses on their lips. The scarred man passed every few steps. The thin one laughing too loudly at nothing. The silent one kept his eyes forward, unreadable.
The guards pushed them forward. Their torchlights on a thin path through the dark forest. Wolves howled in the distance, long and mournful, shaking Jamrak's chest with fear. When the border rose before them, red stones black with age, carved with claw marks. The guards unchained the convicts." This is as far as we can go", one shouted. "Bring the relic and the king will give you silver. Fail and your bones will rot out here".
The gate of the wolf's territory was wild and silent. The forest beyond was quiet, as if holding its breath. It echoed. The convicts hesitated. The scarred man with disdain said, "this is madness". The thin one stood shaking. "Wolves can smell fear. They will be on us before we take ten steps". The silent one curled his fist, eyes on the torchlight he was holding." Then we move fast, take the relic and run". Jamak said nothing. His heart pounded with the memories of his mother's words." Respect them or they will destroy you."
They crept through the shadow of the towering pines, following the map in their hands given to them by the king's men. Hours seemed to go unending, but at last the trees opened to a clearing. There, at the center, stood a black stone altar. Upon it was the relic. It was no simple jewel or crown. It was shards of crystal, glowing brightly, deep sea blue, almost as if it was beating. Forces like a heartbeat were heard. It slipped. The air around it was thickly soaked in power.
The convict froze. No one dared approach. The scarred man hissed. "You do it, boy". The thin one pushed Jamrak forward. "Yes, you are small. If you die, it won't matter". Jamrak's feet dragged, but he forced himself to the altar. Every step was like chills to his spine. His bones were cold. The air was thick, as if unseen eyes watched from the trees. He reached out. His hands trembled above the relic. His eyes screamed to stop. But the pictures of his mother and his sister burned on his mind. With a deep touch, he grabbed it.
The moment his skin touched the relic, a surge of power ran through his body, almost like an electric charge. It was like fire and ice in his veins. His knees froze. His eyes blazed with blue golden light. For a moment, he felt more than human. Stronger, sharper, and alive. Somewhere high above, the Alpha King felt an unease in his tower. His head snapped, more like an ominous sign. His eyes narrowed. The relic, he growled. His claws dug into the stone railing. With a snare, he left from the tower. His cloak of shadow trailing right behind him. But deep down, unseen by Jamrak or the convict, another figure stood in the shadows. A tall wolf with cold, calculating eyes. His fur was grey, with strands of white. His smile was sharp with bitterness. The Alpha King's brother, Laruffol. He had waited for years for this night, for a chance to weaken his brother's throne.
And now the boy had given it to him. When Jamrak tore the relic, Laruffol felt the surge as well. His lips curled with satisfaction. He gave a smack. He asked his boy to become the chaos that would break him. It would have stopped Jamrak easily. One growl, one step into the light, the boy would have fled. But instead, he stepped back into the shadows, folding his arms, his eyes gleaming. My brother cannot protect his own treasury. Let the humans tear his kingdom apart. Let the boy carry the curse.
Jamrak stumbled back, holding the relic tight to his chest. The convict stared at him, then they started running. "Run!" The scarred man shouted. They fled into the trees, pounding over roots and snow. High above, the Alpha King Damascius landed on the pinnacle and looked at the altar. Empty, his anger surged, his nostrils flared. Catching a sense, a strange foreign alike, a human. But humans don't smell like this, he thought. He turned and, in the distance, showed a fleeing figure. His gaze locked with Jamrak's.
For a heartbeat, the world froze. The boy's eyes glowed faintly gold, with hints of sea blue. The gold was the same as his bloodline, but he could not tell of the blue color. The alpha chest tightened with a strange, unexplainable recognition." Who are you, boy? "But the moment broke as the convicts dragged Jamrach forward. And they vanished into the trees. The alpha king roared, his voice shaking the forest. Wolves howled in response, spreading out to haunt.
The haunt began. Behind him, his half-brother stepped from his shadow. "Strange, isn't it? "he said smoothly. "A relic story from right under your nose". The alpha king turned, fury burning in his eyes. "Where were you?", "watching!"The half-brother replied, his calm tone mocking. "Perhaps this is fate, perhaps the relic was never meant to be here". The alpha king's claws crept against the stone. But his half-brother only smiled, hiding his triumph behind calm words. Deep in the forest, Jamrak ran until his lungs burnt. The relic tied in his sackcloth, on his hand. It was glowing. Placed against his chest. He didn't know what curse he carried. He knew if the wolves got hold of him,he would be dead meat. He didn't know the eyes that allowed him to escape. But one thing was certain. Nothing in his life would ever be the same again.