The sun hovered high—lazy and uncaring—just hanging there like it had nowhere better to be.
Arden stood under it, shirtless, drenched. Sweat rolled down his back and chin like annoyingly slow raindrops. His fist was buried in the trunk of a tree—stuck.
With a short breath, he pulled his hand out. The tree hesitated for a moment… leaning… as if thinking about it…
Then it gave up on life and crashed to the ground with a heavy, final thud that echoed across the quiet field.
Arden stared at his fist—curious.
"I gained the wolf boss' abilities," he muttered to himself, voice low. "Poison… strength… speed."
He frowned a little. "But I haven't tested it's howl–summon thing… I still don't know how that works."
He tapped his chin, then closed his eyes. Visions of claws and furious fangs charging at him replayed—dust flying—bones cracking—the wolf boss howling like a god calling judgment.
Arden opened his eyes.
"Does that mean I have to howl? But would that look right ?" he sighed. "I would look dumb howling like a wolf."
He rubbed his nose and nodded once.
"Fine. I'll try."
He inhaled dramatically like someone about to give a speech.
"Ar—wait… how does one howl? Maybe I should scream, that might work."
He screamed.
"AAARGHHHH!"
Silence.
Just the wind… blowing like it was trying not to laugh.
He looked away, disappointed. "Yeah, that felt stupid. Never again—"
Then something clicked in his head.
" That's it, I don't need to howl or scream. The power comes from my intention."
Arden exhaled. A calmer, deeper breath.
He closed his eyes.
"In that case…"
He snapped his eyes open—now glowing faint purple—and raised his palm forward.
Light flickered to life in the center of his palm. Purple. Dark. Almost like smoke that wanted to be fire but changed its mind.
"Come out."
A wide purple circle tore open in front of him like reality was fabric and he just poked a finger through it.
Shadowy smoke spilled from the ground and formed wolves—one by one—fifteen of them with glowing red eyes staring like they knew every secret he never said aloud.
The circle vanished. The air felt heavier because of it.
"These are the ones left," Arden whispered. "Makes sense. I killed most of them during the fight."
He crouched in front of them and tapped his chin, staring like he was studying a strange painting.
"They don't seem to have any objection with me being their new alpha."
The wolves didn't growl. Didn't bow. Didn't blink.
Just stared.
He stood up ." But they're too much for now, so I think I will send some away. "
He looked at the pack." But how do I send them away ."
"Five stay," he said plainly. "The rest… leave."
The air shimmered purple—and ten of them disappeared like erased ink leaving only five behind .
"So they do understand English," he muttered under his breath.
He walked toward the red maple tree—the one with his shirt lazily thrown under it. He picked it up and slipped it on, buttoning slowly.
He turned to the remaining wolves.
"Let's go."
They followed behind him .
—————
"Arden!!"
Verona's screamed in fear.
Arden stood in front of her with wolves behind him .
Verona immediately picked an object from the floor.
She pointed a stick—yes, a stick—like she was some legendary beast slayer.
"Wolves! Blood-thirsty wolves are behind you!"
Before Arden could even lift a hand, she dragged him behind her as if he were the one in danger.
"Back off—or I swear I will hit you with this stick!" she warned, shaking it like she was threatening mosquitoes.
The wolves blinked.
Arden tapped her shoulder. "It's fine . Relax. They're with me."
She slowly turned her head toward him—slow horror-movie reveal style.
"What do you mean with you?"
Arden looked at the wolves.
"Sit."
Every wolf sat.
Verona's jaw forgot gravity." They... they actually listened to you.
Arden smiled ." That's why I said there's nothing to worry about."
"How can I not worry . Who brings a wolf beast into their own home ? Do you think they're some kind of domesticated animals?They're beasts!"
She pointed at the wolves .
"Look at their eyes, their claws—those are for tearing bodies apart! And their teeth—those are for turning people into memories!"
Arden rubbed the back of his head, smiling ."Yeah… but these ones won't hurt anyone. Promise."
Verona sighed.
"Fine," she finally smiled. "But I'm glad you're back to your usual self."
Arden blinked. Then smiled .
"Yes."
—————
At Night.
The world was quiet enough that the steam from their bowls looked like ghosts having conversations.
Arden took a spoonful. Verona lovingly fed one wolf like it was her pet rabbit, not a mana-sucking nightmare.
He turned to the remaining wolves who sat beside him drinking their soups from the bowl kept for each of them on the floor .
"You're kinda attached now," Arden said. "Funny, since you were ready to exile them five seconds after meeting them."
Verona fed the wolf another spoon. The wolf wagged it's tail.
She smiled ." I'm rewarding them after all we wouldn't have been able to cook the rabbit stew without their help."
She rubbed the wolf on the chin ." Who would have thought, they would be so useful to us. They brought home so many rabbits ."
Arden smirked. "Just don't spoil them. I need them capable of biting things later."
"They'll be fine," she said.
And they ate silently in peace.
—————
A Day Later. The sun was begining to set.
Arden stood outside the house wearing a hood.
He walked away .
"I'm off."
"Where?" Verona asked.
Arden stopped. He turned to face her ." I have work to do ."
"You can stop lying about work. No one goes to work and comes back bloodied." Her voice softened. "Just promise me you won't come back shattered again like last time."
Arden didn't answer at first. Then—
"I promise."
He turned to the wolves.
"Protect the house."
The wolves growled—not threateningly, but with loyalty.
Arden walked away.
—————
Present Day
Arden jumped back.
BOOM—!!!
A fireball exploded right where Arden stood a second ago.
Selena smirked.
"For a healer, you move well," she taunted.
"You shouldn't talk in battle," Arden replied calmly.
The wolves charged.
Selena pointed her staff forward. A red circle formed around it .
Fireballs roared through the field.
The wolves spread out.
The fireballs slammed the dirt, lighting the air like meteors falling too early.
One fireball struck a wolf—it fell, whining.
Another dashed along the wall and lunged at Selena's side—she blocked with her staff, barely holding its weight.
More charged at her .
She jumped back. The moment she landed.
The ground under her cracked—like something biting through the soil itself—and a wolf burst upward, sinking teeth into her leg.
"What—?!"
The wolf nibbing on her staff didn't let go. She swung her staff.
The wolf was sent flying away, but it landed on it's feet and charged again.
She killed it with a fireball point-blank—but another bit her other leg and another launched itself in the air and clamped her shoulder.
She staggered, breath shaky.
"My mana—" she whispered. "They're draining it."
She smacked the wolf biting on her shoulder away.
More wolves crashed into her. Bites. Claws. Chaos.
Arden just stood there watching with his glowing purple eyes .
He walked towards one of the wolves that was hit with Selena's fireball earlier .
It's breath was weak, but alive .
He crouched and placed his palm over its burnt body.
"Heal."
Green light washed over the wolf, and flesh knitted back together like time reversing.
The wolf got better. It stood up.
Selena screamed as fire erupted violently from her—an explosion of molten rage.
Four of the wolves were sent flying back but they landed on their feet .
Two burning into ash mid-air.
She stood—blood on her arms, legs trembling, outfit torn.
"I won't lose!" she roared. "I'll kill you and those cursed beasts!"
Arden stood up looking at her .
She slammed her staff down." This is my most powerful spell."
The ground cracked opened—a glowing red circle burned. Lava cracked through the earth like veins of hell. Two molten arms pulled upward—a towering fire golem emerged, body stitched with lines of burning magma.
Selena grinned, breath wild.
"Now what will you do... Healer?"
Arden didn't flinch.
He brought his hand forward. His eyes shifted—from purple to gold. Golden light covered his palm.
"Heal."