The clearing was quiet again.
Too quiet.
The broken bodies of the strange wolves still lay on the ground, twisted and lifeless. The moonlight made their pale fur look even more disturbing.
A few warriors stood nearby, watching them carefully.
At the center of the clearing, Aria hugged her arms tightly.
"I don't like this."
Beside her, Alpha Kael crouched next to one of the bodies.
He examined the creature closely.
Its fur was thin.
Its skin looked dry and strange.
And its eyes… were still open.
But they were completely empty.
"This wolf was already dead," Kael said quietly.
Aria blinked.
"What?"
Kael pointed at the body.
"Look carefully."
She stepped closer.
At first she didn't notice anything.
Then she saw it.
The skin around the wolf's neck looked stiff… almost stitched.
Aria's stomach twisted.
"That's not natural."
Behind them, Ikechukwu slowly walked forward, leaning on his wooden staff.
He stared at the body for a moment.
Then he clicked his tongue.
"Chai… this thing no good at all."
Aria looked at him.
"You've seen something like this before?"
The old man shook his head slowly.
"No exactly like this."
He nudged the body lightly with his staff.
"But this one… somebody use dark work bring am back."
Kael frowned.
"You mean necromancy?"
Ikechukwu shrugged slightly.
"Call am anything you like. But this wolf suppose don rest since."
Aria shivered.
"So Magnus is bringing dead wolves back to attack us?"
Kael's expression darkened.
"That's what it looks like."
One of the warriors nearby muttered, "That's twisted."
Ikechukwu nodded slowly.
"Very twisted."
He looked around the forest carefully.
Then he said quietly,
"But the thing wey dey worry me pass… be say this no be Magnus style."
Aria frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Ikechukwu leaned slightly on his staff.
"That man like power. Big power. Direct power."
He gestured toward the dead wolves.
"This one… too dirty."
Kael stood up slowly.
"You think someone else is involved?"
The old man nodded once.
"Possible."
Aria's heart sank.
"So now we have Magnus… and maybe someone worse?"
Ikechukwu chuckled softly.
"Abeg no rush reach that conclusion yet."
He looked toward the dark forest again.
"But something for this forest no balance tonight."
Kael crossed his arms.
"I've been feeling that too."
Suddenly—
One of the warriors shouted.
"Alpha!"
Everyone turned.
The wolf that Kael had been examining suddenly twitched.
Aria stepped back.
"I thought you said it was dead!"
Kael's eyes sharpened.
"It is."
The wolf's body jerked again.
Then its head slowly turned.
Its empty eyes locked directly onto Aria.
A horrible cracking sound came from its neck.
Aria's heart jumped.
"Oh no."
The creature suddenly lunged forward.
Kael moved instantly.
He grabbed the wolf and slammed it to the ground.
But the creature kept moving.
Its limbs twisted unnaturally as it tried to crawl toward Aria.
Ikechukwu sighed.
"Ah ah… stubborn thing."
He raised his wooden staff.
Then—
WHACK.
The staff struck the wolf's head sharply.
A strange dark smoke escaped from the creature's mouth.
And just like that…
It stopped moving.
Completely still.
Silence returned to the clearing.
Aria exhaled shakily.
"I hate tonight."
Kael looked down at the body again.
Then his eyes narrowed.
Because something had appeared on the wolf's chest.
A symbol.
Carved into the skin.
But it was not the red crescent of Magnus.
Aria stepped closer slowly.
"What symbol is that?"
Ikechukwu's expression suddenly turned serious.
Very serious.
He stared at the mark for a long moment.
Then he muttered quietly,
"Ah…"
Aria looked at him.
"You know it?"
The old man tapped his staff once.
"Yes."
Kael crossed his arms.
"Then start talking."
Ikechukwu looked toward the dark forest.
His voice was low.
"That mark…"
He paused.
"…belong to somebody wey suppose don die long time ago."
The wind rustled through the trees again.
And for the first time that night…
Even Ikechukwu looked uneasy.