Pain, instinct, and a stranger's truth—Jamie steps further into a world he barely understands.
After running past the outskirts of my hometown, most of the adrenaline began to fade, and I realized my knee had busted open when I fell. It didn't hurt, but the blood gushing out was enough to worry me. Out in the wide open land, I thought, I'll probably die out here—from blood loss, or maybe Alex and his team will catch up to me.
I closed my eyes and accepted it.I was fine with it.Fine with seeing Mom again.Fine with leaving this place behind.
I didn't care about my brother, or the townspeople. I just wanted to see Mom again.
Soon, I found myself in a blank, open space and wondered to myself, Am I dead? That's when a spirit slowly approached me. I couldn't tell what it was, but it felt warm. When I looked into its eyes, I saw a familiar blue flare.
The spirit embraced me without saying a word—but somehow, I knew exactly who it was, and what it wanted to say.
Gasp—was that a dream?
I snapped back to reality and looked down. My wound had fully healed—but there was something else that caught my attention: a dog licking the dried blood from my leg.
It was huge for a dog—half my size—and looked like some kind of man-eater. I pulled my leg away, and it took off, disappearing into the wilderness.
Curious why something that massive was roaming around out here, I followed it.
Into the Woods
The dog led me into some woods, but I quickly lost it—until I heard, "There you are, buddy."
"Who are you?" I asked, forcing out the deepest voice I could muster, trying to sound confident.
"I'll be asking the questions here." The man grinned, gripping a rusted blade.
A sword like that wasn't much to fear, but this man... he was massive. Towering over me like a mountain. His hulking frame barely fit in the old robes hanging off him, and I noticed the heat didn't seem to bother him at all.
"And what are you doing in the middle of nowhere, stranger?" he asked, taking a step closer. His voice was cold—unsettling.
I tried to run—but froze. The dog, once half my size, now stood at least nine feet tall. Its oversized teeth jutted out. Huge paws thudded against the earth. Drool dripped from its snout.
It growled low. My heart dropped.
I turned back to the man. He looked like he could be my age—but I saw the menace in his eyes.
"I'm tired of running," I whispered.
Flashes hit me—running with Mom, running from town—My thoughts slowed. My breathing quickened.
The dog backed away. The man tensed, ready.
I lunged.He didn't budge.
I leapt again, aiming for his face, claws outstretched.He blocked. Pain surged through me as I slashed across his arm.
But the blood... the blood wasn't just his.
My claws...
"I'm a wolf," I whispered—raw, stunned.The words felt strange. But freeing.
My head throbbed. Vision blurred. I hoped he'd run.But instead, he chuckled darkly. "Good for you, buddy."
To my horror, the four deep scratches across his arm began healing. Fast.
Then—a blinding green light flared from his eye. A horn burst from his forehead.
"A Taka," I gasped.
Before I could react, he was already in front of me. A swift kick sent me flying, crashing through tree after tree. Pain jolted through my spine.
What is this?! Who is he?!
Why...Why...WHY?!
And everything went black.
(Marko's POV)
"The little wolf's all riled up now," I muttered.
"Show me what you've got."
I gripped my rusty sword, planted both feet, and swung at him. The rabid wolf bit down on the blade—and shattered it like twigs.
Before I could blink, it lunged, teeth sinking into my neck. Pain flared. I kicked it off and glared.
"You crazy bastard," I spat. "You're not even in control anymore, huh?"
I could tell—this wasn't about me. This was raw instinct. Pure madness.
"I'm not your enemy.""But someone's gotta put you down."
I dropped the mental barrier holding back my Taka form. Pain stabbed my skull as a second horn erupted. Fur spread across my chest and back.
I met the wolf's eyes—stormy grey fur, wild blue eyes that shimmered with something feral. Something human.
It wasn't trying to kill me. It wanted to devour me.
Untrained. Newly awakened. It wouldn't be enough.
It lunged again.
I slammed my forehead into its skull. Blood splattered. It flew backward through the trees.
"Fetch him," I said to Fenrir. "And next time, don't hide, you stupid dog."
Back to Jamie
My head pounded as I opened my eyes.
Fenrir stared at me. Smaller now. But no less unnerving.
I tugged at the ropes around my body—tied to a tree.
The man stepped into view.
"These ropes can't hold me," I said.
"Relax, big guy," he replied. "I'm not your enemy."
"Yeah? The ropes and that kick say otherwise."
"That was before I knew what you were."
His words echoed.He was a Taka too. With horns. With power.
"What's your name?" I asked, groaning as my head throbbed.
"Marko," he said. "And that's Fenrir."
"You two rob everyone who comes near this forest?"
He laughed bitterly. "Just the humans."
I raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—you and your weird dog ran out of wherever you're from?"
His chuckle was darker this time. "It's complicated. But one thing's for sure... whatever you're running from, and all the pain I've seen—it's all the humans' fault."
His voice cut deep.
"Humans... the ones who strip us of our right to live. The ones who treat us like we don't matter."
I thought of the doctor. Of Aunt Mia. Of Alex.
The disgust. The fear.
"I know that look," Marko said quietly.
"It's not their fault," I muttered.
He didn't answer.
"We are monsters," I whispered, eyes locked on his.
Suddenly, Marko grabbed my throat.
"No! We're not!" he yelled. "We deserve to live!"
His hands trembled. Rage surged through him. But I understood. I understood him.
Still, I couldn't bring myself to hate them—not like he did.
He finally let go, panting, then stepped back and undid my ropes.
"Get up," he said. "I'll show you humanity's true form."
And just like that, we were walking—me, Marko, and Fenrir—away from the forest, toward the city of Siparah.