There was a little lamb.

A small, fragile, silent lamb.

A different lamb, born without a herd, without a flock to protect it.

A lamb that carried the sins of others, bearing the weight of names it did not remember.

A lamb that bleated in the darkness, waiting for an answer that never came.

A lamb that learned the meaning of fear before that of warmth.

A lamb that was pushed, beaten, scorned.

A lamb that wanted to run, but there was nowhere to flee.

A lamb that wanted to hide, but it was always found.

A lamb that wanted to cry, but crying attracted the wolves.

A lamb that stopped crying.

A lamb that stopped running.

A lamb that stopped fearing.

A lamb that ceased to be a lamb.

When the wolf entered the pen, the flock ran. But he remained.

When the fangs sank into his flesh, he did not scream.

When the blood painted the ground, he smiled.

Because there were no more lambs left.

Only the wolf.

—"And in a mirror I saw…"— I murmured, unable to shake off the face I had seen.

But it was not my reflection. Or perhaps it was.

My room fractured, crumbling into something vaster, crueler. It was not just walls that surrounded me. They were trenches blackened by gunpowder / the sunken mattress of my bed.

Metallic corridors with alarms flashing like eyes in the dark / the dim glow of the lamp.

Ransacked rooms where I took everything I could without looking back / the cluttered desk, where things rested that I did not remember placing there.

I blinked.

The floor creaked like snow stained with blood on the mountain / the old wood beneath my feet.

The reflection of a broken helmet flickered on the dark screen of my computer / the shadow of my own face watching me.

I knew I wouldn’t have enough bullets.

I knew it then.

I know it now.

The box where I kept my revolver was there. / Had it always been there?

Why did I hide it? / Why hadn’t I used it before?

My clumsy fingers struggled with the lock, the urgency growing in my chest / in my memories / in my bones.

It was still there.

The Wolf.

Waiting.

A shadow in the doorway.

I didn’t have time to pull out the revolver.

But the knife would do.

—"Come here, Wolf. You won’t catch me on my knees."—

From the doorway, she looked at me.

From above.

Authoritative / concerned.

Confident / expectant.

Predatory, licking her teeth / with a tight grimace.

She took a step forward.

I did too.

I will not back down before the Wolf / Death.

My heart racing.

Sweat soaking my body.

My vision failing.

Everything distorted.

It was now or never.

Attack.

Simple. Direct. Desperate.

In one stroke, I cut down the evil / I slipped and lost my knife.

The shadow did not fall.

Another shadow emerged from where I had cut.

Shadows within shadows.

Swallowing me whole.

An angry face / a frightened face.

A voice.

—Rest, little lamb / Rest, little lamb…—

No matter how much I tried to resist, the darkness finally swallowed me.

I turned my head to the side.

In the mirror, I saw…

"—How does it feel to see me here—"

I smiled.

…

—Hey, Kailen, wake up.

Shit.

Everything’s spinning.

Why the fuck is everything spinning so much?

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Goddamn it, stop moving the floor.

—Kai, are you okay? Do you feel any better?

Fog. Or no… It’s not fog.

Everything’s blurry.

Shit, it’s these damn eyes.

Let me focus.

—Kai, if you don’t respond, I’m going to have to inject you with another dose.

I’m trying to open my mouth, damn it.

What was the command for that?

Why can’t I open my mouth?

Oh, fuck! I forgot how to breathe! Help!

—Alright, here goes the injection. If this doesn’t fix it, we’ll have to take you to a medical center.

Oh… Oh, this feels good.

What is this?

Ah, right… That’s air entering my lungs.

Damn, breathing feels amazing.

—Erkjstoy… b-b-better…

—Oh, you can finally talk. Easy now, take it slow.

—Qwuen… ronde tuoy… (Who… where am I?)

—You’re in your room. You have heavy metal poisoning. One of the bullets you took must have dissolved inside your body. We need to get you to chelation. This is just a temporary fix.

—I’m… brien… just can’t see.

—The vision loss is temporary. However, the neurological effects could be permanent if we don’t get you to chelation soon.

—Brien… brien… brien, shit! Bi-en, brien.

Fuck.

I can’t coordinate my speech.

But at least my head feels a little less light.

I guess that’s something.

—Easy, Kai. The injection is still taking effect. You’ll feel a little better, but it’s temporary. We have to take you in. Do you know a place? It’ll be relatively expensive, and I don’t have Obis… Maybe your family…

—Nur… femili.

—Don’t be stubborn, kid. You could die from this.

—Nur… family.

As best as I could, I started patting around.

Among the blurry spots, I thought I saw my processor on the shelf.

I pointed at it.

—Chitosane.

—What do you mean?

—Call… Chitse… Chiso… Ah… mejda… Chituosaneeeee.

—I understand, I understand. Stay calm, my child. I’ll call your contact and see why you need them.

Whoever that shadow was, they grabbed my processor and searched through the saved contacts.

I heard the sounds of selection and, shortly after, footsteps moving toward the door.

—Where did you get this number? —I recognized the old man’s voice.

—I’m calling on behalf of Kailen. He’s suffering from heavy metal poisoning, has multiple untreated wounds, and one of the bullets must still be inside.

—Oh, I see. Where is the boy?

—At his apartment, in Chloe’s block.

—I know the place. We’ll be there soon.

—What will you do with him?

—If you don’t mind me asking, miss… who are you to him?

—I am his protector.

—I see, understood. The boy recently completed a major mission for me. His payment is still pending—he’s due nearly a million Obis… though there will be some deductions, of course.

—That amount will be enough. I’ll need part of the payment to take him to a clinic in Nest.

—With all due respect, miss, are you sure? That could be very expensive. I know a specialist who could…

—I won’t gamble with my boy’s life, sir. I’ll take him to a trusted clinic. With the money he has, it’s more than enough to guarantee his full recovery and well-being.

The voices started to fade, as if they were behind thick walls, growing more and more distant.

Damn it…

I was supposed to be feeling better…

—H… el… p…

The cold was coming for me.

The void was coming for me.

But the wolf… wasn’t.

This time, the wolf wasn’t there.

I’m in a strange place.

It's cold here.

Occasionally, someone touches me. Their hands are cold… hands?

I hear noises.

Cold. Colder. But a different kind of cold. Metallic? No… it's more intense. Ice.

Too cold.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, motherfucker!"

Someone stabbed me.

A knife? A scalpel, maybe?

Did someone find me and decide to finish me off?

Another strike. Precise. Very close to the first one.

It cuts a U… are they opening me up?

A liquid rushes in. Cold. Violent.

My consciousness dissolves.

----------------------------------------

When I open my eyes, I find myself in a strange place.

Bright lights shine directly into my face, blinding me.

I try to lift a hand to cover my eyes, but I can’t move it.

My hands?

I turn my head and see my wrists strapped to a stretcher.

—What the fuck is going on?

I struggle against the straps, but I have no strength. I feel so damn weak.

—Mr. Kailen, you’re finally awake. Please, remain calm. I must inform the doctor.

I try to fight against the restraints once more, but it’s useless. I also realize my feet are tied down.

—Easy, my child. You’re safe.

Who?

Where?

The damn light won’t let me see their face.

But then they step forward and move the light away from my face.

It takes me a few seconds to regain my vision, but I finally recognize them.

—Master.

—Are you alright, Kailen?

—My side hurts… and my back. And I feel a bit weak. But I’m fine.

—Are you sure? The doctor said chelation would make it feel like your blood was boiling. They used an emergency treatment to prevent any long-term damage.

—I’m fine. This hospital belongs to my…

—Relax, child. It’s not your family’s.

Her tone is firm but reassuring.

—I called your contact’s number, and they told me you had a lot of money. I requested part of your payment to bring you to a clinic in Nest. Is that alright? The bill will be expensive.

—It’s fine, as long as I don’t owe anything to those hyenas.

I lie back down.

—Your contact, Mr. Chitose, said you completed a big job for him. Can you tell me what it was about?

She adjusts herself, resting her elbows on the bed, her chin resting on her hands.

—It was a mission for the Von Feuron. One of their own was kidnapped, and they sent a neutral team to rescue her. Chitose hired me to lead the expedition.

—Well, well. From soldier to corporal, and now lieutenant. You’re climbing the ranks fast.

—I wish they had promoted me to lieutenant in the army. I would’ve made far fewer mistakes in the mission.

—There’s no way around it. We all make mistakes, especially on our first missions. What matters is learning from them.

She pauses before switching topics.

—Tell me, what’s this super-secret reward your contact mentioned? He asked me to give the doctor certain medical details to prepare you.

—I sold Eckhart key information for the next challenge between the great families. In exchange, he promised me a state-of-the-art military-grade genetic enhancement.

I hesitate for a moment.

—Although… I’m not sure if I should take it. I don’t have anyone to guarantee they won’t screw me over.

—Nah, don’t hesitate for a second. I’ve got your back. I still have some contacts in government circles. And if they made you sign a rights transfer contract, I can make sure the procedure is done properly.

—Oh, yeah. I have the contract. Chitose helped me with it. Since I didn’t know how the process worked, the old man recommended asking the old fox for it.

—Perfect, my child. Looks like you’ll finally get one of those badass enhancements you used to rave about in the army.— She chuckles slightly. —I remember hearing you go on and on about how you’d get state-of-the-art upgrades, way superior to everyone else’s.

—Oh, come on, no need to bring up those embarrassing moments.

"I’ll have the best gear money can fucking buy: advanced blood irrigation systems, subcutaneous armor, retractable blades."

She starts mimicking my voice and mannerisms from back then.

—Oh, come on, I didn’t sound that stupid.

I try to move my hands to stop her from making those gestures, but I’m still tied to the bed and end up struggling against the straps in vain.

—Hold on a bit, my child. Let me ask the doctor if we can loosen these already.

As soon as I see her step out of the room, I finally manage to squirm in place.

Goddamn it, it hurt.

It wasn’t just that my fucking blood felt like it was boiling. There was a stabbing pain in several organs, coming and going in cycles. The worst was in my lungs. It felt like they were being pricked with needles, making it harder and harder to breathe and hold in air.

And to top it off, the damn itching was killing me. I couldn’t move my hands to scratch myself.

For better or worse, my mentor didn’t take long to return, accompanied by someone who seemed to be the doctor.

—Young mercenary, my name is Iluan. Could you tell me your name?

As soon as he entered, he pointed a flashlight directly into my eyes.

—What the hell is this?

I tried to turn my head away, but he held it firmly. Or maybe I just didn’t have the strength to resist.

—Don’t be rough on your body, young man. I need you to answer my questions.

—My name is Kailen.

—Your full name, kid.

—Kailen Neuvak.

—And your middle name? Your mother’s name?

The doctor cast an inquisitive glance at my mentor.

—He might have a concussion and not understand instructions.

—Not at all, old man. I was never given a middle name. And my family got rid of my mother. They would’ve never given me her name—it would’ve been a disgrace to them.

—Ah, I see. Yes, that makes sense. Sorry for prying, but it was necessary.

He jotted something down on his tablet before continuing.

—Now, move your fingers one by one, starting with the pinky.

I followed his instructions. Interestingly, some fingers were harder to move than others.

—Next, your lungs. The young lady here told me you were having trouble breathing.

I looked at her, questioning her with my eyes, but she just shot me a "I already knew" smile.

No point in pretending.

—I feel a sharp pain, like air is escaping whenever I breathe.

—Alright, I see. This could complicate things a bit. We’ll need to stabilize you.

The old man stepped back and started discussing something with my mentor in a hushed voice, clearly making sure I couldn’t hear.

They went on like that for nearly ten whole minutes.

At some point, the conversation seemed to grow heated. But in the end, the doctor gave in and returned to me.

—Alright, kid. Since your guardian refuses to be reasonable, I have no choice but to explain the procedures to you directly…

—That won’t be necessary. Whatever she agreed to, just do it.

—Kid, it’ll only take a few minutes to hear me out. After that, you can make your decision.

—Doc, just do as she arranged.

—Are you sure?

—Yes.

The doctor sighed, resigned.

—Alright, kid. This is the document with the procedure details. You need to sign it with your biometric fingerprint. That camera is recording your consent, and for the record, you need to mention who that person is and declare that you’re giving them full power to decide for you while you’re unconscious.

I took a deep breath.

It hurt.

I looked her in the eyes and paused for a moment. She smiled at me and gave a slight nod.

I turned my gaze to the camera and replied:

—My name is Kailen Neuvak. The woman present in the room is Ela Vasilya, and she will act as my guardian. I give her full power to make decisions on my behalf while I’m unconscious.

I then placed my hand on the document. The scanner read my data and soon emitted a green light.

The doctor didn’t seem satisfied, but his opinion wasn’t my concern.

—Alright, kid. You’ll be put to sleep. Hopefully, you’ll wake up in three weeks. Otherwise, your image will remain in my mind for the rest of my life… I must be crazy to agree to this.

He sighed, shook his head, and walked out.

Soon after, a nurse entered and injected me with something.

I said goodbye to my mentor with my eyes as sleep overtook me.

Everything around me blurred.

But one thought never left my mind.

"I am the Wolf."