Roman’s eyes flickered open, his vision blurry as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. The rough jolting of the ground told him he was lying on a moving surface—a wagon, its wooden planks digging into his back with each bump along the road. As his vision cleared, he noticed the chains clamped around his wrists and ankles, the cold iron biting into his skin.

A faint groan slipped from his lips as he tried to shift, pain shooting through his side where the assassin had stabbed him. He felt incredibly weak, and when he instinctively reached inward for his Chi, cautiously channeling the energy through his body. Relief flooded him as he felt the familiar warmth of his chi respond, albeit sluggishly. He tried once again to heal his wound and this time the Chi responded, maybe because the blade was no longer inside him...no diddy.

He tried to reach for mana and felt nothing but dead silence in a vast box of nothingness. Even though he only just learned to use and connect to mana, it became part of him so not finding anything was messing with his brain. Like he was missing a limb or something.

Then he noticed it—a metal collar clasped tightly around his neck, much like the one he’d seen the assassin use on Jessika during the ambush. So they’d managed to disable his magic.

His chi wasn’t completely cut off though, just weakened…maybe because of his exhaustion… and for now, he decided it would have to be enough. He would bide his time and strike when the moment was right. He would just focus on healing and cycling his chi to rebuild strength.

He glanced around the wagon, finding his friends beside him, each of them bound in chains. Seth, Z, Jessika, and Lexi lay nearby, their eyes closed, faces etched with exhaustion and strain. They looked battered but alive. He felt his chest tighten as he looked at Lexi, her face pale as she shifted uncomfortably, her breathing shallow but steady.

The rough laughter of the guards at the front of the wagon broke through his thoughts.

“Did you see the look on that fool King’s face?” one of the guards sneered, his voice carrying through the night. “He really thought he’d scare us off with his little sword tricks. I’ll never forget the way he went down on his knees, begging before we cut his head clean off.”

Roman’s stomach twisted with anger, his blood boiling at their words. He forced himself to remain still, his face impassive as he listened. He needed to know more. To his right, Seth’s head slowly turned, his eyes widening with horror as the guards continued.

“Yeah, I saw it,” another guard added, snickering. “The crown didn’t do him any good in the end. After all his threats, he ended up just like the rest of ‘em—another trophy. And now the King’s head’s been paraded through the camps, like a prize for all the lads to see. Guess he won’t be giving any more orders from up high!”

Roman’s heart sank as he watched Seth, whose face had gone deathly pale. Seth’s body stiffened as he realized what they were saying, and Roman could see the disbelief, the raw pain, and rage flickering in his friend’s eyes.

The guards kept talking, oblivious to the devastation their words were causing. “Kenan and Eidon fell quick enough. Without that powerhouse Roman and his crew, they were easy pickings. And the capital?” One of the guards scoffed. “Once we got through the walls, it was a slaughter. Could barely tell who was fighting back with all the bodies piling up.”

Beside him, Jessika stirred, her eyes blinking open as she took in the guards’ words. Horror filled her gaze as she met Roman’s eyes, and he could see the pain reflected back at him. He wanted to reassure her, but there was nothing he could say—not yet.

A soft groan to his left told him Lexi was waking as well. Roman quickly shifted his hand toward hers, subtly brushing his fingers against hers to let her know he was there, that he hadn’t given up. She didn’t respond at first, her face twisting with pain as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings, but when her eyes finally found his, he gave her a faint, reassuring nod.

“Everyone… hold on,” he murmured quietly, his voice barely audible over the sound of the wagon. “We’re going to get through this.”

Seth’s fists clenched, his knuckles white as he glared at the guards, every muscle in his body tense with barely contained rage. Roman knew that Seth’s instinct would be to fight back, to take revenge on the men who had killed his father. But in his current state, weakened and chained, Seth would only get himself killed. Roman caught his eye, giving him a look that said, Not yet. Wait.

Seth’s jaw tightened, his eyes dark with fury, but he gave a small nod, reluctantly accepting Roman’s silent command.

One of the guards sneered, oblivious to the tension in the wagon. “And don’t get me started on those heroes,” he said with a laugh, jerking a thumb back at the prisoners. “They fought hard, sure, but look at them now. All chained up, just like the rest of the fools who thought they could stand against us.”

The other guard chuckled in agreement. “I was so excited when we got cart duty. The King was offering a nice bounty for Roman’s head specifically but I bet he’ll pay us even more for him alive and the rest of his group! Plus, maybe we’ll keep him around for some fun first. I’d like to see what he’s capable of with all those fancy powers gone.”

Roman forced himself to remain calm, ignoring the surge of anger and helplessness bubbling within him. They didn’t know he still had access to his chi, and he intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. If they underestimated him, it could be the only advantage he had left.

Lexi’s hand trembled beneath his touch, and he tightened his fingers around hers gently, hoping to give her a bit of strength. When she looked at him again, he mouthed, We’ll make it out. She gave a small nod, the determination in her gaze returning as she took a deep, steadying breath.

The guards continued their bragging as the wagon rattled along the mountain path, each jibe and boast stoking the fire of Roman’s anger. But he forced himself to wait, to stay focused. If he was going to protect his friends, he needed a plan. The guards’ arrogance would be their downfall—he just had to wait for the right moment to strike.

The King is dead? How did they get to the capital so fast? Roman’s mind raced. Their army couldn’t have moved that quickly… unless they had used a portal, like how they entered the kingdom in the first place. But even then, something didn’t sit right.

And where’s the Commander with the bulk of the army? Roman thought, frowning. He should have arrived by now.

He paused his racing thoughts, shifting his focus back to his body. The blade lodged deep in his side was slowly pushing out as he healed. Roman gritted his teeth, making sure the weapon didn’t fall and alert the guards. A sigh of relief escaped him as the wound fully closed, though the damage still left him feeling weak. Now, his priority was regaining strength.

He spun his chi faster and faster, cycling it through his body, pulling the fatigue from his muscles with each breath, and drawing in new energy, revitalizing his body. Though the collar around his neck suppressed his mana, his chi was still accessible—flowing freely now, slowly bringing him back to full capacity.

The wagon jolted as it moved along the rough trail, and Roman’s thoughts returned to the situation. The enemy had been too fast, too coordinated. The assassin who attacked them had been precise, surgical, and now the capital had fallen. But how? None of this makes sense.

He needed more information. First, though, he needed a way to detect anyone stealthy moving around him. His chi might be perfect for this since it seemed that no one else in this world could use it. There must be chi in everyone, human or monster, Roman reasoned.

Closing his eyes, he focused on his chi, pulling it outward until he could sense it outside of his body. The process was slow and painstaking—like trying to push his head through a narrow opening—but eventually, he broke through. What he saw made him gasp.

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The world around him glowed in ethereal light, almost spiritual. The wagon, once dull and nondescript, was now illuminated with a faint aura. His friends shone brightly with untapped power—especially Lexi. Her glow was almost blinding, so intense that Roman had to shield his eyes.

He pushed his chi further, extending his perception past the two guards. They glowed faintly but were weak, insignificant compared to his friends. His awareness stretched farther and farther until it reached around 100 feet in all directions.

Then, something shifted. Roman tensed. There were about twenty small orbs of light sprinting toward them at an incredible speed. He couldn’t tell what they were, only that they were fast and approaching quickly.

Blinking away the chi vision, Roman glanced at his companions. Each was still reeling from the news of the King’s death. Seth sat beside him, his expression hard and stony, eyes burning with anger and grief. Roman could see his fists clenching, muscles taut, ready to snap the chains that bound them. He wanted to say something comforting, but there were no words that could soften the blow of losing his father.

Jessika, pale and shaken, kept reaching for the collar around her neck. Her fingers brushed the cold metal repeatedly, as if still in disbelief that her magic had been cut off. She looked utterly lost, stripped of the very essence that had always made her powerful.

Z sat silently, his massive frame slumped in defeat. Lexi, beside him, seemed just as stunned, her hand still gripping Roman’s for reassurance, her eyes unfocused as she tried to process everything.

Roman grit his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm. The guards were still laughing, still boasting about their victories, completely unaware that Roman was steadily regaining his strength.

In a low whisper, he called out to his friends. “Guys.”

They stiffened at the sound of his voice, but when the guards didn’t react, Roman continued. “Something’s coming… about twenty somethings. Brace yourselves.”

They exchanged quick glances of confusion but understood his meaning. Silently, they began adjusting themselves as best they could, preparing for whatever was approaching. Each of them was bound in chains, their hands behind their backs, and all were lying in different positions—Roman on his stomach, Z on his side. Slowly, they shifted, easing into positions that would allow them to burst to their feet if necessary.

Roman quietly slid one knee under himself, focusing his chi on the joint in the chain binding his wrists. With steady pressure, he pushed against the weak point until, with a soft crack, the chain broke. He quickly covered the sound with a cough.

For a tense moment, Roman froze as one of the guards turned back, his eyes narrowing. The man grinned wickedly as he looked over at them, clearly satisfied with their helpless state. “Comfortable back there, heroes?”

Roman kept his head low, hiding the fire burning in his eyes. He couldn’t afford to draw attention to himself, not yet. Instead, he continued to breathe steadily, his chi cycling through his body faster and faster, slowly restoring his strength.

Then, the wagon came to a stop. The sound of one of the guards’ boots crunching on the gravel echoed as the man approached. Roman tensed, doing his best to stay still for just a little longer.

The guard stopped beside Roman, leering down at him. “What’s the matter, big guy? Not so tough now, are you?” He kicked Roman’s leg, but Roman didn’t react, keeping his body limp and his head low. The time to strike hadn’t come yet.

The guard spat on the ground and turned to walk back to the front of the wagon when a deafening howl split the air, much closer than expected.

Wolves.

Roman’s pulse quickened as a grin tugged at his lips. The guard, now tense and visibly unsettled, whipped his head around. His swagger vanished as he eyed the dark tree line on both sides of the narrow mountain trail. The forest loomed close by to the south, its thick trees and underbrush casting shadows over the trail. Roman recognized it immediately—it was the forest where all of this had started. He assumed they had passed through it while unconscious.

The guard took a nervous step back, his eyes scanning for the source of the howl. But before he could retreat any further, Roman acted. With lightning speed, he kicked both legs into the back of the guard’s knee, a satisfying crack echoing as the man’s leg gave way. The guard tumbled from the wagon with a heavy thud, screaming as he hit the ground. His cries, however, were soon swallowed by a chorus of low growls that reverberated through the trees.

Roman activated his chi vision, the ethereal glow revealing the scene beyond. Wolves were moving in from all sides, their lean, muscular bodies slipping through the darkness with predatory grace. Their eyes glinted with deadly intent as they closed in on the guards, ripping into them with brutal efficiency.

Roman’s heart raced, but not from fear. The wolves were tearing through the enemy like paper. Ahead of the wagon, another group of soldiers—likely a reinforcement squad—was being attacked just as savagely. Wolves leapt from the shadows, their fangs flashing, limbs moving in perfect sync with one another. Within minutes, the guards were decimated.

Then, Roman heard the sound of heavy paws landing on the wagon behind him. He froze, heart pounding. Slowly, he turned, propping himself up on one elbow. A large grey wolf, bigger than any of the others, stood over him. Its fur was thick and matted, and a long scar ran over its left eye, giving it a weathered, battle-hardened look. Its massive chest expanded and contracted with each breath, and as it loomed over Roman, it lowered its muzzle to sniff at him.

You, Roman thought, recognizing the wolf from before. The same one he had spared.

The wolf lowered its head further, gently gripping the chains that bound Roman’s legs with its powerful jaws. With a sharp twist of its head, the chains snapped like brittle twigs.

“Thank you, buddy,” Roman murmured, his voice low. The wolf’s golden eyes locked onto his, and it nodded—an almost human gesture that sent a shiver of disbelief down Roman’s spine. Still, he approached cautiously, unsure of how much trust he could place in the creature. Just because it freed him didn’t mean they were friends.

The wolf’s head dipped slightly, and it nudged Roman’s hand with its nose. Slowly, Roman reached out, placing his hand on the wolf’s thick fur. The beast leaned into his touch, a low, rumbling growl of approval vibrating from its chest. Roman scratched behind its ears, marveling at the connection between them.

“Alright,” Roman said, standing to his feet. “You’re the hero today, but let’s free the others first.”

The wolf padded toward Lexi, using the same precise bite to free her from her chains, while Roman moved down the line, tearing apart the restraints with his chi-powered hands. The others slowly stood, rubbing their sore wrists and exchanging glances as the pack of wolves formed a protective barrier around them.

The forest, once ominous and filled with enemies, now seemed eerily peaceful. The moonlight filtering through the trees cast long shadows across the blood-stained trail. Roman looked out over the carnage, wolves prowling silently through the fallen bodies of the guards.

But not all of them were dead.

As Roman finished freeing the last of his companions, his eyes caught movement near the edge of the trail. One of the guards was still alive, groaning and clutching his side. Roman strode over, his expression hardening as he crouched beside the injured man.

The guard flinched, trying to crawl away, but Roman grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back, his grip tight. “Where were you taking us?”

The guard’s eyes were wide with terror as he glanced around at the wolves pacing nearby, their teeth bared and low growls rumbling in their throats. “P-please,” he stammered. “I was just following orders. We—we were supposed to deliver you to the fortress in the north… as prisoners.”

“Fortress?” Roman’s voice was cold, his patience thin. “Who gave the order?”

The man’s lip trembled, his gaze darting between Roman and the wolves. “I—I don’t know his name. Just some noble. Said we had to keep you alive… for now. He wanted you brought to him.”

Roman narrowed his eyes. “And what happens when we get there?”

The guard swallowed hard, clearly realizing there was no way out of this. “Interrogation,” he muttered, barely audible. “They… they want information. About your powers, your titles.”

Roman’s eyes darkened. “And the King? How did they take the capital so quickly?”

“They used… they used a portal. The same one they opened to invade Eidon. They—they moved their troops in fast. It was over before anyone knew what hit them. The King… the King didn’t stand a chance.” The guard’s voice cracked as he finished, his face pale with fear.

Roman’s grip tightened for a moment before he released the man, shoving him back into the dirt. The wolves immediately moved in, but Roman raised a hand. “Leave him,” he commanded softly, and the wolves stopped, their golden eyes gleaming in the moonlight as they awaited his orders.

Roman stood, his mind racing as he pieced together what he had learned. He glanced at the large grey wolf, which had been watching him closely throughout the interrogation.

“How did you find me?” Roman asked, and the wolf dipped its head, taking in a loud sniff of the air.

“You followed my scent?” Roman asked, surprised. The wolf nodded, its tail swaying slightly.

Roman smiled in disbelief. “You really understand me, don’t you?”

The wolf nodded again, its eyes gleaming with intelligence. Roman knelt down, scratching the wolf under its chin. “Thank you for saving us. I owe you my life.”

The wolf shook its head and gently tapped Roman’s chest with its paw, a firm, almost insistent gesture.

Roman frowned. “No? You’re saying… you owe me your life?”

The wolf nodded once more, its gaze unwavering.

Roman let out a quiet laugh. “How about we call it even? We both saved each other’s lives.”

But the wolf shook its head again, more adamant this time. It tapped its own chest, then Roman’s, before lifting its head with a sense of finality.

Roman blinked, taken aback. “You’re saying… you’ll stay with me? For life?”

The wolf nodded.

Roman glanced at the rest of the pack. “And what about them?”

As if answering his unspoken question, the other wolves bowed their heads, lowering themselves to the ground in a gesture of submission. Roman stared at them in awe.

“Well… I guess I’ve got a pack of wolves now.” Roman grinned. “That’s… pretty awesome.”