Where am I?

All around me are ice-covered trees. Nothing but trees for all I can see. Well, and snow.

I’m also butt-naked for some reason.

Interestingly enough, I don’t feel cold, despite the frigid landscape.

Scratch that, I can’t feel anything.

Did Marla feed me slow-acting poison and then ditch me here?

The last thing I remember is an insane heat rising in my body before everything went dark.

What the fuck is going on?

Well, I guess I gotta find my way back to town.

I start walking.

***

After what feels like hours, I stop. I’m getting nowhere.

At this point, I know that I’m not in the real world anymore. I probably would have died in the first half an hour if I was, and I also don’t feel tired at all.

I sit down to try and take a nap. If this was a dream, hopefully, I can reverse the situation by sleeping.

It didn’t work.

I continue walking.

***

After what feels like even more hours, I see a small clearing in the distance. Am I finally getting out of here?

I pick up speed, hoping to get to the end of this never-ending forest.

What I see causes me to come to a screeching halt. In front of me is a giant wolf. Absolutely massive. It’s larger than a fucking three-story building. I’m guessing this big dude is the Fenrir and that I’m here for a chance to absorb its ability.

Not knowing what to do, I kneel in front of it and prostrate myself.

“Please give me your power.”

The wolf doesn’t respond. I guess it doesn’t understand humans? Let me try again.

“Please give me your power. I really want it. Pretty please? I’m not gonna leave until I get it. Do I need to bark for you? Woof?” I say all of this while making hand gestures to convey my meaning. Hopefully, it can sense what I’m trying to tell it.

“I understood you the first time, lowly human.” The wolf growls in a low yet feminine voice.

Wait… so this wolf can speak. I’m a fucking dumbass.

“So can I-”

“Why should I?”

Fuck, that’s a good question.

“I am a Fenrir, noble of wolves. Why should I give my power to someone like you? You’re not even worthy of knowing my name.” The gigantic wolf poses elegantly, showing off her beautiful fur. “Besides, looking at your muscles, you’d be too chewy anyway. I like my meat with a little bit of fat.”

“Well, I’m not trying to become your food, and I really need your power.”

“You don’t even know what my power is, child.”

Shit, she’s right again. I don’t know her power because Fenrirs are so rare and strong that most people die upon encountering them.

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The Fenrir smirks, obviously jovial that she’s toying with my intellect. The wolf turns her back to me, ready to leave.

“You should leave now, child. This is the last chance I’m giving you.”

At this point, I’m getting really annoyed. If she’s going to embarrass me with facts and logic, I’m going to spit some facts as well.

“You’re already dead.”

The Fenrir giggles and rolls on the floor, wheezing in laughter.

“You jest. A noble like me, dying?”

“No, it’s true. I came here after touching your monster core.”

The Fenrir immediately stops laughing and shifts her attention back to me. She’s extremely surprised and is having difficulty closing its jaws.

“Are you speaking the truth?” It looks completely lost now, jumping up and down and licking her paws, as if trying to find any way to prove that she’s still alive. It was a hilarious sight, seeing the Fenrir continue to do more and more extreme movements and trying to feel something, anything.

“You’re right… I don’t feel anything.” The Fenrir looks at her paws, downcast, sorrowful.

It’s my turn to laugh. That’s what this stupid bitch deserves!

“So, about the power.” I give an absolutely shit-eating grin, showing how much I’m enjoying this situation.

“Hmph!” The Fenrir pouts and looks away. “I don’t wish to converse with you. Please leave.”

After hearing the wolf say this, I absolutely lose it. I jump on the Fenrir and begin pulling at its fur, despite knowing that neither of us is going to feel anything.

“How. Much. Of. My. Time. Are. You. Going. To. Waste?!”

The Fenrir bats me off with her paws, but I don’t give a fuck. I approach again and start chewing on it.

“Give. Me. Your. Power!”

***

I’m panting. This Fenrir is one tenacious bastard.

“Please give me your power.” I squeeze this sentence out with the last of my energy.

We spent what feels like the last few days tussling in the snow, grabbing at each other, and trying to kill each other, even though we know that our efforts would be fruitless.

The Fenrir lies next to me, lost in deep thought.

“What’re you thinking about?”

“Now that I’ve realized that I’m dead, my memories are starting to come back to me.” The wolf whines in sadness. “My pup. Did it live?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know.” I fell quiet. As someone who knew what loss was like, I empathized with the Fenrir.

The huge wolf looks at me, stunned by my sudden softness.

“Tell me the truth. Why do you want my power?”

“The Holy Grail is regaining its power in fifteen years. I need the strength to get the wish.”

“And what would you use the wish for?”

There’s nothing to think about, I only have one wish.

“I want to bring my family back.”

“Sometimes, your wish to bring back the dead may not be what the dead want, however, your intentions are pure.”

The Fenrir stands up and places its paw on my forehead. It takes its paw off, then licks the same spot.

Wait, that’s it? That’s anti-climatic as hell.

“I beg of you to look for my pup. Without someone to take care of it, it can’t grow”

As I hear that, my vision turns completely white.

***

I wake up on my bed again.

Marla and Brandt are sitting next to me, fast asleep.

How long have I been out?

I stretch my hands in front of me. I can finally feel my body again. Everything seems to be in order, yet there’s a new swirling energy inside my abdomen. Is that my mana pool? What a peculiar sensation.

I push the energy toward my right fist and see a glow surrounding my skin.

“Dang…”

I’m a fucking badass. I managed to use mana imbuement after just getting mana!

I swing my fist around, imitating my martial arts training, hitting the empty air. In the next moment, however, my hand loses its shine.

What? What happened? I was just having fun!

My body goes limp and I fall back into bed.

Oh, well shit. I guess I used up my mana.

***

Somewhere in the cold lands of Northern Zorn, a small wolf pup emerges from its place inside a pile of snow and surveys its surroundings.

Seeing no one near it, it steps out of its hiding spot and slowly walks around, one stubby paw after another, whining for its mother.

Although Fenrirs don’t necessarily need to eat to survive, they need to absorb the nutrients from other organisms to grow. Without a mother to take care of it, this pup has retained its appearance and has been forced to hide from hunters and larger predators for years.

Letting out a sad howl, the pup continues its trek into the vast snow lands.