The forest seemed endless, stretching in every direction under the dappled light filtering through the high canopy. Mihai moved cautiously, his senses heightened by the quiet hum of energy pulsing through his body—the strange sensation he had felt since his pact with Yahweh. It felt like a second heartbeat, steady yet fierce, reminding him that this new life was bound to something beyond himself.

He stopped for a moment, catching his breath and taking in the strange, foreign landscape. The trees towered above him, their bark a deep, knotted brown, and their leaves shimmered in hues he had never seen before—purples and blues blending with the traditional greens. It was as though the forest was alive in a way that his world had never been.

“Alright,” he muttered to himself, glancing down at the worn boots that had somehow followed him into this new world. “I need to figure out where I’m going. This can’t be the whole plan, can it?”

Yahweh’s promise of guidance hung heavily in his thoughts, but right now, he felt very much alone. The god had said nothing since depositing him here, and Mihai found himself wishing he’d at least given clearer directions.

Suddenly, a snap of twigs echoed to his right, and Mihai froze. The underbrush rustled, and he caught the faintest hint of movement—something low to the ground, large, and deliberate. He moved behind a nearby tree, his heartbeat thundering in his ears.

A deep, guttural growl pierced the silence, vibrating through his bones.

Then he saw it—a massive wolf, easily twice the size of any wolf he had ever seen, its coat dark as midnight, almost blending into the shadows. Its eyes were a fierce, burning amber, like molten gold, and they locked onto him with a dangerous intelligence.

Mihai’s instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move. This was no ordinary creature; there was something in its gaze that felt ancient, a knowing far beyond human understanding. He didn’t know how he knew, but he felt certain that this wolf was here because of Yahweh.

The wolf lowered its head, baring its teeth, and Mihai swallowed, raising his hands slowly in what he hoped was a universal gesture of peace.

“Easy there,” he whispered, his voice barely a breath. “I don’t mean any harm.”

The wolf held his gaze, unblinking. Then, in a motion so swift Mihai almost missed it, the creature shifted slightly, nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air. It seemed to assess him, deciding if he was a threat—or a meal.

Just as Mihai began to wonder if the wolf would lunge, another sound shattered the tense silence. Dark, winged figures emerged from the shadows, their movements swift and disorienting—a swarm of small creatures, all eyes and teeth, darting toward him.

Grimee.

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The word floated into his mind unbidden, as if Yahweh himself had whispered it. The creatures—Grimee, he now knew—descended upon him, their small, shadowed forms moving with unnatural speed. Mihai stumbled back, instinctively raising his arms to protect his face, but before he could react, the massive wolf leapt in front of him, teeth flashing in the dim light.

The Grimee shrieked as the wolf tore into them, scattering their ranks. Mihai barely had time to process what was happening, but his body moved on instinct. He grabbed a thick branch lying nearby, wielding it like a club, and swung at any of the Grimee that got too close. His movements were clumsy and unrefined, a mechanic flailing in a world of monsters.

The wolf lunged and snapped, each bite reducing the creatures to wisps of dark smoke that faded into the forest floor. Its movements were powerful and precise, almost like a dance. Mihai found himself matching his strikes to the wolf’s rhythm, feeling an unexpected surge of energy flow through him.

After what felt like an eternity, the last of the Grimee fell, dissipating into the air. Mihai staggered, breathing heavily, his makeshift weapon splintered and useless.

The wolf turned to him, its amber eyes glowing with something that looked almost like approval.

Mihai lowered the branch, meeting the creature’s gaze. “Thanks… I guess I owe you one.”

The wolf tilted its head slightly, watching him with an intensity that made his skin prickle. Despite the fear still pounding in his chest, he felt a strange sense of calm wash over him, as though the wolf were studying him, searching for something.

He took a cautious step forward. “You… you’re here because of Yahweh, aren’t you?”

The wolf’s ears flicked, and it blinked slowly, as if acknowledging his words. Mihai felt a shiver run down his spine. He had no idea how he knew, but he was certain that Yahweh had placed this creature in his path. It wasn’t a coincidence.

A distant voice interrupted his thoughts, pulling him back to reality.

“Oíche mhaith!” a man called, his voice carrying through the trees. Mihai’s heart skipped a beat as he looked in the direction of the voice, then back at the wolf.

The wolf’s gaze softened, and without warning, it turned and bounded off into the shadows, disappearing as suddenly as it had come. Mihai felt a pang of loss as he watched it go, but something told him that wasn’t the last he’d see of the creature.

Shaking off his thoughts, he turned toward the approaching figure. A young man, maybe a few years younger than Mihai, emerged from the trees. He was dressed in simple clothes, his hair tousled and his expression curious.

“Tá tú ceart go leor?” the man asked, eyeing Mihai with concern.

Mihai blinked, processing the words. Thanks to Yahweh’s intervention, he understood their meaning—Are you alright? He nodded, still catching his breath.

“Yeah… yeah, I think so,” Mihai replied, grateful that he could at least understand. He wasn’t so sure about speaking it, though.

The young man gave him a friendly grin. “Good. Name’s Cian. Don’t see strangers here often, let alone ones tangling with Grimee. Brave or foolish?”

Mihai chuckled, scratching his head. “Honestly, a bit of both, I think. Name’s Mihai.”

“Come,” Cian gestured, motioning for Mihai to follow him toward the village. “You look like you could use a place to rest.”

“Go raibh maith agat,” Mihai said awkwardly, trying to mimic Cian’s dialect. Cian smirked, clearly amused by Mihai’s attempt, but nodded approvingly.

As they walked, Mihai stole a glance back into the forest, half-expecting to see the wolf’s glowing eyes watching him from the shadows. Instead, there was only silence, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the wolf was still nearby, watching, waiting.

Cian led him toward the village, talking in a mix of Irish and the common tongue that Yahweh had gifted him the ability to understand. “You’re not from around here, are you? Your clothes… your manner…”

Mihai hesitated, unsure how to explain. “No… I come from… a different place. It’s hard to explain. I’m still figuring it out myself.”

Cian nodded, as though he understood more than Mihai expected. “Stranger things have happened. Just watch yourself around here. The forest, it’s… alive. You saw a glimpse of it tonight.”

They entered the village, where flickering torches cast long shadows over the thatched roofs and cobbled paths. Mihai noticed people glancing at him with a mix of curiosity and caution. Cian led him to a modest hut near the village center, pushing open the door.

“Stay here tonight. Safe enough place, so long as you don’t wander off. Tomorrow, we’ll talk more.”

Mihai nodded, grateful for the warmth and shelter. As he settled in, his mind drifted to the wolf and the strange energy that seemed to connect them. For now, he had no answers, only a deep sense that his life had shifted in a way he couldn’t yet comprehend.

With a final, exhausted breath, Mihai lay back, his thoughts lingering on the wolf, and the strange new world he was only beginning to understand.