Miles needed a moment to accept the fact that he was now inside the domain of a Doorway.
That did explain the unusual nature of the cavern he now found himself in. Which meant that bewildering explanation from the wolves must have been… the conditions for entry?
Miles could not comprehend what it meant though, not entirely, and not beyond surface level understanding.
The fact that a Doorway had been concealed inside that random clinic, entirely changed the nature of how he viewed Haruka and her ‘Faetastic Emporium’.
Now, reconsidering what old Zhan had said back then, and based on his own instincts, he was fairly confident that the Faesycian must have known of the Doorway's existence, implying that she had wilfully kept it hidden.
Considering the woman’s probable involvement with Hayato Ryota and the Faetality booster, it seemed plausible to assume that if she had had access to a Doorway, a phenomenon literally known for defying laws of reality, she would have harnessed it for the creation of the serum. But why hide it?
While Faetality Boosting held immeasurable value, it was impossible for her and Ryota to monopolize it alone. Case in point was the whole witch-hunt for the gangster, merely based on a single rumor. Not to mention how obviously desperate the faesycian’s financial situation was, judging from her reaction to the few million credits he had thrown her way. So, why not sell the clinic and the Doorway for a massive windfall?
Either Miles had given the ripper-doc too much credit, or there was something else at play here. Maybe this Pack had something to do with it?
With a shake of his head, Miles dismissed his wandering thoughts, for the faesycian’s motivations were not of much concern to him and his current predicament.
Besides, Haruka’s actions to maintain secrecy were actually beneficial to him. While she may never be able to monopolize Faetality Boosting, he had a considerably better chance at it.
It would require his return back to the minefield that was the Lykaon Corporate Office, but he had intended to do that eventually. The Doorway was just enough of an incentive to bring up that date by a bit.
But before all that, Miles was currently stuck inside the Doorway in question, with mysterious creatures he refused to believe were wolves, being offered an unusual solution to an unusual predicament. Irrelevant thoughts were compartmentalized, and with a clear mind, he posed a question, “Pack, how does being here aid me in any way?”
The black wolf did not answer immediately, first beginning to move with a graceful yet imposing gait, prowling around the cavern. It turned its head, yellow eyes staring into his, disdainful and disapproving, “The Mistress of the Moon has spoken of you, but you failed to maintain the balance she built. You have failed yet are not even aware of it.”
Miles frowned at the words, but before he could interject the white wolf joined its counterpart in their unsettling prowl, circling him in eerie unison. Its voice was gentler, yet not any less true, “The chaotic Destruction within you overwhelms the Creation and the balance is broken. The loyal Lupine Soul within, suffers just to hold you together, its sacrifice being the only reason you yet live. Should the balance tip over just once more that shall be the end of all things that is you.
“So, we offer a chance, a chance to make things right, to re-establish the balance.”
Miles pursed his lips at the explanation, contemplating. The wolves were rambling confusing terms, something he would've considered nonsense just a short time ago. But now, he could sense that this was not the case. They spoke of something that existed beyond the realms of logic and science, venturing perhaps into the esoteric field of Zhan Shen’s spiritualism.
‘Mistress of the Moon? The only individual that comes to mind... is the lady ghost that I encountered in the definitely not-basement? How would these wolves know her?! Wait, is it actually possible that just like Haruka’s clinic, the Lykaon Mansion itself, holds a Doorway?’
At this point Miles couldn’t discount the thought, but he still put it aside as he reconsidered the wolves’ spoken words. There was something here and he wracked his brains in the attempt to find it, to reconcile this new knowledge with the limited understanding he had gleaned from all that he had experienced.
Slowly, two and two were put together, and something clicked, his eyes widening in realization.
“Wait,” Miles couldn’t help but exclaim, “Are you suggesting that the Vawul form has leveled too far ahead? Is Vawulan, what you mean when you say chaotic destruction?! Then by creation, you should mean Wurkan? Are their levels the balance that you say has been broken? Balance between Destruction and Creation, refers to the one between Vawul and Wurkao?!”
Even as realization dawned upon him, Miles felt a pang of frustration, “But I never had the chance to unlock a second form! How was I supposed to know about this? Was I expected to stay out of every fight and not level at all?”
The black wolf responded with a sardonic grin, its canine features sharpened by the dim light of the cavern, “Some might call it obvious,” its tone dripped with condescension, “But alas, it seems matters of the immaterial plane are often too much for you material ones, be they the ilk of the Lord of the Hunt or otherwise. Regardless, now you know.”
As if to soften the harsh words, the white wolf generously added, “It is perhaps a bit much to expect perfect understanding in a matter of days. Not to mention the awakened one beside you that knew and still allowed it to happen.”
Miles nodded, slowly. He wasn't particularly eager to respond to the aggression of the black wolf, and since the other had offered a peace offering, he would gladly take it.
“But what do you mean by that? Who is this awakened one beside me?”
The wolf of shaded black was the one to answer, still pacing around the cavern, “Do you not know those that you associate? He has been with you since the very beginning, and yet, you remain unaware?”
Miles frowned, both puzzled and annoyed, scratching his cheek, “Who? Cadmus? No, wait, you can’t possibly mean Zhan Shen?”
The ebony wolf snorted, not deigning to answer any further, and perhaps as such, the ivory wolf did, “We will speak of this matter no further last true son of Lykaon, your allies and their nature are your own trial to face...
Yes, let us move on. We have already made the offer to assist with your predicament, what shall be your decision?”
Unfortunately, Miles wasn’t able to move on from the topic as easily as the wolves seemed to expect him to.
Assuming that the wolves didn’t refer to the Lykaon ring, and the Cadmus AI, it had to be Zhan Shen. Who else had been with him 'since the very beginning'?
Had the elderly butler, truly, intentionally, allowed him to become unbalanced?
Zhan Shen may have allowed him to fight, a fair bit different from the old butler’s usual approach, the obvious result being subsequent level ups, but… it didn’t make sense.
In the end, the answer was rather simple, ‘Who should I believe? Two talking wolves inside a Doorway, or old Zhan?’
With his question answered and his mind set, Miles moved on, putting his mind to re-consider this offer of assistance.
To be honest, despite the subtle jabs at him, the attempt to vilify old Zhan, Miles was extremely tempted to just accept, even though he knew nothing of what was being offered.
The excruciating torment of being ‘unbalanced’, an agony that made one wish for death, felt distant right now, like the echoes of a forgotten dream, but his body still remembered. He could tell something had given him relief from the pain, but it would be temporary. It would return, perhaps lessened, but it would still return.
The prospect of liberation and relief from that pain was undeniably enticing. Yet, beneath their veneer of benevolence, Miles could tell that Pack wished for him to reciprocate the gesture.
This was no selfless being.
Which was fine, for that was how the world Miles knew worked. The eternal law of equal exchange, of give and take, and he was perfectly at home here.
“And what, may I ask, do you seek in return, Pack?”
The wolves' demeanor shifted, every so subtly the moment Miles voiced his inquiry. Their pacing momentarily halting as their eyes flickered with intrigue. The answer came from the both of them, their voices resonating through the cavern, “Our mistress has acquainted you with the debts owed since time immemorial, the unpaid tributes to the Guardians accumulated over millennia for services rendered yet unsettled,” they intoned, words carrying the weight of time, “We are the Guardian Pack, what we have proposed is no mere settlement of debt, for we are kin, and we may help each other, to help us all.”
Miles nodded, slowly, inwardly skeptical of the wolves’ placating assurances. Nevertheless, their words resonated with what he remembered of the lady ghost, and thus he signaled his willingness to entertain their proposition, prompting the wolves to resume their predatory circling.
Fixing him with an unwavering gaze, the black wolf spoke, “You shall venture into our domain, Last True Son of Lykaon, tasked with purging the corruption of Natha that festers within. You shall restore our dominion over our lands.”
The white wolf panted, its tongue out in an almost smile, “In doing so, you shall fortify the Lupine Soul within you, for the very act of purifying corruption is one that strengthens it. You may even find forgotten secrets in the ruins of the Wurkan that remain within. There will be ample opportunity to grow the Soul of the Lupine even further, to tip the unbalanced scales in your favor.”
Miles arched an eyebrow. That seemed like a generous way of saying, ‘do what we say, and maybe, just maybe, you will be able to help yourself’?
Unfortunately, while it wasn’t ideal, he had to admit, he was the metaphorical beggar right now, and beggars could not be choosers. Even if he were playing into their hands, he had to recognize he didn’t have much in the way of alternatives.
“That sounds promising,” he remarked dryly, “but why can you not do this yourself Pack?”
The two wolves continued their pacing around him without pause, but neither of them spoke, for the answer this time came from everywhere and nowhere at once, echoing from the depths of the cavern, disembodied and haunting, seemingly spoken by the innumerable creatures in the darkness, “Our realm, the fief granted to us by the Lord of the Eternal Hunt, has fallen to corruption in our absence. Humanity’s insatiable thirst for power never fail to surprise, reaching even beyond the Veil, corrupting even what is far beyond their station, to fit their flawed ideals.
“Our domain is no longer reachable, not to us, not to anyone, for Natha has left it lost in the chaos of the Veil.”
Miles was utterly unnerved by this voice, but he suppressed the shiver, maintaining his composure even as he processed the implications. Though cloaked in cryptic language, their explanation resonated with a strange sense of logic that defied conventional understanding.
Only problem, if even the supposed owners of this domain could not enter, how could he?
The wolves were silent as they prowled, but the voices responded with fervor, “Do not despair, Last True Son of Lykaon, hope is not lost. The Fiefs bestowed upon the Guardians are the Boons of the Lord of the Hunt, they remain eternal, for they are lands of trial for the hopeful inheritors of House Lykaon. Even corrupted, even beyond our reach, only you, the rightful heir with his ring, possess the authority and right to enter and face my trial.”
Miles’ eyes widened, mind racing, “A trial? For what? To inherit Lykaon Industries? I have never heard of such a thing! How does this align with the current ownership and trade agreements?”
A scoff, echoed through the cavern as the black-furred wolf shook its head dismissively, “Mundane inheritance of what material wealth your family has is not the purpose of the Guardian’s trials. Do not ever forget this, for earthly riches hold no value on this side of the Veil.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Miles furrowed his brow, but the white wolf interjected once more with solemn clarity, “In your defense, Last True Son of Lykaon, it has been millennia since the trials were last undertaken. Should you prove yourself, succeeding in each subsequent trial, what you stand to gain is beyond paltry gold and wealth. It is immaterial… for it is the inheritance of Lykaon Dawnlord of House Lykaon, First of His Name, the Lord of the Eternal Hunt, the Emperor of the Wildlands, and Fulcrum of All Existence.
“Only if you do will the Oldest Den become your domain, allowing your ascension to his royal court as the new Lord of all that was his.”
The black wolf sneered, adding a bitter undertone, “That is, if you are found worthy…”
Miles’ brow furrowed once more, ignoring the laughably extensive title, he masked his uncertainty with practiced composure. The offer of mutual assistance seemed reasonable on the surface, but should he accept it blindly?
The wolves had first offered him a standard carrot and stick, and with the ‘Lykaon Inheritance’, supposedly from the first Lykaon Ancestor about whom not a single record existed, even more carrot.
This was a negotiation, and Miles recognized the game, but he also had to accept the lack of leverage on his part. He was alone, in a Doorway’s domain with unknown creatures, confronted with cryptic revelations that somehow made sense. It was a game he knew, but he was barely even a player.
Truly, this was a negotiation Miles was sorely unprepared for, but given the circumstances, he would have no choice but to agree to the given terms, right?
The white wolf spoke with gentle reassurance, “Refusal would disappoint us greatly but this choice is yours and yours alone. We may have summoned you here, but to send you beyond to the actual trial, your consent is required. This debt is not yours alone to pay, it extends through your entire lineage, now and forever more until one day paid in full.”
The black wolf’s voice cut through the cavern, its tone carrying a grim finality, “Should you decline, we will be more than willing to return you to whence you came, from beyond the Veil. But be prepared for in your current state the Mistress of Death shall visit you sooner than later.”
The white wolf offered a solemn nod, “Regardless, allow us to offer you the choice.”
Before Miles could respond, reality itself flickered before his eyes, morphing into a familiar interface screen, but one that beckoned offered a choice. It was starkly different from anything he had ever seen before, a pure white background with dark gray text, and it flickered and shimmered, with the occasional glitched text.
Ding!
|~|~| Main (Wurkao) Progression Quest |~|~|
Lykaon Inheritance Trial #1: Welcome to Hamelin, discovered!
You have encountered the Guardian Pack, to whom your House owes a debt yet unpaid. The Guardian’s conceptual Domain has long detached, corrupted by Natha, left to the machinations of humanity. They seek your assistance in its return, offering the chance to reclaim the balance you have lost in reward.
Your performance here shall be judged under the first Lykaon Inheritance Trial, determining your eternal fate with the House of Lykaon.
Objectives: - Discover and Purify the Corrupted Source Fulcrums of the Domain (0/3) (Primary)
- Open the Sealed Doorway to Pack’s Domain by completing their Trial (Primary)
- Show n̷̟̕o̵͕͑ ̶̟̎ḿ̸̖e̷̢͘r̸̡͐c̷̞̚y̷̭̾, ki̶̹̎l̴l̵̩͑?̷ all that obstruct you (̴̸̷̴̶̟͗S̶e̵c̴o̸n̶d̵a̴r̶y̶)̵
Rewards: WurkanV̴̥̈́ã̷̹w̸͇̆u̸͖̿ḽ̷̿à̴͍n̷̫̐ Experience, Evolution Path Enhancement, Trial of Pack Completion, Chained Quests. Rewards may vary depending on the user’s performance.
Do you accept?
(Yes/No) ]
Miles had barely finished reading, when he sensed Pack’s visceral displeasure, palpable even through the air of the cavern.
“The influence of Vinasha is far reaching, and ever since he fell to the Natha, it has only grown. Now, he influences even my own trial.” The white wolf warned, its tone laced with suggested caution, “Be wary, Last True Son of House Lykaon, for if he knows, you will have been given his twisted objectives as well."
The black wolf growled, hackles raised, its voice reverberating in a menacing tone, “Vinasha may reward you or any Vawul that aligns with his image, but should you grow any further towards his chaos, the Lupine Soul within you shall falter. The delicate balance that barely holds will shatter, and your existence shall be swiftly ended.”
As if to soften those words, once again it was the white wolf that gently added, “The choice is yours, but perhaps consider being loyal to your ancestry, the path of the House of Lykaon. Cultivate Upatha’s Creation within you, at the least enough to give her a fighting chance against Vinasha’s Destruction.”
Miles pondered those confusing words, laden with indirect explanations and illogical logic. Though unconventional, they resonated with him, making the strangest sense…
Yet, he couldn’t help but pose the obvious question, “Wait,” he interjected, “Surely, you don’t mean to say that I cannot level up any further? Again, am I supposed to not fight? To not kill? Is there no danger in this trial of yours?”
The white wolf was the one to answer first, even as the wolves continued their circular pacing around him, “Our domain is corrupted, by Natha and by humanity, thus naturally, fraught with danger. You will be well as long as you do not support the growth of Vinasha within you.”
The black wolf grinned, revealing sharpened fangs. “What my kinder half wishes says is that you may kill whatever is corrupted. You shall know when you see them, for deaths of such beings is not conducive for Vinasha. In that case, the one to reward you shall be Upatha and her intent is what you need to live.”
Miles nodded slowly, finding some semblance of clarity within that confusing revelation. More questions remained however, and he directed his gaze to the suspended quest before him. Most of it barely made sense, so why not just ask?
“What are… source fulcrums?” his question reverberated through the cavern.
The answer was immediate, echoed to him from the depths of shadow veiled cavern, “The intricacies of the Trial itself are yours to face. Discovery of the truth is something you must achieve on your own.”
Miles frowned at the cryptic response, but accepted it with a begrudging, “Fine." He was rather familiar with the argument, though he had never expected to hear it from a voice in a cave instead of old Zhan. Nevertheless, he moved on, “But how long will this ‘quest’ of yours take to complete, Pack? I’m aware I will supposedly die if I do not, but to what extent will it affect my life… beyond the veil?”
The disembodied voice from the cavern seemed to have lost interest, for it was the black wolf, prowling in silence, that answered, “From a day to a few years, depends entirely upon you.”
The white wolf added as seemed usual, “Fear not, Last True Son of House Lykaon, for time is fickle within our domain on this side of the veil. If your material existence is a cause for worry, do not, for regardless of your performance, it shall not pass more than one Lunar Cycle."
Miles couldn’t help but be taken aback by that. Time dilation and associated shenanigans were a rather common side effect when it came to Doorways and their domains, but this particular effect on time, a presumed minimum ratio of 50:1 was absolutely insane.
Time dilation was another one of the reasons Doorways were so highly sought after, regardless of their effect even. Imagine the progress you could make as a corporation, with all your personnel and machinery working fifty times faster than real time. He wanted this Doorway all the more now.
Nevertheless, Miles was satisfied with the answer, somehow knowing it was not falsehood. He turned to the prowling wolves, both panting in almost grins, “Very well, I believe I’ve made my ‘decision’...” He narrowed his eyes at the two wolves, “But, I must contact my Butler and instruct him how to handle matters in my absence."
The white wolf halted its prowling, and slowly approached him with a reassuring demeanor. Its eyes of golden yellow met his, exuding a sense of familiarity and trust, “There is no impediment to your request. Deliver your messages to Cadmus of the Ring, and we shall ensure their safe passage to your Butler.”
Miles accepted the offer readily. Perhaps he was consumed by the urgency or the many confusing aspects to what Pack had explained so far, for he failed to note how the wolf knew of Cadmus or even access the Lykaon Network. Unfortunately, Miles didn’t notice, focused solely on the task at hand.
Crouched on his knees and ignoring the wolves, he got to work, contemplating the situation back in the clinic.
The corpse of Xavier, the wrought destruction, any traces they may have left, his disappearance for a time, were just few of the many things Zhan Shen would have to handle, and this was only considering matters related to the outer city. But Miles was thorough, and through careful consideration and the help of Cadmus, managed to cover everything.
Miles let out a sigh of relief at the completion of his work, but the moment he was done, the moment he himself knew he was ready, it was as if the nature of the very cavern had changed.
The light from the unseen sky and the stalactites seemed brighter, the shadows darker, and the wolves… more real.
As if it had been waiting for him to arrive at the very realization, the disembodied voice from the cavern returned once more, echoing out in eerie clarity, “Make the choice.”
The ebony wolf, dark as the worst night, observed with judgmental eyes, and spoke with its head held high, “Fight or Flee?” and the moment it did, the darkness of the cavern came alive to swallow it in an instant.
The white furred wolf, a beast of light yet gentle in nature, seemed to smile, “Yes, or No?” and the light of the moonlight that framed its pristine fur, seemed to consume it entirely, for it too had vanished in the next moment.
For some reason, Miles was not surprised by this turn of events. It seemed… natural, right even. All he cared about was answering the questions they had posed, and his only focus was the question directly before him.
Miles knew he had been dying, he still was, but something had barely managed to slow it down. It was a stop gap solution that would not last.
His ears were deaf to the clamoring howls, echoing through the cavern from innumerable beasts. His eyes were blind to the glowing pairs of gem-like eyes observing him from the darkness.
He only had eyes for a single thing, and it was a question.
[ Do you Accept? ]
This offer may very well be the only solution to his ‘unbalanced’ nature, and although Miles hated the idea of being a hired soldier, a ‘corruption cleaner’ for these strange beings, he found himself selecting the only choice he truly could.
[Yes]
For a second time in a very short while, everything went dark.
***
In a realm veiled by an endless, infinite cavern, where time twisted, and space danced uncertain of how to behave. From amidst the ethereal, ancient air, a hairline crack appeared. Its jagged fissure widened, spreading as if reality were a mirror being shattered.
From the shadows of the cavern emerged two familiar wolves, one draped in ebony darkness and the other gleaming pristine white. Tension radiated from their bestial forms as they stood sentinel to the rupturing veil. At the same time, a pair of crimson eyes materialized from the darkness, then two, then three, multiplying exponentially until an unseen legion encircled the fracture, their collective growling echoing with eerie harmony.
Yet, their menacing presence faltered as a figure emerged from the rupture in reality–a familiar old butler, his imposing stature bathed in a mystical aura of shifting light.
Zhan Shen stroked his beard, staring at the horde of wolves around him, and... they stared at him.
For a few seconds, all was silent, until the elderly butler heaved a sigh of palpable displeasure. “Master Miles just departed, did he not? Playing with time to keep us apart… do you find yourself amusing, little Deva?”
The two wolves, not in the darkness, retorted in unison, “Not as much as you amuse us, illustrious and famed War God turned Indentured Servant.”
The shifting light seemed to intensify and all existence itself trembled in fear, “I am bound by no indenture,” Zhan Shen growled, “I act of my own volition, guided by my own convictions.”
The ebony wolf curled its lip in disdain, “Do you even believe that half-truth yourself? Are you not bound, as much as any slave, by your own grief and sense of responsibility? You could be more, but you punish yourself, do you not, Liuzheng’s Daxiong Mao Zhan Shen?”
The elderly butler did not take that well, for something expanded from him, the entire cavern seeming to tremble. Dust and rubble collapsed from the ceiling, a few stalactites even breaking off, crashing onto the ground in explosions of crystal.
Unlike its conflict seeking counterpart, the white wolf hurried to interject, urging for peace, “Calm your rage Zhan Shen, my darker half speaks only of what he sees. You have long known of our existence, have you not? The Mistress mentioned encountering your presence by the Oldest Den, and now, you must know the purpose of our domain as well. This is but one trial that your–young master must face.”
Though obviously not appreciative of the wolves’ words, the butler’s rage eventually vanished, as if it had never existed in the first place. Yet his words still carried the emotion, “Then let me offer you a trial of my own Deva of Communion. Should Master Miles perish within your fallen domain, you shall face the same fate. It shall be the same for the material ones you wished to defend. The faesycian woman must hold responsibility for allowing your influence. Do you agree?”
“Agreed,” the white wolf conceded with little fuss, “If the Last Son fails here, that shall be the end of the House of Lykaon, and our demise shall follow soon after.” It didn’t even seem to care about the so-called material ones.
But the ebony wolf, seemingly displeased with the ultimatum, laughed out loud, “By the way, your master has issued a few commands on how you should conduct yourself during the time that he faces our trail. Listen and obey, prideless War God.”
To its apparent displeasure, Zhan Shen did not seem to consider that an insult, for he proceeded to do exactly that. The vibration from the winged silver pin upon his chest confirmed the messages, and the old butler listened carefully from beginning to end.
A few minutes later, despite everything, having heard the familiar voice and the newfound conviction in it, the old butler couldn’t help but smile. Maybe just maybe, the young master’s turn to Vampirism, needing to rely on those Immaterial, was not all that bad, especially if it had brought back the fire he had lost after that World Court agreement.
“Deva, you may return the material ones you were debted to defend. It seems the one I serve wishes them alive. And as he wishes, living they shall remain. Well, as long as he does.”
The wolves retreated, vanishing once more into the shadows of the cavern they had come from. “They have already returned,” echoed the answer from the depths of darkness.
Zhan Shen seemed to have expected it, for without so much as a second glance, he passed through the very same fracture he had created to enter this domain, the cracks repairing itself behind him.
He knew of the 'trial', and it was not something he had the right to interfere in. But he had been given orders and the world could be damned before he disobeyed.