Chương 68: Monarch Of The Forest

Vale followed the dark wolf through the narrow, shadowed ravine. In one hand, he carefully held three tiny chicks, abandoned by their parents. Their constant, cheerful chirping filled the silent canyon with life, a faint but powerful spark of hope that reminded him even the smallest things could endure. In his other hand, he pressed against the side he had injured in his earlier fall, every step sending a faint twinge of pain up his ribs.

Despite it, he forced his gaze forward, focusing on the wolf that led the way. Suddenly, the creature stopped and turned its head. Its piercing blue eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness, were not fixed on his face but on the side he clutched tightly. Vale froze as the wolf silently advanced toward him, its movements deliberate and unnervingly calm. He stumbled backward slightly, his footing slipping on the uneven ground, but quickly regained balance. The wolf's gaze was unreadable, indifferent yet penetrating.

When it reached him, it lowered its muzzle and sniffed his injured side. Vale's heartbeat quickened as the wolf lingered, then closed its eyes and pressed its head gently against him. Immediately, warmth spread through his body, seeping into the wound. The sharp, gnawing pain melted away as if it had never existed.

"Is… it healing me?" Vale whispered, awe and disbelief mixing in his voice. He realized something staggering, this creature was intelligent. It was capable of understanding him, of acting with purpose. His hand relaxed, allowing the wolf to maintain contact with the injury. Within moments, the pain was completely gone. Vale's eyes widened as he tried, instinctively, to sense the wolf's energy. But there was nothing. No aura, no signature. The wolf was undetectable, as if it existed on a plane beyond his perception.

He tried again, focusing all his senses, but still, nothing. He exhaled slowly, accepting the reality.

"You're like me, aren't you?" he asked softly. The wolf lifted its head slightly and nodded once before continuing down the ravine. Vale's chest tightened.

'I was supposed to be the only one…' The thought unsettled him, but he had no time to dwell on it.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly with a mixture of curiosity and caution. The wolf stopped abruptly, ears perked. A faint, sorrowful growl escaped its throat. Vale's heart clenched.

'Someone's in danger,' he realized.

"Is it… a friend?" he asked quietly. The wolf nodded again, the weight of its expression almost human in its sadness. Vale bit his lip, considering his next move.

'It healed me. I can't just abandon it.'

"I understand," he said, a faint streak of blood escaping his lip from the bite.

"…I'm an idiot," he muttered, shaking his head. He looked down at the wolf, his voice firmer this time.

"Let's go." The wolf's tail wagged slowly as it stepped closer, brushing against his leg in what might have been an embrace. Vale's hand instinctively reached out, patting the dark fur, feeling the warmth and quiet strength beneath his fingers. Together, they moved forward, stepping carefully but deliberately through the winding ravine. Eventually, the narrow path opened into a larger expanse. Vale's eyes widened as he saw the vast canyon stretching before him, cliffs dropping into shadowed depths far below.

For the first time in hours, he allowed himself a small smile. And then he heard it. A metallic voice, familiar and insistent, rang not in the air but directly in his mind.

"Vale! Are you all right?!" He froze. Confusion flared across his face.

'Why… do I hear Chrome?'

"I can hear your thoughts, Vale," Chrome's voice replied calmly. Vale blinked rapidly, How?

"How is that possible?" he thought. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Your arm seems to be connected to your neural pathways. I can interact with you through it. Most of my systems are offline for some reason, but this interface still works," Chrome explained. Vale clenched his teeth.

''Considering your way of putting it, I assume you don't know why your systems are offline either.''"Exactly," Chrome answered.

"Where are you now? Since entering Chimera's enclosure, my functions have been limited. Please tell me you're back inside a safe area." Vale exhaled slowly, keeping his gaze on the dark wolf ahead.

''No. I'm still inside. Following a black wolf that seems to have the same ability I do… being undetectable.''"Understood," Chrome replied.

"That explains why I can't detect your location directly." As Vale and the wolf passed through the final crack in the ravine, the canyon stretched before them. For a moment, even Chrome fell silent, probably offline again. Vale sensed interference, though its source remained a mystery. He glanced at the wolf.

"Are we almost there?" The wolf lifted its head and met his gaze before nodding firmly. Relief washed through Vale. Ahead, a massive mountain loomed. As they drew closer, he noticed a large, dark opening carved into its side.

"… Is it hollow?" he whispered, more to himself than to the wolf. The wolf's piercing blue eyes met his, unreadable and unwavering, neither confirming nor denying anything. Vale looked down at his hand, where the three baby birds now lay nestled together, finally asleep. Their tiny chirping had ceased, leaving him with the soft hum of the night breeze brushing through the trees, rustling the snow-laden branches above.

The quiet was almost surreal, a fragile moment of calm in a world that had offered him so little rest. As they moved forward, Vale kept a careful eye on the forest floor, wary of exposed roots and uneven ground that had nearly caused him to fall before. The forest was dense, every tree thick with green leaves dusted in snow, branches twisting skyward in tangled patterns. If he had not known better, he would have sworn this was a hidden sanctuary rather than a prison.

Vale's gaze drifted across the world around him, a quiet awe rising as he took in the unexpected beauty. And yet, he realized something strange, aside from the massive black wolf and the sleeping chicks, he hadn't seen a single other creature. Not a bird in flight, not a rustle in the underbrush. And yet, their presence here suggested there had to be life beyond what his eyes could see. Vale's curiosity grew, and he glanced at the wolf walking ahead.

Despite following him so closely, he realized he knew almost nothing about the creature or the plane it came from. Finally, he spoke, voice low.

"Hey… do you… maybe know anything about our plane?" The wolf stopped abruptly, turning its head as if surprised by the question, then shook it slowly. Vale muttered under his breath, a mix of disappointment and resignation.

"Damn… that sucks." No matter how hard he tried, he could not recall more about his own plane, and now it seemed this wolf, strangely connected to him, shared the same blank. Vale had hoped that understanding it might explain his powers, provide some insight into the energy he wielded, but for now, the hope was dashed. Still, there was no time to dwell on it. Not long after, they reached the opening in the massive mountain. The hollow gash was narrow but tall enough for him to squeeze through comfortably.

Vale hesitated for a single moment at the threshold, heart pounding.'' Please… don't let Chimera find me,'' he whispered to himself, taking a leap of faith as he trusted the wolf. Inside, the mountain was dark, nearly suffocating in its blackness. Yet faint lights flickered farther down the hollow tunnel, guiding their path. The wolf paused once to check on him, then continued steadily onward. As they drew closer to the lights, Vale began to notice movement.

Shadows flickered between the beams of glow, and his eyes widened in disbelief. All the animals he had thought he might never see in this forest, they were here. They weren't panicked, weren't fleeing, they seemed calm, almost purposeful. Birds sang soft, harmonious melodies as he approached. Deer, ravens, boar, even tigers, all gathered together, silently observing him, their eyes piercing and unwavering. Vale's heart raced.

"What… what is this place?" he muttered, awe and fear mingling in his voice. Some distance ahead, the black wolf stopped and sat, its silhouette framed against the hollow's dim light. Vale followed its gaze, taking in the multitude of creatures. It was almost as if they were all united in a single, unspoken purpose.

'Are they… avoiding Chimera too?' he wondered. He turned back to the wolf, swallowing his fear.

"So… where is your friend?" he asked softly. The wolf acknowledged him with a slow nod. Then, a hollow howl echoed through the tunnel. In response, every other animal raised its voice in mourning. The sound was mournful, somber, almost sacred, a collective lament that chilled Vale to his core.

"What is happening?" he whispered, wide-eyed, his pulse quickening. The answer came from the shadows themselves. A low, rumbling growl rolled through the hollow mountain, vibrating through the floor beneath him. Then, a deep, deafening bang shattered the quiet, as though the mountain itself had moved. Colossal footsteps approached, each one shaking the earth with a terrifying weight. Vale's heart sank. He tried to deny it, to tell himself he was imagining things.

'It can't be…' But the sound grew closer, and then he saw it, first a faint outline, then a form emerging into the light. No, it wasn't just a form. It was a skull, massive and grotesque, easily the size of a small house. Long strips of red flesh clung to its sides, swinging with each step. Its eyes were hollow, empty sockets of bone and shadow, and yet Vale knew instinctively that this was no ordinary creature. This was Chimera.