Arganthes: The Capital Of Dungeons

The cold had long since faded away on this bright summer night. With the moon reflecting on the surface. But it couldn't be... Could it?

The shadow-like figures faded even more as time passed and had completely taken shape,

With their presence revealed there was no way around it anymore.

"Wolves!"

At first, I wasn't sure what to think, yet it only took the bright and shaded furballs only seconds to win me over. They all looked so happy, proud even... With their eyes shining in the darkness.

Still... I couldn't shake what I had learned about Fenrir, sure it was my past life... But still... Wouldn't there be a hint of truth in there as well?

I began to realize that history was written by the victors... Not by those who had failed...

Which would mean that their words would also rest on truth itself.

"O... Proud one... Fenrir! Show him the path of truth...

The path dawned by the gods... Bury the lies which cover his eyes and show him what happened on the day of reckoning on the day they called Ragnarõk!"

Howling echoed throughout the village, indicating that every single villager had a wolf as a partner within the village secluded at the edge of the fast forests. This brought me back to the beginning... A time where I too had found a life partner...

That was when what had happened recently came flooding back to me,

what had happened to her... What had happened to Yami.

Honi was treating his partner with sincere love and care, as did the chieftain. Nothing here could indicate that the wolves would be evil towards nature or even bad to them...

Then why? Why couldn't I shake this feeling? Why did I feel sadness?

Did they know about my partner? Yami whom I had lost…?

My lips began to tremble, tried as I might to fight back the urge. The wolf closest to me slowly closed in on me, it sat down next to me with his soft and fluffy fur gently brushing against my arms as if it was saying that it was okay to let go…

What was I to do? In a way, Yami was still there, yet the fact that she would never be the same again still haunted me… I had lost one of my best friends on that day… The companion of Honi looked at me as if it knew my pain… gently pushing its head against my stomach.

A soft growl escaped its mouth, followed by a gentle sneeze.

*growl* *fffttt*

A tear fell off my cheek… Unable to fight back the feelings which had been building up inside,

everything streamed out. Gripping tight at the fur of the wolf it came flooding like a never-ending stream of rain. I relived the entire experience all over again… Overcome by the sadness of losing my dearest companion, frustration… Hatred to those of noble heritage,

as I was powerless to help her in the end…

The way the beast reacted towards me baffled everyone inside of the tent…

As if their companions knew it was okay, that no one present had an ill will towards them or the world they had sworn to protect.

Accepted by the leader of the pack, the others quickly followed, almost smothering me with their bodies. All fluffy and cuddly the wolf pack felt more like a large pack of dogs. Each of them wanted their piece of attention… With the way they reacted I knew that they cared about me, trying to comfort me in their way. I hugged the large head of the wolf tightly as the pain of losing my companion shot through me. I sat there for what felt like hours…

With a pack of the most caring wolves, I had ever met in my life.

After having cried for what felt like an eternity Honi's companion licked off my tears.

I knew I had not completely lost my best friend, yet… Reliving what happened that night must have scarred me deeply. This world had given her another chance… A chance which wouldn't be possible in my old one… Her identity was still there… Combined with another, she wasn't the same anymore… But… She was still there… I shouldn't feel this sad, right? I know she is right there with me, through thick and thin… But seeing her lifeless body pinned on the wall… The powerlessness I felt at that moment, knowing there was nothing I could have done for her…

That's what made me hurt most of all… The tears wouldn't stop falling until the wolves all jumped onto me, one after the other following the example of their leader. Drenched in saliva I couldn't help but laugh at the adorably disgusting situation I was in.

They did see me as one of their own, something beautiful like this…

I needed to cherish it deeply. I smiled at them, as their tongues tickled my face.

"Hey, haha, that tickles… Haha… Thank you for caring, all of you…"

All the wolves wagged their tails playfully growling and howling, all of them bopped their noses and headbutted each other clearly showing and sharing their happiness with the pack.

The way the pack reacted towards me had opened the eyes of the chieftain. Never before had an outsider received the respect of the pack, little twitches could be seen in the chieftain's hands and legs, small soft noises escaped his mouth before revealing how awestruck and happy he was with the situation. Without saying a word, not wanting to ruin the moment both the

chieftain and his son sat down next to the wolves, sharing this moment of buried passion and emotion. Wanting to welcome me as one of their own the entire group started a chant of old.

"Oh Holy Saint! Guardian of Old! Welcome this young abode to the rituals of gold!

From far he may have tread, still a heart of gold he had! Weakness is shown without resistance, allowed to welcome their true form of heritage, a heritage well known in the ways of old.

Common to most, yet rare to the mighty, we welcome Michael Shadowfang to the tribe…

The tribe of brotherhood and loyalty, as this is the will of the god that we praise, praise the ever mighty and fluffy Fenrir till once again he will come to take us away. To a land of old, cold

riches beyond the comprehension of the mind."

"Now Michael, as you have been accepted as one of our pack, we would like for you to join our tribe, agreement will lead to the fruition and strengthening of new bonds through the times of old. We will guide you through the best of our abilities and share all the history of old that we have to save guarded through centuries."

The chieftains' offer felt welcoming, in a way… even too good to be true, but in a world unknown to me, it was best to gain the aid of allies instead of wandering alone through the wilderness of the unknown. I wanted to react to the chieftain and slowly stood up to reach out to him when Haruka entered the tent. A gust of fresh air hit my face after being inside the heavily baked air of the tent.

Someone I held dear most of all was right by my side… Nothing could be better than this…

Calling out to her my limbs began to feel numb, the feeling one might have when their feet or arms sleep slowly came over me as I fell to the ground like a sack of sand.

Realizing she was still by my side became too much to bear. Haruka saw my reaction and rushed to my side, catching me before the ground could hit me.

"Did you miss me that much master? You are too kind. What's a woman to do with you? We might never know… But the one thing I can say with certainty is that Haruka will stay with her master to the end. Master has given her a new life… a second chance even… For that Yami and who I am now are all eternally grateful to you."

We said there in each other's arms the hugging intensified as I was unable to let go of her.

I knew she was there, but remembering it all had proven too much to bear. Thankfully she stayed by my side until I calmed down, holding me ever so gently. Like a mother nurturing her children, I could feel how much she cared about me.

Having calmed down the chieftain took the chance to welcome Haruka to the tribe as he did with me, having thought hard about their offer the both of us decided to respect their invitation and join their tribe. We didn't know how long we would be here for…

Better have a place to call home as we continue to investigate the unknown dimension of old.

Quickly the chieftain commenced the ritual to welcome the both of us into the tribe.