Chapter 241

Olivia

The light of the moon hung heavily over the clearing, its glow casting intricate patterns on the ground. As Freya’s words enveloped me, I felt as if I were suspended in time, caught in a web of fate and destiny.

“I was there when you were born, Olivia,” she whispered directly into my mind. It was a strange sensation, feeling her voice resonate within me, bypassing my ears entirely.

“Why? Why were you at my birth?” I asked, my own mental voice shaking with the weight of the revelation.

“You’re special, Olivia. You bear the bloodline of the Ancient Wolf,” her voice echoed softly in the caverns of my thoughts.

Nathan and I paused, shooting each other another apprehensive glance. I could feel the weight of his stare; his theory had been correct. Supposedly.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” I asked, turning back to look at Freya once more. “I’ve never felt special…”

“Do not pretend that you do not know,” Freya said, her voice taking on a somewhat harsher tone despite the fact that her face looked nothing but peaceful and ethereal. “You’ve always had an idea that you might be special.”

I paused for a moment, thinking back on my upbringing. At first, I thought that Freya was lying, or that she was perhaps going mad. But then, suddenly, a memory was thrust into my mind…

The metal of the swingset was cool to the touch.

The sun was bright, casting long playful shadows on the playground. The air was filled with the sound of children laughing and playing. It was a day just like any other, yet so profoundly different in my memory.

I was six, and the world still held its childlike wonder. The playground was my kingdom, and my friends and I were its rulers. We played without a care, making up games and stories, believing our realm to be untouchable.

Enter Jake. Older by a couple of years and with a reputation for bullying younger kids, he relished in the power he had over them. That day, he had set his sights on us.

“Hey, dweebs!” he sneered, towering over one of my school friends, Lila. He had a nasty smile, one that was all too familiar to the kids at school.

The bravery of childhood had me standing up, fists balled, eyes challenging. “Leave her alone,” I said, my voice more assertive than I remembered.

But Jake’s ego couldn’t handle being confronted by someone smaller. With a wicked grin, he shoved Lila, causing her to fall hard on the concrete, her soft cry echoing in my ears.

A wave of anger surged through me, an energy I didn’t quite understand. Without thinking, and without laying a hand on him, I willed him away. To everyone’s shock, Jake suddenly flew backward, as if pushed by an invisible force, landing several feet away in a clumsy heap.

The playground went silent. Kids stared wide-eyed, not just at Jake, but at me. I looked at my hands, bewildered. Did I do that? The idea seemed ludicrous, and yet...

Before anyone could react, I grabbed Lila’s hand, pulling her up and away, escaping from the crowd and the scene.

The incident became a blurry memory, overtaken by countless others from childhood. I'd completely forgotten about it until now.

The memory faded just as quickly as it had come, leaving me reeling. I clutched my forehead, my eyes wide.

“Back then…” I began.

Freya nodded. “Yes. Even then, your powers were beginning to show.”

“But I don't understand... Why make my wolf dormant?” I questioned. “Why leave me weakened if I was so powerful?”

“Perhaps you were too powerful,” Freya replied simply. “It’s too much power for a child to bear. It could be dangerous, and not all Ancient Wolves are benevolent.”

I furrowed my brow, thinking. “If that’s the case, then why are my powers returning now?”

Freya paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words. “When one Ancient Wolf passes away, another takes its place. Their demise was the catalyst for the release of your inner wolf. Only one Ancient Wolf can exist at a time.”

A chill ran down my spine. “You mean to say that...” I hesitated, piecing the puzzle together. “Did you kill the Ancient Wolf? To make way for me?”

Freya’s gentle laughter echoed within my mind again. “No, child. Nature has its own rhythm, its own plans. It was simply time for the Ancient Wolf to move on.”

I sighed in relief, though a whirlwind of questions still swirled within me. “If that's the case, why wasn’t my wolf released naturally? Why all the secrecy? Why is she still dormant?”

“It was your father’s doing,” she said, her mental tone growing somber. “Kamran knew of the power you’d inherit, the legacy and responsibility of the Ancient Wolf. He wanted to protect you, to give you time to grow and learn before that power was thrust upon you. So, he took... precautions.”

“Precautions?” I parroted, anger and confusion bubbling within me. “You mean he bound my wolf to force me to release it myself?”

“Yes,” she replied simply, a twinge of regret evident in her voice. “But it was done out of love, Olivia. He wanted to give you a chance at a normal life before destiny called.”

I closed my eyes, taking a moment to process. The weight of my heritage, my father’s actions, the latent power within me—it was a lot to digest. “So, what happens now? How do I fully awaken the power of the Ancient Wolf within me?”

Freya looked towards the horizon, her face illuminated by the ethereal moonlight. “There is a ritual, ancient as time itself. But for it to be successful, you need three specific artifacts.”

I leaned in, my heart racing with anticipation. “Go on.”

“You'll need a tooth of the previous Ancient Wolf,” she began, a hint of gravity in her mental tone, “a unique stone, birthed by the deepest currents of the sea, and a diamond hidden in the most treacherous depths of the coal mines.”

I blinked, the magnitude of the task before me hitting like a tidal wave. “That sounds... impossible. How am I supposed to find all these things?”

Freya gave a soft mental chuckle. “Each artifact represents a facet of your being and the journey you're on. Strength, adaptability, resilience. Finding them won't be easy, but it's necessary for your ascension.”

“Alright,” I said, running my hand over my hair. “So the tooth. That’s easy enough, right? The Ancient Wolf’s body is still in the cave, I take it?”

She raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Yes, it is. But do not take it lightly. The tooth once belonged to a living creature; you must show the proper respect.”

“Of course,” I said. “And the stone?” I pressed, curiosity burning.

“You might hear tales of it from the fishermen. It’s said the stone glows with an inner light, only visible on the darkest nights. It’s your connection to nature, to the adaptability that is crucial for an Ancient Wolf.”

I nodded slowly, processing her words. “And the diamond? The coal mines sound perilous.”

“They are,” she admitted, her mental tone turning serious. “It’s located deep within the mines, in a place called the Cavern of Echoes. The journey there is treacherous, full of traps and dangers. But the diamond represents resilience. It’s the embodiment of pressure, of enduring against all odds.”

A heavy silence settled between us. I looked at my hands, imagining the weight of these artifacts in my grasp. “So, I have to embark on these quests? Alone?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice taking on a somber tone. “You must do it alone. I cannot help you beyond this point.”

I let out a deep sigh. “This sounds too dangerous.”

And for a moment, as the weight of my future rested on my shoulders, all I could hear was the soft whisper of the wind and the quiet rustling of leaves.