Chapter 277

Nathan

The sun was shining, casting long shadows on the playground of Oceanside Elementary School.

My small five-year-old self stood paralyzed at the edge of the playground, heart pounding. The sudden reality of kindergarten was overwhelming, and I had never felt more alone.

All around, children were laughing, playing, and forming little groups. Everywhere I looked, alliances were being made, bonds formed. And I, with my clumsily knotted shoelaces and oversized backpack, felt like an intruder in this bustling microcosm.

Attempting to mask my anxiety, I approached a game of tag, hoping to join in.

But the cruel laughter that greeted my attempts at participation sent me retreating to the shadows. Another try at the sandbox ended with the same result. Each rejection felt like a dagger to my young heart.

As I meandered aimlessly, wondering if the entire year would be this desolate, a sudden voice broke through my gloom.

“Hey! Hey, you!”

I turned to find a small girl with golden hair cascading in twin braids down her back, her wide hazel eyes regarding me with a mix of curiosity and determination. Her blue overalls were speckled with dirt, evidence of her adventures.

‘Oh, no,’ I thought to myself as she approached. ‘Now this girl is gonna bully me, too.’

But she didn’t.

“I’m Olivia,” she declared with the confidence only a child can muster, extending a dirty hand toward me.

I looked at her hand hesitantly, then into those genuine eyes.

“Um… I’m Nathan,” I replied, shaking her hand.

She grinned. “I saw you wandering around. Felt bad, ya know? So, I’ve decided. We’re best friends now. Best friends forever.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “Just like that?”

She nodded solemnly. “Just like that.”

And true to her word, every day that school year, we became inseparable. The playground became our domain, each corner filled with adventures only the two of us could envision. That year was filled with countless memories of scraped knees, shared secrets, and the foundation of a bond that felt eternal.

However, our idyllic world shifted one day in the middle of the first grade.

The teacher introduced a new student, a boy with tousled dark hair and eyes that looked as though he had seen too much for his age.

“Class, this is Alvin.”

I instinctively glanced at Olivia, sensing her interest. Her gaze was fixed on Alvin, a mix of curiosity and empathy. At recess, she tugged on my sleeve, pointing at Alvin, who sat alone on a bench, looking even lonelier than I had felt on my first day.

“We should make him our new best friend,” she whispered to me, her face full of earnestness.

I hesitated, feeling a twinge of jealousy. “I like things how they are now, just you and me.”

She laughed softly, ruffling my hair. “Oh, Nathan, don't be such a party pooper. I have a good feeling about him. And look at him! He looks so lonely.”

Despite my reservations, I couldn’t resist the pull of Olivia’s enthusiasm and innate kindness. We approached Alvin, and just like she had done with me, Olivia thrust her hand, dirtier than ever, toward him.

“I’m Olivia, and this is Nathan,” she introduced with that signature confidence. “And we’re going to be your best friends now, whether you like it or not.”

Alvin looked from her hand to our faces, surprise evident in his eyes. After a brief hesitation, he took her hand, shaking it tentatively.

“I’m Alvin,” he replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

…

“You’re a traitor.”

The cave’s cold, damp walls seemed to close in on me as Alvin stepped out from the shadows, his form barely distinguishable but for the sinister glint in his eyes.

“Yes,” he drawled, his voice dripping with a tone of amusement. “I suppose you could call me a traitor. Surprised?”

I squinted at him, trying to wrap my head around the reality of his betrayal.

“At first, maybe. But given our recent history, not so much now.” My gaze flitted around the dim space, trying to gauge our situation. “So, what now? You’re here to finish me off?”

Alvin chuckled, shaking his head with exaggerated patience. “No, Nathan, nothing like that. But I am here to ensure Olivia doesn’t get her hands on that final artifact. She can’t become the Ancient Wolf. Elliot belongs to Ryan, and there’s just no way around it.”

I scoffed, anger bubbling beneath my calm exterior. “After everything, Alvin? After we stood by you, restored your damn hand? This is how you repay us?”

He glanced down at his once severed hand, flexing his fingers appreciatively. The scars that marked his flesh were a grim reminder of the price he had paid for the war he and countless others had fought overseas.

“Thank you for this,” he murmured, sounding almost sincere. “I must admit, I did miss having two hands. And now... well, this one’s even better.”

Without warning, he snapped his fingers, conjuring a small flame which danced at his fingertips. I stared in disbelief. We had brought back his hand, but we hadn’t signed up for... this.

“The witch conveniently left out that detail, didn't she?” Alvin mused, watching my reaction. “Restoring my hand didn’t just bring it back to its old state. It made it... special.”

“So, what now? You can light up your cigars without a match? Good for you,” I spat, unwilling to show him the unease bubbling within me. I grit my teeth, casting away the images of him lighting the fires in our village. Destroying our homes.

He laughed, a sound that echoed eerily in the vast cavern. “Oh, Nathan, always the joker. But watch this.”

Before I could react, he stretched out his hand toward Levi. A strangled sound came from Levi’s throat as he began to choke, his face turning a frightening shade of purple.

Beside me, Angela screamed in horror, her hands reaching out helplessly to her fallen lover.

“Alvin! Stop this madness!” I roared, every fiber of my being focused on the danger at hand.

With a smirk, Alvin relaxed his grip, the magic dissipating as quickly as it had come.

Levi crumpled to the floor, gasping for breath, his eyes wide with shock and fear. Angela was at his side in an instant, cradling his head, tears streaming down her face.

“You’re a monster,” I hissed at Alvin, my anger barely contained.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m just trying to survive, just like the rest of you.”

“Why? Why betray us, especially after everything we’ve been through?” I implored, desperate to understand.

Alvin’s demeanor shifted, the arrogant facade slipping for just a moment. “After Colin drove me out, I wandered alone, forced to live like a rogue. I scavenged what I could, but the wilderness isn’t kind. Then Ryan found me.”

His voice wavered, a hint of the trauma he had endured peeking through. “He tortured me. Day after day, I thought it would be my last. But then, he discovered our past, about my... feelings for Olivia. That’s when he made me an offer that I couldn’t refuse.”

I narrowed my eyes, piecing the story together. “He promised you Olivia. Didn’t he?”

Alvin’s gaze met mine, a hint of the old pain evident. “She would never have chosen me, not with you around. But with Ryan’s power... I could finally have a chance. All I had to do was keep her from becoming the Ancient Wolf and deliver Elliot. Then, in one final act of heroism, I would give her a shoulder to cry on… she would be mine. And she would never know about the part I played in it, either.”

“You’re playing with fire, Alvin. Ryan is not one to keep promises,” I warned, hoping to get through to him.

But he just smirked. “We all do what we must to get what we want. And right now, Nathan… You’re in my way.”