Werewolf

Prince Arnold sat cross-legged on the largest ice boulder, deep within the Snow Cave. His eyes were tightly shut, with both hands placed in front of his chest, channeling spiritual energy to restore his strength and heal his body.

The more energy flowed through the prince's veins, the more he was required to focus.

Thud...

A sound echoed as something hit the ground. Prince Arnold heard it, but he needed to remain focused on his meditation.

Boom...

A deafening explosion roared from outside, putting his concentration to the test. Unfortunately, Arnold's focus shattered. The noise had distracted him.

He furrowed his brow as beads of sweat began to form, dripping down his face. Prince Arland's sweet, youthful face grew even paler. His golden-yellow skin turned ashen as the flow of energy through his body was disrupted.

"Damn intruder," a furious shout from the prince echoed throughout the snow cave.

Blegh!

Suddenly, the prince spat out fresh blood, staining the snow-covered floor with his crimson blood. After being unconscious for a few hours, he finally regained consciousness.

"Who dares disturb me?" he muttered, trying to stand up and leave the cave, determined to kill whoever had disrupted him.

Of all the distractions that had interfered with Prince Arlond's meditation, this was the first time he had failed to maintain his concentration.

Arnold stormed out of the cave, his expression full of rage, ready to kill anyone in his path.

"Perfect," he muttered after stepping outside, but there was no sign of anyone-only a white wolf lying weakly under a tree. Part of the wolf's body was covered in snow, and it seemed to have resigned itself to its fate.

"What happened to that wolf?" Arnold approached it. As he drew closer, the white wolf became more visible, lying in the snow, weak and wounded.

"Poor wolf," Arnold muttered as he picked up the wolf and carried it back to the cave to heal it.

"What happened to you for your body to end up like this? Don't worry, wolf, I'll heal you," Arlond said, beginning to channel his magic into the sleeping white wolf before him. He could only transfer half of his magic, as his own condition was not yet fully recovered.

"Rest for now," I said as I returned to the large boulder to meditate. I closed my eyes, focusing again to restore my strength and heal my body.

The wolf I had helped was slowly healing, though not yet fully recovered or conscious. But what could have caused the wolf to be wounded so severely?

I closed my eyes and began chanting incantations. I refocused, aligning my mind and body. I could feel the vibrations of energy flowing back into my body. It was as if my body had become one with the ice boulder I was sitting on.

I felt the energy flow through me, making my body feel better and slightly lighter.

"Huff," I exhaled deeply, the cold air filling my lungs as the energy coursed through me. It wasn't just blood flowing through my veins, but a powerful force pulsing in every vessel, nourishing every cell in my body.

After my final meditation, feeling fully recovered, I slowly opened my eyes. My body was much better, but then I heard the wolf howling in pain. I quickly rushed down to check on it.

"Poor wolf," I sighed, my heart aching to see it lying there so weak. The magic I had given earlier had no effect, perhaps because the wounds were too severe. I had to act fast, offering the remaining magical energy I had accumulated over the past hours.

But the risk of passing out again haunted me. Yet, letting this white wolf die would hurt even more. I had to choose-between life and life. With unwavering resolve, I extended my hand, channeling the flow of my magic, hoping it would be enough to save this noble creature.

Finally, little by little, the wolf opened its eyes, though still weak.

"You are safe here now. Rest for a while, wolf," I said, gently stroking its head.

The wolf laid its body back down on the icy floor of the cave, while I needed to restore the energy I had expended.

"Could it be... that he is the one?" I thought to myself. Indeed, he was Queen Andewi's son. I could sense it from the aura of the Andewi Stone, which every white wolf carries, implanted within them. I let him continue meditating for now.

He probably didn't know who I was-that I was the queen's envoy. I wasn't just a white wolf. I also had a name: Yuzi.

After my strength fully returned to normal, I approached the wolf again. From its gaze, I could sense it wanted to communicate something to me.

I placed my hand on the white wolf, and it seemed like its condition had improved-perhaps something had happened to it.

"You're starting to recover, but you still need to rest. Don't go anywhere just yet; your wounds are still quite serious. We'll stay here together in this ice cave to help you heal. But what exactly happened for you to be injured so badly?" I asked, curious. But how could it possibly answer me? It was an animal, after all, surely it wouldn't understand human speech.

"Finally, I've found you. If you are the son of Queen Andewi, I never expected to meet you," I said.

"Huh?" I was stunned when the wolf spoke, its voice like that of any ordinary human.

"Who are you really?" I asked, my voice firm, ready to fight if necessary.

"Calm down. I'm not an evil sorcerer. I am Yizu, a servant of your mother," the wolf replied.

"A servant of my mother? What do you mean? Are you crazy, wolf? You must want to steal my power, right?"

"It's not like that."

I grew even more suspicious. This was the first time I had ever seen a wolf speak like a normal human.

"So, who are you?"

"I am Yuzi. I can transform into a human. You need to listen to my story and help us fend off the Red Wolves' attack." I continued trying to convince this child, who likely had no idea who he truly was. After all, he had been separated from the queen since birth and raised among humans, making him believe he was fully human.

"So, what are you trying to do here? Tell me quickly!" I snapped.

"The truth is..."

After we both had recovered, the wolf lying on the snow cave floor suddenly transformed into a human. However, I noticed one thing a symbol on his neck, identical to mine. I moved closer to the white wolf, now fully in human form.

"Why is that symbol exactly like mine?" I asked, curious about this person.

"Because you are also part of the White Wolves."

"What do you mean?" What he said only made me more curious.

"You've forgotten, haven't you? You are part of the White Wolves, the child of Queen Andewi, the White Wolf Queen, and King Leiba. An incident happened in the Kingdom of Kuta, which is why I had to bring you to the human realm."

"What is he talking about? I don't believe him. Maybe he's just rambling because of the injuries he suffered earlier."

"I don't understand what you mean, but it's time for me to return to my kingdom. I need to tend to the palace," I said.

"Then what about me? Can I come with you? I promise I'll protect you and won't cause any trouble for the people in the kingdom," I pleaded, hoping he would allow me to come. If I were left alone again, the Red Wolves might come for me once more.

"Yes, please let me come with you," I begged.

"Alright then," he agreed. I felt sorry for this wolf, worried that he might get hurt again in the outside world, especially since he hadn't fully recovered yet. From that day on, the white wolf became my companion.

"Turn back into your original form," I requested. I couldn't take him with me in his human form.

"Alright," he said, and with permission granted to accompany me to the kingdom, he transformed back into the white wolf.

We both left the cave. I walked behind the prince, watching his movements carefully in case there was an unexpected attack. I would protect him swiftly if needed.

But everything seemed peaceful, and we arrived safely at the kingdom.

I watched how the soldiers greeted the prince at the gate, though they seemed a bit afraid of me in my wolf form.

"My soldiers, you don't need to be afraid of my white wolf. He is my companion, and now he is part of this kingdom. Understood?" the prince said, calming the frightened soldiers. After all, a wolf is a wild creature that could attack at any moment.

"Y-Yes, Prince," one of them stammered nervously.

Apparently, some of the soldiers had already informed the King and Queen about the prince's return to the kingdom.

I saw my father walking ahead, moving faster than the queen, who was behind him with her attendants.

Both of them came to welcome me while I was still outside. My father immediately embraced me tightly, and I could feel his deep longing. Then, when the queen arrived, she hugged me as well. The warmth of their embrace brought me comfort.

"The prince is truly well-loved here," I thought to myself, witnessing the warmth of the prince's family in this human realm.

"Wait," the king released his embrace, staring sharply at a white wolf behind Prince Arnold.

"Why is there a wolf here?" asked the king.

"Father, forgive me, but this wolf is my pet while in the ice cave. He has protected me and been a shield so I could recover my energy smoothly," I said.

"Really? But he's dangerous."

"No, Dad, he's good. This wolf won't bother me, I assure you."

"If what Arnold said is true, then let's just leave it be, dear. Maybe this wolf has become a friend to Arnold," defended my mother.

"Alright, if anything happens, and he makes the soldiers or the people of the kingdom feel threatened, I won't hesitate to kill him."

"Yes, Father, I assure you he won't be like that."

"Dear, rest. You must be tired. Oh, if you're hungry, you can eat first," said my mother with concern.

"Okay, Mom," finally, I took permission to leave and go to my room.

I closed the door to the cave, shut the window, and drew the curtains so no one could see inside.

"You can turn back into your human form now," I said.

"Finally," he said, shifting back into his human form. "My body feels stiff after staying as a wolf for so long."

He stood up, stretching his joints, and I could hear the cracks of his bones as they snapped back into place from the stiffness. This was the first time he'd remained in his wolf form for so long. In the wolf world, he usually stayed in human form unless he was hunting.

"By the way, Prince, why did you seal off the room so tightly?"

"Because when you change into your human form, no one should see it. Especially since my soldiers are always patrolling around here to check for security."

"I see."

"You must be tired too. Get some rest," I said, allowing him to sleep while I slept on the other bed.

The more I looked, the more the symbol on his neck was identical to mine. But I wasn't yet sure about him. I glanced in the mirror again, checking closely to make sure there was no difference between the symbols on our necks.

"Hah!" I was startled to see the prince standing beside me. He was so close. What was he going to do to me?

"Prince?"

"Sorry, sorry, but I couldn't help noticing that the symbol on your neck is as clear as mine," I said, showing him.

"I already told you, we're both from the White Wolf clan, and you are the child of Queen Andewi."

"But how can I be the child of Queen Andewi when I'm human?" I was utterly confused hearing him explain that I was the son of the White Wolf Queen.

"So, back then," I began telling the prince the story.

***

"Aghh, it hurts," groaned Queen Andewi, unable to bear the pain as she was about to give birth, but the chaos in the kingdom kept causing delays.

"Aghh, in there, dear, just a little longer," King Leiba, who was there, tried to calm his wife, but it was clear how difficult it was for her.

The commotion outside continued, but the queen forbade the king from joining the battle against the Red Wolves' invasion.

As a loyal follower of Queen Andewi, I had to protect her in case anything went wrong.

"I can't just sit here any longer. If I stay here, what will become of our soldiers and our people? I need to go out and protect them all, including our child," said the queen.

"But, dear," I said, grabbing my husband's hand.

"No, I can't. The Red Wolves have been merciless. How many more lives must be lost? I must save our soldiers and the White Wolf people," she insisted, determined to protect them.

"In that case, take this crystal. Maybe it can protect you," I said, handing her the ancient White Wolf crystal, a symbol of protection and restoration.

"No, my love. It's better if you give it to our child when they are born. Promise me you'll protect them if something happens to me. At least our child will be safe," she replied, leaving the room and heading toward the battlefield.

After that, the queen finally gave birth to a son, though she hadn't given him a name yet. Once the birth was over, she used her healing magic so she wouldn't feel any more pain.

"Yuzi, make sure to keep the prince safe. No matter what, I'm joining this battle," I said, not forgetting to secure the prince. I handed over the ancestral crystal to protect my son later.

"But, Queen," I disagreed with this reckless decision and tried to object to her command.

"No more buts, just do as I say. The Red Wolves will target my son when our forces are weak. Look at our numbers and strength, we're outmatched. So, I trust you to keep my son safe," before handing him over to Yuzi, I kissed the cheek of my newborn child. He didn't know anything yet, but this painful separation between mother and child felt inevitable. If he stayed, this farewell would be forever. I could only shed tears one last time, looking at my newborn's face.

As a mother, whose heart wouldn't ache when forced to part from their child? But this was for his safety. That's why I asked Yuzi to protect him. I didn't know when fate would reunite us again.

"Take him," I wiped away the tears that had just fallen. I had to remain strong to face what lay ahead.

Hearing the Queen's command, I nodded, taking the young prince from her arms. I cradled him gently and slipped away quietly. I couldn't afford to be seen. As I fled, I glanced back at the fierce battle between the White Wolves and the Red Wolves. We were outnumbered and overpowered. I had to escape quickly before anyone saw me.

"I don't know where I should take the young prince, but I must ensure that wherever I go is safe," I ran faster, making sure no one was following me, and ensuring the prince's safety above all else.

After a long journey, I finally arrived at a place. I placed the prince at the foot of the largest and tallest gate among the houses here, hoping someone would take him in and care for him like a son, even though he wouldn't be raised by his birth mother.

"Goodbye, Prince, stay safe. I will miss you, and I hope you grow into a strong man. Until we meet again," I whispered as I placed the prince down, leaving a bit of my magic on him.

It wouldn't be hard for us to reconnect because the prince bore the same symbol as mine on his neck. After ensuring his safety, I left the place before anyone could notice my presence. I returned to the White Wolf Kingdom to join the battle, but by the time I arrived, the war was over, and we had lost. I couldn't see either the king or queen among the White Wolf soldiers.

"Where are they?" I wondered while helping the injured soldiers.

"Did any of you see the Queen or the King?" I asked the soldiers who had fought in the battle.

"I haven't seen them. I was attacked earlier; the Red Wolves' power was overwhelming."

Many soldiers were injured, some critically, and many had already died.

"Damn it, where are the King and Queen?" I clenched my fists in a mix of anger and frustration.

"I have to find them," I declared.

"Don't act recklessly, or you'll end up dead at the hands of the Red Wolves."

"But what if the Queen and King are in danger, hurt by them?"

"If you go looking now, we'll lose. You'll end up dead."

The soldier was right. I was alone, and the entire army was weak and defenseless. I needed to find a way to save the King and Queen. I couldn't let them suffer or fall into danger.

I entered the palace and saw Nyai Mentri attending to Queen Andewi.

"Queen," I said, approaching her.

"Don't make any noise yet. I'm healing the queen; she's exhausted her powers and has suffered severe injuries," Nyai Mentri said as she transferred healing magic.

"But how did the queen end up here?"

"After the childbirth, I immediately went out to monitor the battle. When they attacked the queen, she was already weakened. I threw some ash powder, but I could only save the queen. The king is still in a critical condition in his chamber," she explained.

"I still have a lot of magic; I'll help the king," I said, about to run to the king's room, but my hand was suddenly held back.

"Don't do that. Save your strength to protect us. The Red Wolves could launch a surprise attack at any time, and you're the only one left with enough energy, Yizu. So please, don't use your magic on the king. We don't know when the kingdom will be attacked again."

"But the king's condition is dire," I said, worried that his state would worsen.

"Calm yourself. I've prepared a potion on the table behind you. Drink it, and your body will feel refreshed again. I'll take care of the king. This healing magic on the queen is almost done, and after that, I'll treat the king."

***

Nyai Bidan quickly stepped into the King's chamber after finishing treating the queen. Seeing the king's dire condition, she paused for a moment, realizing she would lose a lot of energy in order to heal him.

However, she couldn't leave the king in this state.

"Nyai, do you need my strength?" Yuzi asked, offering part of his energy, ready to be absorbed if that was the best course of action.

"No need," replied Nyai Bidan, looking at Yuzi. She just needed to stabilize herself and then transfer magic to the king.

"But it's okay, you'll run out of magic if you keep going like this."

I insisted on sharing my strength with Nyai.

"No need, it's better if you help me tend to the wounded soldiers outside," I suggested, as there were still many who needed help.

I then placed my hand on the king's forehead and gently pressed it, letting the flow stabilize. Slowly, I felt my magic flowing from my palms into the king.

"Good, hang in there, my king," I said calmly, focusing on healing him.