The child of wolves (English version)

The chilhood part 4.

A few months later...

Spring was beginning to settle in the kingdom of Heliore, but in Frostheilm, the nights remained cold, and the chimneys were still necessary. In the village's great hall, by the crackling fire, Virion had gathered the children, as he did every evening during this season, to tell one of the empire's great battles. Astral, Lya, Lyone, and Mars hung on every word of this wise man, whose eyes and hands bore the marks of many trials.

"Tonight, I'll tell you about a battle against the Western Empire. It was thirty years ago. Back then, I was just a young soldier, and my battalion was under the command of the Silver General," Virion explained, his deep voice resonating in the great hall. "He and his serpent were powerful Transcended who could manipulate metal. With a single gesture, he could turn it to liquid and in an instant, forge sharp blades. He fought with a fine sword and was known for his sense of chivalry. Our mission was to stop the enemy from crossing our borders."

"And you, Virion, how did you fight?" asked Sawyer, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Oh, I was never very good with ordinary weapons," Virion replied, smiling gently. "The blacksmiths of the capital made me special gauntlets, with reinforced fingers like the fangs of wolves from our forest. Now, where was I? Ah yes! The general ordered us to scout ahead. Our mission was to discover the enemy's positions and formations. So, we set out on a moonless night. Only a few stars guided us through those vast mountains. Bravely marching, we passed the first peak, then the second, and we found the enemy army. It was a massive camp—at least twenty thousand men preparing for the next day's battle. Thanks to the vision of a Transcended in our group, who was bonded with a vulture, we learned that the opposing army was led by General Scorpion. From what we knew, he was formidable."

"He was a Transcended too?" Lyone asked, fascinated by the story.

"Yes, he was bonded with a giant scorpion that could control sand," Virion replied. "Rumors said that when he unleashed his power, battlefields became as arid as deserts, and his enemies dried out."

"What did you do then?" Mars asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.

"Well, once we gathered the information, we returned to our base camp. After explaining our findings to the general, he thought for a moment before making a decision. He was a wise man. He devised a plan that would allow us to use our enemy's strength against them. 'We'll fight them here,' the general announced. 'That way, the sand will turn against them.' His idea was simple: we would fight on sloped terrain, in a valley where the wind always blew downward, so the enemy's powers would be limited, or at least they would have to expend more energy to attack us. The second part of the plan was to create a large number of shelters where our soldiers could take cover when the magic erupted."

"And did the plan work?" Lya asked, eager to hear more.

"Well, in the days that followed, we prepared everything for the battle," Virion continued, his voice growing graver. "The day arrived, and the two armies faced each other. At first, it was the ordinary soldiers who charged. Then volleys of arrows flew from both sides. The first fell, and my battalion was called to charge. I ran straight towards the enemy, wearing my armor, alongside the general, who had also plunged into battle with his steel serpent. With his sword, he rushed towards the opposing general, and in a dance as graceful as it was deadly, he cut down a hundred soldiers in one blow."

"As for me, I fought like a wolf, breaking my enemies with the strength of my claws," he continued. "The battle raged on, violent and merciless, until I felt a shock of energy. The two leaders were locked in a fierce fight, just like their companions. Waves of liquid metal clashed against powerful sandstorms. It was on a whole different level..." Virion paused, letting the suspense settle, the flickering fire reflecting in his tired but lively eyes. He continued, his voice deepening with intensity.