Nine days remained before their break ended. Aspen's task was the most delicate, he had to procure the sedative the medic used to render someone unconscious and not just a small dose, but enough to drug a beast. Vayu, meanwhile, had commissioned a pair of iron cuffs — each weighing twenty kilograms — they were not meant to be worn but will be used to crush bones of the beast. He had also commissioned a long sword, as when he was fighting the beast in his mental arena his dagger was not enough to do much damage.
Getting the sedative approved was surprisingly simple — Aspen had just said they were needed for the Hunter Squad and will be used on the captured animals and he got around ten kilograms of sedative. On the other hand Vayu paid few extra coins to the ironsmith and the order was ready far sooner than he had expected. By the time the day came for them to leave the village, everything was in place.
After reaching the camp everyone was instructed to rest as always, the next day before they marched, Vayu stood on the platform and announced that this would be his last hunt — he was retiring from the Squad. Some of them met the news with displeasure, but when they learned he would become the next Village Chief, everyone erupted in cheers. The camp buzzed with conflicting emotions, but there was no time for debate as the squad set out for the hunt, soon the formation thinned and the slowly the hunters split, only Aspen and Vayu remained to face what lay ahead.
A roar shattered came from inside the temple as they reached the threshold. As always, Vayu dropped to his knees and mouthed for Aspen to do the same. Aspen hesitated — if the beast was hostile, why bow to the beast? — but he obeyed. Kneeling beside him, he whispered, "What's happening?"
Vayu's voice was low, urgent. "There's something I didn't tell you."
Aspen's eyes narrowed as his gut felling came true "What?"
"The beast can speak" Vayu said. "When I tried to help our true guardian during the fight, it smacked me aside, killed the guardian and declared itself as the new guardian, so we have to show the same respect and have to present offering" Vayu explained, although Aspen didn't buy the story but still nodded. Vayu led him inside the temple wall and pointed to the weathered carving — a serpent with seven heads was engraved beautifully on the wall "That was our real guardian" he whispered. Then Vayu rang the bell three times and both of them stepped outside and set to work. As Vayu killed the animals, Aspen laced their bodies with the sedative he'd brought. They'd brought almost ten kilos of sedative by the time the work was done, about eight kilos had been spread over the carcasses. Finally, they arranged the drugged offerings beneath the bell and stood back, the weight of what they'd done pressing cold and heavy between them.
After a tense silence, Vayu rang the bell three times again — the sound echoing through the ancient temple grounds. Then he turned to Aspen and said quietly, "Sit by the gate. Don't move until I say so."
He filled a wooden bucket with water, kept 1 bag of sedative in his chest, pocked and poured the remaining kilo of sedative into the bucked of water and set it beside the pile of food. Without another word, he gestured for Aspen to follow him, and together they slipped away toward a small mountain overlooking the temple. "If something goes wrong" Vayu murmured, "we'll have a chance to escape from there."
Moments later, the beast emerged from the temple's shadow. Aspen gasped, his body tensing, but before he could rise, Vayu's hand pressed firmly on his shoulder. "Observe quietly" he whispered. Aspen swallowed hard and sat back down. The massive creature prowled toward the offerings, its nose twitching as it sniffed the air. It circled the carcasses once, twice, as if suspecting something. Vayu held his breath. Then — to his relief the beast began to eat. One by one, the sedative-laced bodies disappeared into its jaws. When it finished, the beast lowered its head and drank deeply from the bucket. A faint sigh escaped Vayu's lips as he watched it retreat inside the temple.
"Now" he said.
They moved quickly, as they went inside the temple Vayu ordered, Aspen went to fetch water and began scrubbing the bloodied ground beneath the bell, while Vayu climbed up the supporting pillar to the roof. From there, he pulled himself onto the temple wall and peered through a narrow window slit. Inside, the beast had coiled up and laid still — its chest rising and falling slower each moment. Vayu picked up a pebble and tossed it toward the creature. The stone bounced off its flank, but the beast showed no reaction.
"The drug worked" Vayu muttered, a grim satisfaction in his tone.
He whistled sharply. Aspen looked up and understood at once, sprinting outside to retrieve the heavy iron cuffs and the iron sword — they had strapped on their horses. For the first time, Vayu stepped into the inner chamber. The floor was a patchwork of two stones — moss-green slabs that felt icy to the touch and brown tiles that seemed to hold heat. Aspen and Vayu positioned themselves, their bodies coiled backward, ready to hit the beast with their handmade nunchaku — the heavy iron cuffs swinging at the ends like brutal pendulums.
The beast's eyes snapped open at that instant. Aspen froze, panic flaring across his face but Vayu remained unnervingly calm. In a low, even tone he said, "Attack" as the creature lifted his head Vayu hit his head followed by Aspen.
Their blows connected with a thunderous slam. The wolf's head hit the ground, it let out a thunderous growl and both of them stumbled backwards and widened the gap. The beast shook his head and rose up like the attacks had no effect on it and it took two steps toward Vayu, then wavered — as the drug finally took effect. Vayu pushed himself into overdrive and lunged, before his strike could land, the beast collapsed, sinking into a drugged sleep.
Without mercy, they hammered at it until it lay limp "Open its eye" Vayu ordered. Aspen obeyed and as he forcefully opened the eyelid the pupil contracted sharply — that made Vayu froze for a heartbeat —without hesitating anymore he drove his sword straight through the socket. The body twitched as the sword got stuck inside, with grim resolve Vayu began striking the exposed hilt with his nunchaku like a hammer. The sword finally slid free through the back of the creature's skull. Aspen released the wolf's head and it thudded onto the stone with a dull sound.
"Let's get back to our squad—quickly," said Vayu, already running toward the exit.
"What about the body?" Aspen called after him, glancing nervously at the fallen beast.
"Leave it," Vayu replied without looking back. "The animals will come—drawn by the scent of blood. Next time you come here, be careful, alright?"
Aspen gave a short nod, still shaken, they both leapt onto their horses and sped away, hooves thundering against the damp earth. Vayu felt a odd felling in his heart, as everything had gone smoother than he expected—too smooth and even when they reached the camp the feeling stayed.
But if anyone had lingered inside the temple's inner chamber, they would have seen something terrifying—
The beast's chest stirred.
A faint, shallow breath escaped its throat.
Its eyes fluttered open once more.
The wolf—miraculously, was alive once again.