Chapter 9 – The Rumor of the Black Wolf
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– Voices in the Tavern
The tavern was filled with smoke and murmurs. Adventurers, mercenaries, and merchants exchanged words between drinks.
"Did you hear what happened in the Sylwen forest?" asked a burly man with a mug in hand.
"Of course, everyone knows already. An entire squad of trackers was found…" he lowered his voice, "…torn to pieces."
The others fell silent. The trackers were known as elite assassins, kidnappers in the service of corrupt nobles and dark clans. That they had all fallen was unthinkable.
"They say it was the work of a beast…" added another.
"No." A third interrupted, eyes wide. "It was a man. They call him the Black Wolf."
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– Rumor Spreading
Stories multiplied like fire through dry grass.
Some claimed he was a vengeful spirit of the forest. Others, that he was a demon incarnate. A few swore they had seen a young man with burning eyes, cloaked in shadows.
"Whoever he is," concluded an old merchant, "the trackers no longer rule the forest. And that… will change the balance of power."
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– A Troubled Noble
In a mansion lit by magical lamps, a middle-aged noble slammed the table.
"My men dead! My trackers slaughtered as if they were nothing!"
His assistant trembled as he tried to reply.
"M-my lord… the rumors speak of someone… they call him the Black Wolf."
The noble glared at him.
"I don't care for a nickname. I want answers. Find out who he is!"
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– The Guild on Edge
Meanwhile, in the adventurers' guild of the nearby city, the rumors reached the notice boards.
Some adventurers laughed in disbelief.
"A boy who massacres trackers… impossible."
Others, more cautious, studied the map.
"It's not impossible… someone with that skill could disrupt the market of contracts and dirty work."
For the first time in years, the name of the trackers did not inspire fear, but uncertainty.
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– A Shadow on the Throne
Far away, in a fortress hidden underground, an imposing man listened to the report of his subordinates.
His skin was marked with dark tattoos that seemed to move in the torchlight.
"So… someone interfered with my trackers' business." His voice was deep, dripping with venom.
He rose from his obsidian throne, his eyes glowing red.
"The Black Wolf… a new player?" A cruel smile twisted his face. "No matter. If he dares touch what's mine, I'll crush him with my own hands."
That man was Nyxarion, the puppeteer of shadows. And for the first time in a long while, he felt frustration.
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– Kael in Silence
Deep in the forest, Kael gazed at the horizon from a cliff.
The wind brushed his face, carrying faint murmurs of villagers who feared the "Black Wolf."
He did not smile, nor take pride. He only lowered his gaze to his daggers.
"If they think I'm a monster… so be it."
Elyndra's pendant glowed faintly, as if sharing his burden.
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– Fear Spreads
Meanwhile, caravans avoided passing through the forest.
Nobles and mercenaries began offering rewards for information about the mysterious killer.
The name "Black Wolf" became a forbidden whisper.
But among the oppressed, the slaves and villagers, the story was different.
For them, someone who had erased the trackers was more than a rumor. He was a symbol.
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– Cliffhanger
In the fortress, Nyxarion turned to his generals.
"Find the Black Wolf. Alive or dead, I want him before me."
In the forest, Kael felt a shiver in the air, as if his destiny was about to change.
He did not yet know it, but he had awakened the attention of the most dangerous man on the continent.
To be continued…