Chapter : 03

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In the heart of the dense forest, where the sun’s rays filtered through the thick leaves, stood the house of an old man. The house was surrounded by a peaceful clearing, where colorful wildflowers bloomed freely. The house itself was a harmonious blend between traditional architecture and the surrounding nature. Its thatched roof, once golden but now graying, seemed to blend into the wooded landscape.

Inside, the house had a warm and mysterious atmosphere. The walls were decorated with old tapestries and hunting trophies, testifying to the old man’s past adventures. Shelves filled with ancient books and dusty parchments revealed a passion for knowledge and mystery. Flickering candles lit the main room, creating dancing shadows that brought the surroundings to life.

The heart of the house was an imposing fireplace, whose flames danced with a comforting light. Around this hearth, furniture worn by time invited people to sit and listen to the old man’s stories. Bewitching smells of dried herbs and fragrant elixirs hung in the air, testifying to the alchemical talents of the owner of the place.

This isolated dwelling in the forest thus became the old man’s sanctuary, a place imbued with wisdom, mystery and ancient secrets.

Armand was a solitary but kind man, accustomed to the tranquility of the forest and the company of wild animals. He had acquired a deep knowledge of the mysteries of nature and the ancient secrets that inhabited the woods. His wisdom was the fruit of many years of listening to the whispering trees and meditating on the stars.

When he heard the howl of the werewolf in the night, Armand felt an unusual shiver run down his spine. He knew that this nocturnal cry announced a disturbance in the balance of the forest, and he decided to go investigate. This is how he discovered Alex, conscious but weakened, lying on the ground at the mercy of his imminent transformation.

Without hesitation, Armand carried Alex to his house hidden in the heart of the forest, where he made him comfortable to care for him. He used his knowledge of herbalism to prepare soothing remedies and healing ointments to help Alex recover from his injuries. As he watched over the sleeping young man, Armand mentally prepared himself.

As the flickering candlelight dimly illuminated the room, Armand found Alex agitated and disoriented. The young man was in the grip of an attack of intense pain and seemed to be fighting against invisible forces that tormented him. Without missing a beat, Armand approached Alex, trying to calm him down and understand what was tormenting him.

Suddenly, Alex woke up screaming as if he had just had a nightmare. When he woke up, he saw the old man sitting at his bedside and looked around the room in which he was lying.

___ Where am I ? he asked eagerly.

___ You finally woke up, said the old man.

___ Who are you ? Alex asked.

The old man approached him, but Alex, suspicious, quickly grabbed a spear hanging from the wall.

___ If you come near me, I will hurt you.

___ You should calm down and listen to me, young man.

___ You listen ?

The old man took another step towards Alex who stopped him again with the spear.

___ Alright ! I saw you in the forest and decided to bring you here to my home to heal you.

___ Why should I believe you with everything I see here ?

___ You don’t have to believe me, but try to remember how you ended up in this forest and how you fought this beast.

Alex frowned and buried himself in his memories of the previous night.

___ I vaguely remember…

___ Maybe you don’t want to hear what I have to say, but it’s the truth. You better put down that spear, sit down, and listen to me carefully.

___ Are you one of them ?

___ No, I spent much of my life fighting the creatures you faced. Actually, I’m a hunter. I have been decorated several times for my bravery and my knowledge of mysterious creatures. I left far away to settle in the heart of this forest which gives me peace of mind.

Alex glanced at the wall of the house and realized the old man was right. He gently placed the spear down and sat down on one of the stools. The old man then took the spear gently.

___ You made the right choice.

___ What do you have to tell me ?

___ I don’t know if you know the creature you fought today. Can you describe it to me ?

___ He is a half-man, half-wolf werewolf, very large with yellow and red eyes. He had claws on his hands and feet.

___ I forgot, you were bitten. Let me see your wound.

___ Bitten ? I don’t remember being bitten.

___ It is possible to forget such a wound inflicted by a werewolf. When I found you, you had a high fever and was very weak. If you allow me…

The old man lifted Alex’s shirt and was surprised.

___ Your injury is gone.

___ What ?

___ Yes, it has completely disappeared.

The old man got up agitated and worried. Alex stood up as well with eyes full of worry.

___ What is happening ?

The old man did not answer. He approached his small library, took out some documents and began to look through them.

___ It is not possible. Your wound shouldn’t heal that quickly.

___ What does it mean ? Alex asked.

___ You were bitten by an Alpha, the only one of its kind, known as the mysterious werewolf of darkness. According to what is written here, he will come back to kill you. I’m sorry, but you now have werewolf blood coursing through your veins. You are now one of them.

___ No, I refuse to believe that. I am a hunter and I cannot be one of the creatures I fight.

___ We will find a solution. I know this werewolf has a pack.

___ A pack ? You mean I’m part of his pack ?

___ Yes, staying in the village would be very dangerous on full moon nights.

___ That’s enough, I’m going back. I’ve heard enough.

___ You should listen to me.

___ No. You have spoken enough and I have listened enough. I’m going home.

___ I’m here, in case you need me or to learn a little more about how to control your powers and such.

___ I don’t want to know anything, I don’t have the werewolf blood circulating in me. Bye.

Under the old man’s surprised gaze, Alex grabbed a spear and went out. The old man watched him walk away until he disappeared into the forest before returning to his hut.

___ Poor young man, he does not yet know what awaits him, this mysterious and formidable werewolf will never leave him in peace, him with his loved ones now that he is one of them. What amazes me the most is how come he was healed so quickly. Amazing. Others die when bitten by this monster, but he doesn’t.

The old man picked up his book again and continued to study it.

During this moment, Alex was walking in the forest at speed, every time he took a step, he had the impression that something was following him, something that resembled what he had faced.

___ Who is here ? he repeated.

When calm returned, he continued on his way without problem. A few steps from the village, he met his colleagues who were ready to return to the forest again.

___ Finally you’re here.

___ Where are you leaving ?

___ Isaac told us how you defended yourself against this werewolf, he told us about your bravery and your determination. He also told us that you went after him, we were afraid, so we decided to come and support you. We looked for you until dawn before returning to the village. We are getting ready to return again.

___ I am here dear friend.

___ May our ancestors be praised. Do you want to tell us how you coped with this monster ?

___ He escaped from me, I couldn’t catch him, I took refuge in the forest to rest calmly given the fatigue that weighed on me.

___ Yes it’s really possible.

___ We’ll talk about it later, I’m going to rest.

Everyone turned back towards the village. Alex returned to his house and lay down calmly on his bamboo bed while thinking about what the old man had said to him.

___ I’m not going to believe this old man, he said.

Suddenly, sleep knocked at his door.

To be continued…