🔥Part 2: The Choice That Opens the Threshold
The first light of dawn crept over the mountains…
Marking the beginning of a new perspective that shaped Zaira's decisions. Leaving behind the memory of her former self, she held the bloodstained handkerchief one last time before tucking it into her satchel.
"Thank you, Lucca."
Almost instinctively, Zaira searched through her bag. Her fingers paused on a small, crumpled piece of paper she didn't remember putting there.
Unfolding it, she recognized Lucca's messy handwriting:
"If you see the wolf… don't run.If it speaks… listen.If it lets you live… then it's not your enemy."
The message was short—but impossible. Lucca had never mentioned seeing the wolf. Never said anything like this.When had he written it? How did it end up in her bag?
A chill ran down her spine.For the first time, the forest didn't just feel alive…It felt like it was watching her.
Zero noticed the trembling paper in her hands.
"Zaira?"
She didn't answer. She simply folded the note carefully, as if it carried more than just ink.
"Thank you, Lucca," she thought again—this time, with her eyes wide open.
The weight of grief drove her to the edge of the ravine, far from camp. There, she stared at the vast green landscape, waiting for a new promise—or perhaps a new threat.
Zero followed, uneasy at her silence.
"Zaira? Are you okay?"
She didn't reply right away. Her eyes wandered to the forest shadows. Her thoughts tangled with Lucca's face… and the deep growl of the black wolf.
At last, she spoke—her voice firm, but threaded with emotion.
"I can't stay here, Zero. There's something else in this forest. Something I don't understand. But I have to face it."
Zero frowned.
"Is this about what you saw out there?"
Zaira nodded slowly.
"That beast… it was more human than anything else. It spoke."
Zero crossed his arms, weighing the risk.
"If you go after it, you'll be putting yourself in danger."
She met his gaze—resolute, unwavering.
"But I can't live caged by Falco's rules. Or Ibrahim's. This is my path. And I'll follow it, no matter where it leads."
Zero sighed, shading his eyes with one hand.
"Then I won't stop you… but I won't let you go alone either."
Zaira offered a small, touched smile—but shook her head.
"Not this time. I have to do this on my own."
With that, she slung her bow over her shoulder and stepped toward the trees. The shadows seemed to part for her—as if destiny itself was opening its arms.
Zero watched her go, her figure dissolving into the trees.For a moment, he thought about following her.But he knew Zaira had to face her own demons.
The wind of dawn brushed her face.She felt a strange mix of tingling fear and hope—yet her eyes burned with a new clarity.
"If there's one thing I can do," she said with quiet conviction,"it's find the truth for myself… to see what lies beyond my eyes."
Zero exhaled, recognizing the fire in her voice.
"Stubborn. Brave. And reckless. I guess I can't stop you. I can only support you."
Just before she disappeared, Zero grabbed her arm gently.
"I'm not Lucca. I'm not the partner you wanted. But if anything happens—don't shut me out. I'll help you. No matter what."
Zaira stared at him, surprised.She knew he was right—but the thought of losing someone else again…
"Zero, you don't have to do this."
"I'm not doing it out of duty, Zaira. I want to.If there's even a chance to survive this… I choose to trust you."
With a nod of acceptance, they ventured into the forest together, leaving behind the camp and all its weight.
They walked in silence. The deeper they went, the heavier the air felt.Even the sounds of the forest fell silent.
Then, Zero spoke.
"What do you think that beast really was?"
Zaira pressed her lips, choosing her words carefully.
"It was a black wolf… but it spoke. Maybe it's something beyond what we know."
Zero frowned, uneasy.
"Let's hope we're not in over our heads."
"Maybe we are," Zaira admitted."But if the forest wants answers, I'll ask the questions.And if it swallows me whole…At least it swallows me free."
She vanished into the undergrowth.And for the first time,Zero wasn't afraid for her.He was afraid of what she might find.
🔥Part 3: The Guardian of the Forest
The path was tangled with thick roots, thorns jutting out like claws, and vines that seemed to tighten around their legs, as if the forest itself were trying to hold them back. Halfway through, a clearing bathed in moonlight revealed a worn stone trail, leading to a moss-covered lake surrounded by unfamiliar carvings.
Zaira stopped, captivated by the place, her breath caught between reverence and awe.
—"What is this place?"—Zero asked in a hushed voice, instinctively lowering his tone.
Zaira didn't answer right away. She stepped forward, letting her fingers graze one of the ancient engravings. A strange warmth pulsed beneath the stone.
—"It's like... these stones are alive,"—she whispered.
Suddenly, a deep growl echoed from the shadows. They turned sharply, weapons ready.
A black wolf emerged from the dark.
Its figure was massive, cloaked in shadow, yet lit by the silver moonlight as if an ancient force revealed it. Its eyes glowed, burning with unnatural intelligence. Not human. Not beast. Something in between.
Zaira slowly lowered her bow, her pulse still racing—not from fear, but from certainty.
—"Did you see it, Zero?"—she whispered.—"It wasn't an enemy. It was... a warning. Or maybe... a key."
Zero didn't respond. His gaze remained on the dark, but his mind followed her words.
—"Not all monsters want to kill us,"—Zaira added.—"Some only protect what we're not yet ready to understand."
She looked down into the lake, its surface still. For a moment, she thought she saw a black silhouette standing beside her. But it was only her shadow.
"If this is my trial," she thought, "then I won't run anymore."
Then, the wolf spoke. Its voice rolled like thunder.
—"I warned you not to step into this forest. And now… you've crossed a threshold that cannot be undone."
Zaira raised her bow again, steady and focused.
—"Who are you? What do you want from us?"
The wolf tilted its head, studying her.
—"The question is not what I want… but what you seek in my domain."
Zero stepped forward, protectively placing himself between them.
—"Why do you speak? What are you?"
The wolf let out a sound that could've been a laugh—or a snarl.
—"I am older than any tale you've been told. And you, hunter..."—it added, locking eyes with Zaira,—"I see you have a role yet to play."
A chill ran down Zaira's spine, but she didn't flinch.
"I won't shoot. Not this time. If you're the beast, speak. If it's true, show yourself. But if you're my shadow… then give me your name."
The wolf stepped forward, towering.
—"This game of hunter and prey... you'll have to unravel it—or dive deep to understand it."
And with that, the black figure vanished into the shadows, leaving Zaira and Zero in breathless silence.
—"Now what?"—Zero asked, eyes still fixed on where the creature had stood.
Zaira lowered her bow and turned to him.
—"Now… we keep going."
As the forest closed around them, the unknown opened its doors.