Chapter 34
"Arhhh… do I know you?" Lucas asked with a playful smile.
Drufas didn't reply. Instead, he frantically searched his pockets.
"What are you looking for?" Lucas asked, covering his mouth with his hand as he smiled.
"The book…" Drufas muttered, patting himself down even more aggressively.
"What book?" Lucas asked.
"The book!!" Drufas snapped. He spun toward his team. "Lily! The book!"
Snapped out of her daze, Lily blinked. "Oh, the book!" She hurriedly pulled it from her pocket. "Here."
Drufas grabbed it quickly. "Thanks…" He turned back in a hurry. "This… this has been in my family for generations…" He said, holding it up for Lucas. "Do you perhaps know what it is?"
Lucas lowered his gaze to the book. The moment he saw its cover, the smile faded. A rush of memories hit him.
"…The Book of All Beast Tails," Lucas whispered. "The book that holds the names of every beast in this world… and the ones far beyond the realms."
Drufas swallowed. "Could you be… the banished heir of the book…?"
"And what gives you that impression?" Lucas asked calmly.
"You hold the mark," Drufas replied. "A cross on the left side of your chest, don't you?"
Lucas looked away.
"How long has it been…?" Drufas asked, tears welling in his eyes. "How is Aloula doing…?"
"That's my mother…" Lucas said quietly. Then his gaze dropped. "Unfortunately…"
"What happened?" Lucas asked, a rare tension in his voice.
"She grew ill and passed on," Drufas answered. "Are you really him…? My—"
"Eyy— Master Lucien said rest." Nekubuki's voice cut in as he casually walked past, carrying a massive deer with one hand. "Lucas, stop bothering the weaklings."
"Right, young master," Lucas replied with a small bow. He turned back to Drufas. "Listen, kid. This topic is for another day. Get inside the cave and rest."
He walked away without another word.
Inside the Cave — Midnight
Drufas and his team sat quietly as the wolves moved around, preparing meat. The atmosphere was heavy.
"Drufas… do you notice it?" Lily whispered. "The prince… he changed."
"Yes…" Drufas said softly. "He's grown strong— strong enough to rival the king, even."
"No," Lily insisted, shaking her head. "It's like he's no longer himself. The joyful kid who ran around wishing to rule with kindness… he's gone. And the knights too. What happened to them in here?"
"This is all because two members of the pact are gone," Nekubuki said as he approached, holding a large leaf piled with meat. He handed it over with a smile. "Hope you don't take what I did earlier personally— you know, snatching your weapons and all."
"All in the past," Drufas replied. "Thank you. But… if you don't mind, I'd like to know more. What happened here?"
Nekubuki exhaled and sat down.
"Well… this cave had one true ruler. The one true alpha. And one member... a very important one. The leader once chose to explore the forest further. And knowing how stubborn your prince is, Lucien asked to join. As we traveled deeper—"
"Shouldn't you be resting, Neku?" Solvian's voice cut in.
Nekubuki smirked. "Ah… seems I've said too much." He stood. "Excuse me, I'll take my rest."
Drufas clenched his fists. "Just how deep did things go…?"
Morning came,Drufas and his team woke up last. When they stepped outside, the once-simple training grounds had been replaced by a massive building Lucas had constructed himself...the true training chamber he had once formed.
Lucas stood before it. "Training will be upped again. Everything from three months ago is being increased by one level. I hope this time you reach the boss and win."
He tapped his staff to the ground, and the four chosen members entered the building.
The remaining six wolves vanished instantly.
Drufas approached Lucas. "How long have you been here?"
"Close to four months," Lucas said, still watching the building.
"And in those four months… how close were you to the Alpha?"
"The Alpha…" Lucas exhaled. "A complicated creature. Wouldn't you say, Obsidian and Slime?"
Two figures emerged from the dark bushes. A massive obsidian panther in beast form and a black slime pulsing beside it.
Weapons immediately rose.
"Raising weapons at me is pointless," the Panther spoke. "Do not waste your time."
"It can talk…" the group whispered.
"It can do more," Lucas replied. "But that's for another day. Now...why have you returned?"
"I heard Lucien entered inside," the Panther said. "If he survives this time… I will humbly follow him."
Twenty Minutes Later
Lucien and the others emerged from the training building. each holding a weapon they had never possessed before.
A sign of passing the trial.
Lucas stepped aside. "You have no choice now. Beasts of this forest keep their word."
Theresa stepped forward, dropping to her knees before Prince Lucien.
In one motion, the wolves returned from inside the chamber and knelt.
Then the Obsidian Panther lowered its head.
And finally, Lucas knelt as well.
Right there, before all of them.
The recognition of a new Alpha was declared.
The one true king of men and beasts.
Prince Lucien.
To be continued…