The binding green light flashed over the treetops, accompanied by a whirring noise that rumbled like an oncoming storm, scattering wild birds in every direction. Its sudden brilliance almost eclipsed the morning sun. Tree branches trembled violently, and green leaves rained down onto the grassy terrain.
A portal tore through the empty space, its border rippling and ebbing with an almost natural beauty. The light it emitted seemed organic — alive, even — as it expanded, taking the shape of a door. Suspended parallel to the flat ground, it pulsed with energy.
A tall figure plummeted from the portal.
"Woahhhhhh!"
He let out a startled cry before crashing onto the ground with a loud thud, his back slamming against the dirt. He wheezed as the impact forced the air from his lungs.
Thud!
A long-handled hammer followed, landing beside him.
The soft earth cushioned his fall to some extent, but he was still writhing in pain, groaning. His frame was lanky and thin, lacking any obvious muscle.
Lying there for a moment, panting, his gaze lingered on the portal as it flickered and faded into the sky.
"What the heck was that?" he muttered, bewildered by his miscalculation.
Rolling onto his side, he reached for his hammer, using it to push himself upright.
Canis lifted a hand to his chest, index finger touching the tip of his thumb while his other fingers extended outward. Closing his pale blue eyes, he murmured, "Iasis."
A glowing green leaf, brimming with arcane energy, drifted towards his torso and dissolved into him. A soothing warmth spread through his body as his pain melted away.
Canis sighed in relief. "That's much better."
He opened his eyes, scanning his surroundings while rubbing his sharp jawline. No landmarks, no buildings — just towering trees and dense bushes. Nothing gave him the slightest clue as to where he had landed.
"Now, now… where the heck am I?" he grumbled, lightly tapping his Lunarius gold ring.
A hologram materialised in the air before him, its interface forming concentric holo-rings that orbited around a central display.
Canis stood lazily, his back slouched. His off-white tunic hung loosely on his scrawny frame, exposing hints of his ribs. His shaggy, dark blue hair was wild and unkempt, the tail of it cascading down to his hips, partially obscuring his sharp features.
A scroll, adorned with golden ends and intricate runic engravings, hung from his belt. Next to it, a small leather pouch held his flat pencil — essential tools for the great architect of Capricorn.
In his right hand, he gripped a hammer of peculiar design. Though its head was only slightly smaller than his fist, the entire weapon stretched nearly two metres in length. It was cast from a single piece of platinum, its handle wrapped in fine-grain leather, worn smooth from years of intense use.
The glyphs etched into the hammer's head signified its arcane nature — perfect for shattering bones or piercing through armour.
Scratching his head in confusion, Canis muttered, "The arcane particles are all over the place… messing with the navigation system."
He glanced at the glowing globe hovering in his palm, then pinched his fingers outward over the hologram. The image expanded, revealing a miniature projection of the sun, Mercury, Earth, the Moon, and Mars drifting through space.
"Hmmm…" His gaze narrowed. "So this is definitely the result of D'Arcane on a grand scale. That light of punishment didn't just split the Moon into two, it also knocked Earth's axis off by 0.12 degrees."
He continued mumbling, immersed in his own thoughts.
"The celestial fragments that used to be the Moon must be disrupting tidal systems… and since water makes up the majority of Earth's mass, that would affect portal calculations too."
Then, as if struck by revelation, his pale blue eyes lit up.
"Ah! Yes, yes! When we calculated the portal's entry and exit points, we used the Sun as a reference. But with Earth's trajectory slightly shifted, the whole system is out of alignment. That means I need to recalculate and recalibrate the path to stabilise the portal!"
His excitement bubbling over, Canis unfurled his scroll and let it float mid-air, where it remained, defying gravity.
He opened his leather pouch, pulled out his pencil, and hastily scribbled down his findings.
Satisfied, he tucked everything back into place, nodding to himself.
"Right, back to the task at hand." His gaze flickered with confidence. "Judging by the scattered arcane particles, I'm definitely in Germund. If I reverse the calculations, I should only be a few hundred kilometres off."
Then he smacked his forehead, dumbly.
"Wait… I can just check my location on arc comm!"
***
"I'm a lone wolf~ I'm a lone wolf~ Yaaaaaa yaaaa yaaaa!"
Canis's melodic voice broke through the quiet forest.
Squirrels and birds peeked out from their hiding spots, drawn to the strange, lanky man as he sang with carefree enthusiasm.
The tall man giggled to himself, knowing he was only ten kilometres from the dam. If luck was on his side, he might be able to catch a ride into the city. There, he would meet with Acting Magistrate Petra Hoffmann and demonstrate the true mastery of Renaissance spells.
"I have so many great architectural designs in my head, yaaa yaaa yaaa ~ The modern might retain the town's outlook, but if we're rebuilding, why not try something futuristic with minimalism? Yaaa yaaa yaa. It's gonna be spectacular!"
He hummed the words into a slow, moody, and ethereal tune, his singing style distinct. As he walked, he danced to the melody, taking a few reversed steps like a tango.
"Oi! Shut your damn mouth!"
A sudden shout reverberated through the air, cutting his song short.
Canis froze mid-step, his mouth still open, yet his sharp eyes flickered around in search of the source.
A rough-looking man clad in dark green knight armour stepped forward, scowling. "Your stupid song gave me a migraine… Now, give me all your credits, Twig!" His voice was strangely high-pitched.
Canis remained still, scratching his cheek. "Is this a robbery?" he asked, his smile never faltered.
His keen gaze studied the man. The knight was most likely a deserter. His name tag had been ripped off to conceal his identity and rank, but Canis could tell he was a Bronze or lower. If he were a Silver or higher, he would have ambushed him outright and taken everything without hesitation.
"You stupid or what?!" the man barked, lifting his plasma blaster embedded in his armguard. The nozzle hummed with energy, a faint glow pulsing at its core.
"Ah! Here, take the hammer," Canis offered, holding it out.
The man hesitated before snatching it from his hand. "And what's in the pouch?" He gestured to the small leather pouch at Canis's waist.
"Pencils," Canis replied, unbothered.
The deserter scoffed. "Show me."
With a shrug, Canis opened the pouch, revealing… pencils. The man's face twisted in disbelief.
"Any credits?!"
"Nope." Canis shook his head.
"What am I supposed to do with this hammer?! Bloody hell!" The Bronze grumbled, frustration seeping into his voice.
"You can build stuff with it!" Canis said enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up.
The man frowned. "Like a treehouse?"
"Yeah…"
"The f*ck you mean, man?! I don't want a damn treehouse! I want money! My mates are all dead, I've been lost in this stupid forest with some beast on my ass, I'm starving, and I just wanna go home!"
His voice cracked, and before Canis could react, the man broke down in loud, pitiful sobs. His pathetic wailing only grew louder, echoing through the trees.
Canis blinked. A grown man in knight armour crying his heart out? That was not something he saw every day.
Then, suddenly, the wailing stopped.
The man's head snapped up, and his teary eyes filled with hope.
"You got any food on you?"
Canis slowly shook his head.
"Of course you don't… Look at you. You're just skin and bones," the knight muttered before bursting into tears again. He was like a child trapped in an adult's body.
Canis sighed, stepping forward and giving him a soft pat on the shoulder. "How about we go into the city together? We can ask for food there. I can lead the way."
The knight nodded vigorously, wiping his tired eyes. "Sorry about the robbery… Here, your hammer."
He handed it back, and Canis took it with a small smile.
"What's your name?" Canis asked, his tone gentler now.
"Steve…"
"I'm Canis! Nice to meet you, Steve—"
Grrrrrr!
A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the forest.
Steve stiffened, gripping Canis's arm. "I told ya! Something's been stalking me!" His voice wavered as he anxiously scanned the trees.
Canis strained his ears, catching the faint sound of rustling leaves. His expression darkened.
"A sabretooth," he murmured.
Steve turned to him, his face paling. "A what?"
The beast emerged from the undergrowth.
Its dark golden fur glistened under the sunlight, sleek and muscular. Bloodshot eyes gleamed with malice, and its arm-length fangs curved downward, their sharp tips nearly grazing the ground.
It moved with eerie silence, its massive paws barely making a sound against the forest floor.
Grrrrrrrr!
The low growl rumbled, reverberating in every direction, thickening the air with tension.
Canis sniffed. The stench of raw death lingered — its only giveaway.
"There." He pointed his hammer at the shifting shadows in the brush. From head to tail, the beast had to be over four metres long.
Steve's lips trembled. "W~what do we do?!"
Canis exhaled slowly, straightening his back. A firm grip tightened around his hammer.
"We fight."