A low growl echoed through the cave.
Alvin pressed his back against the jagged rock wall, heart hammering in his chest.
Two meters of fur, muscle, and fangs stood before him. The wolf's amber eyes gleamed in the dim light, its breath fogging the cold air.
It had been chasing him for hours.
Now, they were both trapped.
A sheer chasm yawned behind Alvin. The only way forward was through the beast.
His grip tightened on the crude knife in his hand.
Two days.
It had only been two damn days since Exile vanished, leaving him alone. The so called "house and storage artifact" disappeared along with him, like it had never existed. Only a crude knife was found.
No shelter. No safety.
He had been hunting a rabbit, his first real meal in days, when the wolf appeared. One wrong move, and suddenly, he was the hunted.
And now?
Now it was kill or be killed.
The wolf crouched lower, muscles coiling.
Alvin swallowed.
'Is this really happening?'
The wolf lunged, jaws snapping for Alvin's face.
He ducked narrowly avoiding death and skidded beneath its massive frame.
Now!
His knife slashed at its back leg. The beast hissed in pain, whirling around only for a jagged stone to smash into its left eye.
Alvin leaped back, watching.
No damage.
'Damn it'.
But for a moment, the wolf's vision blurred. Just enough.
'Why'
He gripped his knife tighter.
The wolf growled, confused. It swiped at him with its massive claws missed.
'Why'
Alvin didn't give it time to recover.
He lunged, twisting mid air, his blade plunging straight for its right eye.
His mind screamed a single thought.
'Why am I so confident?'
The wolf went berserk. It howled, thrashing wildly then launched itself at the cave wall.
BAM!
It slammed headfirst into the rock, dazed and staggering.
Alvin exhaled, gripping his knife.
"At least I'll have wolf for dinner instead of rabbit."
He scoffed, shaking his head. 'And to think this thing chased me for two hours...'
"Whatever. Time to finish"
Before he could make a move
CRACK!
The wolf's footing crumbled. It teetered on the edge then plunged into the chasm below.
Alvin stood there, dumbfounded.
"What the hell?"
Alvin sighed, cursing his bad luck.
He turned back toward the surface.
Outside, the distant rumble of thunder echoed through the cave. The storm was getting worse.
"I really don't want to sleep outside."
His gaze swept the area.
Near the cave wall, a meter tall plant stood, its broad leaves shielding the ground beneath it. Good enough.
As rain drummed against stone and thunder rumbled like a distant war, Alvin's body grew heavy.
His eyelids drooped.
Sleep took him.
Knock, knock.
'Who the hell is knocking right after I just fell asleep?'
Alvin thought, eyes still closed.
Then he froze.
'Wait door?'
His eyes snapped open, and he shot upright.
Gone was the damp cave, the roaring thunder, the cold ground beneath him. Instead
A king-sized bed. A room he had never seen before. Sunlight streamed through an open window, warming his face.
Slowly, cautiously, Alvin swung his legs over the side of the bed. His feet sank into the plush carpet as he stood. He hesitated, then walked toward the window, pushing aside the curtain.
The light flooded in, forcing him to squint as his vision adjusted.
Outside was a sprawling garden, bursting with vibrant flowers. And in the center of it
A teenage girl, swinging a sword.
"Big sister is so amazing," he said, voice filled with admiration.
His thoughts stilled.
'Wait that wasn't me.'
Knock, knock.
A voice from outside the room.
"Young sir, today is a very important day for you. You need to freshen up."
Alvin barely had time to react before his own voice—no, Alvin's voice—answered automatically.
"Yes, Uncle Robert."
His mind reeled.
'Is this Alvin's memory?' Henry thought
[A/N: For clarity, MC will be referred to as Henry for rest of this chapter.]
Alvin hurried down the grand corridor, his footsteps echoing through the polished marble floors.
'He's so cheerful.'
Henry trapped in this memory could feel the lightness in Alvin's heart, the eager excitement in his every step.
Suddenly, Alvin skidded to a stop.
Before him stood a towering statue. The proud emblem of the Vaelcrest family. A black sword, embedded in rock.
He gazed at it for a moment, before a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"You're running late, young sir. There are many guests waiting for your presence."
An old man approached, his gait steady, his expression calm. Uncle Robert.
Alvin turned to him, hesitating. "Uncle Robert If I awaken the Shadow element, I'll be forced to train like Big Sister, won't I?" His voice wavered. "But I want to be"
Robert placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Young sir, if you become as strong as your father then you can be a singer, just like you've always wanted."
Alvin's eyes widened. "Really?"
Robert chuckled. "Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
A bright, genuine smile spread across Alvin's face. Without another word, Robert guided him toward the central hall.
The massive doors swung open.
Inside, a grand gathering of nobles awaited. The air buzzed with whispers.
"Is that Alvin Vaelcrest? The family head's only son?"
"No, he's the third child. The family head has two daughters."
"Then he's the future heir?"
"I wonder what Sigil he'll awaken…"
The murmurs followed Alvin as he walked forward, eyes locked onto the throne at the far end of the hall—where his father sat, waiting.
Erwin Vaelcrest, the head of the family, rose from his throne. His powerful voice echoed through the grand hall.
"Let the ceremony begin."
Two maids stepped forward, their movements precise as they removed Alvin's shirt. The cool air brushed against his bare skin, but he remained still.
An old man, clad in flowing white robes like a high priest, stood beside him. "Young Master Alvin, please step into the pool."
Alvin hesitated only for a moment before moving forward. The hall was silent, hundreds of eyes including his father's, watched his every step.
This was a sacred ritual, and no women were allowed.
Henry who trapped in the memory curiously watched through Alvin's eyes. But then something caught his attention.
Inside the pool, resting at its center, was a small cube.
A pulse of danger shot through Henry's soul. His instincts screamed at him.
"Don't step in! Don't go near it!"
He tried to shout, to resist, but it was useless. Alvin couldn't hear him.
One step.
Then another.
The water rippled as Alvin entered, and Henry's eyes locked onto the cube.
It wasn't just a cube. It was a... dice.
A sense of dread clawed at his very being. But before Henry could process it, something else made his blood run cold.
In the water's reflection, Alvin's face wasn't his own.
A black shadow stood in his place, its golden eyes burning like molten metal.
Then, it spoke and its voice like a whisper crawling into his skull.
"Seen enough?"
Crack.
The water splintered but not like liquid, but like glass shattering.
Henry gasped.
"Elk!"
He jolted awake.
The familiar chill of the cave surrounded him. The distant rumble of thunder. The soft patter of rain.
His breaths came fast, erratic.
"I'm back..."
His mind raced. 'What the hell was that?'
Then
A flash of lightning illuminated the cave.
Then he saw it.... a dice.
The exact same one he saw in pool.