For months now, the once-thriving ecosystem of Lager Forest had been thrown into disarray. Something—some kind of unnatural presence—had taken root in the wilderness, disrupting the balance of predator and prey alike. Even the fiercest of creatures—pumas, brown bears, and packs of wolves—had retreated from their usual territories, as though acknowledging that something more formidable now stalked the land.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A series of powerful, rhythmic thuds reverberated through the dense woodland, like the drumbeat of an approaching storm. The birds took flight in a flurry of panicked wings, while smaller animals darted into their burrows. Something massive was moving through the trees—something alive.
Charging through the forest with effortless power, a towering young man sprinted across uneven terrain. A boulder, nearly as large as a grown man, rested upon his broad shoulders, its immense weight barely slowing his stride. With each step, the ground trembled beneath him. He vaulted effortlessly over steep ridges and leaped across streams, his feet barely touching the water before launching into the next bound. Even the mighty trunks of ancient trees groaned under the force of his passing, the more brittle ones snapping like twigs under his trajectory.
In a hollowed-out burrow beneath the roots of a fallen pine, a lone wolverine poked its head out, sniffing the air cautiously. Beady eyes watched the monstrous figure disappear into the distance before the creature retreated back into its den, instinctively recognizing the presence of something far beyond its ability to challenge.
Building a Fortress for the Future
Despite his relentless training, James knew that physical strength alone would never be enough to ensure his survival—not in a world that would one day come to fear and hunt beings like him. He needed security. He needed a stronghold.
The underground fortress he envisioned was no mere basement or wine cellar. No, this would be a sanctuary, designed with the foresight of a man who understood that the world was on the precipice of chaos.
Herbert Vernon, a French-Canadian architect with decades of experience, had initially balked at James's outrageous demands.
"Mr. Howlett," Vernon had said, adjusting his spectacles and shaking his triple chin with incredulity. "Are you truly certain about these specifications? I can assure you that our technology and labor force can meet your demands, but this level of depth… the sheer scale of excavation alone will take years. And the cost… well, it will be astronomical."
James had simply nodded. He wasn't concerned with cost. He was concerned with permanence.
"Do it," he had ordered, his voice unwavering. "Follow the plans exactly. No compromises. And most importantly—make it strong. Reinforce everything beyond standard requirements."
With that, Vernon had sighed, muttered something in French about "madmen with too much money," and set about mobilizing his workforce.
The excavation alone was projected to take at least a year, with additional time needed for reinforcement, interior structuring, and security measures. James had demanded that the entire foundation be designed to withstand a magnitude 7 earthquake, ensuring that no matter what came in the future—be it war, natural disaster, or something far worse—this underground haven would endure.
His training equipment was another peculiar request that had drawn skeptical glances from the manufacturers. The "torture devices", as some had started calling them, were unlike anything ever commissioned before.
Among them were:
Five colossal lead spheres, ranging from 500 to 3,000 kilograms, their interiors partially filled with liquid mercury to create unpredictable shifts in weight.
A full-body weighted armor set, engineered to allow for mobility while burdening the wearer with up to 300 kilograms of additional mass.
A steel-constructed roller column, standing two meters in diameter and four meters in height, its surface covered in thick iron rods and spiked protrusions. It would take at least three tons of force to set it rolling.
Such devices would push James to his absolute limits, accelerating the development of his mutant physique.
Still, there were more pressing matters at hand.
A Changing World & A Fateful Reunion
As James pushed his body through grueling training sessions in the wilderness, the world beyond the forest was growing increasingly unstable. The United States stood on the edge of war, the divide between North and South widening with each passing day. The flames of conflict would soon ignite, and James knew that staying isolated in the Canadian frontier would not be an option for much longer.
And then—news arrived.
Victoria, Vancouver Island
The bustling port town of Victoria was a crossroads of the old world and the new. The docks were filled with towering steamships, their thick smokestacks standing in contrast to the traditional wooden-masted vessels that still clung to the past. Sailors, merchants, and adventurers of every nationality moved through the streets, their voices mixing with the occasional shouts of laborers and the cracking of whips as indigenous slaves were forced to unload cargo.
Among the travelers stepping off the latest inbound ship was a man whose weathered features and sunburned skin told the story of years spent wandering the untamed corners of the world. Dressed in a dust-worn explorer's coat, with a pipe hanging lazily from his lips, Daniel Ferente took his first steps onto dry land, squinting against the afternoon sun.
It had been years since he had last set foot in civilization.
And now, it was time to pay a visit to an old student.
Back at Howlett Manor…
"Master! Quick! Guess who sent a telegram!"
Rose O'Hara—James's personal maid and self-proclaimed secretary—burst into his study, her green eyes alight with excitement as she waved a slip of paper in front of him. James, currently scanning a stack of American newspapers, barely looked up.
"Calm down, O'Hara," he said in a deliberately slow tone. "You're already a big girl. Who could it be? We don't exactly have long-lost relatives."
With a dramatic flourish, she placed the telegram on his desk.
"I will arrive in Edmond the day after tomorrow to visit you. —Daniel."
James froze.
"Daniel."
The last time he had seen his former teacher, Daniel had been setting off on his journey to explore the unknown corners of the world. Now, after years of silence, he was returning?
O'Hara, completely oblivious to the complex emotions stirring in James, clapped her hands together in excitement.
"Do you think he brought us gifts?" she asked eagerly.
James chuckled. "Knowing Daniel? Probably."
His amusement faded as he set the telegram down. Daniel's return brought opportunity—but also questions. There were things James needed answers to, and if anyone could help him make sense of the path ahead, it would be his old mentor.
And with the world teetering on the brink of war, those answers might be needed sooner rather than later.