The mid-afternoon sun bathed the cobblestone streets of Mailie Town in warm light, but an air of unease lingered. In the bustling square, Tedric stood near the town center, arms crossed and gaze thoughtful. His mind wrestled with recent events—the departure of Ada, and Vaidya. He had been confident his assurance would keep the younger Postknights in line, but their absence told a different story.
"Fools," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. Then, after a moment, he laughed, a low, self-deprecating chuckle. "And to think I believed they'd listen to me. Of course, they'd go. They're Postknights to their cores—stubborn and loyal to the very end. Plus it's about their friend. They will surely go for help." Then he remind his old days.
His laughter faded quickly when he noticed a farmer running toward him from the outskirts of town. The man was disheveled, his face pale, and panic burned in his eyes.
"Commander Tedric!" the farmer cried, his voice trembling. "A catastrophe! It's—it's a monster! A dire wolf, massive and wild, bigger than any I've ever seen. It—it's attacked my farm, killed my livestock, and now it's heading this way!"
Tedric's face darkened, the severity of the situation sinking in. "Dire wolves aren't uncommon in the forests," he said cautiously, "but for one to come this close to town... and alone? That's no ordinary wolf."
The farmer's voice broke as he pleaded, "Please, you have to stop it before it reaches Mailie! It's unstoppable—my poor cocoaboars didn't stand a chance!"
Before Tedric could respond, a chilling howl cut through the air. It was unlike anything he had ever heard. Low and guttural, it began as a growl and rose into a bone-shaking crescendo that seemed to vibrate through the ground itself. The sound was otherworldly, filled with rage and despair, and it sent shivers down the spines of everyone within earshot.
Tedric's eyes snapped to the horizon, where the forest loomed. "That's no ordinary dire wolf," he muttered under his breath.
He turned to the farmer. "Go back to your home. Lock your doors and stay inside until further notice." Then, he bellowed orders to the nearby guards. "Complete lockdown! No one in or out of the town until we deal with this threat!"
As the guards rushed to carry out his command, Tedric summoned the town's most trusted fighters. Yug, Oliver, and Tiara soon arrived, each bearing weapons and expressions of grim determination.
"What's the situation, Tedric?" Tiara, the town's burly blacksmith, asked, gripping a massive war hammer.
"A dire wolf," Tedric said. "But this isn't like the others. It's enormous, aggressive, and heading straight for us. We can't let it reach Mailie. Too many lives are at stake."
Oliver, the town's healer, tightened his grip on his staff. "Dire wolves hunt in packs. If this one's alone, it must be desperate—or worse, driven by something unnatural."
"Unnatural or not, we have to stop it," Yug said, his twin daggers gleaming in the sunlight. "What's the plan?"
Tedric's voice was firm, though a flicker of worry showed in his eyes. "We form a perimeter at the town's edge. Oliver and Yug take the northern gate. Tiara you're with me in the east. Use every trick you've got. If this beast is as deadly as they say, we'll need all the strength and cunning we can muster."
Tiara placed a reassuring hand on Tedric's shoulder. "We've got this, Tedric. Mailie's stood against worse."
Tedric nodded, though his resolve wavered. He couldn't shake the unease that had settled in his chest.
---
The evening breeze was gentle as the carriage rattled along the dirt road back to Mailie. Solis sat by the window, his chin resting on his hand, gazing out at the vast plains. His thoughts were still heavy with the memory of his father's final moments. Despite the warmth of his friends' presence, the weight on his chest refused to lift.
Ada and Vaidya exchanged a quick glance. They both knew Solis needed time, but silence wasn't the answer either.
Ada broke it first, her tone casual but warm. "Hey, Solis. What was Katalan Valley like when you were a kid? Bet you were a little troublemaker, weren't you?"
Solis blinked, the question pulling him out of his thoughts. He hesitated for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. "Troublemaker? Not really. I was… well, kind of a dreamer, I guess."
"Oh, come on," Ada pressed with a grin. "There's no way you didn't cause at least some chaos. Every kid does."
Vaidya adjusted his glasses, joining in with a playful tone. "Statistically speaking, most children do have their mischievous phases. Were you the exception, Solis?"
Solis allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. "Okay, fine. There was this one time… I was about seven. My dad had just taught me how to ride a horse. I was so excited that I decided to show off to the other kids in the village."
"Oh, this sounds promising," Ada said, leaning forward eagerly.
"I hopped on the horse, but I didn't exactly… tighten the saddle properly," Solis admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "The moment we started galloping, the saddle slipped, and I ended up hanging upside down while the horse ran through the market."
Ada burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. Even Vaidya couldn't suppress a chuckle. "I can imagine the chaos that caused," he said.
Solis laughed softly, the memory lightening his mood. "Yeah, my dad had to chase the horse halfway across the village. When he finally caught us, he was so mad—but he couldn't stop laughing either. He said I had the spirit of a knight but the common sense of a chicken."
"That's so him," Ada said, her laughter softening. "He seemed like such a good man, Solis."
"He was," Solis said quietly, his smile fading but his voice filled with warmth. "He always believed in me, even when I didn't. No matter how many times I messed up, he'd just shake his head and say, 'You'll figure it out, kid.'"
Vaidya nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like he saw something special in you. And I think he'd be proud of who you're becoming."
Solis looked at his friends, their sincerity cutting through the fog of his sadness. "Thanks," he murmured. "For being here. For… everything."
"That's what friends are for," Ada said, punching his shoulder lightly. "And hey, if you ever need someone to mess up with you, I'm your girl."
"And if you need someone to analyze why we're messing up," Vaidya added, a small smile on his face, "you've got me."
Solis chuckled again, a bit more freely this time. "I think I'm in good hands."
But the tranquility was shattered by the same haunting howl that had echoed through Mailie.
Ada froze mid-talk her hand instinctively reaching for her wooden sword. "What was that?"
Even the carriage drivers Gale horses got scarred of and denied to go even further.
Solis turned toward the direction of the sound, his face pale. "That… didn't sound like any animal I've ever heard."
Vaidya's brow furrowed, his analytical mind racing. "It's a dire wolf," he said slowly. "But something's not right. Dire wolves hunt in packs, not alone. And for a howl like that to carry this far… it's coming from Mailie."
The realization struck them all at once, and Ada's grip on her weapon tightened. "If it's heading for Mailie, we need to get there now."
Vaidya's gaze darkened. "Agreed. That sound… it's not just a call to hunt. It's a warning—or worse, a challenge. Whatever's driving that wolf, it's unnatural. We can't waste any more time."
He stepped sown from the carriage, the air around him shifting as he began to cast a spell. "I'll use Wind Path. It'll get us there faster."
Ada hesitated. "But the toll on your mana—"
"I'll manage," Vaidya said firmly. "This isn't just about us. Mailie needs us. Hold on to me."
Ada and Solis exchanged a glance before stepping down from the carriage, each placing a hand on Vaidya's shoulder. He closed his eyes, his voice steady as he chanted the incantation. The wind began to swirl around them, lifting their feet off the ground.
As the spell took effect, the three Postknights soared above the forest, the wind carrying them toward the town—and the unknown danger that awaited.