Chapter 22: Enter the Wolf Lord Once More
Then it came—the howl that roared across the clearing like a shockwave tearing through the night. Deep, guttural, and ancient. The kind of sound that rooted you to the earth and made your instincts scream. The wolf lord had arrived.
Silas finished the last of the wolf-broth in one clean motion, the wooden bowl clattering softly against the grass as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. A slow grin curled on his face as he rose to his feet, brushing grass and dirt from his wrinkled pants, his joints popping faintly from disuse.
"Guess our rest is over," he said casually, like he were commenting on the weather rather than the looming boss fight.
His voice carried easily through the camp as he strolled toward the center, his undead bear lumbering behind him like a grotesque shadow. The air shifted around them, the faint embers of the firelights catching on its exposed ribs as they moved.
Students glanced up from their meals and conversations, confused by the howl's raw power—louder than any normal beast should be. It wasn't just near. It was everywhere.
By the time Silas reached the center, all eyes were already on him. The students had instinctively risen to their feet, spells humming to life in their palms—sparks, frost, and arcane symbols blooming like flowers in the dark.
"Heard of a boss battle, right?" Silas asked with an easy, amused tone.
"Well... here's one."
He chuckled, letting his own hands ignite—one flickering with necrotic green, the other laced with flickers of ember-red. Then, casually, he pointed toward the gate.
The undead bear roared and charged, its massive bulk crashing into the wooden gate and splintering it like a battering ram, sending debris flying as the entrance crumpled inward.
"Time to fight!" Silas shouted, the sharp edge of excitement bleeding into his voice.
Students leapt into motion. Some dashed toward the elevated watch platforms, their spells already in motion—bright projectiles and elemental blasts raining down like artillery. Others planted themselves beside the bear, ready to face the enemy head-on with glowing weapons and layered enchantments.