Chapter 9: Chapter 8 "Companion"
"I will study magic hard and find the answers I need," Ethan said firmly.
Alvas frowned slightly, paused for a moment, and then slowly said, "Ethan, I understand your determination, but there are some things you must understand first. You're not a human, you're a werewolf."
Ethan froze, unable to believe what he was hearing. "What? I'm a werewolf?"
Alvas nodded, his eyes full of understanding and pity. "Yes, I can feel the Wolf in you. You need to know who you are, find your pack. Magic training here is not for you."
Ethan felt a mixture of shock and unease. "What should I do?"
Alvas held out his hand and motioned for Ethan to calm down. "Go to the bar down the street, that's where all the news comes together. You can find out where the werewolf is."
Carl listened silently and patted Ethan on the shoulder. "I'll go to the bar with you, Ethan. We'll find out."
Ethan gave Carl a grateful look, and together they walked out of the Wizarding Tower toward the bar down the street. Along the way, Ethan's mind is filled with questions and uneasiness. He had never thought of himself as a werewolf, and it was a whole new kind of challenge for him.
They walked into a bar called the Moon Shadow, which was dimly lit and noisy. Customers of all races drink and laugh here, it is lively. Ethan and Carl sat down in a corner and began to look around.
"How do we begin to inquire?" Ethan whispered.
Carl smiled and nodded. "Order a few drinks first, listen to the conversation around you, maybe get some clues."
Ethan nodded, and they ordered several glasses of wine, tasting them slowly, their ears perking to listen to the conversation around them. Suddenly, Ethan's eyes were caught by a figure in a corner.
It was a female Wolf, sitting alone in a corner, her eyes a little confused and tired. Ethan was stunned. He recognized her as the she-wolf he had escaped with.
"Carl, look, that's her," Ethan whispered, staring hard at the she-wolf.
Carl followed Ethan's gaze and nodded, "Looks like she got lost here, too." Let's go and have a look."
Ethan and Carl walked to the she-wolf's table, and the she-wolf looked up and saw Ethan with a flash of surprise and alarm in her eyes.
"You are... Ethan?" "Whispered the she-wolf, with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Ethan nodded, his eyes filled with mixed emotions, "Yes, it's me. Why are you here?"
The she-wolf sighed, with a flash of sadness in her eyes, "Since you killed the Wolf leader, I have escaped and lost myself in this strange land." I've been looking for others, but I've found nothing."
Ethan felt a pang of pain. He knew the she-wolf had been through a lot. He sat down and tried to reassure her, "We'll find out, work together."
The she-wolf nodded with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Thank you, Ethan. Are you looking for answers too?"
Ethan nodded and told the she-wolf what Alvas had suggested. "I need to find my pack and understand my identity. Maybe we can find out together."
Carl listened silently with a gleam of admiration in his eyes. He knew the challenges Ethan and the she-wolf faced were not simple, but he was confident they would find the answers.
"Let's start here," Carl said. "This bar is a gathering place for information. We're sure to find something useful."
They order more drinks and start talking to customers at the bar, trying to get information about the werewolf. After some effort, they finally got some clues.
"I hear there's a werewolf colony on the outskirts of the city," whispered one Orc. "It's a werewolf sanctuary. Perhaps you could go and see it."
Ethan felt a wave of hope as he knew he had finally found a clue. He decides to go with the mother Wolf to the outskirts of the city to find the werewolf colony and find more answers about his identity.
"Thank you," Ethan said gratefully to the goblins. "The news is very important to us."
The goblins nodded. "Good luck finding the answers you need."
Ethan and the she-wolf leave the bar with Carl at their side. They walked down the street toward the outskirts of town, filled with anticipation and nervousness.
"We'll find out," Ethan said firmly, squeezing the she-wolf's hand.
The she-wolf nodded, her eyes shining with hope. "Yes, we will work together."
They walked through the busy streets, through the crowds, and finally came to the outskirts of the city. The scene here is very different from the city, it is more desolate and peaceful.
"They say the werewolf colony is nearby," Carl whispered, his eyes wandering about.
Ethan nodded. He could feel his werewolf instincts waking up inside him. He knew he was close to an answer.
They kept going until they found a hidden camp deep in the woods. There were a few rough tents in the camp, where a few werewolves were resting and communing.
"We found it," Ethan whispered, his heart full of excitement.
As they walked into the camp, an older werewolf stood up and watched them warily. "Who are you? Why did you come here?"
Ethan stepped forward and said firmly, "I'm Ethan, and this is my friend the she-wolf. We're looking for our ethnicity, for our identity."
The older werewolf looked at them carefully and nodded, "You've come to the right place, this is our refuge. Welcome, lost children."
Ethan felt a wave of warmth and knew he had finally found a home. He is determined to continue his efforts to understand the world and find the real answer to the nightmare.
They settle into the camp and begin interacting with other werewolves, learning more about their history and culture. Ethan discovers that the world is far more complex and bigger than he ever imagined.
The wolves tell their history, describing how they survived and struggled in the world. They have their own culture and traditions, value strength and courage, but also seek peace and freedom.
Ethan felt a wave of admiration. He knew he had a lot to learn. He is determined to be a part of this group and contribute to their future. However, Ethan soon discovers that life in the werewolf tribe is not as peaceful as he thought.
Early the next morning, Harold, the leader of the camp, gathers all the new members, including Ethan and the she-wolf.
"You'll have to prove your courage and loyalty," Harold said coldly, looking back and forth between Ethan and the she-wolf. "Each new recruit will have to complete a task before we'll accept him."
Ethan exchanged a nervous look with the she-wolf, named Leah, who looked equally uneasy. Harold continued, "You must go out and hunt ten dwarves and bring back their weapons to prove your worth."
Ethan's heart tightened. The dwarves were known for their bravery and unity, and hunting them was obviously not an easy task. He knows that this is not only a test, but also a life-or-death mission.
"It's cruel," Ethan whispered to Harold. "We shouldn't have to kill to prove ourselves."
Harold sneered. "In this world, only the strong survive. If you don't have that courage, you don't deserve to be one of us."
Leah clasped Ethan's hand and whispered, "We have no choice but to be tested by them."
Ethan felt a twinge of frustration, but he knew Leah was right. They must accept this mission in order to gain acceptance from the tribe. He took a deep breath and said firmly, "OK, we accept the assignment."
Harold nodded with satisfaction. "Well, you've got three days to finish the job. Remember, if you fail, don't ever come back."
Ethan and Leah leave the camp and head for dwarf territory. They know it's a tough fight, but they're determined to give it their all and get the job done.
On the way, Ethan and Leah discuss their plans. "We must be careful," Ethan suggested. "Dwarves are very brave warriors. We cannot go head-to-head."
Leah nodded. "We can use the cover of night to break them down one by one. As long as we stay calm and alert, we will get the job done."
Ethan felt a jolt of encouragement. He knew he had a clever and brave companion. They decided to stop and rest as they approached dwarf territory, to prepare for the evening.
As night fell, Ethan and Leah crept into dwarf territory. They spotted a dwarf patrol, only five men. Ethan motioned for Leah to hide in the shadows, and he decided to scout first.
Ethan silently approached the patrol, watching their movements. The Dwarves were alert and stopped every now and then to look around. Ethan knew that a thorough plan was needed to successfully defeat them.
Ethan returned to Leah and whispered, "Let's take care of this patrol first, and then look for other targets."
Leah nodded, a flicker of determination in her eyes. They approached the patrol cautiously, ready to make a surprise attack.
Suddenly, Ethan heard a strange noise. He turned his head and saw a larger group of dwarves in the other direction. They were numerous, well equipped and clearly an elite force.
"We have to change our plans," Ethan whispered, his heart filled with tension. "This team is too strong for us to fight."
Leah nodded. "We must retreat and look for more suitable opportunities."
They left quickly and hid deep in the forest. Ethan felt a wave of fatigue, but he knew he couldn't give up. They found a safe place to rest and plan their next move.
Early the next morning, Ethan and Leah continued their journey through the forest. They encountered several small groups of dwarves, but were all deftly avoided by them.
"We need to find a lone dwarf warrior," Ethan said, "to have any chance of success."
Leah agreed with him, and they continued their search, finally spotting a lone dwarf warrior in the late afternoon. Ethan and Leah creep in, ready to attack.
The dwarf warrior apparently did not anticipate the attack and was quickly subdued by Ethan and Leah. Ethan raised the knife, ready to end his life, but his hand stopped in mid-air.
The dwarf warrior's eyes were full of fear and despair, and Ethan looked at him and felt an inner struggle. He knew that it was against his moral values that he could not lay hands on an innocent man.
"Ethan, do it! Leah whispered encouragingly, a flicker of anxiety in her eyes.
But Ethan's hand was still in mid-air, and he couldn't do it. His heart was full of contradictions and pain, and he knew that he could not kill.
"I'm sorry, I can't do that," Ethan whispered, putting down the knife.
The Dwarven warrior broke free and fled quickly. Leah looked at the fleeing dwarves with a flicker of disappointment and frustration in her eyes.
"Ethan, we're in danger," Leah said, a hint of reproach in her voice.
Ethan felt a twinge of guilt, but he knew he couldn't go against his inner morality. "I know, but I really can't."
Leah sighed and patted Ethan on the shoulder. "We have to find another way. We can't miss again."
Ethan nodded, filled with guilt and determination. He knew he had to find a way to get the job done without violating ethics.
They continued to search the forest, looking for other targets. Ethan is determined to find a way for himself and Leah to complete the mission while remaining true to his principles.