Cave of the Wolves
After passing the trial and obtaining our own wolf cubs, we moved on to the second stage.
More than a test, it was the selection of the crystals that would become part of our future spears.
These diamond-shaped crystals were known as Chaotic Crystals.
They were formed from the energy emitted by the Fen wolves during the centuries they inhabited Concordia.
“Now that you have formed a bond with your wolf, you must choose your own Chaotic Crystal, with which you will forge your personal spear, a weapon you will carry for the rest of your life,” my aunt said as she skillfully wielded her spear.
“Fen’rar, guide us to where the finest crystals are. These recruits have earned it.”
“I agree. The best for my king’s master’s disciples. Follow me,” Fen’rar replied.
He began leading us down a new path.
His immense size commanded strength and respect.
This newfound power would greatly benefit the clan.
I was already eager to see my mother’s reaction when she saw her wolf.
After a short walk, we arrived at a cavern filled with Chaotic Crystals.
It was enormous and radiant.
Crystals of every size could be seen, though they came in only three colors: blue, black, and silver.
“Very well. Now choose your own Chaotic Crystal. But remember this: your choice will forge your destiny,” my aunt said solemnly.
Efi, Val, and I stepped forward slowly, each carrying our wolf cubs.
Ragnar, the little troublemaker, could move freely between the Forest of Origin and this universe, so I had to scold him repeatedly to keep him from doing so whenever people were nearby.
I didn’t want anyone becoming suspicious.
For now, he rested quietly in my arms.
And perhaps he would help me find my Chaotic Crystal.
We split up.
I headed toward a narrow passage.
The Force was telling me that something was there.
Something ancient.
Something important.
Apparently, Ragnar felt it as well.
He leaped from my arms and dashed toward the deepest part of the cavern.
I followed immediately, but he was faster than I was.
I quickly lost sight of him and could only hope he wouldn’t get lost.
After some time, I saw him returning with something clenched between his jaws.
He was carrying a massive black crystal.
It was beautiful.
Mesmerizing.
It seemed to absorb all the light around it.
The closer it came, the more I could feel the light disappearing.
Ragnar gently placed the crystal at my feet.
Suddenly, I could no longer see anything around me.
Everything was shrouded in darkness.
Yet I could still feel it.
I slowly picked up the crystal and immediately felt a connection.
A certainty.
I knew this would be my Chaotic Crystal.
The crystal with which I would forge my spear.
After channeling a small amount of the Force into it, the darkness ceased spreading outward.
Everything had condensed back into the crystal.
If someone stared at it for too long, it felt as though they would fall into a bottomless abyss.
I returned with Ragnar in my arms.
The little wolf looked extremely proud of himself for finding my Chaotic Crystal.
Efi and Val were already waiting.
Each of them had chosen a different crystal.
Efi held a blue crystal that resembled an arctic glacier, while Val carried a brilliant silver crystal capable of reflecting sunlight.
“I see you’ve found your Chaotic Crystals. Now we must return. Today’s trial is over. Tomorrow, I expect to see you at the forge, where you’ll use them to create your spear—or whatever weapon you desire,” my aunt said.
Today had been unforgettable.
Another step toward a brighter future for my clan.
The Next Day
As you can imagine, my mother was stunned when she saw Fen’rar, who now looked more like a buffalo than a wolf.
That night, she bombarded me with questions, but I simply told her to trust me and that I would explain everything when the time was right.
After that, she asked no more questions.
She only made me promise that I would never be consumed by power.
I told her that I would always protect her and the clan.
That was the destiny I intended to forge.
Now I was on my way to the forge.
My crystal rested inside the backpack slung over my shoulder.
Ragnar was in the Forest of Origin, where Athena was training him and helping him develop his abilities.
He still had much to learn.
I stepped through the doors of the forge.
The building was spacious and decorated with patterns of wolves, stars, and moons.
Val and Efi were already there, observing their surroundings.
“Good morning, Val, Efi. It seems you arrived before me,” I said.
“Azmar, I couldn’t sleep. I can’t wait to forge my spear,” Efi replied excitedly.
Val simply greeted me and continued watching the furnaces and the blacksmiths and technicians at work.
There was not much to do.
Forging technology was highly advanced.
Materials could simply be placed into a machine, which would then create the necessary components according to the chosen specifications.
But our clan was different.
There was an additional process—an ancient one—that gave our armor its distinctive patterns and designs.
Because of it, our armor possessed greater durability and resilience than ordinary beskar armor.
Suddenly, the doors burst open.
An elderly woman with a square face, dark hair, and a sturdy build stormed inside, shouting as my aunt followed behind her.
“I don’t have time to teach a bunch of brats how to forge their spears! I stopped doing that years ago. My apprentices can handle it perfectly well. I have research to conduct. Stop bothering me!” she grumbled.
“Master Blacksmith Yeli, I ask this of you. Not only because they are my disciples, but because the clan leader herself ordered it. The future chief of the clan must be taught and forge his spear under your guidance, just as it was done in the old days.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that from the start? You’re always talking in circles. Where’s that little rascal? I heard the potato was his idea. I love that food! I’ve felt younger ever since I started eating it, and I can forge for much longer,” the old woman declared loudly.
“Master Yeli, that’s what I was trying to tell you, but you—”
“Enough talking! Take me to the brats. I want to see what they’re capable of and whether they can withstand the heat of the forge.”
This old woman was going to be difficult, I thought.
Still, as long as I could forge my spear, I didn’t care.
We lined up as they approached. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“So, you’re the ones who earned recognition in the Wolf Den. Now, with your Chaotic Crystals, you’ll forge your spear—or whatever weapon you desire. But let me tell you something: my forging technique isn’t for everyone. If you can’t endure fire scorching your skin, you’re better off going to my apprentices. Does anyone want to leave?”
No one moved.
“Good. Looks like you’ve got courage. Follow me. I don’t like wasting time.”
We followed her quickly.
Despite her age, she moved surprisingly fast.
She led us to a separate workshop filled with old but well-maintained machinery.
“The first thing you’ll do is melt your crystal. Each of you will place it in a furnace and wait until it has completely liquefied. These crystals have different melting points, but the lowest is five thousand degrees Celsius. So it’s already too late to back out. Begin.”
We did as instructed and placed our crystals into the furnaces.
“Don’t just stand there. That will take time—at least three days. During that period, I’ll teach you the ancient art of forging.”
And so our days passed.
From morning until night, we trained and learned under Yeli’s relentless supervision.
The old woman showed no mercy.
However, I quickly discovered her weakness:
Potatoes.
She loved them.
So starting on the second day, I always brought her either fried potatoes or boiled potatoes.
Although she never thanked me, she became noticeably more patient whenever she taught us.
On the third day, Efi’s Chaotic Crystal was the first to melt.
She immediately began forging her weapon.
She chose a medium-sized spear with a blade shaped like two fangs.
On the fourth day, it was Val’s turn.
She decided to forge a spear with a long brush-shaped tip.
By the fifth day, my Chaotic Crystal still showed very few signs of melting, which greatly surprised the old blacksmith.
“This is the first time a Chaotic Crystal has taken this long to melt… perhaps it’s special,” she said.
Finally, on the seventh day, my crystal began to melt.
I was eager to begin forging my spear.
On the eighth day, I started.
Efi had already completed her spear, and it looked magnificent.
Val was adding the final touches to hers.
I began shaping mine with a hammer.
Sweat streamed down my forehead.
This would require patience, determination, and perseverance.
On the tenth day, I succeeded.
There it was.
Beautiful.
A black spear adorned with embedded purple gems.
Athena had given them to me.
They were special gems that would help me improve my control over the Force.
As every creator should, I gave my creation a name.
I called it Destiny.
It would destroy my enemies.
It would protect those I loved.
That would be its destiny.