For the next few days, Dom and Dae began their knighthood under their respective subdivisions. The routine for now consisted of training drills and casual social gatherings.
While it was genuinely enjoyable and fulfilling, Dom's mind remained fixed on his personal subdivision request—and the long-awaited reunion with Anthony.
By the fourth day, Jasper passed through the massive gym located behind the Division building, greeting a few knights along the way, before noticing Dom and Dae working out.
Dom's eyes lit up when he saw the folder in Jasper's hand.
A short while later, the three were seated in a cozy lounge tucked into the gym's corner.
"Seriously?" Dae muttered from the couch, his eyes wide with shock, while Dom grinned beside him.
Jasper leaned back in his chair. "Tony and the Commander have approved it." He said, smirking. "The Council was harder to convince, but surprisingly, they agreed. Looks like your squad is happening."
Dom's grin widened as he folded his arms. "I win," He said, tossing a victorious glance at Dae, who clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Hold your horses, kid," Jasper warned, raising the folder in his grip. "There's a catch."
Dae sighed. "I knew it was too good to be true." He said as Jasper handed it to him.
Dom leaned over, his eyes narrowed at the reports and sketches. "What's this?" He asked.
"The Lupus Job," Jasper said, tapping his cigar on the table's ashtray. "There's a village on the border between our nation and the Milo Kingdom. The forest nearby is controlled by Class C mana wolves. Normally, they stick to the forest, but occasionally they attack the village or attack hunters that enter their territory."
Dae's brow rose as he scanned the report. "It says here over twenty soldiers have died on this mission in just two months." He muttered.
Dom's eyes widened, taking the page to read about that certain report.
"They were two deployments. The first army squad went completely MIA once they engaged the wolves," Jasper continued, running a hand through his hair. "Two weeks later, the second team was sent: ten B-class soldiers and three A-class."
He paused, lowering his shades to reveal his glowing green eyes.
"Only one A-class survived." He added.
Dom frowned, seeing that very fact on the page in front of him.
"And that survivor reported something strange…" Jasper leaned forward, his green eyes glowing menacingly. "… the wolves are led by a humanoid alpha beast."
Dae flipped through the folder, his eyes widening at a dark, detailed sketch of the alpha. A large, silver-furred beast standing on its hind legs, with black claws and jaws so sharp that it felt like the image could cut through the paper itself if it tried.
Jasper then pointed the half-finished cigar toward Dom. "Your job is to capture this new magic beast for research. The army will handle the rest."
Dom narrowed his eyes at the sketch, his gaze locked on the beast's white eyes.
"Since it's capable of defeating multiple B-class and three A-class soldiers, isn't this at least an A-class mission?" Dae asked, cautious.
Jasper's expression hardened. "Not only that." He said, narrowing his gaze at Dom. "Based on the survivor's description, the Science Division has classified it as an S-class beast until proven otherwise."
Dae exhaled heavily, glancing at Dom. "That's two classes above us." He said, earning a frown from Dom. "Isn't the Council being unfair?"
"Yeah, but they have a valid point this time." Jasper sighed, folding his arms in thought. "A Captain should at least be A-class. That rule is there for a reason."
He glanced at Dom.
"A single Sub-Division should be able to handle A-class missions on its own. That's how it's structured."
Dae frowned, understanding the logic.
"But…" Jasper paused, exhaling some smoke. "… if Dominic can beat this, he'll officially make the cut and be granted that right. And I heard it's not the first time you've fought a magic beast before."
Dom smirked proudly while Dae's frown deepened.
"Why just Dom? Dae asked.
Jasper glanced at Dom as he replied, "This mission was already assigned to the seventh division before your request came in." He pointed the half-finished cigar at Dom. "He wants the approval, so he has to prove his squad's worth. And since he's the only member right now—"
"Actually…" Dom muttered, smirking in Dae's direction.
Dae sighed with realization. "Due to certain conditions…" He muttered, a mix of resignation and frustration in his voice. "I've already agreed to be his vice-captain,"
Jasper looked between them, then shrugged. "I shouldn't be surprised by how close you two are." He commented.
Dom smirked, nudging Dae's shoulder while Dae rolled his eyes with an exasperated sigh.
"But for the record," Jasper said, his tone now dead serious, "Roy and I are completely against this."
He removed his shades, his green glowing eyes fixed on them.
"When this kind of unidentified beast shows, it's standard procedure to send two sub-divisions as a precaution. The Council says it's a test, but they're just messing with you. That thing…"
He reached and grabbed the sketch of the alpha.
"... is dangerous."
Dom's brows furrowed, his smirk fading as he sensed the concern in his senior's words.
"You both might have survived that attack during that Academy incident, but that was with a known magic beast. We don't even know what magic this Alpha has yet. If you mess up with this thing, you will die."
The room went silent, filled with tension as the two young mages pondered on Jasper's warnings.
After some time, Jasper sighed heavily. "Look," He muttered, resting his back on his seat while putting his shades back on. "I get that you want this, but I seriously recommend giving up and waiting for a better chance."
Another beat of silence followed… then--
"I completely agree, Mr. Garfield," Dae said sternly, setting the folder down with a frown. "But after spending three years with him, I already know what this muscle-brained idiot will say."
As if on cue, Dom stood, his grin wide and unwavering. "We just have to hunt this thing, right?" He said the alpha's description was already ingrained in his mind. "That was easier than I thought."
Dae slapped his forehead loudly, while Jasper stared in shock at Dom's bold claim.
Then, he chuckled in amusement, drawing their attention. "Boss said he expected that reaction from you." He said, struggling to contain his laughter. "Seriously. You're almost as screwed up in the head as him."
While Dae's frown deepened, Dom's smile widened, his heart shuddered at the thought of being compared to his hero.
Finally, Jasper stopped and smirked at Dom. "So… you're taking the job?" He asked.
"Of course," Dom said, smacking his fist into his palm. "I get to save people from a crazy beast and get my squad. Why should I say no?"
A Long Trip Later…
In an isolated region in the South-Land, a village stood. A humble yet fruitful land bounded on one side by the mountains that formed the nation's eastern boundary and a vast forest on its western side.
This home, the Lupus Village, named after the mana beasts that ruled its neighbouring forest, was small compared to other villages within the kingdom. This size meant that everyone knew everyone… until two strangers in Magic Knight uniforms rode through their gates on horseback.
Dae sighed heavily. "I can't believe we're really doing this." He groaned for what felt like the millionth time.
Dom, however, grinned beside him. "It's been four days already. Stop complaining, bro." He said as they followed a village guard around a corner, into what seemed to be the village's market.
As they rode through the busy street, earning more confused stares from the citizens, Dom noticed the two katanas strapped to Dae's back once his horse pulled slightly ahead.
Unlike his training swords, these rested in intricately designed, colored sheaths. The very same ones he'd seen Dae maintain and polish religiously throughout their Academy training.
"Hey…" Dom began, tugging on the reins to bring his horse beside Dae. "I've always been curious… Are those…" He pointed at Dae's swords.
Dae's grip tightened on the reins, his eyes narrowed. "Yes." He muttered, reaching a hand to feel their hilts. "They belonged to my father and grandfather,"
Dom studied the uniquely designed black-and-white sheaths, marked boldly with the initials RS.
"So that's why you treat them differently., Dom commented.
Dae nodded, a bittersweet smile forming. "Of course." He said, lowering his hand. "They're one of the few things I have left to remember them."
Dom frowned, empathizing with Dae's pain, then stopped his horse once he finally noticed something.
Dae and the village guard stopped, giving him a curious stare.
Villagers along the road stared openly, their expressions hostile.
"Hey, is it just me…" Dom muttered as he turned toward a group of villagers staring and pointing at them. "… or does it look like they hate us?"
Dae's attention drifted across the street, noticing it as well.
Every single villager, from the oldest to the youngest, seemed to hold an obviously hostile expression on their faces. Their eyes tracked their movements, fingers pointing while whispering to each other.
Dae turned back to Dom and narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?" He asked.
Dom raised a brow. "How is this my fault?"
Dae's gaze only grew more skeptical. "Because you always find a way to get us in trouble." He replied sternly.
Before Dom could snap back, a boy ran up to Dom, small fists shaking as he glared at him. "Go away!" He shouted furiously.
Dae glanced at Dom, smirking at Dom's now embarrassed expression.
"Just go!" The boy shouted again, drawing their attention. "Leave our hero alone, you stupid soldiers!"
Dom's eyes widened at the child's words just as a woman emerged from the growing crowd and dragged him away while scolding him harshly.
"Hero?" Dae asked, brow raised in curiosity, just as an elderly man emerged from the crowd.
"You two must be the knights sent from the Capital." He said, drawing their attention. "I'm Lupus' Chief. Pleased to meet you both." He bowed respectfully.
"Nice to meet you, too," Dom said as he and Dae dismounted. "We're from the Third Division, I'm Dominic, and this is Dae."
Dae nodded respectfully, and the Chief shook both their hands.
"Well then, Mr. Dominic and Mr. Dae, let's discuss this in my office," He said, gesturing ahead.
They followed with their horses in tow while the village guard worked on dispersing the crowd of villagers still lingering.
As they walked, Dae glanced at Dom, who kept his eyes on the boy from earlier—still casting him in the background with a hateful glare despite his mother's actively scolding.
A short while later…
The weary horses grazed at a stable just outside the Chief's home, one of the largest buildings in the village, though still only average in size compared to Royal Capital standards.
Inside the Chief's office, a middle-aged woman poured hot tea into the cup in front of Dom.
"Thanks," He said with a smile.
The woman nodded politely and stepped aside, giving Dom a clear view of the Chief seated across from him.
"So…" The Chief began as she poured Dae's tea. "…you're also here to hunt the wolves?"
"Actually…" Dom replied, lifting his cup to his lips. "…we're only here to catch their alpha. The army will deal with the rest."
The Chief flinched, and in the same instant, the woman accidentally spilled Dae's tea, staining his pants.
"I'm so sorry!" She muttered, fumbling to clean it up, while Dae waved it off politely.
Dom narrowed his eyes at her behaviour, sipping from his cup before returning his attention to the Chief, whose expression was similarly conflicted. "You okay, Chief?" He asked calmly.
The Chief, now deep in thought, met Dom's attentive stare.
"Is there a problem?" Dae asked, equally curious.
After a moment, the Chief spared a glance at the woman, who frowned silently, then fixed his gaze back on them.
With a sudden, determined nod, he stood and bowed to the young knights.
"I know this must sound selfish… maybe even impossible… but can you please consider aborting this mission?" He asked, boldly.
Dom furrowed his brows in confusion.
Dae's eyes narrowed. "Does this have to do with the hero we heard about?" He asked.
The Chief nodded stiffly.
"Care to explain?" Dae pressed.
The Chief glanced at the woman, who nodded in understanding and left them in privacy.
As leaving the room, the chief retook his seat.
Dom took another sip of his tea while Dae folded his arms, waiting patiently as the Chief collected his thoughts.
After a moment, he spoke, his tone serious yet sincere:
"As I'm sure you've been informed, the forest west of here is ruled by the mana wolves. It makes hunting and scavenging incredibly difficult. Many of our hunters have been killed over the decades, venturing into their territory."
He allowed a small smile.
"But despite the inconvenience, we accepted it as part of nature. We learned their patterns, studied their routes… found a way to share resources. To coexist…"
The smile quickly faded as a bitter memory crossed his face.
"That is… until about six years ago."
He paused, leaving a heavy silence that was broken only by Dom's quiet sips of tea. Dae glanced at Dom, who was too absorbed to notice his acts.
"Our village was attacked by mana wolves, completely unlike the white wolves of our forest. We suspected they'd migrated here or had been forced out of their old home."
"So they tried to make your village their new home," Dae remarked.
The Chief nodded.
"Our defenses and soldiers were powerless. Within minutes, the village was overrun…" He tightened his fists, reliving the savage scene.
A few hundred villagers screaming and running as wolves adorned with glowing marks on their black fur tore into their flesh like paper, destroying their properties with their enhanced strength while the village burned in the background.
"But then…"
A hopeful smile returned to his face, the memories of wolves donning flowing silver fur emerging from the shadows to destroy the black wolves with sharper claws and teeth.
"…our wolves appeared—led by one we'd never seen before."
Dae's eyes narrowed. "The Alpha," He whispered.
"We'd heard rumors from surviving hunters, but this was our first encounter," The Chief said, leaning back and staring at the ceiling as the image surfaced.
A large humanoid-wolf looming over him, the deafening sound of its howls sending the back wolves scattering like terrified puppies.
"At first," He continued, trembling as he remembered the brief eye-contact he made with that monster. "… we were terrified it would attack us before the invaders finished us first… but it didn't even look at us."
The memory played out in his mind. The monster stared at him with enough intensity to pin his feet to the ground. Then, it quietly turned and walked away.
"It killed all the invaders," The Chief muttered, his eyes narrowed. "…then simply returned to the forest."
Dom smiled, imagining the scene. "Cool." He muttered.
"Strange," Dae murmured, rubbing his chin.
"Since that day, the people saw that beast as our guardian… myself included." The Chief turned his head, and they followed his gaze to a small statue on the shelf—a beautifully sculpted image of the beast that perfectly matched the description from their reports.
"Being outside the Capital's direct control, we always had to rely on ourselves to survive. When we were almost destroyed, it was the Alpha that saved us—not the Capital," The Chief said, his gaze hardening on the statue.
Dom frowned, setting his now-empty cup down, his eyes narrowed in realization. "That explains the hate stares we've been getting." He mumbled.
"Every single one of us adores and respects the Alpha," The Chief continued, his eyes softened with gentle memories. "Some even call it their god, leaving monthly offerings at an altar someone built in the forest for it."
Dom hummed as he recalled the furious child from earlier, folding his arms as conflicted thoughts filled his mind.
Dae glanced at Dom, his eyes just as conflicted. "None of this was in our report," He said.
"I'm honestly not surprised," The Chief said, resting a hand on his forehead. "We never requested help from the Capital, even when we were almost wiped out. One day, the first team just arrived. They claimed that they heard about the attack and were deployed to save us. Despite it being over six years already."
"Seriously? They made it sound like the wolves were attacking you," Dom said.
"Lies," The Chief growled, slamming his fist on the table; its contents rattled. "I don't know why they've suddenly focused on us after years of neglect. We adamantly rejected their mission." His gaze grew more furious. "… especially when they tried to buy the village and demanded evacuation within a week."
Dom's eyes widened. "This definitely wasn't in the report." He said, and Dae nodded, equally perplexed.
"They refused to explain," The Chief continued, his fists clenched. "… they insisted we leave the land our ancestors left us. Neither my people nor I could ever agree to it."
He raised his hands, staring at his palms with a deep frown.
"I even tried to tell them our story--to make them understand… but they never listened. The first team went anyway… but never returned. Then, the second unit came, their number twice as big… but only one person survived."
He paused, shaking his head sadly.
Dae sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And now they sent us." He muttered.
The Chief remained silent, interlacing his fingers before smiling softly. "To be honest… I was glad about what happened to the first two teams." He said, his morbid words making them both stiffen. "It felt like what it did that night. Like destiny. As if God himself was protecting our protector."
His expression darkened again as he glanced at the statue.
"Then, when I heard the knights were coming," He said, his hands trembling slightly. "I feared our protector was truly doomed…"
Dom and Dae exchanged conflicted looks just as the Chief leaned forward, hope returning to his gaze again.
"But you two listened… really listened-- to me-- to our story." He said, his smile widening. "I was unsure at first, but now I know that this is destiny at work again. It sent you, not the countless others."
He stood suddenly, throwing his chair to the floor.
"So please… I beg you, not just for our village, but on my behalf as well."
He suddenly bowed so deeply that his head hit the table with a loud smack.
Dom stood up, clearly concerned as he raised a hand. "Hey—"
"PLEASE!" The Chief shouted, his voice louder, cutting Dom off. "Mr. Dominic. Mr. Dae. The guardian saved my life that day. The lives of my wife and child. It saved so many others. You can have anything you want from us. Crops, workers, money-"
"No. We don't want that-"
"We're willing to give you anything." The Chief cut Dom off again, his voice now strained--shaky. "All we ask… is that you spare it. Please…"
A heavy silence fell in the room.
As the Chief continued to beg, his forehead rubbing against the wooden surface, Dae glanced at Dom, who stared at the Chief's humble stance, visibly torn.