Chapter 13: Rise of the Ancestors
The howls of the pack echoed deep into the valley, laced with a primal energy that stirred the ashes of their legacy.
Kael stood before the Lawfire Fang Stone, his chest rising and falling slowly as the glow of freshly etched laws began to dim. The moonlight flickered, as if bowing to the moment.
Then, the earth beneath the Oathstone rumbled.
A surge of heat radiated through the clearing, and the flames in the ritual pits roared higher—not from wind, but from power.
System Notification:
New Role Unlocked: Ancestor
Requirements:
- Former Alpha or Exceptional Pack Contributor
- Voluntary submission to Ancestor Oath
- Minimum Pack Rank 2 (Met)
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Ancestor Role Perks Unlocked:
- Spiritual Resistance +20%
- Independent Path Growth
- Automatic Healing Boost (One-Time Activation)
- Oathbound Interference: Only in Pack Life-or-Death Situations
Ronin and Varric exchanged glances.
Ronin took the first step forward, his posture tall once again, his frame steadier than it had been in moons. He approached the Oathstone, unsheathing the blade that once marked his own ascension.
"I, Ronin of the Crimson Howl… step down from Alpha not in shame, but in faith. I entrust the present to my son… and offer my strength to our future."
He placed the blade across the stone, letting it rest beside Kael's blood.
"I pledge my soul to the path of the Ancestors."
WHOOM.
Flames burst from the Lawfire Stone, engulfing Ronin in radiant red light. When it faded, the scars that had marred his side were gone. His wolf aura was no longer wild—it had become still, deep, ancient.
Then Varric, silent and towering, stepped forward without a word. He placed a hand on the stone. No blade. No speech. Just presence.
The system reacted instantly.
System Notification:
Varric the Unbroken has joined the Ancestors.
New Title: First Flame Ancestor
Kael watched, awe and reverence mixing in his heart.
The pack members lowered their heads—not just in respect, but in understanding. This was not death or exile for their former Alphas. It was transcendence.
From the back, a youngling whispered, "Are they spirits now?"
"No," Flam murmured. "They're still flesh… but they're beyond command. They're the soul of the pack now."
Kael stepped forward. "From this day, no Ancestor shall lift their hand in battle unless the pack faces extinction. They will train us, guide us—but never rule."
He turned to the crowd.
"And if you seek their wisdom, you must offer proof of growth. That's how we rise. That's how we remember."
System Update:
Ancestor Order Established
Members: 2
Next Eligible Candidate: Locked
Access to Training Grounds: Activated
That night, no blood was spilled. But the power that surged through the Crimson Howl was louder than any roar of war.
For the first time in generations… their foundation wasn't just built on strength.
It was built on legacy.