The night was calm.
The village slept peacefully for the first time in a long while.
Samaya lay resting beside the fire, his breathing slow and steady.
Bloody curled close to him, deep asleep.
Three Horn rested nearby, the glow in his stone dim and quiet.
Only Neel remained awake.
He stared into the darkness, thoughts racing through his mind.
How did these people survive for so long?
How did they live… for generations?
A soft sound came from behind him.
Neel turned.
An old man stood there, leaning on a wooden staff. His eyes were sharp, filled with memories far older than his body.
"You're wondering how we've lived so long," the old man said gently.
Neel hesitated… then nodded.
"Yes."
The old man sat beside the fire.
"Then listen."
⸻
The Old Story
"Long ago," the old man began,
"there was an imperial government that ruled the entire land."
"At its center was a king."
"He was kind. He protected his people. He believed he was doing the right thing."
Neel listened closely.
"One day," the old man continued,
"the king received news that a powerful magical creature had appeared in a distant village. The creature was said to possess immense power—enough to change the fate of wars."
"The king thought carefully… then decided to see it himself."
"When he arrived with his army, he saw the creature."
"It was enormous. Towering. Majestic."
The old man's voice darkened.
"The king smiled."
"He ordered his soldiers to capture it."
Neel clenched his fist.
"The creature was afraid," the old man said.
"She was taken away. Chained. Used."
"This happened more than two hundred thousand years ago."
⸻
The Dragons' Wrath
"Time passed," the old man continued.
"And then… her family came."
"Dragons."
"Not one. Not two. An entire lineage."
"They descended upon the kingdom."
Fire reflected in Neel's widened eyes.
"They attacked villages. They destroyed the palace. Soldiers ran. Many died."
"The king shouted orders, but his army was powerless."
"The dragons were unstoppable."
Neel swallowed.
"Then," the old man said softly,
"the captured creature was released."
"She ran to her family."
"The dragons were overjoyed."
"They gathered… and then they left."
The king fell to his knees, crying in relief.
But it wasn't over.
⸻
The Curse
"One dragon stayed behind," the old man said.
"He spoke to the king."
'You enslaved one of us,'
'So your kind will be cursed.'
Neel's breath slowed.
"The curse was simple," the old man continued.
"And cruel."
"Humans would grow smaller with each generation."
"Smaller… and smaller… until they vanished."
"That is why," he said quietly,
"some humans are tiny today."
Neel finally understood.
"And the werewolves?" Neel asked.
The old man smiled faintly.
"They came later. When the curse weakened the world."
"Some laughed at them. Some feared them."
"For generations."
⸻
The Present
The fire crackled.
Neel looked toward Samaya, still asleep.
Bloody stirred slightly but remained unconscious.
"So this is why the world is broken," Neel whispered.
The old man stood.
"Now you know," he said.
"Be careful what power you touch. Some histories never truly end."
He walked away into the darkness.
Neel remained by the fire.
Awake.
Watching.
Thinking.
Above them, the night sky remained silent.
But the past had spoken.
End of Chapter 7