The First Step Beyond the Fortress

  The atmosphere inside the fortress was heavy with the weight of destiny as King Galan Hagulanorr stood before the newly graduated apprentices.

  His voice, a battle-hardened rasp, echoed through the plaza as he delivered his speech. He urged them to protect their kind at all costs, shouting that as long as one still breathes, there is hope, never allow a comrade to be left behind on the cold ground.

  Among the crowd was Denki Zourak,

  listening intently alongside his companions. While the King spoke of duty, the young wolves whispered among themselves about the future. They were about to be issued their first real combat gears. When asked about his plans, Denki’s eyes drifted toward the horizon. "I'm going out," he said firmly. He knew the world didn't end at the fortress walls; he felt the pull of the regions hidden behind the towering peaks.

  Once the ceremony concluded, they were given their official weapons and sent to the barracks to meet their Senior. Denki was buzzing with excitement, his mind filled with the adventures that awaited him. After a brief meeting, they were presented with papers to choose their career paths, Protectors, Scouts, or Adventurers. Without hesitation, Denki chose to be an Adventurer. It was the most dangerous role, requiring one to survive the harsh wilderness, but it offered the fastest path to becoming a Champion Leader. However, his true objective remained personal: he was searching for a specific wolf who had long been lost in the outside world.

  He was soon joined by his childhood friends, all of whom had grown up together on the streets:

  Brendarg Kivnarj, the agile claw flanker, and Grekknark Guvanto, the aspiring protector. To their delight, they had all chosen the same path. As they celebrated, Roshlann Linion,

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  a senior swordwolf, passed by. He offered them a piece of advice: "Stay strong." Then, with a mysterious smile, he added, "Believe me, there truly is something strange and different beyond those mountains".

  Fueled by excitement, the friends pooled their meager resources to buy rations, even dreaming of one day forming their own private army. As they finally stepped through the fortress gates, they paused to look back at the only home they had ever known. "We won't be gone for long," Denki joked, and they shared a laugh before turning toward the unknown.

  Their journey led them into Sector A2,

  a refugee settlement known for its lawlessness and the frequent ambushing of rookies. It wasn't long before they encountered a group of thieves.

  "Give us everything you have!" the bandits demanded.

  The battle was swift and brutal. Grekknark took the front line, absorbing hits and breaking the enemy's formation with his axe. Brendarg moved like a shadow, flanking the group and taking down two opponents with her claws. Denki squared off against the leader, ultimately defeating him. When the dust settled, the three stood in silence, staring at their bloodied weapons.

  The reality of taking a life hit them hard. Without a word, they cleaned their blades, gathered the stolen goods the thieves had dropped, and moved toward the settlement in somber silence.

  In the distance, they saw the smoke of Sector A2 rising from makeshift shelters. They were alert now, realizing that outside the fortress, no one was coming to save them, they only had each other. Upon entering,

  they saw a melting pot of survival, starving children, broken mechanoids, and various species like avian-kin, insectoids, and ox-folk all living in squalor.

  "We were lucky to grow up on the streets of the fortress," Denki remarked, seeing the desperation around them. "If we grew up here, we’d be starving."

  Suddenly, a humanoid dog likely a stray from the Medallion Dog lineage or a local refugee approached them.

  "Please, bosses, take me with you! I want to learn how to fight. I have nothing left here; my family is gone."

  The three wolves recoiled, uncertain. Adding a new member meant another mouth to feed, but it also meant an extra hand in a fight. Denki looked at the desperate dog-kin, faced with his first leadership decision.