The Captain and His Wolf

It's so warm!

It was the first thing Akari felt when her senses returned, a gentle heat that spread through her tiny flickering form. She drifted awake to the soft crackle of flames. The hearth smelled of burning wood and stone warmed from centuries of fire. Her vision adjusted slowly, taking in the faint echoes of the temple, the rough texture of the stone floor under her, and the subtle contrasts between the chill outside and the comforting heat inside. Light danced along carved edges, casting moving shadows across murals reflecting fire and frost.

She realized she was resting inside a huge hearth. The stone edges were carved with worn symbols - spirals, flames, and intricate snowflakes. Above her, painted murals stretched across the domed ceiling: a figure cloaked in fire stood opposite a towering, shadowed god cloaked in frost and crown made of sharp icicles. The two divine beings faced each other across a river of fire and ice, their eternal balance marked in this temple.

“You’re awake.”

The voice was calm, resonant, and reassuring. Akari turned. A man stood near the hearth, tall and broad-shouldered, with blond snow-dusted hair and eyes the color of blood. At his side was a wolf - massive, with dark brown fur and plant-like marking etched along its legs. Its green eyes shimmered faintly, watching her with curiosity.

Akari instinctively flickered back, and the wolf only lowered its head in greeting.

The man smiled gently. “Don’t be afraid, young spirit. You’re among friends here.”

“Wh-who are you?” Akari asked, her flame trembling faintly.

“Seren,” he replied. “Captain of the fortress guard. And this is Barkley.” He motioned to the wolf, who gave a short huff, like a wordless acknowledgment.

“Name's Akari. And Barkely?”

"I named him after my childhood pet. He loves it."

An almost silent growl came from the spirit.

Seren ignored the wolf's annoyance. “Bound to me by earth’s strength. Barkley follows the ideals of the god, Aurven - patience, resilience, endurance. He has more wisdom than most men I know.”

“You burn brightly, little flame. But unshaped fire can consume just as easily as it can spread warmth.”

Barkley’s deep voice rumbled inside the room, startling her - it was actual speech.

Akari flared in awe. “I've never seen a talking wolf before!”

"This human here has never seen a talking wisp."

"Wisp?" Seren laughed. "With that fire sword, this spirit's more of a bonfire."

Sword? Oh yeah, what happened to Noel?!

“Where is he? Is Noel - ”

“He’s safe.” Seren raised a hand, easing her worry. “Resting here in the temple right now. He was injured, but it was nothing fatal. He has other matters to see regarding the circumstances that led him here. For now, let him recover in peace.”

Akari dimmed faintly, relief washing through her.

Seren studied her closely, his gaze not harsh but curious. “Tell me, little flame… where are you from? It’s rare for a spirit to speak as you do.”

Her chest tightened. “I don’t know if you’d believe me. Noel didn't.”

“Try me.”

Hesitant, she told him she wasn’t born here - everything that she remembered in her world before ending up in this one. Seren listened without interruption, nodding with quiet understanding.

“It explains why you're a special one,” he said at last. “Honestly, your story sounds like it could be true since the Creator and gods descended from another world. Let me ask a question before anything else. Do you and Noel have a bond?”

“Bond?” she repeated.

Seren tilted his head. “You and the noble - did you perform a Spirit Oath?”

Akari blinked. “A… Spirit Oath?”

Seren’s eye twitched, surprised by the unexpected answer, but he quickly changed back to a smile. “No matter. All I'll say for now is that it's rare to be in sync without a special ritual. Keep it between us for now.”

Before she could ask more, he crouched, bringing himself to her level which made her feel more reassured. “Akari, you should know something. I don't know if the Noel kid mentioned anything. Spirits like you - rare, intelligent, able to converse, and work without a ritual - will draw attention, for better and worse.”

Her flame wavered uneasily. “Then... what should I do?”

“For now, stay here. If you need it, I will protect a young girl-spirit like you. This fortress is for everyone - exiles, wanderers, and even criminals who had nowhere else to go," Seren said firmly. "The only law is simple: defend the walls and do not bring harm to the North. Do that, and you belong here as much as anyone.”

Akari flickered brighter, drawn to his warmth. There was something about him - unshakable, like the stone walls of the fortress itself. Even the soldiers she had seen before didn’t seem to radiate this much fortitude.

Seren rose to his full height, towering as he gestured to the door. “Come. I will take you to Noel. But be prepared - eyes will follow you. Let us begin to get you used to it here.”

...

The temple corridors were covered in even more murals, torches lighting the way. It seemed to depict the history of the gods and the culture of the people. Priests stopped with mouths open, their gazes lingering on the flickering flame that hovered near Seren’s shoulder. Whispers followed: “Is that the talking spirit…?” “Never seen another one besides Lord Barkley and…” Akari shrank instinctively, but Seren walked with steady confidence. Barkley padding alongside them.

Children of the temple, judging by their orange and blue robes, peeked around corners, pointing, wide-eyed. Seren smiled a huge grin at them and raised his hands like claws, and they darted back giggling. Akari noticed how his presence calmed everyone - so many people stopped to greet him. They seemed to look up to him like a pillar. He was effortlessly good with them, his charisma as disarming as his strength.

“You’ll find this place frightening, harsh, and unforgiving,” Seren said as they walked, “But the people here are strong. Many lost everything over the years, and there was a great battle a year ago. Leaders, veterans, families… gone in a single night. We rebuild, day by day.”

Akari dimmed slowly, sensing the weight behind his words. A year ago. She understood then that Seren carried more than just strength; he bore the weight of fresh grief.

As they approached the entrance to a private prayer room, where Seren said Noel was, the sound of raised voices caught their attention.

"Do you know how many supplies you waste?” a soldier barked. “We don’t have enough to spare for any new inventions! We have to focus on repairs!”

Akari peeked past Seren. A group of youths - artisans judging by their tools of trade - stood against a group of soldiers. At the front of the artisans stood a young woman, fists clenched at her sides, refusing to back down.

“Mira!” another soldier shouted. “The people will have to go another cold night with your tinkering and crafts!”

Mira, the woman with the fiery eyes, snapped back, her voice controlled and cutting, sharp despite the tremor in it, commanding attention even without shouting. “Repairs do matter. I am not saying they are useless. Seren is one person. He cannot patch all breaches at once during an attack. We must find a way to innovate."

The soldiers roared at her, their anger spilling over, and the other artisans shrank behind her. Mira stood alone against their scorn, stubborn, eyes burning even as her voice cracked.

Akari froze, her flame flickering uneasily. Beside her, Caelus’s ears twitched, a low rumble rising in his throat. Seren’s expression remained calm, but his eyes sharpened, assessing the scene.

“Seren…” Akari whispered, but he only held up a hand, signaling patience.

They stood there, witnesses in the corridor, as Mira faced the fortress’s disdain. The shouts echoed, iron-sharp and bitter, and Akari could feel the weight of the moment pressing in. She had seen monsters outside the walls, but here was another kind of struggle - people tearing at each other while trying to survive.