Chapter 50: New Life

He summoned his familiar: normally a dog, a husky with very light fur, but this time he called it in its second form—a magnificent white pegasus.

Its coat seemed woven from light, each strand capturing the reflections of the sky like a living mirror. Its immense wings, spreading with majestic slowness, resembled sails of nacre, streaked with pure white feathers shimmering with silvery hues.

With every beat, the air vibrated softly, lifting dust and dead leaves into a silent dance. Its eyes, a clear, almost unreal blue, seemed to hold ancient wisdom, while its nostrils released a warm breath, visible in the cool air like sacred mist.

The introductions were brief: Daryl, shapeshifter. Argy knew no more.

The silver-haired young man wished her a safe return, then mounted his winged steed and took off. Blanche watched her son rise into the sky, captivated by the grace of the familiar and by his gentle aura, olive green against a deep violet background.

A good soul, yet another. Perched atop this mythical creature, Argy himself seemed almost unreal: his hair caught the light like strands of moonlight, framing a face still young yet already marked by an ancient gravity. In this world, he seemed in his element, as if shaped by magic itself, carried by a quiet confidence that contrasted with his age.

As if he had been waiting for her to be alone, a wolf emerged from the woods. The same one as before. It remained at a safe distance.

Its silhouette was imposing, far larger than that of an ordinary wolf, its muscles rippling beneath a thick coat of deep gray, almost bluish fur. Every movement was perfectly fluid, silent, as if it glided across the ground rather than stepping on it.

Its eyes shone with a piercing golden glow, filled with a disturbing intelligence. Its mere presence was enough to command respect, even a form of instinctive admiration, as if nature itself had outdone itself in creating it.

Calm, Blanche took the time to examine her new options. In this world, she too seemed different: her features, already refined, appeared sharper, as if sculpted by an invisible light. Her skin caught the nuances of the environment, her eyes gleamed with a new intensity, almost luminescent when she focused.

Even her movements had gained precision, elegance, as if each gesture were guided by a greater force. She was no longer only human—she now belonged, at least in part, to this universe.

Stats acquired:

Strength +344

Agility +356

Speed +341

Wisdom +326

Intelligence +327

Drain — Level 5

Flight — Level 5

Carnage — Level 3

Rest — Level 4

Swimming — Level 2

Aura — Level 4

Objective reached!

Reward selection... Loading.

Lie — Level 1

Fear — Level 1

Poison — Level 1

With Phoenix absent, and Fenrir as well, she grumbled... before realizing she now had access to a more detailed description. Her new points finally granted her the level required.

Poison: alters the blood, allowing resistance to all kinds of toxins. At its maximum level, this blood becomes an antidote for anyone who drinks it. To increase this ability, one must be exposed to various poisons.

Well, well... That was interesting. Another way to avoid dying. But drinking poison... not really appealing. On the other hand, with a quest like the one she had just completed, she could easily increase Fear. So she chose that one.

Shadows — Level 2

Flame — Level 2

Time — Level 2

Familiar — Level 2

She was given a new series of descriptions. Shadows at level 2 extended invisibility from one minute to five minutes, although the cooldown remained the same. The same applied to Time and Flames. Good to know.

As for her familiar, however, the evolution was significant: Phoenix could still remain a cat, but could now transform into a panther without limit.

An incredible means of transport, and a fierce beast capable of helping her without difficulty. She already imagined the creature: a panther of absolute black, whose fur absorbed light itself, blurring its contours into something almost unreal.

Its eyes would shine like two moons in the darkness, and each of its steps would be silent, filled with contained power, ready to erupt at the slightest threat.

Remembering Nicky's advice and the presence of a black panther in the photograph, she immediately chose to upgrade that skill.

Then the young woman disappeared in turn, relieved that the long week was finally behind her. There was someone she was dying to see again.

A name lingered in her mind, persistent, impossible to ignore. A silhouette, a gaze, a presence that kept returning, like a silent call. The mere thought of seeing him again was enough to lighten the weight of the past days, to awaken a different kind of tension—sharper, more impatient.

Behind her, the forest seemed to exhale, as if her mere presence had altered the balance of the place, and somewhere among the trees, the wolf continued to watch her, motionless, almost reverent, just like its master.

Branches that had been still until then trembled slightly, as though freed from an invisible constraint. The silence shifted, less dense, less oppressive, allowing the subtle sounds of life to return.

And yet, the trace of her passage lingered, faintly clinging to the air itself, like a fragile echo unwilling to fully fade.

Between the dark trunks, hidden within the shifting shadows, the wolf did not move. Its massive form remained perfectly still, blending into the surroundings like a natural extension of the forest. Its eyes, still fixed in the direction where she had vanished, glowed with a calm, almost contemplative light.

There was no hunt, no threat in its posture—only a quiet attentiveness, tinged with a deep, instinctive respect. As if it recognized in her something beyond its own nature.

And behind that gaze, behind that contained presence, one could sense another will—greater, older.

Just like its master.