The wolf pounced, aiming for my head. I moved a little backwards. Its massive paw struck my helmet – claws screeching across the surface, leaving deep marks.
The impact knocked me down again, the edges of my vision blurring. Blood trickled down from beneath the helmet, warm against the cold wind.
For a moment, I thought this was it, that I was done.
The wolf was about to strike, to end me – I could see the rage in its glowing eyes, the muscles tightening for one final leap. I shut my eyes, ready for the pain to come.
But before it could reach me, a shadow flashed behind it. The wolf, sensing the danger, tried to move aside.
The shadow was faster, in the blink of an eye, a blade pierced straight through the beast's chest. The wolf let out a sharp, strangled growl before collapsing into the snow.
Its body twitching once…and then still.
I tried to raise myself to get a clear view of a person who can insta-kill a wolf that big.
CHOP
Before I could understand what happened, I felt a chop at my neck, and then I lost my consciousness again.
. . . . . .
Some time ago.
Around the trees, a sound of clashing can be heard.
A team of five was fighting against the big wolf. Little distance away from the scene, on one of the trees, stands a dark silhouette, possibly their instructor, watching them closely and observing their every move.
The team members wear similar outfits. A black bodysuit, with vital areas protected by grey guards. Fully black slate masks cover their faces.
Two of the team members wielded swords, their hilts made of black metal, and a blue stone embedded in the middle. The blade had a little blue glow, giving it a magical touch.
One holds a big hammer, enveloped in the same blue glow.
Other, a shield, big enough to cover half the body of the wielder.
The last one holds a bow, a little different from the normal ones, providing support from a distance.
Despite being 5 vs 1, the fight had reached a deadlock; neither the team could overpower the wolf, nor could the beast manage to escape.
Suddenly, the fighter wielding the massive hammer faltered, his arms trembling under its weight. His footing slipped, the weapon crashing into the dirt with a heavy thud.
The brief lapse was all the wolf needed. Its glowing eyes narrowed, with a growl, it lunged forward, darting through the sudden gap in their formation.
One of the sword wielders tried to swing his sword at its vital point, but the sword could only give it a shallow wound on its back. Archer's arrow missed.
Branches snapped and snow scattered as the beast vanished into the forest's dark belly.
They tried to follow it, but their instructor's voice cut through the silence.
"Stop."
They froze mid-step. The instructor moved with uncanny swiftness, appearing in front of them.
"You are not going after it," he said firmly. "Head back to the camp."
The hammer wielder stepped forward, frustration in his voice.
"But, Captain, we can still catch it–"
The Captain's gaze snapped to him, cold and commanding.
"This is not a game, Nikhil. You all are brought to this wilderness to be trained, to learn how to work in a team. And what I have seen today was not teamwork. So, you all are going back to the camp, and reflect on this fight. Understand."
The forest fell silent again, the weight of his words hanging in the frozen air. From shame, they lowered their heads.
Seeing no response from the team, the Captain shouted.
"I said, do you understand?"
"YES SIR."
The team replied. They lowered their weapons and began moving back.
Captain's gaze is unreadable as he sees them moving away. His thoughts, unknown.
As they disappeared from his view, he moved his head toward the path the wolf had taken. Then, without a word, he moved in the same direction the beast had gone.
His speed was faster than normal human.
A few minutes later, through the thick curtain of trees, the captain finally caught sight of the wolf.
It had found something, or rather, someone.
He watches as the wolf lunges at the young man, on some old hovercycle. His eyes followed silently as Hira struggled, fighting for his life.
"This boy has good instincts. But what is he doing here?"
He observed from start to end.
At last, when the wolf was going to kill the injured Hira, he moved and killed the beast in a single slash of his blade.
"Not now, we will talk later."
Before Hira could say something, he gave him a chop in his neck, making him unconscious.
His black robes fluttered slightly in the cold breeze as he wiped the blood off his weapon.
. . . . . .
As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the dim, flickering light of a lantern hanging above me.
After scanning my surroundings, I found that I was lying on a medical bed inside what looked like a field tent. My head is bandaged. A glucose drip, IV attached to my wrist.
For a moment, I didn't move, just stared at the ceiling, trying to piece together how I'd gotten here.
SIGH
A deep sigh escaped me.
Every time I lost consciousness, I woke up in a different place. The frustration boiled quietly inside me, a dull anger at my own helplessness.
Well, this time I was not buried in snow, I think that this is an improvement.
SIGH
Another sigh escaped my lips, this time a lighter one.
'So where are we now?'
The last thing I saw before getting unconscious was that big wolf getting killed by someone, and then he hit me on my neck, resulting in my unconsciousness.
As I sat there, lost in my thoughts, a faint sound broke through the silence – voices.
I froze.
For the first time since the landslide… I was hearing other people. Real, living voices.
My heart pounded faster – part relief, part disbelief. Until now, the world had felt empty, lifeless. But now, beyond the fabric of the tent, life stirred again.
I swung my legs off the bed, wincing at the soreness and weakness in my body.
Where am I? Why am I here? Who was that being who killed that wolf? What did 'they' want from me?
I tried to get up from the bed, but my legs gave out beneath me. My body is still weak from that encounter and hunger.
At the same time, the tent's flap rustled.
A woman stepped in – wearing a white body suit with a white coat, stained with dust. Grey hair, black eyes, 175 cm tall, with some wrinkles on her face.
Her eyes widened as she saw me on the ground. Without a second thought, she rushed forward and slipped her arm under my shoulder.
"Easy, easy… don't move too much," she said softly, her voice calm but firm.
She helped me sit back on the bed, her movements practiced and gentle.
I don't know when, but a single tear dropped from my eye. Not from pain, but from the relief of finally seeing another living person up close.
She glanced at the bandage around my head, then met my eyes with a faint, reassuring smile.
I felt little strange, like she was not just observing my injuries.
"You're lucky," she said, checking the reading on a small device beside the bed. "The wound on your head isn't too serious. The wolf's strike just grazed you."
I let out a shaky breath of relief.
"But, you have been unconscious for almost two days. Your body's weak because of hunger and dehydration. It was as if you had not eaten for days."
I stared at her silently, the words sinking in, before I could ask, Where is this place?
She remarked, checking the IV drip, "For now, just rest. Since you are conscious, someone will come to take you for interrogation."
Before I could ask anything, she stood up and brushed the dust off her coat, then turned toward the tent's exit.
As the flap lifted and cold light spilled in, something inside me stirred.
"Wait," I said suddenly, my voice rough. She paused, half-turned.
"What … what date is it today?"
For a second, she didn't answer. Her expression shifted – subtle, but enough for me to notice.
Then, in a low voice, she said, "It's the 1st march."
"It's the 1st march of the 96th year."
And with that, she stepped outside, leaving me alone in the tent.
1st March of the 96th year.
I couldn't believe what I'd just heard. Her words echoed in my mind, refusing to settle. March?
That couldn't be right. Yash and I had come to Uttarakhand on the first of August… just for a trek, a few days in the mountains.
And if what she said was true, then I'd been unconscious… for seven months.
A.N. - So, guys, it's finally time for our MC to know about the truth and the changes of the planet. Any guesses how his reaction will be.
Title meaning: CAPTAIN OR INSTRUCTOR