Chapter 29 – The Legacy of the Grey Wolf
The stone-paved streets of the town of Kritinia echoed softly in the cool of the night.
Moonlight filtered through thin clouds, casting long shadows of crumbling walls and old lanterns.
Weary footsteps led them to a tavern—simple, but warm.
With a quick negotiation, Balibey secured a small private room.
Inside awaited an old wooden table, the flickering light of a single candle,
and the savory scent of roasted goose.
They sat and ate in silence.
Each bite brought strength to their bodies,
a flicker of peace to their spirits.
When the meal was over, steaming cups of tea arrived.
The mist rising from the pot danced like a delicate veil under the candlelight.
Murad took a sip, then raised his head.
His gaze settled heavily on Cafer and Kasım.
"Have you heard of the Legend of the Grey Wolf?"
With a slight pause, both men nodded respectfully.
Murad smiled faintly.
His voice, mingling with the steam of the tea, echoed through the room:
"The Legend of the Grey Wolf tells of our ancestors' origin.
A wounded Turkic boy is found by a grey wolf.
The wolf raises him,
and from him, a new lineage is born."
His words carried the echo of the past into the silence of the night.
"But the wolf in this tale is not merely an animal;
it is the very essence of nature, of life, of resistance."
Murad's tone deepened.
"We Turks—
when we understand nature,
we draw its power into ourselves.
But that power, if taken recklessly, leads to ruin."
The candle on the table trembled slightly.
"That is why our ancestors did not draw nature's energy directly.
They used sealed artifacts:
Swords, rings, bows..."
He traced a finger along the hilt of his sword.
"These objects serve as vessels—
they carry nature's energy into our bodies in a safe form."
Murad closed his eyes for a moment, thinking.
Then he continued softly:
"Each person shapes nature's energy according to their soul.
Some visualize a hawk,
others an eagle,
and some... a wolf."
He turned his gaze to Balibey.
"Balibey has reached the second stage with Yavuz's Sword.
His image: a hawk.
Sharp vision, swift reflexes,
and deadly intuition."
Balibey nodded in silent agreement.
Murad's voice grew heavier:
"But every light casts a shadow.
Nature's power has an opposite—
Dark Energy."
Cafer's shoulders tensed slightly.
The subject seemed to stir a wound inside him.
Murad looked directly into Cafer's eyes.
"Dark energy is nature's decaying, corrupted aspect.
Rage, betrayal, fear, pain...
These dark emotions are its fuel."
The room suddenly felt colder.
Even the candle's flame seemed to shrink.
Murad continued, calm but resolute:
"Cafer,
you wield a form of dark energy.
You can vanish into shadows,
glide through darkness.
I don't know how it began,
but one day, you'll tell your story."
Cafer responded with a silent nod.
There was pain behind his eyes—
memories unspoken.
Murad pressed on:
"Nature's energy strengthens the soul.
Dark energy tests its limits."
A heavy silence settled in the room,
like a weight on their chests.
Then Murad spoke slowly:
"My image is..."
His words drifted gently through the steam of the tea.
"...The wolf."
His voice was deep and unwavering.
It was as if a howl rose in the heart of the steppe.
"A creature that lives within nature,
hunts,
survives,
and grows stronger with every wound."
His eyes gleamed.
Within them was both unshakable resolve
and the legacy of centuries.
"Just like the ancestor whose sword I now carry—
Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror.
He alone reached the sixth stage of nature's power.
And his image, too...
was the wolf."
The candle flickered again.
It was as if the spirits of the past had entered the room.
Murad looked once more at Balibey, Cafer, and Kasım.
"What I experienced today was an awakening.
I've absorbed nature's energy at a greater capacity.
Each awakening is about surpassing limits—
transcending one's own nature."
He took a final sip of tea,
then stood with slow, heavy steps.
"We've had enough for today.
Let us rest.
Tomorrow, new trials await."
All three bowed their heads.
And in silence, they left the room.
As they walked the cool, stone streets of the town,
the night sky stood above them like a guardian.
And within each of them,
a new balance had begun to form between nature and darkness—
preparing them for a day
when they would face not only enemies,
but the powers they carried within.