Joyful shrieks of laughter rang across the silent forest. Two young pups chase after one another, play fighting as they weaved through a forest. Their coats cyan with eyes that gleams like the twilight. Both of them stop when they heard a sharp bark, looking towards where it came from. Freezing in terror before ivory flowers burst out of them. Bright red stains their coats as innocent eyes swiftly became lifeless.

A choked gasp soon follows as their life-giver bear witness to the heinous act. Face twisting in horror as tears clouded their crimson eyes. Horror slowly fades into anger. And once timid magic slowly turns volatile, as the life-giver lashed out at the murderer. His heart and soul shattering in grief as he howled out to the sky. Until his soul blackens with a thirst for blood, his gentle gaze taking on a wrathful one. As he hunts a King to exact his vengeance. 

The ground shudders as two great wolves lunged at each other. One with a coat white as snow and the other with a coat dark as night, sullied with blood and gore. Wrathful crimsons locked onto resigned yet determined golds. Bolts of magic cutting through the air as another great lupine rushes to stop them. Only for the sky to be torn apart and a twisting gate pulls the white wolf into it. The black wolf winced as wrathful magic coils around his form. Turning to look at the shocked blond wolf. Tired and loving golds meets frantic blues. A smile that asked for patience, as well as a promise, spread across the black wolf.

And a haunting shattering of glass made itself known as his soul was torn asunder.

The blond wolf jolts up in his office. His chest heaving with short breaths while he scanned his surrounding. He laid on his office's floor, stacks upon stacks of documents and the familiar scent of ink greet him. The quadruped wets his dry lips before climbing onto his feet. His lush, long fur messy across his body as he smoothens his tail. Sighing tiredly before glancing up to a portrait of himself. 

Stoic and majestic, that was the image that greeted him. Benefitting of a king, and he was anything but that right now. The great wolf scoffs before turning away. Even his own portrait felt like it's judging him. He trots the short distance to his balcony, his eyes closing in relief as a winter breeze welcomed him. Far better than the stifling heat in his office. 

He basked in the breeze until it fades away. Humming softly to himself, he walked to the railings. A sprawling kingdom, his kingdom, greets him when he glanced west. And an endless sea of green when he looked anywhere else. The King turned his attention to the moons and the stars. Mulling over the dream he just had.

How long has it been?

More than a decade, he noted after a quick recollection. 

Only to wince in guilt when he realizes, he hasn't visited them in months. Kept shackled by his duties as a King. Everything needed his attention, whenever he was willing to spare it. And the copious amounts of documents that kept piling into his office. The wolf shudders as the thought of those dreaded papers. He humored the pros and cons of burning the current stacks. Only to shake his head with a sign. Can't do anything except fantasize that course of action. His eyes trail back to the moons once more, contemplating. And with a nod that signals his decision, he closed his eyes. Calling upon the familiar warmth of magic. 

Reality bends, and he was in a different place when he opens his eyes. Tension, he didn't know he had, fades away from his body. His overall mood brightened slightly while he stretched his lazy muscles. Something he took notice of, since he was a pup, whenever he left the castle.

An ever present and unseen fog of malice haunts the castle. No matter how many times a purification was performed. It was built upon the blood and bones of many after all. The oppressive malice dimmed down in his reign, albeit not much. 

Another problem for the King to tackle, which he's not at the moment.

The great wolf shakes the remaining sleepiness out of his system. Taking a deep breath before heading towards the only door. The clicks of his claws echo around before being drowned out by the door. Light floods the chamber as he walks through.

Glowing great runes and glyphs floats around a lifeless wolf. His bones clearly seen through his groomed black fur whenever a rune lazily passes near him. His right forelimb a stump, while an ugly gash covered an eye. The blond lupine winced at the sight. A patient lover, now an empty husk. 

His soul may have been shattered, but the shards that came from the curse remained intact. Before two vanished into the void and the last disappeared into the twisting gate. So he preserved the body, in hopes that one day. He'll be able to unite the shards whole again. Or at least, that's what his research say. He hasn't been able to locate any of them. No matter how hard or where he looked. He shakes his head as the memories resurfaced once more. 

His eyes open to a portrait on the wall behind the husk. A happy family of wolves smiled back at him. The life-giver with a snow-white coat and caring crimsons. Along side two young pups with cyan coats and innocent twilights. His breath hitch as a quiet sob wrecked his form. 

“I'm sorry for not visiting in months." The wolf said, his voice barely a whisper. “I missed you guys." He blinks back his tears as memories of laughter echoed in his mind. Of warm and patient crimson and gold gazes following him as he pace and rant. Of a timid yet intelligent noble that challenged him in magic. Of a fierce yet gentle warrior, “executioner" he reminded himself, that promised a warm home with his eyes. Of two younglings that begged for him to teach them something new. And most of all, the missing warmth of his family.

The king wipes his eyes as he sat down on his haunches. His quiet sobs the only sound present. Letting himself break out of the stoic persona he built. The memories resurface the longer he stayed in the chamber. And he welcomes them, reminding himself of who he is and the reason why he overthrew his predecessor. The one responsible for tearing his packs apart, from his birth and the new one he made. 

A flush of anger made itself known, which he quickly rejects out of his mind. He was visiting his family, not the time or place to be angry at a dead bastard. 

The lupine stands up once he calmed down. Glancing at the empty husk and the portrait. He drifts back to the husk once more, before moving towards it. 

“I'm going to sound like a broken record." He said with a chuckle as he stops before the husk. Leaning down to lick and nuzzle the gash that covered an eye. “I know you're still out there, Rei?nas. And I know a shattered soul isn't enough to stop you." 

The King rests his forehead against the husk's, letting out a tired sigh. “But be careful…" the black wolf's smile, before the curse took hold, flicks across his mind. A smile that promised to come back to him. “And don't you dare break your promise."

And in another realm, an anthro canine; in tattered clothes; stands up among the rubbles of a ruined city. His ears perk up as he clutched his right arm. He pivots in place to stare longingly up at the stars in the twilight.

“Just a bit longer." The canine said as his faded gold eyes narrowed with purpose. “I promise we'll come back to you. I'll make sure of it." 

The twilight sky erupts into flames as a battle commenced above him. The canid turns his gaze to them, as hoards of bestial amalgamations and piloted machines clashed in the heavens. Hails of smoking flesh and metal falls down around him as the clash grew bigger. He stood unfazed by the two factions trying to kill the other. A smile spreads across his face as the machines slowly but surely push the monsters back. The last inhabitants fighting with all they have to reclaim their home. 

A pulsing howl from behind draws his attention. The canid pivoted again to face the ivory tree amidst the rubbles. Crimson veins pulse across it's surface as the great tree was awakened once more.

To be continued...