TOLU AND THE SEEKERS

Tolu's breath came in steady but controlled gasps as he stepped away from the glowing altar. His body ached from the battle, but his spirit burned with renewed purpose. The first trial had tested his strength, but he knew it was only the beginning. If he truly wanted to claim his place as an alpha, he would have to face even greater challenges.

The night was still thick around him, the sounds of the forest muted as if nature itself was holding its breath, waiting for what would come next. The air smelled of damp earth and something else—something ancient.

As he ventured deeper into the woods, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The first trial had come in the form of a spirit wolf—what form would the second take? Would it be another fight? A test of his endurance? Or something else entirely?

After walking for what felt like an hour, he arrived at the edge of a small river. The water shimmered under the moonlight, its surface so still that it looked like a mirror. On the other side of the river stood an old, wooden bridge—its planks worn and weathered with time.

Tolu hesitated. Something about the bridge felt… wrong.

"You have done well so far," a voice echoed through the trees.

Tolu spun around, his claws instinctively extending, ready for a fight. But there was no enemy, no wolf spirit lunging at him this time. Instead, an old man stood on the other side of the bridge, his back hunched, his robes flowing like mist around his feet. His eyes were pale, nearly white, and his presence was both calming and unsettling.

"Who are you?" Tolu asked cautiously.

The old man chuckled, shaking his head. "Names are of little importance here. What matters is what you seek."

Tolu narrowed his eyes. "I seek the trials. I need to prove myself worthy of my father's legacy."

The old man nodded slowly. "Then cross the bridge."

Tolu glanced at the wooden structure again. He could hear the water rushing below, far deeper and faster than it should have been. The bridge looked fragile—too fragile to hold his weight.

He turned back to the old man. "That's the trial, isn't it? The bridge will collapse if I cross."

The old man smiled, his expression unreadable. "Not all trials test strength, young one. Some test trust."

Tolu exhaled sharply. Trust. That was a different kind of challenge. He had spent so much of his life on guard, learning to survive by being cautious. His mother had raised him to be wary of the world, to never put his faith in anyone too easily. But now, he was being asked to trust something that seemed ready to fail.

He took a step forward, placing one foot on the bridge. The wood groaned under his weight, but it held. He took another step. Then another.

Halfway across, the creaking intensified. The planks beneath his feet began to crack, and for a brief moment, panic surged through him.

Trust.

The word echoed in his mind, and he forced himself to keep walking. The bridge swayed, and the river below seemed to roar in defiance, but Tolu didn't stop.

And then—he was across.

The moment his foot touched solid ground, the bridge behind him vanished. Not collapsed, not broken—just gone. The river beneath was now calm and shallow, as if the raging current had never existed.

The old man was now beside him, though Tolu hadn't seen him move.

"Well done," the man said with a nod. "You trusted in what seemed impossible, and you passed."

Tolu exhaled, shaking off the tension in his body. "That was it? Just crossing the bridge?"

The old man chuckled again. "You think it was just a bridge? No, boy. The trial was in your mind. It was fear, doubt, hesitation. You believed the bridge would fail, and yet, you moved forward anyway. That is what makes an alpha—a leader who does not let fear paralyze him."

Tolu frowned but nodded slowly. He had faced enemies before—monsters, his uncle's pack, even his own fears—but this had been different. It had forced him to challenge the way he thought, the way he trusted.

The old man stepped back into the shadows. "Your final trial awaits."

Tolu blinked, and when he looked again, the man was gone.

---

Tolu didn't stop to rest. He knew the final trial was near. His body was tired, his muscles still sore from his earlier fight, but he pushed forward. This was what it meant to be an alpha.

The forest around him grew darker, the trees twisting into strange, unnatural shapes. The air turned thick, heavy with an oppressive energy that made it harder to breathe.

And then—he heard it.

A voice.

But not just any voice.

His mother's.

"Tolu… my son…"

His blood ran cold. He turned sharply, scanning the darkness. His mother was supposed to be safe back in the village. This had to be another trick. Another trial.

"Come back, Tolu," the voice whispered again, and suddenly, he saw her.

She stood in the distance, her face illuminated by the faint glow of the moon. Her eyes were filled with sadness, her arms outstretched as if pleading for him to come to her.

Tolu's heart clenched.

"This isn't real," he told himself, but doubt gnawed at him.

His mother had always been his anchor, his protector. She had sacrificed so much for him. What if she was really in danger? What if this wasn't a test but a warning?

He took a hesitant step forward—

"Tolu, don't."

A different voice cut through the illusion. This one was deep, steady, and familiar. His father's voice.

Tolu froze. His father had been dead for years.

"Look closer, son."

Tolu clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at the figure of his mother.

Then—he saw it.

The slight distortion around her edges. The way her feet didn't quite touch the ground. The way her voice didn't sound completely… right.

It was a trick. A final attempt to break him.

Tolu's jaw tightened. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and exhaled.

When he opened them again—the figure was gone.

And in its place stood another wolf. This one wasn't a spirit or an elder. It was a shadowy being, its eyes glowing red, its form shifting and changing as if it were made of mist and darkness.

It let out a low growl, and Tolu understood.

This was it. The final trial.

Not a test of strength.

Not a test of trust.

But a test of will.

With a deep breath, Tolu steadied himself and faced the creature head-on.

"Come," he said, his voice unwavering.

The wolf lunged, and the battle for his destiny began.