The huge gate slowly opened, and the sound of heavy stones rubbing against each other was particularly harsh in the silence. Icy darkness spilled out from behind the gate, as if the air had frozen for an instant. Kalle gripped his long sword tightly and stepped through the gate first. Cangzhua, who followed closely behind, crouched silently, and the wolf pack scanned the surroundings warily.
Ezer and Daelin followed right after, while Sykes was at the end. He looked back at the forest that had already returned to silence.
"This gate seems to have been waiting for something," Sykes said softly, a trace of strange emotion flashing in his eyes. "Or rather, waiting for us."
Kalle stopped in his tracks and looked back at Sykes. A hint of doubt showed in the depths of his eyes. "What do you know?"
Sykes neither affirmed nor denied it. He grasped the hilt of his sword and slowly stepped through the gate. "It's not too late to know now."
After they stepped in, the huge gate slowly closed with a dull rumbling sound, completely cutting off the light from the outside world.
The darkness was boundless.
Kalle stood in the passageway, and the cold light on his long sword swayed slightly, reflecting the rugged walls. An ancient aura emanated from all around. The walls were engraved with the ancient runes of the wolf clan, and each stroke seemed to tell the secrets that had been passed down since time immemorial.
"These runes..." Daelin gently stroked the wall. A faint light was released from the top of her staff, illuminating part of the area. "They are the forbidden spells of the ancient wolf clan."
Ezer examined the carvings on the wall, a habitual smile on his lips. "It seems that this graveyard is not just a place of burial. It's more like a seal."
"What is it sealing?" Kalle asked, turning his head.
Daelin's gaze was solemn, and her voice was low. "It's sealing the King of the Wolf Spirit."
The air suddenly grew heavy.
"The King of the Wolf Spirit..." Ezer repeated in a low voice, his pupils contracting slightly. "That legendary existence?"
Daelin nodded, and a trace of awe was added to her voice. "The King of the Wolf Spirit was the king who ruled over the entire wolf clan two thousand years ago. He was extremely powerful. But in his final days, he chose to fight against the abyss. In the end, he sealed the will of the abyss within this graveyard. And he himself fell into a deep sleep with the completion of the seal."
Kalle's eyes flashed slightly. He gently stroked the carvings on the wall with his fingers, and a blurred wolf shadow came into view, just like a sleeping giant beast, waiting for the moment of awakening.
"If the King of the Wolf Spirit is still alive..." Kalle said in a deep voice. "Perhaps, he is our only hope."
Sykes walked slowly forward in the darkness and said indifferently, "But he could also be the most deadly threat."
At the end of the passageway, a huge stone platform stood quietly. On it was placed a black coffin. The coffin lid was covered with cracks, as if it might shatter at any moment.
"That is..." Cangzhua let out a low growl from his throat and stared at the coffin warily.
Kalle walked slowly towards the stone platform. The cracks on the coffin seemed to be constantly spreading. Vaguely, a low call sounded in the darkness.
"Kalle..."
A familiar yet strange voice echoed in his mind. Kalle's pupils contracted slightly, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"Did you hear that?" Kalle looked around alertly.
Ezer and Daelin exchanged a glance. Daelin frowned and said, "Yes... It was faint and low, as if someone was calling your name."
"It's not a person," Sykes said coldly, his gaze fixed on the coffin. "It's the consciousness of the King of the Wolf Spirit."
Kalle stood in front of the coffin and slowly raised his hand to place it on the coffin lid. He felt a cold and violent aura in his palm.
"Shall we open it?" Ezer's voice sounded in the darkness, with a hint of explore and playfulness.
Kalle didn't answer. His fingertips lingered on the edge of the coffin for a moment, and then he gave it a hard push.
The coffin slowly opened, and a thick black mist instantly rushed out, enveloping the entire stone platform. Kalle took a few steps back, drew out his long sword, and was on full alert.
However, when the black mist dissipated, there was no corpse lying in the coffin. Instead, there was a tattered black cloak. In the center of the cloak was embroidered the ancient totem of the wolf clan—the mark of the King of the Wolf Spirit.
Daelin was stunned. "Just a cloak?"
Ezer raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps the King of the Wolf Spirit has long since disappeared, and this is just a relic he left behind."
Kalle stared down at the cloak, but a strange sense of familiarity welled up in his heart, as if this cloak had appeared countless times in his dreams.
He slowly reached out and picked up the cloak. The moment the cloak left the coffin, the entire stone platform shook violently. The surrounding walls began to crack, and countless black chains flew out from the cracks, suddenly wrapping around the stone platform where the coffin was located.
"Retreat quickly!" Sykes gave the order, and everyone quickly retreated.
The stone platform slowly sank into the ground under the restraint of the chains, and a deep cave appeared. A low beastly roar came from the depths of the cave, as if something was awakening in the darkness.
Kalle put on the cloak and stared at the cave. His eyes gradually became profound and cold.
"This trial... has just begun."