Fear had overtaken me.

The wolf grumbled, “Why are you here?”. She looked at me menacingly. She wasn’t trying to get an answer out of me. It was an order; a proof of my presence was what she wanted. And so, she ordered.

I couldn’t refuse to answer. That was out of my abilities. Though, I didn’t know what answer would suffice it, I mumbled, “for shelter”.

The beast didn’t look satisfied, yet it faced away.

I took a deep breath and finally calmed down.

If she wanted to kill me, she would’ve done that already.

I was back to my usual self within moments.

Finally ready to leave, but not sure if I could leave it’s domain with the permission, I prepared to ask for departure.

Without even me asking, as if it sensed my thoughts, the wolf replied, “You can’t go out now.” It was not the furious voice like before, but a composed speech. “The storm hasn’t died down.”

I had already expected it, this being a mountain, an all-time snowstorm was inevitable. But it was still dark outside, making it hard to navigate and move around in this weather.

I returned to the giant-wolf and sat beside the cold wall.

I was recalling all the books I had read, for the giant wolf’s race that might’ve come up when I had suddenly had the urge to speak up and inquire.

Again, as if it already read my thoughts, it spoke again, “I’m Hati, a wolf-giant-god of fenrir race. Or what you human might call ‘a divine demonic beast’.”

I was awestruck, both by the words ‘divine’ and ‘demonic’. The books I read up until now classified beasts into six grades, namely- common, uncommon, rare, epic, legendary, and mythical. Of which, the first two grades were occupied mainly by wild beasts, and the remaining four consisted of magical beasts.

Though, one of the records at Carisma did mention the existence of stronger beasts before the last mankind and demonkin war ended thousand years ago. But the strongest of the magical beasts now known were mythical grade.

Thinking about it, I had another question at the back of my head.

Without waiting for me ask, Hati spoke again, “The war between Gods and Devils has been going on for tens of thousands of years…..”

Well, the crux of the story was, the Gods and Devils used to fight for their place in Heaven (the upper world) but the gods managed to push the devils down the Hell (the underworld) and sealed them. Ever since then they used their progenitors to fight in their place. The devils created the demons, while the gods blessed the mankind.