Chrono-God

The Hunt in the North

The northern winds howled, whipping through the dense forest like a living thing. Jerry, Janice, and Selene moved silently beneath the towering trees, their footsteps muffled by a thick bed of fallen leaves. Above them, branches stretched like skeletal fingers against the night sky, and the only light came from the pale moon overhead.

Selene led the way, her movements impossibly fluid, weaving through the terrain with an ease that made her seem more shadow than flesh. Jerry trailed behind, his senses heightened, every movement around them registering in his mind before it even fully happened.

It wasn't just his own instincts guiding him.

He could feel them—Vrkane and Bengala.

The massive wolf and saber-toothed tiger were near, their presences intertwined with his own, their heightened senses flowing into him as naturally as his own breath. He could smell the damp earth with Vrkane's keen nose, hear the subtle shift of twigs breaking under unseen creatures with Bengala's acute hearing. His body, though human in form, was strengthened by their bond—his reflexes sharper, his muscles more efficient, his awareness on a level beyond normal perception.

But it wasn't one-sided.

Just as he had gained their animal instincts, they had gained his.

His intelligence.

His reasoning.

His ability to think.

The forest around them was eerily quiet—no rustling of small creatures, no chirping of nocturnal birds. The silence wasn't natural. It was intentional.

Predators were near.

Janice sighed beside him. "So," she muttered. "Are we just going to blindly trust the mysterious assassin who showed up out of nowhere?"

Selene didn't break stride, her sharp green eyes flicking toward Janice for only a moment before she answered. "No," she said. "You shouldn't trust me. But you should trust this."

She pulled something from the folds of her dark cloak and tossed it toward Jerry.

His fingers caught it instinctively.

A medallion.

Jerry's breath caught. He knew this sigil. The metal was worn, but the markings were unmistakable—the insignia of the ancient scholars who once studied time and existence.

The same sigil Mike used to wear.

His pulse quickened.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded.

Selene's gaze was unreadable. "You're not the only one looking for lost gods," she said.

Jerry's grip tightened around the medallion. Could it be? Could Mike still be somewhere?

Before he could ask more, his area detection flared.

Something was coming.

No, someone was coming.

But this time, he recognized the presence.

A sharp cry cut through the silence of the forest—a piercing, golden sound that sent a shiver down Jerry's spine.

High above them, the moonlight caught a massive silhouette—a golden eagle, its wingspan vast, its powerful form cutting through the air with effortless grace.

"Aviana," Jerry whispered.

Janice's eyes widened as the bird circled above them. "That's… a big eagle."

Aviana's keen eyes locked onto him, her bond surging in his mind like a lightning strike. Relief, determination, and urgency bled into him through their connection.

And she wasn't alone.

From the shadows, two enormous figures stepped into the moonlight.

Vrkane—the massive wolf, his fur dark as midnight, his golden eyes glowing with intelligence far beyond that of a mere beast.

And Bengala—the saber-toothed tiger, her thick white-and-black striped fur rippling with power, her massive fangs glinting as she exhaled.

They had found him.

No, they had tracked him.

Jerry didn't move as Aviana swooped lower, landing on a thick branch above them. He raised an arm, and she launched from her perch, her talons gripping his forearm with controlled strength. The weight of her was greater than before—stronger, more refined.

Vrkane and Bengala padded toward him, their massive forms radiating silent authority.

A slow smile spread across Jerry's lips. "You've been busy."

The moment he spoke, their minds merged.

His thoughts became theirs. Theirs became his.

Memories flooded him—Vrkane and Bengala's journey through the wilderness, tracking his scent, sensing the shift in the world. Aviana scouting the northern peaks, discovering something hidden, something bound.

A temple.

Chains.

A man.

Mike.

Jerry staggered as the vision hit him like a physical blow. His bondmates caught him immediately—Vrkane's head pressing against his shoulder, Bengala's massive paw steadying him.

"He's alive," Jerry breathed. "Mike is alive."

Selene watched the exchange with careful curiosity, her arms crossed. "Then we don't have much time," she said.

Janice ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, so let me get this straight. We're following an assassin we don't trust, a giant eagle, a giant wolf, and an ancient saber-toothed tiger to an unknown location in the frozen north?"

Jerry smirked. "Sounds about right."

Janice groaned. "I hate how normal this is starting to feel."

Selene turned, already moving. "If we wait too long, he won't be there to find."

Jerry glanced at his bonded companions. Aviana let out a sharp cry, her wings flexing. Vrkane and Bengala stepped forward, their bodies shifting slightly as their bond with him strengthened.

They weren't just animals anymore.

They weren't just beasts.

They were becoming.

As Jerry was.

He exhaled.

No more hesitation.

"Let's go," he said.

And with that, they vanished into the forest—toward the mountains, toward the unknown, toward destiny.

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