Faul: The Reincarnation

Chapter 12: Secret In The Woods

Faul arrived with Phil at the equipment room to select their training gear. The place was filled with an array of weapons and tools, neatly arranged across the walls and shelves. Faul moved silently from one piece of equipment to another, his eyes scanning carefully. Phil, meanwhile, stood by, curiously observing his new friend, wondering what he’d do next.

“Hey Phil, what do you think about this?” Faul asked, lifting a short black sword from the wall. The blade gleamed faintly, and its hilt was covered in red, scaly leather that resembled dragon skin.

“Uh… it looks kind of devilish,” Phil replied, laughing nervously.

To his surprise, Faul chuckled along. It was the first time Phil had seen him laugh since his arrival at the camp, and the sound felt rare and unexpected.

“You made a good choice, son,” came a familiar voice. Alfred stepped into the room, arms crossed and a fond look on his face. “Your father picked up that same sword the day we arrived at our training camp back then.”

He gave Faul a nod and continued, “I heard you beat up someone on your first day at the training camp,” Alfred added with a grin, giving Faul a thumbs up. “Not bad.”

He clapped his hands. “Now off you go, if you’re done picking your equipment,” he said, shooing them out with a wave.

Meanwhile, news of Harry’s humiliating defeat at the training field and Faul’s daring words had reached the capital. Word quickly traveled through the noble circles, finally landing at the feet of Harry’s father, Sir Ragnik.

“What? A ten-year-old boy said I should come challenge him?” Ragnik roared in laughter. “Interesting. Very interesting.” His expression darkened with a smirk. “Make sure he gets selected in this upcoming warrior selection. I want to show him what it means to challenge my family.”

Back at the camp, days passed quietly. No one else dared to challenge or even speak ill of Faul. Even Harry had been avoiding him, which in turn gave Phil a few peaceful days—something he hadn’t experienced since arriving.

Faul trained with Phil every single day until they were both drenched in sweat and could hardly lift their arms. Most times, they’d decide to run up the hill to train themselves in endurance and strength. Faul’s intense dedication to becoming stronger was clear to everyone, but Phil knew there was something deeper driving him.

Anna, too, had grown fond of Faul. At first, she was simply curious about the mysterious boy Alfred had brought home. But over time, she began to enjoy his company more than she expected.

“Your little girlfriend is coming,” Phil teased Faul one sunny afternoon, nudging him with his elbow.

Faul’s face immediately flushed, turning bright red. “You’re crazy, Phil. You’re really crazy,” he said, giving Phil a light punch on the shoulder.

“Ouch! That hurts!” Phil complained, rubbing the spot dramatically.

Faul was about to respond when Anna’s voice interrupted them.

“Hey, Faul. Hey, Phil,” she called out cheerfully as she walked over.

“Hey, Anna,” the boys responded in unison.

“Do you mind escorting me to get herbs from the forest? The cook needs them for tonight’s meal,” she asked, giving them a sweet, pleading look.

Faul shrugged and smiled. “Alright. Let’s go then. Lead the way.”

The three of them set off together toward the mountain trail. When they arrived at the base of the forest, Anna began collecting herbs while the boys decided to spar a little to pass the time.

Hours passed, and the sun began to dip low on the horizon. The boys, tired from sparring, sat down to rest. Anna was still busy gathering herbs nearby when an eerie sound echoed from the woods.

A deep, guttural growl sent shivers down their spines.

*Grrrrrr! Grrrrrr! Grrrrrr!*

Three massive wolves, each about two meters tall, emerged slowly from the shadows between the trees. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and their sharp teeth gleamed.

Anna froze instantly, fear plastered on her face. The two boys jumped to their feet, but while Phil trembled in fear, Faul’s reaction was completely different.

Excitement.

“Anna, stay still. Don’t run, and don’t take your eyes off them,” Faul said calmly, slowly moving toward her.

Then suddenly, “Now run!”

Faul grabbed Anna’s hand and shoved her behind him just as the first wolf lunged at them. As the beast leaped, something in Faul changed.

His body began to shimmer. Scales burst from his skin, covering him like armor. His eyes turned bright crimson, glowing with a wild intensity, and two long fangs grew from his upper jaw. Then, from deep within his chest, Faul roared—a fierce, bone-shaking sound that echoed like a dragon’s call through the mountains.

The three wolves, mid-attack, skidded to a halt. They lowered their bodies, ears back, and bent in submission before turning and vanishing into the forest without a sound.

Though the wolves were gone, the fear remained—only now, it wasn’t of the creatures. It was of Faul.

Phil and Anna stared in stunned silence.

The memory flashed in their minds—the tale of the ten-year-old boy who, during the attack on the Karaza refugees in Jura, sliced down twenty warriors in one sweeping motion.

Phil’s breathing grew heavy. He looked at Faul—his friend—but what stood before him now barely looked human.

“I… I don’t think that’s Faul,” Phil muttered, picking up a stick and holding it out shakily. “Don’t come any closer!”

Faul didn’t flinch. He had expected this.

But then, as his emotions stirred and the initial rush faded, his body began to shift again. The scales receded, his eyes lost their glow, and the fangs shortened.

“Phil, what’s wrong with you? It’s me—Faul,” he said gently, taking a small step forward.

Phil was still trembling when Anna stepped between them. “Wait,” she said firmly. “If this wasn’t Faul, he would have attacked us by now.”

Without hesitation, she walked over and hugged Faul tightly. Both boys were stunned.

“I know you’re not a monster,” Anna whispered. “But what happened to you just now?”

Faul pulled back slowly. He knew it was time to tell them the truth. Everything.

He took a deep breath and began.

He told them about his past life—how he had once lived in a place called Azra, a great and powerful kingdom destroyed by an ancient enemy named Gap. He explained how he had been reincarnated into this world as a human child, how his mother had hidden his identity all these years to protect him, and how the Pure Blood raiders had finally captured her.

“The Pure Bloods… they’re not after the refugees from Karaza,” he said quietly. “They’re after me.”

Phil and Anna were speechless.

“I’m not strong enough yet to save her,” Faul continued. “That’s why I’m training every day. That’s why I need to become powerful. So I can find her.”

With that, Faul stood up and began walking back to camp. The others followed in silence, the weight of his story heavy on their hearts.

When they returned, Phil went straight to bed. His mind couldn’t process everything he’d just heard. Anna, too, felt overwhelmed, her thoughts racing.

But Faul… he didn’t go to sleep.

Instead, he returned to the forest. Lately, he’d been craving raw meat—an urge that had grown stronger each day. He couldn’t explain it, but something inside him hungered in ways he didn’t yet understand.

And the forest… the forest was the only place he could feed without raising suspicion.