"Who am I?"
"I am Cayde."
"What is my name?"
"I am Cayde."

The boy sat up in his hospital bed, finally getting some time to think. It was dark outside, the lights were off, nobody else was in the room anymore. Just him. Looking out towards the window, he saw the gleam of moonlight reflecting on the window, as well as the lights from the streets below. This whole land, this whole way of life... it was all unfamiliar to Cayde. At least, that was what the boy called himself.

The life of a human? No, this was not Cayde's destiny. Cayde was a wolf. In fact, he was the Wolf of Harmony. No human had the right to carry that title. They weren't a wolf. Therefore... he must not have been Cayde anymore.

Those doubts again.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the back of his left hand. The Mark of Harmony glowed faintly with a golden aura as he looked at it, as if the marking could sense that he was looking at it. He closed his eyes and recited the words he had told himself many times throughout the day.

"My name is Cayde. I am the Wolf of Harmony, descendant of the great Kimlasca. My mother is Soula, my father is no longer alive. My father perished on the Trial of the Mountain. I completed the Trial, I became an Alpha. I am a member of the Kimlascan Pack, and Mystearica is the Master Alpha. I saved him from a corruption that took control of his mind and willpower, and in doing so... I gave my life to protect him, to protect my friends, to protect the land I love. I am the Wolf of Harmony."

"Who am I?"
"I am Cayde."
"What is my name?"
"I am Cayde."

He sighed, opening his eyes, his gaze turning to face the window again. In the distance, far to the north, far past this human town nestled away in the mountains, he saw rolling hills, forests, but most importantly...

The tallest mountain, which radiated with a soft golden glow...

His home.

And somewhere out there, in the forests beyond the tallest mountain... the Shrine of Kimlasca. The place where he had given his life, the place that he said goodbye to everyone and everything, the place where he accepted his fate.

The place where his story was believed to end.

It had been one day since Cayde sacrificed his life. One day since his soul was transferred into the body of a boy who had been in a coma. Now, he was in control of the boy's body, and his actions.

And in doing so... how did that make him any better than when Vandescelda was controlled by the Wolf of Chaos?

No.

He shook his head again. No. Vandescelda had been controlled by a dark power, who intended to use Vandescelda as a way to kill, to betray, to hurt. He had been controlled unwillingly, and if he wasn't saved... there was no telling what may have happened. Chaos, undoubtedly. The balance would have shifted, and in wake of that, Chaos would ensue and it could have been catastrophic, and full of unfathomable atrocities.

Cayde had taken control of the boy's body, because Cayde's soul was transferred to the body of the sleeping boy. Had he not done so, there was no telling if the boy would have ever woken up at all, and as a result... he may have died. Despite the circumstances, perhaps Cayde had saved this boy. Besides, this was only temporary.

Yes. Only temporary. Cayde may have been this boy for the time being, but soon... he would become a wolf again. He needed to return to the Shrine of Kimlasca, and become who he truly was again. His soul would become a part of his true form again, and the boy would return to this very hospital, awake, happy, and unsure of what happened, to avoid worrying them.

But for now... he was this very boy, far from the Shrine, far from his home. For now, he was not a wolf, but the power of Harmony still coursed through his veins, and soon... he would return to his true form.

Cayde looked at the window again, and clenched his fists. He moved a leg, then another, and slowly moved to get off of the hospital bed. He felt his feet touch the ground, and slowly he began to shift more of his weight down, now fully off of the bed and standing on his own two feet.

He slowly walked towards the window, getting a clear view of the outside world. His focus was on the tall mountain far to the north.

He looked at his hands, "I have a destiny to fulfill."

Cayde stepped back from the window, looking at the hospital bed. A small smile appeared on his face.

Moments later, he was searching through one of the drawers in the room, finding a pen and paper, and beginning to write a note to those that cared for the boy. He wrote carefully, wanting to explain what was happening, and where he was going. The note read:

"To those that care for me,

When you walked into this room, the first thing you noticed was my absence. Worry not, for I am safe and sound. However, despite your numerous questions, I never seemed to answer them in the way you wanted me to. When you asked me my name, you expected me to say a different name than the one you told me.

My name is Cayde, and I am the Wolf of Harmony. I cannot tell you any more, because if I did, even then you still would not understand. You must have so many questions, but the only way I can answer them is to do so through action.

Trust me, the boy you are familiar with will return after I return to the place I belong. I wish there was another way, but I must fulfill my destiny.

He will return. I promise.

-Cayde"

With the final words written, Cayde sighed and placed the paper on the bed. He didn't leave empty handed, however. He searched through a nearby dresser and found a small backpack. After a bit more searching, he found bottles of water, and unfortunately the only food he was able to find were a few saltine crackers. It would do though.

It was still very hard to adjust to being a human, but it would not be for much longer. Soon, he would become a wolf. Even now, even for him, all of this was still a bit confusing, but all he knew was that he had a goal in mind, a task that needed to be completed. Return to the Shrine of Kimlasca.

Leaving this area would be a bit tough, but he believed in himself. He would return to the outside world, and he would complete his goal.

Out there, far to the north, his friends were sleeping in their dens in the Kimlascan Pack. Perhaps thinking about Cayde, and the things he had done. Thinking about the things he could have done. The Wolf of Harmony, who gave his life for the land.

As Cayde reached for the door handle to lead him out of the room and further into the hospital, he looked at the window one last time. The moonlight was just barely able to shine against his face.

Then he realized something.

He could climb a mountain, complete a trial, fight a corrupted wolf, sacrifice his life, and wake up as a young boy, but there was one thing that NEVER faded. Not in his friends, not in himself.

Hope.

And one last time, he recited the words he spoke numerous times before, but this time, with pure confidence.

A smile appeared on his face, as hopeful as ever.

And he spoke:

"I. Am. Cayde."