To think that this was even happening was unfathomable.

For years, from the day Cayde was born, he was taught that Vande was a wise, noble, humble leader. Somebody who would make sure every wolf felt right at home and was happy.

Because this was what the pack believed. Because the only "Vande" they ever knew was the clever one, who put up the act of being noble and wise, only waiting for the right moment to put his plan in action.

And that moment was now.

But to think that of all creatures Cayde had met... the one he believed to be his mentor, the one who supposedly believed in him... the one who always seemed to be the most likely advocate for peace and happiness was the one who would betray Cayde after all this time.

Vande had his paw raised, a vicious snarl on his face. Now that he was showing his true self, it was so hard to even believe that this was Vande.

He showed no remorse, no mercy. All he had in his eyes, in his expression, was anger, hatred, and the lust for chaos.

"Goodbye, Wolf of Harmony."

And so, his paw, radiating with dark energy, enough to finish Cayde with a single hard hit, slammed down towards Cayde relentlessly.

There was no hope here.

No hope...

No...

"NO!"

Seemingly, out of thin air, a wolf leapt at Vande,  shoving him away from Cayde.

There was no contact between Vande's final blow physically, but the energy from the near- hit was enough to knock Cayde unconscious.

The wolf slid along the floor, snarling.

"Step away from him, Vandescelda!! And stay away." The wolf yelled.

Vande looked a bit surprised, his eyes flickering for just a brief moment.

"You...?!" Vande asked.

The voice of this wolf was familiar...

This was the voice of the stranger, the mysterious wolf who Cayde encountered and then seemingly disappeared afterwards.

And she had kept her word. She was here when Cayde needed her most.

"You know who I am, Vandescelda. Did you think I would be lost to time? After my departure from the Kimlascan Pack? I left for a cause of my own, one you have no right of knowing." She growled.

"I do NOT care! Stand down, or die with the foolish Wolf of Harmony!" He yelled.

"A shame. You are an advocate for the Wolf of Chaos. I, on the other hand, am an advocate for the Wolf of Harmony. My devotion has granted me powers I use for the good of the world. My devotion has unlocked a state of mind where I feel at peace. You are a risk to the peace. I cannot tolerate that alone... but you, hurting the one I swear to protect?!" She snarled.

"Your cause is a foolish one." Vande responded.

"No!" The stranger yelled.

"I am Malahayati, and my cause is right!" She leapt forward, tackling Vande to the ground. Their strength and power was equally matched, and none could gain the upper hand.

"Funny, I never thought I'd be facing YOU, the Master Alpha of the Kimlascan Pack! The one so many look up to, the one who has fooled so many..." Malahayati told him, leaping off of him with grace.

"Do not mock me, mock the fools who could not see me for who I truly am." Vande responded.

"They are no fools. They see who you truly are now. Did you think your little "trip" wouldn't attract some attention?" She asked, gesturing towards the entrance of the shrine.

Soon after, a few wolves stepped into the shrine. Some were familiar faces.

Pahanin.
Saint.
And a crowd of other pack members.

"Don't forget me!" Another familiar wolf came into the shrine. Anise.

"They sensed great evil in your intentions when you left. Once I came to the pack and provided some of them proof of your evil intentions, it was easy to recruit them. They won't let the Wolf of Harmony die either."

Vande, looking at the wolves who stood before him, growled viciously.

"Fine then. I'll take you ALL on at once!" Vande yelled, leaping into the air. Upon landing, he sunk into the ground, vanishing, leaving a simple plume of black smoke behind.

But he returned moments later, leaping out of the ground as if the solid surface was simply water.

But others jumped out from the ground as well.

Copies of himself. Living shadows, controlled by Vande. Each of them had one purpose.

Defeat those who stood before Vande.

Malahayati growled, "Prepare yourselves!" She yelled.

Vande responded to this, "Die the shameful deaths you deserve!"

And with that, Vande and his shadows charged forward.

And those from the Kimlascan Pack charged forward as well.

The Kimlascan Pack engaged in a fight, fighting the shadows with all their might and skill.

Malahayati, noticing this ensuing battle, ran back to Cayde's side.

She then looked up towards the staircase that led further up the shrine, and began to speak.

"O, great Kimlasca, grant me the gift of Harmony, let me make it physical. I wish to defend all I hold dear, all I hold sacred." She said, her eyes closed.

It took a few moments, but a gust of wind blew through Malahayati's fur, and when she opened her eyes, they were glowing slightly.

"Thank you." She said with a smile, looking towards the staircase again.

She then looked forward towards the battle again.

---

"Heh! Bet you didn't expect an upbeat wolf to ruin your day, huh?!" Pahanin said to a shadow, sliding under their paws and leaping over another shadow in order to tackle another one, which collapsed into a plume of black smoke, defeated and gone.

"This is for Cayde!" Saint yelled, who had played a big role in Cayde's childhood as a good friend of his. So, using brute force, he lunged towards a shadow and slammed into it, causing it to erupt into black smoke as well.

"Hey! You're gonna mess up my fur if you come any closer, I'm warning you!" Anise told a shadow that advanced closer to her. With an annoyed groan, she jumped backwards, accidentally hitting another wolf, but using that as a way to ricochet and catch the shadow off guard.

And meanwhile, the other wolves fought against other shadows, but Vande continued to create new ones. Something needed to be done soon, or else they would tire out and the shadows would overpower them!

---

Malahayati still did not fight back, despite receiving energy from what seemed to be some sort of consciousness of Kimlasca. Instead, she closed her eyes again, energy radiating off her fur for a few moments before she gave a battle cry of some sort, slamming her paws on the ground... but too far away to do any kind of damage to Vande or the shadows.

What was she doing?

The ground around Cayde was resonating with a golden glow, and there was a sound of what seemed to be something reforming, like glass... putting itself back together.

Suddenly, standing before Cayde and Malahayati was Jace, the glass guardian. Thanks to her energy granted from the shrine, she was able to use it in order to greatly speed up the repair of Jace's glass form in the shrine.

Jace, noticing the battle as well, gasped in surprise and prepared to run and fight against Vande.

"No! Look." Malahayati told him, gesturing towards Cayde, who was still unconscious.

"Oh dear..." Jace looked at him, surprised, "He isn't dead, no. I... I don't know what to do though." He replied.

"I know what you can do! You are a glass guardian. I have been shown dreams by you before, and I expect you have done the same to Cayde..." She explained, "So... try to establish a link with him via a dream. Try and find a way to get Kimlasca to commune with him in a dream that way." She added.

"I can try that, yes. But... how did you speed up the process of my reformation? Only a rush of Harmonic energy can do that, and no ordinary wolf can possess such an amount." He asked.

"I am an advocate for the Wolf of Harmony. It's a long story, we'll talk later. Help Cayde, now!" She yelled, "I'll do what I can against Vande awhile!" She said. Jace nodded in response, and she ran to assist in the battle.

"Okay... here we go," Jace said, "Only one way to do this fast."

And with that, he placed his front paws on Cayde's chest, and pressed down a bit. His paws began to lose natural fur-like properties and instead becoming what almost looked like pure glass sculptures of paws.

But it was working. A link was being established.

...

The dream picked up again.

Cayde's vision was a blur of white. For a moment he almost believed that he was dead, but he was not.

This time, he felt much more aware that this was in fact, a dream.

"Cayde..." A very calming voice spoke softly, echoing through his mind.

Cayde's vision cleared, revealing himself to be standing in what seemed to be a field of glass, with pieces of it shattered and floating around as if there was no gravity. Jace needed to be quick in establishing a link, so the environment was not the most efficient.

A familiar golden aura walked towards Cayde. An aura of Kimlasca.

"Wh...what happened...?" Cayde asked, "Where am I...?"

"Right now, Wolf of Harmony, you are unconscious, and the Glass Guardian of my shrine has established a link between himself and you, as well as the shrine itself, hence why I am here."

"Glass Guardian...? But I... I..." Cayde felt a wave of guilt.

"Fret not, Wolf of Harmony. The clever mind of a trusted ally can be very deceiving. Neither Jace nor myself will hold it against you. He is fine." Kimlasca assured.

"This link won't stay up forever. There is one thing I must do." He added.

"What is it...?" Cayde asked.

Kimlasca chuckled, "It's time you showed Vandescelda the light. It is time you and I made Harmony physical. Together." He said.

"Howl with me. Unleash Harmony." Kimlasca spoke.

Cayde nodded, and the aura of Kimlasca began to shine brighter as it stood in front of Cayde.

The field of glass began to crack, about to shatter.

But the two wolves were not afraid.

It was time to unleash Harmony.

Both Cayde and Kimlasca raised their heads to the sky, howling majestically, their howls combining into one powerful, yet graceful and beautiful howl.

...

It was such a tremendous howl that once the field of glass shattered and the dream ended, the howl echoed throughout the shrine, all before a wave of white light washed through the shrine, cleansing it of the shadows that Vande had created to assist him.

"What...?!" Vande exclaimed, turning to face Cayde, who was now slowly standing up.

Cayde's fur was radiating with white light, as if a thousand moons reflected against his white pelt. White and golden tendrils emitted from certain parts of his fur.

Courageously, Cayde slowly lifted his head, no longer looking at the ground, but now at Vande. He opened his eyes, which were now shining with a bright combination of white and gold.

"No... impossible!!" Vande took a step back, snarling.

Malahayati looked at Cayde in shock.

Jace looked at him with a triumphant and proud smile.

Pahanin's eyes glimmered with hope as she gazed at him.

Saint stared, shocked to see such a sight. The rest of the pack did as well.

Anise watched with awe, once completely unaware of who the Wolf of Harmony was, until now. Now, she knew.

Everyone knew.

Cayde's power was absolute.

He had made Harmony physical.

His fur radiated with more pure light, his eyes glowing.

"Vande, what stands before you is the sight of Harmony made physical." He said.

"I am the bringer of hope. I will shine brightest in the dark. I will overcome evil and defend the world against Chaos."

"I am the descendant of Kimlasca!"

"I am the Wolf of Harmony!!"

"I. Am. Cayde!"