Warlock Ch 4. Mana Core
He looked up, the artifact still glowing faintly in front of him, its presence now quiet, but there was no mistaking it—it had chosen him. The Warlock's Contract System had installed itself inside him. The potential it unlocked, the power it promised... it was his now.
But why?
"Why me?" Damian muttered, standing up on shaky legs. His body felt stronger, more alive than it ever had before, but his mind was racing with questions. What did it want from him? And more importantly... What was he supposed to do next?
Just as he was about to reach out to the artifact again, everything around him began to shift. The void collapsed in on itself, the darkness giving way to light. Before he could react, the world snapped back into place, and Damian found himself standing back in the pub, Evelyn staring at him with wide, knowing eyes.
She didn't say a word, but the look on her face told him everything he needed to know.
She knew exactly what had just happened.
Damian locked eyes with Evelyn, the room still spinning slightly from whatever the hell that artifact had done to him. His heart was racing, his mind still trying to wrap itself around the strange words that had flashed across his vision.
Warlock. Pact. Magic.
He had heard those terms before, but they belonged in stories—not in his life. Not here. Not like this.
Evelyn's face was calm, but there was a storm of thoughts behind her eyes. She exhaled slowly, as if she was calculating her next move. Finally, she spoke, her voice steady, but laced with an edge of urgency. "You felt it, didn't you? The power?"
Damian swallowed hard, flexing his fingers. He could still feel that strange energy thrumming beneath his skin, like a pulse. "What... What just happened to me?" His voice sounded shaky, even to him.
"That artifact," Evelyn began, her eyes flickering toward the spot where it had manifested in that strange, blank space. "It's not just some relic. It's part of you. It wasn't an object you found—it's your own mana core."
"My what?" Damian stared at her like she'd just started speaking another language, which, for all intents and purposes, she had. "Mana core? What does that even mean? Is this... inside me?"
Evelyn gave a slow nod, taking a step closer to him. "Not everyone has a mana core. It's rare, especially in someone who's lived their entire life without knowing. Your mana core is the source of your magic. It was dormant inside you, hidden, until tonight." She paused, her eyes scanning his face like she was searching for something. "The artifact you saw? That was your core, awakening."
Damian opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. Inside him? This power had been inside him the whole time? How was that even possible? He didn't feel powerful. He was just... him.
Evelyn seemed to sense his confusion and continued. "Warlocks are different from other magic users. Witches, like me, we learn spells, tap into different sources of magic. But a warlock like you? Your power comes from bonds. Emotional, magical, sometimes even... intimate bonds. The Warlock's Contract System is tied to that mana core, and now that it's awakened, you're going to be drawn into the world you never knew existed."
Damian's mind raced. Warlocks. Contracts. Bonds. It sounded... wild. And yet, after everything that had just happened, he couldn't deny the strange truth of it. He glanced down at his hand, where a faint glow caught his eye. His breath hitched.
There, etched into the back of his hand, was a mark—faint, but unmistakable. Dark, intricate lines wove into a pattern that almost looked like an ancient sigil. It pulsed softly with a dim, dark energy, like it was alive.
"What the hell is this?" Damian asked, holding his hand up to the light. "This... wasn't here before."
"It's the mark of the Warlock's Contract," Evelyn said quietly, stepping closer to examine it. "It's proof that your system is active. That mark will grow, change, as you form more pacts. It's your connection to the supernatural world now."
Damian's pulse quickened as he stared at the glowing mark. "So this is it? I'm... a warlock now?"
Evelyn nodded, her expression serious. "Yes. And that changes everything. You're going to be a target now."
"A target?" Damian frowned, trying to piece it all together. "A target for what?"
"The magical world isn't some fairytale," Evelyn said, her voice dropping slightly. "There are warlocks, witches, and creatures that exist in secret, hidden from normal people. And Haven City... it's one of the most dangerous places for someone like you."
Her words hit him hard. He had lived in Haven City his entire life, oblivious to the world she was talking about. And now, in just a matter of minutes, his life had been flipped upside down.
"Wait," Damian said, the gravity of her words starting to sink in. "Why would I be a target? I didn't ask for any of this."
"You didn't have to," Evelyn said, her tone grim. "There are factions, rival warlocks, supernatural creatures who will see your awakening as an opportunity. You're new to this. You don't know how to control your power yet. That makes you vulnerable. There are those who will try to manipulate you, exploit your abilities for their own gain. And worse—some might try to take what you have by force."
Damian took a deep breath, the weight of it all pressing down on him. This wasn't just some random bit of magic that had been thrown his way. He was in the middle of something much bigger, something he wasn't prepared for.
"So... what do I do now?" Damian asked, his voice quieter than before.
Evelyn's eyes softened just a little. "You need to come with me. I can help you. But we don't have time to waste. If your mana core has awakened completely, others will have sensed it. We need to get out of here. Now."