Warlock Ch 30. Old Friend…
"Shit!" he cursed, scrambling to his feet, his mind racing. He couldn't keep dodging forever. Fenrith was too fast, too strong. He needed a plan, and fast.
He glanced around the room. The space was empty, save for the magical barrier protecting Cassius and Evelyn. There was nothing he could use as cover, no way to outmaneuver Fenrith in such a confined space. But then something clicked in his mind. 'Use your surroundings. Don't rely on brute force!' Cassius's words from earlier echoed in his head.
The beast was bigger, stronger, but Damian was faster. He could use that. He just needed to keep moving, stay one step ahead, and find an opening.
"Okay, think," Damian muttered under his breath, circling Fenrith as the wolf tracked his every move. He needed to wear the beast down, create an opportunity to strike.
Fenrith growled, its middle head lunging forward again. This time, Damian was ready. He ducked low, using his momentum to slide under the beast's snapping jaws. As he slid, he summoned another [Dark Bolt], firing it directly into Fenrith's exposed underbelly.
[Fenrith] took 45 damage.
The hit connected, and Fenrith roared in pain, stumbling slightly. Damian's heart leapt with hope. He could hurt it. He just needed to keep up the pressure. But Fenrith wasn't done yet. The beast spun around, one of its heads snapping at Damian's leg. He barely had time to jump back, the teeth grazing his skin as he narrowly avoided being bitten.
The near miss sent a surge of adrenaline through him. Damian gritted his teeth, pushing through the fear. He couldn't afford to hesitate. Every second he hesitated was a second closer to getting killed.
Fenrith growled again, more furious this time. Its three heads fanned out, each one ready to attack from a different angle. Damian could feel the tension in the air, the sheer power radiating from the creature. It lunged again, this time with all three heads snapping in unison, trying to corner him.
Damian dodged left, then right, barely avoiding the strikes. His muscles screamed in protest, his body already exhausted from the earlier training, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't let up.
"Keep moving, Damian!" Cassius shouted from behind the barrier. "You've got this!"
'Easy for you to say,' Damian thought bitterly. But he kept moving, dodging and weaving, waiting for another opening.
Then, it came. Fenrith lunged again, but this time, one of its heads misjudged the distance, its massive jaws slamming into the ground. For a brief moment, the beast was off balance, its middle head low to the ground.
'Now!'
Damian summoned his magic again, but instead of firing another bolt, he focused on something more powerful. He raised both hands. "Dark Chains!" he shouted, releasing the spell.
The shadowy tendrils shot out from his hands, wrapping around Fenrith's legs and middle head, binding the beast in place. The chains tightened, pulling the creature to the ground with a heavy thud.
[Fenrith] is bound for 10 seconds.
Fenrith thrashed, all three heads snarling and snapping at the air, but the chains held tight. Damian didn't waste a second. He summoned another [Dark Bolt], firing it directly into the beast's exposed side.
The bolt hit hard, and Fenrith let out a pained roar, its health bar dipping lower.
[Fenrith] took 60 damage.
But the chains wouldn't hold forever. Damian could feel them weakening as Fenrith struggled harder, its sheer strength threatening to break free. He needed to act fast.
"Damian!" Cassius's voice cut through the chaos. "You've weakened it. Finish it off!"
Damian's heart pounded in his chest. He was exhausted, every muscle in his body screaming in protest, but he couldn't stop now. He had to finish this.
Fenrith roared, finally breaking free from the chains. One of its heads lunged at Damian, snapping its jaws inches from his face. He ducked low, rolling to the side as the beast's massive paw slammed into the ground where he'd been standing.
This was it. His window was closing. He had one shot to take Fenrith down for good.
His hands crackled with dark energy as he prepared his attack. "Dark Bolt!" he shouted, unleashing the most powerful blast he could muster.
The bolt hit Fenrith square in the chest, sending a shockwave through the room. The beast let out one final, deafening roar as its health bar dipped.
[Fenrith] took 100 damage.
But Fenrith wasn't done. It lunged again, this time with more desperation, its middle head snapping at Damian's throat. He barely managed to throw up a [Shadow Barrier], the dark shield absorbing the brunt of the attack.
[A barrier has formed!]
The impact rattled him, nearly knocking him off his feet, but he held firm. Fenrith's health was low. He could feel the creature weakening, its movements growing more sluggish.
Now was his chance.
Damian raised his hand once more, summoning the last bit of energy he had left. His fingers tingled with raw power as he formed another [Dark Bolt]. This time, he aimed for Fenrith's heart. The bolt flew from his hand, crackling through the air and slamming into the beast with a thunderous impact.
[Fenrith] took 120 damage.
Fenrith roared, its body trembling as the last of its strength faded. The beast staggered, its three heads lowering in defeat. Damian could feel the shift—the creature was finally giving in.
"Now, Damian!" Cassius shouted. "Seal the pact!"
Damian's heart raced as he stepped forward, his hand still crackling with dark energy. He raised his arm. "Be my servant…" he said.
Fenrith's heads lowered in submission. A sign that it agreed.
"Pact Creation."
The beast bowed before Damian as the pact took hold.
[Pact Creation]
Target: Fenrith
Success Rate: 85%
A swirling magic formation appeared beneath Fenrith, intricate runes glowing as they carved themselves into the floor. Energy crackled through the room, binding Damian and the beast in a thread of magic. For a moment, everything went perfectly still.
[Pact Successful: Fenrith is now your servant.]
Damian panted heavily as the battle finally caught up with him. His muscles ached, his magic reserves were completely drained, but he had done it. He had tamed Fenrith.
Cassius approached him, his expression one of approval mixed with a hint of pride. "Well done, Damian. You've taken your first step toward becoming a true warlock."
Damian nodded weakly, still catching his breath. "I... I thought I was done for."
Cassius smiled faintly. "You were never out of the fight. You just needed to realize your own strength."
Damian looked up at Fenrith, the massive wolf now standing calmly beside him. The adrenaline in his veins was fading, replaced by the deep ache of exhaustion. His legs wobbled beneath him, and his vision blurred as if the world was slipping away. He had actually done it—he had tamed the beast. But his body couldn't keep up with the rush of magic that had surged through him during the fight.
His gaze flickered back to Cassius, who was watching him closely. Damian's knees buckled, the last of his strength giving out. The world tilted as he collapsed, the ground rushing up to meet him. But before he could hit the cold, hard floor, Cassius appeared in a blur of movement, teleporting in front of him and catching him effortlessly. The warlock's grip was firm, steadying Damian's limp body just before everything went black.
"Welcome back to the real world of warlocks, old friend," Cassius said softly, his voice filled with a sense of finality and... familiarity.
'Old friend?' Damian's thoughts struggled to piece together what Cassius had said. 'I'm not your friend... we've never even met...' But the exhaustion was too much, pulling him under. Before he could question it, before he could ask what Cassius meant, darkness consumed him, and he passed out.