Damien pushed through the thick fog, his steps purposeful as he followed the direction the shadowy figure had pointed toward.
Fenrir remained by his side, its ears perked and alert, though even the wolf seemed to sense the unease hanging in the air.
The further they walked, the heavier the atmosphere became. The dense magic essence seemed to weigh on Damien’s shoulders, pressing against his very being.
When the fog began to clear, Damien stopped in his tracks, his breath catching in his throat. Before him stood a female figure, her presence striking and otherworldly.
She stood in the center of a small, circular clearing, her body cloaked in flowing garments that shimmered faintly with the light of the place. Her face was obscured by a delicate veil, but something about her presence captivated Damien entirely.
Though her features were hidden, he felt as though he could see her beauty—a beauty that defied description.
She seemed perfect in every way, a vision pulled straight from the most divine of dreams. For a moment, Damien found himself frozen, lost in her presence.
‘What… is she?’ Damien thought, his mind struggling to piece together what he was seeing.
The spell broke suddenly as a wave of sharp, suffocating bloodlust washed over him. Damien stiffened, his instincts screaming at him that this figure, no matter how beautiful, was dangerous.
Then, she spoke.
“Well then, it’s nice that you’ve come this far. Let’s put you to a test, shall we? Fenrir, get over here.”
Her voice was unlike anything he had ever heard before—melodious, hypnotic, and utterly enthralling.
Her words were elegant, but Damien found himself unable to focus on what she was saying. It wasn’t the content of her speech that held him, but the sound of it, as if her voice was a song weaving itself into his mind.
“Who are you?” Damien forced out, trying to anchor himself against the seductive pull of her voice, despite missing all what she’d said earlier.
The female figure tilted her head slightly, as if amused by his struggle.
Damien’s attention was pulled away when he noticed Fenrir walking toward her. At first, he thought the wolf was simply drawn to the figure’s strange aura, but when it didn’t stop or respond to his calls, unease began to crawl up his spine.
“Fenrir,” he called sharply, his voice edged with concern. The wolf ignored him.
“Fenrir, stop!” Damien’s voice grew louder, tinged with panic as his summon continued its steady approach.
Still, the wolf paid him no heed.
A sinking realization hit him, and Damien immediately tried to cancel the summon. He concentrated, reaching out to sever his link with Fenrir, but nothing happened. The bond refused to break.
His blood ran cold. ‘What the hell is going on?’
“What did you do to him?” Damien barked, his voice rising with frustration and fear as he turned back to the figure.
The woman remained still, her head tilting slightly again, as if studying him. Her lack of response only fueled his anger.
“Release him!” Damien shouted, his fists clenching.
But instead of releasing Fenrir, the woman spoke softly—barely above a whisper. “Get him.”
Though Damien couldn’t fully catch the words, their effect was immediate.
Fenrir turned toward him, its glowing red eyes locking onto his with an intensity that sent chills down his spine.
“Fenrir…” Damien whispered, his heart sinking as the wolf’s stance shifted. Its fur bristled, and its lips curled back into a snarl.
It lunged.
Damien reacted instinctively, dodging to the side just as Fenrir’s massive form came crashing down where he had stood. “Damn it! Summon Cerbe!” he hissed, summoning his Three-Headed Hound.
Cerbe materialized instantly, its three heads snapping to attention. “Stop Fenrir!” Damien ordered, pointing at the Monstrous Wolf.
But as Cerbe prepared to act, the female figure spoke again, her voice carrying the same hypnotic melody. “Cerbe, join Fenrir and attack.”
This time, Cerbe froze. Its body shuddered, and a low growl escaped from its throats as its eyes turned blood red, just like Fenrir’s.
“No… no, no, no,” Damien muttered, his chest tightening.
Cerbe turned toward him, its stance mirroring Fenrir’s. Before Damien could react, both of his summons charged him, their coordinated attacks leaving him barely enough time to dodge.
Desperation clawed at him. He summoned his other mana beasts—Aquila, Luton, and his newest summon,Skylar—hoping their combined strength could counter whatever hold the figure had on his summons.
However, the moment they appeared, the woman’s soft words reached them as well. “Welcome. Join the team.”
One by one, his summons turned against him, their once-loyal gazes now filled with bloodlust.
Damien was forced onto the defensive as the beasts attacked relentlessly. Each strike, each claw, each snap of their jaws chipped away at him.
Blood dripped from cuts on his arms and legs as he struggled to stay standing. His stamina dwindled rapidly, his breathing growing ragged.
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“Damn it! Stop!” he roared, his voice cracking as he tried again to cancel his summons. It was useless.
He felt Fenrir’s claws rake across his back, sending him sprawling to the ground. Cerbe’s flames seared the air around him, narrowly missing as he rolled to the side.
The ground beneath him shook as Aquila swooped low, its talons carving deep grooves into his body along with the earth.
His strength was failing. His vision blurred. He could feel his life force draining away with every second.
“This can’t be the end, right?” he whispered hoarsely, his body trembling as he struggled to push himself up.
Then, as if sensing he was on the verge of collapse, the woman spoke again. Her voice, soft and commanding, reached his ears. “That’s enough.”
The attacks stopped.
Damien looked up in confusion, his breaths ragged. His summons stood still, their glowing red eyes fading as they were unsummoned one by one.
The female figure began walking toward him, her movements graceful and deliberate. She stopped just in front of his battered form, her veil shifting slightly as she looked down at him.
Damien tried to move, but his body refused to obey. He could only watch as she sighed softly, shaking her head.
“You still aren’t ready yet,” she said, her voice tinged with disappointment.
With that, the world around him began to fade. Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision, swallowing the ethereal landscape piece by piece until there was nothing left. Damien has passed out.