Warlock Ch 366. Is This His Punishnt?
There was a hint of sothing in his voice—sothing small and frayed at the edges. Not regret. Not really. Just... weariness. The kind that ca from carrying too much for too long.
He turned slightly, just enough for her to see the side of his face. There was a faint smile there—tired, yes, but determined.
"I chose this path," he said. "I'm the one who started it, so I'll be the one to end it."
Selena didn't reply.
She couldn't.
She could only watch as the summoning crystals flared again, casting wild shadows across the hall as two more monsters ford. This ti, they ca out roaring—Cerberians again, bigger than the last wave, their bodies pulsing with unstable energy.
Before they had even fully materialized, they lunged—fast, coordinated, one flanking from the side, the other barreling straight at Damian's exposed back.
Selena's heart stopped.
"Damian—!"
But he was already moving.
He jumped back, just before the first set of jaws snapped where his neck had been, twisting midair with that inhuman grace that made it look effortless.
The [Hellfire Spear] appeared again in a burst of fla, summoned to his hand like it had always belonged there.
He didn't hesitate.
Mid-spin, he reversed his grip and drove the spear down into the skull of the Cerberian charging from below. The point pierced through hide and bone with a sickening crunch, and the creature's montum carried it into the floor in a heap of smoke and burning flesh.
The second ca at him from behind.
Damian yanked the spear free with a hiss and rolled across the ground, narrowly avoiding a bite that would've taken off his leg. He ca up on one knee, blood trailing down his arm where one of the claws had grazed him.
His eyes burned.
Selena stared.
She'd never seen anyone move like that.
He wasn't just fighting. He was flowing—adapting to every move, every counter. Like he knew what they'd do before they even thought of it.
The monster howled, charging again.
Damian didn't flinch.
[Dark Chains]
The floor erupted with shadowy tendrils that lashed out, anchoring the beast's limbs in place. It struggled, snarling, but the chains held fast.
[Curse of Agony]
Dark energy spiraled into the air before slamming into the monster's chest. It let out a screech, its movents slowing, its skin visibly corroding.
And Damian?
He just walked toward it.
Step by step.
No panic. No hesitation.
His spear ignited again in crimson fla, brighter than before. He launched forward with a roar that matched the monster's, slamming the weapon into its core and twisting it until the entire thing exploded in a burst of ash and fire.
Then silence.
Thick, heavy silence.
Selena stood frozen.
Damian was breathing hard, bloodied and burnt, his clothes half-shredded. But his eyes—his eyes were still sharp. Focused.
He didn't even acknowledge the victory.
Just turned toward the summoning crystals again.
Because he knew.
Another wave was coming.
Selena watched all of it.
And she didn't say a word.
Not because she didn't want to.
But because she didn't know how.
She had never felt more useless. More helpless. She was a trained magi, a noble of the fae court. She'd been in battles before. She'd cast spells, defended cities, negotiated with diplomats that could kill with a whisper.
But here?
She was just watching.
Watching soone she—
No.
She wasn't going to say that word yet.
But it was there. Sitting just beneath her ribs like a heartbeat too fast.
What scared her more wasn't the monsters, or the magic, or even the way Damian tore through them without rcy.
What scared her was how alone he looked.
He was surrounded by power. But there was no warmth in it. No joy.
Every spell. Every strike. Every kill—it wasn't for victory.
It was for release.
A vent for everything locked behind his eyes.
She rembered the look he'd given her when she first found him in the forest years ago.
Wounded.
But quiet.
Lonely.
And now?
He was still wounded.
Still quiet.
Still so damn alone.
She wrapped her arms around herself, watching as he wiped blood from his cheek, only for more to slide down from a new gash.
"I don't want to repeat the sa things," he'd said.
Was this what he ant?
Was this his punishnt?
'Damian…'
Selena took a breath.
It was shallow. Tight. One of those breaths that didn't actually calm anything, didn't steady the storm building behind her ribs. Her eyes remained locked on Damian—still fighting, still burning. She didn't even know how long he had been down there now. An hour? Two? Ti had blurred into ash and spells and fire.
A voice ca from her side, soft and low.
"You look about to cry, Princess."
Selena flinched.
She turned.
It was Evelyn.
The witch leaned casually against the far wall beside the observation platform, arms folded across her chest, her eyes fixed on Damian below. Her expression, as always, was unreadable—cool, composed, like she'd already seen this scene a hundred tis before.
"I'm not crying," Selena said too quickly. "I'm just—"
"Worried?" Evelyn cut in.
Selena hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."
There was a pause. Evelyn didn't turn to look at her. She just kept watching Damian, lips twitching upward in a knowing sort of way.
"Yeah," she said quietly. " too."
Selena's heart twisted a little.
"But this view," Evelyn added, almost like she was comnting on the weather, "is normal. So get used to it."
Selena stared at her, stunned. "This is normal?"
Evelyn finally looked over, one brow raised. "You think this is bad? You should've seen the first week after he returned from the exam. He trained until he coughed blood. Cassius nearly locked the training room, but Damian threatened to leave if he did."
Selena's eyes widened. "He… what?"
Evelyn smiled, but it was tired. "You'll be shocked how far he pushes himself. Even without being asked."
"Why?" Selena asked, voice barely above a whisper. "Why would he go that far? Isn't he already strong enough?"
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