Chapter 27 - Mythic Ascent.
"You failed," Solaren said.
Damon frowned. "What do you mean I failed? I did what you asked."
"You did," Solaren nodded. "But you couldn't dim it at will."
Damon's jaw tightened. "So what now?"
Solaren stepped closer. "Tell me. When it's on your fists—how does it feel?"
Damon looked down. "Like a pulsing warmth. Like it's alive in my skin."
"And when you dim it?"
"Feels like the warmth is going back into my body. I just imagine the feeling reversed."
Solaren smiled faintly. "Good. Now light up your body—but don't blind the soldiers this time."
Damon exhaled, eyes open. The glow surged, but softer, controlled.
"Now," Solaren said, "start from your arms. Imagine that reversed feeling—but all over."
Damon focused. The light dimmed, but didn't leave.
"You're dimming it," Solaren said. "But I want you to let it leave completely. You should be able to turn it on and off as you please."
Damon clenched his fists. Come on. Focus. Just let it go. He opened his hands and the light faded, disappearing completely.
"I definitely passed," he muttered.
Soldiers stared. Damon frowned. "What now?"
Solaren stepped forward. "Prince Damon… you've learned a skill that takes our average soldiers a day or more. You did it in under an hour."
Damon's brow furrowed. "Then why did you say I failed?"
Solaren gave an eerie smile. "To push you to do it better."
Damon facepalmed. "What's next?"
Solaren's grin widened—slightly terrifying.
Daiki stared at the shard. "Damon's a chosen one. That nerd got picked by The One?"
Natsuki corrected him. "The Eternal One."
"Whatever," Daiki shrugged. "What else did he tell you?"
"Why should I tell you?"
Daiki grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Come on, this is fantasy IRL!"
"Calm down," Natsuki said. "I told you everything. Jeez."
"So you'll speak to him in a week?"
"Through the shard, yes."
Daiki dropped into her chair, picked up a palette, faced the canvas. "I wish I was there to fight that thing with him."
Natsuki gave him a mocking look. "Daiki, we both know you'd be the first to run away."
"Give me more credit," he said. "I stayed when the gang was gonna attack us—before Damon took over."
"Gangs and demons are quite different."
Silence.
"I wonder how his dad's doing," Daiki said.
Natsuki pulled him up. "Let's go."
"Where are we going?" Daiki asked in confusion.
They hurried downstairs.
Vanessa caught them. "Where are you going?"
"I have to talk to Damon's dad. He's injured and doesn't know."
"But he was at the game—"
"Please, Mom. I have to see if Damon's okay."
Renji cracked open a can of Coke. "How do you expect her to let you go? It's only been half a day since that beast attacked."
Natsuki turned on the news. A female reporter on the screen "The roads are still being searched by the military. People being interviewed report a young man going toe-to-toe with this beast and—"
A man interrupted "That was no ordinary beast! It had horns, red and black every part of it felt alive! EVEN ITS BREATHING WAS SINISTER!" A policeman came and took him away.
The reporter continued "Sorry about that. While assessments are still being made, authorities have deemed the road safe."
Vanessa sighed. "Fine. But call if anything happens."
Haruto ignored them scribbling something at the table.
They left in a hurry.
At Damon's House Richard opened the door. He wasn't worried. In fact, a smile tugged at his face.
"Mr. Vale, are you okay?" Natsuki asked.
"I'm fine. And I told you—call me Richard."
Daiki squinted. "Your face says something different."
Richard smiled. "I know I'm supposed to be worried. But I feel… ease. Like everything will be fine."
Natsuki sat, exhaled. "I hope so."
Daiki asked, "Did he tell you a day on Woewyn is a week on Earth?"
"Oh," Richard said. "He must've forgotten."
Back on Woewyn Tolrex gestured to the chair. "Sit Daichi."
Daichi leapt up, paws landing on the binding seat.
A dark stone throne veined with silver light. Runes flared as a crystal core pulsed. Restraints hummed with energy.
Tolrex muttered, "I know you can understand me, but I won't understand anything you bark."
He grunted. "Should've told Damon about this. It'll hurt a bit—but only this time."
Daichi barked low. "Okay, no one told me transforming would hurt. Let me think about this."
Tolrex glanced at the scientists.
One said, "I think he agrees."
Daichi barked in disagreement.
They didn't understand.
They continued anyway.
"I think we can begin Resonant Stride," Solaren said turning to the wall.
Daichi's voice echoed in Damon's mind. "Damon, you need to get here and speak to Tolrex."
"What's wrong?"
"He said it's gonna hurt. You have to come. I don't wanna do this anymore. I'm content with my dog form. Oh no—he's starting!"
Damon dashed out, pushing past a soldier. "Sorry!"
Solaren turned. "Where's that boy gone?"
"Where are you?" Damon asked.
"Two lefts and two rights."
Then a sharp, guttural bark-like cry.
"Tell Tolrex not to start!"
"He doesn't understand me! Besides, he hasn't started yet."
"Then why are you squealing?"
"Stop asking questions and get me out of this chair!"
Damon reached the door.
Too late.
Transparent wires surged eterna into Daichi.
Damon hit the door. "Let me in!"
Tolrex yelled, "I can't open it! If we stop now, it'll kill him!"
Daichi's bark slowly became a growl. His silhouette stretched, limbs elongated, claws sharpened. His voice deepened. Brown eyes burned away into argent light—silver irises glowing like twin moons.
One scientist panicked. "We need to stabilize it!"
The other whispered, " How? He's absorbing it by choice."
BOOM...It blew.
A couple minutes later—
A big, pack-leader silhouette. White fur streaked in silver. Eyes glowing argent with primal intelligence. Lean, powerful, balanced. Claws like tempered steel. Aura flickering with spectral wolves. More than animal it was mythic.
Damon smiled.
Daichi walked to Tolrex—each step echoed dominance.
Tolrex stepped back. "Calm down, doggy. Calm down."
Daichi's eyes pierced him.
Damon burst in. To his surprise Daichi was licking Tolrex.
"I thought you'd eat him," Damon said.
"So did I," Tolrex muttered, wiping saliva.
Daichi looked at his paws. "I like this form."
He saw his reflection in the glass. "My eyes are… silver."
He placed two paws on Damon's chest, two on the floor. "What do you think she'll say?"
"Who?"
"Natsuki, of course."
"You just became a wolf and you're wondering what a human would think?"
"Natsuki isn't like any human I've ever met. I wonder if she'll look at me the same way."
Damon pet his head—larger now, fur thicker. "Natsuki will always think good of you," he said, smiling.
Damon helped the scientists up, adjusted the dark bangles on his sleeveless arms. "Sorry for the mess. Tolrex, I owe you."
Tolrex nodded. "It's an honor that the prince owes me. Do take note of this though, he will get larger. Right now he is only slightly larger than a pack leader."
"What else can Daichi do?" Damon asked. "Or is he just a normal wolf?"
Tolrex shrugged. "I don't know how strong a normal wolf is on Earth. Why don't we test it?"
They returned to the training hall.
Solaren approached, slightly annoyed. "Prince Damon, do you abruptly leave class on Earth?"
"I'm sorry," Damon said. "I thought Daichi was in trouble."
"Who is Daichi?"
Daichi stepped forward.
Solaren looked down. "Your bond is bigger than average. He looks like a pack leader."
Tolrex greeted Solaren. "Can we borrow your OMD?"
"Use that one," Solaren said, pointing.
Tolrex turned to Daichi. "Hit it with all your force."
Daichi ran. Palm-blend strike. The numbers skyrocketed.
Soldiers stared. Tolrex's jaw dropped.
Solaren asked, "Do you have elephants on Earth?"
"Yes," Damon said. "Why?"
"Because that one strike could kill one."
Damon looked at Daichi, playfully afraid.
Daichi growled low. "Ohhh, I can finally hunt those crows down now."
Damon laughed. "Dude, you can hunt more than crows."
A large howl echoed—loud enough to reach the other side of the hall.
Daichi grinned. "I can finally howl."
Damon stood in front of him, one arm crossed over his chest, the other hand resting under his chin, head tilted forward "What else can you do?"