Instead of swinging the stick again, Sol simply closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, releasing a tiny, microscopic wisp of his Free Use power outward into the clearing.
It was not a technique that required gestures or shouted commands. It simply sank into the nearest living minds and took root.
An invisible, subterranean wave of absolute, terrifying spiritual dominance expanded from his body like a silent shockwave.
It didn't carry physical force, nor did it kick up dust, but the moment it washed over the remaining shadow-wolves, the world stopped turning for them.
The six circling wolves instantly froze in their tracks.
Their snarls died in their throats. Their glowing eyes lost every shred of intelligence and ferocity, instantly turning blank, glassy, and utterly hollow.
Their minds, raw and primitive, were completely hijacked, overwhelmed, and rewritten by Sol's absolute will in less time than it took for a heart to beat.
