NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44: Survive
Warlock Ch 44. Survive
She paused, her eyes softening as she continued. "He could have destroyed this world. Easily. But he didn't. He chose to run, to hide, rather than become the monster they thought he was. That's why I could never hate him. He was a bright person—so full of hope and light before everything turned against him. He wasn't a villain, no matter what the world believed."
Damian absorbed her words in silence. It was clear now that her mentor hadn't been the evil figure he'd imagined. He wasn't power-hungry or cruel. He was just... pitiful. A man who had been hunted, feared, and forced into a corner by society.
Damian frowned, the nagging question still burning in his mind. "Then why did he choose that path?" he asked quietly. "If he didn't want to be dangerous, why didn't he stop before things got out of hand?"
Evelyn's eyes glistened with an emotion Damian couldn't quite name. "Because they didn't give him a choice," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "Once people decide you're a threat, they don't stop to listen. They didn't care about his intentions anymore. All they saw was his power, and they couldn't stand the idea of someone that strong being free. So they hunted him, cornered him. He ran, but there's only so much running you can do before you have to fight back. And when he did, it only proved their fears right."
Damian felt his stomach twist at the thought. "He fought back?"
Evelyn nodded, her gaze distant. "He had to. They left him no choice. But even then... even with all his power, he didn't want to hurt anyone. He just wanted to survive." She paused, her voice growing softer. "But after a while, survival became the only thing he could focus on. It consumed him, changed him. He wasn't the same man I knew. He was lost, afraid, and alone. His smile was gone. He looked brokenhearted and lonely."
Damian swallowed, the knot in his throat tightening. "And that's why you don't want me to end up like him."
"Exactly," Evelyn said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want you to be consumed by power or fear. You have a chance to control this, to stay yourself. But I'm scared, because I've seen how fast it can change someone. How quickly the world turns on you when you have something they can't control."
Damian felt a chill run through him. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared too. Scared of what the mark on his hand meant, scared of the dreams, of the power that seemed to be growing inside him faster than he could handle. He didn't want to end up like Evelyn's mentor—feared, hunted, and forced into a corner where the only option was destruction or hiding.
"I won't let that happen," Damian said, his voice stronger than he felt. "I refuse to live such a pitiful life."
Evelyn's eyes softened at his words, her gaze steady as she studied his face. There was a quiet intensity in the way she looked at him, like she was searching for something beneath the surface. For a moment, she didn't respond.
Finally, she nodded, her voice gentle but firm. "I know you won't. You're different. You don't have the same bitterness or desperation that he did. You still have hope, and that's what makes you stronger than you think."
Damian let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, his chest feeling a little lighter at her words. "I'm trying. I really am. But sometimes... I don't know if I'm strong enough to handle all of this. It feels like everything's moving too fast."
She stepped closer, her presence calming in the dim light of the room. "You don't have to handle it all right now," she said softly. "One step at a time. You're already doing more than anyone could've expected. But you don't have to rush. You're not alone in this."
He met her eyes, a flicker of doubt still lingering in his chest. "What if I mess up?"
Evelyn's hand gently rested on his arm, her touch grounding him. "You won't," she said, her voice full of certainty. "You people who care about you. You have me, Cassius... even Fenrith." She smiled softly, her fingers squeezing his arm reassuringly.
Damian chuckled, though it came out a little shaky. "Fenrith, huh? So my terrifying three-headed wolf is gonna keep me in check?"
Evelyn laughed lightly. "He might. But you don't need a guardian, Damian. You're more than capable of guiding yourself. You just have to trust that you'll know when something's wrong. Trust your instincts. You know the path you want to take."
Damian looked down at his hand, at the warlock mark that had been growing. The doubts still swirled in his mind, but Evelyn's confidence in him... It made him feel like maybe, just maybe, he could keep himself grounded. He wasn't alone in this. He didn't have to carry it all by himself.
"Thanks, Evelyn," he said quietly, his voice more sincere than he expected. "I mean it. I don't know what I'd be doing right now if you weren't around."
She brushed a lock of hair from his face, her touch gentle, and for a moment, her gaze lingered on him. "You'd figure it out," she said with a soft smile. "But I'm glad I'm here anyway."
Damian smiled back. Somehow… His heart felt lighter. The heaviness faded a little, replaced by something that felt more like hope.
Without warning, Evelyn leaned in, her hand still resting on his arm, and brushed her lips softly against his. It wasn't rushed or intense, just a soft, lingering kiss that left Damian momentarily stunned, his heart racing in his chest.
When she pulled back, there was a gentle smile on her lips, and she gave him a playful nudge. "Now, get back to those books," she teased lightly. "You've still got a lot to learn."