For a moment after Damien spoke, the forest held its breath.
The valley had gone unnaturally still.
Three demons stood across the clearing, their bodies tense, claws extended, eyes locked onto the human standing calmly before them.
They had expected panic.
Maybe an attempt to escape.
Instead they found a boy who looked… almost bored. He looked like he's found new toys to play with. Except... They were the toys.
The blade-backed demon chuckled first.
"So this is the human they warned us about?"
The scaled demon cracked its neck.
"You walked into your own grave."
The tracker demon simply smiled, its nostrils flaring as it studied Damien more carefully.
But Damien didn't move.
Didn't even shift his stance.
Instead, he sighed quietly and rolled his shoulders as though the entire situation was mildly inconvenient.
Then he raised one hand.
"Fenrir."
The white wolf stepped forward.
