The Covenant Seal

The room held its breath as Luke and Lila faced the twin-headed chimera wolf. Its glowing eyes burned with malice, saliva hissing as it dripped onto the already-scorched floorboards. The beast radiated raw aggression, its snarls vibrating through the walls of the Hale estate. Behind Luke, his siblings were silent but tense, their fear palpable in the charged air.

The chimera wolf crouched, its muscles rippling as it prepared to strike.

"Stay behind me," Luke ordered, his voice firm but laced with tension. His Bet symbol glowed brighter than before on his forehead, and his mana veins pulsed with the effort of maintaining his focus. At the Bet level, he didn't have much raw power at his disposal, but he had tools—tools he'd have to use creatively if they were going to survive.

Lila floated at his side, her golden eyes sharp and focused. "Luke, you can't overpower it. Use the space. Outmaneuver it." Just then the barrier Lila had created faded from existence.

Luke nodded, and rapidly summoned his mana cloak. His jaw tightened as the Chimera Wolf lunged.

The beast moved with terrifying speed, both heads snapping toward him with jaws wide open. Luke barely managed to throw up a small mana barrier, the Bet symbol flaring brightly as the glowing blue shield materialized just inches from his face. The wolf crashed into the barrier, the impact sending shockwaves through Luke's arms and legs. His knees buckled, and the barrier cracked under the sheer force.

"Not enough," Luke muttered through gritted teeth, releasing the barrier before it shattered entirely. He sidestepped as the wolf's left head lunged again, this time narrowly missing his shoulder. Its claws raked across the floorboards, carving deep gouges into the wood.

Luke pivoted, using the momentum to drive his elbow into the beast's ribcage. His mana-enhanced strike landed with a resounding thud, forcing the chimera wolf to stumble to the side. But the second head was already twisting toward him, its jaws snapping dangerously close to his thigh.

"Luke!" Lila shouted.

He leaped back, narrowly avoiding the bite, but the wolf was relentless. It pressed the attack, its bulk driving Luke toward the far wall. He braced himself as the beast lunged again, this time slamming its entire weight against him. The air rushed out of his lungs as his back hit the wall hard.

The wolf's claws came up, aiming for his chest. Instinct took over, and Luke summoned another barrier, smaller and more focused, wrapping it tightly around his forearms like gauntlets. He caught the wolf's claws just inches from his face, the force of the impact reverberating down his arms. The shield cracked, but it held.

"Luke, watch out!" Lila's voice rang out again.

The second chimera wolf crashed through the doorway, its bulk smashing the frame into splinters. This one was larger, its twin heads snarling in perfect unison. The scarred head on its left snarled deeply, a guttural sound that vibrated through the room.

Luke's heart pounded. "Two of them," he muttered. "Great."

The second wolf didn't hesitate. It lunged straight for him, its claws extended. Luke dropped to the floor, rolling just in time to avoid the strike. The first wolf, still on top of him, snapped at his arm. He twisted, using his mana-enhanced legs to shove the beast off him with a powerful kick.

Both wolves now circled him, their glowing eyes filled with primal rage.

"Lila," Luke said, breathing heavily. "Suggestions?"

"Divide them," Lila said, her hands weaving golden glyphs in the air. "If they stay together, you won't last."

Luke nodded. He stepped to the side, drawing the wolves' attention, and then darted toward the far side of the room. His enhanced speed gave him just enough of an edge to outpace the chimera wolves as they lunged after him. He vaulted over the overturned desk, sliding into position near the fireplace.

The first wolf leaped onto the desk, its claws scattering papers and splinters. It lunged, but Luke ducked low, grabbing one of the broken desk legs. He channeled his remaining mana into the improvised weapon, its surface glowing faintly as the energy infused it.

The second wolf came at him from the side, its jaws snapping. Luke pivoted, swinging the mana-charged desk leg with all his strength. The blow landed on the wolf's scarred head, making it yelp in pain and stumble back. But the first wolf was already upon him, both heads lunging in unison.

Luke raised his barrier just in time. The twin jaws clamped down on the shimmering shield, their combined force sending cracks spidering through it. Sweat dripped down Luke's face as he struggled to hold the barrier together.

"Lila!" he shouted.

Golden chains shot forward from Lila's glyphs, wrapping around the first wolf's legs. The beast roared, thrashing violently as it tried to free itself. "I've got this one," Lila said, her voice strained. "Focus on the other!"

The second wolf recovered quickly, its scarred head glaring at Luke with burning malice. It crouched low, preparing to pounce. Luke's mind raced. He didn't have the raw power to take it head-on, but he could outthink it.

He glanced at the fireplace. The iron poker lay discarded on the hearth, its tip glowing faintly from the residual heat. An idea formed.

As the wolf lunged, Luke sidestepped, letting it crash into the wall behind him. He dove for the poker, grabbing it just as the beast recovered. It turned, both heads snarling, and charged again.

Luke swung the poker in a wide arc, the glowing metal slamming into the wolf's side. The beast howled in pain, but it didn't stop. One of its heads snapped at the poker, its teeth closing around the shaft and yanking it from Luke's grasp.

"Damn it," Luke muttered. He backed toward the fireplace, his mind scrambling for another plan.

The first wolf, still bound by Lila's chains, roared and thrashed violently. "Luke," Lila said through gritted teeth, "I can't hold this much longer!"

The second wolf advanced on him, its scarred head dripping with viscous, glowing saliva. Luke's eyes darted to the hearth again, landing on the pile of kindling stacked beside it.

An idea struck him.

He grabbed a handful of the dried wood and hurled it at the wolf's heads. The beast snarled in confusion, its eyes flicking to the debris. Using the distraction, Luke kicked the remaining embers in the fireplace into the eyes of the beast's left head. The Chimera Wolf growled and whimpered in pain, pawing helplessly at its burned face and eyes. Sparks burst to life where the embers fell and struck the wooden floor. They scattered, catching the nearby rug on fire.

"Lila, now!" Luke shouted.

The chains binding the first wolf snapped, and Lila redirected them toward the second beast. The golden bonds wrapped around its legs, pulling it off balance. Luke seized the opportunity, diving forward and grabbing the hot fire poker once more, turning swiftly and driving the end of it into the beast's ribs.

The beast howled as the poker pierced deep into its body. It scrambled back away from Luke and away from the swiftly growing flames as quickly as it could. Both Chimera Wolves retreated to the far side of the room, their glowing eyes watching Luke and Lila warily.

Luke stood, breathing heavily, his mana reserves nearly depleted. His siblings peeked out from the wardrobe, their faces pale but relieved.

"They're not done," Lila said, her golden eyes fixed on the wolves. "But they're scared. That's our chance."

Luke nodded, his body trembling from the exertion. "We need to move. Now."

He turned to his siblings, pulling open the wardrobe door. "Stay close, and don't make a sound," he said. "We're getting out of here."

Sophia nodded, helping Ava to her feet. Aiden glanced at the wolves, his jaw tight. "You'd better not let them catch us," he muttered.

Luke smirked despite himself. "I'll keep them busy if I have to."

The group moved cautiously toward the door, Lila drifting beside them with her glow dimmed to avoid drawing attention. The chimera wolves growled low but didn't pursue, their eyes flicking between the flames and the humans. He didn't want to leave the fire burning, but he didn't have much of a choice. He had to get his family away from the Chimera Wolves as quickly as possible, house be damned.

As they stepped into the hallway, Luke cast one last glance at the room. The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across the ruined furniture and the forms of the chimera wolves.

This fight was only the beginning, he knew. But he wasn't about to give up—not when his family's lives were at stake.

"Let's find Mom and Dad," he said, leading the way into the darkness.

They barely made it five steps before the wolves struck again.

A deafening roar shattered the tense silence, and the hallway erupted into chaos. One of the wolves burst through the doorway, scattering flames and debris as it launched itself into the corridor. Its scarred head snapped at Luke's siblings, forcing them to scatter. The second wolf followed, its glowing eyes blazing with renewed fury.

"Get back!" Luke shouted, stepping between his siblings and the advancing beasts.

The wolves had lost their hesitation. The spreading fire behind them seemed to fuel their rage, and their coordination was razor-sharp. One wolf lunged at Luke while the other flanked him, its heads snapping at Sophia and Ava as they scrambled to take cover behind Lila.

Luke threw up a barrier around his siblings, something he didn't even know he could do until that moment, the Bet symbol flaring brightly on his forehead. The shimmering shield deflected the wolf's strike, but cracks formed immediately. Luke gritted his teeth, pouring his remaining mana into reinforcing the barrier.

"I can't hold this!" he called out.

Lila floated forward, her golden glyphs weaving in the air. She unleashed a blast of energy that struck the scarred wolf, forcing it to stagger back. "We need to finish this, Luke. They won't stop until we're dead."

Luke's heart pounded as he scanned the corridor. His mana reserves were all but empty, and his defenses wouldn't last against another coordinated attack. He needed a way to end the fight now.

His eyes landed on a frayed tapestry hanging on the wall, its edges already singed by the fire. Next to it was an antique chandelier, its iron frame suspended by a thick chain bolted to the ceiling. An idea formed—reckless, dangerous, but it might just work.

"Lila," Luke said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "Can you force them under the chandelier?"

Lila's eyes flicked to the heavy fixture, understanding dawning instantly. "I can try, but it'll take precision."

"Do it," Luke said. He turned to his siblings. "Stay behind the barrier and don't move until I say."

Without waiting for a response, Luke darted toward the wolves, drawing their attention. His movements were sluggish compared to earlier, his mana cloak flickering weakly, but he pushed forward. The scarred wolf lunged at him, its claws tearing through the air. Luke ducked low, letting the beast sail over him and crash into the wall.

"Over here!" he shouted, slamming his fist into the floor to create a small shockwave. The second wolf's heads snapped toward him, both snarling as it charged.

Lila moved swiftly, her golden chains wrapping around the legs of the scarred wolf. With a powerful pull, she dragged it toward the center of the corridor, directly beneath the chandelier. The second wolf followed, leaping over its thrashing companion and closing the distance to Luke.

"Come on," Luke muttered, backing up slowly. His foot hit the base of the wall, and he stopped. "Right where I need you."

The wolves, now side by side, crouched low, preparing for a final, coordinated strike.

"Lila, now!" Luke shouted.

Golden glyphs erupted from Lila's hands, slamming into the chandelier's chain. The metal groaned and snapped, sending the massive iron fixture plummeting to the ground.

The wolves barely had time to react. The chandelier struck with a thunderous crash, the iron frame crushing the scarred wolf instantly. Its second head howled briefly before falling silent, black smoke rising from its twitching body.

The second wolf wasn't as lucky—or perhaps it was worse off. The chandelier trapped its hind legs beneath its weight, pinning it to the ground. The beast thrashed violently, its twin heads snapping and snarling in agony.

Luke didn't hesitate. He grabbed the fallen fire poker from the floor, its tip still glowing faintly, and charged. Summoning the last dregs of his mana, he channeled it into the weapon, the Bet symbol on his forehead flaring one last time.

With a roar, Luke drove the poker into the wolf's chest, piercing its heart. The beast's heads let out one final, ear-splitting howl before slumping to the ground. Its body dissolved into black smoke, leaving nothing but silence in its wake.

Luke staggered back, dropping the poker as his knees buckled. He leaned against the wall, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His mana veins throbbed painfully, and his vision blurred at the edges.

"Luke!" Lila floated to his side, her golden glow dim but steady. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," he said, his voice hoarse. He glanced at the remains of the fight—the crushed chandelier, the burn marks on the walls, and the dissipating smoke. "Are they… dead?"

Lila nodded. 

His siblings emerged cautiously from behind the barrier, their faces pale but relieved. Ava ran to him, throwing her arms around his waist. "You did it," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Luke rested a hand on her head, offering a faint smile. 

Sophia and Aiden approached, their expressions a mix of awe and exhaustion. Aiden punched Luke lightly on the arm. "Not bad, big brother."

Luke chuckled weakly. "Not bad? I'd say that was pretty damn good."

Lila floated between them, her golden eyes scanning the hallway. "We need to keep moving. The Riftwild energy in this house is still strong. We're not safe yet."

Luke pushed himself upright, his legs shaking but steady. "You're right. Let's find Mom and Dad."

He turned to his siblings, his determination renewed. "Stay close. We're finishing this together."

As they moved deeper into the mansion, the faint echoes of the battle faded behind them. The wolves were gone, but the danger was far from over. Luke knew this was only the beginning of their fight—not just for survival, but for their family and their world.