56 CH55: Instrument of Destruction
***
CH55: Instrument of Destruction
"No... you're probably the only one who can."
I looked at her in surprise. Her guess was spot on.
"I'll do my best. Let's hope you're right."
I walked into the cell again. Anastasia waited outside in order not to make the wolf cub feel pressured. The cell door was also left open... to reassure both the cub and Anastasia outside as well.
The cub resumed its growling once I entered again.
A popular saying in my previous life was, 'the eyes are the window to the soul'. People believed you could tell a lot by looking in someone's eyes.
Of course, this wasn't as easy as it sounded and it was a real skill. However, those who mastered it really could tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes.
I learnt a bit from my time in the East, however, admittedly I never mastered the skill or anything like that. That said, I could tell a person's emotions by looking into their eyes... most of the times.
This cub's eyes reflected rage and vengefulness. But deeper down, more than that, they reflected pain, sorrow and guilt.
These were the likely emotions Lord Fenrir felt while it was bound... and likely what he felt when he freed himself and exert his revenge.
The cub was understandably guarded against me.
I wondered how I was going to befriend such a guarded person within a short period of time.
I concluded that the key laid in the knowledge passed to me. From there, I came up with a bold and daring plan.
Then, I approached the angry wolf cub.
**
[Lord Fenrir]
Title: Wolf of Destruction
Role: Patron
Spiritual Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Remark: The Wolf who shall destroy the world. Nothing and no being can resist its deadly fangs and claws. It is the Overlord of all wolves.
**
Fenrir's alignment is set at Chaotic Evil.
This is due to his actions during its revenge against those who conspired against him and his friend. He killed every single being related to the conspiring Spirits, regardless of who they are and what they've done.
As far as it was concerned, they were guilty by association.
With this in mind, even knowing its story, Fenrir committed 'Evil'. This was an inexcusable fact. That said, Does that mean the man... wolf itself was evil?
I'm not so sure.
Things like good and evil are never so black and white.
'Good' people can be pushed to commit great acts of 'Evil'. In that case, does the 'good' person become 'evil' based on that?
That's a deep philosophical debate.
It's one of the reasons why I don't see 'good' and 'evil'.
Anyway, regardless of whether you see Fenrir as 'evil' or not, what you can't deny is the fact that he has deep psychological pains and scars.
Scars which he now placed on this incarnation of his.
How I handled its scars would determine if I can successfully befriend it or not.
Problem is, Psychology isn't my forte. Heck, I'm sure even psychologist couldn't confidently say they could cure any mental problem. They can only try their best.
With that in mind, I decided to try my best and use the best plan I could come up with.
--
I walked in front of the bound growling cub and crouched before it.
"Somehow, I know you can understand me." I said. "I know how you got here. I know you were tricked by people who look like me... bound and left for death.
"However, I am different from them. I want to release you from the chains. But in other to do that, you will have to bear some pains since I will need to tighten the bindings before I can unlock them. I need you to trust me and stay still while I do so."
I suspect the heads of the binds was designed by a sadist. The chain rings had spikes which dug into the wolf's skin if it moved around too much. Plus, in order to release the binds, I had to first hold the bind tightly, which would cause the spikes to dig into its flesh, before the lock would loosen enough for it to be removed.
Even when removing the lock, the designer wanted to ensure that the captive felt a significant amount of pain. So much so that I doubt anyone would want to be released from the lock.
Expectedly, the wolf looked at me warily when I said this.
It barked and bared it fangs at me when I tried to reach for the lock.
"You only have to bear the pain for a short while to be free forever." I said.
The look in the wolf's eyes told me it didn't trust me enough to believe my words. For the only thing it knew was that touching the chain ring would cause it pain. How could it believe a stranger, who looked like the people who put it there, saying otherwise?
Realising this wasn't going to be as easy as I hoped, I brought out my trump card.
I place my arm before its mouth.
"I'll give you my hand. If your binds are not released, you can take my hand in exchange for bearing the pain."
The wolf cub looked at me sceptically. It opened its jaw slowly.
I somehow knew it was testing my resolve. Something like, 'do you dare put your hand between my jaws?'
I smiled.
I returned a confident gaze which replied, 'I dare.'
The cub was small so I couldn't put my hand into its mouth like the young Spirit did with Fenrir. I could only place my hand across its mouth, between its jaws.
This way, it wouldn't be able to cut off my hand, but it will be able to break it if its bite strength was strong enough.
Looking at those teeth, I didn't doubt at all it could. Those Canine and Incisor teeth looked razor sharp and threaten to tear through my flesh till my bones while its powerful looking jaws threatened to generate the force to shatter said bones.
The wolf cub feigned like it was going to bite down. However, I didn't move.
Trust is reciprocal.
For a betrayed and paranoid entity like this, I first had to show it a measure of trust before I could expect it to trust me.
As expected, the teeth stopped just above my skin. Just a millimetre down and it would touch my skin. I could feel the aura of sharpness around the teeth.
The wolf cub's eyes widened in surprise as I smiled at it.
It released what sounded like a snort and opened back its maw.
"It takes two hands to unlock the binds. I won't be able to do it with my arm between your mouth." The wolf cub didn't react well to that so I quickly continued before it misunderstood my intentions. "So, I'm going to call my partner outside to unlock them instead."
It wasn't comfortable with the idea either, but its reaction was at least milder than before.
It looked out the door warily.
Once again, like Gandr, I somehow knew what it was thinking. What I just proposed sounded exactly like what the plotters did with the young Spirit.
The wolf cub was worried whoever I was calling would betray me, causing it to have to take my hand. It didn't want that to happen.
Not again.
I almost smiled widely. The thought meant the cub put me in the same light as the young Spirit... meaning, it trusted me!
That's a good sign.
"I told you. Not everyone who looked like your enemies are bad people. There are good and bad people. I assure you that my partner will unlock your bounds. If not, I wouldn't dare stake my hand on it."
The wolf cub accepted after a period of hesitation.
"Anna, please come in!" I called out.
Anastasia carefully walked into the cell.
"What are you doing?!"
"Calm down, Anna. This is the only way I could get it to trust me. Look at the chain rings."
Anastasia finally saw the rings.
"How cruel!" She exclaimed.
"As you can see, it's going to hurt to release it. This is the only way I can prevent it from attacking when the lock is being released." I explained. "Anyway, I need you to unlock the binds. I can't do it fast enough with one hand."
"I understand."
She knelt in front of the cub.
Both she and the cub watched each other warily as she reached out to unlock the binds of its left paw.
The wolf cub grimaced in pain, but it didn't bite down on my hand.
Anastasia was very fast. She removed the lock with the fastest possible speed.
The wolf cub's left paw was released, however, it was too weak and had lost a lot of blood so the cub couldn't move it.
Anastasia moved to the left hind limb and released it. Then she moved to the right hind limb and finally, she released the right paw as well.
With that, all the wolf cub's limbs were released.
She then released the two chains across the cub's body, holding it to the floor.
The cub was finally free.
It struggled for some time to get to its feet. Anastasia wanted to help it, but I shook my head at her.
I could see a lot of pride in the cub's eyes. It had to do this alone or its pride would be hurt.
The damage to his body would heal fast, however, a damage to its pride would be difficult to heal, if it ever could.
Eventually, the wolf cub reached its feet. It wobbly walked over to me. It placed its body in my embrace before finally falling unconscious.
**
[Notice: Test for the Blessing, {Destroyer}, completed!]
[Evaluation: A-rank Pass.]
-
[Message: Lord Fenrir is pleased with your attempts to rewrite the past. Evaluation changed.]
-
[Evaluation: S-Rank Pass.]
-
[Reward 1: Host has been granted Blessing, {Instrument of Destruction}.]
[Reward 2: {Instrument of Destruction} has been granted {Minor Duplicity} trait.]
[Reward 3: Minor Incarnates of Sub-Patrons Skoll and Hati will accompany {Instrument of Destruction}.]
-
[Notice: {Instrument of Destruction} is in slumber due to accepting upgrades. Information will be released when it is awake.]
[Notice: Host is advised to place {Instrument of Destruction}within the {Fool's Sanctuary} to reduced slumber time.]
**
I heaved a sigh of relief as I wrapped my arms carefully around the sleeping cub to carry it.
"Thanks for the assist."
"This means it trusts you to take care of it, right?"
"I believe so." I smiled.
"Great. I knew you could do it. Now, you just need to get your pet license."
"Yeah. Someone is working on that for me."
I looked around.
We wasted a bit of time and I wasn't sure if reinforcements from Blood Coffin would arrive soon.
"Let's leave." I said to Anastasia.
She nodded back and we left the coffin.
Gandr has scouted the place before hand, so I knew the route to the exit.
Thankfully, most of these ancient castles followed a similar theme. So, as long as you knew one of them, you know the others and would be able to find your way around.
The Hunter Academy's Admin building was a castle built with a similar theme so us two graduates of the Academy knew how to follow the corridor in the likely direction of the exit.
This saved me time and effort, having to explain how I knew the way.
Talking about Gandr, I was about to call it back when I received a notification which left me stunned.
**
[Notice: Gandr has found a High Energy Environment with an Immature Energy Soul. Does Host wish to sacrifice this environment and Immature Soul to improve {Fool's Sanctuary}?]
[Y/N]
**
(To be continued...)
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I've been feeling unmotivated recently, even considered giving up writing. Just the mere sight of a keyboard was making my head throb. Somehow, a miracle happened and I came up with this chapter.
Not exactly sure what to think of it, but it's all I got for now.
Anyhow, Rewards from the House of Loki and the House of Death Initiation coming up next.
See you in the next Chapter.
P.S: Novel doesn't have enough reviews for a rating. Please help out by leaving a review. Thanks in advance for your support.
