37. Ivory Tower.

Damon walked into the chamber, guided by the instructions he had been given. The room was bathed in bright light, illuminating the modern surroundings. The floor, made of cold steel, reflected the gleam of the overhead lights. In the center of the chamber stood a massive boulder, its imposing presence impossible to ignore. Three wizards stood beside it, their expressions stoic and neutral. After a few moments of taking in the scene, the oldest wizard spoke.

"This is the test of your love, your energies as well," he began. "This ancient boulder has the power to drain the energy from any creature in a matter of minutes. Your task is simple, yet treacherous. It is a battle of wills - either you will drain the boulder completely, or it will drain you, leaving you devoid of energy forever. Love may seem unrelated to this test, but remember, love is also a form of energy. However, the love between two souls alone may not be enough to conquer this boulder. You must discover the many forms of love within yourself to emerge victorious. Be warned, we will soon lift the spell."

Damon nodded, his mind focused and determined. He prepared himself, mentally shielding his reserves and using his telepathic abilities as an additional defense. The allure of the ancient energies within the stone stirred his greed, pushing him to claim them for himself. This test would determine his worth as an energy creature.

As the spell was lifted with a simple gesture, Damon cursed silently as a powerful force immediately sought to drain his energies. Drawing upon his love for Mariella, he fought to extract the energy from the stone. It was a grueling struggle, his love providing some progress, but the boulder's pull grew stronger with each passing moment.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he concentrated, using his rage to fuel his determination. He summoned every ounce of emotion he could muster, pulling with all his might. It felt as if he were trying to move a mountain, yet deep down, he knew it wasn't enough.

In his mind, he commanded Mimi to channel her love, her emotions, and anything she could offer.

 He tightly gripped his pendant, feeling the weight of it in his hand, as Mimi's emotions surged into him. The flood of her feelings gave him a surge of power, but it was a challenging process. The energy that came with it was thick and potent, slowly making its way towards him. Every ounce of hesitation threatened to retract that power, tugging at his reserves.

Mimi delivered a constant stream of emotions, one after another, and he absorbed them all. He could feel them coursing through him, but he pushed aside any thoughts of their origin or intended recipients. The deep, intense love she transmitted, he was fairly certain it was meant for Charles or Adam, not him, but he couldn't afford to dwell on that. Jealousy weakened him. He had learned that, and now was not the time for weakness.

It was a struggle for him. He tried to focus on extracting the energy from the stone, blocking out the overwhelming surge of emotions. She sent him a steady stream of feelings, both positive and negative. Her self-doubt, the pain of loss, and the agony of feeling too weak.

He tried to provoke her, pushing her buttons in his mind, berating her for her weakness. He compared her to Mariella, insisting that their love was far superior to anything Mimi could offer. He didn't think about the consequences of their relationship or the future. He just wanted to provoke her, to ignite her anger.

He knew he was deceiving her, and doing so poorly, but this was a critical situation and he was willing to lie to her if it meant completing the tests.

"You're nothing but a shallow, empty shell of the woman I once knew. Mariella has shown me true love, and what it truly means to be loved. You never could demonstrate that. I doubt you even know how to love. Do you even have a heart? Do you even feel?" His words whispered into her mind, but she remained unfazed.

She continued to transmit her feelings, as much as possible, and it was potent stuff. However, Damon could feel his own reserves dwindling, while the stone's pull grew stronger. It was time to draw more from her. He had to be crueler. time to show her his cruel side. Lie to her once again. Maybe broke them off even further, but he was willing to risk it all. 

He told her, "I despise you. Truly, I do, and if this will cost me my status as an energy creature, my dear. I will hate you forever, I promise you that. You know me, and if I am no longer an energy creature, I will hold you responsible. I will divorce you, and I will convince Adam and Charles to do the same. You are incapable of genuine emotion. I am more humane than you. You are a mere killer and psychopath, and losing someone is like breathing to you. It doesn't really feel, does it?"

His voice held a dark promise to her. They sank into her soul and stayed there. 

And then it happened. Her response to his taunting was surprising, sudden, and strong. The intense surge of emotional pain flooded into Damon's mind, gripping him like a vice. It was a raw, searing agony that made him flinch involuntarily. How could someone bear the weight of such anguish within them? It was a brutal pain, unlike anything he had ever experienced in his long life. Yet he harnessed it, using it to his advantage, as it propelled his pull from the stone with even greater strength.

As he drew upon the stone's ancient energy, the feeling of loss and pain consumed him. It was soul-searing anguish that filled every fiber of his being, empowering him to drain the stone completely. He did not know about anyone ever feeling even a hint of this pain.

The sensation endured for as long as he needed, until finally, the stone turned black and crumbled into dust at his touch. He felt that energy inside him. Ghost of that pain lingered in his mind and he somehow knew that Mimi had bared to him some part that even Charles did not know. 

Stone dust floated into the air and slowly dropped onto the floor. It made the air in this modern chamber somehow thick and dusty. Slowly, Damon became aware that he was still clutching his pendant tightly, his fingers trembling as he released their grip.

The profound sense of loss that had enveloped him began to fade. He couldn't comprehend what he had tapped. What was that feeling of loss? Was it Mimi losing him to Mariella or something more profound? He did not know, and maybe someday he would know. Maybe she would tell him.

Suddenly, the oldest wizard stepped forward, his voice filled with wisdom. "Do you wish to spend an hour with your companion?" he asked.

Damon nodded, his desire for lust consuming him. In his mind, he commanded Mimi to awaken her desires, to be ready for him, and to perform to his satisfaction. He was not nice with his words. He craved that primal connection. Sex was now needed as his tanks were a mess and he needed lust to begin to circulate properly. 

The wizard acknowledged Damon's request. "Very well. Soon, you shall have your hour with your love, your companion. Her love for you is truly magnificent, as she willingly bared her deepest, darkest emotions without hesitation, revealing her soul to you. You have chosen wisely to have her as your companion."

Damon remained speechless, his mind a jumble of conflicting emotions. He knew he needed to confront the consequences of his actions, to explain himself to her in due time. But for now, exhaustion consumed him. A good bout of intense sex should boost him. He hoped Mimi could give him something, anything. He realized he was over halfway through this arduous ordeal, with two more tasks ahead. Only time would reveal what awaited him.

He had lost track of how long this had taken, but the strain on his body told him he had been pushed to the brink and back. Bone tired, yet determined, he soldiered on, knowing that the end was within reach. He longed to be with Mariella, to see her, smell her, and hold her. She had been sick when this had started and he hoped that she would have recovered even a bit. He suppressed his worry over her and focused on this moment.

Another wizard stepped forward, his long dark robes flowing around him. As he spoke, his voice reverberated through the modern space, the sound bouncing off the cold, hard steel and glass. It was a striking contrast, the ancient ones surrounded by this futuristic environment.

"You are truly one of the strongest individuals we have encountered in centuries," the wizard said, his words carrying a weight of wisdom. "Never doubt your power. But can strength be found in solitude? Remember, our true strength lies in unity. While you may defeat us one by one, if we were to combine our powers, you would stand no chance alone. Love, my boy, is the most potent force in the universe. And the love for someone lost holds immeasurable power. Love and loss are intertwined, inseparable. And soulmates, they are not always lovers."

Damon nodded, feeling the weariness seep into his bones. He couldn't fully grasp the meaning behind these words now, but he knew that one day it would all become clear. He was tired of these half riddles and mysterious sentences he wished that once they would speak plainly so it would not take an hour to understand what they were saying, but then again, these were so damn old that this was just their way of speaking.

The last of the wizards spoke, his voice carrying a sense of finality. "You may now have your hour with your companion. Farewell. Until the next test."

With a wave of his hand, the door swung open. Damon walked through, the corridor enveloping him with its ancient scent, a mixture of age and history. His steps echo in the darkness. He was just hoping for Mimi to perform and then move on. He reached the door and pushed it open, stepping into the room beyond.

It was the same room. Mimi was now onto bed, all ready and willing it seems. A few deep breaths and Damon could feel his cock getting harder and he was so damn ready.

The air was thick with the scent of strawberries and champagne, creating an intoxicating aroma. Mimi lay on the bed, her naked body writhing with pleasure. Her pale skin glistened with sweat, her breasts were taut, and her nipples were exposed and aroused. Damon did not need anything else, he swiftly undressed, his skin tingling with anticipation as he approached her.

Without uttering a word, he entered her wet and willing pussy, thrusting brutally, feeling the tight wetness gripping his cock, making him almost moan out of pleasure. Their connection filling the room with a symphony of moans and gasps. Mimi was not passive, but an active participant in their passionate fucking, her desire demanding more, harder, faster.

Her lust radiated, overwhelming the senses. Damon was ready to give her everything that she needed and much more. She had taken her sex beast out, meaning she was insatiable more or less and her lust, strong, sparkly crimson-colored, oozed out of her and ignited Damon's energies. It was just what he needed. 

But their time together passed too quickly, signaled by the resonant sound of a gong. Damon, driven by his primal instincts, sank his fangs into her delicate neck, draining her of life. He drank her dry. As he withdrew, Mimi lay pale and motionless on the floor, a discarded figure, stripped of her vitality. Nothing more than a naked little slumped creature on the cold, hard stone floor. 

Damon stepped over her and prepared for to next battle, whatever it might be. He dressed himself, feeling his lust circulating and giving him power. That power that he had drawn from that stone boosted him very much. He was ready to face these two remaining challenges and then see what the future holds for him and the pack.

He was ready to be a real wizard. To embrace this side of him fully. He knew that this was his destiny and somehow it had felt alien to him at first but these years had taught him to feel the magic in his veins, inside him and it had become part of him and he was not ready to be without it. He will sacrifice whatever it takes to keep his magic and become stronger and better at harnessing it.