Leaving the Grand Diviner Jules behind, and the spacious abode that he was assigned as the nominal tester of new Initiates into the HighTower, Sam’s parents saw a few more candidates to be examined right outside the Diviner''s abode. Naturally, even if news soon began spreading of Sam’s aptitude, they refused to display anything less than their usual at the moment.


    Having sprung from the same ideology, Sam too tried his best to seem as best as he could, yet with every step his legs took, with every parent and child that he passed by he could sense their gazes linger on him. It was as if every pair of eyes sent forth daggers to stab into his body, spirit, and soul. Frankly, by the time they left the organized assembly within the outer and lower walls of the HighTower, a Magical Tower that made one wonder how it was made in the first place due to its height and girth, Sam felt the blue Wizard Initiate Robes stick onto his skin like a second layer of cold and wet skin. Yet, even after all three of the Calderon House settled into their private carriage, Sam only managed to calm down once his ears recognized a long and drawn-out sigh of reluctance leaving his father''s mouth.


    Nonetheless, in the same instance, Sam felt his mind freeze as his father''s silver eyelids stared at him. Even worse, amidst the silence, his mother''s black eyes only made him feel even worse.


    Then, when he could barely endure any longer, another sigh was released and the feeling of suffocation vanished. “Son… You remember what you were taught about Warlocks?”


    “Yes, Sir!” Sam instantly replied.


    “You remember what their purpose is?”


    “To fight, Sir!”


    “To fight whom?”


    “Any and all Enemies of the HighTower, Sir!”


    “And how do they fight?”


    “By making Contracts with Spirits, Sir!”


    “You are not wrong there, Son. Provide more details.”


    “Th… Those who seek Power can make Contracts, also known as Pacts, with Spirits of all varieties.” Sam quickly iterated as he was taught. “Which and what kind of Spirit determines the threshold of how much Power a Seeker can gain from the Spirit while the Price paid by the Seeker determines the threshold of the actual Power gained from the Spirit.


    The lowest Price can be anything, from supplicating to a Spirit’s wants and needs to simple tasks and bonding between Mortal and Spirits as lifelong companions. The highest one, however, will always be the Seeker’s Soul, and those who trade their Soul for Power are typically called Warlocks.”


    “But?”


    “Not all who trade their Souls are grouped into the Warlock category.”


    “Why?”


    “Because, Seekers can be differentiated into two types, those with Magic and those without.”Sam spelled out, yet in the same instance, his mind finally caught up to his circumstance caused by a clear lack of Magic. “Those with Magic, if Contracted to a Divine Spirit, gain access to Divine Magic while those without Magic only gain the most rudimentary Magic. As such, due to the difference in Power gained and their rarity through lack of numbers, the first become Clerics, direct servants of the Divine Spirits, while genuine Warlocks become the footsoldiers meant to fight the enemies of the Divine Spirit.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Irrelevant of their Source of Power, the very moment a Warlock is born, they are automatically thrust into a world of Power, Magic, and Conflict, with no way out of the Conflict outside of… dying in the line of their sworn duty.”


    “Good… This means you will not be unaware of what comes next.” Jonathan told his youngest son. “As I have told the Grand Diviner, NO Calderon will be without Magic, lesser Magic or not. This means, that whether the Elders agree to send you to the Warlock Department of the HighTower or not, you are becoming a Warlock, one way or the other. Understood?”


    Aware that there was no talking back, Sam nodded. “Yes, Father.”


    “Good… Since the Warlock Department refuses to accept anybody below the age of fifteen, for the next three years expect a complete shift to your schedule, from Spirit Instructors to… ugh, can not believe I am saying this, to Weapon Masters.” Jonathan said with a face as if he''d just bitten into something extremely sour. “Expect pain and misery as they use their brutish methods to bring your physical form up to perfection, and perfection you will need in order to compensate for your toolset without access to proper Magic. Understood?”


    “Yes, Father.” Sam answered as, once again, that was all he could do at the moment. Not only because disobeying his Father was a definite no-go, but also because his mother''s black eyes still sent shivers down his spine, just daring him to protest. Still, a part of him protested. “Father… W… Which Pact will I be swearing to?”


    “An excellent question, son.” Jonathan pointed out. “As much as I would like for you to gain a Celestial Pact, as it will definitely help greatly in sweeping away the upcoming rumors of your lack of Magic, I do not see them picking you even if I help you to personally set a meeting with one of their Angels. Moreover, I doubt setting up charities in your name will win them over.” Ceasing for a second, the man laid out the next best option in his opinion. “The next best option would be an Elemental Pact, but I am not versed in that field, nor is your Mother. So the best option, if the Elders do allow it, will be to wait for the Initiation Ceremony once you enter the Warlock Department of the HighTower .”


    “They will.” Edwina the Witch, and the person who brought Sam into the World, added. “I doubt those old codgers will protest about a viable option to remove any stains upon the Calderon House.”


    “Perhaps… But I was simply listing out the options.” Jonathan pointed out. “Even if they do not, I will be extenuating some of my time into researching Pact Magic and Spirits. Three years should be enough time to get a decent understanding to help our youngest find the best Elemental to make a Pact with.”


    “Do not forget about the Infernal Pacts, Husband.” Edwina interrupted again. “They rival the Celestial ones in Power.”


    “I have not.” Jonathan responded courtly to the women seated beside him. “Unfortunately, for all their Power, they are much more troublesome in the long run. Unless there are no other options, we can hire a good Notary in order to alleviate much of the troubles inherent to Infernal Pacts.”


    “Very well.” Edwina acquiesced before actually pointing out another avenue. “If the Notary turns indivisible, there is another avenue of Power rivaling those of Celestial and Infernal Pacts.”


    Sam’s eyes widened because he had not heard of such a thing. “There is?”


    “Ah… Come, Dear. There is no need to invoke those existences.” Jonathan quickly pleaded.


    “Oh, Husband of mine. You might be averse to them, but their Power should not be denied.”


    “I am not questioning their Power.” Jonathan explained himself as he glared at his beautiful dark-haired partner in life. “It is their motives that I am wary of. Every story I have heard or read about them ends in disaster and tragedy. No… I will rather bear the shame of having a child lacking in Magic than have the very same son make a Pact with any of THEM!”


    “So be it, then.” Edwina sighed before once again raising her black and white fan to hide the lower part of her face, the part which seemed to entertain a smirking expression.


    A smile that said, I know some things that you do not.