Chapter 5: A Dark Pact

Six months Fenrir rampaged, slave to both his semblance and his blood lust. In those six months countless villages, heroes and Grimm fell to his axe. Six months and still to his disappointment, nothing had killed him. And now he was fighting again, once it would thrill him now it dulled him. Fenrir planted an iron-shod boot onto the neck of the Ursa, snapping it. Another corpse, another sacrifice on his altar of destruction. Once this would have excited him to his core, as he'd become a glutton for destruction. But now it only disappointed him.

He had traveled far in the throes of his thirst for slaughter and had seen all manner of scenery. Once, when he was younger he'd care for such sights. Not anymore. He was trapped in a cycle; he fought, he bled, his semblance healed, his aura broke, he'd rest and then repeat. None had the strength to free him, to end him. In moments where he could think with clarity, Fenrir knew he had become a pathetic husk of himself, a berserker with no dreams nor aspirations. If he knew this would be the price for his revenge, Fenrir let out a guttural chuckle to himself, this wouldn't change anything. He did what he did with no regret.

Fenrir slobbered and snarled as his turn to gaze upon his surroundings, in truth he didn't have the slightest clue where in the Kingdoms he was. It looked like something out a nightmare; dark crystal spires rose out of the ground, silhouetting against the darkened sky and Fenrir could make out what appeared to be blackened pits. Though given how much his semblance destroyed his senses, this could be anywhere in the Kingdoms turned monstrous by his killing lust. It mocked him through the twisting of his sight. Fenrir's ears twitched as he heard, and he turned to see more Grimm. Good he could do with a fight, despite how disappointing he knew the ensuing violence would be.

"Hnh. Come die!" it was he could managed to gasp out.

But instead the Grimm didn't move, they merely stared at him, Fenrir clacked his teeth in frustration at their inaction. He began to half-walk, half-crawl towards them. He must have been a pitiful sight, he was once a powerful warrior now reduced to crawling through mud. Fenrir sneered as he continued to crawl towards the Grimm, he'd thought he left the days of dirt and mud behind him. How fate made a mockery of him, how it burned him to be reduced to this. Whatever thoughts of rage and anger at his fate were ended when Fenrir heard a voice.

What an oddity you have brought my children, intoned the voice, there was a calmness to it. And something maternal about, it reminded Fenrir of his mother, a steel hidden behind silk. Another poor soul trapped in stagnation, another reminder of his failings to protect those in need.

Fenrir turned looking for the person whom this voice belonged to. There was no one to be seen across the desolate wasteland, only those crystal spires and black pits. Fenrir began to laugh, he had lost his mind. It was bound to happen in the end.

You found something about your pitiful situation amusing? The voice asked.

"Not at all. Hggh. Only that I'm shocked I haven't started hearing voices sooner." replied Fenrir.

Fenrir stumbled laying on his stomach now, breathing slow and strained. He'd been fighting so long, for too long. And now it was catching up with him, his muscles ache so much. And even now, when he was on death's door his semblance roared demanding more of him. How had it not been sated? Why did it still curse him after all he'd been through, did he not deserve peace of mind?

"Even now after all I'd done Voice, it won't give me peace," said Fenrir, he knew now that this would be his end, he might as well have one last conversation.

I do believe you're lying to yourself Fenrir, responded Voice.

"How do you know my name?" queried Fenrir.

You bellow it at the top of your lungs in the midst of your rampaging, Voice replied. Though, of course, I already knew this given that I'm a voice in your head.

"Of course," Fenrir laughed.

Fenrir looked up from the dirt, trying to make sense of his surroundings. No it was still a wasteland, his felt his semblance thrum in skull, wait he felt his semblance. He'd ran out of aura, and with no aura to fuel his semblance surely sense must return to him. Fenrir looked around in shock as the scenery didn't change, even as he felt the blood lust lifted itself from his mind. His environment had remained unchanged, his semblance was not playing him a fool. If that was the case: Where in Remnant was he?

"What?" It was all he could manage, though this time out of shock and not exhaustion.

Your semblance is a curiosity Fenrir Branwen, Voice said. You seem to be under the apprehension that it robs you of your dreams, never letting you rest.

"I don't dream, not since I discovered this curse," Fenrir rasped, as his muscles ached from overexertion.

Yes you do. You dream when you kill, I've watched you since you came to my realm, watched you hunt and bleed, Voice said. All things that have souls must dream Fenrir. Human and Faunus alike, we all must find serenity in sleep. But you don't sleep with your eyes closed, you sleep with them open.

As Voice spoke, Fenrir heard her louder and clearer. He turned to see a figure walking through the crowd of Grimm. It soon became apparent that this voice was not a sign of Fenrir's madness. She was something far more darker.

When in the throes of your blood lust you chase whatever dream that it promises you. Or nightmare. I watched you as you kill murmuring of the serenity denied, with only one name on your lips: Lupercal. You've become a slave to it's sensation Fenrir, it's reforged your brain as it sees fit. You serve it blindly aching for it's kiss, though I can change that.

Fenrir looked up through the dirt to stare at the queenly figure. She was wondrous. Her skin was of a deathly pallor, her veins bright against her arms. Her sclera were black as night, while her eyes deep red embers. She wore a simple dress, while on her finger there was a ring in shaped of a bug of some kind. And her hair was done in a simple bun, from which sprouted six offshoots.

She walked with the regality of a queen born. Not the brute authority that was present in the Branwens, but a one of someone who deserving of the title of royalty. She looked down at Fenrir not with scorn, but with concern. It had been a long time since someone look as if they cared for him.

"Who are you?" he whispered, not trusting his own voice in the presence of such might.

"Salem," she said. "And I'm here to talk."

Talk? She was here to talk? Fenrir thought confused. It made little sense that she'd even care for a misbegotten berserker such as himself. Still it had been long since someone had simply wanted to talk to Fenrir as well.

"Why are you here, Fenrir Branwen?" Salem asked, her tone curious.

"Like you said I'm a slave to my semblance, must have stumbled here in my rampage," he responded, he could hear the doubt in his voice. Salem chuckled lightly at it.

"And why have you allowed such control?" Salem asked, her voice soft.

"I did all that aspired for; become strong, avenged myself and my mother, everything I've wanted," said Fenrir. "And since that did nothing to sate it, I may as well let it run free."

"Yet there are easy ways to die Fenrir, and instead you have decided to vent your rage upon the world," Salem said, Fenrir didn't dispute it this. "You are a contrarian creature."

"You've said your piece," Fenrir whispered. "Now leave me, I have nothing left now nothing but a violent end."

"That would be a mistake to allow such a unjust thing to happen," Salem said, kneeling the dirt to stare at Fenrir's eyes. Gold against red. "I've come here, to you, with a proposition."

Fenrir's ears flickered with curiosity, as he stared at Salem. How she sunk into the dirt to look at him at his level, as opposed to making him rise to hers. He was not use to someone doing such a kindness, for so long had he been looked at with scorn. None except Isabelline looked at Fenrir with anything other then disgust. Did this Salem regard him so highly?

"My life's work Fenrir is shockingly similar to your own, I too seek revenge against one who wronged me most greatly," Salem said, her face a mixture of concern and rage. "My foe sits in ivory towers, while I'm forced to stay in this wasteland. He makes a mockery of the natural order, claiming that he intends to bring unity while tearing people apart. The saddest thing is that he's deceived himself into believing it is all for good of mankind."

Fenrir clenched his hand in the dirt, he was all to aware of men like the one Salem described. Tyr had been the same, mocking Fenrir with his existence. It still burned him that Tyr thought that all he did was for Fenrir's good. That all the abuse, all that he took from Fenrir was justified, as it kept Fenrir strong. Well in the end, at least, he paid for his foolishness.

"Which is why Fenrir I've come to you - or perhaps fate delivered you to me, I've come to request your aid," Salem continued. "You'd not be the first of those who became open to the truth of Remnant. But I can assure that you will be one of the last, it's nearly time for the world to change. A time where warriors, wolves, not sheep will lead. A world where people like you and me can be free."

Fenrir found himself enraptured by what she said, an opportunity to shake the very foundations of Remnant. He had been driftless for far too long, no aspirations. But now with such a proposition placed in front of him. A chance for him to be free without remorse, no longer hiding in the shadows of the Kingdoms. Why confine himself to the shattering of the Branwens when he could be so much more.

"However, unlike my foe, I do not offer the deception of choice but real choice. You have two options Fenrir; stay and learn how to both control your semblance, as I mentioned early, and become enlightened to the truth or leave and make your own way on this world," offered Salem. "I will not force your hand."

She could teach to control his semblance. Fenrir looked into Salem's eyes to decipher any deception in her statement, she meant it. As he stared Fenrir found himself lost in her eyes, what arcane knowledge did she know? And how did she come by such truth? In that moment Fenrir knew he'd found something worth him living for, revenge seemed so trivial now. With Salem's arm guiding him he was going to be capable of changing the world.

He made to bow, to submit himself to her authority. When suddenly her arm snapped out catching Fenrir by the neck, her touch was gentle however. Soothing against the wounds that were covering Fenrir's neck.

"No Fenrir, do not prostrate yourself before me like a petty tyrant," Salem said. "Simply give me your word and your strength, that is all I ask of you."

"You have it." Fenrir breathed, rising now to his feet. Despite the ache and burning of his muscles, he found the strength to stand. He raised Hati towards Salem, towards a true Queen of Remnant. Finally after so long of being lost, he'd found something worth his strength, his might. Fenrir's story was not yet done, now he had more to achieve. More glory to claim for Salem.

"I will serve you Salem!" Fenrir swore, raising Hati above his head. "Your enemies are my enemies and I will seen them driven before you, I swear to serve you till the day that I expire!"

With his oath said Salem smiled, and inclined her head in respect. Fenrir felt something, an air of destiny. Something he hadn't felt in a very long time, not since he made his first oath. It thrilled him, after six months of mindless rampaging, it was good to devote himself to something so pure.

"Then come Fenrir, my wolf," she said, walking into the wasteland. "Tell me, do you have a favorite fairy tale?"

Fenrir grinned at such a question, oh the memories it brought back. And with the unholy oaths sworn and the bargain struck. The Dark Queen and the Kinslayer matched further into the wastelands. Further onto a malevolent path that heralded dark days for all who fought for peace and prosperity.

Author's Note: And that is A Youth with A Wolf in His Belly done. Thank you very much for all your appreciation and reviews. It's been so awesome to see some many people enjoying this fic as much as I did writing it. As for Fenrir himself, I do have some other plans for him indeed. So don't forget to drop a review, thanking you for joining me and I'll see you all next time. Enjoy the rest of your day!