NOVEL WEB Chapter 19: Bearer of the Red Pact
The manor's back chamber felt appropriately ominous for what Evan was about to summon. Stone walls rose to a vaulted ceiling that disappeared into shadow, while at the far end of the room, a massive vault door dominated the wall—its surface covered in locks, chains, and warning sigils that spoke of something that absolutely could not be allowed to escape.
Evan paused before opening the Encounters tab, taking a moment to reflect on everything they had accomplished over the past day. The amount of work they had managed to complete felt almost surreal. Every mob placement had been carefully considered, every patrol route optimized for both challenge and fairness. They had spent hours fine-tuning trap locations, adjusting environmental effects, and testing sight lines to ensure that players would have tactical options without trivializing encounters.
The level scaling had been particularly important. They had set the basic mobs to range from level 15 to 20, with each one carrying an Elite tag that would make them significantly more challenging than standard enemies of the same level. Elite mobs typically required a full party to handle safely, which meant even their weakest creatures would demand respect and coordination.
They had been strategic about the level distribution throughout the floor. The mobs near the entrance—where players would first encounter the deep forest—were set at the lower end of the range, levels 15 and 16, to give parties a chance to adapt to the dungeon's difficulty without being immediately overwhelmed. As players progressed through the sprawling environment—from the dark woods through the fog-shrouded village and finally to the manor grounds—the creatures grew progressively stronger, with encounters in the later areas reaching levels 18 and 19.
Dame Calderas, the mini-boss, was currently set at level 21, though the system had given him the flexibility to adjust her anywhere up to level 24 if needed. Since the floor was designated for levels 15-25, Evan expected that his final boss would likely cap out at the maximum—level 25—to provide an appropriate climax to the dungeon experience.
"Ready for the grand finale?" Lisa asked, settling into position beside him. Her fox tails swished with anticipation as she studied the empty chamber that would soon house their most dangerous creation.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Evan replied, pulling up the Encounters interface. "Lord Aurelian Veyne, Bearer of the Red Pact. Time to see what our tragic noble actually looks like in person."
The summoning process for an Apex-level threat was immediately different from anything they had experienced with the regular mobs or even Dame Calderas. Instead of a simple sigil on the ground, the entire chamber began to resonate with deep, thrumming energy. The stone walls themselves started to glow with faint red light, and the temperature dropped noticeably as something powerful stirred in the space between worlds.
A massive summoning circle erupted from the floor, easily twenty feet in diameter and inscribed with runic patterns that seemed to shift and writhe as they watched. The markings weren't just decorative—they were binding sigils, containment protocols, and power regulators all woven into a complex magical framework designed to safely manifest something that bordered on the legendary.
The air in the chamber grew thick and heavy, making it difficult to breathe as reality began to bend around the summoning. Then, through the swirling energy at the center of the circle, Lord Aurelian Veyne, Bearer of the Red Pact, began to take shape.
He was magnificent and terrible in equal measure. Standing nearly nine feet tall, the creature that had once been a noble protector had been transformed into something that embodied both regal bearing and primal fury. His form was that of a massive werewolf, but one that retained enough human characteristics to speak of the man he had once been. Crimson fur covered his muscular frame, the color deep and rich like dried blood in moonlight.
The remains of ornate armor still clung to his body—a breastplate bearing the heraldry of his lost kingdom, bracers that had been crafted by master smiths, and a tattered cloak that spoke of former grandeur. But it was all damaged now, torn and scarred by the violence of his transformation and years of supernatural existence.
His eyes burned with inner light that perfectly matched the red moon hanging over the Hollow Vale—not malevolent, but ancient and filled with a terrible sadness. When he moved, it was with the fluid grace of a predator combined with the measured dignity of nobility that even lycanthropy couldn't completely erase.
Most striking of all were the chains. Heavy manacles encircled both of his wrists, connected to lengths of enchanted steel that stretched across the chamber to anchor directly into the vault door behind him. The positioning was deliberate—as long as those chains held, the door could never be opened. It was a final act of protection, a last gesture from the man he had been to ensure that whatever lay beyond that portal could never be released.
A translucent status window materialized above his head, displaying information that made even Evan feel a chill of anticipation:
Lord Aurelian Veyne, Bearer of the Red Pact
Type: Lycanthrope (Apex)
Intelligence: Noble (Cursed)
Traits: Moonlight Bound, Chain Fighter, Sacrificial Guardian
Behavior: Defends the sealed vault. Becomes increasingly desperate as his bindings weaken.
The system provided his complete ability breakdown as he settled into a defensive stance, his chains rattling softly as he tested their limits:
Abilities:
Hungering Pact (Passive) — Each time Veyne damages a player, he gains a stack of Blood Oath. At 15 stacks, he howls, healing slightly and temporarily increasing his attack speed.
"Every drop spilled feeds the curse, strengthening what he has become while weakening what he was."
Crimson Chainlash (Weapon Attack + Control) — Veyne whips his binding chains in a wide arc, dealing moderate physical and shadow damage. Players hit are pulled slightly toward him and briefly slowed.
"You cannot run from what binds you."
Pale Moon Requiem (Targeted AoE + Delay) — Veyne marks a player with a glowing lunar sigil. After a 3-second delay, the target and surrounding allies take damage as ghostly wolf-heads erupt from the mark. Damage is reduced with distance.
"The moon chooses. It does not ask."
Savage Lunge (Gap Closer + Disable) — If a player strays too far or tries to kite him, Veyne strains against his chains and launches forward, closing the gap with a brutal bite-and-slam. Roots the target briefly and applies a bleeding effect.
"You flee as if the door could hold me forever."
Moonbind Sigil (Area Denial + Crowd Control) — Veyne slams one of his manacled hands into the ground, creating a glowing sigil that slowly expands over 4 seconds. Anyone standing within when it finishes expanding is rooted and silenced for 2 seconds.
"Let the moon hold you as it holds me."
Ultimate: Oathshatter (Phase Transition at 30% Health) — The chains shatter, and Veyne is unleashed—growing in size and gaining full mobility. He becomes feral, howling as the arena dims. All abilities gain bonus effects and shorter cooldowns.
"With the pact paid, the gate will open."
Lord Aurelian tested his chains experimentally, the metal links groaning under the strain of his supernatural strength. When he spoke, his voice carried the cultured tones of nobility layered over the growl of a predator.
"So," he said, his burning gaze settling on Evan and Lisa, "you are the ones who would wake this place from its slumber. I had hoped to rest undisturbed until the curse finally claimed what remains of my soul."
He gestured toward the sealed vault door behind him, the chains at his wrists preventing him from moving more than a few feet in any direction. "That portal leads to something that must never be opened. I have stood guard here for decades, centuries perhaps—time loses meaning when you are bound by moonlight and regret. But now mortals come seeking adventure, and I fear my vigil may finally be tested."
Lisa moved closer, studying the way the chains integrated with both the boss encounter and the room's architecture. "The positioning is perfect," she said. "Players will have to get close enough to engage him, but the chains give him reach and tactical options. And when the chains break during his ultimate phase..."
"He'll have full access to the entire chamber," Evan finished. "Plus whatever enhancements come with the phase transition. It's going to be a completely different fight once he's unleashed."
Lord Aurelian's ears twitched at their conversation, and something like amusement crossed his lupine features. "You speak of me as if I were some mechanical puzzle to be solved rather than a soul damned by his own choices. Perhaps that is for the best—it will make what must come easier for all involved."
"The lore integration is incredible," Evan said, genuinely impressed by how the system had taken his basic narrative framework and built such a complete character. "He's not just a boss encounter—he's a tragic figure with clear motivations and a personal history that connects to the larger story of the floor."
"And the chain mechanics give him a completely unique fighting style," Lisa added. "I've never seen a boss that's literally anchored to part of the environment like this. It's going to force players to think tactically about positioning and movement in ways they're probably not used to."
Lord Aurelian settled back into his defensive stance, his chains creating a perimeter around the vault door that would force any challengers to engage him on his terms. The red light in his eyes dimmed slightly, but never went out completely—a constant reminder of the curse that had claimed him and the terrible price he had paid for his people's salvation.
"The first players should be arriving soon," Evan said, checking the system notifications that continued to flow in about portal activation and world announcements. "Are you ready for this?"
Lisa's tails swished with excitement as she looked around their completed dungeon floor. "We've created something amazing here. The atmosphere, the encounters, the story—it all works together perfectly. I can't wait to see how real players react to what we've built."
Through the manor's broken windows, the red moon continued to shine down on the Hollow Vale, casting everything in its supernatural light. Somewhere in the distance, the howls of Dreadfang Wolves echoed through the mist, while the whispers of Hollow Revenants carried on the wind. The stage was set, the players were coming, and their first real test as dungeon architects was about to begin.
"Welcome to Fabledeep," Evan said quietly, watching as Lord Aurelian settled into his eternal vigil once more. "Let's see what stories our visitors decide to write."