In the world of The Tower’s Alchemist (and the upcoming sequel, DARK RIFT), most wizards are born with their magical abilities. There’s only one way you can acquire magical power if you never had it–a pact with a demon. The wizards who choose this path must satisfy the pact or bond by literally feeding on other wizards; they are known as “Cruenti” warlocks.
Like any deal done with the dark side, there are going to be ugly consequences (and it’s fun to write out a scene where it turns down that road 🙂 )
Speaking of, I ran across the above trailer of a forthcoming documentary on Fr. Malachi Martin a renowned exorcist, author, and intellectual (Rest In Peace). He was a controversial figure no doubt, but you can’t deny how utterly fascinating he is. There’s a certain character in Dark Rift who will remind you of him 😉