Damon let out a slow sigh of relief as he walked down the empty paved road, Lilith keeping pace beside him. His heart twisted in his chest, the weight of the day's events pressing down on him. He had finally closed the chapter on his revenge against Marcus and his gang. They had been a satisfying al for his shadows.
Now, with that settled, his focus could shift to more pressing matters—the person lurking in the shadows, attempting to summon a dark spirit. If he played his cards right, he could exploit the chaos, level up by consuming the dark spirit, and, more importantly, eliminate the summoner. Or perhaps... use them.
"The nobles' conference was adjourned," Lilith's calm voice broke through his thoughts. She glanced at him, her expression unreadable.
"It all went according to your expectations," she mused before chuckling. "For soone who isn't a noble, you sure know how they think."
Damon lifted his gaze to the star-lit sky, where the twin moons hung low, casting a pale glow that did little to lift his mood.
"I despise them," he admitted, voice tinged with bitterness. "But I've had enough encounters with nobles to know how they operate. It would be hard not to."
Lilith smiled slyly.
"Marabell Defontee is a terrifying old woman, isn't she? But I liked how things turned out. No one even questioned the evidence, even though there were so… questionable parts." Her eyes glead with curiosity. "Did you do that on purpose?"
Damon sighed. He was exhausted from all the scheming.
"Yes. I wanted them to leave the case inconclusive. They think Marcus is dead, but they also suspect he might be alive. Now, they're taking a wait-and-see approach. I imagine once negotiations are finished, they'll start trying to find him. But you can't find soone who's already dead."
Lilith's smile deepened. He was cruel, but that side of him was almost endearing. She pushed a lock of her red hair aside, observing him. He was filled with doubt, yet still ruthless.
'So full of hesitation… but still so relentless.'
She wondered if he was plotting sothing else. His expression suggested as much.
"You better not be planning to get involved with that dark spirit nonsense," she tensed, watching him closely.
Damon narrowed his eyes.
How did she know what he was thinking.
"I'm not suicidal… I don't act unless I have at least an 80% chance of winning."
Lilith sneered.
"So you were considering it. You didn't deny it… You're only weighing the odds of success, aren't you?"
Damon sighed. Lilith Astranova was beginning to understand how he thought, perhaps too well. He had already considered the feasibility of stopping the spirit summoning, and the odds weren't in his favor.
"I… we can't stop the person working in the shadows. So why not take advantage of the chaos and claim a piece of the dark spirit for ourselves?"
Lilith narrowed her eyes. He was right, but he wasn't considering—or rather, he was ignoring—the sheer scale of collateral damage a dark spirit could cause.
Before she could voice her thoughts, his dark eyes pierced into hers.
"I am aware of the potential damage. I know the risks," he said, glancing down at his shadow. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire
"But I want more power. I can act like a honey badger, defiant and reckless. I can be stubborn, idiotic, and refuse to bow my head. But the simple truth doesn't change—I am still weak."
His fingers curled into fists.
"I can beat everyone in my class, but they're weaklings. I could crush all of them, but the mont I step beyond those walls, I'm just a nobody again."
His teeth clenched.
"I'm tired of being a nobody. I'm tired of being the honey badger that only knows how to fight. I'm tired of bristling my fur, acting tough, appearing big—when all I can really do is growl, bleed, and lick my wounds afterward."
His hands trembled, his voice growing cold and low.
"I want to be the one with power for a change. I want to be the one calling the shots. I want to be the one watching others bleed instead. I want—"
Lilith cut him off.
"—to be an oppressor."
Damon looked at her, his eyes swirling with emotion.
"I… I want to be free."
She stepped closer to him.
"You aren't a slave, though," she said softly.
He shook his head.
"We're all slaves to sothing—love, family, money, honor, ambition, duty... I am a slave to my own pathetic weakness."
Lilith sighed. He didn't even consider his devotion to saving his sister's life as a form of enslavent—only his powerlessness.
'We are all slaves to sothing, huh…'
He had a point. Everyone wanted sothing. Humans died with ambitions and unfulfilled wishes—it was just the way of the world.
She smiled at Damon, cupping his face in her hands.
"If we do this… many people could die. Depending on the type of dark spirit that gets summoned, we could be looking at a catastrophe."
She studied him. He had people he cared about now. He had begun forming bonds, growing closer to others. He wasn't as isolated as before.
"If we do this… you will have regrets," she warned.
Damon exhaled slowly.
"I know. Then we can just add it to the long list of failures of the wretched Damon Grey."
Lilith smirked at his words. She was with him on this path to ruin—that was their deal, after all. Damon didn't miss when she said we—she was willing to let a potential disaster unfold just so he could get stronger.
She leaned into his ear, whispering, "I'll be your wings… You be mine too."
Damon's shadows flickered as she stood close to him. Unbeknownst to either of them, the four wings tattooed on Lilith's stigma faintly glowed on her back.
The wind stirred around them. Shadows deepened beneath the pale moonlight. Then a gust swept through the road, carrying dust, leaves… and the acrid scent of sothing burning.
Damon's nose twitched. The stench of fire and flesh filled the air.
His frown deepened as he spread his shadow perception.
His eyes widened. His face turned pale.
"Soone's burning…"
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