Chapter 407: Ten Years Later
Damian’s eyes slowly opened.
For several quiet moments, he simply stared upward, his mind empty as his gaze settled upon the enormous vaulted ceiling overhead. Masterfully painted across its surface was the image of a mighty nine tailed fox cloaked in black and violet flames, standing atop the ruins of a burning city. Countless demons fled beneath its shadow while the colossal beast gazed down upon them with cold crimson eyes. The painting possessed such astonishing detail that it almost seemed alive.
"What?" he mumbled weakly, his voice barely more than a whisper.
He instinctively tried to sit up but his entire body felt unbearably heavy, as though every muscle had forgotten how to function after years of disuse.
Frowning, Damian lowered his gaze.
Hazel was lying peacefully across his chest with one arm wrapped around his waist while Ruby rested quietly against his left side and Racheal curled up against his right. Their breathing rose and fell gently, their beautiful faces completely relaxed in sleep. It was the first time in what felt like forever that he had seen them looking so peaceful.
A faint smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of his lips.
Buzz!
A violent pain suddenly exploded inside his mind.
"Ghh..."
Damian cried out as both hands instinctively grabbed his head. Countless memories surged through his consciousness all at once.
Every memory crashed into him simultaneously with overwhelming force, causing him to grit his teeth as a dull groan escaped his lips.
The sudden movement immediately stirred the three women sleeping beside him. Hazel’s eyes slowly fluttered open while Ruby rubbed her eyes lazily and Racheal let out a sleepy yawn.
They heard Damian groaning and every trace of sleep vanished from their faces.
"Damian!"
All three rushed toward him at once, throwing their arms around him so tightly that he could barely move.
Their bodies trembled slightly as quiet sobs escaped them. Years of fear, loneliness and uncertainty melted away within that single embrace. They had imagined this moment countless times, yet now that it had finally arrived, none of them could find the words.
Damian remained silent.
After several moments, the pain within his head gradually subsided enough for him to gather his thoughts. He slowly looked around the room while gently patting each of them on the back.
Only then did he truly take in his surroundings. The bedroom alone dwarfed his entire mansion back in California.
Its towering ceiling disappeared several stories overhead while enormous stone pillars carved with ancient foxes supported the room. Purple flames burned quietly inside elaborate iron braziers fixed along the walls, bathing everything in a warm violet glow instead of electric light.
The bed itself was so enormous that it looked capable of accommodating an entire family with room to spare. Layers upon layers of impossibly soft black silk sheets covered its surface while fresh violet flower petals had been scattered across the blankets.
Nearby stood handcrafted bookshelves reaching almost to the ceiling, each packed with ancient tomes whose leather bindings had clearly survived centuries. Luxurious sofas lined one side of the room while polished black furniture adorned with silver fox motifs reflected the flickering torchlight.
Even the carpet beneath looked more expensive than most homes back on Earth.
Damian slowly inhaled and noticed the air was different. Every breath filled his lungs with an astonishing richness that made Earth’s atmosphere feel almost empty by comparison. Even without circulating Demonic Force, he could feel energy naturally entering his body through every breath.
"Where is this?" he asked, though his voice emerged rough and raspy from years of silence.
He coughed several times before clearing his throat.
Hazel immediately sat beside him.
"We brought you home," she answered gently. "Velmora. No one would dare attack you here."
Racheal nodded repeatedly before wrapping both arms around one of his legs, pressing herself against him as though afraid he might disappear again.
"I’m sure everything still feels a little foggy," she said softly. "You’ve been unconscious for a long time."
Damian slowly shook his head.
"I remember everything perfectly."
His hand rose to his forehead as though confirming those memories truly belonged to him.
Without another word, he slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His wives instinctively stepped back to give him room.
Calmly, Damian rose to his feet.
His movements were surprisingly steady despite having been unconscious for so long.
Turning around, however, he suddenly froze.
His hair, it had grown unbelievably long. The pitch black strands cascaded down his back before pooling across the floor, stretching far enough to brush against the polished stone beneath his feet.
Swoosh!
His figure disappeared. The next instant, he stood before an enormous full length mirror and his eyes narrowed.
He barely recognized himself.
His skin had become unnaturally pale, almost identical to that of a corpse. The purple streaks that had always run through his hair were completely gone, replaced by an endless sea of midnight black. Dark markings naturally surrounded his eyes, making it appear as though they had been painted with black ink, while his lips had likewise darkened into a lifeless shade.
Only one thing remained unchanged.
His brilliant purple irises. They continued burning vividly within eyes whose sclera had become permanently pitch black.
For a brief moment, the reflection smiled. The mirror image slowly lifted its head and its purple irises shifted into a deep crimson.
Its smile widened ever so slightly.
Quickly, Damian blinked and everything returned to normal. He instinctively staggered backward.
His hand slowly covered half his face as his breathing grew heavier but his calm expression never changed, only his trembling eyes betrayed him.
"Abyss..." He muttered with a frown.
Slowly composing himself, Damian turned back toward the three women staring at him with concern.
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Ten years," Ruby answered immediately. "It took eight years to purge Kaizer’s divinity from your body. After that, another two years were needed to heal the damage your body had suffered."
Buzz!
Damian’s entire body shook, his pupils contracted violently and he instinctively stepped backward.
Crash!
His back slammed into the enormous mirror and the priceless artifact toppled over before striking the floor and shattering into thousands of glittering fragments.
His breathing became uneven.
Ten Years?
His mind refused to accept it.
How could one battle possibly cost him ten years of his life?
His thoughts immediately raced elsewhere.
"Rah..." he asked hurriedly. "Where is she?"
Hazel quickly approached him.
"Calm down," she said gently while placing a reassuring hand upon his shoulder. "She’s alive. She’s well. We’re all alive."
Racheal nodded repeatedly.
"You should sit down for a while," she added quietly. "That’s... a lot to take in."
Huff...
Damian exhaled deeply before clutching the empty space where his human heart had once been.
Everything felt overwhelming. Yet something felt wrong. There was another feeling beneath it all or rather the absence of one.
It was as though an invisible wall separated him from his own emotions. The grief, pain and anger remained but they no longer consumed him completely. If he wished, he could retreat into an emotionless numbness where none of it mattered.
His fingers slowly pressed against the scar covering his chest.
’Is this... the Abyss?’ he wondered silently.
Then another possibility entered his mind.
’Or is it because... I lost my heart?’
He genuinely couldn’t tell anymore, neither answer comforted him.
"Give me some privacy," Damian said quietly.
The three women exchanged worried glances. None of them wished to leave, nevertheless, they silently obeyed.
One after another, they walked out of the room before gently closing the massive doors behind them.
Damian slowly crossed the room before lowering himself onto one of the luxurious sofas.
With a casual wave of his hand, the enormous curtains parted, revealing massive Gothic windows stretching from floor to ceiling were revealed.
Beyond them, twin moons illuminated the endless night sky of the Underworld. Their pale light bathed Velmora in an almost dreamlike glow while countless lights from the sprawling city below stretched as far as the eye could see.
Beside the sofa rested a polished table.
Upon it sat a golden goblet alongside an equally ornate golden jug filled with dark crimson wine. Both had been decorated with exquisite gemstones, making them appear more like royal treasures than ordinary drinking vessels.
A small smile appeared on Damian’s face.
It reminded him of the very first time Hazel had convinced him to drink demon wine inside his small apartment in Chicago. Back then there had been no wealth or fame or even problems.
It was just a man enjoying time every moment he had with his wives, this left him wondering what changed.
His smile slowly faded.
Quietly, he filled the goblet before resting back against the sofab and his gaze remained fixed upon the twin moons.
Without him, how had his devotees survived?
Has Twenty been alright?
His fingers tightened slightly around the goblet.
"Twenty...." he muttered quietly. "Are you okay?"
One face after another flashed through his memories. Eventually, it settled on Clara and his brows slowly drew together.
After staring into space for several long moments, Damian quietly shook his head before pushing those thoughts aside.
He raised the goblet and emptied it in one long swallow. The demon wine burned like liquid fire as it slid down his throat before spreading warmth throughout his body.
Almost immediately, his vision became slightly hazy. Back on Earth alcohol had never been capable of intoxicating him.
Here it finally could.
Damian slowly poured himself another glass before silently gazing toward the twin moons once again.
Perhaps, tonight wouldn’t feel quite as lonely as he had feared.