Yuki, Cal, and Erik were together convening at one of the restaurants located inside the academy. They sat in a private room and decided to meet there everyday until there was further news about what was going on. After the duel between Damien and Zurat they were both taken away by Ari the Headmaster to undergo treatment for their severe injuries. It has been a week since the result of the battle but no one had heard a thing about those two. They sat in silence most of the time, just waiting for the others to clamor up and hope they hear something worthwhile. Cal was playing with his glass of water, swirling the water around in circles until he had the courage to speak about what was eating away at his mind.
“Hey… I can’t stop thinking about it. What was that about? I mean with Damien. It didn’t even seem like that was him at the end. You think he’s the same after that?”
Cal’s questions were met with an awkward silence. They knew Damien better than anyone else at this academy so they knew he was a battle fanatic but not where he would become a sadistic person. There was something deeper and Cal could only think of one person who would know out of them.
“Yuki, what do you know? For some reason he trusts you with these things. Did he ever tell you anything?”
“No, I only knew what he told me. We can only wait and see what he wants to tell us.”
Erik scuffed in response but that’s as far as he took it. After a while another group sat next to their table and talked about the state of the academy with up to date gossip.
“Don’t even try to get into Professor Cloudshade’s class Pavar! He has hundreds of students trying to have him as a tutor, he will never choose you!”
“Oh shut up, let me dream! If I had the chance then he can also teach me what he taught Damien! He’s the one responsible for a Point 1 student overcoming someone from Point 3, and it being Zurat! Obviously he has some secret knowledge that can help us grow in strength!”
The group went on and on about how Wexley was the reason Damien became so strong. Everyone found out that he was Damien’s tutor after his victory and along with small manipulation of the truth, Wexley gained back his reputation that he always wanted. Cal could only try to calm Yuki down but she was ready to explode. It was then that they started talking about Damien himself that she stopped in her tracks.
“Forget about Professor Cloudshade! I heard Damien has awakened just today! People are saying there was a lot of movement in the Headmasters office and they even saw Dr. Gors enter in a hurry. If we can get to him, maybe we can get to Professor Cloudshade!”
Yuki’s emotions were on the rise about Wexley now being the talk of the academy, but hearing about Damien’s condition helped her steer clear from those thoughts. Everyone had the same idea so without any words they left the restaurant in a rush. In a corner of the same restaurant, Gloria heard the same exact conversation. She got up and left to a remote area to make another report.
“Regional Leader, do you have a copy?”
“Go ahead Star #013.”
“The main suspect has recovered. What was the update with the new information provided, Regional Leader?”
“Yes, Star #001 has corroborated your claims. You both have done well. The Lord has let go of all other suspects as Damien is the one who we have been looking for. Expect more frequent contact and a job truly well done. The time will come, just sit tight while the Lord makes his voyage.”
The contact cut between them and Gloria continued on her day like nothing happened. While that was going on Damien opened his eyes for the first time in a week. It took him a while to adjust his sight but when it came to he saw a numerous amount of people in the room. Dr. Gors went to check his vitals while Ari came to his side.
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“Damien, it is good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”
Damien wanted to pick himself up but his body did not allow him to move. He felt no strength in his muscles and his mouth was completely dry. All he could do was smack his lips a couple times, trying to reply. Gors understood what to do right away and casted a rejuvenation Rune Spell. Damien felt slightly better and was able to form a sentence.
“I can’t feel much of anything, Headmaster. I just feel tired.”
“Just rest for now, Damien.”
After Ari got his answer he pulled Gors aside to the other side of the room where Damien could not hear them.
“My, Headmaster, you just needed to ask if you wanted to grab me.”
Ari didn’t even react to Gors' whimsical nature as he was focused on Damien.
“Why hasn’t he recovered Gors? It’s been a week and we both know with your treatment anybody would be up and ready to go by now. What did you see right now?”
“You’re no fun headmaster. But I did notice something very strange. When I ran his pulse I secretly analyzed his entire system along with his core and I can see why he hasn’t recovered. In fact, some of his life force is being drawn out as we speak.”
“You said his life force!? What are we doing about that!? Tell me what you know, Gors.”
“Relax, it is a very small amount. Maybe around a year or so of life force if I were to make an assumption. What’s fascinating is that his Core is autonomously redirecting all of his Mana into itself with a tinge of his life force. I’ve never seen anything like it, but if I were to make another assumption then I would say that it is using all of those energies to seal something inside.”
“What are you basing this assumption off of, this is no joke.”
“It’s an educated guess, mixed with a little intuition.”
“We will find out for sure when Omarion's clone returns. For now do all that it takes to counter his life force from being used.”
As they were finishing up, Damien was able to regain some of his motor functions. He moved his head to see his reflection and when he saw himself staring back with his orange eyes he started to panic. He began to hyperventilate from an anxiety attack and used his entire force to scream out.
“Where are my glasses! I need them! Please! Headmaster, Dr. Gors I can’t go back like this! I’m scared!”
All of Damien’s memories and fears were coming back to him. How he tortured Zurat and became someone he wished he never was. He wanted the protection from his emotions taking over. He closed his eyes as hard as he could until Ari and Gors comforted him.
“Relax my boy. You are safe here. Either way we are too strong for you to even hurt us. Now relax and take a deep breath.”
Damien did as he said and tried to clear his mind away. His breathing technique was impressive as it calmed his nerves almost instantly but it did not stop him from shutting his eyes. Ari was ready to ask him something about the incident but before he even knew it, Damien had fallen back to sleep making him bite his tongue. Ari was tempted to shake him awake, however Gors was a step faster to cut him off from trying.
“Don’t meddle with my patient's rest, Headmaster. Just wait patiently like you have been.”
Ari couldn’t argue with him so he accepted the fact. He sat down in his chair and appeared to be in deep thought. It was at that moment a knock came from the door to his office. Ari perked up at the thought of it being Omarion bringing back information. He got up in a rush to open the door and revealed three kids being Cal, Erik, and Yuki. Ari was on the way to shutting the door in their face but a large, dark-skinned hand stopped halfway through. Omarion appeared behind the children and he led them inside personally.
“Be at ease, Headmaster. I met them on the way here so I extended them an invitation. Also I bring some news.”
Ari could only accept the situation and allow everyone to be brought inside. The group of 3 immediately went to Damien’s side and were comforted by Gors of his condition. While they were distracted Ari pulled Omarion to the side to speak in private.
“Is it good or bad?”
“First of all tell me how the boy is doing.”
“Really?… okay, it seems like his energy including his life force is being used up and according to Dr.Gors it is to seal something. That is why his recovery is delayed. Now tell me the information you uncovered, good or bad.”
“It is a complicated situation. One cannot say for sure if something is good or bad but it is not looking promising. I’ll tell you now Ari, do you want to know what I know? I don’t advocate for this much but for this situation I must advise that ignorance is bliss.”
“Omarion, you may hold more knowledge than I could possibly fathom but I am the Headmaster of the most prestigious academy that has ever existed. It is my duty and responsibility to ensure the safety of my students and dammit I will know.”
Omarion let the silence settle in before he spoke his next words. He looked straight into Ari’s eyes and assessed his determination.
“Young Ari, what do you know of this world we live in?”