As Damian made his way through the chaotic streets of the city, he witnessed the aftermath of the explosion and the ensuing chaos. Ambulances rushed by, their sirens blaring, while EMTs worked tirelessly to treat the injured and load them into the vehicles. It was a scene of utter devastation, with buildings damaged, and people in shock.

Finally, he reached his home, only to find it partially collapsed, with rubble blocking the entrance. With no one in sight, Damian used his Biomass Shapeshifting ability to pull a large piece of rubble away, creating a gap large enough for him to squeeze through. Once inside, he transformed into a formless mass of biomass, allowing him to navigate through the cracks and crevices, making his way further into the damaged house before shifting back to his human form.

The interior of the house was in shambles, with debris scattered everywhere. Walls had crumbled, and furniture lay in disarray. Damian's memories of the life he had led here were now overshadowed by the harsh reality of the present.

Looking around Damian felt weird he knew this place and could remember what he had done in this place, but somehow these memories didn’t bring any feelings. As he walked around he saw a broken picture frame of Damain with his mother, father, and older sister. When he stared at it a memory suddenly popped into his mind.

It was a memory of a family vacation they took before his sister left Empire City to head over to New Marais. They had gone to the beach and Damian remembered how his sister, Emaline, or as she liked to go by Emma stepped on a starfish and slipped. This caused him to chuckle as he took the picture and put it into his pocket. It was weird of all things a trip he hadn’t wanted to go on at the time, was the first thing to trigger emotions inside him. Damian smiled as he said, “I guess what they say is true, the human heart is mysterious. Isn’t that right, Mom, Dad?”

Damian’s smile faded as he turned to his right and saw the bodies of his parents. They had been crushed by rubble. It seemed that they had tried to exit the building when a piece of the wall collapsed crushing them and from the looks of it his father had tried to shield his mother.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Damian calmly walked over to their bodies and tried to lift the rubble but he couldn’t. It was a shame he couldn’t have done that before what he planned to do. He wondered if they were alive would they have protested or even called him a monster? Regardless he used his Biomass Shapeshifting ability to turn into a formless mass and consumed the bodies underneath the rubble.

As he consumed the biomass of his parents, two new red veins began to form within his mind, and when he touched one of them, he was inundated with memories. These memories coalesced into the form of his mother, a lifelike projection of her.

The projection of Damian's mother appeared before him, wearing a kind and gentle expression. She looked just as he remembered her, and the sensation was both comforting and eerie. It was a reminder of his unique abilities and the connection he had with the biomass he consumed.

Damian couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions, fear and grief were the strongest of these emotions. He understood that these emotions were not his, but what his mother felt upon her death. The projection of Damian's mother flew towards him and placed her hand on his cheek as she had done so many times inside his memories and these feelings receded.

"I’m so glad you’re safe, Damian," his mother's projection said, her voice carrying the same warmth and love that Damian had remembered. "I was so afraid that something had happened to you, but now that I’m part of you, I understand that we’ll be okay."

The projection of his mother provided a sense of solace and connection in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty that had engulfed Damian's life. It was a reminder that he carried not just the memories but also the essence of those he had consumed, and in some way, they continued to exist within him.

Damian grabbed his parents' cell phones and a charger, anticipating the possibility of his sister calling before the impending chaos that was set to unfold in four days' time. With no other significant items to retrieve from the house, he made his way to the bathroom.

Once inside, Damian gazed into the mirror and accessed his status screen, focusing on his Consuming ability. This unique power allowed him to gain the memories, skills, and appearance of the beings he consumed, including other Conduits, which would grant him their powers.

As he contemplated his abilities, a novel idea took root in Damian's mind. Since he had no leads on how to locate the elusive Blast Cores, perhaps he could enhance his search capabilities by consuming various animals to gain their unique skills and attributes. For instance, the echolocation of a bat, or the heightened hearing and sense of smell of a wolf could prove invaluable in tracking down these valuable resources.

Damian began searching for the nearest zoo using the GPS function on one of the phones. It didn't take long for him to find the location and directions to the zoo. It was about a 15-minute walk, now that he had a plan and destination Damian exited his childhood home.

As he approached the zoo, Damian saw it was deserted and there was nobody around except for a few workers. This would make his job easier if he didn’t have to worry too much about prying eyes. During the 15-minute walk here Damian had made a list of animals that were normally thought of as exceptional.