Damon woke up in a lab. No machines hovered above him this time, no wires or restraints. Just silence, and Daichi sprawled across his chest in his dog form, heavy and warm.
His bones felt weighted, as if something inside them had been reforged overnight. The air tasted faintly metallic, the ghost of machines lingering even without a single device in sight.
He stroked the wolf's fur, a soft, grateful thought flickering through him.
'He's such a good dog,' He thought.
Daichi stirred, eyes bright with relief. His voice pressed into Damon's mind, trembling.
"YOU'RE OKAY! I'm glad you're okay. Last night was… I didn't know what was happening. I could feel you in agony. But now you're awake!"
"I'm sorry," Damon whispered, thumb smoothing behind Daichi's ear. "I don't understand it either. But now I can... see better. I feel sharper. I can hear more."
"How?"
"I don't know," Damon admitted. "I just feel… stronger."
He lifted his right hand. Beyond it, his mother and sister dozed beside him — Queen Thessa in her royal nightwear and sleeping in a naturally regal posture, Nyra curled close with her head resting on her mother's shoulder.
Damon exhaled and asked Daichi not to wake them. Then he pressed his palm to his forehead, eyes shut tight.
'Why'd I have to worry them again? She's got an entire kingdom to attend to. When she wakes up she's going to have the same look on her face when she's troubled. I even got the sister I finally wanted and I'm making her upset. Can't life just be smooth for once?'
The door opened. Tolrex entered, relief loosening his shoulders. "You're awake. You gave everyone quite a scare."
Nyra's eyes snapped open at the sound of Tolrex's voice. She bolted upright, scrambled across the bed, and crashed into him, arms wrapping around his torso like she was afraid he'd vanish. Her whole body trembled against his. Damon felt her rapid breaths, hot and uneven, soaking into his shirt.
"Last night…" Her voice cracked. "There was blood coming from your mouth. Your eyes were open, but you weren't there. You were just… breathing. Like a corpse that hadn't realized it was dead yet."
Damon swallowed. "I'm okay now. I'm right here now."
She squeezed harder, face buried in his chest. "I just found you. I can't lose you again."
"You won't," he said gently. "I feel fine. In fact, I feel—"
"Better," Tolrex finished.
Damon nodded. "Yes. Exactly."
Queen Thessa stirred. For a moment, she just stared at him, as if making sure he was real.
Then she rose with that same unshakable grace, but her fingers trembled as they brushed through his hair. Up close, Damon could see the exhaustion in her eyes — the kind that no amount of royal composure could hide. Though it slowly turned to relief.
"You should really stop scaring your mother," she murmured. "I'm sorry you have to endure so much pain."
Damon met her gaze. He didn't need words but apologised with his eyes. Though she tried to hide it with a reassuring nod, her sadness and worry were quite visible.
Damon sat up. His legs felt a little longer. His hands opened and closed, the grip tighter, cleaner. His heartbeat felt… different. Heavier. Like it belonged to someone older.
"What exactly am I going through? What just happened?" he asked.
Tolrex hesitated, "It didn't just happen, that was last night. I also didn't tell your mother or sister because you should hear this first, but… You are growing."
Nyra wiped her face. "What's wrong with that?"
Daichi shifted, still watching.
"You are growing, Prince Damon," Tolrex said softly. "That's the problem."
Confusion crossed the Queen's face. Tolrex wiped a few equations from a nearby board, summoned a 4D hologram splitting into two charts labelled DAMON and THALOR.
The words landed heavy in the room. Nyra's grip on Damon's arm tightened. Thessa went very still.
Tolrex gestured to the floating graphs. One line — labelled THALOR — rose steadily then levelled off. The other — DAMON — shot upward violently, jagged and unstable.
"Lines solve all," he murmured. "This is the best way to make it sink in. What does anything that moves have?"
"Speed," Damon replied.
Tolrex revealed the S on both graphs. "And if a thing moves far faster than it should?"
"Depends on its strength… its durability, and other factors," Damon said. "The outcome usually differs."
"Exactly." Tolrex gestured to the THALOR graph, "The T-line is your father's. He built himself slowly. His body could withstand the speed of his own growth."
Now he gestured to the DAMON graph:
"This is your line. You haven't trained your body to... to match your power. Even if you did, your physical abilities, your powers, they grow faster than you do. Every time it spikes, your body scrambles to keep up. That's what happened last night. Your bones, blood, nerves, all racing to survive your own power."
Silence settled.
"D—Do you remember Her Majesty telling you that you have your father's core?" Tolrex asked hesitantly.
Damon nodded.
"There are two reasons why the purge is happening. Subtracting the fact that you grow too fast for your body to keep up alone, the core of the strongest being to ever live on Eternum has been bonded with your own core. It'll release the power in it slowly, but for you, each amount it releases will be too much. We can't predict when that happens, and we can't seal your own power, because..."
Tolrex paused and took in a deep breath. "Because you need to grow if you're going to go up against a Black Hole of negative emotions like Gamishi, remember emotions power eterna, so imagine how strong he is."
Silence settled again, but it was heavier this time. Everyone, even Daichi, had their faces grow sadder the more they processed the news Tolrex had just delivered.
Damon broke the silence softly. "So each time I train… each time I grow… it'll feel like this?"
Tolrex didn't reply; he couldn't. Though the way he adjusted his glasses said it all.
Damon met Nyra's eyes. Hers were worried, though his was steady. His mother stood still, swallowing fear.
"So Tolrex," Queen Thessa said tightly, "if his body can't contain the growth… this purge will happen again?" Raising her tone, slightly turning to anger.
Tolrex lowered his gaze.
Damon saw the flicker in his mother's expression. It wasn't anger, but fear wearing the shape of it. The kind that a mother feels when the world reaches for her child again.
He called her gently, "Mom..." She softened instantly, exhaled, and apologised to Tolrex. "Forgive my tone."
Tolrex bowed instantly.
Damon rose, and Daichi hopped onto his head like a snowy crown. Sunlight streamed through high windows, painting Woewyn's blue waters in feathered gold.
Damon saw a fish dive up and go back down, 'How can I see that far?'
Buildings stretched far, trees hummed under nature's breath; somewhere, a child answered his mother's call.
Damon inhaled deeply. "If I reach the very peak of power, or at least fully absorb the one in my father's core… will the growth stop?"
"I— I can't say," Tolrex said. "You're unpredictable. We don't know if you will ever stop growing because we don't know if there is a peak. Someone always surpasses it."
Tolrex took off his glasses and stared down. His voice sounded like he was forcing a careful explanation. This made Damon feel as if he was being taken into consideration.
"Prince Damon, your natural power combined with your father's core made this inevitable. You grow very fast, and that is the main source of the purge. The other one is the core release. So... I don't know. Your body is like a cup, but your growth's like an ocean." He said.
He gestured at the hologram. "You now carry your father's hand-to-hand combat experience of sixty-six years. Your father was two hundred and ninety when he died."
Damon raised an eyebrow. "So I don't need combat training anymore. I'll grow into it naturally, with each purge."
The room's tension thinned.
"I wish you didn't have to think that way. And I'm sorry that... that I can't help you change it. I really am," his mother said. A heavy ache settled in her chest, the kind that makes the room feel too small and her heart feel far too fragile.
She gazed at his slightly troubled face and sighed.
"I suppose you won't need it, but... you look taller," the Queen said, palm warm on his shoulder.
He smiled as his mother formed her own. "I know."
Nyra slipped under his arm. The three of them stood together by the window, watching sunlight dance across the glass. Tolrex watched, quietly admiring how fast their sorrow bent into unity.
The world outside kept moving, but for a moment, the three of them stood still.
---
Hours later...
In the steam of the burning bath, Damon wiped a wet hand across the silvered glass. The reflection staring back was him, but... optimized. His shoulders were broader, his jawline sharper, and the lean muscles of his torso were defined with a surgical precision he hadn't really worked for, even his wet hair was healthier and better.
He traced the unfamiliar lines of his abs, feeling the newfound density in his skin. He let out a long, heavy sigh, pulling his shirt on to hide the transformation.
'Hmm. I'm becoming a masterpiece I never asked to be.'
He was in casual clothes, at least as casual enough for a prince. Looking striking was a natural thing meant to happen, being the son of someone like Queen Thessa and the images of his father he'd seen around. But now, Damon looked endearing, sweet-faced, a charm he never asked to carry.
He strolled royal halls and reluctantly reciprocated greetings; his subjects knew something was wrong; however, in no position to ask, they could only smile. He made his way to the training halls and watched Solaren lecture from above through a glass; he didn't call, but Solaren noticed him and came forward.
"So, what are we training today?" Damon said with a determination that cancelled out when his voice shook.
Solaren ruffled his own hair. "I don't like that a kid like you is carrying so much for a kingdom you barely know."
He rested a heavy yet gentle hand on Damon's shoulder. "When I look at you, I see a boy carrying a war on his back. Take the day off. Even steel needs cooling. Alright?"
Damon bowed, still unsure how a prince should respect his elders. Daichi, on Damon's head, in wolf form, lowered his head too.
"Princes shouldn't bow," Solaren said, surprised. Damon and Daichi left calmly.
---
He climbed the tallest building he could find, which was the very peak of the castle. He sat cross-legged, letting the sun rest on his skin. Quiet gathered around him.
Damon's face showed he had many thoughts. One of which was: 'I guess this is life now. I don't even know how to feel. But why me?'
Wind lifted his coat, flapping softly.
"I've never asked life for much," he told the horizon. "Except, happy parents, a happy Daiki, a dog, and Natsuki… even she felt like a dream."
He exhaled.
"This path, it's not one I chose and yet... I'm meant to be the Chosen One. It was like... a storm that just dragged me in. And death—" He laughed once, breathless. "Death's chased me more in months than most people see in a lifetime. I'm only seventeen."
He looked upward. "If this is just a test from God or something… well, you already know how stubborn I am. I just can't give up."
He lay flat, hands behind his head, "I don't want to save the world. But I don't want to watch it burn either."
Daichi listened to every one of Damon's words, but a subtle confusion hit him, and he asked: "What do you mean?"
"Well, what kinda guy would watch a world his loved ones admire, burn knowing he could've stopped it?"
The silence afterward felt earned. Daichi watched him, soaking in every word. The heaviness didn't vanish, but the cool breeze helped. Damon stretched out an arm, his fingers spread out. It was as if he tried to touch the blue sky and beautiful clouds.
After a while...
Damon stood, brushing dust from his coat, and let out a sigh. "Come on. If we stay, I'll start thinking too much."
Daichi snorted. "You already think too much. Are you okay?"
Damon smirked. "I'm fine, Daichi. I'm fine." Just like that, the air felt lighter.
"Do you know where you're going?" Daichi asked.
"No." Damon stepped off the ledge. "We'll find out."
The wolf followed.
Rooftops blurred beneath his boots. He jumped down a couple of rooftops with Daichi leaping beside him, walked on some, and then stopped at the edge of one, hundreds of feet of sheer air.
"Don't," Daichi warned.
"It's only a hundred," Damon said. "I can land it."
"Damon. No its three hundred."
"Daichi. Yes, let's fly."
He grabbed the wolf and jumped. Wind punched into him, coat snapping upward. His shirt rose, wind hitting his stomach — the drop thrilling instead of frightening. The world blurred into sky, a beautiful blue sea from afar, and a few birds. Then, stone and more buildings as he got closer to land.
He bent his knees at impact. Subtle shock rippled through his legs, cracking the ground in a spiderweb.
"Wow, I feel like jumping again. From a higher place this time."
Daichi was frozen and utterly stunned. "Snap out of it, it's only three hundred," Damon said, already walking. "Let's go."
"You're going to get us killed," Daichi muttered as he climbed his way to Damon's shoulder.
Damon smirked as they went forward, with the sole aim of exploration.
Sooner than later...
The capital unfolded in front of them like a living tapestry — not futuristic in the cold, metallic way people imagined Earth's future, but in a way that felt grown, rather than built.
Woewyn's architecture curved like nature had shaped it first, and engineers had simply listened not just to nature but to architects specialised in the perfection of preserving beauty.
As Damon and his bond strolled aimlessly in peace and glanced everywhere, he thought:
'Wow. That's the only word I can think of. Isn't there a way Earth can be developed and still be beautiful like this? Maybe I should kidnap an architect here and send them to Earth. Wait— I'm a prince. I could just ask one of 'em, right?'
Daichi replied telepathically, 'Really? And what makes you think one architect would make a difference to Earth humans?'
'It's just a thought, Daichi. It's just a thought.'
Buildings of pale stone rose upward, their surfaces lined with gold veins. Bridges were in certain places where, while not labelled, aesthetically pleasing transport vehicles moved around in calm paces. Some bridges were arched between rooftops like woven branches of smooth concrete, almost reflecting the light of the sun.
Damon slowed his steps because Woewyn demanded it. Every corner held something worth staring at. He even began walking backwards, feeling like he hadn't stared at stone curves resembling water waves with intricate designs. Even the statues of dragons and lions looked majestic.
The streets were wide and clean, paved with smooth stone that seemed alive underfoot — not from technology, but from the natural energy running through the ground. Trees with silver‑green leaves lined every path, their branches humming softly with life. Flowers bloomed in impossible colours, their petals shifting gently as if breathing.
'What—? Are those Middlemist Reds? Those are Natsuki's favourites. They seem common here; they even have a scent,' he said as he went closer to the tree.
'I think Natsuki would change her mind on her favourite if she explored a little.'
'Damon. Why don't we try out what categories of dog food they have? Since this place is super developed, dog food would be super tasty, don't you think? Don't you think? Damon?' Daichi whispered mentally.
While Daichi questioned, Damon had entered the land of daydreams while he strolled. Daichi looked into his mind and saw a change. A funfair that Natsuki and Damon used to visit, rippling into the area in front of them, with Natsuki exploring with them. His best friend, Daiki, was being chaotic but in a heartwarming way.
Totally unaware of Daichi's calls, he chuckled shortly, with an impressed smile, 'Nah. She's too grounded. But seriously, though, this place is magnificent. Oh, Daichi, what were you saying? Food? Let's go find some.'
'About time. You wouldn't be crossing the road and daydreaming on Earth like this, would you?'
'I'm not a prince on Earth. But I am a prince on Woewyn.'
They argued for a while, and everywhere they walked, people greeted them. And yet, despite the beauty, the city was undeniably advanced.
Sky‑Sheets hovered above the plazas, displaying news and footage in blue floating light. Suited Ones and Natural Knights patrolled with armour that looked grown from starlight rather than forged, though the Natural Knights reminded Damon of medieval armour. Market stalls used hovering platforms instead of tables, their goods suspended in gentle orbits around the vendors.
It was a city where what Damon thought was magic, but quickly corrected himself to be eterna, and engineering didn't clash — they danced in harmony. A place where progress didn't erase nature, but amplified it.
They walked for a while, then suddenly, a scent hit them. It was savoury, sweet, and rich. Daichi drooled instantly, following it like a trance. Damon followed him.
Whispers rose as they strolled deeper into a marketplace:
"It's the prince."
"Has he come to look for a hand?"
"What's he doing with no guards?"
The whispers brushed his ears lightly. Damon didn't stiffen or boast; he simply nodded to everyone who bowed—which was mostly everyone—as if greeting neighbours rather than subjects. They weren't just humans; there were fairies, people's bonds, and birds gliding around in beautiful peace.
Damon's eye caught a grey-looking fox creature; it seemed to be taunting Daichi. Damon simply held him back, "C'mon, let's go find what that smells about," he said. As if dismissing Daichi's territorial play.
He and Daichi shared a look and kept moving. They reached a hall with its name carved boldly across the rooftop: THE COREHOUSE OF PLENTY.
Its walls were etched with glyphs that pulsed softly. Inside, three sections glowed with their own life.
At the entrance, the Flameout Section roared with open pits blazing, ember meats sizzling under molten spice.
To the left, the Harvest Section steamed with dumplings, roasted roots, and warm breads.
To the right, the Fruit Stand shimmered with crystal pears and shard-berries glowing like sky-plucked stars. This one seemed to be run by fairies.
Daichi stared unblinking at the Flameout Section.
"Did you always love meat this much?" Damon asked.
"I've got wolf in me now," Daichi said dryly. "My cravings for flesh have spiked."
"That's terrifying," Damon muttered. "We'll get some of all of them."
"You didn't take any money," Daichi reminded him.
"There's no such thing as a broke prince," Damon said, whipping out Varnex's wallet.
"How do you still have that?"
Damon smiled without answering.
He walked towards the Flameout Section. The stall master, a big man with gloves on, hairy forearms, and a gold-toothed grin. He bowed, and Damon returned it. "How's your day?"
"Fantastic, my prince!" the man boomed, putting on a toque and preparing something special for them.
"Why's everyone so cheerful?" Damon asked.
"Trineum's match is in a week," the man said cheerfully. "It's a very great event!"
"Trineum's match? Must be important if people feel it early." Damon asked.
"It is. There's a thrill in seeing youngsters go at it. This is just the centre of the capital. Woewyn has many countries, you should see the bliss and joyful chaos at the others," the man said, handing over a basket of sizzling wonders.
'Countries? I should ask Mom about that later,' Damon thought, "Thank You. How much?"
"For the prince? Nothing."
"If I'm the prince, shouldn't you extort me?" Damon asked with true curiosity.
The man simply laughed.
"Thank you," Damon said again, bowing deeper. The man's lips widened in a glad smile as he bowed. His moustache stretched with it.
Daichi hopped up, nose twitching. His eyes locked on the Dragonfire Jerky, colourful meat cured with volcanic salt and something secret. The wolf's drool dripped.
"Stop," Damon hissed, wiping the counter.
The man only laughed. Again.
They left the Corehouse after buying from its other sections, weaving toward the market's edge.
Damon carried the basket too. Daichi paced close, captivated by the smell.
They walked through a patch of beautiful trees, too pretty to call a bush or forest, but abundant in natural landscape, searching for a quiet place to devour the basket of food.
"This apple's larger than my fist," he admired as he threw a pitaya to Daichi. The dog leaped to catch it in desperation.
Then they heard it:
A swirling, rhythmic sound. Like water stirred by an unseen hand. A heartbeat beneath it, steady, alive. They both froze.
"Do you hear that?" Damon asked.
Damon pushed aside the bushes. Leaves brushed his fingers. The sound sharpened, ripples folding over themselves.
His breath caught. "Cythera?" he whispered.