Damon knew he should have killed himself in tick form. It would have been so easy to tell this friend to put him in a giraffe, elephant enclosure, or even a meerkat, which would have quickly finished him. He had done it again—another shed session. Damien was way too strong, and he somehow felt that he was losing and badly, like he had little time left before Damien took over fully.
He felt Damien or the volcano so much better and he had fought with it in the shed, but he was losing. He could not stop himself. Even though he had been on the surface for just a few minutes, that side took over and it was angry.
On the plus side, he hadn't killed Mimi, but Damon very much doubted that Mimi would survive. The assault had been brutal and fast. He had done so much damage and she had been so weak.
Then he'd had to act. First, he'd saved Mimi just like in old times and was happy to find himself back. It had felt so perfect to help Mimi. But Damien had been short-tempered, angry. Something inside him had exploded out of him for having saved Mimi. It would not work out.
He couldn't take it anymore. The hope he'd felt when he'd helped, the feeling. And that was taken away from him, and then he was about to do another really nasty session. He decided to kill himself in some way that Damien couldn't handle. This would end and end for good. At least he would never hurt Mimi again. He thought of a way. An iron coffin at the bottom of the sea would guarantee Mimi decades, if not centuries, of peace, but what then?
If he could somehow get into a space rocket to be shot into space, it might work, too. He wondered and wondered. He felt how Damien was so much stronger, and he was weak, so freaking much weaker, and he knew that a shed session where Mimi would die again would only be a matter of time. He could not stop Damien from pushing him down.
He wasn't even sure that Damien existed; he had just given name to his evil side, and it had now corrupted him. He had felt that Mimi lost her love for him, and it had broken something inside him so badly that Damien just kept getting stronger. He sat on a rock and thought of the best way to make himself harmless. Let Mimi have peace and love with Adam and Charles. Though he knew losing Mimi ripped his soul apart, at least she would be safe and loved by those who deserved her. He had done too much, not just Damien, but him too.
Suddenly, Damon found himself standing on a vibrant rainbow island in heaven, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of colors. The air was filled with a sweet, intoxicating scent of flowers in full bloom. As he looked around, Damon's eyes met the gaze of a majestic big, fat, white, long-haired cat, its fur glistening in the ethereal light. The cat approached him gracefully, its paws barely making a sound on the soft, grassy ground.
The cat's pure white coat seemed to emit a gentle glow, captivating Damon's attention. At that moment, he realized that his mind interpreted the cat's color as white, but it was so much more. This cat was divine, a God in feline form. Memories of their earlier conversation flooded back into Damon's mind, but instead of bringing him solace, they only deepened his despair.
The God-cat appeared puzzled, its ancient wisdom evident in its wise eyes. Throughout its existence, it has fulfilled its duty of creating life, always striving to maintain balance. It knew that there were beings more powerful than itself, overseeing the cosmic order. Its role was to harness the universal power and infuse it into living vessels, granting them souls. Birds, critters, and even humans were among its creations, each bestowed with a piece of cosmic wonder.
Yet, a dark force, its counterpart, would relentlessly corrupt these creations, ripping their very souls away. The God-cat had witnessed the miracles its creations were capable of, the selfless acts and boundless love they displayed. Damon's inner struggle with Damien, the conflict within his being bewildered it. The God-cat yearned to understand why this creature, capable of such goodness, now sought to end its own existence.
Seeking answers, the cat gracefully settled down next to Damon, its presence comforting.
"I am here for you, Damon," the cat spoke with a voice that resonated with divine wisdom. "I want to understand. Talk to me."
Damon felt torn, unsure of how to express the turmoil within him. "Leave me alone. Let me die," he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation.
"Why? Why do you want to die?" the cat persisted, confusion evident in its eyes.
Struggling to put his feelings into words, Damon continued, his voice trembling. "When I give in to my darker impulses, I experience these intense moments of release that I can't comprehend. It feels good, but it's not me. It's Damien, this other part of me that is taking over. I saved Mimi and healed her, but Damien within me grew angry, and that was the result. I thought I had found myself again, but I was wrong. I feel like I'm losing the battle. The evil inside me, Damien, is overpowering, and I'm starting to believe that it's just an inherent part of who I am. These feelings, they feel so real."
The weight of Damon's words hung heavily in the air, the rainbow island serving as the backdrop to this profound conversation between mortal and divine.
God came closer, his presence enveloping Damon. Its bright green eyes, vibrant and almost glowing, pierced through the darkness. The air seemed charged with anticipation as God spoke softly, his voice carrying a faint echo.
"Go on," God said, his voice tinged with curiosity. "When did you feel better? Other times, when you save or help Mimi, when you feel free of this other one, as you call it, this Damien?"
Damon paused, his mind searching for the memories. Then, like a flickering light, he remembered, and a burst of laughter escaped his lips.
"Those were several of our flank weddings," he replied, his laughter carrying a touch of nostalgia. "Though Mimi didn't appreciate them, they made me feel free somehow. I imagined I could control this evil I felt by controlling Mimi. It helped at first, but something grew so strong that I found pleasure in the wrong things. I know I'm evil. I can feel it. It used my stabbing for Mimi against me just to show me I was losing. Time is slipping away, and I must make myself as harmless as possible. Mimi has lost her love for me. I felt it, heard it. There is nothing between us anymore."
God's voice was a mere whisper as he said, "Because you were free at that wedding. And Mimi's control gave you power and strength. Damien exists. He is real, and he is not a part of you. He tries to manipulate you into believing it."
Damon furrowed his eyebrows, his confusion clear. God rose from his seat and gestured for Damon to follow. Together, they walked towards a serene fountain, the sound of trickling water soothing their troubled minds.
God stopped beside the fountain and said, "I will show you. Look deep into the water, just look."
Damon obediently gazed into the dark pool, the cool mist rising and caressing his face. As he peered deeper, the water began to ripple and transform, becoming a shimmering screen of sorts. Figures emerged from the depths, their presence both haunting and captivating.
As Damon peered into the dark pool, it shimmered like a vivid television screen. Gradually, a scene unfolded before him. He saw a quaint cottage, its interior dimly illuminated by flickering candlelight. The air was filled with the musty scent of old wood and the soft crackling of the flames. In the room, a woman lay in bed, her breathing heavy and labored. Nurse Maiden stood by her side, offering help and comfort.
"M-Mother?" Damon's voice trembled as he spoke.
A God's gentle voice, like a whisper, replied, "Everything begins anew with every birth. I have been slow to act, but now that he has revealed himself, I will ensure justice. You have suffered for far too long. The entity that plagued you can no longer hide within your mind. It has surfaced, allowing me to intervene."
Damon's gaze remained fixed on his mother, who was in the throes of labor. Time seemed to stand still as he witnessed the miraculous moment when his sibling entered the world. A smile graced his mother's face, radiating joy and relief. She held the newborn briefly before resuming her efforts to deliver another child. Damon's attention was drawn to the mark on the palm of the second child's hand, identical to his own.
Without hesitation, his mother swiftly handed the second child away, focusing her attention on nourishing the firstborn. Only when the baby was satiated did she turn to Damon, allowing him to drink what remained. The scenes shifted, now showing the two boys as identical 18-month-olds. One sat contentedly on his father's lap, as his proud father presented a fireball in the palm of his hand. The boy eagerly reached out and claimed it as his own.
Meanwhile, the other boy's gaze fixated on a scrawny dog lurking in the yard. In a fit of anger, he hurled the fireball at the helpless creature, causing it to yelp in pain as a fresh burn mark marred its side. The mother, beaming with pride, moved to shower her firstborn with affection. In contrast, the second son stood alone, his anger clear. Ignored and unnoticed, he approached the wounded dog and gently placed his palm on the injury, soothing it slightly.
The father witnessed this act of compassion and forcefully ripped the boy away, sending him tumbling onto the grass. In a cruel display, the father proceeded to slowly snap the dog's neck, prompting the second son to break into tears. The image slowly faded, leaving behind the heart-wrenching sight of the boy embracing the lifeless dog, his palm emitting a faint glow.
The scene shifted once more, revealing the first boy lying in bed, coughing weakly and devoid of strength. The parents sat on either side, their faces etched with worry and despair. A doctor entered the room, engaging in a somber conversation with the mother and father.
Shaking his head, the doctor's words brought forth tears from the mother's eyes. The boys, now five years old, stood as silent witnesses to the unfolding tragedy.
The dimly lit basement seemed suffused with an eerie aura as the picture once again transformed. Both boys, their bodies sprawled across the cold stone slab, were now bound, their hands tightly tied. Intricate magical symbols adorned the surface of the slab, their mystical significance unknown.
One of the boys struggled to draw breath, his feeble gasps filling the air with a sense of desperation. The other, though weakened, fought to rise, a determination etched upon his face. A mysterious liquid had been administered to the conscious boy, rendering him unconscious, his body limp.
Clad in somber black robes, their faces obscured by shadows, stood the mother and father, their presence commanding. Surrounding them were several other figures, also draped in black, their intentions concealed. And then, the ritual commenced.
An electric surge coursed through the air, passing from one boy to the other, the transfer of energy palpable. The sickly boy's breath ceased, his life extinguished. Meanwhile, the healthy boy convulsed, tremors rippling through his body, as a radiant light emanated from his palm, obscuring the mark that once adorned it. Damon, overwhelmed by the spectacle unfolding before him, remained silent, desperately seeking a simpler explanation for the unfathomable events.
During his confusion, a divine voice resonated, cutting through the tension. "Two sons, one embodying good and the other harboring destruction. What happens when these two opposing forces dwell within the same vessel? Balance," declared God.
Damon, attempting to comprehend the unfathomable, reluctantly murmured, "I suppose I did."
The enigmatic cat, privy to knowledge hidden from Damon, revealed the truth. "Yes, you possessed a twin brother named Damien, the firstborn, devoid of the mark of salvation. Your palm remains unblemished because Damien still resides within you. However, once he departs, your mark will materialize. You possess magic, Damon, you are likely a wizard, as your subconscious awareness suggests. Your parents instructed Damien for years, but you repelled him, suppressing his influence. In their pursuit to bring Damien to the forefront, they devised a contingency plan involving Stefan. Alas, he proved to be an even greater disappointment, devoid of magic and consumed by malevolence. He was not the dark wizard son they sought," explained the cat.
Damon's mind whirled with questions, pondering his own identity and that of Damien. Could they ever be separated? As ancient beings intertwined for millennia, who was he, and what was Damien?
The cat god said, his voice low and rumbling, "Your parents performed a black ritual when they put Damien inside you, hoping, of course, that Damien would take over completely, but that didn't happen. They would have gladly exchanged your body, but Damien's body wouldn't have lasted, and the ritual wouldn't be complete by the time the body died. That would have been the end of Damien."
As the waves crashed against the shore, their rhythmic sound creating a soothing backdrop, the god continued, "If the white witches had done this ritual, they would have broken you both into tiny little pieces and then merged you into a whole new being, a balanced one, light and dark."
A gentle breeze carried the scent of salt from the sea, mingling with the earthy aroma of damp sand.
The god's words flowed with wisdom. "Now, what your parents' ritual accomplished was a constant battle to see who would be on top. You have blackouts, so you know that by then, Damien had taken over completely, but for example, at that wedding, you took over. The whole three days. That flanking gave you the kind of power boost that helped you stay in control."
Damon, feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin as he sat beside the god, asked inquisitively, "To be in charge, I have to flank Mimi?"
The god chuckled, his laughter carrying a playful melody. "No, no, I can get Damien out of you permanently so he can never get back in, but the only downside is that Damien will have a body. Now he's come out enough. I had my suspicions about that, but I couldn't act until Damien came out enough that he couldn't hide anymore. But it's worth remembering that he could still come after Mimi."
Damon gazed out at the vast expanse of the ocean, its shimmering surface reflecting the golden hues of the setting sun.
His mind filled with questions, he wondered aloud, "What does he want with Mimi? Why would he hate Mimi if he's been inside me all these years? After all, he's been with Mimi for decades."
The god's eyes gleamed with ancient wisdom as he replied, "That's what you would want to know, and maybe one day you will. Let's just say that the love between you and Mimi was the worst thing that could have happened to Damien. It was the ultimate power that could have destroyed him fully, so he corrupted it as much as possible to survive."
Leaving the conversation behind, the god strolled towards the beach, his footsteps leaving imprints in the soft, warm sand. Damon followed suit, settling himself next to the god. As the waves lapped gently against the shore, Damon opened up, recounting stories of Mimi, their relationship, the wild parties they attended, and the other women that had come and gone.
He recounted the first time he found Mimi in Nick's bed, his heart heavy with worry, and how he had tirelessly cared for her, nursing her back to health time after time. He spoke of his teaching sessions, his attempts to shield her from the clutches of demons, and his unyielding determination to protect her at all costs.
Damon's voice trembled with bitterness, his words filled with regret and self-loathing. He spoke in a disjointed manner, recalling fragments of the story aloud and in his head. There was a heaviness to his tone, weighed down by decades of love that had been robbed of its potential, stripped of its wings. All he wanted was to be heard, to be understood. Impartiality was what he sought, someone who wouldn't automatically take Mimi's side or force him to accept his own faults, as Bran had done.
"Mimi knew Damien was separate," Damon confessed, his voice tinged with sorrow. "She tried to warn me, but I foolishly denied the existence of an evil twin within me. I am the flawed one. Oh, if only I had listened to her, allowed her to help me, and let our love flourish without pushing her into the arms of Adam and Charles. What we once had may no longer exist. Mimi has given up, and I have too. It's time to let her find happiness with them. I should have been stronger, providing her with happiness and security much earlier. I know deep down, it's not me."
And so, God decided it was time. He summoned the chaos cat and Viivi, the order cat, along with the oracle. Together, they performed a spell, utilizing their powers to separate Damien from Damon. They added an element to the spell, ensuring that Damien would never resemble Damon exactly. As Damien descended to the ground, Damon found himself uncaring at that moment.
He was finally free, embracing his true self. The sensation of evil leaving him was palpable, not all of it his own demons and wicked ways, but the darkness that had reveled in the Shed session and Mimi's demise. That had been Damien. Damon had reclaimed his identity, although he had no idea who he truly was. Fatigue washed over him, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
Upon waking, Damon felt whole, only he had been before, a changed man from the one who had been with Mimi. That chapter of his emotional journey had been shelved, a small part of him he had now set aside. The volcano within him, the source of his inner turmoil, had vanished. For a fleeting moment, he pondered whether the volcano would have taken Mimi's life, but the thought held little significance. Instead, he sensed a surge of energy coursing through him, a newfound evolution. God spoke to Damon, permitting him to do as he pleased, to modify his own body.
He thought of something. He had the need, and it happened. Damon watched as the transformation occurred, his eyes widening in disbelief. For some inexplicable reason, God had taken the form of a female cat, and the air was filled with the sounds of their passionate encounter.
Damon was a skilled lover, a sex machine who had earned a legendary reputation among vampires throughout the centuries. But as he engaged in this act, Damon felt a release, a decompression of all the pent-up emotions and self-hate that had plagued him for so long. He fucked his emotions, using this intimate connection to express and deal with them, albeit partially.
In his mind, Damon recalled the disgust and revulsion that had consumed him when he had witnessed Damien and Mimi engage in similar acts.
Now, he couldn't help but ask the Cat God a burning question, "Why did Damien desire a child so desperately with Mimi?"
The Cat God responded, his voice carrying an air of authority, "It is prophesied. And before you inquire further, know that while I am a god, there are powers greater than me in the universe. The prophecy states that if Mimi's first child possesses darkness, it will have the power to destroy worlds. However, if it possesses light, it will heal worlds."
Damon's confusion grew. "I have never heard of such a prophecy."
The cat's eyes gleamed with secret knowledge. "It is one of the world's most closely guarded secrets. That is why it has been crucial to ensure that Mimi cannot conceive until the time is right."
Damon couldn't help but wonder if he knew who held the light within them, but the thought alone brought a wave of bile to his throat. Mimi and Charles, the thought of them together creating the savior of the world, stirred up a mixture of jealousy and longing within him. Despite his changed nature, Damon still clung to Mimi, unable to completely let her go.
Observing Damon, the cat's gaze held a hint of amusement as he posed a question, "Why the long face? Aren't you a lover of children?"
Damon sighed, struggling to process it all, "I know that Mimi and Saint Charles will conceive a child, whether it be with her or holy Adam. It's just difficult to accept."
God chuckled, a sound that echoed through the air. "Why are you excluding yourself from the equation?" With a gentle touch, he raised Damon's right hand, revealing a pale mark. "You are a healer. Wouldn't it make sense for the father of the healer of worlds to be a healer as well?"
Damon's voice quivered as he replied, "But the shed sessions... I'm lost, uncertain of my identity, and confused about my feelings for Mimi."
The air seemed to grow heavy as God gazed at him, His eyes filled with infinite wisdom. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers.
In a soft yet commanding voice, God reassured him, "Eternity stretches before you, granting ample time to discover yourself and find clarity. Do not despair. Love, the mighty force that it is, reigns supreme in the vast expanse of the universe. Have faith."