Damon stood next to one of the many windows in Hector's throne room, looking out the window. His gaze was pinned on the noble family heads walking up the stairs leading to the forbidden palace.
"We call it the walk of reflection. We turned the entire hill into the longest row of staircases in the empire to make sure our guests could only walk up. During the journey up the hill, our guests have enough time to decide if engaging in such immoral acts is more important than their families and wives." Hector explained to Damon.
"An interesting concept." Damon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How many have turned back on their way up?"
"A few." Hector shrugged as he walked back to his throne and picked up his cup of wine.
"Come drink with me." Hector offered.
Damon ignored him for a few minutes, his gaze focused on the nobles arriving. Only after he was certain Lord Ross was not amongst them did he turn in Hector's direction.
"You and I know I don't drink wine." Damon said casually before returning his attention to the nobles in the distance.
He couldn't help but wonder how Hector was able to lure these nobles here. From the way things are going, there is a possibility that the battle will get drawn out.
Bam!
The door to Hector's room swung open as a cloaked figure rushed in. She froze upon seeing Damon, but Hector waved at her to speak freely.
"Duke Hail is furious. He claims the forbidden palace has kidnapped one of its own, and it will use the necessary measures to get him back. A curfew of 7 pm has been set up tonight. I believe that is when he plans to strike." The cloaked figure reported.
She looked up and noticed Hector looking in Damon's direction.
"It's just as you said it would be. Unfortunately, it's too late… I cannot be stopped now." Hector laughed hysterically.
He casually waved away the messenger and just kept laughing, while Damon focused on the view outside the window. With the family heads here, the Forbidden Palace can possess them and request aid from their soldiers before nightfall.
"Your hand…" Hector muttered as he noticed Damon's pale arm, which stood out from the rest of his body.
"The powers of the New Gods are from domains which represent our element. These domains are entities of their own and their power is tremendous. I'm basically channeling the power of the underworld through this weak body. It is bound to break down." Damon lamented.
He expected Hector's sympathy, instead what he got was a low chuckle. Damon was confused and looked at Hector, who kept chuckling with the glass of wine in his hand. Soon he exploded into a full hysterical laughter for close to a minute and Damon patiently waited for him to stop.
"You make jest of your lord's misfortune?" Damon hissed as he attempted to approach, but his vision blurred.
Bam!
Damon fell on one knee, his left hand clutching his chest tightly. He tried to breathe in, but the air felt heavy, even his senses were getting distorted.
"I dare not make jest of you, my Lord. I only agree with your words, you are too weak currently and unfit to lead us. As your right-hand man, I decided to make the tough decision of replacing you with someone much more suitable for the job." Hector chuckled cruelly as he watched Damon swaying from side to side, just seconds away from collapsing.
Saying this, his statue located behind the throne was engulfed in familiar white and black flames. Seeing it, Damon frowned as he remembered the only fox with that stripes was the former matriarch of the Fox spirit clan, whom he defeated and forced to join his palace of the dead.
It turned out the woman was Valysara's mother and because of her Damon chose to spare her life. His foolishness of over a thousand years ago had returned to bite him in the ass.
"Y-you dare…" Damon tried to growl but ended up coughing blood
"Save your energy, Dark Lord… it is futile…" a 3ft tall old woman whose strides were no different from turtle steps.
She looked so old and fragile, that even the mightiest of warriors would fail to notice that this woman was a nine-tailed demon fox hiding in plain sight.
HAK!
Suddenly, a threatening green flash erupted from Damon's eyes. The stench of decay and rust filled the room, while a green magic appeared beneath his feet.
Buzz!
The lone green eye snapped open violently, connecting Damon to the power of the underworld. However, Damon couldn't inhale world energy in his condition, so he had no world energy to fuel his magic.
Bang!
The magic circle shattered and the next moment he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Hector and the old woman exchanged surprised glances, both were prepared to defend against him, but this happened.
"He even tried resisting in this weak body. As expected of the Dark Lord." The old lady chuckled mockingly while gazing at Damon's fallen body.
With this body, they could finally change the fate of the fox spirit clan and the entire inhabitants of this planet. Unlike many other supernatural beings, fox spirits do not possess immortality. They can only go on living by snatching new bodies when the old one serves its purpose.
The old Granny had been holding out for a while, searching for a perfect replacement, and now she had Damon's body.
"Continue with your preparations with the Noble Family Patriarchs… We will be ready tonight when Duke Hail attacks!" The old Granny sneered viciously.