Chapter 4 "Trinity of power"
DEITY AMONG MORTALS
Damon's transformation subsided as suddenly as it had overtaken him. One moment, he was a fierce, roaring Nargacuga, every muscle rippling with the thrill of the hunt, claws tearing through the beast with unstoppable rage. But now, in an instant, he was human again, his form slumping in exhaustion, bloodied and barely conscious.
As Damon staggered back, the monster—still wounded and thrashing—turned its gaze to Elias, the boy who now stood alone before it. Elias felt his heart beat faster, each thud echoing in the silence as he sized up the creature, his mind racing. He'd only distracted it before, barely able to keep himself or his friends alive. How could he possibly defeat it now?
The beast snarled, its fangs glinting as it crouched, muscles coiled to lunge.
But then… it stopped.
Just as it was about to strike, the creature's stance softened, its yellow eyes dimming. Its fury, that untamed thirst for blood, seemed to vanish as a strange calm settled over it. The beast stood still, its head bowing slightly as if in submission. A figure stepped out of the shadows, shrouded in a cloak so dark it seemed to absorb the surrounding light, casting a heavy silence across the grove.
Elias's eyes narrowed, a strange feeling settling in the pit of his stomach. It was more than just fear—it was recognition. Not of the figure itself, but of the aura radiating from it, like an echo of something lost in the depths of his memory. His hand tightened, a faint tremor running through him as he took in the presence of the unknown figure.
'Divinity'
The word surfaced in his mind, unbidden but absolute. It was unlike any other energy, even more intense than Damon's magic, transcending it in ways he couldn't fully comprehend. Divinity was raw, ancient, godly and untouchable—a force of creation itself. But this divinity was foreign, nothing like his own, nor like any deity he could recall. It was something different… yet familiar.
"Could it be another deity like me?" Elias wondered, a flicker of hope mingled with doubt.
"But who…?" He strained to recall the vast pantheon, each deity's unique essence carved into his memory, but this power eluded recognition.
The figure turned toward him, and Elias caught a glimpse of eyes beneath the hood—piercing, ancient, and filled with an intelligence that seemed to peer straight through him. A cold realization settled over him.
" If this being were indeed a deity, why would they reveal themselves here? And to what end?"
Another thought crept into his mind, one that made his skin prickle with unease.
"Could it be one of the demon lords of Tartarus? "But he dismissed the notion just as quickly as it came.
The demon lords had once been celestial, stripped of their divinity when they were cast into Tartarus, becoming something darker, more primal. Their auras, now tainted by demonic fury, couldn't produce this level of divinity. No, this was something else entirely.
The figure lifted a hand, and with a single gesture, the beast beside it rose, slinking back into the darkness like a tame hound. The shadowy figure said nothing, merely looking at Elias for one prolonged, unnerving moment. Then, without a word, the figure turned and faded into the woods, the beast following like a loyal servant.
Elias let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He stayed still for a moment, his mind racing, trying to make sense of what he'd just witnessed.
" If it's a deity, then why here, and why now?"
He closed his eyes, feeling the lingering trace of divinity lingering in the air like a faint scent, reminding him of how distant he was from his former strength, shackled by the taboo. It only intensified the frustration boiling inside him—the power he once wielded so easily was now beyond his reach, leaving him vulnerable, forced to rely on the strength of others like Damon.
Slowly, he knelt beside Damon, who was barely conscious, the toll of his transformation evident in every labored breath. With a sigh, Elias lifted him, his mind still preoccupied with the mystery that had just slipped away into the shadows. This encounter was not over, he was sure of it; the figure would return. But when? And for what purpose?
As he turned back toward the path, carrying Damon in his arms, a single thought haunted him.
" Whoever that was, they're unlike any force I've encountered. And if I'm to face beings like them… I need my strength back."
(The next day ; 8AM)
(Mount Ashen)
Damon knelt before three freshly marked graves nestled near a rocky outcrop. He'd chosen this place carefully, a quiet, hidden slope in the distant Mount Ashen. It was far from the village and the cursed forest, far from where they'd fallen. The morning chill clung to the air, yet Damon remained still, his head lifted slightly as if in silent prayer.
"Rest in peace," he murmured, his voice raw, carrying a note of both sorrow and resolve.
A hand landed on his shoulder. He didn't flinch, recognizing Elias's quiet presence behind him.
"You okay, big guy?" Elias asked softly, his hand a steady weight on Damon's shoulder.
Damon let out a low sigh but didn't move. "Better now that I've laid them to rest," he replied. "They deserved this… and more."
Elias gave a small nod, his gaze lowering to the graves. "They were lucky to have someone like you watching over them."
For a moment, neither spoke, both caught in their own thoughts. Then, together, they turned and began the trek down the winding path toward the village below.
---
That evening, they found an inn, a modest but warm shelter called the Silver Fawn, nestled at the edge of a nearby village. In their room, the soft glow of lamplight flickered, casting shadows against the walls. They settled by a small table near the window, each lost in his thoughts. Eventually, Elias broke the silence.
"Damon," he began, glancing over with a serious expression, "there's something I need to tell you about what happened with that creature. When you transformed, I wasn't alone."
Damon frowned. "What do you mean?"
"After you reverted… there was a figure, shrouded in darkness. It's hard to describe, but there was a force around them that was… different." Elias paused, choosing his words carefully.
"The energy they carried wasn't just magic. It was divinity."
Damon stared at him, confusion clear on his face. "Divinity? I know magic—but I've never heard of divinity. What does it mean?"
Elias leaned forward, his voice low, a hint of intensity creeping in. "There are three forces in our world—energies that shape everything supernatural. Magic, which we know well; Divinity, which is the power of deities and celestial beings, something beyond the bounds of time and ordinary strength; and the third… Alkelid."
Damon's brows knitted as he absorbed Elias's words. "Alkelid?" he repeated slowly.
Elias nodded. "It's a power crafted by the Demon Lord of Wrath himself. They say he created it to rival divinity. Unlike ordinary magic, Alkelid is… dark, consuming, and has a strange resilience against both divinity and magic. Few know of it because only those tied to the demon lords can wield it."
Damon exhaled slowly, clearly awestruck. "This is… I've never heard any of this. How did you come to know so much?"
Elias hesitated, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Ancient texts. I've done a lot of reading."
Damon's expression turned thoughtful, his gaze drifting toward the darkened window. "So, that shadowy figure… you're saying they could be one of these entities? A deity?"
Elias nodded slowly. "Perhaps, though I've never sensed a divinity like theirs before. It's strange… like they exist outside of the known order. But something felt familiar, almost like they belong to a past I can't recall clearly."
Damon clenched his fists, his expression darkening. "That… that thing's aura, it matches the description of the being that cursed my family's bloodline. Every generation, our beast takeover magic… it's triggered by rage. It takes over our minds, makes us destructive." He swallowed hard, his gaze fixed on his hands. "We've never been able to live a normal life because of it."
Elias felt a pang of sympathy, but he kept his voice steady. "You think this figure could be linked to your curse?"
Damon nodded, his jaw clenched. "There's an old tale passed down in my family, of a shadowed entity who marked our bloodline, binding us to beasts. I thought it was just a legend… but now… seeing what I saw…"
Elias met Damon's troubled gaze. "If it's true, then it's not something you have to face alone. Whatever power they wield, divinity or otherwise, we'll face it together."
Damon gave a small, grateful nod, his eyes hardening with newfound resolve. The mysteries they'd stumbled upon, the forces they couldn't yet understand—it was only the beginning. But for now, he had an ally in Elias. And that was enough to keep moving forward.