Pain.
It was all Damian knew. It had become his world, his air, his everything. Molten ice burned through his veins, and his body felt like it was simultaneously being crushed and pulled apart. His mind clung desperately to some semblance of identity, of self, even as the agony threatened to rip him apart.
And then—
Stillness.
The pain didn't fade; it simply stopped. As if frozen in time. Damian's gasping breaths echoed in the void, and when he forced his eyes open, he was surrounded by endless white.
No sky. No ground. No horizon.
"Where… am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
His hands trembled as he checked his chest, arms, and legs. No wounds. No writhing bones. No shattered skin. Just… him. Like Elias' madness had just been a bad dream.
A sound behind him made him freeze—a faint hum. Instantly, Damian whipped around.
A humanoid figure stood a few meters away. Genderless, featureless, and glowing faintly with shifting hues of soft light. They had no face, yet Damian felt like he was being seen—pierced through, as though every secret he carried was laid bare.
"Damian Moroi," the figure spoke, their voice layered, overlapping, neither male nor female. "I've found you at last."
Damian's crimson eyes narrowed, his hand instinctively reaching for his catalyst—only to realize it wasn't there. "Who are you? And where am I?"
The figure cocked their head slightly, as if thinking—or trying to remember.
"I don't know," they admitted after a long pause. "I've been searching. For you. For a long time. I don't know how long. All I've known… is your name. Until now. You are… awakening… are you not? It is what… drew me to you."
Although the figure's voice was clear, its tone was ethereal, and it spoke in an almost staccato-like manner as if it hadn't communicated with anyone in a long time.
Damian's gaze hardened, and he straightened his posture, his sharp mind already assessing the situation. "You don't know who you are, but you do know me? How convenient."
"I don't understand why," the figure continued, almost apologetically. "But I knew I had to find you…" It fell silent for a moment, as if thinking deeply. "I don't… believe I mean you any harm…"
Damian snorted, narrowing his eyes. "My, how comforting."
A heavy silence filled the air, while neither spoke a word. The entity seemed to be wracking its brain as if trying to find its reason for wanting to find Damian. Meanwhile, its target looked around the void, trying to find anything that could tell him more about what was happening.
When he couldn't find anything, he turned back to the figure with an annoyed sigh and a humourless laugh. "Well, whatever. I guess it doesn't matter why you wanted to find me. You might have come too late, because I doubt I'll survive this awakening."
The figure tilted its head again, light rippling faintly across its form. "Yes. You are… being torn apart by conflicting forces. Three bloodlines fight for dominance within you. But only one has been awakened. It is the weakest, but it is active—and it will consume the others. As well as your life… if we don't act."
Damian's mind raced. Three bloodlines. The memory of Elias' words, spoken with such venom, came back to him. 'He's not a full-blooded bloodkin.'
His jaw clenched. He had no time to think about anything but his survival right now. "And what exactly do you propose we do about it?"
The figure stepped closer, each footfall soundless, their light casting faint ripples across the white void. "I believe I could… burn away your other bloodlines. Leave only the awakened one."
Damian blinked. 'Do I want that…? Survive, but live as a Moonkin?'
For a moment, he wavered… but then he remembered the consequences of such a thing. 'I'd be kicked out of the Moroi family… Even my mother wouldn't be able to stop it. She would probably leave with me, but is that I want for her?'
His face then scrunched up in hatred. 'Besides… as a Moonkin awakened by Elias, he'd always have some influence over me… And that's unacceptable, even in the face of death.'
So, he turned back to the figure and shook his head, defiance shining in his eyes. His voice a low growl. "I'd rather die than lose my other bloodlines and become a Moonkin. I don't know if you have the power to force the matter, but know I'll fight you every step of the way."
The figure immediately shook its head. "Any action of mine… would require your cooperation. Another plan… is required."
The figure tilted its head for the third time, seemingly an indicator of the spirit being in deep thought. Damian was a little confused by the difficulty of making a new plan. "If you can burn away bloodlines, couldn't you just do it with the awakened one instead?"
Unfortunately, the spirit shook its head. "Once awakened… a bloodline immediately binds to… your cells. You have already passed… the point of no return. You must keep… the awakened blood. The alternative is death."
Damian snarled, his anger at Elias climbing ever higher. 'I swear, even if he's Luna's father, I'll put that furry fucker in the ground one day.'
Meanwhile, the spirit continued thinking, until it finally spoke again. "We must awaken your other bloodlines. But not fully. They must be brought into balance—equal power, equal presence. Only then can you stabilize."
"How?" Damian demanded.
The figure hesitated. "You must wake up. I believe… I can awaken one of your bloodlines. But you need another… to awaken the third."
Damian's smirk was sharp and humourless. He could obviously ask his mother, Lavinia, to awaken his Bloodkin side, but his current situation wasn't exactly ideal. "You make it sound so simple. Are you aware that I'm currently strapped to a stone slab? And my mother is fighting Elias?"
The figure shook its head slowly. "Your allies. They are already… transporting you. It will not be easy. But if you wish to survive this awakening, it must be done. And quickly."
Damian crossed his arms, crimson eyes glinting with cold calculation. "And what happens next? Assuming we awaken all three bloodlines, what then? I'm not sure if you're aware of what bloodlines I have, but two of them are completely incompatible."
The figure's light dimmed slightly. Then, it shook its head. "The third bloodline is… versatile. It can be… a bridge… between the other two. Once it is awakened… the real work must begin. I will burn all three down to… equal power. And then… together… we will attempt to combine them. Perhaps… create something new."
Damian felt a shiver crawl down his spine. "Attempt? Exactly how high are my chances here?"
Almost sarcastically, the figure shrugged. "Better than they are now… not as good as the first option."
"Right…" Damian grumbled. His brows furrowed in a focused frown as he carefully looked the spirit over. 'I have no idea what this thing wants from me, but it seems invested in my survival… It might have other motives; it might even become a problem later, but right now, I don't exactly have many options.'
Slowly, his expression softened, and a wide grin spread on his lips. 'Well, whatever. I usually prefer a little more certainty, but I do like gambling… let's see if this one pays off.'