Damon pov
The room of my lair was dimly lit, shadows dancing along the walls. They reflected the chaos in my mind. I had barely escaped from the hands of the prime order.
My body ached from the fight, but the real pain came from my heart. I had been defeated, humiliated by that bastard Hyperion and the G.H.C. I couldn't believe how things had turned out. I was so close to having everything I wanted, but that damned Hyperion had to interfere.
I had lost Raven, the only person who truly understood me, and it made my blood boil. I clenched my fists, feeling the anger coursing through me like fire. It wasn't just Hyperion who had taken her from me. It was the lies, the hypocrisy—the G.H.C. and all their efforts to hide the rotten truth.
They weren't the heroes they pretended to be. They were cowards, masking their corruption behind flashy uniforms and hollow ideals. They knew what was really going on, but they covered it up, burying their sins beneath layers of propaganda and false hope.
They wanted people to believe in their justice, in their order. But I knew better. I had seen the cracks in their perfect facade, the dark side they desperately tried to conceal. And when I tried to expose them, they turned me into the villain, the outcast. But they wouldn't get away with it.
They thought they could silence me, erase me. But they would pay for what they've done. All of them.
I swore it.
The G.H.C. would fall, and Hyperion—he would beg for mercy before I was done with him.
"Damon!" A voice said. It was Black vortex, Caleb, my right-hand man. Caleb was tall and lean, with sharp features and a chilling smile that could freeze anyone in their tracks. He had the ability to manipulate shadows, bending them to his will, creating illusions that could disorient or terrify his enemies. This power made him a master of stealth, able to move unseen and strike from the darkness.
The mention of her name sent a jolt of shock through me. Lila. My beautiful Raven. She was the one thing I couldn't get out of my mind. Even after we had broken up she was the one thing that made every scheme worth it.
My heart raced at the thought of her. Even now, after all that had happened, I felt a deep love swell within me. I had to protect her, even if she didn't see me as the hero of her story.
"What is it?" I snapped, my irritation evident.
"She's awake," He said "But she doesn't remember what happened. They've kept her close, but we believe they're monitoring her closely"
My hands clenched into fists. "Of course they are! That idiot Alex thinks he can control her But he doesn't understand that i won't let him "
I stood. "Keep a close eye on her. I want to know everything she does, every moment of her life. I need to know."
Caleb nodded, eager to please. "Of course. I'll send some of our guys to watch her. We won't let her out of our sight."
"Good." My mind raced with ideas. I needed to gather evidence against Hypnosis to prove he was not the hero everyone thought he was. I would show Lila that he was manipulating her, keeping her in the dark about his true nature. I would free her from his grasp, and then she would see how much I loved her.
Love. It was a word that had always felt foreign to me, but with Lila, it was different. I was consumed by my feelings for her. She was the light in my darkness, the only person who made sense of the chaos in my life. But Alex had stolen her from me once and I wouldn't let that happen again.
I needed to gather evidence, something to show the world the truth about Alex and the G.H.C. They were hiding dark secrets, and I would expose them. My Raven deserved to know who she was truly dealing with. She needed to know that the G.H.C were not all that perfect.
"Find anything you can about the G.H.C. and their operations," I ordered. "I want to uncover every lie, every crime they've committed. I'll make sure my Raven sees the truth, even if I have to shove it down her throat."
A loud bang echoed from the roof, making me jump. I smirked. Hyperion was here.
I put on my mask and flew to the shadows on the roof, feeling the energy shift as I prepared for the confrontation. I landed quietly,blending into the darkness. I could see him standing there in the moonlight, his cape fluttering in the wind.
"Blackthorn!" Hyperion shouted, his voice booming. "You need to stay away from my wife she is better now and I don't need you meddling in our affairs!"
"Better? You wiped her memories away and you call this better? You think you can just waltz in and play the hero? You're using my Raven for your gain, and you expect me to walk away?"
Hyperion clenched his fists, muscles tense as he stood his ground. "You need to understand that I'm trying to protect her. You've already caused enough damage!"
"Protect her?" I scoffed, stepping closer "You're the one manipulating her, lying to her about every single thing you stand for. You wear that mask and cape, pretending to be a savior, but you're just a puppet on the G.H.C.'s strings."
His jaw tightened, and I could see the fury building in his eyes. "You're delusional, Damon. This obsession you have with my wife is sick."
"Sick?" I echoed with anger "You act like the G.H.C. is some noble organization, but I know the truth. I've seen the darkness behind their smiles, and You think you're the hero, but you're just a tyrant in disguise. Using your status to control everything around you, even her!"
His temper started to rise and I could see his facade starting to break"You don't know anything about me!" he shouted, stepping forward. "
"No? Then let's see what you really are, Hyperion," I challenged, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Let's see the side of you that you refuse to show the world."
With that, the air crackled with tension as we launched ourselves at each other, fists flying in power and fury. I could feel the pulse of my shadows as they surged around me, lending strength to my blows.
Hyperion struck back, his solar energy lighting up the night with each huge hit. He was a force of nature, moving at speeds I could barely track.
"Is this what you want?" he shouted, anger seeping from his voice as he landed a punch to my gut. I fell over, the wind knocked from my lungs, but I quickly recovered, drawing from the shadows around me.
"You think I want to hurt Lila?" I gasped, pushing myself back up and a tendril of darkness that shot toward him. "I just want to save her from you! You're a monster hiding behind a mask!"
He dodged my attack with speed then countered with a solar blast that lit up the rooftop. I barely had time to react as the beam struck the ground beside me, sending me tumbling backward. The heat struck my skin, but I focused, pulling the shadows closer to me, absorbing their energy to fuel my power.
"Every time you lie to her, you push her further away," I spat, rising to my feet. "You think this is about heroics? You're just a coward too afraid to let anyone see the truth."
Hyperion's eyes blazed with anger as he charged at me, fists glowing with solar energy. "I'll show you the truth!" He swung at me with a powerful punch, but I ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as his fist barely missed my face.
"Is this really the best you can do?" I taunted, using the shadows to cloak myself. I vanished from sight, slipping into the darkness surrounding us. The rooftop became my ally as I used the shadows to gain the upper hand.
"Show yourself, Blackthorn!" he roared, his voice echoing through the night. "You can't hide from me!"
But hiding was my specialty. From my hiding position, I projected a nightmarish vision into his mind, pulling from the depths of his insecurities—the burden of his responsibilities, the fear of losing Lila, the fear that he would never be enough. I pushed it all at him like a wave of darkness, feeding off his doubt.
"Do you really think you can protect her from the truth?" I hissed.
I emerged from the shadows, striking him with a solid punch that sent him staggering back. He shook his head, trying to clear the dark images from his mind, but I could see he was weakened. This was my chance.
Hyperion stumbled, struggling to regain his footing. I pressed my advantage, harnessing the shadows around me to form a solid tendril that struck him squarely in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
The impact sent a shockwave through the rooftop, and I could see the realization dawning in his eyes as he gasped for breath.
"Is this the hero the world admires?" I taunted, stepping closer "Is this what they consider strength? You're just a villain in a cape"
He gritted his teeth, attempting to rise, but the weight of my power held him down. "You'll never win," he gasped, but I could see the fire in his eyes flickering.
"Win? I don't need to win," I said filled with malice "All I need is for Lila and the world to see you for the monster you truly are"
I leaned down, capturing his gaze. "Go home to Lila, and take care of her. She deserves more than the lies you feed her"