My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

The ladies left them to have their own conversation. It had been a while since Damon and Xander had met, and every time they did, they always ended up fighting. They could never see eye to eye.

Damon leaned back in his chair. His new body was a bit heavier than his old one, and his soul was not perfectly in sync with it, but he could more or less do what he had always done, though to a lesser extent than usual.

Xander really looked different.

His gaze was colder than before, his eyes weary. Even while wearing the posh and opulent garments of a Duke, there was still something about him that made him look somewhat tormented.

Yes, that was what Damon saw when he looked at him.

Torment.

Revenge would do that to a person. It was almost like looking into a mirror of who he had once been.

Or who he still was.

”You’re not going to ask?” Damon muttered softly.

”Ask about what?” Xander replied, as if he genuinely wasn’t sure what Damon wanted him to ask about.

There was a soft sigh from Damon. He felt a little irritated, but instead of showing it, he smiled.

”Emilia seems to be doing well these days. Better than that day when her son was taken. She looked so broken.”

”She’s a strong woman. I knew that from the moment I met her.”

Xander’s gaze softened slightly as he remembered how he had met Emilia. It had been years ago. They were both younger then, and there had been a gathering at the Imperial Palace. That was where he had met her, along with the Head of House Hightower.

”Back then, she wasn’t allowed to speak to me because she was an unclean bastard, and I was a young lord of a great house,” he whispered.

”Did that stop her?”

Damon wondered what had made Emilia so strong. After all, she had eventually managed to become Student Council President of the Royal Academy.

”Her expression. That’s what I remember. And her calmness. She was funny too. I actually mentioned that to her that day. She didn’t remember it. To think I was the only one who remembered it.”

Xander seemed to chuckle to himself as he shook his head.

”Hmm. I see. Was that how you convinced her to marry you?”

”I didn’t convince her. It was mutual. Being in the World Dungeon without any understanding of what had happened, we worked together, and we did so well.”

Damon was sure that was when Xander and Emilia had become close enough to even consider marriage.

”Nothing brings you closer like the sensation of death chasing you.”

Xander nodded, agreeing with him.

His marriage to Emilia had been a happy one, but somehow, it had ended with both of them estranged from each other.

”Sometimes I feel like I should have put in more effort to make it work.”

”You mean like not handing your child over to me for revenge? How about that?”

Damon’s expression turned cold.

Of course it did.

How could it be anything else?

Xander had given up his own son.

Damon leaned forward, his eyes fixed on him.

”You haven’t asked me about the boy.”

That was what had been bothering Damon since he arrived. Xander hadn’t asked about Ric even once.

”There’s no need. I already know where he is and who has him.”

”Stop treating him like a bargaining chip.”

Damon slammed his hand against the table.

The force shattered it instantly, turning the entire thing into a cloud of dust that scattered across the floor.

”It’s unfair to pretend he’s anything but...”

Xander paused briefly before continuing.

”This was the very purpose of his birth, to be a bargaining chip. Do not forget, Damon, you were the one who wanted to test my resolve by demanding my firstborn son. Have you seen my resolve now?”

”Your resolve?”

Damon let out a humorless laugh.

”That’s a nice way to put it. And what do you gain from this? You don’t even know what I’ve done to the boy. What I’ve taught him. The things I’ve told him. Because trust me, I told him everything.”

His voice grew colder as he spoke, his anger building with every word.

Xander suddenly went quiet.

He didn’t get angry.

He merely chuckled.

”So be it, then. I don’t want to continue this conversation. It will only lead to more conflict, and I would prefer to avoid that, especially now.”

Damon closed his eyes and slowly calmed himself.

There was no need to get angry at Xander.

He leaned back again, crossing his arms before finally nodding.

”Right. There is no need.”

They both sat there silently.

No more words were spoken.

Xander still didn’t ask about his son.

”The Unknown Order has grown over the years. I can feel it in my gut that the time to face Amon is near,” he finally said to Damon.

”Don’t forget our oath, Damon. Do not forget, because I never will.”

Damon’s expression remained the same as before. He took in a deep breath, slowly letting it out before speaking.

”Godric Ravenscroft. What type of man did you think he was? Amon has a track record. Most nobles he kills deserve it.”

”My brother was a good man, and he was murdered in cold blood. I was there. I know my brother didn’t hurt anyone.”

There were many things Xander wanted to say, but he had faith in the man his brother had been. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that Godric had done the things Damon claimed he had.

”I will never let myself feel small again. I will right this wrong that has been done to us.”

”And what about Ric’s wrong? What about the life he couldn’t have because you abandoned him?” Damon whispered to Xander.

Xander sighed, his hand slowly clenching into a fist beneath the table.

”We must all make sacrifices.”

He tured to leave.