Chapter 25: Letter to a Son Hidden in the Shadow of Lloyd Lancelot Dagon
It was the last thing he had said to Dorian before heading alone to the Eaters’ base.
[ The road is long but life is short so make sure to do what you like and not what is imposed on you... I would have liked to make you a man. But... I hope you will understand your mother and that dad did not only do bad things. Stay inflexible son.
Letter to a son hidden in the shadow of Lloyd Lancelot Dagon.]
Daemon brought the letter close to a flame and burned it completely.
"No need to worry, father. Your son has become a man."
At that moment, a servant came running into the garden.
"Yes, what is going on?" Daemon asked as he stepped out of the room.
"Your servant has been taken by force to the Summer domain."
Daemon frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The servant caught his breath.
"The rumor that you had unlocked your chi core spread quickly. They probably captured her to get more information on how you did it."
Daemon clenched his fist.
"Those dogs of the Ravenna family... Then they must be prepared to make me their enemy!"
...
The Summer Domain was a vast estate located on the wooded hills east of the Sword Clan territory. Unlike the Winter Domain, which was austere and cold, this one was lush, with gardens in bloom all year round. The walls were covered with vines, and the paths were lined with fruit trees.
In a room adjacent to the dungeons, Luna was tied by the wrists. Her clothes were stained with blood and her face bore several marks of blows. Markus Ravenna, the young master of the Summer family, stood in front of her and slowly twirled a dagger between his fingers.
"So you are not going to talk, servant? Who helped your master unlock his energy center?"
Luna remained silent and stared at him without lowering her eyes.
Markus moved a little closer.
"You do not want to talk? Or you do not know the name of the master who helped him?"
Luna continued to stare at him fixedly and spat in his face.
Markus slowly wiped his cheek with the back of his hand. His expression became harder.
"You are as annoying as your master, huh!?"
He grabbed Luna by the throat and squeezed for several seconds. Luna suffocated but did not look away. Markus finally released her and stepped back.
"Kill her and get rid of the body," he ordered calmly to the two guards present in the room.
The guards advanced toward Luna. At that moment, a servant entered the room running.
"Young master! We have a problem!"
Markus was wiping the blood from his hand with a handkerchief.
"What is it?"
"The young master Daemon is here."
Markus raised an eyebrow.
"At the Summer domain?"
"Yes, and he seems quite in a bad mood."
Markus looked at Luna who had lost consciousness, suspended by her wrists.
"For a simple servant? Interesting."
...
Daemon walked with a determined step along the main courtyard of the domain. His katana was drawn and he was emitting a violent chi that was not at all suited for someone only at the First Sense. The ground cracked slightly under his steps.
"I want to see your master right now so he can explain to me by what right he dares to kidnap my personal servant!" he declared in a loud voice.
The two guards at the entrance of the courtyard became nervous. They exchanged a quick glance.
"We will inform him..."
Daemon did not stop and continued advancing. The discharge of chi he emitted was cracking the ground under his boots.
The guards retreated. One of them tried to stop him by placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Young master, please stop."
Daemon brutally seized the guard’s arm and broke it cleanly with immense strength. The bone cracked loudly. Before the guard could scream, Daemon grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
"Does everyone here take me for a joke? Am I a joke?"
The guard was suffocating, his eyes wide.
"No... No... Young master, you are not a joke..."
The claws of Daemon’s right hand began to close on his throat and pierced the flesh. Blood flowed between his fingers.
"I hope Markus knows that too!"
Daemon sent the man flying against a nearby wall. The guard hit the stone with a dull sound and collapsed.
The other guard quickly retreated and drew his sword.
"Even the guards look down on me?"
Daemon was on him in an instant. His katana sliced through the guard’s throat in a swift motion. Blood spurted out and the man fell to his knees, clutching his neck.
Since Daemon had killed for the first time, he did not notice it, but he had developed a certain coldness when taking human life.
Daemon’s violent chi quickly attracted other guards to the courtyard. About twenty of them came running, weapons in hand. The atmosphere became very tense.
"Stop!" Markus shouted as he advanced from the main building.
Markus bowed slightly, a polite smile on his face.
"Ah... Lord Daemon, it seems we have a slight misunderstanding. I took your servant for someone else. But do not worry, she is safe and sound."
He made a hand signal. Two servants brought Luna, bloodied and unconscious. They gently placed her on the ground.
Daemon immediately ran toward her and took her in his arms.
"Luna! Luna..."
Luna opened her eyes weakly and looked at him. A slight smile appeared on her lips despite the pain.
"I knew you would come, lazy disciple..."
Daemon’s heart skipped a beat. He held Luna tighter against him.
Markus crossed his arms.
"Do not worry, Lord Daemon, these are only light injuries..."
"YOU!"
Daemon’s chi became enraged. Even the roots of his hair began to turn white. He stood up abruptly, katana in hand, and charged at Markus. The blade stopped a few centimeters from Markus’s throat, blocked by a single finger of the latter.