Chapter 11: Moving to Azor
Damien was walking through the starborne mansion's hallway with a determined look on his face, each of his steps echoing within the marble walls. White, who was following behind him, asked in a worried tone.
"Are you sure about this young master?"
"I have to do this… Anna hasn't woken up even after the recovery deadline passed"
"But… Why don't we wait a few more days before going to Azor?"
"We don't know if those pests won't try something like last time" Damien said, his eyes had unhidden fury
"I have to keep her safe… No matter what.. It doesn't matter even if I have to go to that treacherous land for it" Damien said as he looked at White with a warm and gentle smile
"Young master…" White replied. his voice was emotional, tears welled in his eyes…
"Enough of it… We have to get Anna there safely so we will be using the portals" Damien said as he stopped in front of Anna's room's door
Damien pushed the door open and stepped into the room. He looked at Anna, who was lying on the bed. He grabbed a chair placed near the study and moved it beside the bed Anna was lying on. He held her hand gently as he looked at her with a calm and gentle smile, A storm of guilt and rage swirled in his eyes. However, his tone was still as gentle and serene, like when he talked to Anna..
"Anna… my dear."
"I promise you that… You will wake up soon… Everything is going to be alright, yea?"
Damien spoke softly, his eyes glistening. He turned away for a moment, wiping the tears before they could fall
"Hah" Damien heaved a sigh to calm his rampaging emotions and stood up from the chair
The sun had already set allowing Damien to use his Skills without any issues whatsoever, Damien waved his hand and a portal began to form.. He walked towards Anna's body and picked her up in his arms in a princess carry and started to walk through the portal. White followed after them
Damien walked through the portal, and his office came into view. He walked towards the shelf containing his awards and other decor. Soon he stooped in front of an angel statue with a black orb in her hands. He spun the black orb which started to glow with white light and soon turned into a moon like orb. The wall parted and gave way to the hidden elevator Damien walked inside with Anna in his arms, He pressed the blue crescent button and The elevator started to move slowly. Soon it stopped with a chime and the doors of the elevator parted, giving way to a hallway of tall black walls filled with runes of different shapes and colours.
Damien walked forward, his body and clothes went to the same transformation as before… White took out a cape and covered Anna with it. Damien looked at that and nodded. Soon, he was standing in a dark alley with White. As they moved out of the dark alley, A busy street came into view. The street roads were made up of smooth stones, The street road was bustling with activity as vendors could be seen shouting, guards patrolling and carriages could be seen passing by.,
Suddenly, A carriage stopped in front of Damien. It had a vintage royal feel to it as it was covered in golden carvings, Two star beasts were pulling the carriage, their dark manes which looked like they were made of shadows themselves floating around like mist. Damien climbed the carriage with Anna in his arms while White followed suit. The carriage picked up speed, leaving most supercars in the dust.
The carriage continued to move through the streets of Xyontra, The Capital of Xyonthar Empire.
Soon the carriage stopped in front of a barren hill and Damien stepped out of the carriage with Anna and White, Damien started to move towards the hill and suddenly,
*Wrr* *Wrr*
The hill started to ripple and transformed into a villa of lavender blue walls, adorned with carvings of stars, crescents and the moon came into view. The villa looked majestic and had a royal feel to it, Its wall glimmered with the touch of the moonlight.
Damien walked towards the entrance of the villa and the guards standing at the gates bowed to him and opened the gates allowing him to pass. As he walked a well cared for garden came into view, It had flowers of manly colours and sizes, the grass was trimmed with perfection, fountains with statues of angels with delicate carvings.. It was beautiful..
Damien soon walked inside the villa and stopped in front of the servants and …the main butler of the house… A black haired man with grey eyes seemingly in his forties stepped forwards and spoke
"Master Kinten, It's a pleasure to see you again" The butler said as he bowed his head, all of the servants bowed their heads together with him.
"Mark.. How have you been?" Damien asked with a small smile, his voice gentle.
"I've been well, My lord" Replied mark.
"I suppose she is already here?"
"Yes, My lord"
"Take me to her"
"As you command, My lord" Damien walked towards the stairs as Mark followed behind him while providing him the directions
Soon they stopped in front of a room, Mark walked forward and knocked the door as he spoke
"Miss Zaryen, Lord Kinten is here"
"Oh? Come in" Came a sweet voice from other side of the door
Damien walked forward and walked inside the room and White followed behind him not caring about the looks Mark was giving him
As soon as Damien walked in a room with various shelves filled with medicinal herbs, vials containing different coloured liquids, jars containing organs and body parts of star beasts lined the walls., A comfortable velvet bed could be seen placed at the centre of the room, Damien walked towards the bed and laid Anna on it.
"Helena Zaryen… The healing witch" Damien said as he turned to look at the woman in front of him, She had flame like hair and eyes, Her hair reached her waist, Mature body adorned with various jewellery, She had donned a red, flame-like gown which fit her body perfectly.
"If it isn't the Maestro of Space himself" Helena said with a small smile. After a pause she added "I prefer to be called as The healing ember.. But whatever"
"Who am I looking at here?" She questioned as she pointed towards Anna who was laying on the bed like a log.
"An unawakened" Damien answered with indifference
"Hmm? I meant who is she to-"
"Helena… Don't try to know more than you should" Damien warned, Hearing that Helena's body started to tremble as she remembered why he was given the moniker of the Maestro of Space
"Y-yes, you are right…hah" Helena said, heaving a sigh as she walked towards Anna and grabbed her wrist.
Helena started to move her star essence in Anna's body to check for any injuries soon however she stopped and turned to look at mars with a bitter smile on her face
"Mars.. I know that you find others hard to trust… but you don't have to lie to me like that now, do you?" Helena said, a bitter smile still tugging her lips
"What are you talking about?" Damien asked in a confused voice
'What is she trying to say? Is Anna's condition worse than I thought?'
"I get it that you don't want others to find out about her talent but…" Helena stopped and took a pause before continuing "You don't have to lie about her awakened rank to me"
"About her what?" Damien was now even more confused
'What is she even saying? Is she really the healing witch? Well… not like I am seeing her for the first time but still..' Damien thought that maybe the Helena before him is a fake
"That she is a Refined-Seeker?" Helena said while tilting her said
"She is a what?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?!"
When the third voice came both Damien and Helena turned to look at White as he continued
"H-how is that possible?"
"What do you mean?" Helena questioned
"Miss Anieal was an unawakened before the incident" White answered.
"What?" Helena questioned with shock and confusion
Damien moved towards Anna and held her wrist and started to move his star essence in her body… Soon he spoke
"H-how is this possible?"
"Why are you acting like that? Isn't that a good thing?" Helena questioned
"Anna isn't supposed to awaken.." Damien said in a low voice
Helena however still heard him and spoke with a shocked voice
"W-what? How is that possible? Isn't she an awakened now?"
"She is but… According to the awakening appraisal she shouldn't be able to awaken at all.."
"Then.. How did she do that?" Helena asked with confusion and excitement as she looked at Anna, who was still laying on the bed like a log
"It doesn't matter" Damien said in a cold voice
"Huh?"
Damien walked towards Helena and stood eye to eye to her, As there was a height difference in them Helena had to look up to look in his eyes
"Just do what you were called for.. Helena"
"I-i know" Helena trembled like a wet cat when she saw Damien's cold eyes
Helena once again moved towards Anna and started to spread her star essence in her body
Fifteen seconds later…A frown replaced her small smile.
Another fifteen seconds later… The frown deepened.
Soon she put Anna's hand back on the bed.
Damien who was seeing her reactions throughout the check-up walked forward and asked
"What's wrong?" His voice was tense as he questioned her.
"She is fine.. Too fine."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Damien asked, his tone even. He thought Helena was just confused.
But her next words shattered that illusion.
"It's like she's dead…"
"W-what?" Damien asked in a shaky voice
"She's breathing, yes — but it's too even. as if she were a machine. Even when we sleep or lose consciousness, there are always small irregularities. But her breathing… it's too perfect."
"Is that bad?" White asked instead of Damien
"No.. that's not the issue" Helena continued
"It just doesn't make sense for her to be laying for that long"
"Do you know why that is happening?" Damien who had regained his composure asked in a calm voice however one could still sense a bit of anxiety from his tone
"The state she is in… is only possible when someone is within their Mind plane" Helena concluded
"Mind plane? What's that?" White asked in confusion
"What are you saying Helena? Mind plane? How could a seeker ever walk in their mind plane?" Damien stated
"Well.. I have never heard about an lowborn to awaken either" Helena said as this completely made sense in her mind
"But only Assimilation level beings can walk in their mind plane.." Damien said in an irritated tone
"HAH! How would I know, Mars? It's not like we see monsters like her every day!" Helena yelled at Damien
Damien turned silent on her sharp remark. He knew he was being rude. But he didn't want to accept her words. After all, if what she said is true then Anna is a once-in-a-millennium genius, No, even that would be an understatement.. A monster. Yes, that's what she is
A Monster. An anomaly,
And Damien was not ready to believe that.. Afterall to him Anna would always be his cute little sister.
Helena looked into Damien's eyes as she spoke
"You care a lot about her," she said, pausing before continuing. "Too much, actually… Your care might make her weak. You have to let go, Mars… otherwise, when you finally realize it, it might be too late."
Damien stood there silently as he continued to look at Anna
"I can't…" Damien said in a soft helpless tone
Footnotes:
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Awakened Ranks till now:
Seeker → Ignited → Adept → Assimilation