damon stood frozen in place as students moved past him, their chatter blending into a dull hum. his breath hitched, and his pupils dilated, the black of his eyes expanding unnaturally as if they sought to consume all light.

    a long trail of drool leaked from his parted lips, unnoticed as his gaze locked onto the crowd. in his monochromatic world, the vibrant glow of their souls was unbearable—radiant, tantalizing, and beckoning him to devour them.

    beneath his feet, his shadow began to writhe unnaturally, tendrils of darkness curling and coiling like smoke, inching toward the ground around him. it reacted violently, a predator denied its prey, its erratic movements mirroring damon''s own inner turmoil.

    he took a slow, deliberate step forward, his hand reaching out toward a nearby student. the glow radiating from their chest was irresistible, pulling him forward like a moth to a flame. his eyes darkened further, and a predatory glint appeared in his gaze.

    inches from touching the student, damon froze. a surge of clarity hit him like a splash of cold water.

    "ahhh!"

    he collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach as if trying to contain the ravenous hunger clawing at his insides.

    a few passing students stopped, glancing at him with concerned expressions. the weight of their stares was enough to jolt him into action. he forced himself to his feet and bolted, his steps unsteady as he fled the plaza.

    behind a detached building, damon finally stopped, leaning heavily against the wall as he caught his breath. his chest heaved, his heart pounding in his ears.

    his shadow, normally mischievous and animated, had changed. it twitched erratically, its movements weak yet feral, as though gathering its strength for a desperate attack. damon collapsed onto the ground, his legs giving out beneath him.

    he raised his head weakly, his body trembling with a mix of fear and exhaustion. despite the terror gnawing at his mind, his thoughts felt unnervingly calm and cold.

    ''i know what it wants,'' he realized, his gut twisting in revulsion.

    his shadow wasn''t satisfied with scraps or ordinary sustenance. it craved souls—vital, powerful souls from beings like humans, elves, beastkin, and other races with potent life forces.

    "arrghhh..."

    a guttural groan escaped his lips as a wave of hunger-induced pain wracked his body. time blurred as he sat there, clutching his sides, his breaths shallow and uneven. occasionally, his vision would black out, plunging him into brief moments of unconsciousness.

    he glanced at his pager, using it to record the durations of his blackouts. it wasn''t much, but it gave him some semblance of control over his spiraling state.

    his enhanced senses only made things worse. through his shadow, he could perceive the movement of people and objects by the way they disrupted the light and darkness around them.

    the constant influx of sensory data was overwhelming, and each time he lost focus, it felt as though his consciousness expanded to encompass all the shadows around him.

    it was disorienting. painful. maddening.

    hours passed, and by the time he emerged from his stupor, it was already lunchtime. he hadn''t attended a single class, but the chatter of students and the unmistakable mention of "lunch" and "cafeteria" reached his ears, pulled in by his heightened hearing.

    "food... fooood..."

    the word slipped from his lips in a low, groggy mutter. he staggered to his feet, his movements sluggish and jerky, like a reanimated corpse.

    "what a beast."

    "who let such a savage creature in here?"

    "disgusting."

    "....."

    the murmurs grew louder, but damon ignored them. he didn''t care what they thought. as long as they didn''t touch him, he would let it go.

    from her table, leona valefier watched with sparkling eyes. the beastkin had a substantial pile of food before her, but her interest was wholly focused on damon.

    the more damon ate, the more despair filled him. no matter how much he consumed, the gnawing hunger remained, a void that nothing could fill. frustration built within him, bubbling over into raw rage.

    with a guttural grunt, damon suddenly stood and, with a surge of monstrous strength, hurled the table several meters across the room. it crashed into the counter, shattering glass and scattering food everywhere.

    the cafeteria fell silent, the other students staring in shock at the display of raw power.

    damon''s eyes glowed with a mad frenzy as he glared at the room, his breathing ragged. every person in his line of sight appeared as prey, glowing with an unbearable light.

    ''food... food... there''s food everywhere...''

    he swallowed hard, fighting the primal urge threatening to overtake him. forcing himself to turn away, he bolted from the cafeteria, running blindly through the academy until he reached a deserted hallway.

    he staggered to a stop, leaning heavily against the wall.

    "hungryyyy... so hungryyyy,"

    he muttered, his voice barely audible.

    as he stumbled forward, his shoulder collided with someone.

    "get the hell out of my way!" he snapped, shoving the person with enough force to send them crashing into the wall.

    when damon looked up, his eyes widened. standing before him was a blinding source of light, brighter than any soul he had ever seen.

    his stomach twisted painfully, his mind clouding. he had no control now. the hunger consumed him entirely, and he lunged forward, his instincts fully taking over.

    evangeline brightwater froze in her tracks, the radiant light around her intensifying with an almost blinding fury.

    her piercing gaze locked onto him, a mixture of anger and indignation flickering across her elegant features.

    "how dare you?"