the memories of the past were like sharp thorns embedded in damon grey''s heart, each one a painful reminder of the failures and lessons that shaped him into the jaded young man he was today. and it had all begun with the death of his parents.

    "my family lived in a small village a few kilometers off the lands of the ravenscroft household," damon started, his voice low and strained, the words dragging up emotions he had long buried.

    "it was a small, quiet place... the kind of village where everyone knows everyone. my father was born there. he and my mother were well-known, celebrated even, because they''d both achieved first-class advancement."

    he gritted his teeth, the memories cutting deep.

    "they were often called ''the heavenly pairing.'' my father had the darkness attribute, and my mother... hers was a variation of light. it was called ''day.'' together, they protected the village with their power."

    damon''s stomach growled, but he ignored it, his hunger drowned out by the flood of painful recollections.

    "my sister and i were born there. for a time, life was good. everyone in the village was kind to us, or at least they seemed to be."

    carmen listened in silence, his gaze fixed on the boy, sensing the storm of emotions behind his words.

    "it all changed," damon continued, his voice growing colder,

    "when the demons made a massive advancement into soltheon. the war worsened, and my parents, being at the first-class advancement, were conscripted by the nobles and forced to fight."

    he lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly.

    "they left us behind... my sister and me. at first, the village still treated us kindly. but then, one day, the news came. our parents were dead."

    carmen''s eyes lingered on damon''s face, noting the twisted smile that barely masked the deep pain in the boy''s dark eyes.

    "only two things were returned to us," damon continued, his voice tight.

    "my father''s broken sword... and a locket that belonged to my mother."

    damon clenched his fists.

    "the village held a funeral. i buried the sword, but i couldn''t bear to part with the locket. i hid it away, afraid the adults would make me bury it too. instead, we buried her clothes."

    carmen glanced up at the sun filtering through the trees, his heart heavy with sympathy for the boy''s loss.

    "with our parents gone, the only relatives we had in the village were my father''s distant cousin. we didn''t know much about my mother''s side, only faint clues from the stories she used to tell us about her brother. looking back now, i can guess she might have been a noble. but what does that matter? knowing wouldn''t have helped us—two orphaned children left to fend for ourselves."

    "maybe, deep down, i was just looking for a reason not to die. and i found one."

    carmen''s eyes widened slightly, a glimmer of hope in his gaze.

    "at the roots of that tree, there was a broken stone slab. on it, someone had carved words—fragments of something greater. i pieced them together. those words gave me a purpose."

    carmen''s throat tightened. he wiped at his eyes.

    "what... what did it say?"

    damon raised his head, his dark eyes alight with a mix of fury and defiance.

    "we are not asked to be born; we are forced to exist. today was a horrible day. tomorrow will be worse. in the end, it will all come to pass. all things fade..."

    he exhaled sharply, his clenched fists trembling.

    "those were the words. it wasn''t complete, but the part i saw was enough. it taught me about the vast unfairness and insignificance of everything. it should have been the final push to die, but instead, it gave me life. if we''re so small, so meaningless... then even as a worm beneath the cosmic vastness, i have the right to struggle. if i''m going to die anyway, then i''ll die in blood, screams, and tears, knowing i gave it my all."

    damon gritted his teeth, his voice rising with fervor.

    "i made my choice. i would survive. so i returned to the village and began making my plans."

    carmen stared at the boy, both awestruck and disturbed by the raw determination in his voice.

    "what plans?"

    "my plan to take my sister and escape," damon replied, his tone steady and resolute.

    "i remembered my father mentioning a small house he owned in the capital—valerion. i decided i would find it, no matter what."

    carmen shook his head slowly, his eyes wide with both admiration and disbelief.

    "that must have been a tremendous gamble."

    "it was," damon admitted, his voice colder now.

    "but i had nothing left to lose."