Not long after, Damon woke up.

  He was no longer in the soldier's uniform, but his regular clothes were still intact. Unfortunately, he was in a cage.

  Sitting just outside with his legs crossed, was the man with the black veil.

  Noticing Damon stir, the man leaned in slightly.

  "Oh, you're awake," he said casually.

  Damon blinked a few times before looking around. "Why am I in a cage?" he asked politely, as if kindness might win him sympathy.

  "Because you trespassed, kid. Not once, but twice." The man replied, calmly pouring tea from a teapot into a cup. He held it out through the bars. "Tea?"

  Damon hesitated for a moment, then accepted it with both hands, bowing his head. "Thanks."

  "You see," the man continued, "I was thinking of handcuffing or chaining you up, but that's usually something we do with animals."

  Damon narrowed his eyes. "But I am in a cage."

  The man's voice lifted with playful sarcasm. "There was nothing else I could do. I mean-do you prefer to be chained to a wall? Or hung upside down?"

  Damon chuckled. "Yeah, I'm good with the cage. Thank you."

  An awkward silence settled in as the man poured himself a cup and sipped.

  "Why were you trespassing, kid?"

  Damon ignored the question completely. "You know, I can see through your veil."

  The man immediately spat his tea out. "No way, kid! You can?!" His tone turned light and teasing. "Not even x-ray vision can do that!"

  He leaned back dramatically, then tilted his head toward Damon, squinting suspiciously. "I don't believe you."

  "I'm not bluffing," Damon said calmly.

  "Whaaaaaaaaaat?" the man exclaimed, still playful. "Can you read my mind too?" He leaned in, pointing at his forehead through the veil. "Okay, then. What's here?"

  "A silver, diamond-shaped stone," Damon answered without hesitation. "And pointing at it kinda gave it away-even if they couldn't see through the veil."

  The man leaned back, impressed despite himself.

  "Yeah, I don't think anyone would've guessed there's a silver, diamond-shaped stone on my forehead."

  A grin spread under his veil.

  ---

  Meanwhile, Zephyr and Gwen sprinted down endless hallways, flinging doors open as they searched.

  "I bet he's being tortured by now," Gwen muttered, tension in her voice.

  ---

  Back in the cell, the veiled man held out a cookie.

  "Pastry?"

  Damon took it. "Thanks," he said, still seated on the floor, taking a slow bite.

  The man's eyes narrowed behind the veil. "Good, right?"

  ---

  "I mean... maybe he's being stabbed right now," Gwen continued, picturing a maniacal figure smiling while plunging a blade into Damon.

  ---

  "Banana?" the veiled man offered, holding out a whole bunch.

  Still seated with his back against the wall, Damon took one, narrowing his eyes. "You just gonna keep feeding me? I can tell they're not poisoned- it doesn't work on me. My body find some kind of way to warn me if it is. So... what's your deal?"

  The man clutched his chest with mock offense. "Poison you? A kid? How DARE you not trust me!"

  "Then what do you want?" Damon asked, unamused, eyes locked into him.

  The man sighed, shifting posture, elbow propped on his knee, chin resting on his fist.

  Suddenly, his aura expanded in a suffocating dome-then burst outward like a shockwave.

  The entire room shifted. His presence turned sharp and oppressive.

  Then it stopped just as quickly. He let out another sigh. "Man, I'm no good at this."

  His tone shifted again, light and teasing.

  "So? Why were you trespassing, kid? And don't lie-I know you took the map."

  He gestured toward the stolen uniform he took off from Damon.

  "You one of those brats who sneak in to stir up trouble with no clue what they're doing? Happens more than you'd think."

  Damon's expression darkened slightly, His silver eyes began to glow faintly.

  "No, we're here to defeat the Demon Lord."

  The room seemed to drop in temperature. The air turned still.

  The veiled man tilted his head slightly to the side. "'WE' huh, so there's more of you."

  This time, his aura burst out even stronger-so dense and crushing that cracks snaked along the walls.

  Damon winced, gritting his teeth. His chest tightened under the weight of the pressure, each breath a struggle. Blood slipped from the corner of his mouth as he clutched at his ribs.

  The man kept the pressure on for seven seconds.

  Damon's body finally gave in-he slumped forward, collapsing onto his side. He coughed violently, blood splattering the stone floor. Consciousness flickered, but he didn't fully black out.

  Then, with a sigh, the man relaxed, scratching the back of his neck.

  "Kid... even if you and your friends had some secret weapon, at this rate, you wouldn't even be able to get thirty feet near the Demon King."

  "And besides-he's not even here. Whoever told you that was wrong."

  Damon wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, sitting upright.

  "Wasn't following anyone's intel. I came... for my sister."

  The man's expression shifted beneath the veil.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  "I don't know your whole deal, kid, but this? This isn't the only stronghold the Demon Lord has. He's got like nine-maybe ten-scattered across the world. He never stays. And we're not even close to the core yet. This is the third floor. The real threshold? That's at least two levels higher."

  He pointed toward the ceiling.

  "Second floor's usually sealed with a spell. Meant to block lower guards. Don't know how you slipped through. Guess that seal's outdated."

  Damon looked up, brow furrowed. "Why are you telling me all this?"

  The man smiled, kind and warm.

  "Join me. You're powerful, kid."

  He reached through the bars of the cage.

  Damon stared at the hand, then gently pushed it aside without standing.

  "No thanks. You're strong-way stronger than I can imagine. I could tell that wasn't even your full aura. But I've got my own mission."

  His voice remained steady.

  "I'm going to rescue my sister. Then I'm going to find the Demon Lord and beat him down for everything he's done to this world. I decided that a long time ago. And I'm not gonna let death stop me."

  The man looked at him, eyes unreadable.

  "Kid... that's not how it works. You can't 'find a way' if you're dead."

  He exhaled slowly, voice softening.

  "You've got grit. Normally, with the taste of my aura, no one on your level, wil attempt to say those words in front of me, And you turned down my offer, no less. That takes something."

  He laughed lightly.

  "With a heart like that," the man said, "I would've loved to spar with you someday. But definitely not at your current level."

  He turned his back on Damon, casually reaching for something on the table.

  "There's a tournament coming up," he continued. "The Demon Lord's planning an entrance exam of sorts. Even our side's been losing people lately... He might actually show up."

  He glanced over his shoulder.

  "Your friends might have a shot at him then-but not you, kid. I'm sorry... but I have to kill you now."

  With slow, deliberate steps, the man approached Damon, casually flipping a coin in his hand. The coin spun through the air, catching the light for a brief moment before clattering to the floor.

  And in that instant, the air changed.

  A crushing aura erupted from the man-thick, suffocating, and overwhelming. The very atmosphere trembled under the weight of it. Damon didn't need to be warned.

  This time, the man was going in for the kill.

  But just as the pressure closed in, a loud ringing echoed through the room.

  The Echo-stone on the table flared to life.

  A woman's voice exploded from the device-furious.

  The man flinched and yelped, scrambling to answer.

  "S-Sorry!" he said, voice flipping instantly back into its playful tone. From the sound of it, this wasn't the first time she'd scolded him.

  With a dramatic sigh and a lazy grin, the man turned away. And then-he was gone.

  In a breeze.

  So fast that the only thing Damon heard was the soft click of the door shutting behind him.

  Something clattered to the floor-keys.

  Damon, still breathing heavily, wiped the blood from his mouth and reached through the bars with his telekinesis. His hand trembled, the glow of his aura flickering weakly, but he managed to grab hold of the keys and slowly bring them to himself.

  He unlocked the cage, slipped out, and quietly stepped into the corridor.

  It was empty. No sign of the man.

  Without hesitation, Damon headed downstairs as fast as his weakened body allowed.

  But deep in the shadows, unseen, the veiled man watched him go. A small, genuine smile curled beneath his veil.

  "Go be strong, kid," he whispered. "Maybe... just maybe there's still hope in the world."

  Damon made his way down to the second floor, then to the first. Fortunately, no guard saw him.

  Hearing Gwen and Zephyr's footsteps from afar, he dusted himself off, he had been using the wall for support as he descended. He quickly wiped the blood from his mouth and put on a smile, like nothing had happened.

  When he saw them, he called out casually, "Hey....., Gwen. Zephyr."

  Gwen instantly burst forward with speed and wrapped him in a tight hug. Zephyr simply teleported to his side.

  "Where were you, Damon?" Gwen asked, holding onto him. "I was worried about you." Then she leaned in and whispered, "Even Mister Grumpy over here," she said, gesturing toward Zephyr.

  Damon laughed, as if he hadn't just been on the brink of death.

  Gwen pulled back slightly, looking him over. "Where were you? I could feel a man's killer aura through the Neuro Link. He didn't hurt you, did he?" she asked, inspecting him for injuries.

  Damon gave her a soft smile. "I'm fine, Gwen. You don't need to worry."

  But she spotted the blood on his hand.

  Without a word, she hugged him again and whispered, "I'm sorry." Her body began to glow with a faint green light.

  "You really are a hugger, ain't ya," Damon said, trying to brush it off.

  She immediately pulled back, scowling. "No... I hate hugs."

  Damon blinked, feeling his strength return. She had healed him.

  He smiled. "A Caladrius, huh. Now it makes sense."

  Zephyr glanced ahead, his eyes narrowing. "We should finish this reunion outside. We've got soldiers heading our way."

  Without hesitation, they made their way to the gate.

  And from a very, very distant rooftop, the veiled man watched them with a small, satisfied grin.

  "So those are his friends, huh... seems like a good pair."

  After a long while, they finally made it to Grimm's residence.

  After settling in with a nice bath and some much-needed rest, Grimm leaned back, looking at the group.

  ""So... you guys didn't find anything useful?" Grimm asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Well, we did find a map," Gwen said, scratching the back of her head, "but... we kinda lost it. Then some things happened... and then even more things happened... so yeah-no map, no clues."

  Damon's eyes immediately widened in realization. "Wait, the map, I totally forgot about that" he said, suddenly rushing upstairs. A few moments later, he returned with a large sheet of carbon paper and some colored pencils.

  He placed the materials on the center table, clearing off a vase that was sitting there.

  Grimm raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, what are you doing there, kid?"

  "I saw the map, right?" Damon asked, looking over at the others.

  "Yeah, for like three seconds," Zephyr replied, still not understanding where Damon was going with this.

  "Exactly," Damon said, his face lighting up with enthusiasm.

  Zephyr narrowed his eyes, now suspicious. "So...., you're gonna draw it?"

  "Trust me, I've got a real photographic memory," Damon said with a grin.

  "So how long is this gonna take?" Gwen asked, leaning in.

  "Five minutes, give or take," Damon said confidently.

  "Do you need the room to yourself to work on your MASTERPIECE?" Grimm teased.

  "Yes, please," Damon replied, not missing a beat.

  Grimm chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright, we'll leave you to it."

  With that, they all left, leaving Damon alone to work.

  Grimm led Gwen and Zephyr to his garden-a beautiful and serene place filled with flowers of every color and fragrance. It was a majestic sight, and the scent of blooming flowers filled the air.

  Grimm and Gwen sat down on a bench under the shade of a large tree, while Zephyr wandered off not too far.

  "Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you," Gwen said slowly, her voice carrying a note of uncertainty.

  "What is it, child?" Grimm asked, looking at her with mild curiosity.

  "I know that you know what I am," Gwen began, glancing over at him. "But what I don't know is how you knew."

  Grimm raised an eyebrow, slightly confused. "What?"

  "I'm talking about my bloodline," Gwen said, shifting slightly. "Where my other half came from... my red hair."

  "Oh, that," Grimm said, clearly understanding now.

  "Yeah, can you keep it a secret? Just between me and you?" Gwen asked, lowering her voice. "Not even Zephyr knows about it."

  Grimm smiled softly. "Your secret's safe with me. You can tell them whenever you're ready."

  Gwen returned the smile, relieved. "Thanks."

  "But let me ask you something," Grimm said thoughtfully. "If you were one of them... if they told you now, would you have cared?"

  "No," Gwen answered after a brief pause. "Not really."

  Grimm chuckled, pointing toward Zephyr with a teasing grin. "You see that fellow over there? He wouldn't think twice about throwing his life away for you."

  Gwen glanced over at Zephyr, then looked away. "But he wouldn't do the same for Damon."

  Grimm chuckled lightly. "He'll come around."

  Gwen smiled faintly. "And even if he doesn't, I'll be there to drag him along."

  Grimm chuckled again, this time with a knowing smile. "And Damon... He's the type who would help the Demon King if he turned good and needed saving. Yeah, Damon is terrifying." Grimm said, eyes wide in mock horror.

  Gwen couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I know."

  "Trust me, they wouldn't even think twice about it," Grimm said, his voice dropping into a more serious tone. "But still... your secret's safe with me."

  Just then, Damon came jogging back into the garden with a rolled-up sheet of paper in his hands.

  "Behold!" he announced dramatically. "Feast your eyes on my masterpiece!"

  He held it up proudly for everyone to see.

  They all blinked, staring in disbelief.

  "...What is that supposed to be?" Gwen asked.

  Grimm squinted, leaning forward. "Maybe if we stare hard enough, it'll magically make sense."

  "Did you draw that in a cave with your eyes closed?" Zephyr added dryly.

  Damon chuckled, setting the paper down. "Yh, okay, I'm just messing with you guys," he said, then unrolled a second sheet. "This one's the real deal."

  Grimm's eyes widened. "Wait a second... these are the maps of the 10 Realms."

  Damon smiled and gave a theatrical nod. "Exactly how it was shown."

  Gwen leaned over and pointed at the circled spots on the map. "These are the locations you were talking about?"

  "Yep," Damon confirmed, a sly smirk creeping onto his face. "And from what I was told, the Demon Lord isn't in Valtoria. Which means he could be anywhere... but most likely in one of these marked locations. So... yeah, we start the search there."

  Zephyr's gaze sharpened. "And how exactly were you told that?"

  Damon paused, recalling the veiled man. He scratched the back of his neck, his smirk turning a bit sheepish.

  "Honestly?" he said. "Because the guy who told me... kinda liked me."

  Zephyr blinked. "Liked you?"

  "Yeah, definitely," Damon said with a nod, then added, "Oh-right, there's another option too."

  He leaned back, folding his arms. "We could just wait a couple of years. Apparently, the Demon Lord's planning some kind of entrance exam... for recruiting more soldiers or something. I don't really get it-dude's already conquered the world, who's he trying to fight now?"

  He paused for a second, then shrugged. "Anyway, it's supposed to be huge. Open to pretty much everyone. With that many people gathering from across all realms, we'd definitely catch wind of where it's happening. And if we're lucky, maybe he'll actually show up."

  Zephyr stared at him. "So let me get this straight-we either comb through ten entire realms, countless corners of the world, and who-knows-how-many villages... or we sit around for a few years waiting for some big recruitment event that may or may not lead us to him?"

  "Yup, that's pretty much it," Damon said with a shrug.

  "Well then, I definitely vote realms," Gwen chimed in with a grin, "what about you, Damon?." She asked.

  "Oh, I decided on realms a long time ago." Damon added his tone turning dead serious as he rolled up the map. "There's no way I'm waiting around." he said, resolve burning in his eyes.