What comes after blood is pain.

“Hello Dragonkin, my name is Leodas Elsins. I was brought to this world many years ago. I’ve spent countless decades fighting for this world. What did I get?” Leodas was speaking as though he had a script prepared, and continued, “I got laden with more and more work, barely paid, just a **** for their interests. I couldn’t even go home, they wouldn’t let me. After years and years and years, I just got sick of it. Why should I fight for them, what did they give me?”

He was nearly shouting from the throne, before breaking into a coughing fit, “ A curse, that's what they gave me. When I stopped helping them, they inflicted a curse upon me, utterly dooming me. After helping them for a hundred years, they wanted more, but I… I wanted to sleep, but they wouldn’t let me. They never let me, not that the Demons did, either.” A heavy sigh broke through the fading facade of ferocity, “But you… You can do it. You can help me sleep, once and for all, you can make it stop!” Tears were streaming from the eyes of Leodas, his absent minded expression was apparent.

Damon took slow steps, making his way towards the grief stricken hero before him. He set his arm of Leodas’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll do it.” Damon spoke slowly.

“Thank you, thank you, I…” Before he could continue speaking, his head dissipated, and his body followed shortly after, as Damon cast Greater Disintegration, destroying the form of the corrupted hero with ease.

As the notification appeared, the blinding light returned.

…

After a blinding moment, Damon was standing in his throne room.

Slowly, he walked to his throne, and upon reaching it, he sat down, a glum expression apparent on his face.

The rambunctious duo he had disappeared from burst into the room. “Your back?” They all but shouted, bounding through the expansive room, and landing gracefully upon him, for Ember, atleast, as Dirpe, despite having flight capabilities, tumbled over herself before reaching him.

Damon went to grab Dirpe, and as Ember was already embracing him, he hugged them both, lovingly, though there was hesitance in his plight.

Is that who he’d become? Would he be broken to such a degree? Damon was caught up within his own mind, thoughts racing through his head, but as he was embraced by his loved ones, completely unaware of his predicament, as they only saw he was grief stricken, he was warmed, and brought to a moment of comfort.

After calming down, Damon accepted two of the Skill Draws.

Beyond being confused, the names were not too helpful, so, with his curiosity piqued, Damon held his hand out, and began casting Another Sun.

All of a sudden, the room became much warmer, the increasing temperature radiating from his palm.

Damon could feel an immense heat forming within his grasp, though it didn’t hurt. Actually, it was refreshing, as the warmth engulfed him.

But slowly, the tiny orb within his hand began to grow, and grow, and grow. Before, abruptly, the orb became basketball sized.

The heat emanating from it was immense, nearly rivalling his Greater Dragon’s Breath, and as it continued its swelling, Damon extinguished it before anyone got hurt.

Ember was instantly amazed, “That’s crazy, I’ve never even seen flame magic that strong! How long have you had it?”

“Since just now.” Damon smirked, stating it simply, leaving Ember utterly shocked. “Now, let's try this one.” He said casually, casting Chains of Oblivion, and from thin air, metallic chains sprung forth, into existence. Pretty cool, but he could do the same thing with regular chains, or with blood, realistically.

But the Chains had to have something else to them, and as he willed their movement, he saw that they were strikingly quick, barely able to be detected by him, let alone anyone weaker.

Suddenly, the chains were before Damon, and as he grasped them, he found where the oblivion came into play, as tens of thousands of his mana were drained, which would leave nearly anyone a dry, manaless husk.

He dismissed the chains, and laid his head upon the throne he was so fond of.

As he was stationary, Damon accepted the thirty XP Bundles, ready for the surge of strength he’d feel.

And feel he did, as his stats surged, his body contracting semi-painfully, as he grew ever more powerful.

Damon briefly fell ****, but for a mere second, as he opened his eyes, and seeing his status screen, he was ecstatic.

But then he saw that his Heroic Demi-God had gone to .001%, further explaining his immense growth, but what had brought this about?

Damon was dumbfounded, but happy as could be, he felt a smirk creep upon his face, before he devolved into coarse chuckling.