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Chapter 176: Chapter 176 Ghost eye Group organization.
Damon woke in the middle of the night, startled by faint sounds outside the window. He carefully stood up, glancing back at Kyra curled up in bed, wrapped snugly in her blanket. Approaching the window, he furrowed his brow as he peered into the darkness outside, but saw nothing amiss.
A strange unease settled over him, prompting him to close the windows tightly. He returned to Kyra’s side, lying down next to her and holding her close as he drifted back to sleep.
Unbeknownst to him, a dark shadow hidding in the corner of the room.
As Damon instinctively pulled Kyra closer in his protective embrace, the shadow hesitated, its dark form recoiling slightly into the shadows.
Damon held Kyra tightly against him, his heart restless yet comforted by her presence. He kissed her forehead gently, savoring the softness of her against his chest, closing his eyes.
"Damon, be a good big brother and always take care of your little sis," his father Daniel’s voice echoed in his memory as he proudly introduced Damon to his newborn sister, just a month old.
At just two years old, Damon a small blue dragon, peered curiously at his sister, his snout twitching as he sniffed her unfamiliar scent, his silver eyes sparkling with amazement.
Daniel watched with a smile, knowing Damon would be a loving and protective older brother.
Damon woke up, a beads of sweat clinging to his brow.
He blinked, momentarily disoriented, until he saw Kyra sleeping peacefully in his arms. Gently, he brushed his lips against her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against his own. Holding her close, he closed his eyes again.
A smile tugged at Damon’s lips as he reminisced about the day he first met Kyra, and the cautious yet curious way she had entered his lair.
***
Emerald Bay, an island near the sinkhole, was once believed to be deserted after the disappearance of many Beastmens.
Few dared to came near it due to the ominous aura that surrounded the area. Unbeknownst to most, however, the island had become the clandestine headquarters of the ghost eye Group organization.
Over the years, the Eye Group had steadily grown in numbers, recruiting individuals from wild beasts to Beastmen, often through coercive means.
Their operations remained shrouded in secrecy, but their ambitious plans brewing for over a decade.
"Celestia, the spirit city town... we’re going to start from there." the shadowy figure whispered, its voice dripping with malice and anticipation.
A chilling smile spread across the face of the monstrous figure with long, sharp, curled horns.
His eyes gleamed with a sinister light as he surveyed the darkened forest around them.
"It’s going to be interesting indeed, hahaha.." the horned monster laughed, his voice echoing through the dense trees.
The entire forest was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant sounds of creatures moving in the shadows. Beastmen, their eyes vacant and their movements stiff, wandered aimlessly, their green-tinted nails scratching at the air as if in a perpetual state of combat.
"They are ready! I can’t wait to see the despair on these beastmen’s faces when they realize their brute strength is useless against those who can spread... illness." the shadow hissed, its presence looming ominously over the forest, a harbinger of dread and impending doom.
**
Kyra woke up in Damon’s arms, his warmth making her feel safe and content. Feeling her stir, Damon opened his eyes and muttered, "Let’s sleep more, little thing," pulling her closer with his strong arms as he closed his eyes again.
The bed felt like heaven to him, especially with Kyra soft body against him. He didn’t want to wake up, savoring the rare peaceful moment.
"It’s already late, Damon." Kyra said, glancing outside at the sunlight streaming through the window.
Damon fully woke up, his mind still foggy from lack of sleep.
He had woken up twice in the middle of the night, restless and unable to shake off the feeling of unease.
Kyra noticed the dark circles under his eyes and nodded understandingly.
"Alright," she whispered, relenting. She could see how tired he was.
He smiled, and closed his eyes again, holding her even tighter. He quickly drifted back to sleep.
Kyra stayed still, listening to his steady breathing and feeling his heart beat against her.
Kyra slowly lifted her head from Damon’s chest, carefully untangling herself from his arms. She climbed down from the bed, trying not to disturb his much-needed sleep. Heading to the bathroom, she noticed there was still no water in the fucket.
Determined to help, she went to the kitchen and found a large pot for boiling water. In Celestia, with its constant winter and snowfall, most households had big pots for this purpose.
Kyra then walked outside. Usually, it was Damon who took care of boiling water, his body accustomed to the harsh environment, while she was not.
She shivered slightly, but she was determined to manage on her own.
Gathering some snow in the pot, she carried it back inside, her fingers stinging from the cold.
She set the pot on the stove and started the fire, watching as the snow slowly melted and began to boil.
As the water heated up, Kyra took a moment to warm her hands by the stove.
She was learning to adapt to her new surroundings.
Kyra walked back into the room, then headed to the bathroom, picking up the now-empty bucket. She went outside again and filled it with more snow, bringing it back to the bathroom to let it melt.
Returning to the kitchen, she looked around for a rag and found one. Carefully, she picked up the heavy pot of boiling water, gripping it firmly on both sides. It was heavy, but she managed to lift it and began the slow climb upstairs.
Step by step, she made her way up, feeling the weight of the pot strain her arms. She paused once or twice to catch her breath but kept going.
When she finally reached the top of the stairs, she felt a sense of accomplishment. She carried the pot into the bathroom and carefully poured the hot water into the bucket, mixing it with the snow to create warm water for washing.
