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Chapter 295: Chapter 295 Gate of world key+ Lucas POV
Lucas POV
I rushed towards Damon, my heart pounding in my chest as I saw him lying there, blood still trickling from his back where his wings had been. His face was pale, his eyes half-closed, but when he saw me, he weakly lifted his head. I could see the pain etched across his face, but also a strange calmness that made everything worse.
"You... you really..." I couldn’t finish the sentence. The lump in my throat was too heavy, and my chest felt tight as I knelt beside him. My hands hovered over the wounds on his back, trembling. Damon, one of the strongest beastmen I knew, had actually clipped his own wings. For a bird-like beastmens, wings were everything—freedom, power, life itself. And yet, here he was, having given them up like they were nothing.
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. I couldn’t help it. Damon loved Kyra so much that he’d do something unimaginable. It wasn’t just an act of sacrifice—it was proof that his love was deeper than anyone could have understood. No wonder Kyra loved him back. No wonder...
Damon caught my eye and, despite everything, he smiled weakly. "It’s fine," he said in a raspy voice, so weak it barely reached me. "Those wings... they’re just secondary wings. Nothing to do with my original ones. I’m happy getting rid of them... for her. For the person I love." He gave a faint chuckle, though it was clear he was fighting through the pain. "Go," he urged, giving me a feeble push. "Get the world key... and save my little thing. I can’t wait..."
I bent down, grabbing his arm to help him sit up a little. "Damon, don’t talk. You’ve lost too much blood."
But he just smiled at me again, as if all of this was nothing. "I’ll be fine. You have more important things to do. She’s waiting, Lucas. Go."
Simon, who had been watching silently, finally stepped forward. "I’ll take care of him. You and Ocean need to go get the world key." His voice was calm, but there was an urgency beneath it. I nodded, knowing I couldn’t waste any more time. We didn’t know how long Kyra had. Damon had made his sacrifice—now it was our turn to make it count. 𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖕𝖚𝖇.𝖈𝔬𝔪
"Thank the stars Ocean always carries herbs with him," Simon muttered, as Oceanus pulled out a small, hanging pouch from his waist. Without a word, he tossed it to Simon, who caught it with practiced ease. Then, Oceanus bent down and picked up Damon’s severed wings, the ones that had once shimmered with power and beauty, now lifeless and limp.
Oceanus carried the wings over to the round stone structure. There was a tense silence as he carefully placed them over the stone wings carved into the structure. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a low hum, the stone wings absorved Damon’s wings. There was a strange sound, like the grinding of ancient gears, and the wings vanished as if they had never existed.
The ground trembled beneath us, and with a deep rumble, the stone gate began to open. A blinding light flooded the open space, illuminating everything in a warm, radiant glow. The air itself felt different, heavier, as if we were on the threshold of something powerful.
I took a deep breath, staring at the light spilling from the gate. This was it—the world key was just beyond that threshold. Everything we’d fought for, everything Damon had sacrificed, was now within reach.
"Go," Simon urged again, his hands already working to treat Damon’s wounds with the herbs Oceanus had provided. "We’ll handle things here. Just bring back that key."
I hesitated, looking back at Damon one last time. He was in Simon’s care now, his face pale but still managing that stubborn smile. He waved me off, his eyes filled with that same determination. "Don’t worry about me. Just... save her."
I nodded, my heart heavy, before turning to face the gate. Oceanus had already stepped forward, his eyes unreadable And laid back as always. Together, we walked towards the light.
As the light grew brighter, I couldn’t help but think of ky-ky. I thought of how much she meant to Damon, how much he was willing to give up for her. And now, with the gate open and the world key within our grasp, it was our turn to make sure that his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. For Damon. For ky-ky.
For all of us.
We walked inside, and at first, the light was almost blinding. It felt like stepping into another world entirely. But soon enough, the brightness faded, leaving behind a soft, almost magical glow that made everything around us seem surreal. The air was crisp, pure, and carried a blend of different scents—freshwater from a lake, the earthy aroma of a forest, and the unmistakable smell of rain on mud. The mix of smells hit me all at once, challenging my senses in the best way possible.
As my eyes adjusted to the strange new environment, I noticed there were no turns, just walls stretching endlessly on both sides. The place felt suspicious, as if it led to something hidden far away. Above me, the ceiling glowed softly, casting an light over the long, narrow path ahead.
I noticed the ground beneath us was covered in colorful stones, shimmering under the soft light. Every step felt like walking on precious gems, though their beauty seemed out of place in such an ancient, forgotten place. The walls were equally strange, covered with intricate, swirling designs that looked like they were carved by hands long gone. They weren’t just decorations—there was something about them, a meaning, a story we couldn’t quite grasp.
"What is the world key... is it actually a key?" I asked, my voice thick with the emotion still sitting heavily in my chest.
Oceanus turned his head slightly towards me, his expression as unreadable as always. "Not a key... at least, not in the way you’re thinking," he said, his voice causal but pleasent. "I only know a little about it. It’s said to be an object of dangerous power, but I’ve never seen it myself. We’ll find out soon enough."
I fell silent, unsure what to say. I wanted to ask more, but I could tell Oceanus wasn’t in the mood for conversation And I didn’t have the energy to push it. We walked in silence, the only sounds being the soft crunch of the stones beneath our feet and the occasional drip of water echoing from somewhere deep within the place.
