Devin's eyes fluttered open to a world bathed in violet, its hue wrapping around him like a sinister veil.
He tensed up, grinding his fists and seething with rage. "Where are you!?" he shouted, darting around frantically, searching for Him.
That—thing. The creature that took Darcey from him. The vile being that hurt her. The bastard that stole his face.
'He's here. That bastard has to be here!' Devin thought, his body twitching as his gaze lingered on the violet walls around him. They brought back everything—the clang of the chains as the face stealer whipped her. The visions of the vile things he had done and witnessed.
Reality felt fragile, as if it had shattered into shards piercing his mind, and he was reliving it all at once.
"You bastard! Where are you!? Where are you!!!?" Devin collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face. Clutching his head, he squeezed his temples as if trying to force the memories out, but they only came faster.
He could see everything. Feel everything. Hear everything. From the moment he arrived in this new world, that had never stopped. Broken by his mind splintering into so many realities, he couldn't tell what was real anymore.
Emily, Champions, a prince and new world? That might as well be another illusion drilled into his mind by that sadistic bastard.
"There, there now. Get up buddy," the familiar, sadistic voice cooed, dripping with mockery.
Devin shot up, gritting his teeth as a scream tore from his throat. "You!!! Where are you!? Show yourself!!!"
"Wow, love the enthusiasm!" the voice drawled. "You want to find me? Follow the dark lines…"
On the walls, floor and ceiling. Black arrows began to materialize, their jagged edges pointing forward like the claws of a predator.
Devin's mind was a storm of rage and confusion, but his fury refused to settle. Clenching his fists, he stepped forward, ready to confront whatever awaited him…
Devin staggered forward, his body colliding with the walls as if the weight of his memories was dragging him down. Every step felt like a monumental hurdle, the visions goring at his mind.
"No! Please, stop! Stop!" A little girl with light blonde hair screamed, her voice piercing through the chaos. Her mom and dad lay lifeless beside her as Devin forced his fingers into her eye socket, pulling her left eye out.
"Argh!!—" Her screams were cut short as Devin ripped out her optic nerve.
"It will be alright. Everything will be alright, Darcey," Devin muttered, staring at the dull blue eye in his trembling hands.
"That's not my name! My eyes, my eyes!!!" the girl wailed, blood streaming down her hollow sockets. "Mommy… Daddy…"
Devin collapsed to his knees, clutching his head as the vicious visions tore through his mind like jagged shards of glass. "Stop… make it stop!" he cried, his voice breaking under the weight of his torment.
"Come now, Devin. Don't give up on me yet," the familiar, sadistic voice purred, its tone dripping with mockery. "Don't you want to see Darcey? Don't you want to find me?" The voice grew vile and distorted as it hissed, "Don't you want revenge?"
Devin gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet. Using the walls for support, he stumbled forward, his body trembling with rage and exhaustion.
'Finally.' Devin fell to his knees, his breath hitching as his gaze locked onto the sight before him.
A set of majestic double doors stood tall, crafted from solid gold, their surface gleaming with an otherworldly radiance. Devin allowed himself only a moment to be mesmerized—he had vengeance on his mind.
Rising to his feet, he placed his hands on the golden doors. Violet veins crept across the doors, as his fingers touched the surface. With a grunt, he pushed them open, the violet veins spreading further as the heavy doors groaned under his strength…
As the doors creaked open, Devin was engulfed by a cascade of light, its motes shimmering in varying intensities like fragments of a divine tapestry. At the center of it all, a humanoid figure bathed in radiant, divine light floated effortlessly, His back turned toward Devin.
"This is not him…" Devin muttered, his gaze narrowing as the bright being observed different scenes through levitating light panels.
From Angel trapped in a white room, to Aidan withering in the desert, to Cassidy battered by the lightning storm, and Emily struggling through a dense forest—the being saw it all. Other panels flickered before Him, their distorted, incomprehensible images disrupted by an unseen force. The being sighed deeply."Something's interfering with my connection to Vespera. At least Max received my revelation…"
"Wow, you've grown so much, little Amun," the sadistic, familiar voice echoed suddenly—from Devin's own lips.
Devin clamped his hand over his mouth in horror, realizing that wretched being had stolen his voice. The right side of his body was shrouded in darkness, his muscles frozen and unresponsive.
The bright being, Amun, turned His wrathful gaze on Devin, His radiant eyes blazing as the temperature in the room rose frighteningly.
"You vile abomination, be gone from my realm!" Amun thundered, raising His hand toward Devin and the dark entity puppeteering him. But before He could act, the darkness coiled around His arm, freezing Him momentarily.
A figment of shadow grew out of Amun's shoulder, twisting into a head with violet eyes. The dark being chuckled, its voice dripping with mockery. "Come now, that's no way to treat your uncle Mordrin. I remember how adorable you were, little Amun, burning my spawns with those chubby, whittle baby hands."
"You are too weak to invade my realm. Who is this child you used to smuggle yourself here?" Amun struggled against the darkness, His radiant eyes falling on Devin.
Devin collapsed to his knees, blood spilling from his ears and mouth under Amun's brilliant gaze.
"Oh him? Surprise! This is your fifth crest bearer! Say hello to Devin," Mordrin cackled, using Amun's power to form the clear crystal gem before them.
"What! No! Be gone!" Amun unleashed His divine might, burning away the darkness on His arm as Mordrin urged Devin. "What are you doing, buddy? Get up! Don't you want vengeance? Don't you want power? Seize it or fade away!"
Devin's crimson eyes burned with resolve as he lunged for the gem. His arms and legs disintegrated in the radiant blaze, but he clenched his teeth around the gem, his body consumed by fire as he held on with unyielding determination.
End of Chapter 30