My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

Damon teleported into the cloud of dust that had exploded, his form cutting through the lingering sand as it scraped against his armor. He scanned through the haze, his eyes quickly finding the bodies of the two unconscious siblings.

They were holding onto each other tightly, arms wrapped as if afraid to let go even in sleep, their breathing faint but steady.

He crouched beside them at once and checked them carefully, his hands hovering over their chests and limbs.

They were healing.

His gaze shifted to the empty vials scattered across the sand nearby.

"They accounted for the damage to their bodies and took the healing potions beforehand."

That had been Lyn's decision, made before Sithara had set off the explosion.

Lazarak stood a short distance away, staring at the dead and broken remains of the sand spitter. Its fur had ignited completely, blackened and burned away, the creature unable to withstand the violent expulsion and torn apart by it.

"A dust expulsion…" Lazarak muttered, lowering his gaze slightly.

"That was a stroke of genius. They used the suspended dust and still air to ignite an expulsion with the sand spitter at the center."

Damon exhaled slowly as he walked toward the corpse of the creature they had killed. He stopped beside it, then reached down and plunged his hand into its abdomen, tearing out its monster core with raw force. Blood and ash spilled onto the sand as he pulled it free.

He glanced back at the two children.

"They did it."

Lazarak nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.

"A successful awakening. They made it seem easy. Some people go their entire lives without ever achieving such a feat."

Damon crossed his arms.

"Talent plays a large role. And they have it in spades."

He turned his head slightly, eyes scanning the horizon.

"Let's go. That expulsion was loud, and we don't know what heard the noise."

Lazarak nodded and raised his hand. Darkness rose from the ground, wrapping around the siblings gently before lifting them up and mounting them onto the back of the lesser demon.

Damon nodded once, then turned eastward and began to sprint forward. A sharp boom echoed behind him as he vanished, leaving behind a faint afterimage. Lazarak followed atop the demon, while Matia paused briefly to look around before dashing after them.

Hot winds battered them as they crossed the vast sand dunes, their passage leaving behind fading footprints that were quickly swallowed by the shifting desert.

A few hours passed as they crossed a great distance through the savage terrain. The farther they traveled, the harsher the heat became, the drier the air grew, and the more mana they lost with each step.

The two siblings began to stir, Sithara first, then Lyn.

Damon lifted his gaze toward the sky. Darkness was approaching, and it would be wiser to camp and continue during the day.

While he could see in the dark, that did not change the fact that the most dangerous monsters were nocturnal.

He chose a location where the surrounding dunes formed natural cover and brought them to a halt.

As night fully settled, the scorching heat of the day vanished, replaced by a cold, dry wind. The temperature dropped sharply, bone chilling in its intensity, and Damon felt his fatigue amplify noticeably.

His mana was draining slightly more than usual, but his mana pool was simply too vast for it to matter much.

They had passed. They had reached the first class. And on their first attempt, no less.

Damon decided a feast was in order.

He retrieved the ingredients from his shadow storage and laid them out. Seeing so much food before him made his thoughts drift to Leona. Was she alive? If she was, had she eaten. He hoped she had not gone hungry.

He shook his head firmly and focused on preparing the meal.

....

What woke her was the smell of something delicious.

Sithara's stomach grumbled softly as her consciousness returned.

Her head felt light as she slowly raised it, her eyes opening a moment later. Warm light flooded her vision, coming from chandeliers that hung above.

It was the familiar tent, the same one that had awed her before, crafted from magic she still did not fully understand.

She turned her gaze to her brother, who shifted slightly in his sleep.

Her hands felt stiff, but at the same time stronger.

Her gaze moved forward.

The figure in front of her was the same young man. Long black hair, deep dark eyes, his aura subdued. He wore light fabric with soft armor protecting his vitals, but most striking of all was the crown above his head.

It hovered like a halo, giving him a regal presence. More than that, it felt as if he dominated the space around him, shadows growing deeper and heavier in his presence.

Yet Sithara found herself drawn to his eyes.

They looked weary. Tired.

He was watching her.

Now that she had awakened, she no longer felt scared of him.

Now she understood.

He was terrifying.

It was like staring at a beast wearing human form, one with a mana pool so deep she could not even begin to imagine its limits.

"Hungry?" he asked quietly, his voice cold, though a faint shred of care slipped through.

Sithara did not bother pretending otherwise. She nodded slowly.

He nodded in return and arranged several plates and cutlery in front of her, serving a variety of dishes. Some were familiar, others she had never seen before, but all of them looked good.

She glanced toward her brother, who was still asleep.

Come to think of it, the toddler looking god Lazarak was not here, nor was the beautiful lady knight. It was just the two of them.

"Lazarak is outside doing goddess knows what, or maybe she doesn't," Damon said calmly.

"As for Matia, she's watching the perimeter with Ghost."

Sithara nodded, not questioning how he knew. For all she knew, he could read minds.

"Eat," Damon whispered as he sat across from her. "There's more than enough for your brother too."

Sithara looked at him briefly, then took a small bite of the food.

The moment it entered her mouth, her expression changed.

Damon recognized it immediately. It reminded him of Leona.

Within moments, she reached out and grabbed another dish, this time a cake covered in cream.

"Hmm wo… mmm, so delicious," she said, unable to stop herself from talking with her mouth full.

The sight made her look like a small chipmunk.

Damon chuckled quietly, holding back his laughter. He took a napkin and gently wiped the cream from her face.

She paused for a moment, then smiled and continued eating. She no longer seemed to find him frightening.

Lifting her head, she gazed at him again.

Then asked hesitantly,

"Mister… um… you cook really well… how old are you?"

Damon raised an eyebrow.