The Dread of Damned

I spent some time organizing my things and taking in the surroundings of my room. After that, I headed to the washroom to freshen up. Once back, I laid down on the bed, lost in thought, reflecting on the cryptic words of the old man. His mentions of destiny, darkness, and my father weighed on my mind, raising more questions than answers.

A knock on the door broke through my thoughts.

"We should now leave for the lecture, Prince," came Vasen's voice from the other side.

I got up and opened the door. "Then let us be on our way," I said, signaling for him to lead the way.

As we made our way down the stairs, I asked, "What will I learn in this lecture?"

"You will be taught how to actively use moon essence—how to absorb it and merge it with your body," Vasen explained.

"And who will be teaching me?" I inquired.

"Only the best of our instructors, Your Highness," he answered before we reached a room. He knocked once before pushing open the door.

Inside, the room was arranged with chairs and tables facing a raised podium. A woman stood at the front, wearing a silver coat over a white blouse, a knee-length silver skirt, and white stockings that disappeared into silver high heels. Small, square-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Her lean figure, paired with an air of dignity and sternness, Her ass was lean and well rounded her tits perky reminding me of someone from my past life—a college teacher I once admired. My first love, someone I could never confess to. Memories of her stirred, though I had long since buried those feelings when I learned she had married a wealthy older man.But the desire remained.

"Sit down so we can begin," she said in a sharp, authoritative voice.

I took a seat, smirking slightly. "Go ahead, but perhaps you should introduce yourself first."

"I am Yelena Llewellyn," she said, turning toward me.

The name caught my attention. Yelena was the wife of the man from the earlier meeting—the delicate-looking figure who was one of the key pieces I needed to sway to my side. I raised an eyebrow at Vasen, who smiled knowingly.

"A small gift from the Head," he whispered, his calm voice full of amusing undertone. "Do enjoy your time, my prince." He then excused himself, leaving me with Yelena.

"Now then, Yelena," I began, leaning back in my chair. "What are you going to teach me today?"

"I would prefer to be addressed as 'ma'am' or 'miss' while we are in this room," she corrected sternly, her eyes narrowing.

This was going to be interesting. "As you wish, Miss," I replied, still smirking.

"How much do you know about moon essence and its uses?" she asked. I told her what little I had learned thus far.

"Good, your basics are clear. Now, let's move on to more advanced applications," she began. Her voice adopted the sharp, instructive tone of a teacher who brooked no nonsense.

"To actively use moon essence, one must focus intensely. During your awakening, you will begin to see small silver lights—like moths in moonlight. These represent pure moon essence. There are two ways to gather them. First, you can try to force them into one place, though this is exceedingly difficult, especially at the early stages. The second method involves using your own essence to generate heat, as moths are naturally drawn to warmth. Once they start gathering, you must carefully guide them into your body."

She paused for a moment to ensure I was following.

"However, just pulling them into your body isn't enough," she continued. "Forcing them inside can cause them to scatter or flee, rendering your efforts useless. Instead, the more effective approach is to coax them in by using your essence as a lure, making the process much smoother. This is especially easier for those with silver blood, like you, as the moths are naturally attracted to the light of the silver essence. Once they enter your bloodstream, your task is to guide them to your heart."

"And what happens then?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"The essence will merge with your heart, reinforcing it. This is the key part of the awakening process—strengthening your heart to withstand the power awakening within you. If you succeed, you'll feel a change. The moon essence will coat parts of your heart, turning it white, which signals the first stage of your transformation. If you fail, well... your body could be torn apart from the inside."

Her words hung in the air for a moment.

"And that's the awakening?" I asked.

"It's only the beginning," Yelena replied, her eyes glinting with intensity. "After awakening, you must continue to reinforce your heart, transforming it completely until it turns white. Once your heart is fully swhite, you will then move on to your blood, replacing the red blood with white one filed with essence. This process is gradual, and with each success, your power increases. After the blood comes the veins, then the organs, and eventually the bones. Each stage of refinement brings you closer to becoming fully awakened. When all your body is white from inside that is when you truly become an awakened, able to actually harness the power that wakes up in you to its full extend."

"And once that's done?" I asked, leaning forward now.

"After that comes the second stage: the Ascension. This is where you begin reinforcing your body again, turning everything silver—the heart, organs, veins—until your entire being is made of silver essence. This stage transforms you into a 'Supreme One,' a true ascended being, this is the stage in which you gain deeper understanding of your power making it completely your own." she finished, her voice filled with a sense of gravity.

"Does that mean the power isn't truly mine until then?" I asked.

"It is yours," she replied, "but until you become a Supreme One, it will feel as though you're borrowing it—like you have to summon it consciously before using it. Once your body is fully filled with silver essence, the power will come to you as naturally as breathing, effortless and instinctive." She paused for a moment, her voice softening slightly as she added, "That's when it will truly become a part of you."

"I believe that's all you'll need to know before your awakening," she said, her voice sharp and precise, like the closing of a book.

"Does that mean the lesson's over?" I asked, my tone casual but with a hint of something else.

"It does," she replied firmly, her sternness unwavering.

I leaned back in my chair, a slow smile playing on my lips. "Well, in that case, perhaps we should take this opportunity to get to know each other a little better."

Her gaze flicked to mine, cool and unyielding. "I don't think that will be necessary."

"Oh, but I do," I said, lowering my voice. "How could I sleep tonight knowing I let such beauty walk away without learning a bit more about her?"

She arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement tugging at the corner of her lips. "You don't seriously think those cheesy lines are going to work on me, do you?"

I chuckled softly as I rose from my seat, moving toward the podium where she stood. "Well, you can't blame a man for trying," I said, closing the distance between us. I stood before her, towering slightly above, her head reaching just levelling with my chest. "What do you say we sit and talk? Maybe I can refine my approach a bit," I teased.

She met my gaze, her expression still stern, though there was a flicker of something in her eyes—curiosity, perhaps. "You really think you're that smooth, don't you?"

I leaned in just enough to let my presence be felt but still keeping a respectful distance. "I work a little harder when I see someone worth the effort," I said, gesturing toward the chair beside her.

There was a brief pause as she considered me, her sharp exterior softening, just a fraction. Finally, she sighed, stepping down from the podium and settling into the chair. "Well, I suppose I'm not in a hurry," she said, her voice still carrying that edge of authority, but with a note of concession.

I took a seat across from her, my smile widening. "Now that we're out of the classroom," I said, leaning back comfortably, "I was hoping we might let things be a bit more... intimate."

She raised an eyebrow again but didn't object. "Intimate, hmm? And what exactly do you have in mind?" Her tone was skeptical, yet there was a subtle playfulness behind her words.

I met her gaze, letting the silence stretch between us for a moment before answering. "For starters, maybe we can drop the titles. You're Yelena, and I'm... well, just a man who's very intrigued by the woman sitting in front of him."

This was going to be fun, I thought.

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