As his body began to take back its human form, he clutched his own head, a soft laughter echoing in the air.
"Heheheheheh… I won… hehehe… I actually won…"
Before he could say any more, soul-tearing agony came from his core.
"Arggggghhh…" he screamed in pain. A crushing sound rang within his head, not just his mind but deeper, in his very soul. His shadow stretched across the cavern.
Pain tore through his consciousness. His soul was broken and ground to dust, then reformed, then broken again. He thrashed across the ground in agony.
After what felt like an eternity, the pain stopped. Damon gasped for breath, rising to his knees. Before he could gather himself, he felt something flying toward him. Without even looking, he reached out and grabbed it.
It was a squirrel and a raven that had appeared out of nowhere.
Without hesitation, he seized what they carried. It was a crown, a crown as dark as shadows, darker than before, as if it swallowed all light around it.
