Damon said nothing.
The old man scratched his chin thoughtfully. "That's the part I can't quite figure out." His gaze sharpened slightly. "Do you really not have any side-effects?"
"What side-effects?"
"Oh, come on. Do you really think that you can possess an ancient bloodline so powerful that it outdates the entire system architecture and walk around like a perfectly normal person?"
The old man shook his head slowly, almost pityingly. "Kid… do you even understand what kind of thing you're carrying? Are you still in control of your mind?"
The crimson droplet continued to hover silently between them. Damon remained still. The old man continued.
"That bloodline you're chasing?" He tapped the air lightly. "Power like that always comes with a price. Most people who inherit even a fraction of it break. The gain power beyond their means but at the cost of their mind."
