The War God’s Return

Chapter 9: A Work of Art in Blood

Damian 

“I can’t believe it!” A man growled from the guests. “He’s openly threatening to kill someone while he’s at the mercy of this family?” 

“And who is this woman with him? Has she no fear whatsoever?” Another grunted and I glanced over my shoulder at Serena. 

“Give the word and they’ll be brought to their knees..” she scowled under her breath and I chuckled. 

Donovan exploded with inexplicable rage. His eyes glittered under the ceiling lights as the murmurs rose to the roof. But I walked round the coffin, sliding my fingers between the gold carvings on it. 

“Wonderful…” I muttered to myself. My actions were like fuel in Donovan’s furnace and he wasn’t having it. 

“You have insulted this family enough and you’ll eat my wrath without mercy!” Donovan threatened as he folded his sleeves up. 

“Didn’t that lady just refer to him as the War God? What exactly is going on here?”

The guests were growing confused and impatient and I smiled inwardly. 

I said nothing in response to Donovan. My attention remained on the nearly carved coffin as satisfaction filled my heart. 

“You came into this place, catastrophe trailing behind you like a shadow and you wrecked this place with your ill luck.” I gritted my teeth as I listened to him speak. 

“I warned you the first time and you still think this is a joke?” Donovan cursed as he charged towards me. I smelled the anger seething through him from a distance and it only tickled my fancy. 

“Oh I’ll not hesitate to break every bo–” 

His voice irritated my ears and I already had enough. I tapped the coffin slightly and without a second thought, kicked it towards Donovan. He didn’t expect it so I took him by surprise. He slammed right into the wall, the coffin pinning him to it like a wall decor. 

“He’s gone mad!” Someone from the crowd screamed as Donovan coughed up blood. 

“Someone help him!” A woman shrieked in fear as they all scurried to one part of the hall, men and women gripping each other in fear. 

I scoffed and wiped my hands with my handkerchief as I admired my little work of art. A priceless artifact. 

I maintained my distance, watching Donovan’s once enraged eyes lose its spark. My lips curved up a sinister smile at the sight before me. 

“Beating up a classmate is one thing, but this is another level of suicidal attempt!” 

“Now there’s no way he can escape death…” another cried as she tightened her grip around a man’s arm. “He’s offended both the Baker and the Baldwin families and there’s certainly no going back now!” 

“Oh save your voice and your threats..” Serena sneered.  Disgust written all over her face. “Both the Baker and Baldwin families are nothing but ants in his sight” She scoffed and even more chaos erupted. 

“Did she also just insult the two most powerful families?” 

“What exactly is wrong with this duo and who do they think they are?” 

I took a deep breath and adjusted my collar. Even with all their threats and insults, no one dared walk up to the wall and unpin Donovan from it. 

His blood gushed even more, straining down from the coffin to the floor in the most precised way. My work of art was indeed priceless. 

Amongst the chaos, I heard heavy footsteps behind me and I already knew who it was. 

“Who dared to speak such words here?” His cold voice cut through the noise like a hot dagger in a thicket. The hall went dead but I maintained eye contact with his drooling uncle. 

“Now he’ll face the trouble he’s been yearning for all this while” a little voice cackled from the end of the hall. 

“Hmmmm” 

Preson sighed heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Uncle Donovan…” he muttered under his breath and I slowly turned around, burying my eyes deep into his soul. 

“And you…” 

I slowly moved my eyes to his face without turning to him entirely. 

His eyes remained calm….unbothered. They didn’t tell the tale of a man who just met his uncle pinned to a wall by a coffin. 

Preson’s lips parted as he stared right back at me… “I see you’re the one causing troubles here..” his words rolled out coldly, yet in the softest tone ever. “What is your identity?” He asked. 

“My identity…” I repeated almost inaudibly. My hands unfolded as I fully turned to face him. Ignoring his question, I picked a speck of food off from his collar. 

“The Baldwin family really rose from the dusts, don’t you think?” My smile grew mischievous and my arms dug into my pockets. 

Person’s head tilted and his brows furrowed. The calmness was slowly fading away. 

“Just a while ago, your family was just a mere D–rank, wagging your wild tails in the city like the lap dogs you were..” my smile widened. Cold and infuriating. 

Preson closed the distance between us. His eyes piercing into mine like hot coal. The mask of serenity he had worn into the hall immediately fell off and his anger burned like that of his wall painting of an uncle. 

“It’s indeed a thing of joy, seeing you rise from the shadows like it’s your destiny…” my words provoked something in him. 

“Damian?” 

A piercing voice interrupted from a distance and I looked up to see who it was. Her physique came to light as she slowly strode into the hall, her flowing dress trailing behind her like an obedient pet. 

I remained calm, but her intention was clearly to break that wall. 

“Preston what is going on here?” She asked as she approached. Her eyes hadn’t met Donovan yet but she sized me up, disgust and disappointment all etched on her face. 

“I honestly didn’t expect that this stray dog would still be alive..” 

Serena’s blood boiled. I could hear it even from where I stood.  But neither of us moved and tension rose between us.