Awakening Domination System: But I'm a Slave?-Chapter 339: He’s Here [1]
Alaric stood in the liminal space between memories, watching time flow around him like river he couldn’t touch.
Brandon had left. Stepped through Lilith’s portal into whatever training awaited him. And the memories should have followed him there.
Should have shown the trials, the growth.
But they didn’t.
Instead, Alaric remained here. In the demon palace. Watching the pieces Brandon left behind struggle with his absence.
---
Serana stood in Brandon’s empty chambers, one hand pressed to the doorframe as if steadying herself.
The room was exactly as he’d left it. Bed unmade from hasty departure. Clothes still in the wardrobe, the ones he hadn’t packed. Training equipment stored neatly in the corner.
She’d come here every day since he left. Just... stood in the doorway. Breathing in air that still faintly carried his scent.
"You could have said goodbye," she whispered to the empty room. "Just... a word. Or a hug."
My boy.
She’d raised him for twenty-two years. Watched him grow from the terrified four-year-old who’d seen his father die into a young man capable of standing against demon generals.
Had poured everything into keeping him safe, whole, alive despite the world that wanted to destroy him.
And now he was gone. Off training in places she couldn’t follow, facing dangers she couldn’t protect him from, becoming something she might not recognize when he returned.
Then... footsteps approached from the corridor.
Serana turned just as Elara stormed past, her crimson eyes blazing, her jaw set in expression that suggested barely contained fury.
"Elara—" Serana started.
"Don’t." The word came out flat. "Just... don’t."
Elara didn’t stop. Didn’t slow. Just continued down the corridor toward the training grounds with purpose that spoke of violence waiting to be unleashed.
Serana watched her go, her chest tightening with different kind of pain.
It had been like that, weeks after Brandon’s Departure.
Elara moved through combat forms with mechanical precision.
Her body flowed through patterns Brandon had taught her years ago. Techniques they’d practiced together in this exact space, him correcting her stance, adjusting her grip, pushing her to be better.
"You’re dropping your guard, Ellie. Keep it tight."
"Good. Now faster. Don’t think, just react."
"I’ll always be here to train with you. We’re in this together, remember?"
Lies.
All of it.
Her strike hit the practice dummy with enough force to crack the reinforced wood. She didn’t pause. Just moved to the next form.
He’d left. Abandoned her. Walked away without even saying goodbye, without asking if she wanted to come, without—
Without keeping his promise.
That’s what hurt most. Not the absence itself.
"I’ll never leave you alone, Ellie. We’re family. We stick together no matter what."
He’d said that. Years ago, after one of her nightmares about the attack that killed their father. Had held her while she cried and sworn he’d always be there.
Liar.
Her fist drove through the dummy’s torso completely. Wood splintered. Essence-reinforced padding tore. The entire structure collapsed.
She stood there breathing hard, staring at the destruction, her knuckles bleeding through torn wrappings.
He gets to leave. Gets to train with Lilith personally. Gets to become stronger while I’m stuck here doing nothing. Being useless. Not good enough to take along.
The thoughts spiraled.
He chose power over me. Just like—
She cut that comparison off. Refused to complete it.
But it lingered anyway.
"Lady Elara?"
A demon servant stood at the training ground’s entrance, bowing respectfully. "Lady Serana requests your presence for dinner."
"Tell her I’m not hungry," Elara said without turning around.
"She... anticipated that response. She said to tell you that skipping meals won’t bring Lord Brandon back faster, and that he’d be disappointed to return and find you’ve neglected yourself."
Elara’s jaw clenched. "Then tell her—"
"Please."
The servant’s voice carried genuine plea. "She’s been eating alone for weeks."
"Fine." Elara turned abruptly. "Fine. I’ll come."
She stalked past the servant, her anger still simmering but redirected slightly.
Because the servant was right. Mother had been eating alone. Had been moving through the palace like ghost, maintaining appearances while clearly dying inside.
And Elara hadn’t even noticed.
What kind of daughter am I?
---
Alaric watched them eat in silence.
Mother and daughter. Sitting across from each other at small table. Food before them that neither touched with much enthusiasm.
Serana asked gentle questions. How was training going? Had Elara been resting enough? Did she need anything?
Elara gave short answers. Fine. Yes. No.
The conversation limped along.
Something in Alaric’s chest ached.
Mother.
He just stood in the void between memories, watching Serana be gentle with Elara despite her world crumbling, and felt something uncomfortably close to regret.
Time flowed.
Alaric watched seasons change through palace windows.
Serana maintained routines with gentle determination. Kept Brandon’s room preserved.
Elara trained relentlessly. Pushed herself until exhaustion forced rest. Grew stronger, faster, more capable with each passing week.
And watching them.
Alaric felt something shift in his understanding.
This is what family looks like.
He’d never had that.
Had always kept everyone at arm’s length.
And now, trapped in someone else’s memories, watching genuine love play out despite impossible circumstances.
Mother. I’m sorry. I should have—
BOOM!
The sound was catastrophic.
That make the palace itself tremble.
Alaric’s head snapped toward the direction of the impact. Toward the borders.
In the dining room, Serana and Elara both froze mid-conversation.
Their heads turned in perfect unison. Tracking the sound.
"What was—" Elara started.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
More impacts in rapid succession.
Each one sending shockwaves through the palace’s defensive formations.
Serana was on her feet instantly. Her crimson eyes blazing with sudden alertness. "Elara, stay here—"
"Like hell!" Elara stood as well. "If we’re under attack—"
The door to the dining room burst open.
A demon soldier, one of the palace guards, stood there panting, his obsidian skin showing cracks from recent combat, his eyes wide with urgency.
"Lady Serana! Lady Elara!" He bowed quickly. "It’s a border breach! Vampires are attacking the eastern fortifications!"
Serana’s expression went hard. "Malachai?"
"We don’t know yet, my lady. The scouts report—"
Another BOOM cut through his words.
"They report coordinated assault. Multiple entry points. Heavy casualties on both sides. The demons are fighting them off, but—"
CRASH!
Something in the distance exploded. Bright flash of light visible through the dining room windows. Followed by screams, faint but audible even from the palace’s central location.
"How did they get through the border wards?" Serana demanded. "Those formations should have detected—"
"They did detect them, my lady. But the vampires didn’t care. They just... charged through anyway. Taking casualties from the wards but pressing forward like they don’t care about losses."
The guard’s expression was grim. "This isn’t reconnaissance. This is full invasion. They’re trying to establish foothold in our territory."
Elara’s hands clenched into fists. "Where’s Lilith? Where’s—"
"Lady Lilith is not in the realm," the guard said quickly. "She departed with Lord Brandon months ago. We’ve sent messenger spirits, but they haven’t returned yet. Current command falls to General Mordax and—"
BOOM! BOOM!
"All civilians are being evacuated to the inner sanctum," the guard continued. "I’m here to escort you both to—"
"No." Elara stepped forward. "I’m not hiding while demons fight our battles. If vampires are attacking because of us—"
"Elara—" Serana’s voice carried warning.
"Then I’m fighting!" Elara’s essence flared. "I’m not useless. I’m not weak. I can—"
"You’ll get yourself killed!" Serana grabbed her daughter’s arm. "You’re strong, yes. But these are Malachai’s forces! You can’t—"
"I’m not a child anymore!" Elara jerked her arm away. "I’m not the scared little girl who watched Father die! I’ve been training for months—"
CRASH!
Closer this time. Something had breached the outer palace walls. Alarms began screaming.
The guard’s expression became desperate. "My ladies, please. I have orders to—"
"Take Lady Serana to the sanctum," Elara interrupted. Her crimson eyes met her mother’s. "Keep her safe. I’m going to the walls."
"Elara—"
"I love you, Mother." Elara’s voice softened fractionally. "But I’m done hiding."
She turned and ran.
