Damian's heart kept hammering against his ribs, each beat louder than the last, the sound roaring in his ears.
'Calm down… Just calm down...'
He forced himself to breathe slower, deeper, trying to steady the pulse threatening to tear through his chest.
After some time, his lips moved silently, testing the weight of two words.
'Blood... worth.'
The name suddenly felt different on his tongue, heavier than it had moments before.
Before he could pursue the thought further, Agatha's voice cut through the wind.
"After that battle, Desiderius gained followers from across the world."
She stood beside the statue, her hand still resting on the state's base.
"They flocked to him, begged to fight under his command, and wanted to be part of something that actually mattered."
Her voice carried across the mountaintop.
