Damien's POV:
The air crackled with an ominous energy as I took my position at the front line, inhaling deeply. The metallic tang of blood hung heavy, sharpening my instincts, rousing the darkness deep within me. Midnight stirred, eager to be set loose. I glanced at valkar' forces, an army of cold-blooded warriors, their expressions hard and unreadable, but I could sense their unease. This would be unlike any battle they had fought. Today, they would see a side of me most had never seen before—a force beyond flesh and blood.