Draven was completely caught off guard by her answer. This sword was given to him by her mother on his birthday. But judging by the look in Tanisha's eyes, Draven could tell she firmly believed the sword belonged to her. Draven wondered what made her think that way.
"Where are they?"
"I'll go take a look,"
Draven and Tanisha heard the soldiers moving their way.
"We can argue here or get out of here. I can fight, but the collateral-"
"My home is that way," Tanisha interjected Draven's words. She pointed at the south side as Draven spread open his wings.
The boy's eyes sparkled, looking at Draven's wings. He had read about heroes with special powers, but this was the first time he had seen one. Draven grabbed Tanisha and the boy before flapping his wings. He soared toward the sky under cover of darkness. The soldiers failed to notice Draven. But the same couldn't be said for the dead bodies.
"Oh my god,"
"Guys!"
"Murder!'
Draven heard the soldiers crying out loud in the distance. It was too late for the soldiers as Draven flew very far from the area. After flying for a few minutes, Tanisha pointed at a line of broken houses. Draven laned near one of them. These houses didn't even have torches lit so it was pitch black. If it weren't for the campfire on the street, even Draven wouldn't have seen anything.
Draven entered the house through the broken roof. It was big enough for two grown men to jump through. Tanisha and this boy were living in this home. If there was a heavy downpour, there was nothing to stop the water from flooding into the home. Fortunately, there wasn't one. So the house was relatively dry.
After Draven let them go, Tanisha quickly lit a few candles. The candlelight illuminated a shabby home. Draven noticed a table with a few books on top, a worn-out sofa set, and two beds. Additionally, Draven also saw some utensils used to cook and eat.
"Mirian, go play outside," said Tanisha in a serious tone. However, the boy shook his head.
"Mom, it's the middle of the night. I am not going anywhere. Please let me stay," Mirian pleaded to Tanisha. He also looked at Draven with puppy eyes, expecting his support, but Draven stayed out of family issues. He was more curious about why Tanisha claimed the sword belonged to her.
"What's happening here?" asked Draven.
"Where is King Azim?"
"Assassinated," said Tanisha, ignoring Mirian for the time being.
"But why do you care? You heroes have never given a damn about us since forever. What's the sudden interest?" Tanisha's words were filled with grief and anger. She loved her kingdom to the core. That was the reason she joined the rebels at a young age.
"I am not a hero," Draven coldly replied to her.
"When was the last time you saw a hero kill people?" asked Draven.
"Never. Do you know why? Because no hero has ever stepped into Sinith. For them, we are not worth a damn," Tears welled up in Tanisha's eyes. Unlike Mirian, Tanisha didn't hold heroes on very high ground. It was obvious in her words. Nonetheless, her words didn't hurt Draven because he was not a hero. Moreover, her anger toward the heroes was justified. If any one of them wanted, they could have stopped the wars long before. As she said, the heroes didn't give a damn about a backwater kingdom like Sinith.
"I am not here to prove anything to you. Why did you claim this sword belonged to you?" asked Draven.
Instead of answering him, Tanisha picked up a tiny spoon from the table and tossed it to Draven.
"Look at the bottom," said Tanisha. When Draven looked at the spoon's bottom, he noticed an engraving of a cobra coiling around a dagger. He had seen the engraving before. It was on the bottom of his sword's hilt. He clenched his fist as the sword retracted from his wrist. He looked at the bottom and confirmed both the engravings looked exactly the same.
"That's my grandfather's symbol. He engraves it in everything he forges, including in that broken sword. But my grandfather has never sold anything to anyone, and he wouldn't have, especially that sword. It was his favorite. So it's either you stole it or my grandfather's soul mysteriously gifted that sword to you,"
"My mother gave me this sword. She was from Sinith," Tanisha's eyes went wide.
"Please tell me your mother's name," asked Tanisha.
"Michele,"
Tanisha rushed toward the darkest corner of her house. She rummaged through the documents and books as though she was searching for something.
"Hey," Mirian called out for Draven in a husky voice.
"Are you really not a hero?" he asked.
"No," Draven shook his head.
"It's okay. I am not like my mom. I don't hate heroes," Mirian said. He thought Draven was lying because of Tanisha's hatred toward the heroes.
"But I do," Draven's answer shocked Mirian.
Before he could ask another question, Tanisha returned to Draven carrying a portrait.
"Do you see your mother here?" She handed over an old portrait to Draven. He frowned but decided to look at the portrait. He walked toward the candle to see the portrait under its light. The portrait had several people standing together. Some seemed old, and some seemed young. When Draven looked at the last row, he couldn't believe his eyes. It was his mother. His eyes welled up without his control. He touched Michele's face. However, in the portrait, she had golden hair, not raven black, as Draven knew. But her smile remained the same. No matter how different she looked, Draven could recognize his mother's smile and her eyes.
"It's her," Draven's voice stuttered.
Tanisha picked up a worn-out book and rummaged through its pages. Her gaze finally stopped at a page.
"Michele Ackerman, The sword angel and the second in command to Udor," Draven was completely caught off guard yet again by Tanisha. He snatched the book from her hand and read through its contents. The more he read the page, the more he felt stunned.
According to this book, Michele led the rebellion to free Sinith from King Azim with Udor, the rebel leader. However, Draven had no idea about this. As far as he knew, Michele came to Kingdom Lotus as a refugee. She said she worked in a library, and her family was farmers. Draven couldn't think of a reason why Michele hid the truth from him. He wondered whether his father knew this about her or not. She was called 'The Sword Angel'. But the Michele he knew wouldn't hurt a fly. She was so gentle and kind. Draven had never seen her use the sword.
"It says she died when the library collapsed in the capital," said Margoth.
"Does anyone in the Ackerman family still lives in Sinith?" asked Draven.
"I am sorry, no," This time, Tanisha's voice was gentle and soft. She understood his pain. After all, she lost a loved one too.
"Have you ever heard her talk about Sinith and the rebellion?" asked Tanisha.
"No. It says she died when the library collapsed," said Draven.
"She obviously survived, but why didn't she return to Sinith ever again?" asked Tanisha.
"And why didn't she tell us?" Draven mumbled.
"So is she-"
"Dead," said Draven with great pain.
"I am sorry. I lost someone who was dear to me too, his father," Tanisha sighed.
"So you have no idea your mother fought against King Azim huh?"
Draven slowly shook his head.
"There is a silver lining to this. He is dead,"
Draven opened the book and read the last lines, which were written in Michele's handwriting.
"Even if it's a little thing, do something for those who have need of help," Draven read the words. A miserable smile appeared on his face. He felt a lump forming in his throat due to the overwhelming grief.
"You can have that sword. Atleast now I know someone didn't steal my grandfather's works. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes from death if an outsider took hold of his items," Tanisha smiled.
"Since you didn't know about your mother and her legacy, why did a gifted one like you bother to come here?"
"I didn't know why I came here until now," Draven clenched his fist.
But Tanisha quickly grabbed her son and pulled him closer to her.
"I know that look. If you want to fight and be a hero, you can do it from somewhere else. Don't pull us into this rebellion shit. I already lost my husband, and I am not going to lose my son,"
Before Draven could respond to her, he heard several heavy boots thundering at the door.
"HEY, TANISHA!'
"OPEN THE DOOR!"
"Knock knock, open the door, darling,"
They banged the door to the point wooden pieces crumbled down from the roof.
"Please, get out of here," Tanisha panicked.
"Mom, he can help us,"
"Shut up Mirian,"
Mirian wanted to protest, but his words were abruptly cut short when he saw Draven ascend to the sky,
"Wait!" Mirian shouted. Unfortunately, it was too late as Draven flew away through the broken roof. From the sky, Draven saw the same red clothes soldiers terrorizing the streets. He saw them beating the hell out of several people without any discrimination. Many women and children cried out loud, yet the soldiers showed them no mercy. At that moment, a few soldiers were banging on Tanisha's door. Draven doubted these soldiers would show Tanisha the mercy they refused to show the others. The streets were filled with the cries of people.
"They are in big trouble," Margoth snickered.