Chereads / Heroic Conquest: Anti-Hero In Another World / Chapter 33 - Liora's Past (part 4)

Chapter 33 - Liora's Past (part 4)

The scene unfolds, plunging us into a nightmarish past where the world is engulfed in a fiery, blood-soaked chaos. The terrified cries of elves echo through the air as a colossal, shadowy figure, a beastman of immense proportions, emerges from the darkness. His thunderous voice cuts through the chaos, directing his savage horde, "Attack and lay waste to everything they hold dear!"

The beastmen, like a relentless storm, descend upon the hapless village, their actions devoid of mercy. The brutality of their deeds reaches gruesome heights, with scenes too horrifying to put into words. The anguished cries of women fill the night.

Amid this nightmarish pandemonium, Alvin, a father driven by unwavering determination, sprints toward his home. His heart pounds with dread as the realization strikes that two of his sons are missing, panic coursing through his veins.

"Phobos, Demios!" Alvin's voice quivers as he desperately calls their names. There is no response. Panic tightens its grip as he races to awaken Liora, his wife. "Alice!! Alice!! Our sons are missing!"

Liora snaps awake, her maternal instincts surging as she seizes a weapon with the urgency only a mother's fear can muster. Together, they rush outside, their footsteps guided by dread, only to be confronted by a sight so horrifying it will forever scar their souls.

A monstrous lion-like beastman approaches, holding the severed heads of their two half-elven sons. Liora's scream tears through the night, "Phobos!! Demios!!" Her legs give way, and she collapses to the ground, her world shattered in an instant.

Alvin, his face twisted by an unbearable blend of grief and rage, raises one of the lifeless heads. Tears mingle with blood as he mutters, "I wish we had put an end to this conflict years ago, Derick. But now, you've crossed a line that can never be uncrossed."

Derick, the lion beastman, his right eye marred by a scar that mirrors his hatred, retorts, "You think your hands are clean after what your kind did to us?"

"But you crossed the line by taking the lives of my sons!" Alvin's voice cracks with sorrow, his words weighted with the enormity of his loss.

Without hesitation, he draws his bow and releases a deadly arrow, unleashing a deafening explosion and a shockwave that sends Derick reeling. Alvin's eyes burn with determination. "We heroes have our duties," he declares, his steps carrying him forward with an icy resolve.

He fires another arrow without pause, sending Derick sprawling. Alvin's voice remains unwavering, "But descending to the depths of killing innocent families out of anger is the basest of acts!"

Derick's voice seethes with unbridled rage, "You took my family from me as well! We're even now!"

The battle between these two heroes erupts, one armed with a bow, the other wielding a sinister, gleaming red scythe. The battleground swiftly transforms into a gruesome tableau, each strike leaving a mark that will forever bear witness to their ferocity.

Bow and scythe clash incessantly as Alvin's voice thunders, "You were the one who initiated all of this!"

"I came here to avenge my wife and claim your head!" Derick's response is steeped in vengeance, his every move infused with the burning desire for retribution.

In the heat of battle, Alvin reveals a concealed blade beneath his bow, plunging it into Derick's right eye. "You chose my wife over my sons!" Alvin's words drip with accusation as the blade finds its mark.

The fierce combat rages on, two heroes locked in a life-or-death struggle. In the background, an unexpected element enters the fray: a long chain suddenly lashes out, coiling around Derick's neck and wrenching him away from the brutal melee.

Liora's voice cuts through the chaos, resolute and unwavering, "Alvin is right; it should be me. An eye for an eye, limb for a limb, blood for blood!"

With breathtaking speed, she entangles Derick's head, her relentless grip choking him into submission. The beastman struggles in vain to break free, powerless against her determination.

Witnessing his beloved wife resort to violence, Alvin knows he has to intervene. He releases a precise arrow, striking Liora and sending her flying, loosening the chain's grip on Derick.

As Derick poised to deliver a fatal blow to the fallen Liora, Alvin invokes ancient magic, teleporting himself in front of her, sacrificing a towering tree that had once stood there.

A sickening crack reverberates through the air. Before Liora's horrified eyes, a gruesome spectacle unfolds, blood splattering across her face. She whispers, "Alvin..."

"I hope you never return to your old self, Alice." Alvin's words are laden with regret as he delivers another punishing blow with his bare hands, his gaze locked onto Derick. But the beastman, fueled by a desperate determination, manages to escape, fleeing the scene.

As Derick vanishes into the distance, Alvin stands there, a gaping wound in his chest, his lifeblood flowing freely. Panic overwhelms Alice as she rushes to save him, tears streaming down her face.

"It hurts, Alice. Can you help me?" Alvin's voice is weak, his life hanging in the balance.

"How?" Alice's voice trembles as she desperately searches for a way to aid him.

He takes her trembling hands, guiding them to a dagger, and with all the strength he can muster, he compels her to stab him.

The scene fades back to the present, leaving Liora trembling, haunted by the memories of that fateful day. In her shaky state, she confesses, "And I killed him... I couldn't save him or our sons..." Tears flow freely from her eyes, the weight of her past actions bearing down on her. She continues, "I… I… I…"

As Liora's anguished cry fills the air, Rizki rushes to her side, his heart heavy with concern. He attempts to offer comfort, but she forcefully pushes him away, her voice laced with agony as she exclaims, "They are my family, and I couldn't save them! How can I even call myself a hero?"

The crushing weight of her past actions and the unrelenting trauma of that fateful day have finally caught up with her. Overwhelmed by the memories and guilt, she succumbs to the shock, her body giving in to the overwhelming despair.

Rizki acts swiftly, gently lifting her motionless body. Panic courses through him as he scans the room, urgently seeking assistance. His eyes fall upon Varian, and he demands, urgency in his voice, "I need a medic!"

Varian, quick to respond, presses a nearby magical orb, causing it to shift from a soothing green to a distressing red. In an instant, a familiar figure by the name of Eve appears on the scene. Clad in the attire of a skilled medic, she wastes no time in assessing the dire situation.

"What happened?" Eve inquires, her voice tinged with urgency, as Rizki removes his white coat and fashions it into a makeshift pillow to cradle Liora's head.

Rizki, speaking with haste, explains, "Liora fainted from the shock!" He watches anxiously as Eve moves with expert precision to tend to Liora's fragile condition.

Time appears to blur, and the scene transitions once more, transporting us to an otherworldly dreamscape where Liora lies unconscious, adrift within the labyrinth of her own mind.

"Alice..."

The voice, both gentle and commanding, beckons to her, and Liora finds herself in the presence of a radiant figure. She blinks, disoriented by the brilliance of the light that envelops them, as the figure's soothing gestures seek to calm her turbulent soul.

"Stay strong, Alice," he implores, his words a beacon of reassurance. "We want you to be strong, to be yourself."

However, darkness lurks at the edges of her dream, sinister whispers that taunt her very core. They brand her as useless, an abomination, a disgrace to her family. Then, from within the shadows, an unfamiliar voice emerges, a voice that cries out, "You are the best, Liora! No one can defeat you!"

Liora abruptly awakens, her eyes wide with confusion. In her sudden return to consciousness, she accidentally knocks Rizki on the head, prompting a soft chuckle from Eve, who finds herself amused by the unexpected turn of events.

Rizki, rubbing his head and letting out an exclamation of surprise, jests, "This woman wields her battle arts even in her slumber!"

Rizki, deeply concerned for Liora's well-being, turns to Eve, his voice brimming with urgency. He implores her to take care of Liora, understanding the fragile state she is in due to the resurfacing trauma.

Eve, her eyes reflecting a profound understanding of the gravity of the situation and the pain that Liora carries, readily agrees. She nods in acknowledgment, her gaze carrying a touch of sympathy.

Liora, her voice trembling with remorse, directs her gaze toward Rizki and speaks softly, "I'm sorry... for burdening you with my past."

Rizki, his concern evident in his eyes, extends a reassuring hand to rest on Liora's shoulder. "You don't need to apologize, Liora," he tells her gently, his voice a soothing balm to her wounded soul. "You've already done a remarkable job in sharing your past with us."

With those comforting words, he turns and quietly leaves the room, leaving Eve to tend to Liora's fragile state as he embarks on his mysterious mission.

As he makes his way down the dimly lit corridor, Eve's voice follows him, filled with concern. "Where will you go?" she inquires, her eyes locking onto his with an unwavering intensity.

Rizki pauses, his hand instinctively rising to the marked skin on his neck. His expression turns somber as he reveals the ominous death threat etched onto his flesh, a chilling reminder of the lurking dangers that thrive in the shadows.

"Eyes for eyes, head for heads, bloods for bloods, families for families!" Rizki declared that with a glare of bloodshot, revealing his unresisting anger beneath his mind.