[LUCAS'S POV]
I had lost hope that he would ever wake up. He saved not only my life but my daughter's as well.
Hope seemed to have abandoned me, leaving me with a heavy heart, consumed by the guilt of being unable to repay the debt I owed.
He had saved my life and my daughter's, and yet I could do nothing to help him.
I had tried my best to ensure his survival remained a secret, caring for him in secrecy, but my hope had waned.
Our paths had crossed on that fateful day, the day of irrevocable loss, a day forever etched in my memory, burdened with everlasting regret—the day I lost my love, the day my daughter's cries shattered my world, the day I nearly lost everything, if not for him.
Though the memory of that day filled me with disdain, it persisted, haunting my thoughts.
The two of us had known deep down that our past would eventually catch up to us. Yet, as the years passed and our kids came into the world, happiness found us again, their presence bringing a newfound radiance to our lives.
Seven years had elapsed since that ill-fated day when betrayal tore through our ranks, leaving us surrounded and outnumbered. My wife had perished, sacrificing herself for our survival.
I had fled with my eight-year-old daughter, seeking refuge in the treacherous forest amid a night engulfed by darkness and torrential rainfall. Both injured, we sought solace in a cave, aware that hope was slipping away.
The forest teemed with monstrous creatures, and my injuries threatened my ability to protect my daughter.
Despair settled in, gripping me as I consoled her within the confines of that desolate cavern.
That was the moment when he appeared.
Whether it was fate or coincidence, I don't know.
Heavy breaths reached our ears, intruding upon our desolation. Fear seized my heart, imagining our pursuers finally caught up to us.
My daughter, clutching the sword I had carried, positioned herself in front of me, her determination evident despite knowing she alone could not shield us. Yet, shock immobilized us as we beheld the figure entering the cave.
It was a boy, seemingly the same age as my daughter, bearing visible wounds and wielding a sword. An arrow had pierced his leg, and his labored steps betrayed the fierceness of the battle he had waged against his pursuers. It seemed only a matter of time before his life would ebb away.
"Who are you?" My daughter's grip on the sword slackened slightly, and she mustered the courage to speak, her voice trembling with fear and caution.
Drenched in water, blood, and mud, the boy leaned against the wall for support before responding weakly, "I am... nobody." His voice trailed off, and he settled into a seated position against the wall, his strength waning.
Coughing, I drew my daughter's attention, her concerned eyes reflecting the pain within my own. She rushed to my side, her worry tugging at my heart, knowing there was little I could do to ease her fears.
The barely audible boy muttered words of sorrow that reached my ears, heightened by my acute senses.
"Where are you, Mother? Why did you disappear and leave me? What did I do wrong? Why do they seek to end my life? Their constant torment has already shattered me. Why do they want me dead?"
While my daughter's distress weighed heavily, I listened intently to the boy's lamentations.
"Cough... I'll be all right, Sierra. Don't worry. With some rest, I'll recover," I lied, attempting to provide her a sense of calm amidst the storm of uncertainty.
I could only lie in order to comfort my daughter.
Amidst my concern, the boy rose from his position, his weakened body inching closer to us, devoid of his sword.
My daughter, instinctively protective, cried out, warning him to stay away, fearing his intentions. But I intervened, urging her to halt, sensing something different about this frail, wounded stranger.
"Is something the matter, child?" struggling to maintain my balance, I mustered the strength to address the boy standing before me, supported by the wall.
As the moonlight illuminated his face, his eyes captured my attention. They reflected a mixture of despair, fear, and longing, revealing a soul burdened by untold sorrows.
At that moment, I realized that he had relinquished all hope, a look I would have worn had my daughter not been by my side.
Gradually, the boy settled beside me, producing a small vial from his clothing, which he passed onto me. The vial possessed a translucent golden hue, unmistakably a precious and potent healing elixir.
Its presence ignited a flicker of hope mingled with profound confusion.
"Why are you giving this to me?" Turning my head towards the child, I asked this question because this vial could completely heal his battered state and save his life.
"I hope you save your life and protect your daughter," the boy responded, his voice laced with resignation, his gaze fixed ahead. Though he projected strength, I discerned the underlying currents of despair that had washed away any remnants of hope within him.
"Even if I were to use that elixir and survive, there is no place to return to. I have no use for it." He passed the vial as he lowered his head.
"I will repay the favor," I replied promptly as I gulped down the elixir.
My condition drastically improved as the high-grade elixir worked instantly.
Seeing my rapid recovery, overwhelmed by gratitude, my daughter interjected, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you... Thank you," she whispered, acknowledging the boy's selfless act.
While recovering with the help of the elixir, my eyes never left the boy. His battered and weak state showed the hardships he had encountered along his way.
His silver hair and purple irises held an otherworldly glow.
My curiosity piqued, and I inquired about his name.
"Name?" I asked the boy in a gentle tone.
"Kaizer…Kaizer Aster." The young boy weakly replied.
As I heard the name, recognition coursed through me, leaving me stunned.
House Aster is synonymous with power and prestige, even within the ranks of Awakeners.
I had heard whispers of Kaizer Aster, a belittled and scorned figure deemed weak and unworthy.
His mother, whose reputation had been tarnished by rumors of infidelity, had vanished under mysterious circumstances two years following a perilous dungeon raid. Although no concrete evidence of her fate had surfaced, the gossip mill had churned out tales of her disloyalty.
The circumstances surrounding Kaizer's mother, Selena, remained shrouded in secrecy, leaving room for speculation and belief in the rumors. The story circulated among the House Aster, intertwining with the patriarch Crescent Aster, who had a deep affection for Selena.
Although her status was well respected, according to the rumors, even the patriarch believed her infidelity was actual. Which further threw Kaizer into the spiral of hatred in his house.
As I thought about his identity, the following words struck me unexpectedly.
"Leave me alone and go swiftly," he urged, his tone carrying a harshness that pushed us away. "Perhaps even my pursuers will track you down. You may find an escape route towards the south..."
His words resonated with a sense of urgency, as if he were desperate to protect us, even at the cost of his well-being. Yet, as I attempted to process his abrupt plea, he slumped against my shoulder, succumbing to unconsciousness.
[Present]
As I reminisced about this kid, my daughter's voice brought my attention to the sleeping boy.
"Father, will he be okay?" Although her voice was calm, I could see a faint glimmer of concern, contradicting her usual cold personality, which made me chuckle involuntarily.
"Don't worry, Sierra. Dr. Arnold said he might have had some side effects from waking up from a long coma, but he will be fine. He has done a proper check-up, and the good news is that he has finally woken up." I mentioned
"Yeah, you are right," she replied.
'Although I am still worried, seeing his face when I entered the room.' My thoughts contradicted my comforting words for Sierra.
The face I witnessed after entering the room wasn't all that different from the despair he had seven years ago.
[Sierra's POV]
He finally woke up.
It's been roughly seven years since that day, and he is finally awake.
The one who saved Dad's and my life, the one I can't thank enough, someone I will always be grateful for.
If he hadn't appeared that day, we both would have perished, and I would have died with resentment.
Because that day will forever scratch my insides, a day that took my mother away, my happiness.
My brother's guilt-ridden face as he heard the story and not being present, my father's fake smiles as he covered his emotions for our sake.
The day I realized my goal.
These feelings would have passed away seven years ago if he weren't there.
I respect him, and I know his past. I don't know exactly what he went through in his childhood, but I hope he achieves what he wants to achieve and maybe finds happiness.
I still vividly remember the moments as he gave up on his life and pushed the vial of elixir to us.
I will help him in his goals to repay the favor.
But regardless of him, I will achieve my revenge against those who took my mother's life and betrayed us, no matter how strong I need to be.
I will get my revenge.
No matter what happens.
I don't know whether I will find happiness in the future, but I will avenge my mother, even at the cost of my own life.