**Chapter 3: Riven's Grandfather**
The journey to Kie's home was quiet, the weight of unanswered questions pressing heavily on Riven's mind. As the group traveled, the ruins of the city slowly disappeared from sight, but the sense of unease lingered. The more Riven thought about what Nyx had said—about his grandfather's involvement in the city's destruction—the more the pieces refused to fit together. Kie, an old acquaintance of Riven's grandfather, might hold the key to understanding what had really happened. The question was, would Kie reveal it?
The group arrived at Kie's cottage, nestled on the outskirts of a small village. The old man had always been something of a recluse, living in seclusion far from the cities. A quiet figure in the world, Kie was known for his wisdom and his knowledge of beasts. Though he was in his late seventies, his mind was sharp, and his presence still commanded respect among those who knew him.
Riven had met him only a handful of times before, always in the company of his grandfather, but he remembered Kie well. The old man's face was weathered with age, his eyes sharp despite the years that had passed. Today, though, his expression was different—tense, almost weary—as if he had been expecting something.
"Kie," Riven said, standing before the cottage. "It's good to see you again. There's something I need to ask you."
Kie looked up from the fire he was tending, his wrinkled face softening slightly. "Ah, Riven," he said, his voice gravelly but kind. "I've been expecting you. Come in, lad. It's been too long."
Riven, along with Zephyr and Lia, stepped into the modest cottage. The air inside was warm, and the scent of herbs and wood smoke lingered in the air. Kie gestured for them to sit at the small wooden table, his eyes moving to Nyx, who had remained strangely quiet during the whole exchange.
"You've brought Nyx with you," Kie said, his voice soft but sharp with an undercurrent of something Riven couldn't quite place. "I see that the past is catching up with all of us."
Riven's heart skipped a beat at Kie's words. "What do you mean? What do you know about the past?"
Kie's gaze turned distant, as if looking into something far beyond the walls of his cottage. "I know much more than I care to, Riven. Your grandfather was a powerful man—ambitious, ruthless, and, above all, driven by his own desires. But you don't need to hear all the details of his exploits. What you need to understand is that your grandfather's connection to Nyx runs deeper than you realize. And not in a way that anyone should be proud of."
Riven's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? What kind of relationship did they have?"
Kie sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Your grandfather was known for his ability to control and tame the wildest beasts. But that power came at a price. He didn't just control the beasts of the world—he sought to control everything, even the forces that shouldn't be touched. That's where Nyx comes into the picture."
Riven's mind raced. "Nyx... You mean, my grandfather had some kind of control over him?"
"No," Kie replied, his tone heavy with finality. "Not control, but an agreement. A pact, if you will. Your grandfather sought power—more power than any man should ever have. And he was willing to make deals with anything, or anyone, that could give him that power. That's where Nyx came in."
Riven turned to Nyx, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room. The creature's gaze was cast downward, his face shadowed, but Riven could sense the deep tension in the air. The revelation that his grandfather had made a pact with Nyx stirred something within him—a sense of betrayal, confusion, and even anger. Nyx had been his friend, his companion for so long. But now, hearing about this connection to his grandfather, everything seemed more complicated.
"Nyx," Riven said, his voice strained, "is this true? You made a pact with my grandfather?"
Nyx didn't look up. His voice, when it came, was quiet, almost a whisper. "I didn't have a choice. I was bound to him by that pact. And I... I regret it more than anything."
Kie's eyes softened as he looked at Nyx. "It wasn't Nyx's fault, lad. He wasn't the one who sought the power. Your grandfather was the one who made the decision—who pushed Nyx into that corner. He knew what Nyx was capable of, and he exploited it. He used Nyx for his own gain, just as he used everything else in his pursuit of power."
Riven's thoughts were in turmoil. His grandfather, the man he had always looked up to, the man who had shaped his understanding of the world, was not the figure he had imagined. He had been a manipulator, a man who had used everything and everyone around him to feed his insatiable hunger for power. But there was still so much Riven didn't understand. What had his grandfather wanted with Nyx? And how had this pact led to the destruction of the city?
"Why did my grandfather make this pact with Nyx?" Riven asked, his voice thick with emotion. "What was it about Nyx that made him so... valuable?"
Kie took a deep breath, as though weighing his words carefully. "Your grandfather sought to control the beasts of the world. But he wasn't content with mere animals—he wanted to control something greater. Nyx, as you know, is not just any beast. He's a creature of immense power, with abilities beyond what anyone could comprehend. Your grandfather knew this, and he made the deal with Nyx to harness that power, to become the most powerful man to ever live."
Riven's chest tightened. "But... what did Nyx get out of this pact?"
Kie's face darkened, and for a moment, Riven could see the flicker of something like pity in the old man's eyes. "Nyx didn't want this power, Riven. He was forced into it. Your grandfather bound him, made him an unwilling participant in his quest for domination. And once Nyx had been bound, there was no way out. The pact was sealed. Your grandfather used that power—Nyx's power—to gain influence, to bend the world to his will. But that kind of ambition... it always comes at a cost."
Riven felt a wave of nausea wash over him. He had always believed that his grandfather was a man who stood for something greater, someone who had worked tirelessly to protect his family and his legacy. But now, with every revelation, Riven's image of the man he had admired was crumbling. His grandfather had been nothing more than a power-hungry tyrant, willing to sacrifice anything and anyone for his own gain.
"But why destroy the city?" Riven asked, his voice barely audible. "Why was it necessary for the city to fall? And how does this tie to Nyx's involvement?"
Kie's gaze grew distant again, as though he were reliving something painful. "Your grandfather's desire for control knew no bounds. When he had gained enough power, he began to see everything as a tool to further his ambitions. The city was a symbol—of strength, of unity. He saw it as something to be destroyed, to be remade in his image. And Nyx... Nyx was bound to him in such a way that he couldn't refuse his master's will. The city's destruction was part of your grandfather's plan to reshape the world, to show everyone that his power was absolute."
Riven felt his breath catch in his throat. "So, my grandfather... he ordered Nyx to destroy the city?"
Kie nodded grimly. "Yes. It was your grandfather's command. Nyx didn't have a choice. But even as he did it, a part of him resisted. He knew that once that line was crossed, there was no going back."
Riven looked at Nyx, the creature's eyes now filled with sorrow and regret. It was clear that Nyx had never wanted to be part of the destruction, but the weight of the pact had forced his hand. And in that moment, Riven realized something—Nyx had been a victim of his grandfather's ambition, just as much as the people of the city.
Riven's chest tightened, the weight of this newfound knowledge pressing heavily on him. "How can I ever forgive him?" he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.
Kie's voice was soft, almost comforting. "Forgiveness is a hard thing, Riven. But you have to understand—your grandfather's choices were his own. Nyx's... were not. And now you have to decide what to do with that knowledge."
The room fell silent, the tension palpable. Riven was left alone with his thoughts, his mind reeling from the weight of the truth. His grandfather had been a man consumed by ambition, and Nyx, bound by a pact he never wanted, had been the instrument of that ambition. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear—Riven's understanding of the world had been forever changed.