Surviving the Death Hunt

Three days after the incident...

Scar woke to the gentleness of a new room. Normally, whenever he woke, there would be noises in the corridor, dragging feet, and absurd screams that made absolutely no sense, but those were reminders that he was still within the academy’s confinement. Today, there was nothing.

Grey walls, complete furnishings, a cooler, and a heater. This wasn’t the academy campus or Isaac’s house. Which meant only one thing: he was at the Rover family estate.

The pieces fell into place. Despite his near-death experience days earlier, he felt neither shock nor fear. He probed his jaw instead, checking for damage. It completely healed, as if it had never been shattered. Yet pain remained beneath the surface.

He shifted position on the bed, piecing things together. The last thing he recalled was fleeing the arena, then activating his Emotional State. That’s when the forgotten god attacked.

He exhaled.

"So that’s the truth, huh? Even Scarlet Kins reject my Inheritance, and it was the Gate God too."

His jaw’s pain drew an unconscious murmur from him. The instant the sound emerged, he frowned.

The Highest One? Who was that?

He recalled it now. Adisa and Joel had each mentioned the same name. Without doubt, the Highest One had granted Adisa his Inheritance and orchestrated V’s escape.

"But if that’s how it is... was I just a tool? Perhaps the Highest One anticipated I would attack Joel after he nearly killed Emma, exploiting my rage to summon the Gate God."

He pulled at his hair in frustration. The damage was already done, but he couldn’t help wondering what kind of person the Highest One was. But after a moment’s thought, he dismissed it. More pressing matters demanded his attention.

Dain was bad enough, but Scarlet Kins actively pursuing him? That was a different level of danger.

He was already pissed about his lack of strength, but now he needed strength. Even more than that. He needed a better understanding of his Inheritance, and his full memories restored, or he couldn’t tell who was an enemy or an ally.

"What meaning does this war hold if survival is my only reason to fight? Revenge is hollow. I cannot sustain myself on emptiness alone."

If the universe itself hated him, then what he possessed had to be something terrifying. Something capable of that kind of hatred.

The journey started with one crucial step: winning over every last predecessor. Right now, only Kendrick supported him. Though he didn’t understand how to access that inner realm again, he needed to return and claim victory over the remaining five flames.

Just as he reached that conclusion, Amber entered with a wet towel, dressed in her Heaven’s Garment. She looked briefly confused, as though she’d been expecting, perhaps even enjoying, watching him struggle in his coma.

"I thought I’d get at least a big hug and a big grin. Aren’t you excited that your cousin made it through?"

Scar teased.

"You’ve got quite the imagination. I’m just a little disappointed. I went through the trouble of wetting this towel."

Amber narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Looks like your jaw still hurts, if I’m judging by how low you’re speaking."

She put the towel on her shoulder, moved closer to Scar, and started checking his temperature.

"I figured you’d wake up any day after your fever went down yesterday, and it looks like I was right on the money."

A flash of annoyance crossed Amber’s face before she sat down on the bed.

Amber wasn’t acting like herself, Scar thought. She normally spoke too little, now she was speaking far too much.

"Uhm, is everything alright?"

She panicked at his question, which was strange. Whatever she’d been thinking about was clearly distressing.

"Oh, me? I’m alright."

Such a terrible liar.

"Nitin and Hayder, my brothers, are back. Would you like to meet them?"

Scar rifled through his recollections. Amber had other siblings, he knew that, but he’d never encountered them or heard them mentioned. Even their names were foreign to him.

Still, he worried about whatever was troubling Amber so deeply. But from the way she spoke, she had no intention of telling him.

"I don’t know much about them, but why not? I’d love to meet them."

Amber got up and motioned for Scar to do the same.

"Before that happens, you need to meet the Rangers. They have questions for you and have been getting impatient, considering all you’ve done is sleep."

An awkward smile crossed Scar’s face. He’d anticipated as much.

Amber’s father, Arthur, held the position of third head, despite being the oldest among the siblings. Scar didn’t know much about the other heads, but he suspected they’d be difficult.

Following brief preparations, Scar trailed Amber to the throne room. The path was so labyrinthine he doubted he could navigate it even after a week of practice. Without Amber, he’d have been hopelessly lost.

The vast throne room housed three thrones at its far end, each equally elegant and luxuriously adorned. The arrangement—walls soaring high, distance stretching long—was designed to make any entrant feel immediately subordinate to those seated above.

But beyond the manufactured sense of inferiority, something else disturbed him. An eerie feeling that countless eyes were fixed on him from the shadows.

The eyes matched the Rover family emblem’s design, but unlike that symbol, these felt real. Thousands of them, each with different emotions; some crying, some threatening, some rejoicing.

Scar couldn’t explain it, but he assumed it was because the crest was repeated endlessly throughout the throne room.

Obviously, this was intentional, another way for the family to assert their dominance. It was as if all conversations in the room were decided even before they began.

He exhaled.

’I just wish I could get used to this soon.’

The thrones held Arthur, as expected; Loki’s father, Damon; and the sole woman and second head, Hale.

Only Arthur seemed friendly, smiling and waving. The other two looked like they wanted his head. Growing anxious about what he might’ve done wrong, Scar relaxed slightly when Amber signaled him to bow, taking the lead herself.

Scar cursed them in his head. Formalities be damned.

"Great Rangers, as you requested, I have brought Scar Rover before you."

When Amber finished speaking, the first to respond was Damon, the first head of the family.

"Ah, so this is Bryan’s son. Where have you been all this time, and what made you decide to join your family now?"

Scar sneered.

’Such a stupid question.’

They’d witnessed his father leaving the family estate. They’d been informed of his death. Hell, they’d buried him themselves. Why ask something so obvious?

"I never imagined I could simply return to the family, Great Ranger. With both my parents deceased, I acted according to what seemed most logical then. I was just a child and didn’t know any better."

The room went quiet for a moment.

"What did you say?"

How Hale phrased her words made Scar shiver, but Amber hurried her words.

"Please forgive him, Great Rangers. His jaw wounds have not yet fully healed, and he cannot speak clearly. I will relay his words for him."

"Okay, go ahead."

"He was just a boy when it happened. Watching his parents being killed before him left him with almost no options. He didn’t know any better then, but now he understands that the Rover family is where he belongs."

Maintaining his bow, Scar caught Amber’s profile in his peripheral vision. He appreciated her help, but making him sound like a pitiful child wasn’t necessary.

"That’s good, but why? What gave him the idea that he belonged here? Was it because he wasn’t needed where he’d been living all this time?"

Scar disliked Damon’s line of questioning, but responding wasn’t optional.

"Not at all, Great Ranger. My father was a proud Rover and offered me much guidance. Yet, had Isaac not died, I would never have come here."

Scar watched Amber in confusion as she bit her tongue, visibly fighting to suppress an outburst. Whether she wanted to laugh or scream, he couldn’t tell.

"Not at all, Great Ranger. His father was a proud Rover, and even as a child, far from the Rover grounds, he was told that the Rover family never abandons its own. This was truly Where Journeys begin. Now, older and wiser, he lived by those words as soon as he understood their meaning."

Arthur remained silent while Hale and Damon conducted most of the questioning. Though Scar’s answers were often foolish, Amber rescued him by translating them into respectful, diplomatic language.

Eventually, the interrogation ended, and the family heads accepted Scar as a Rover, not merely in name but as one of their own.

"Your mother, Emily, was the finest talent among the nuns. Amber may be counted among the strongest humans of this era, yet even her strength pales in comparison to Emily’s. If someone of her caliber was murdered, then your safety cannot be guaranteed."

"We must take every measure to guarantee your protection. Bryan was cherished not only by the Rovers but also by countless others. The world would grieve should we fail to safeguard you again."

Scar’s frown deepened. This wasn’t the first time hearing his mother had been a nun. He had nothing against nuns; Amber was one, after all. But the way Hale spoke about his mother unsettled him.

Throughout his eight years with his mother, not once did she appear to be cold-blooded. If Amber hadn’t told him she was his mother’s successor, Scar could have bet his life that his mother couldn’t even hurt a fly.

But Hale spoke as if his mother were a killing machine, and he didn’t like it. Worse, he couldn’t object.

"You need not concern yourself, Great Ranger. I, Amber Rover, hereby vow to serve as Scar’s personal guardian until my final breath."

Scar jerked back to attention, head swiveling sharply toward Amber with a confused expression.

"Hey? What the heck are you saying?" He whispered, but Amber didn’t spare him a glance.

Damon turned to Arthur.

"Tell me, Arthur—what do you think? Nun or not, Amber is one of our own, bound by blood... and she is your daughter."

Arthur looked at Amber in apparent shock; clearly, he hadn’t known either. But Scar couldn’t help feeling that Arthur had some idea why Amber would make such a decision.

Arthur exhaled deeply.

"Amber became a nun by her own choice. Nuns live to serve, so I have no objections."

Scar furrowed his brow. That was too cold. What was wrong with Arthur?

"Then let it be decreed: Amber Rover shall stand as Scar Rover’s guardian, protecting the final memory of our beloved brother, Bryan, until your last breath. Your life shall forever stand beneath his. Should he fall, you shall fall; should he be condemned, you shall bear the same condemnation. Break this oath, and your life shall be forfeit."

Amber’s head bowed lower than it already was.

"Thank you, Great Ranger. I shall do everything within my power to fulfill my duty."

Arthur smiled.

"The banquet in your honor will be held in three days. Use this time to prepare yourself and master the etiquette required for the occasion."

Both Scar and Amber responded in kind.

"You are free to leave."

As they departed per Damon’s orders, Scar couldn’t shake his unease about Amber’s choice. Why would she give up her freedom for this?

But then it was as if she had already read his mind.

"Why are you so worried? It’s not like you’re going to work me to death. We’re cousins, aren’t we? Just take it as me looking out for you because we’re family."

"Yeah, but—-

Suddenly, Amber’s intimidating aura returned, that terrifying presence that made everyone fear her. She clearly wasn’t open to negotiation and wouldn’t allow Scar to question her decision.

She smiled.

"Come, let us go meet my brothers."

Scar pinched the bridge of his nose, following Amber’s lead.

She was powerful, more powerful than him right now, and would definitely be of help but she’d still fall to Dain and the terrors like the Gate God that targeted him.

One more reason to shape up and grab all the power he needed to. His life wasn’t the only one in danger anymore, Amber’s was now too.