Chapter 192: A man
Riven’s father looked up after helping the boy, only to see the loads and loads of bodies lying on the ground. He looked around for his sons and saw both of them knocked out but safely in the hands of Lady Emily. He heaved a sigh of relief, but then a wave of anger and regret hit him.
He was here, happy at the fact that his family was alive, while his men were dead. Their families would never see them again, their children, their husbands, their wives, yet he was happy that his family was safe.
He felt disgusted at his actions. He clawed the ground, his fingers digging deep, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder. He slowly looked up, his eyes glassy with tears of regret.
He saw his brother and sister standing there. Eric looked at him, his gaze soft and warm. "It isn’t your fault, brother. What happened here is uncontrollable. We could have never stopped what just happened."
"But what happens next is up to you," Elaine said. She pointed at the demonized. "They are coming. Father and his friends are holding off that person that came, so we have to defeat the demonized," she said.
"We have to fight for the sake of our home, brother. Until the kingdom comes, we will hold off the demonized and that demon that has showed up. So I need you to show the same resolve you showed back when we were kids, and fight," Aric said before taking out a silver sword that was covered in engravings and handed it to Riven’s father.
He looked at the longsword; he immediately recognized it. "This... this is Mother’s sword," he said.
"Yes, it has been with me for years. She asked that I keep it, not to use, but for her last son, her favorite, and that I should give it to you the day I believe you had become a man," Eric said. He smiled. "And today, you became a man, because you put away your pain for others. You cried for others, and now you’ll fight for others."
Riven’s father looked at the sword. He gritted his teeth and grabbed it, his expression returning to the cold, calculated man he was—the same man that Riven had met in this world. He rose to his feet and took a step forward.
"Let’s take down these vermin," he spat. Fire immediately erupted on his hand. He might not be the strongest, but he was a Four-Circle Battle Mage, he had his own feats of greatness.