When I said that, Mai told me that Eqihr seemed solemn about it. I didn't care what Eqihr thought—he needed to be saved, and that was nonnegotiable.
"Mai, if I die, forgive me. Eqihr has been there when I needed him."
She stood beside her brothers, silent, but the look on her face told me she understood. I turned to the front door, opened it, and stepped outside. Immediately, war troops spotted me.
One of them called out, "Who are you?"
I didn't reply. Instead, I raised my fist, making it clear I was ready to fight.
"Pity," another sneered. "We would have let you live."
I pulled my arm back and unleashed a blast of wind, knocking them off balance. The moment it faded, they charged. With the martial arts skills Yanu Wenadow had passed down to me, I slipped through their attacks, striking hard whenever an opening revealed itself. They regrouped, tried new formations, but in the end, my movements cut them apart. Soon, they all lay on the ground, bones broken, bodies writhing. I didn't waste time on pity.
I leapt onto a nearby rooftop and scanned the streets. All I could see were more war troops, scattered survivors, and debris.
Then I saw it—several soldiers pushing cages down the road. My eyes locked on the children trapped inside. Rage surged through me.
I created a distraction, crossing my arms and slamming massive debris into the street. The crash sent smoke and dust curling into the air, drawing their attention. While they scrambled, I used my original ability, snapping the locks from a distance. The cages burst open, and the children bolted. One boy turned mid-run, caught my eye. I gave him a nod before crawling to the far edge of the roof.
I glanced at my hand and thought, Now… I finally control this power.
The feeling was exhilarating, a surge that erased the frustration of weeks past.
Bounding from rooftop to rooftop, I hunted for Eqihr. If he still had his sword, he'd be safe—but this town was massive, and danger was everywhere.
Eventually, I reached what I recognized as the battle line—the strip that divided our side from enemy territory. Haru's soldiers were locked in a desperate fight, holding the line with sheer grit.
But Eqihr wasn't there.
I searched street after street, but he was nowhere to be found. Ten minutes from our shelter, though, I saw something that froze me in place: five guillotines lined in a row, crowds of captives behind them. One was larger than the rest, with fewer people waiting. And behind that one… was Eqihr.
I stood on a rooftop, breath shallow as I watched the executions. One group lined up, and in an instant—heads fell. Their fear echoed through me, their life force screaming in my veins. My rage erupted.
A heavy draft surged outward, my aura blazing into a white inferno. Debris floated around me like stars orbiting a sun.
The enemy launched their attacks—fire, water, wind, pure energy—but my barrier absorbed them all.
I glared down and growled, "Burn."
They ignited instantly. Flames engulfed them as my ability roared to life. Sunda Honō—the clear blaze.
Eqihr's expression twisted from relief to dread. He could see it: my emotions were taking control.
Still, the prisoners looked at me with awe. Some cried out battle cries. Others called me a hero. I clenched my fist, dropping the floating debris back to the earth with a thunderous crash.
But there was no time to bask. More troops swarmed from every direction.
The freed prisoners grabbed weapons and fought back. Eqihr slammed his hands together, summoning the dragon-scaled sword. He cut through enemy ranks, cleaving tentacles of flame and bursts of power, pushing them back with each strike.
I fought my way down from the rooftop. Martial arts and aura combined, every strike breaking bones, every kick sending enemies sprawling. Eqihr drove his sword into the ground, stunning the survivors before burying them in stone.
"It's over—for now," Eqihr said, catching his breath.
I walked to him, relief giving way to urgency. "Where are Mai's father, Sammi, Qui, and Kalen?"
His gaze dropped to the ground. "I'm sorry, Goshi… they're gone."
My chest hollowed. "What do you mean… gone?"
His voice was steady but heavy. "Three days after you fell asleep, the battle for Haru intensified. The scaled sword leading the assault killed them while they tried to relocate."
I staggered. "No… No, I can't—"
Eqihr gripped my shoulder. "Listen carefully. You can't tell the children. Their father wanted it that way."
I ripped his hand away. "I won't lie to them! I'm not that kind of person."
He stayed silent, but his eyes said everything—he feared what my truth would do.
I ignored him. I opened a portal, stepped through, and returned to our shelter.
Walking straight to Mai and her brothers, I faced them squarely.
"Eqihr," I said coldly. "Tell them what happened."