Taking a life wasn't without consequences. That was true for animals and seemed to be even truer for humans.
Liam's restlessness had prevented him from dwelling on what he had done. Also, too much had happened for him to think clearly about the event.
Yet, the previous exchange with the foreign hunters forced Liam to come to terms with some aspects of his changes. He had just become a murderer, almost unwillingly, on top of that, but he had already come close to killing more people.
Sure, that strange, ancient human hiss inside Liam's mind had played a big part in both instances. It was also something that he could somehow acknowledge belonged to realms far bigger than him.
After all, Liam was just a boy. If a being as great as the Ancestral Snake wanted him to do something, he would be powerless to oppose it.
However, Liam didn't want to hide behind anything anymore. He would be justified to do so, but his mind refused to accept excuses, forcing him to consider what kind of life he would live from now on.
Desiring revenge and actually implementing it were two very different things. Liam could see that now.
Killing Crazy Uncle had been a mistake Liam could add to his revenge list, but the hiss in his head didn't seem to care for that. He might have successfully opposed the Ancestral Snake's hatred with the two foreign hunters, but he didn't know if that would always be the case.
Chances were it wouldn't be long before Liam ended up killing random, innocent people over minor complications, driven by what Crazy Uncle had awakened to escalate things to the extreme.
And Liam had to admit he didn't want to live like that. It simply wasn't right. Dealing with those who had carried out the Bloodline Screening was a rightful payback, but wanton killing would make Liam no different from the butchers on his revenge list.
At the same time, the alternative was a prison or a death sentence. Liam had already crossed the line, so he felt unable to put aside his hatred and just keep on living. He wasn't sure the ancient hiss would allow that anyway, making a cage the only possible course of action.
That sounded terrible, too. Liam didn't want to become a mindless killer, but letting his family's murderers get away felt equally awful. It wouldn't be fair at all, both to the dead and to the life he had been forced to live after the tragedy.
Liam's hands were still in his hair as he sat on his knees, uncaring about the rain. Yet, his eyes eventually opened, looking far beyond the mud all around him. He couldn't choose between those two options, but he had to, and he knew a place that could help him.
It was the same place Liam had planned to visit before his departure.
Liam forced himself to get up and stored his bow, even venturing where the two hunters had disappeared to retrieve the arrows he had shot earlier. Luckily, those two were intact and could return to his quiver.
Afterward, Liam finished descending the mountain, heading for an area past the village's outskirts, until he reached the remains of his family's old home.
The shed wasn't anything like what Liam had seen in the dream-like experience. Its roof had collapsed years ago, and its wooden walls had rotted out. Even its floor was mostly gone, only leaving a few tiles where the building had once been.
However, three rocks stood vertically next to those tiles, one smaller than the other two. The items had no names engraved on their surface, but Liam didn't need them to recall to whom those tombs belonged.
The leftmost rock marked Blake, Liam's father. The central one symbolized Hazel, his mother. Meanwhile, the rightmost, smaller slab was for Liam's big sister, Jean, who would have been eighteen now.
Liam kneeled in front of the graves, his gaze browsing over them, wanting to have an imaginary conversation inside his mind in that meaningful moment, only for no thoughts to appear. He had sworn revenge right there years ago, and he had finally started it, but the first step had already left him empty and lost.
Luckily, Liam wasn't completely alone in life. A quasi-father figure had stepped in after that tragedy, and he could sense it coming. Despite the rain, Liam smelled a familiar smoky smell and heard heavy steps before a big hand pressed on his head.
"I thought I'd find you here," A rough, firm voice resounded above Liam, making him throw his head back to look at the newcomer.
A bald man with a thick black beard and wearing a soot-stained dark robe had stopped behind Liam, his exposed right arm far more muscular than his left.
"Cyrus," Liam greeted, lowering his gaze, only to feel Cyrus' big hand pat his head. Adrian's father had basically become his closest relative after the Screening despite the lack of any blood relation.
'Right,' Liam realized while inspecting the tombstones again. 'The Screening happened to find the Ancestral Snake's son, to find me.'
Too much had happened for Liam to realize that point earlier, but it became undeniable now. The fact that Liam was the son of the Snake of Hatred was a crime, so it had to remain a secret, just like the fact that Cyrus' illegal stamp had enabled all that.
It was thanks to Cyrus that Liam had survived that kingdom-wide search. Unknowingly, that simple blacksmith from a poor village in the Outer Circles had ruined the Dragon King's plans, and Liam knew that unawareness had to remain.
At the same time, Liam couldn't ask anyone else for advice, so he chose his next words carefully.
"I …" Liam muttered, not sure whether his voice could overcome the rain's noise. "I did something bad, and I can't take it back."
Cyrus glanced down at the mess of wet, long black hair before crossing his arms and staring at the tombstones. Unlike his idiot son, Liam never spoke randomly, so he remained silent to make him finish.
"I think I should leave the village," Liam continued. "But … But if I do, I might do something bad again."
That was the core of Liam's pickle. He only saw bad paths ahead and didn't know which one was better, or less worse.
"Cyrus, what's worse?" Liam asked. "Pursuing what you want at a terrible price, or forsaking your wishes to avoid making things worse?"
"Worse for who?" Cyrus questioned, breaking his silence.
"I don't know," Liam admitted. "People, I guess."
Cyrus suppressed a sigh and kneeled at Liam's side, lowering his head at the tombstones in respect.
"Which one of those can make you happy?" Cyrus wondered, his head still lowered.
'Happy?' Liam thought. He had never considered that option. Now more than ever, he didn't believe it was a realistic possibility.
Liam's silence spoke volumes for someone in Cyrus' position. Just like Adrian, Cyrus was aware of Liam's tragedy and character and could review them through the maturity granted by his older age.
"I once believed you could have forgotten and moved on," Cyrus revealed, lifting his head, "But you are one stubborn kid. Part of me fears you'll never forgive yourself if you don't try to avenge your family."
"But," Liam said, confused. "That means going against the Dragon King."
"Screw the King," Cyrus snorted, leaving Liam speechless. "What has he ever done for us? We are part of his Kingdom just in name at this point."
Liam blinked. He usually was the only one who voiced such adverse opinions toward the Dragon Kingdom, and even he only did so in private. He didn't expect Cyrus to shout such dangerous words at all.
"What I'm saying is," Cyrus sighed, patting Liam's head again. "Stop worrying about others for once. It's fine to be selfish."
"But," Liam argued, "What if I end up hurting people?"
Cyrus saw something in Liam's expression, but decided to ignore it.
"If you don't want to hurt them," Cyrus announced, "Then don't."
"What if I can't help myself?" Liam questioned, lowering his dark eyes to avoid Cyrus' gaze.
"You have a good heart," Cyrus reassured, letting go of Liam's head to sit down in the mud. "That's why you worry about this."
"What if I lose my good heart?" Liam asked, part of him believing he had already crossed that line.
"I can't tell you what's right or wrong," Cyrus claimed. "That's for you to decide, so go out and see for yourself. The world is a big place. I know you'll find your answer as long as you give yourself a chance."
"So," Liam concluded. "I shouldn't give up."
"Your family wouldn't have wanted that," Cyrus reassured, "And neither do I or Adrian."
Liam couldn't help but nod to himself. Cyrus was right. He didn't know anything about life or the world, let alone complex matters like revenge or the Ancestral Beasts. Turning himself in was the same as giving up, which was something cowards did.
"And if you find out that you don't like what's outside," Cyrus added, "You can always come back here. This will always be your home."
Liam's gaze snapped at Cyrus at that point, revealing his warm smile. That blatant fatherly affection made Liam lean on his shoulder and unleash some of his blinding honesty.
"Thank you for taking care of me," Liam stated, "And everything else."
"You are a good kid," Cyrus reassured. "It was my privilege to see you grow."
"Adrian?" Liam asked, his face still on Cyrus' shoulder.
"He has average talent," Cyrus revealed. "He'll leave for the Church of the Man as planned and come back in a year."
'I bet he is complaining to no end,' Liam allowed himself that happy thought before having to deal with reality again.
"I think I'll leave the village," Liam said, "And I don't know if I should tell Adrian."
Now that Liam knew how bad the illegal stamp was, he didn't want to involve Cyrus and Adrian more than necessary, even if that meant leaving without saying goodbye to his childhood friend.
"Just go, but be careful and take care of yourself," Cyrus nodded. "I'll tell Adrian. He'll understand."
Liam straightened himself at those words, standing up to head for the few wooden tiles next to the tombs. He reached for a familiar spot and pulled, uncovering the same trapdoor where he had hidden ten years ago, now containing his stash.
The secret closet only featured a leather pouch with all of Liam's belongings, so he retrieved it and secured it on his back before turning toward the tombstones.
"Your son and brother is leaving," Liam announced, throwing a glance at Cyrus, whose nod gave him the confidence to dart toward the village.