Chapter 117: Echoes of the Onyx Throne
The world was warm. It was a kind of warmth that didn't exist in the harsh, mechanical sectors of Athelgard, nor in the biting, lethal winds of the Northern Frost-Spire. It was the pure, unadulterated warmth of a summer sun bathing a lush, vibrant royal park.
Tall, emerald-green trees swayed gently in the soft breeze, their leaves casting dancing shadows on the pristine white marble walkways. The air smelled of blooming jasmine and sweet nectar. In the center of this paradise, three children were running across the manicured grass, their laughter ringing out like silver bells.
A five-year-old boy ran ahead, his dark hair catching the sunlight. He was dressed in a pristine, tailored royal tunic of deep blue and gold. It was Prince Ren. There were no scars on his face, no mechanical sapphire eye, and no weight of the world on his tiny shoulders. He was just a child, turning back to laugh at the two girls chasing him.
Right behind him, stumbling over her own small feet but giggling uncontrollably, was four-year-old Princess Hana. Her dress was a flurry of yellow silk, and she held a small wooden toy wand in her hand, playfully trying to "cast a spell" on her older brother.
Running beside Hana was another little girl, also four years old. She was a vision of absolute innocence and striking beauty. She had vibrant, soft pink hair that bounced with every step, and large, captivating red eyes that sparkled with joy. Her face was incredibly cute, flushed with the excitement of the game. She wore an elegant, ruffled royal dress of crimson and silver. This was Princess Haya.
"You can't catch me, Haya!" little Ren cheered, dodging behind a massive marble fountain shaped like a roaring lion.
"Yes, I can, Ren-nii!" Haya giggled, her high-pitched voice filled with determination. She grabbed Hana's hand, pulling her along. "Come on, Hana! Let's ambush him!"
A few dozen yards away, standing beneath the shade of a massive, ancient oak tree, a towering figure watched the children play. It was King Marzerk, the ruler of the Onyx Reach. He wore his heavy royal cape, but his crown was absent, leaving him looking less like a conqueror and more like a weary father.
A gentle, nostalgic smile graced the King's battle-worn face as he watched the three toddlers run in circles around the fountain. But beneath the smile, there was a shadow of deep anxiety.
"How many times have I told them not to play so openly together?" King Marzerk muttered to himself, his voice a low, rumbling whisper. He crossed his massive arms, his eyes fixed on the little girl with the pink hair. "If Haya's mother sees her mingling with Ren and Hana... she will be furious. That woman's pride will not allow her daughter to be seen with them. It will only cause more fractures in this court."
Before he could step forward to gently separate the children, the sound of boots on the marble pathway caught his attention. He turned to see two older children approaching.
Leading the way was a ten-year-old boy with a stern, serious face that mirrored the King's own. He stood tall, his posture already that of a military commander. It was Prince Minato. Walking softly beside him was a nine-year-old girl with an aura of calm grace and gentle eyes—Princess Himari.
"Father," Minato said, bowing his head slightly, though his eyes remained fixed on the King. Himari offered a delicate, polite curtsy, her gaze drifting toward the younger children playing by the fountain.
King Marzerk looked at Minato and Himari. The smile faded from his lips, replaced by a solemn, heavy expression. He reached out, placing his massive hands on both of their small shoulders. The weight of his touch made Minato stand even straighter.
"My children," King Marzerk said, his voice carrying the deep, resonating tone of a man who had seen the end of his own path. He looked back at Ren, Hana, and Haya, and then down at his eldest son and daughter. "Listen to me carefully. The world is changing, and the shadows are growing longer. When my time is done... after I am gone... you must take care of the Onyx Reach. You must protect our legacy."
Minato frowned, confused by the dark turn in his father's words. "Father? What are you—"
CRACK.
The sky above the royal park suddenly shattered like glass. The warm sun was swallowed by a void of absolute, terrifying blackness. The laughter of the children mutated into a distorted, echoing screech. The green grass turned to ash, and the marble fountain crumbled into dust.
"NOOO!"
Ren shot up from his sleeping mat, his voice tearing through the freezing air of the ice-igloo. The scream was raw, animalistic, and filled with a terror that no Titan or High-Up could ever inflict.
He gasped for air, his lungs burning as the sub-zero temperature of the Northern Frost-Spire hit his throat. He clutched his chest, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird.
Tears—hot, desperate tears—were streaming down his scarred face. Before they could even reach his chin, the extreme cold of the igloo turned them into tiny, freezing crystals on his skin.
Ren's eyes darted wildly around the dim, cramped space of the snow structure. He saw the dying embers of the campfire, the ice walls, and the heavy tactical gear scattered around. His mind was completely fractured. The vividness of the Onyx park was still burning in his brain, clashing violently with the brutal reality of the snowy wasteland.
Where... where am I? Ren thought, panic seizing his throat. He looked at his own hands, calloused and wrapped in combat bandages. He touched his face, feeling the cold metal of his cybernetic eye. What is this? Who am I? I was just... I was just in the park. I was just five years old. Where is Hana? Where is Haya? Father...
Outside the igloo, the howling blizzard was interrupted by Ren's agonizing scream.
Mina, who was standing watch with two other Vaners just outside the entrance, froze. The sound sent a chill down her spine that had nothing to do with the weather. It wasn't the battle-cry of the Butcher. It was the cry of a broken man.
One of the guards instantly drew his Vane-blade, his eyes wide. "Captain! What was that? Is it an ambush? Did a Titan get inside?"
"Stand down! Stay here and keep watching the perimeter!" Mina ordered, her voice sharp and urgent. She didn't wait for their reply. She dropped her heavy ice-spear and shoved aside the heavy animal hide that covered the igloo's entrance.
Mina rushed inside, the cold wind following her in. The sight before her made her heart drop into her stomach.
Ren Vority—the man who had single-handedly slaughtered the Kara Group, the man who had traded his soul to save hers, the unstoppable executioner—was huddled on his mat. He was shaking violently, his knees pulled to his chest, and his hands gripping his hair as if he were trying to hold his skull together. And he was crying.
The tears were falling freely, a sight so alien on Ren's face that it momentarily paralyzed her. He looked completely lost, his eyes wide with a profound, existential shock.
Mina didn't hesitate. The cold, strict Captain persona she had built over the last few hours shattered instantly. She dropped to her knees right beside him, ignoring the freezing ice against her legs.
"Ren!" she called out softly, reaching forward.
Ren flinched at her voice, shrinking away, his unseeing eyes darting toward her as if she were a ghost.
"Ren, it's me. It's Mina," she said, her voice trembling with raw, unfiltered emotion. She closed the distance and gently but firmly took hold of his broad shoulders, forcing him to look at her. The heat from her touch, fueled by the very Vane energy he had given her, seeped through his suit.
"Ren, look at me. Breathe," Mina pleaded, her face inches from his. She could see the confusion, the lingering innocence of a five-year-old boy trapped in the eyes of a killer. "Are you okay? What happened? Why are you crying?"
Ren stared at her, his chest heaving. His mouth opened to speak, to ask for the King, to ask for the pink-haired girl, but the words wouldn't come.
"Everything is fine," Mina whispered, her voice incredibly soft, acting as a tether pulling him back from the abyss of his forgotten past. "You are safe. I am here. Everything is fine."
Ren slumped forward slightly, his head resting heavily against Mina's shoulder, the tears continuing to fall as the memories of the Onyx park began to fade, leaving behind a hollow, aching void in his soul.