Chapter 191: Breath After The Storm

Dora’s sobs halted after a few minutes, and they continued to embrace one another until their fatigue claimed them. Their arms were still wrapped around one another, and the warriors had to pull them apart just to take them back to the Redwood Basin.Varok — still in his werewolf form — walked over to them, lifted Rion in his arms and zipped towards Haden’s hut.

The reason behind it was fairly simple; unlike others, Rion hadn’t worn armour, and while battling The Remnant, his clothes were burnt to ash, so now, his body was bare, butt naked, and a few of the female warriors were looking at him with eyes that Dora would have gouged out if she weren’t asleep.

Valak lifted Dora, worry and curiosity flickering in his eyes, though it was mostly worry.

A purple upside-down teardrop had appeared under Dora’s lips, and he could sense an energy strangely similar to the purple miasma emitting from it; however, for now, he stayed silent and decided to later ask Rion about it.

As they walked back to the Redwood Basin, none celebrated their victory. Joy could be seen on their faces, but they refused to celebrate without the three figures who had carried the war on their shoulders.

The three figures were obviously Haden the Sovereign, Rion the Unbeatable and Haria the Panther.

As Varok zipped through the natural roads of Redwood Basin, the huts that were destroyed by the bone drake fell in his vision, but he ignored them. A few moments later, he reached Haden’s hut and knocked on the door.

Even the Den Lord didn’t dare barge into Haden’s hut unless allowed to.

Just as he knocked, Lara, who was anxiously waiting for her husband and son’s safe return, instantly shot towards the door and shouted, "Coming!"

The door flung open the next moment, and Lara’s face turned pale upon seeing the unconscious Rion and that the one holding his body was not Haden but Varok.

She froze. Dark thoughts churning in her head, Varok growled in irritation, "None of them is dead. Get away, you are blocking the way."

Lara’s dark thoughts burst like a bubble, a vein throbbed at her forehead, and she yelled while giving way to him, "You could have just said so!"

Varok shook his head, walked over to the bed and softly laid Rion in it.

Lara quickly walked over to Rion’s side, and her eyes widened upon seeing that the centre and left portion of his chest had turned purple.

Pointing a trembling finger at it, she asked, "Why is his chest purple?"

Varok’s gaze shifted towards Rion’s chest. He stared at it for a few moments and turned his head towards Lara.

Their eyes met one another, Varok’s lips parted, Lara readied herself for the answer, and he said, "How the fuck would I know?"

Lara’s eyes widened in disbelief, and her mouth fell agape. On the other hand, Varok shrugged and turned to leave.

She continued to stare at him with wide eyes. Varok halted at the door, turned his head towards her and said, "You should ready yourself."

Confusion spread across her face, and she asked, "...What do you mean?"

He pointed skywards. "Now that the cage is no more. What do you think the curious bird would do?"

Lara’s expression turned solemn, her gaze drifted towards Rion, and Varok disappeared with a gust.

She sat beside Rion, watching his rhythmic breathing. She said softly, "If a wingless bird gains wings, it doesn’t fly right away... Not because it doesn’t want to, but because it doesn’t wish to let go of the wingless flock."

Her hand brushed the fur bed as it reached for his face, and she added, "I do not wish to hold you back..." Her lips rose in a warm smile. "Not anymore. Your destiny is far greater than ours... and all I can do is pray that my son, my little king’s flight is gentle."

She stood up from the bed, took out a blanket made of black and blue wolf fur and covered him with it.

Even though she was still worried about his future choices, she didn’t wish to become a blockade in his path, and she was not going to allow others to.

Taking a last glance at his sleeping face, she smiled and stepped out of the hut.

Her purposeful destination was the only person that could see beyond seeing, feel beyond feeling and learn beyond what was allowed to — the descendant of God of Rituals, Granny Nena, the shaman of Dhaevrak.

As she made her way towards Nena’s hut, the joyous chatter and laughter resounding throughout the Redwood Basin reached her ears and knowing that the ones who had gifted the tribe its freedom were none other than her husband and son caused a prideful smile to appear on her face.

All of a sudden, she stopped in her tracks, and her eyes trembled as she felt something that she had long forgotten.

She raised her arm, made various strange hand signs and whispered, "Light..."

The space above her open palm trembled, and out of nowhere, a small, luminous sphere appeared in her palm.

She blinked in disbelief, her fingers trembled around the sphere, and a baffled chuckle escaped her lips. "Ether..."

—

Zaelyane stared at wounded Haden, who was lying unconscious in her bed, and spat, "First his son and now he himself."

Beside her stood Jura, a worried expression marred his face, and he asked solemnly, "He will be fine... right?"

Zaelyane’s left eyebrow rose. She looked at him and mumbled in a surprised tone, "You are worried about him...?"

He nodded sombrely. She blinked a few times and asked, "You — who is more confident in Haden’s strength than Haden himself is worried?"

A wry smile appeared on Jura’s face, and he answered, "Before today, I always believed that Haden never loses, but I saw..."

He remembered the dark circle swallowing Haden whole and The Remnant’s cold amusement. "I saw him lose."

He had expected Zaelyane to be surprised, dumbfounded even, but all he received was an amused chuckle and words that shattered his whole worldview.

"Haha! Of course, he lost. He couldn’t use his full strength, after all."