Louskas stood frozen, eyes wide as he stared at the scene above the clan. Countless emotions surged through his chest, his breath growing heavy and shallow.
He had completely forgotten the worshippers around him. His mind was a blur now, unable to think clearly. His father was dying, right there above him — and he couldn't even move. Even if he used his shard now, he would arrive far too late.
His thoughts raced, desperately seeking a way out, yet his eyes remained glued to the unfolding tragedy.
Valrik… battered, blood-soaked, arm torn from his body… held by the red-haired demon worshipper like a crushed insect.
Without thinking, Louskas activated his shard, aiming to teleport the farthest distance possible — not caring about the consequences, only about reaching his father before it was too late.
But then, a voice pierced his thoughts, echoing deep within his mind.
"My son… stop. Don't do it. He's far too strong. Just… let me speak to you for a moment."
It was his father — Valrik Solan — speaking directly into his heart.
"I'm sorry I didn't finish our conversation. Maybe I never will… but know this: I've always loved you. I always will, even beyond death. You were always my pride — even without a shard, you were my son. I knew from the beginning that you would shatter every rule laid before you."
A pause. Then Valrik's voice returned, lower, rougher, filled with guilt.
"Everything you said… was true. I am selfish. Weak. A hypocrite. But believe me when I say — I did it all to protect you. I never imagined my actions would end up causing you pain. I'm… truly sorry."
"I hope you can forgive me. I hope you won't hate me anymore. Maybe I don't deserve it. Maybe I don't even deserve to be called 'father.' I tried everything I could to shield you — to give you all a better life than mine ever was. But in the end, I failed as a father… as a husband… and as a leader."
A heavy blow struck him, pain doubling through every broken bone and open wound — yet he barely reacted. He coughed and pushed on, voice growing softer.
"Help your mother and sister. Don't blame them — I hid the truth from them all. Even Cindra… she thought you were my illegitimate child."
A faint chuckle escaped him, bitter and broken.
"But I'm not afraid for you, my son. You'll endure. You'll rise above it all. Don't blame yourself — all of this happened because of my weakness. I was supposed to protect you all… I failed. This is my burden to carry. So… farewell, my son. My shame is too great… but my love for you is greater."
Valrik's final words came with a smile that seemed to lift a mountain off his shoulders.
Louskas stood motionless, lost in a void, that final message twisting his insides even further. The pain was unbearable.
"…Father," he whispered.
But Valrik never heard the one word he had longed for all his life — to be called "Father" by his son.
Black flames enveloped him completely… and he vanished into ashes.
Valrik Solan — the Lawbreaker — was dead.
The Solan clan watched the scene from below. Some began to weep, mourning the loss of their legendary leader — the noble man who treated them as equals, unlike the cold rulers of other clans. A man even his enemies had respected. A man no one ever feared, but many had followed.
Even the demon worshippers had heard tales of Valrik Solan… and now he had died, burned to nothing in front of them.
Sorrow settled over everyone — except one boy, his gaze empty, eyes fixed on the fading crow that flew through the sky. The words of his father echoed again and again in his mind.
Suddenly, Louskas disappeared.
He reappeared on a rooftop, then leapt again with explosive speed. Even peak first-stage shard bearers would have struggled to keep up.
There was no rage on his face, no grief — only a haunting emptiness in his wide eyes.
A violet sword shimmered into his hand, its light growing stronger, its black aura darker than ever.
He dashed toward the demon worshipper who floated in the air with a smug grin hidden behind his mask.
Suddenly, Eldron screamed in his mind in terror:
"Louskas — brace yourself now!"
But there was no Louskas — only a demon, eyes wide and filled with death.
BOOM!
Two colossal beams of light rained down from the sky with a deafening blast — striking the ground where Louskas and Nyktos stood.