Yuuta's consciousness started to fade back in as he felt a warm liquid around his face and body. Slightly opening his eyes the liquid was confirmed to be blood a lot of it most likely his. He recalled what happens moments before everything went black. He steadied himself and pushed himself on to his knees.
The broken sword that was in his chest was now laying on the ground next to him. Looking around he found Urik with an icicle sticking out of his head. Yuuta reflexively grabbed his neck remembering the sensation and the sound of Urik cutting through his throat gave him goosebumps.
Just thinking about it gave him chills and made his palms sweaty he could vividly recall the feeling of his spine being cut away.
(Let's add that to the things that keep me up at night list.)
Scanning the arena the ice walls he and Gildi created were still erected. He found Gildi curled up in the corner crying her eyes out. Rohan was still asleep in the opposite corner.
(I need to check on him he's been sleeping for a long time. First though is Gildi.)
He slowly stood up he felt completely fine other than being a bit hungry. Yuuta made his way to the crying Gildi burying her head in her knees. Yuuta put his hand on her back slowly rubbing it back and forth.
"I don't know what to say you saved my life."
Though he could definitely grow back from a single body part, if he was burned to ash it was all over for him. He had no doubt Urik knew that too.
Yuuta sat down next to her still rubbing her back trying to comfort her. She turned to Yuuta and buried her head in his chest. It was almost identical to Ria when she was scared.
"I don't know what got into him he's*hic* never been like before. He was *hic*always rational and thought things through. The complete opposite of how he was."
"He was definitely not thinking straight he almost killed you with hesitation........I'm sorry you had to kill him I don't know what would have happened if you didn't stop him."
Yuuta let her cry in his chest for a good half hour before she started to calm down. It was obviously a traumatic experience for her. She had to kill her friend, mentor, and party member.
She finally pulled away from him looking in his eyes as if she was looking for the slightest hint of doubt before she spoke.
"Well, the first thing we need to do is talk to lord Simkin and Rohan and tell them what happened. Urik went crazy and tried to kill me and you and I put him down."
Yuuta was starting to wonder if he could truly control people. It didn't seem logical that she would take his side so fast and so adamantly. Well if that was true he could have talked some sense into Urik before it came to this. Yuuta decided to not add to her words and just nodded his head.
"Are you sure they will believe you how much does Simkin know anyways."
"Nothing other than we needed the arena to talk to you and that you might be a threat to the kingdom. But we should be able to play this off as Urik having a grudge towards you that went too far."
"I'll leave those matters to you. What about Rohan will he believe this story so easily."
Gildi thought about for a minute.
"Truth be told Rohan has been trying to find a reason to leave the party for quite some time. He and Urik had a falling out but he never talked about it so this is the perfect excuse. He's told me many times that he feels bad for leaving his little sister alone for months at a time for stupid requests he has no interest in."
All of this seemed too good to be true Yuuta had trouble believing everything was going to fall into place as she said but he had no other choice but to trust her words.
"Why are you doing all this for me not even 2 hours ago you were trying to kill me?"
Gildi froze for a minute I think she didn't even know why she was protecting him it probably didn't even make sense to herself.
"I don't know ok I just saw Urik killing you and I made a decision. I felt he wasn't giving you chance and he became a murder like the ones we used to capture and kill. He became what he hated most and for what to kill someone who was innocent."
" Still I don't mean to say this so you will doubt yourself but you chose me over someone you knew for years I'm guessing. It just feels like I should be the one who is dead."
Before she could give an answer Rohan sat up and was staring at Urik.
"What the fuck happened?"
Gildi and Yuuta stood up together and explained the situation to Rohan. How Yuuta spared all their lives and even healed them. She told Rohan that Yuuta was a vampire and that he only sucked the blood of criminals and monsters. That Urik wouldn't listen and went crazy trying to kill her and Yuuta and finally that She put him down when he was about to slice Yuuta's throat.
Rohan just sat there in shock it was a lot to comprehend he just kept staring at Yuuta then Gildi then Uriks dead body. After about ten minutes of silence, he finally spoke.
"I never told anyone this but I always had a bad feeling about him. I don't know what it was but he always seemed like he was one bad day away from going on a killing spree. When I asked him from some time to see Emmy he almost took my head off and tried to play it off like a joke. From that day I was hoping for an excuse to leave and I finally got one so theirs no complaints from me."
After hearing Emmy's name he couldn't help but ask.
"Hey is your sister an adventurer with red hair and a disciple of Avenci's."
Gildi and Rohan both looked at him in surprise.
"Yea that's her, do you know her?"
"Yea we went on a request together she's the one that introduced me to Avenci she was really nice I'm surprised she didn't talk about you."
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Rohan gave a small frown after hearing she didn't talk about him.
"Well I can't say I'm surprised ever since I was promoted to S rank I haven't been home at all I maybe got to see her once in two years. After our parents passed away I was the only one around to take care of her so she got pretty mad at me when I had to leave for long periods of time."
"That sounds rough well she seemed to be ok when I met her we became friends pretty quickly and she seemed happy so I'm sure she will forgive you."
Yuuta felt weird comforting the man who stuck a dagger in his heart.
Gildi and Rohan both laughed at his comment.
"Did I say something funny?"
"No it's just we were trying to kill you a second ago and now you tried comforting me about my family drama. You're definitely not what Urik said you were you just seem like a normal kid whose insanely strong. It's actually kind of scary how normal you are."
"I guess I'll take that as a compliment. To be honest I don't have any grand plan I just want to settle down and live a calm life.
"Amen to that brother." Rohan gave a wry smile.
"Ohh before I forget let's burn his body no reason to keep him lying about."
Yuuta walked towards Urik and gave a small prayer.
"I wish you would have given me a chance to prove you wrong"
Using fire magic Yuuta burned his body into ash and then with wind magic scattered into the sewers under the castle.
(Have fun swimming with the poop fishes.)
Rohan tried to stand up but he was still too weak so Yuuta gave him a piggy back ride up the stairs.
Gildi laid out the plan to Rohan.
"We are going to tell Lord Simkin that Urik went crazy and tried to kill me and I killed him in self-defense."
"Sounds good to me I just want to get this over with as of today I'm retired. I think I'm going to open my own bar god knows I have enough money to buy the whole west side of the city."
Yuuta couldn't help get nervous as they reached the top of the stairs. The guards that pushed him down the stairs were still waiting at the top mouths wide open seeing him walk up the stairs carrying an S rank adventurer on his back.
They quickly made way for them to pass. Gildi asked where Simkin was and a guard guided them to his office. After a quick knock, A guard ushered them into his office.
"I see your investigation is over where is Urik May I ask."
Gildi gave a blunt answer.
"He's dead"
If Simkin had any feelings about it he didn't show it.
"Hmm, that's troubling news I hope your reasons were valid."
"He went crazy he tried to kill me and Yuuta. Something snapped in him and there was no coming back."(Gildi)
"Very well I have to report this to the king so don't expect this matter to be over."
All three of them nodded their heads. As quickly as they came they left his office.
"Well, That was weird."
Yuuta couldn't help but say.
"Yea That was not how I expected it to go but never the less let's leave before he inquires further into it"
With Rohan still on his back they quickened their pace out of the castle.
Reaching the main road of Celis they slowed down.
Yuuta spoke first.
"What are you going to do now Gildi."
"I'm going back to the capital Avenci has been asking for me to take a job as one of the masters for a while now. With this new found power you gave me my thirst for knowledge has grown that much more."
"Again I don't know what to say about earlier you saved my life if you need anything at all contact me. I will do everything in my power to help you."
Yuuta put down Rohan to give Gildi a hug she tightened her grip around him. She couldn't quite explain it. She had only known him for a couple hours yet she felt connected to him like they had some unspoken bond.
"Sure if I ever need help you'll be the first I ask and a word of advice. It's going to get out that Urik is dead. Don't expect this matter to be swept under the rug so easily. You should come to the capital and get Avenci to protect you she has more pull than almost anyone in the kingdom."
Yuuta gave it some thought before answering.
"I'll think about it, first I need to get back to Ria and make sure she's ok."
She quickly left out the gate her heart beating so fast she thought she was having a heart attack. Gildi hoped this wasn't the last time they met.
Rohan asked for a lift back to his house. For some reason Rohan's body was still weak he couldn't stand for more than a minute before buckling. Yuuta didn't mind he needed to clean up his house before he brought Ria back. Though he wasn't sure he was coming back at this point. According to Rohan, they destroyed his place looking for any clues.
"As a gift for destroying your house, I'll introduce to my connect with The Handshake Brotherhood. If you ever need information on someone or something they will have an answer."
"I don't know they sound pretty sketchy I hope I never need them for anything."
"Yea Yea you say that now but you will be happy you have them when the time comes."
Yuuta carried Rohan to his house it was only two blocks down from Yuuta's house so it wasn't bad at all. Knocking on the door Yuuta heard the voice of a girl respond.
"Coming"
The door swung open to the sight of Emmy wearing an apron and the smell of fresh sweets in the air. Emmy's eyes opened in shock seeing Yuuta carrying her brother.
"Yuuta why are you carrying my brother?"
Before Yuuta gave an answer Rohan yelled
"He beat the crap out of me and almost killed me so he gave me ride back to the house as penance."
Yuuta couldn't really argue with that explanation it was crass but it wants wrong. Yuuta just shrugged his shoulders at the Glaring eyes of Emmy.
"Well, are you going to let your brother in or make him wait outside and catch a cold."
"Hmph you could die for all I care aren't you just going to leave tomorrow for another year without talking to me."
"Nope as of today I'm retiring as an adventurer I'm home and I'm never leaving again."
"Really your not lying."
"Of course not I'm done being an adventurer it's too stressful I'm going to open up a brothel haha."
Yuuta plopped Rohan into a chair and headed for the door. Emmy quickly cut off his escape route.
" Where do you think you're going you can't just drop off my idiot brother and leave as nothing happen."
"Well it's a long story and I'm not sure you really want to know."
Emmy gave a small nod.
"Fine but have Rohan tel...."
Yuuta looked over at Rohan who was already asleep snoring in his chair. Yuuta gave out a hefty sigh as he told a simplified version of that day's events. Hitting the key points him meeting Absolute Dominion fighting Absolute Dominion and Gildi killing Urik. Deciding to keep out the whole vampire thing, him and Gildi seemed to have an understanding about keeping it a secret. Rohan seemed to keep a lot of secrets so he wasn't worried about it.
Emmy just sat at the table with a look of shock on her face. You could tell she was thinking of something to say but nothing came out.
"I know it's a shock I can't believe it happened and I was there for it."
"Where did Gildi go?"
"She went back to the capital she's going to take a job at the mages guild or at least that's what she said. By the way, why didn't you tell me you had a brother not to mention he's an S rank adventurer?"
"Does it really matter he's just like any other useless brother."
"I guess it's none of my business if you don't wanna talk about it. I need to go clean my house your dick head brother and his friends ruined it apparently."
"Yea it isn't."
Yuuta got a little mad by her comment but he understood it was a touchy subject for her. Everybody had one or two of those. None the less it got under his skin.
"See ya."
He turned around and walked out of her house he heard her say something but he had been through enough drama today.
He quickly walked the two blocks back to his house. And of course to pile on to this shitty day his house was torn apart. That tables and couches have flipped the cushions were ripped open. The plates and cups were shattered. His mattress was thrown across the room and all his and Ria's clothes were lying on the ground. It took him to midnight to finish cleaning the house.
Getting some water from the well he took a bath. For the first time today he could relax leaning back in his tub he let out a deep sigh. He still couldn't believe today's events.
Drying off he jumped into bed even though he was dead tired he tossed and turned for most of the night. Every time he closed his eyes he felt the sensation of his head being separated from his body. It was definitely a traumatic experience that wasn't going away any time soon. Also, he hadn't noticed but he got used to Ria cuddling up to him and snoring in his ear. He missed her and most importantly it made him realize he needed to be more cautious about everything he did from now on. If he was going to build a life with her he needed to do everything he could to keep his secret.
After a couple more hours of thinking about Ria and having flashbacks of Urik slicing his throat he decided to give up on sleep and stared at the ceiling waiting for morning.