"Monsters aren't supposed to be anywhere close here. But why is there a Revenant here of all places? As far as I know, they can only be created by powerful demons that are capable of turning the deceased into living beings without a soul, replacing it with the soul of another demon instead," Father said, immersed in wonder about what just happened.
Though it wasn't that serious, the wound that I received from the Revenant still stung a great deal. But I currently am mustering up the strength to remain strong. It was nothing that I ever dreamt of in the first place, but looking back at it, it seems like a miracle that I'm here, walking home with a fresh wound on my shoulder to tell of that tale.
It quickly began getting dark, and the road was starting to become obscured for anyone to see it clearly. But with the frantic rush that we went on, we returned from the forest, seeing our house up on that small slope; light coming from the windows, and smoke coming from the chimney, indicating of her presence, and that she is safe.
I took one glance at the new night sky, immediately captivated as it took the pain away for a brief moment, then returning me to reality as I had to face it now. Whatever reason that being came to the forest near us, I must stay vigilant. I'll be the only one who can protect my parents when the time comes. And when it does, I'll be sure to succeed no matter what... Or that's what I've resolved to do. Clearly I'm still not in my right mind after what I've just been through.
"Elaine! Elaine, are you here? Answer me, please!" father called out, still not convinced of her safety, nor was I. Instead, I quickly came in and locked the door behind me, searching the lower floor of the house for any sign of her, seeing a lit-up room with an empty presence, only emerging fruitless in my endeavors.
But it was then that we heard a voice come from the floor above us, a voice that made us feel a wave of relief, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from our shoulders.
"Frederick? What's wrong? Did something happen?" she came rushing down the stairs with a surprised expression, but relieved to see that we arrived.
"Elaine, I thought something terrible had happened here. Thank goodness that it wasn't the case," Dad came up to her, embracing her. He was much taller than her despite having a very robust body, while mother has a slim body, averagely tall.
"What is this about all of a sudden?" she looked red as her husband embraced her in relief, not realizing the dilemma we went through.
Oh my! What happened to you, Zach? Where did you get that wound?!" she pushed him away gently, approaching me with an overly concerned expression, as if it was a trauma or a nightmare that she had seen again.
"Sit! I'll get some bandages and medicine. My, just what did happen during your training?" she said, frantically searching the shelves and drawers from within the various rooms of the house, worked up to a great degree. Who knew that it would make her like this, seeing me in a bit of a bad shape. It did hurt after all. It stung and was the worst sensation I had ever felt in my entire life, but seeing her like that made me feel at ease.
"There, I've applied the medicine and wrapped the bandage. It should heal with a few days of rest," she heaved a sigh, sitting down on one of the chairs in the living room with a slump, exhausted because of her own worries. "Would you mind telling me what exactly happened, Frederick? I need an explanation, otherwise I don't think I'll feel comfortable about sleeping soundly."
Father explained what exactly happened in the forest, and about what he thought of it, giving a few insights here and there. And as I thought, it clearly surprised her, the thought of monsters roaming about our area.
"If only this back pain didn't hinder me, then I would've surely done something about it. If worse comes to worse, then we'll both have to depend on Zach to protect us-"
"Is there no other way?" she cut him off with a pleading expression, quite downcast from the looks of it. "I know I've allowed you to train him, but I just can't help but feel terrified if anything might happen to him. I can't allow that, not yet. I'll do something about it myself, so there's no need for any of you to be put at harm."
"But, Elaine, it's starting to get dangerous around here. Who knows what might follow. If we can't train the child to protect himself, then he'll be the one in danger. And I absolutely refuse to put you in harm's way at any matter! What do you even plan on doing?"
"I'll go to the nearby town and pay for a guard, or post a request to clear the forest of any monsters. I know that we don't have enough, but I'll sell some of my jewelry. There's no problem in that, is there?" she looked at him with a straight gaze, one that told of her conviction, clearly making Father's shudder.
"Like I've said, I won't let you. Going in there by yourself is like a sentence to me. I won't even let you step in that forest without someone guarding you. There may be another way. We can move to the town, where it's safe."
"No... But, we've built this house, our hopes and dreams are here. We won't have enough to pay for another home to live in. Leaving this would be like abandoning something we've worked hard for."
"... Well then, why don't we leave this for tomorrow. I don't think we'll reach a conclusion soon, and I wouldn't want to get angry because of some disagreements. Are you alright with settling this tomorrow, Elaine?" he gave up voluntarily, drawing another surprised look from Mom as she faintly smiled at him.
"Yes, yes I would like that," she stood up. "I'll prepare dinner, so why don't you both take a rest for a while. I'll call you when it's ready," she said, disappearing into the kitchen with a content and relieved face.
"I'm sorry that you had to see that, Zach. It seems that we weren't able to agree on something. I guess our bonds as a family just ties us together too tightly. And I don't mind that at all. Your mother and I care for you deeply, so we will go through leaps and bound just to assure that you're safe and sound."
"I understand, Dad. I never doubted both of you for a second. But don't think I'll give up trying to be stronger. My reason just keeps urging me with the way I saw both of you arguing. If I'm strong, then none of you will ever have to worry about anything. So, please, keep teaching me," I pleaded sternly with him, curling my hands into a tight fist, hoping that he'd agree.
"I don't see why not. Your mother wasn't really opposed to you training. She was simply scared of seeing you harmed. She's always been like that, to me as well. And I'm grateful for it. Without her, I'd probably be less of a man than I am now. I understand your reason. I was once like that. And looking back at it now, I see myself when I look at you. So be strong, for us. We'll be there for you every step of the way," he gave off a genuine smile, combing his short beard. "And by the way, I'm proud of you for having taken down that Revenant. You saved me," his smile turned even brighter, making me feel a bit flushed at the praise, but instead I laughed it off.
We had finished eating dinner, enjoying it normally as a family without the heated argument earlier. It seemed that it bothered them both, but they now looked as normal as they could be.
The two of them had already resigned themselves to sleep, clearly exhausted as I heard Dad snoring as I passed by to get to my room on the second floor. It wasn't all that big, but it was enough to keep a roof above my head.
So here I am now, looking at the ceiling as I lay on my bed, unable to sleep due something bugging me. It was silent, owls hooting and crickets singing, the usual. I'm just trying to figure out what that nagging feeling is.
"Man, I can't help but feel useless after all. I ended up worrying them both because I wasn't able to beat that thing... I guess it was really strong despite being wounded. Might as well go outside," I said, getting up from my bed eagerly, taking my sword as well.
Whenever I'm unable to sleep, or if something's brought me down, I seemed to have always gone ot to look at the sky. The starry sky without a cloud in sight. It was enough to lift my spirits. But this time, I might as well add something else into the mix.
"It's as beautiful as ever," I said to myself, looking at the sky after closing the door behind me, securing it just in case.
I felt the strong flow of the wind brush on my skin as I went farther away from our house, standing completely still on a clear plane, breathing in as I unsheathed my sword.
What happened simply couldn't leave my mind, so maybe that was what bothered me after all. I vented my frustrations at the wind, slashing and cutting at it with a certain tenacity that depleted my energy at a record time, like a child throwing a tantrum.
But after a while, I focused, having vented as much as I could to take things a bit more seriously. And that was when I imagined the image of that revenant in front of me, breathing raggedly while holding his longsword with one arm, dragging it along.
It lunged at me, attacking with the same ferocity like that in reality. I reacted the same way, feeling its presence as if it were here all along. Though the thought of that discomforted me greatly, it aided my resolve, helping me visualize the same thing that happened back then.
I dodged to the side, striking it horizontally with my sword as I spun for a momentous attack.
He retaliated without much difficulty, not fazed at all as it slashed upwards, using his body to produce a great amount of speed which he used to counter my attack.
I stopped in my tracks, sighing in disappointment. "How anticlimactic. Even in my mind that thing beats me hands down."
Thought I thought in your mind, you favored yourself, and that everything that happened there was according to you, I was defeated by the revenant in my own consciousness. When it parried my attack, sending my blade flying away, I was left defenseless, and that was where it killed me without hesitation. U shuddered but remembered that it was just my imagination,
I tried a bit more until I had my thoughts straight, emerging narrowly victorious after a few more tries, which seemed longer than what I wanted.
Completely drained after practicing swordplay as my father had always taught me, I fell on the grass, breathing hard as I stared at the sky, even more beautiful and vast through the night, always as breathtaking as usual.
My hands were strained, and pain coursed through my body, something that made me happy seeing as progress came with pain, like what I've been told. "I'll get better, I swear. Hopefully it'll be enough to at least make both of them safe." I said to myself.
I wanted them to be truly happy. They always had to worry about me, though I've been taught be them a lot. Mom was always doing something to keep herself busy, and father did his best to train me, worrying over the security of the family while he's at it, still lacking in a bit of faith in me.
After regaining some of my lost strength, I returned back home, sleeping soundly as I fell on my bed, satisfied with how the rest of the day went.
The next day I woke up to the sound of a conversation happening outside from my open window. It seems that I had woken up rather late since I went to bed later than my usual time.
I groggily got up, trying my best to lift and separate myself from my bed, which seemed to have a magnetic pull that prevented me from parting with it. But with enough playing around, I finally got up and fixed myself, descending the stairs.
The first thing I saw was father speaking with a couple of people wearing the same sturdy looking white and red striped armor, fashioned with a white cape and flat top helmet that they carried on their sides. A sort of armor that I had seen in the past.
"Finally, you're awake. I thought you always woke up earlier than us, so this is surprising. But we can save that for later. Why don't you get something to eat first?" Mom greeted me with a smile, wearing an apron above her usual clothing
"What's with the company?" I asked, looking at the men without s clue of their reasons for being here this time. This wasn't unusual, but the men that came by often never did return, until now that is. Last time I saw them seemed to be a few years ago.
As far as I know, father was a knight of the kingdom, or used to be one. He was a commander too, having served his time in wars which he didn't talk about much.
"Well, you stay safe alright, Sir Frederick? It's been an honor meeting you, and you too, Miss Erinn. You know, I've always told my wife and daughter about you. I've read about your great battles too! If only age weren't something holding us down, then you'd be a great hero amongst us soldiers. Everyone knows that we need someone to inspire us."
"Is that so? Ha ha, it sems that my accomplishments still live on. But forget about me. Right now, it's all up to you and the people living today. People like me who are relics of the past can't do that much anymore. But from those relics and I, we know that you all will still make a difference. Now go along and finish whatever it is you came here for. You're needed everywhere these days," he beamed them with his smile and energy, having been flattered near his ego's limit.
I understand. We'll be around the area to patrol some more," the men said, leaving with a curt bow, mounting their horses, looking magnificent just be standing there with a full decoration of an armored horse and a fully armed soldier mounting it. They galloped away with speed.
"What'd they come for this time? I haven't seen them in a while," I asked, heading to my seat for breakfast.
"It seems that they were searching for the stray revenant that you fought. It seems that they knew of what happened, and I managed to get it out of them."
"And what is it about? Did something big happen?"
"There was a battle with some demons near the town of Lavis. The casualties were as immense as ever, even with the town having been defended by a knightly order. The one in charge of the fief couldn't make it in time because of another battle happening with the demons somewhere else. But it seems that they were searching for one more, a stronger revenant than compared to the other ones."
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"How terrifying. Are there any more news? I fear for our safety here, but I still stand firm in what I said. Forgive me, Frederick, Zachary. For my selfishness and stubbornness," she looked at him apologetically. As a result, he was unable to deny her of anything. But she repaid him with her kindness, those of which could melt the coldest of hearts.
Dad gave a sigh, placing a hand on her shoulder saying, "It can't be helped. If that's what you want, then what's stopping you. Zach, and I will be here to protect you if anything happens, isn't that right, son?" he looked to me, waiting for me to agree, which I did, needless to say.
"But honestly, it's getting terrible as the days pass. Soon we'll be forced to relocate somewhere safe since places like here in the forest will most likely be overrun by monsters," said father
"But isn't there anyone that can stop them? I don't know much of what's out there, but there should be someone capable, right?" I asked, curious.
The moment I asked, my father's and mother's stares seemed glued to me, not until I took back their attentions.
"Ah, well, there are saviors, I guess there 'was' in this case. They were called the Thalise, a race of people chosen by the gods to defeat the threat of the demons in times of great crisis just like what's happening out there. And they would succeed without fail."
"Amazing. Are they that strong?" I said in amazement, having heard of something new from my father, other than his stories as a knight and commander.
"I'll tell you more once we're done with finishing the tasks for today. I'm sure there are no more threats of monsters nearby. There should still be soldiers roaming the forests at this time, so our safety is assured."
We did just that, fulfilling much of everything that was needed; planting a few seeds of vegetables Mom had chosen, fixing things in the house, and many other stuff that required hard, manual labor.
Hours passed and we both stood near the house, training with swordplay, improving my skills as best I could.
"I guess we can use this time to rest. And while you're at it, I might as well tell you of about the Thalise." he went and sat down on the front porch of the house, resting his cane to the side, motioning for me to follow.
"So, where did we leave off... ah, yes, I know just where to start," he began telling of the many feats that a Thalisean had done, showing just how immense their powers were, and how they accomplished many things deemed impossible. But what piqued me the most was the part about them and the demons, a topic which I've heard very little about.
"They were the fated ones that would defeat the demon king. But they disappeared when their time of need was at its greatest. No one knew how or why, but they couldn't bring themselves to worry about that since the demons threatened them, pushing humanity back from their lands. There were many wars fought across the land, both suffering immense casualties, but the humans, greater with each battle. I once read how the battle went."
He cleared his throat, preparing to say something that needed to be emphasized. "It was like a magnificent light that shone brightly amidst the fog of pure blackness. All that had descended into despair found themselves reaching out to this ray of hope that was so high up in the air that many envied it. The way he fought against the greatest odd one could ever hope to fight wrapped the entire continent in anxiety and anticipation. But they never lost hope ever against when he rose. They all believed in him, and that gave him the strength to vanquish the vile cur. But with victory came with a cost, a great one that is. His life," he made a bow after that.
"So in the end, the last of the Thalise disappeared after that battle many years ago. That part I read out was from a book I had fancied. It's taking in dust on my shelf, but it's a good read."
"But now that the Thalise are all gone, who's going to defeat the demons?"
"No one knows. They've been praying to their creator, but a miracle like that isn't simply going to happen... Or fate might just be cruel. But for now, humanity is holding its ground. Still, the demon's movements have been agressive as of late, and it's rather concerning."
"Tell me more about the Thalise, and how strong they were," I urged, interested at learning their ways now that I've known about the demons and the Thalise.
"Hmm, how should I put this. The most experienced ones that I read about were able to defeat numerous numbers of demons by themselves. I haven't seen a Thalise in battle since they've disappeared, but I know for a fact that they exist," he stared at the distance absent-mindedly. I couldn't think about what was in his head at this time. Though I wonder what it was about. It looked like he had something to say, but it could just be my imagination.
"They are fated to battle the demon king, the most feared being in the continent, to the death, a harsh punishment bestowed to any living being in the world. Everyone fears the demons, but until now they hope for someone to save them, even after all these years of waiting they wished... Tell me, Zach. If I told you that there was a living Thalisean in this land, living his life in peace, away from the fears of the demons, would you urge him to fulfill his destiny despite the tragedy?" he looked at me seriously, catching me off guard with the question.
"Wait, is there one living here after all?!" I asked him loudly in surprise.
"No. It's merely a question of mine. A 'what if'. What would you choose?"
"I think, that he should do the right thing, not because of his destiny, but because there are people out there suffering who need help," though it's a spur of the moment, question, I thought hard of it. If there was someone out there who can make the people feel safe again, then I guess it's only right to fix that. But I can't say anything to someone so powerful considering how much room I still have to grow.
"I see..." he didn't continue, keeping his silence for some reason.
"What's is it for anyway?"
"Nothing in particular, son. Don't worry," he stood up with his cane, struggling at bit on the way. "Come, it's starting to get dark. I think it's time I gave you something that you should have had long ago," he made a stern face, walking towards the house as the sun began descending.
As I got in the house, Mom was fixing up the dining table, noticing me saying, "Zach, dear, why don't you fetch the soldiers who came by earlier. Ask them if they'd like to have dinner with us, or urge them if you will. They should be near where you planted the saplings."
"Got it," I said, taking my sword and running out, not feeling much from the exhaustion of training from a while ago.
I made my way through the woods, which was rather hard to navigate through since it was getting dark, and the fact that I didn't bring any source of light with me made it a bit worse. But on the bright side I seemed to remember some of the paths as I marked the trees that I passed back then.
It was deathly silent, as if there was no sign of wildlife anywhere in the vicinity, which was unusual seeing as it teemed with life whenever I came by.
There felt a bit dry as well, and a certain thick, musky liquid scent filled the air close by, something that I swear I know of, but can't tell what.
I decided to go up further, curious to know just where that was coming from, keeping a hand near the hilt of my sword as I moved cautiously, feeling my way through the trees. At this point, I can only assume that a predator had come and preyed on some game that it found, and is feasting on it.
I came to a small clearing, seeing the stump where I used to rest after a hard day's work in the forest. But that wasn't all. I seemed to have traced back the source of the gut wrenching stench.
"What the hell is this?" I told myself, clearly disgusted at the sight of a mutilated corpse wearing white armor. His and a few other's body parts were strewn all over the place, all inhumanely killed from the looks of it. I could barely hold in the terror I felt upon seeing such a horror for the first time.
I couldn't say anything else, yet my eyes stayed glued to their remains. I could feel myself hurling on the ground, which I did, feeling lightheaded afterwards. But I tried to regain my composure, preparing to get back so that I could tell them what happened here. This was no normal predator. Whatever caused this is something else entirely. An unbound beast that could take out numerous soldiers on its own, spilling blood all along the small clearing.
But before I could leave I heard a grunt of pain from someone nearby. I turned my head to see one of the soldiers whose back was up against a tree, his chest was bleeding, and it seemed fresh as the smell gave me that impression. He seemed to raise his hand towards me from what I could make out in the dark. So, I did just that, rushing to his side.
Upon closer examination, I recognized the armor and the people. It was the soldiers that came by earlier about the revenant problem. He looked close to death's door, barely hanging in there as his face said that there was something that he wanted to say.
"Hey, pull yourself together! What happened here? Who did this?" I said, letting my emotions take over as I babbled on, incoherently trying to get an answer from a young man who didn't have that much left in him. I didn't know what to do, so I simply stayed close enough to listen as he whispered something.
"I-It's the Reven- ant... It killed everyone... G-get back to Sir Frederick, they'll be in danger... That thing, it's different from *cough* anything we've fought in Lavis. S-Save them while you can," he struggled with his words, slowly speaking as to not strain himself, accomplishing his task of telling me what he needed to. He would grit his teeth every time he moved an inch, causing ore blood to gush out.
"What can I do?! I-I can help you, just tell me what you need! I can carry you back to our place!" I said, trying to figure out what else I should do with time running out. Who knew inexperience could be this terrible.
"Don't... worry yourself about me, Sir F-Frederick's son. I won't last that much longer. My only regret is not being able to harm the thing that did this to us. But- please, I have only one selfish request... Tell my wife and daughter that I love them... Please, find Fiona Claste, in Lavis," he gripped my hand with his, trembling. He panted, breathing hard as his eyes seemed to start closing.
"Wait! Stay with me!" I couldn't do anything, and the last of him was a faint smile. His arm and body went limp, falling to the ground. All I could do was hold my emotions for a bit longer. Lastly, I closed his eyes, leaving him as he was as I started making my way back to our house.
Without realizing it, my pace increased drastically, and before I knew it I was sprinting at full speed, not caring about anything else, only filling my thoughts about them and if they are safe. "C'mon, Zach, you can't panic. They're safe. They should be. When you get back, they'll be there, and everything'll be alright," I tried consoling myself, speaking as to not lose my remaining sanity.
But as soon as I exited the forest, I felt everything in me sink to the bottom of an imaginary pit. I moved on reflex, not speaking nor saying anything. My eyes widened, and that panic I felt along the way overtook every other emotion I had currently.
A thick cloud of smoke billowed through the sky, and a massive fire illuminated the darkened night. The flames crackled and burned greatly as I could feel its scalding heat on my skin upon closing the distance with it. Most of the support beams had fallen and continued to turn everything to ash right in front of my eyes.
But I hadn't lost hope. I heard a loud crashing sound, like furniture falling to the floor, filling me with hope that they were still inside. But how, just how did this all start? Why is this happening now, and why me of all people? Is there something I did?
I kicked the beams blocking the entrance, making my way inside without delay. The moments I stepped in I saw a sight that petrified me.
A deathly looking man wearing worn, broken plate armor held my father in place as his blade entered and exited through his left shoulder. The thing had a face of pure satisfaction while father, who was standing on shaking legs, held a firm expression, gritting his teeth as he held the thing's blade with his two hands, preventing him from impaling it further into his shoulder.
"D-DAD!!!" I screamed for him, my eyes widening in shock, unable to move as I tried to make myself think that everything happening in front of me was a mere illusion, nothing more, nothing less. But time seemed to slow down, and what seemed like milliseconds felt like an eternity.
Without delay nor hesitation, I rushed the thing, filled with pure hatred and adrenaline. I unsheathed my sword, impaling my sword into its body, forcing it away from my father. He took the sword out from my father's shoulder, refusing to part with it. The thing carried an aura that made me tremble, but I worked up enough determination to fight it through.
I withdrew my sword from its body, kicking it into one of the support pillars, resulting in the thing to be crushed by the weight that came from the upper floor.
"Z...zach, is... that you?" I heard a faint voice call out to me amidst the cracking of the fire and the burning of the house.
"Dad! Don't worry, I'll get you out of this! Just don't move" I tried placing my hands somewhere on his body so that I could try and carry him out of the house, but the sword wound on his shoulder made it hard to move him without the chance of him bleeding out more.
"No, listen, Zach. Go to Lavis and find someone named Theodore Hark and tell him that you're my son. He will help you," he reached for something in his neck, taking out a necklace that had a small diamond shaped shield dangling on it. "Show him this and he will know what it means. Tell him of what happened here," he looked at me seriously, handing over the necklace, and a sealed letter stained with his own blood.
"What are you trying to say? Enough jokes already, I'll get you out of here. Where's Mom?!" I desperately tried to look around the room till I found a figure lying on the floor, motionless. Her supposed to be beautiful dress was stained by her own blood. It felt my heart sink, my arm lose strength, and at this point, I had half a mind to just give up. She was gone.
I held back my tears, carrying my father away from the fire and onto the grass, setting him down gently as to not disturb the wound. "Don't you dare move from there. I won't lose you, you hear me, Dad?" I said, trying to pull myself together, reassuring myself that he'd be fine.
It was then that he spoke. I listened to him in earnest, finding myself looking back at the house as he said that. I stood up and ran once more for the house, and at this point, most of my what composed of my clothing kept burning, forcing me to leave my trousers, feeling the intense heat.
Once inside again, I saw her body in the same place. I ran up to her and carried her body, feeling a bit of warmth emanating from her. I then hurried back outside, placing her gently down next to my father, who was lying down, looking at the sky.
"Mom, wake up. I know you're still there. Hang on, you can't give up on us, please!" I looked over her, finally unable to hold my tears as they dripped down on her face. My entire body trembled and shuddered at the sight of her, worn and beaten, her torso had a diagonal streak of blood, and that part of her dress was cut.
But by some form of a miracle, my tears seemed to awaken her from her sleep as her eyes twitched, opening slowly to the sight of me looking over her.
"Z-Zach?" she could barely even speak. And the first thing she said was my name. And it was with a smile, which only made me even weaker.
"Mom! You're alright! Thank goodness!" I took her hand, unable to hold myself back. I knew it, I knew that she wouldn't have much left. I gave it much thought. There was no time for me to get help, nor did I have to means to help them. I was powerless.
"Son," father called out to me with the last of his energy. "Go and live. There's still much that you need to do. This couldn't be helped. You might not realize it, but you are much more important to the rest of the world than to us. But our love for you will always be greater than what anyone can hope to match. Remember us, son. We will always look over you," he pulled me close to his embrace, feeling his body becoming colder despite the fire. She wasn't able to tell you, but she's always been proud of you. Our only regret is that we couldn't spend more time with you. But that would just be selfish of us. Now go, and live your destiny, Zach," he pushed me away.
I heard a low pitch grumbling noise come from behind me, forcing me back to my feet. It was then that my anger boiled to its peak, seething as I only thought one thing, voicing it loudly at the thing in front of me, engulfed in flames, but not looking troubled by it in the least.
"Why are you still alive you bastard?!" I held me sword with a firm grip. I could feel every ounce of energy in my body being channeled into anger. "How dare you do this to them?!"
He seemed to emit a strange white glow, his eyes were white, and a mark appeared on the back of his hand. A white, small image of a crown with two swords crossing it shone, seemingly appearing from nowhere. His rage started to simmer, and only a serious, stern face remained. He was calm and composed, almost as if the sorrow disappeared completely.
He appeared to become a different person when the mark appeared on his right hand. He stood straight, holding his sword with one hand, looking directly into the revenant's dead, glowing blue eyes. Zach said nothing nor made any type of sound, except for breathing steadily.
The two gravely injured people on the side watched in wonder with their eyes, which they could barely keep open, but could not dare to for some reason. As if seeing the mark made them more resolute, giving them the strength to bear witness.
The revenant rushed him at a breakneck speed, glowing loudly into the sky, running full speed with his sword arm lagging.
He didn't move, waiting for the opportune time to strike, keeping his white glowing eyes on his opponent with ease.
The revenant closed the distance between them, swinging his blade upwards, pulling his body back as to maximize the strength of the swing.
He took a single step forward, raising his sword in unison, bringing it down hard as a loud high-pitch clank echoed, signaling two blades locking.
With one arm, he pushed the revenant to its knees as he pressured his sword further down, reducing its worth to nearly nothing, looking down on it as well.
"You demons have no right to live. You defiled the innocent, brought harm to those that I cared for, and took their lives. You deserve nothing. But let this mark serve as your guide to the afterlife. Be reborn fearing it for the rest of your life," he spoke with a loud, overpowering voice, one that resonated inside the hearts of those that listened to him. It was as if he were a different person entirely.
He forced the revenant to stand, striking his blade into its chest, lifting it up with the momentum of an upward slash, which he continued with. And in one fluid motion he drew the sword back to his left side, slashing the revenant precisely and cleanly. Its body fell to the ground with a loud thud, and so did he.
However, the man, who acted as his father, still had enough energy to move once more. He reached out to his wife's hand, clutching it tightly as he looked at her face with a glance to his side. He smiled, losing his grip on her hand as his eyes closed, not opening any longer.
"Zach... Forgive us for not telling you."