Meanwhile....a few months ago...
The swirling light of the portal began to fade away, leaving behind a cold, quiet air. The bright colors of the gateway shrank into nothing, snapping shut and cutting off the world on the other side. As the light vanished completely, reality came crashing down. In my hand, I held the heavy, limp body of Zarha. My arm was locked tightly around my son, dragging him across the solid ground. Zarha was completely unconscious, his boots scraping against the dirt as I pulled him along, his head hanging low without any strength left. The weight of my son was massive, pulling at my shoulder, but I did not let go. I kept my grip completely firm, refusing to loosen my fingers even for a single second as I moved across the ground toward my mansion.
But the physical weight of dragging a body was nothing compared to the agony inside me. Deep within, my soul was torn to pieces. It was a completely different kind of pain than a broken body. My damaged soul was a constant, screaming torture. Every single time I took a breath, it felt as though a thousand hot needles were piercing through the center of my being. Every time my heart beat, a wave of cold, sharp agony rippled outward to the tips of my fingers and toes. Just existing in this space caused a deep, grinding ache that threatened to tear my mind apart. The damage was severe, raw, and completely unhealed. It felt like walking through a fire that never stopped burning, a fire that consumed everything from the inside out.
Every single movement made the pain flare up, shooting lines of white-hot torment through my mind, making even standing upright feel like an impossible task. The pain did not ease up for even a second; it remained a heavy, crushing weight that pressed down on my chest, making each gasp of air a battle of pure survival. Every pulse of life inside me was a reminder of how broken I was. Yet, despite the immense torture that ran through my entire being, my face did not change. I did not let out a single groan. My expression remained completely blank, hard, and calm, like stone. I forced my muscles to stay relaxed, hiding the terrible storm of pain beneath a mask of absolute control.
No one looking at me would ever guess that my soul was crying out in agony with every single movement I made. I refused to show an ounce of weakness, holding my head high as if nothing was wrong at all. I just kept my grip firm on Zarha, dragging him forward step by heavy step, keeping my eyes fixed straight ahead. My jaw was set tight, and my breathing was controlled, hiding the internal screaming that filled my thoughts. I knew I had to remain strong on the outside, no matter how much I was falling apart on the inside. As I moved further away from where the portal had been, footsteps echoed in the yard.
Two figures were quickly walking toward me, their faces filled with worry. My third mae, Mae, and Shiki, my second wife, asked me if I'm doing alright. They had been waiting, watching for any sign of my return, and now that I was finally here, they hurried across the ground to meet me. Their eyes moved over me, taking in the sight of my posture and the unconscious form of Zarha being dragged along the ground. They stopped a few feet away, looking at the two of us with deep concern. They could see the dirt on my clothes and the stillness of the boy, and the worry in their eyes grew even deeper.
Mae stopped just a few feet away, her eyes wide with concern. Shiki stood right beside her, her hands clasped together tightly, her gaze searching my face for any sign of trouble or injury. The silence between us lasted for only a brief second, but it felt incredibly long as the pain in my soul continued to throb and burn without a moment of relief. I stood there, holding myself perfectly upright, refusing to lean or show even the slightest bit of weakness in front of them. I kept my breathing slow, deep, and even, even though each intake of air felt like swallowing broken glass.
Suddenly, Mae broke the silence. She stepped a little closer, her voice soft and laced with a deep anxiety that she could not hide. She looked directly into my eyes, trying to see past my blank expression, and asked, "Are you doing alright?" The question hung in the air between us. To answer required me to speak, and speaking meant forcing my damaged soul to endure even more strain. I could feel the ache deep inside my chest tightening, but I did not hesitate. I kept my voice completely level, smooth, and steady, showing absolutely no hint of the terrible torment I was experiencing just by standing there.
I wanted to ensure they did not worry about my physical or mental state, even though every second of existence was a battle against the pain. I focused all my energy on making sure my words came out without a single tremble. I said that I'm fine and my son Zarha is unconscious. I glanced down at the limp form beside me before looking back up at Mae, making sure my words were clear and direct so they understood the situation immediately. "I'm fine," I said, my voice carrying a calm reassurance that masked the fire burning within me. "And my son Zarha is unconscious."
Mae looked down at Zarha, a small sigh of relief escaping her lips, knowing that the boy was at least alive, even if he was completely out cold. She stepped back slightly, allowing me room to move, but the worry did not leave the air. Shiki, who had been standing slightly to the side, stepped forward now. Her eyes scanned the area behind me, looking at the empty space where the portal had just been. She looked left and right, searching for someone else who should have been walking out of that light with us. When she realized no one else was coming, a look of deep confusion crossed her face.
Her hands tightened against her dress as she realized the group was smaller than it should have been. Shiki suddenly asked me, "Where is Tokine, honey?" The name brought another wave of heavy stillness to the yard. I stood perfectly still, my hand still firmly gripping Zarha to keep him from sliding further onto the ground. The pain in my soul seemed to spike at the question, a sharp, biting reminder of the toll the journey had taken on everyone, but I maintained my flawless, unbroken exterior. I did not let my voice shake, nor did I let my eyes waver. I looked directly at Shiki, meeting her worried gaze with absolute calmness.
I did not want her to panic, nor did I want to spend unnecessary energy explaining things that did not matter right now. I adjusted my hold slightly, ensuring Zarha was secure against my side, and spoke the simple truth of what had happened without adding anything extra. I just said to her that she decided to stay with Sogha's group. "She decided to stay with Sogha's group." Shiki blinked, digesting the words slowly. Her lips parted as if she wanted to ask more questions, to know why Tokine had made that choice, but the cold, steady look in my eyes stopped her before she could speak.
Both Mae and Shiki could tell that, despite my calm words, the situation was serious and that now was not the time to demand long explanations. They could see the absolute finality in my posture, a sign that I would not say anything more on the matter. They stood back slightly, giving me space, though their eyes remained fixed on me with a mixture of respect and lingering worry as they watched me stand there. They knew my word was final, and they did not want to push me any further. Without saying another word, I turned away from them, turning my focus entirely toward the large mansion ahead.
I went inside my mansion. Pushing through the heavy wooden double doors, I finally stepped into the cool, shaded interior of my home, dragging Zarha along the floorboards. The doors closed behind us with a soft click, shutting out the yard completely. I moved down the hallway with a single purpose, ignoring the quiet rooms around me. I walked straight into my private study, a massive room filled with large tables and heavy chairs. I carefully placed the unconscious Zarha down onto a long, comfortable couch against the wall, ensuring my son was safe and stable before turning away from him to find a place to rest.
Once Zarha was taken care of, I walked over to my large wooden chair behind the main table and sat down slowly, letting my body sink into the seat. The moment I stopped moving, the sharp pain of my damaged soul shifted into a deep, heavy throb. I forced the pain away, locking it behind a wall of pure willpower, refusing to let the damage stop me. Sitting there in the quiet of my mansion, surrounded by shadows, I looked out the large window at the empty grounds. The sky was turning dark, and the world outside was completely still. My mind began to clear, focusing away from the suffering and turning entirely toward the future.
The setback was massive, my soul was torn, and my family was fractured, but I was not defeated. My eyes grew cold and sharp as I stared into the empty air, my determination hardening into something unbreakable. I began to think, organizing my thoughts and laying out every single step I would need to take next. I decided to plan out my comeback to vaelrith. I would figure out how to heal my soul, how to gather my remaining strength, and how to return to that place with enough power to change everything. Every detail, every move, and every strategy began to form in my mind as I sat in the dark room, completely focused on my return. I knew the road ahead would be long, but my mind was made up, and nothing would stop me from achieving my goal.