Choosing A Side Part 1

The distant echo of footsteps crunched over the decayed remnants of the village I once called home. My heart pounded as my eyes locked onto the two figures approaching through the mist. Ryul, my old friend, wore his usual grin as if this was just another casual reunion. But my gaze was drawn to the hooded figure beside him, her presence striking me like a blade to the gut.

Amelia.

My breath hitched, and my hands curled into fists at my sides. Memories, both warm and agonizing, crashed into me. Why is she here?

Ryul was the first to break the silence. "Damn, Darx! You're actually alive! Before receiving the letter, I didn't know if you were still alive or not. Thought you got yourself killed doin' somethin' reckless. I got a lot to say, man, but—" His words cut short as his gaze snapped to the woman standing beside me. Zaine.

Zaine's sharp eyes locked onto the newcomers, her posture rigid with suspicion. She sensed my unease after noticing Amelia immediately, and without hesitation, a crushing wave of demonic energy exploded outward. The ground trembled, and the very air thickened, suffocating, and oppressive. For a split second, I saw pure terror flicker in both Ryul's and Amelia's eyes.

"Zaine, stop!" My voice came out sharper than intended as I turned to her, reaching out. "They're not enemies... I think."

The pressure vanished as swiftly as it had come, but the weight of her power still hung in the air. Though her expression remained composed, there was a flicker of something beneath the surface—calculation, assessment. "You hesitated. Are you certain?"

I swallowed. "Yes."

Ryul coughed, loosening his collar. "Holy hell, t-the demon next to you..."

"Not just any demon!" Sunshine chirped, "She's Zaine, former Demon Queen, incredibly strong, stunningly beautiful, and also totally my bestie now!"

I focused my gaze on Ryul. In my letter, I specifically instructed him not to mention me to anyone. I also didn't say anything about Zaine, as I had hoped to tell him in person. However, although Ryul looked surprised, he seemed to know already that she would be here. What is going on?

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then, breaking through my tension, Ryul suddenly grinned and, before I could react, pulled me into a firm embrace. I stiffened at first, caught off guard, but then something inside me gave way. It had been so long since I had seen him since I had spoken to someone who truly knew me before everything had fallen apart. My arms moved on their own, returning the embrace. It was brief, but it meant more than words could say.

Pulling back, Ryul chuckled, shaking his head, "Damn, Darx. Seeing you like this... I can't believe it's really you. I have so much to tell you, man. Things have changed."

I studied him closely. His eyes, though alight with relief, held something. Something weighed on him. But before I could question him, my thoughts returned to the immediate issue at hand.

"Ryul, what's going on?" I asked, my tone firm.

"You see-" Ryul was about to speak but was interrupted.

"Darx..." Amelia's gaze lingered on Zaine, brows drawn together, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned to me, her voice quieter. "Darx… can we talk? Alone."

My muscles tensed. My instincts screamed at me to say no. Ryul wouldn't bring Amelia here to set a trap, would he? But then again… Amelia was capable of deception. Even so, I really doubt that Ryul would betray me. But more than that, if this were a trap, there would be no way to capture Zaine and me together. They would need much more than just two people.

"You call," Zaine said without taking his eyes off the front.

I focus my gaze on Amelia. Why is she here? What do you want to talk about? I guess there's only one way to figure it out, "Okay." I replied.

We walked through the abandoned village, leaving Zaine and Ryul behind, our steps echoing against the remnants of our past. The skeletal remains of homes stood like forgotten tombstones, whispers of childhood laughter long lost to time. My fingers trailed over the jagged edges of a broken doorframe. This had been someone's home once. Mine.

Neither Amelia nor I spoke as we walked away. Without the hood concealing her face, I noticed she had changed a bit since the last time I saw her. I don't want to admit it, but the years have been kind to Amelia. She looks good.

The demon girl who is with you is very beautiful," Amelia was the first to speak. Even though she tried to hide it, I noticed nervousness in her voice, "Is she your girlfriend?"

"It's complicated," I replied.

"Ohh..."

We continued walking for a while longer in silence. I was starting to wonder when Amelia would start talking and tell me why she wanted to speak to me alone.

Then Amelia broke the silence, her voice laced with a softness, "Do you remember the days when it was just us? You, me, and Oliver? Training, dreaming of becoming adventurers?"

Nostalgia? That was what she wanted to start with? As if those memories hadn't already been tainted beyond repair. My fingers curled into fists, my nails pressing against my palm, "That was a long time ago."

She flinched at my tone, hesitation flickering in her eyes, but she pressed on, "I missed those days. I missed… you."

A lump formed in my throat. I wouldn't let her words affect me. Not now. Not after everything, "What do you want, Amelia?" My voice was colder than I intended, but I didn't care, "Nostalgia isn't why you're here."

She stopped walking, turning to face me fully. Her fingers clenched at her sides, her voice strained with something deeper—something raw, "A lot has happened, Darx. More than you know. And I—I'm a mother now."

The words slammed into me like a warhammer to the gut. My breath hitched, my body stiffening. M-Mother? The word echoed in my head, "A-A mother?" My voice felt distant. A sharp spike of dread coiled in my stomach. "Don't tell me—"

"Yes," Her lips curved into a small, almost uncertain smile, "A boy. His name is Daver."

Something inside me twisted violently, a storm of emotions battling for dominance—rage, disbelief, sorrow. Without a doubt, Kase must be the father.

"That's a strange name." It was the only thing I could think of to say.

She gave a weak chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "It's a combination of the names of the two most important people in my life. Darx… and Oliver."

The air was sucked from my lungs. My body went rigid, "What?" My chest tightened, my heart pounding, "Is this a joke? After everything, you still—?"

Amelia looked away, biting her lip. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and then, before I could say anything else, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Darx… I'm sorry." Her voice broke, covering her face with one hand, "I'm so, so sorry for everything. For betraying you, for treating you the way I did. If I could turn back time, if I could change things, I would. I swear it. But I can't, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Her sudden vulnerability left me reeling. I clenched my jaw, unsure of how to respond. A part of me had let go of my anger long ago, but forgiveness… was something else.

Sensing my hesitation, Amelia whispered, "I'm not with Kase anymore."

That caught me off guard. My gaze snapped to hers, searching, "What?"

Amelia swallowed hard, nodding, "After what happened in the cave, I… I was lost. Everything was chaos. I barely made it out alive. But I didn't go back to him. I couldn't. Instead, I ran. I hid in a distant village, a place where no one knew me. For a while, I thought I'd never return and just disappear with my son."

Her voice wavered, but she steadied herself. "But I couldn't because I needed to see you again. To tell you the truth. To tell you that I—"

She stopped herself, exhaling shakily, "I just needed you to know."

I stared at her, my thoughts a tangled mess. I really didn't know what to think. Amelia seems sincere. But I don't know...

I crossed my arms over my chest, an instinctual barrier, "The truth about what?"

Amelia inhaled deeply as if gathering the strength to say something important, "You may not believe what I'm about to tell you, but I promise you it's the truth," Amelia did a slight pause, "Kase… had a power. An ability. A gift from the goddess. One that made people love him."

A cold shiver crawled down my spine, "Uh? What are you saying?"

Her eyes, glistening with unshed tears, locked onto mine, "I didn't love him, Darx. Not truly. I was under his influence. Just like your mother. Ilene."

The name struck harder than a blade to the gut. My world tilted, nausea clawing at my insides, "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it!" Amelia's voice cracked with urgency, "Ilene adored you! She would never have abandoned you for a stranger! Doesn't it make sense now? Kase manipulated her, just like he did to me."

Fragments of memories resurfaced—the warmth of my mother, her unwavering devotion… and then, how she changed. Same for Amelia. Amelia's betrayal, the coldness in her gaze when she chose Kase.

But if this was true…

"Do you think I will believe that..." I whispered without conviction.

"I know it's hard to believe, but when I came out of his skill, it was like my whole world changed. When I was with him, I felt like the luckiest woman in the world. My love for him was infinite. I was willing to do whatever Kase asked me to do to make him happy. I would have given my life for Kase without thinking twice. Then all of that suddenly disappeared in a snap of a finger, leaving me only a mental shock and an infinite hatred for Kase," Amelia's voice trembled, "The moment I escaped from Kase when his power no longer controlled me… everything became clear. However, by then, I was already pregnant. It was too late to undo the past, but I could still try to make things right."

A storm raged within me—fury, pain, a sickening sense of helplessness. Is Amelia telling the truth? If what Amelia tells me is true... does that mean she did the same thing to my mother? To Syvis? All the women who were important to me left me for him. It's too coincidental. From what I know, S-Ranks receive a skill of their choice. But would a goddess really grant Kase a skill like that?

"T-There's more," Amelia hesitated, her expression darkening, "Two things, Darx. One will be hard for you to hear, but you need to know."

Fear coiled around my chest, but I **** myself to nod, "Say it."

She took a shaky breath, "Ilene and Syvis… they both also gave birth to Kase's children."

The ground beneath me might as well have vanished. My body tensed, trembling as I processed her words, "No…" My voice was barely a strangled whisper.

"When I left the village where I was hiding, leaving my baby in the hands of people I trust, I returned to Riledo with the purpose of getting **** on Kase. Almost two years have passed since I arrived in the capital and saw your fight with Kase. Several things happened after that. One of them was that Kase was sent by the Queen to the territory of the Dark Elves. Ilene and Syvis made the trip with him," Amelia began to explain without emphasis. I was still in shock, barely deciphering what she was saying, "I was also sent on a secret mission where I followed them, and many things happened on that trip. One of them is the one I told you..." Amelia paused, looking at the state of shock I was in, "I'm sorry, Darx."

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. My mother… Syvis… My first love. My mother's love. He had twisted the people closest to me. A roaring in my ears drowned out everything but the frantic pounding of my heart. My hands shook, my nails carving into my palms. A crushing weight pressed down on my chest with fury and despair.

If what Amelia said about Kase's power is true, I will kill Kase! I will make him suffer before I do it!

How many decisions in my life have been shaped by Kase's shadow? I felt like a fooled child, a puppet who had never known who pulled the strings.

Amelia swallowed before delivering the final notice, "One more thing… Kase is dead."

My head snapped up, my heart hammering against my ribs, "What?"

"Kase was killed," Amelia's gaze held mine, steady and unyielding, "Zhoron and Ilene killed him."