I was exhausted. Each step up the stairs felt heavier than the last, my legs barely carrying my body anymore. Only one thought kept me moving: the silence of the room and the rest waiting for me after such a long day.
That was when Lisa grabbed my shoulder from behind.
"Come on, Narihu. Just a few more steps."
Her voice still carried energy, as if the day hadn't touched her at all.
"How do you still have this much strength?" I muttered tiredly.
"Are you sure you fought alongside me all day?" My eyes closed on their own for a brief moment.
Lisa laughed.
"Sleep is the secret. I told you, you need at least eight hours, or you won't function properly."
She shook my shoulder and then poked me playfully. It caught me off guard, and I nearly stumbled forward.
The moment we entered the room, Lisa threw herself onto the bed.
I sat down at the desk and picked up a cup of tea.
"Tea again? You're so boring."
She held a pillow in front of her face.
I took a deliberately loud sip.
"You were full of energy just a minute ago. Already tired?" I shot back.
"I'm not!" The pillow came flying at me.
I chuckled softly and turned toward the window. I took another sip of tea. The city lights outside flickered calmly… but my gaze slowly darkened.
"Lisa… when we get home, let's visit Arthur."
Silence followed.
Not the comfortable, familiar kind—something thicker. Heavier.
I turned back toward the bed.
My stomach clenched. My hands began to tremble.
Lisa was lying in blood. The bed was completely soaked, her clothes clinging to her body, dark red.
I jumped up from the chair. The cup slipped from my fingers, crashing to the floor and shattering into pieces.
Exactly the same way something shattered inside me.
I jolted awake, gasping for air as if I had been drowning for minutes. My heart was pounding wildly, my chest aching with every breath. It took a few seconds to understand it had only been a dream. A cruel, painfully vivid dream.
The door opened. Someone stepped inside, looked at me… then froze. Without a word, they turned and rushed out. Moments later, I heard a shout echo down the corridor.
"Doctor! Narihu is awake!"
I looked around. White walls. Dim lights. Tubes running into my arm. My body felt heavy, as if it didn't belong to me.
I was in a hospital.
As I lay there, memories slowly returned. Lisa's death. The battle. Losing consciousness. Gregorion.
My throat tightened.
'Why didn't I die? Did someone save me?'
The door opened again. A middle-aged man in a medical coat entered. He examined me briefly, then introduced himself.
"My name is Peter. I'm the doctor who saved your life. You overused your mana core to the point where not a single drop of mana remained. Fortunately, you escaped without serious permanent damage, but you were in a coma for three days." He scribbled notes into the notebook in his hand as he spoke.
"I see… thank you," I said hoarsely. "Where am I?"
"Eldora."
The air caught in my lungs.
"Arcestria's… capital?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes. General Gregorion captured you and brought you here. You will be judged by a court." His tone was somber, but not condemning.
My stomach twisted. Hundreds of questions raced through my mind.
"Why risk bringing me here alive? Why not kill me on the battlefield?"
The doctor shook his head.
"I can't answer that." He turned toward the door. "I need to inform them that you've regained consciousness. Please rest, your body hasn't fully recovered yet." He left the room.
I was alone in the vast, empty space. The soft hum of the machines was my only company… along with my thoughts, slowly tearing me apart.
I rested in the hospital for a few days, and then one morning, the soldiers of Arcestria came for me.
The courtroom was vast and cold. My wrists were clamped in shackles embedded with mana-suppressing stones. Even breathing felt heavier while wearing them.
I entered the hall flanked by two guards. I felt the weight of their gazes immediately. Whispers rippled through the rows—they were talking about me. In their eyes, I didn't see a human being: I saw a monster.
The judge sat on a separate dais, their faces completely void of emotion. The hall was packed to capacity: even the King himself was present. Everyone wanted to see what the monster's punishment would be.
The noise grew louder until the head judge suddenly struck the gavel against the desk. The sound swept through the hall, creating an instant silence.
"The court begins the proceedings in the case of Narihu Mizuhara, warrior of Presporok."
The judge stood up and began reading the charges in a monotonous voice.
"Narihu, one of Presporok's most dangerous Wielders. Responsible for the deaths of countless Arcestrian citizens. He faces multiple charges for crimes against humanity."
When he finished, jeers and outraged noise surged through the room. I stood in one place, motionless, staring ahead with an expressionless face.
"The accused may now speak in his defense."
I looked around the room. Foreign faces, eyes filled with hatred. Then, in a steady voice, I spoke:
"I have nothing to say."
The noise intensified instantly. Someone from the audience threw a hard object at me. A sharp pain followed, and blood began to trickle down my face. I didn't move.
The judge stood up again, a piece of paper in his hand.
"In the absence of a defense, the court hereby announces its verdict."
That was when I felt it. A touch on my hand. I looked to my side immediately and saw Lisa standing next to me.
She smiled at me, and in that moment, something tore loose from my chest. An involuntary, faint smile appeared on my face. Together, we turned toward the front.
"Narihu, warrior of Presporok, I sentence you to death." The judge finished the sentence and sat down.
Strangely, I felt relief. The only thought in my mind was: Finally, I can join Lisa.
In the next moment, applause broke out. Loud, celebratory applause.
Suddenly, the King rose from his chair. The applause died down instantly. He looked me over, then raised his gaze to the judge.
"I annul the court's verdict." His voice was calm, yet unquestionable. "As King of Arcestria, I impose a different punishment. One from which Arcestria will profit."
A soft whisper ran through the hall. The judge was visibly surprised.
"What do you have in mind, Your Majesty?"
The King's expression softened slightly, but his gaze remained hard.
"We shall utilize his strength. He will join the Shadowguard."
The air in the room froze.
"Don't you think that is far too dangerous?" the judge spoke up. "To give a monster like this that much freedom..."
"He receives no freedom." the King interrupted. "My daughter shall forge a bond with him. As long as it stands, he will obey."
The weight of those words swept through the hall. Everyone was stunned. But most of all, me.
The judge remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Understood, Your Majesty. I shall amend the sentence accordingly."