บท 20: 020: Broken Bonds
Azar's Gift- Chapter 20: Broken Bonds
Tharions slumber was fitful, burdened by guilt and grief that weighed on him like a heavy cloak. Mina's visage lingered in his dreams, her laughter resonating in the corners of his mind, only to be engulfed by the merciless darkness that had snatched her away. Yet it wasn't the haunting nightmares that stirred him awake but rather the sound of raised voices piercing through the stillness of the night.
"...How could you?!" Ulla's voice echoed, filled with anguish and rage echoing down the corridor.
Tharion shifted, his eyelids fluttering as he attempted to dispel the remnants of his troubled slumber. He could discern the unmistakable tone of Velaris, icy and pragmatic slicing through Ulla's accusations, like a sword.
"You must come to terms with it, Ulla. There was no alternative. The shadow had devoured her. Postponing her demise would have only led to devastation, in Eldergrove.
Tharion awoke, his hands shaking as he donned his cloak. His heart sank at the sound of Ulla's cries piercing through the silence. The protector had been by Mina's side since her birth assigned by Tharion himself to keep a watchful eye on his daughter.
While Ulla wasn't Mina's mother she had always been present throughout her life, at her birth and now tragically at her passing. Their bond was unbreakable and her sorrow ran as deep as any parent's grief.
"She wasn't gone!" Ulla's voice quivered with emotion as she protested. "You didn't even try to save her. There had to be another way—anything but this! She wasn't just a victim of war. She was a child! She was… Mina!"
Tharion quickened his steps, his heart racing as the argument escalated. At last he reached the door to the room and pushed it open, his breath catching in his throat at the sight before him.
Ulla stood in the middle of the room, fists tightly clenched at her sides, face flushed with a mix of anger and tears. Her eyes were filled with a wild desperation. Opposite her Velaris sat on Jarec's shoulder, his gaze glimmering with detachment in the dim light. His tiny form remained still, exuding an unwavering demeanor as if Ulla's sorrow held no significance to him.
Jarec stood silently, his expression strained, clearly burdened by the gravity of the moment. He refrained from speaking, his internal conflict visible as he grappled, between the empathy he felt and the harsh truth that Velaris continued to impose.
"Necessary?!" Ulla hissed the word like poison, her voice trembling. "Are you saying that taking an innocent girl's life was necessary? You didn't care—neither of you cared! She wasn't just a stranger to me! She... she was my responsibility, my charge but more than that—she was like a daughter to me. I was there when she was born and I was there when... when you..." She faltered, unable to complete her thought.
Velaris stood unfazed his tone icy and measured. "In matters like this compassion has no place. Mina was already consumed by the ancient darkness. She would have brought destruction upon the village. Sentimentality only clouds your perception of reality."
Ullas shoulders trembled with grief as sobs shook her frame. "You heartless monster. You didn't even *try*! She could have been rescued but you—you didn't care enough to explore an alternative!"
Velaris narrowed his gaze his voice dropping to a menacing tone. "Emotions would have led to Eldergroves downfall Ulla. You let your feelings obscure your judgment. We acted in the way possible to protect everyone here. If you can't accept that maybe you should reconsider who's truly blind."
Before Ulla could retort Tharion stepped forward, his voice hoarse and weary. "That's enough."
Both Ulla and Velaris turned their attention towards him. Ulla searched his face with tear stained eyes hoping—begging—that he would support her and acknowledge her pain. Velaris on the hand regarded him, with an expression waiting for the truth to be revealed.
As Tharion stood before them his throat felt constricted with emotion. The sight of Ulla's devastation tugged at his heart but he couldn't overlook the burden of the decision that had been reached.
He stole a glance at Jarec who remained silent his face pale and troubled as he witnessed the heated exchange. Jarec's internal conflict was palpable—he longed to console Ulla and speak out against Velaris' callousness yet he too recognized the harsh reality they confronted.
Velaris was the one to break the silence. "Was it wrong, Tharion? Do you believe we made a choice?"
The question lingered in the air like a noose tightening around Tharion's throat. Ulla's intense gaze pierced through him her tears glistening in the flickering firelight. Gradually he shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. "No. It wasn't the choice."
Ulla recoiled as though she had been struck by his words. Her lips quivered and her hands trembled uncontrollably at her sides. "How can you say that?"
Tharion's voice faltered. "The shadow had already claimed her, Ulla. There was nothing left of Mina to salvage."
"Nothing left?" Ulla's voice broke as new tears streamed down her cheeks. "She was still *Mina*! We didn't even make an effort, Tharion! You didn't *fight* for her!"
Tharion stepped forward, his voice trembling. "I did fight, Ulla. I fought with all my strength, but there was no other choice—"
"No," Ulla cut him off, her tone laced with bitterness. "You didn't fight because she wasn't worth it to you. She was never really your daughter, was she? She wasn't a son—not the heir you desired! You didn't love her the way you would've loved a boy. That's why you let her die!"
Tharion's heart shattered at her accusations. His legs gave way and he collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming down his face.
"Don't say that. Please, Ulla, don't say that. I loved her—more than anything else in this world. I cherished her and she brought joy to my life. Do you think it was easy? Do you think I didn't wish to save her?"
Ulla's sobs softened but her sorrow remained as tangible as ever. Velaris observed both of them, emotionless, his gaze as frigid as ice.
Tharion struggled to speak.
"Mina wouldn't have wanted to hurt anyone. She wouldn't have wished to be the reason Eldergrove fell. I did what I had to... because I truly believe that deep down, she wouldn't have wanted to be saved if it meant destroying everything she loved."
Jarec finally broke the silence his voice barely above a whisper yet brimming with raw emotion. "We had no choice. If there had been any alternative we would have seized it.
Trust me Ulla we all grieve for her. But Velaris is right she wouldn't have wanted this."
Ulla wiped away her tears her voice raspy from the sobbing.
"You'll never comprehend... Neither of you. She was just a child and you took her life."
Tharion lowered his gaze feeling his heart shatter once more. An oppressive stillness enveloped the room, with only the gentle crackling of the firewood, to fill the void left by Minas departure.
---
— ตอนใหม่กำลังมาในเร็วๆ นี้ — เขียนรีวิว
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง