The gates of the clan stood open.
For the first time in days…
There was no tension.
No urgency.
Only quiet warmth.
---
Lin, Leonal, Luna, Emilie, Sylvarielle—
And the Supreme Lady of Darel—
Stood at the entrance as preparations to depart were completed.
The members of the clan had gathered.
Not out of duty.
But out of respect.
---
No loud cries.
No dramatic goodbyes.
Just gentle smiles.
Soft nods.
Eyes that carried gratitude words could never express.
---
Emilie turned back one last time.
Her gaze lingered.
"This place…"
She whispered.
"…feels different now."
Sylvarielle smiled faintly.
"You changed that."
---
Luna stretched slightly, glancing around.
"…they're trying too hard to act normal."
Lucifer smirked.
"That's because they know we're leaving."
A pause.
"…people always act stronger during farewells."
---
At a distance—
Yun Lianhua stood still.
Her usual composure had faded.
Her eyes followed them.
Quietly.
---
She had laughed with them.
Trained with them.
Spoken freely.
Especially with Emilie… Luna… Sylvarielle…
Moments that felt light.
Simple.
Real.
---
And now—
They were leaving.
To a place she could never reach.
---
Yun Tianzhong stood beside her.
Watching.
Not the group.
But her.
---
"…you're thinking too much."
His voice was calm.
Lianhua didn't look at him.
"They're not coming back, are they?"
Silence followed.
Then—
"…no."
---
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"…I see."
---
For a moment—
She lowered her gaze.
Trying to hide it.
---
Yun Tianzhong watched her quietly.
Then…
He let out a soft chuckle.
---
"That look…"
He said slowly.
"…reminds me of something."
---
Lianhua frowned slightly.
"…what?"
---
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
He looked toward the sky.
His expression changing.
Not into sadness.
Not into pride.
---
But into something deeper.
---
"…fear."
---
Lianhua blinked.
"…fear?"
She turned to him.
"You?"
Her voice carried disbelief.
"You also know fear, grandfather?"
---
Yun Tianzhong laughed.
A deep, genuine laugh.
---
"Know it?"
He shook his head slightly.
"…it conquered me once."
---
The air around them stilled.
Even the wind seemed to listen.
---
"Four years ago…"
His voice lowered.
"…a news spread across the multiverse."
---
Lianhua's expression changed.
She listened carefully.
---
"A great war…"
"…one that could swallow everything."
---
His eyes darkened slightly.
"And that chaos…"
"…gave birth to monsters."
---
"The Demandres."
---
The name itself felt heavy.
Even now.
---
"They sent a message to every kingdom."
His tone sharpened slightly.
"Ten humans per year."
---
Lianhua's eyes widened.
---
"If a kingdom obeyed…"
"They would be spared."
---
"And if they refused…"
---
A pause.
---
"They would be erased."
---
Her breath slowed.
"…what did they do to those they took?"
---
Yun Tianzhong's gaze didn't move.
"They didn't kill them."
---
"That would have been mercy."
---
"They broke them."
---
"Cut limbs."
"Shattered will."
"Turned humans into tools."
---
Silence.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
---
"And then…"
He continued.
"They came here."
---
Lianhua's heart tightened.
"…to our clan?"
---
Yun Tianzhong nodded slowly.
---
"A single commander."
"But behind him…"
"…an army that could crush nations."
---
The memory reflected in his eyes.
Clear.
Unfading.
---
"The elders trembled."
---
"They begged your mother…"
"…to accept the deal."
---
Lianhua's hands clenched.
"…what did she say?"
---
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Proud.
---
"She said…"
---
"Everyone in this clan is my family."
---
"And I will never give up even one of them."
---
Lianhua's eyes softened.
"…mother…"
---
"And because of that…"
Yun Tianzhong's voice lowered.
"The commander gave the order."
---
"Destroy everything."
---
The air grew heavy again.
---
"The army moved."
---
"Creatures beyond reason."
"Soldiers without fear."
"Monsters that lived only to obey."
---
He exhaled slowly.
---
"…and for the first time in my life…"
---
"I hesitated."
---
Lianhua looked at him.
"…you?"
---
He didn't deny it.
---
"Yes."
---
"Because I knew…"
---
"…we could not win."
---
Silence.
---
Lianhua stepped closer.
"…then what happened?"
Her voice grew urgent.
"Did you and mother fight them?"
---
She asked again.
"Did you defeat them?"
---
Again.
"Grandfather, tell me—"
---
Before he could answer—
A hand gently rested on her shoulder.
---
Yun Meiying.
---
"We didn't fight."
---
Her voice was calm.
But it carried something far deeper.
---
Lianhua froze.
"…then…"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"…how are we still here?"
---
Silence fell.
---
Yun Tianzhong didn't speak.
Yun Meiying didn't move.
---
The sky above them remained still.
---
Then—
Yun Meiying's eyes lifted slightly.
---
"…because that war…"
---
"…was never ours to fight."
---
A faint wind passed through the courtyard.
---
And for a brief moment—
The atmosphere changed.
---
Not into fear.
---
But into something else.
---
Something vast.
---
Something that could not be explained.
---
Lianhua's voice came out as a whisper.
"…then who…"
---
But no one answered.
---
Far away—
At the gates—
A story remained unfinished.
---
A name left unspoken.
---
A presence not yet revealed.
---
But one that had once stood—
Between existence…
And its end.