Chapter 192: Chapter : 192 : She Is My Daughter!

Kael didn’t give Xerath a second to breathe.

He stepped in hard, boots scraping stone, both hands locked on the hilt as he swung his greatsword in a tight, controlled arc instead of some flashy overhead bullshit.

CLANG—!

Flame and mana slammed together.

Sparks exploded everywhere, heat rolling off Kael’s blade in waves so strong the air warped around them.

Xerath’s ring-blade shrieked as it blocked, crescents grinding against burning steel.

“Demon,” Kael growled through clenched teeth, muscles screaming as he pushed forward, “you’ll die by my hands.”

He swung again.

And again.

And again.

Each strike faster.

Each one heavier.

The fire around the blade intensified, flames climbing higher, licking up the flat of the sword, the temperature rising so fast the stone beneath them started to glow faintly red.

Xerath slid back half a step, boots carving lines in the street.

“In your dreams,” Xerath snapped, voice sharp now, no amusement left.

He twisted his wrist.

The ring-blade rotated violently, crescents spinning like a saw, barely holding Kael’s blade back.

From above—

FWOOOOSH.

A firebolt screamed down.

Kael’s eyes flicked upward on instinct. “—!”

He twisted sideways, letting it pass.

The bolt slammed straight into Xerath.

BOOM!

Smoke erupted, thick and black, swallowing half the street. The shockwave rattled windows and sent loose rubble skittering across the ground.

Kael landed in a crouch, sword raised, flames roaring louder. “Got you.”

For a heartbeat—

Nothing.

Then the smoke exploded outward.

Xerath launched backward out of it, boots smashing into stone as he flipped mid-air and landed in a low crouch, one hand braced against the ground.

Unharmed.

He rose slowly, rolling his neck once.

Annoyed.

“Tch,” Kael muttered. “Of course.”

From above again—

FWOOOSH—FWOOOSH—FWOOOSH.

More firebolts rained down, forcing Xerath to shift, blocking one with his ring-blade, deflecting another with a sharp twist of his arm.

“Annoying fire arrows,” Xerath hissed.

Kael didn’t let him breathe.

He leapt.

Sword came down like judgment.

Xerath barely caught it, ring-blade screaming as flames wrapped around the crescents.

The street cracked beneath their feet.

“You’re slowing,” Kael said, pushing harder.

Xerath bared his teeth. “You’re loud.”

Farther back, Aiden knelt with his kids, eyes never leaving the fight.

“My babies,” He said quickly, hands steady on their shoulders. “Stay here. Alright?”

Leona nodded hard, wings tucked tight. “Okay!”

Liri grabbed Noir’s hand. “We’re not moving.”

Noir swallowed, eyes fixed on the battlefield. “Be careful, Daddy.”

Aiden smirked. “Always am.”

He stood.

Turned.

And launched.

Back in the street, Xerath twisted again, blocking Kael’s blade and a firebolt at the same time.

Then—

He felt it.

A presence at his flank.

“…Shit,” Xerath growled.

Too late.

Aiden was already there.

A flash of steel.

SLASH—!

The dagger hit hard, biting deep into Xerath’s side.

The impact sent him flying.

Xerath smashed through a building wall, coughing violently as blood sprayed from his mouth, stone exploding around him as he vanished inside.

Silence.

Kael lowered his sword slightly.

Aiden straightened, daggers still raised.

They looked at each other.

Nodded once.

Then—

The rubble trembled.

Kael shifted instantly, blade snapping back up. “He’s not done.”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “Obviously.”

The wall exploded outward.

Xerath burst through it, landing hard, boots skidding, blood dripping down his chin. He wiped it away with his thumb, staring at the red smear.

He looked around.

Then he smiled.

“There you are,” He murmured.

His right arm snapped forward.

The ring-blade tore itself free and launched.

It moved wrong.

Too fast.

Too straight.

Kael’s eyes widened. “—!”

He jumped after it, sword blazing, but the blade was already past him.

“Fuck—!”

On the rooftop—

Renn froze.

Her grin vanished. “…Shit.”

She raised her crossbow and fired.

FWOOOSH—FWOOOSH—FWOOOSH.

Firebolts slammed into the spinning blade, exploding around it, slowing it just a fraction.

Not enough.

Back on the street, Kael landed and shouted at the top of his lungs.

—

Back on the ground, everything slowed for just a breath.

Kael was mid-jump, chasing the screaming ring-blade through the air, flames roaring off his greatsword as he tried—failed—to close the gap.

Xerath turned his head slightly.

Not toward Kael.

Toward Aiden.

“Aiden Nightshade,” Xerath called out, voice cutting through the chaos.

Aiden didn’t look surprised. He didn’t even turn fully. Just angled his head. “Yeah?”

Xerath’s red eyes narrowed. His grip tightened around the remaining blade.

“Tell me something,” He demanded. “Who is that demon girl to you?”

Aiden paused.

Just for a second.

Then he looked back.

Not at Xerath.

At them.

Leona clinging to Liri. Noir standing frozen, hands clenched, eyes wide and terrified and hopeful all at once.

Aiden smiled at them.

Not a warrior’s smile.

Not a threat.

A dad’s smile.

Xerath waited.

Aiden turned back, grin spreading across his face like it was the easiest answer in the world.

“She is…” He said casually, proudly, without hesitation,

“My daughter.”

The words hit harder than any blade.

A warm wind swept through the broken street, gentle and sudden, brushing past Noir like a living thing. Her breath hitched.

Her heart fluttered painfully in her chest.

Warmth bloomed inside her—deep, overwhelming, real.

Her vision blurred.

“…Daddy…” She whispered.

Tears spilled down her cheeks, hot and unstoppable. She pressed a hand to her chest, shaking, laughing softly through her sobs.

Xerath’s teeth ground together.

His left hand clenched tightly around the blade.

His other hand curled into a fist—empty, shaking.

“So…” He muttered, voice dropping, something brittle creeping into it, “You’re really dead set on becoming the bridge.”

Aiden shrugged lightly. “Yeah,” He said, almost sheepish. “Guess so.”

Then he smiled again. That same stupid, pure smile. “I just want to make this world safer,” He said. “For my family.”

Xerath’s eyes widened.

For the first time—

Not anger.

Not hatred.

Recognition.

—

On the rooftop—

“Kael!” Renn screamed, panic ripping through her voice as she fired bolt after bolt at the spinning blade tearing through the air toward her.

*Can’t even run from it. It’ll just follow me.

Her hands shook. No—focus.*

She reached back, grabbed five arrows at once, jammed them onto the crossbow in a reckless cluster.

“Burn,” She snarled.

Mana surged.

Fire exploded.

The arrows ignited white-hot, flames roaring so violently the air screamed.

She poured everything into it.

“STOP, DAMN IT!”

She fired.

The arrows slammed into the blade in a massive explosion of fire and smoke.

“Alright!” Renn bounced in place, her boobs bounching. “YES—!”

Her smile died.

The blade burst out of the smoke.

Closer.

Slower—

But still coming.

“It just made it a bit slower,” She croaked.

On the ground below, Kael was sprinting, boots cracking stone.

“RENN! RUN!” He shouted. “IT’LL CUT YOU IN HALF!”

“I KNOW!” She screamed back, already running. “WON’T IT JUST FOLLOW ME?!”

“JUST RUN, DAMN IT!”

“What you say!” She snapped back, panic and sarcasm mixing as she bolted.

The blade caught up.

Too fast.

Renn looked back.

Closed her eyes.

“…Kael…”

“RENN!”

Nothing happened.

She blinked.

Opened her eyes.

Her mouth dropped open. “Sylas?!”

Sylas stood in front of her, feet planted, fist buried straight into the spinning blade.

Light erupted everywhere as mana screamed against raw force.

“You alright?” He asked with a relaxed smirk.

“Yes—yes—YES!” Renn nodded furiously, tears streaming as she laughed and cried at the same time.

Then—

A blur from the side.

“Don’t forget about me.”

Sylara slammed her fist into the blade.

BOOM.

The weapon flew away, slicing through empty air, tearing apart a building before disintegrating completely.

“Good punch, babe,” Sylas said proudly.

Sylara winked. “Learned from the best.”

Renn collapsed and launched herself at Sylara, hugging her like her life depended on it.

“THANK YOU! BOTH OF YOU! I WAS GONNA DIE!”

Kael landed hard on the rooftop nearby, sword dropping to rest against his shoulder as he let out a long, shaky breath.

“…Fuck,” He muttered.

Renn pulled back slowly, suddenly shy.

“Kael… I’m… sorry—”

She yelped.

Kael pulled her into a tight hug.

Sylas made an exaggerated “O” with his mouth.

Sylara purred happily.

Renn’s heart pounded. “Kael…?”

“I was scared,” Kael admitted quietly, voice rough.

She hugged him back, just as tight. “…Me too.”

Sylas glanced at Sylara and shrugged.

—

Back on the street—

Xerath’s remaining blade dissolved into particles of mana.

A dark magic circle bloomed beneath his feet, pulsing ominously.

He looked at Aiden.

Then at the kids.

Then back again.

“Let’s meet again,” He said quietly.

The circle pulled him down.

His body vanished beneath the street.

Silence followed.

Aiden exhaled slowly.

He slid his twin daggers back into his inventory.

Then he turned.

“DADDY!” Leona took off, wings flaring as she launched herself at him mid-air. Aiden caught her easily, laughing as he hugged her tight.

Noir slammed into his left side, arms wrapping around him, sobbing openly.

Liri hugged his right, face buried against him.

All of them shaking.

All of them safe.

Aiden held them close.

And for the first time since the fight began—

He relaxed.

—

END OF Chapter : 192 : SHE IS MY DAUGHTER!

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