824 Even If We Have To Leave Everything Behind

(Warning: Gore. It ends after *** *** ***)

The man, if he could still be called one, had lost all resemblance to a living being.

His whole skin was missing, resulting in a grotesque sight. The nerves, the blood vessels, and even the blood flow were visible.

There were only empty sockets in the place his eyes once were, his tongue was cut off, and his teeth were broken. His ears were scalded.

The chair he was strapped to was completely drenched in his blood.

*** *** ***

The man himself was barely breathing and with each breath, his body twitched and spammed and his face grimaced from the pain.

The fact that he's still alive was a miracle in itself!

From the comm thrown at the corner of the room, Varian recognized the man's identity.

Batran. A Peak level 8. The Commander of a hundred thousand-strong army. The protector of a fortress.

Looking at his pitiful condition, Varian felt deep sorrow well inside him. Even though he tried his best to prevent it, his eyes turned red.

A man doing his duty, leading his people into war so that everyone else can be safe.

If he lost and got captured, his fate was complete up to the enemies.

A quick and merciful death? A painful death?

Or worse, brutal torture like this one.

Varian opened his mouth to speak, but all that left his throat was a muffled call.

The man on the chair stiffened and turned his eyeless face towards Varian. He opened his mouth to speak, but without his tongue, the man couldn't utter a word.

And just for this small movement, blood spilled out from the man's body and he started to twitch in pain.

His mind got closer to being completely broken.

Varian couldn't bear to look at him like this anymore and used his psychic powers to knock him out.

Then, he quickly pulled the man into the ghost ship and used his telekinetic powers to place in the best healing pod he had.

"M-Master, what is this? No, who is this!" Boo cried out in fear and shock.

Varian lowered his head. "He's the hero who tried to save the fortress. A man who didn't break even under inhumane torture. A warrior who still had the courage to stare me in the face thinking I was an enemy."

A deep silence followed.

Boo studied the injuries and flinched.

Varian grabbed a comm from the room and walked out. "Let him rest. Inform his family members and the military that he's safe."

"Yes." Boo nodded.

— — —

The Ghostship entered the fortress again and with Batran's comm, it easily opened the secret formation and teleported to the next planetoid.

From there, Varian's supervision wasn't required and Boo took over the travel.

Varian, on the other hand, was standing in front of Sarah's retreat room.

No matter how hard he tried, Batran's figure flashed in his mind.

How much pain did he endure?

Even if they're archenemies, this was kicking below the belt.

'Damn you Abyssals!' Varian's eyes turned red and he knocked on the door. "S-Sarah, I want to…see you."

One after another negative thoughts popped into his mind and Varian felt increasingly worse.

To add to his woes, Sarah's reply didn't come.

Varian knew she was in a retreat and was better off being alone. That's why he didn't bother her so far.

But now…

Varian looked at his pale face and bloodshot eyes in the silver wall's reflection and shook his head.

A few more seconds passed, but there was no response.

'Fine…' Varian gritted his teeth and was about to turn around when the door opened.

A mix of green, white and red light lit up the entire ghost ship.

Varian walked towards the source of the beautiful lights.

The room was devoid of any items and was completely bare except for a few pictures and short videos floating on the walls.

Varian gave a glance at these collections and his footsteps slowed down.

They were all taken during the vacation. With each video, a memory flashed in Varian's mind and warmth spread in his heart.

In a photo, Sia and Sarah were checking new clothes during a shopping tour. Behind them was him with a haggard face.

Varian remembered that day clearly. He bragged about his 'patience' in front of the girls. They took him shopping for six freaking hours. Only then did he understand what patience really was.

In a short video, Sarah was seriously trying to cook while Sia sneaked behind her and yelled. Sarah was startled and accidentally threw the half-cooked dish into the flames. Sia burst out laughing and in revenge, Sarah chased after her.

That day, Sarah kept pouting until Varian helped her 'punish' Sia.

'Sia…' Varian forced a smile but he didn't know if she was alive or…

Taking a deep breath, Varian walked toward the woman who emitted the colorful lights.

In a white one-piece, Sarah was floating in the air as she sat crossed-legged. Giving off a holy aura, she looked like an angel from the old myths.

She's almost at the end of her retreat, but currently at a critical juncture. So, she couldn't open her eyes or talk to him.

Varian didn't mind. His feet left the ground as he floated behind her. "Sarah, what I'm about to do, don't get startled."

He gave her two seconds to prepare herself before embracing her from behind.

"Sarah…" Varian wrapped his arms around her waist and felt her soft body in his.

He felt her slightly unsteady breath, her racing heart, her cold skin. He could smell the smell of a special lavender, unique to her.

Sarah's eyelashes fluttered and she was about to forcibly break her retreat to ask what happened with him for him to behave like this.

Varian felt her movements and kissed her cheek. "Don't. I'm fine. I just missed you."

Sarah's face turned rosy but her eyebrows knitted together. She could tell Varian was lying, but she also understood he didn't want to worry her.

Whatever he was facing, he just wanted to see her and hug her.

If so, she was more than happy. She too missed his warmth.

The couple stayed in a tight hug while they remained silent. It was a familiar silence. A silence of comfort.

'I used to think getting killed is the worst thing that could happen to you two, but I was wrong. What happened to Batran, that was brutal….' Varian held Sarah's hand and interlocked his fingers with hers.

Even though she was right in front of him, he was scared.

'I don't want you two to ever face that fate. Even…if we have to leave everything behind, as long as you're both safe, then everything is worth it.'

Sarah felt Varian's trembling body. And she could feel his thumping heart.

Even though he hadn't uttered a word, Sarah could feel the grief Varian was in. The turmoil he was facing, his resolve despite the hardships, and finally, his care towards her.

'Varian, if it can make you feel like this, then it must be something terrible.' Sarah wanted to hug him and tell him it'll be alright.

That even if it's something they can't overcome, they'd face it together. But she couldn't even speak in her current condition.

A teardrop slid down her cheek as Sarah grieved for the pain he was suffering. 'You have to face this all alone. Forgive me.'