With the jagged jawbone gripped firmly in his hand, Cade felt a visceral thrill run through him, shadows of his brutal past intertwining with the present. He charged at the nearest troll with the single-minded ferocity of a predator. The creature swung its massive club, but Cade was quicker, ducking low and driving the bone into the soft flesh at the base of its neck.
The sound of cracking bone and tearing flesh filled the air, and the troll let out a horrific wail as it staggered back, clawing at its throat. Cade didn't give it a moment to recover. He followed up with a brutal uppercut powered by sheer rage, the jawbone plunging upward and shattering its jaw, sending the creature crashing to the ground like a fallen giant.
His heart thundered loudly in his chest, but it was not fear that pounded within him—it was a roaring vengeance.
Realizing his ally had fallen, the last remaining troll turned its baleful gaze upon Cade, its empty eye sockets reflecting the chaos around them. With a roar, it charged, swinging its club with reckless abandon. Cade sidestepped the clumsy blow, the wooden weapon narrowly missing him, and seamlessly transitioned into a counterattack.
Before the troll could turn around, Cade seized its arm, wrenching it behind its back. With a fierce thrust, he plunged the bone into the back of its knee. The creature bellowed again, collapsing awkwardly to the ground, struggling to rise.
Not wasting a second, Cade knelt beside the incapacitated beast, and as it tried to turn its head, he drove the jawbone deep into its throat, twisting it violently. The troll howled in agony, black blood gushing forth around the bone, splattering across Cade's arms and chest, staining him in darkness.
Cade, overcome with rage and the instinct to protect, stood up swiftly, surveying the aftermath of his onslaught. Villagers stood frozen, paralyzed with terror and awe as they witnessed the raw brutality before them. The last troll, now alone, struggled to its feet with a desperate fury.
"Leave my daughter alone!" Cade roared, his voice a primal growl as he surged forward with purpose once more. A fleeting glance towards Lyrica showed her trembling, but in her eyes was a mixture of concern and awe that only fueled his fire.
In one last desperate attempt, the final troll swung wildly. This time, Cade caught the blow with his arm, the force rattling him but not halting his momentum. He used that very swing to pivot, using the troll's own strength against it. With a savage yell, Cade delivered a devastating blow to its temple, the jawbone striking with violent accuracy.
The skull cracked beneath the force. The troll's body crumpled like a doll tossed aside, the life ripped from it in an instant.
Cade stood in the center of the village square, panting heavily, surrounded by the bodies of the hulking giants. Black blood coated him from head to toe, dripping from his hair and hands, pooling in a dark halo around his feet. The remnants of his old self—the King Slayer—had emerged, and he felt the familiar rush of battle coursing through his veins, filling the void left by years of restraint.
He glanced down at his hands, slick and glistening with the remnants of the fight, and let out a shuddering breath. The reality of what he had just done washed over him like a cold wave, but it was drowned beneath the overwhelming need to protect his daughter. The screams, the chaos, the fear—it all blurred into one chaotic thread of rage driven by the image of Lyrica's blood on her chin. The battle was over.He stood tall on top of the corpse of the hollow troll, he just killed his heart rapidly beating his vision blurring between red and gray and black, until a bright light fills his view.
Dad…" Lyrica's voice broke through the haze, soft yet steady. She stepped forward, determination etched in her features despite the fear that lingered in her eyes. She could see the storm brewing within him, the frantic energy of a man who had fought hard against a deep-seated darkness only to now stand on the brink of being consumed by it again.
Cade remained unmoving, disoriented by the primal instinct that had surged through him moments before. "Lyrica," he said, his voice hoarse, "I— I didn't want you to see that. I lost myself. I was—"
"Shhh," she interrupted gently, her hand reaching out to grasp his, fingers curling around his calloused palm. "You saved us. You protected me." Her touch was warm and grounding, the weight of her presence flowing through him like light permeating the dark.
"I killed them, Lyrica. I killed them " I became—" He struggled to find the right words his hands shaking with emotion., the remnants of his rage mixing with shame. "I went back.. i became him again.. I can't let that happen again."
"Look at me, Dad," she urged, her eyes locked onto his with a sincerity that pierced through his turmoil. "You're not the monster those trolls were. You did what you had to do to keep me safe—to keep everyone safe."
He felt the warmth from her grasp, a tether pulling him back to the surface. He focused on her voice, searching for the balance between the man he was becoming and the fury he had unleashed. "But I could feel it. The darkness was right there."
Lyrica took a step closer, drawing him into her orbit, her presence illuminating the shadows. "You fought it, Dad. You fought for me. You're my hero—not because of your power, but because you care about the people you love. You protected the village and me."
Cade's heart contracted painfully at her words, the genuine love in her voice wrapping around the fraying edges of his mind. "But the village—they saw me. They saw what I did."
"They saw you save lives," she insisted, her grip tightening on his hand, unwavering. "They wouldn't have to fight if you didn't. You didn't become a monster; you became a father. A protector. A warrior. There's a difference."
Her words resonated deep within him, like echoes of a song he had almost forgotten. He looked into her eyes—her golden orbs flickering with hope, love, and an unwavering faith that he could hardly comprehend. He had fought so hard to keep her sheltered from darkness, yet here she was, shining brightly as a beacon through his storm.
"I don't want to be that person again," he confessed, the weight of vulnerability heavy on his shoulders. "What if I can't control it?"
"You can," she said gently, her voice soothing like a balm on his frayed nerves. "You taught me that we're not defined by our pasts, but by our choices. You chose to fight for me, and that's what matters."
He felt the warmth in her grip seep deeper, a bridge connecting the two halves of himself—the warrior he had once been and the father he aspired to be. As the adrenaline of battle faded, the reality of Lyrica's embrace sank in, calming the churning seas within him.
"Promise me you'll keep that light," Cade said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even when things get dark."
"I promise," she assured, her confidence unwavering. "And I'll help you remember."
As they stood in the aftermath of violence, surrounded by the echoes of what had transpired, Cade leaned down and hugged her tightly. He felt her warmth against him, and for that moment, he was swept away from the remnants of the past.
He pulled back slowly, brushing a few strands of hair from her face, his heart swelling with pride and love. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "For being my light."
"Always, Dad," Lyrica replied, a soft smile gracing her face. "Now let's make sure everyone is okay."
Cade nodded, standing a little straighter, clarity returning in the wake of Lyrica's comforting presence. Together, they turned towards the villagers, ready to face the aftermath of the chaos and rebuild—not just the physical remnants of their village but also the bond that would guide them through whatever darkness lay ahead.