Chapter 5 – Shields of Love, Flames of Resolve
The night refused to pass.
Sam lay awake, staring at the ceiling, listening to the slow rhythm of Meera's breathing beside him and the soft, innocent sleep of their daughter in the next room. The city outside was quiet, but inside his mind, a storm raged endlessly.
The Elf King's words echoed again.
Your mercy will destroy your family.
The voice overlapped with flashes of memory—burning skies, collapsing realms, screams buried under divine fire. Faces he no longer remembered clearly. Blood that never truly washed away.
Sam closed his eyes.
For centuries, he had survived by restraint. By sealing power, burying instincts, choosing mercy even when destruction felt easier.
But now… that restraint felt fragile.
If my mercy truly leads them to ruin, he thought, then mercy itself must change.
Slowly, carefully, Sam made a decision.
"I will protect them," he whispered into the darkness, "even if I have to sacrifice everything else."
The Hidden Workshop
Before dawn, while the city still slept, Sam moved.
He descended far beneath the surface, beyond ordinary tunnels and forgotten foundations, into a place no one else could sense. Space warped subtly as he passed through layered seals—ancient, god-forged barriers responding only to him.
His hidden workshop awaited.
The chamber was vast and silent, carved from obsidian-like stone. Runes glowed faintly across the walls, reacting to his presence. This was not a place of creation—it was a place of containment.
Sam raised his hand.
Dark magic responded instantly.
Not chaotic, not violent—this was god-level authority, compressed into perfect obedience. Shadows folded inward as he shaped the power, condensing it with surgical precision.
He worked without haste.
First, the pendant—small, elegant, deceptively harmless. Divine energy layered within it like invisible armor, calibrated to react automatically to lethal threats.
Then, the ring.
More complex. More personal.
A shield that responded not just to danger, but to intent—protecting its bearer even from unseen forces, curses, and divine observation.
When he finished, both artifacts pulsed softly, radiating a quiet finality.
Unless a true god intervened personally, their bearers would be untouchable.
Sam stared at them for a long moment.
The pendant… for his daughter.
The ring… for Meera.
Forgive me, he thought. You'll think this is love. You won't know it's fear.
A Gift from the Calm Man
Morning sunlight filtered into the kitchen.
Breakfast was quiet, ordinary—just the way Sam wanted it.
He placed the pendant gently in front of his daughter.
"This is for you," he said softly. "Wear it. Always."
Her eyes sparkled.
"Really, Papa?! Yayyy!"
She slipped it over her head immediately and threw her arms around him, laughing.
Sam allowed himself a small smile.
Then he turned to Meera.
A small box rested beside her plate.
She frowned in confusion, then opened it.
The ring caught the light.
Her breath hitched.
"S-Sam… you gave me a ring?"
He met her gaze calmly.
"Am I not allowed to give something to my wife?"
Meera's Heartbeat
Meera's thoughts scattered.
Since their marriage, Sam had never given her gifts. Never flowers. Never jewelry. His affection had always been subtle, restrained, expressed in actions rather than gestures.
For the first time, her chest felt tight.
Has he changed?
Or… has he finally accepted me?
Her eyes burned with emotion. She looked away quickly, hiding the tears.
Their daughter clapped excitedly.
"Mama! Papa gave you a ring! That means Papa loves you a lot!"
Meera laughed softly, wiping her eyes.
"Hmph… you never say sweet things. Now I'll start expecting more."
Sam's lips curved faintly.
"So much attitude from one gift? Dangerous behavior."
They laughed together.
For a brief moment, everything felt normal.
A Hidden Truth
Meera and their daughter wore their gifts proudly.
They saw warmth. Affection. A calmer Sam.
But inside him, the truth was colder.
You think I'm changing, Sam thought. But I'm only preparing.
If the day comes when even these shields fail…
I will become what I've been running from.
For a fraction of a second, his eyes glowed blood-red.
Then vanished.
A Day Like Ordinary People
The atmosphere at home lightened.
Meera teased Sam more than usual. Their daughter proudly showed off her pendant at breakfast.
"Mama, look! Isn't it pretty?"
Meera crossed her arms theatrically.
"It's nice… but my ring is special."
"No! Papa loves me more!"
"No, me!"
Sam folded his newspaper calmly.
"I refuse to judge. You're both dangerous."
"PAPA!" / "SAM!"
The City Festival
That afternoon, the city bloomed with celebration.
Spring Festival banners filled the streets. Magic fireworks sparkled even in daylight.
Meera insisted on a family outing.
"I don't like crowds," Sam said.
She lightly punched his shoulder.
"You complain about everything!"
"And you dramatize everything."
Their daughter laughed so hard she almost tripped.
Eventually, Sam agreed.
Small Romantic Moments
In the crowd, Meera quietly slipped her hand into Sam's.
He hesitated.
Then allowed it.
At a fortune-teller's stall, the old woman squinted at them.
"Your destiny is unusual. The husband's soul is heavy… but his love and protection will never abandon you."
Meera blushed.
Sam replied calmly, "That was obvious."
"You can't say something romantic even once?!"
"I already gave you a ring. Do you want a quota?"
Fireworks
Night fell.
Magic fireworks painted the sky.
Their daughter slept on Sam's shoulder.
Meera leaned beside him.
"Sam… what if life always stayed like this?"
He glanced sideways.
"You want me to become normal?"
She smiled faintly.
"Maybe. But I love you as you are."
For a moment, his eyes glowed red.
Then faded.
I want your world to stay like this forever…
but I don't know how long I can protect that illusion.
The Forgotten Protection
The next morning, their daughter rushed to school.
The pendant lay forgotten on the table.
Sam noticed immediately.
"She forgot it."
Meera shrugged. "She's a child."
Sam smiled faintly.
But inside, his focus sharpened.
Office Premonition
At his office, Sam froze mid-step.
The air thickened.
A subtle glow formed on his forehead.
"So… you finally tried."
The room exploded with displaced air.
And he vanished.
Kidnapping Attempt
A deserted alley.
Ten Surpasser-level dark guild wizards surrounded his daughter.
"Little princess," the leader sneered, "we'll expose your father using you."
She trembled.
"Papa…"
A faint glow pulsed on her forehead.
The Arrival
The air stopped.
Pressure crushed the ground.
Sam appeared instantly.
"Shh… Papa's here."
She hugged him desperately.
Sam raised his gaze.
Ten wizards froze under his stare.
The Fight
Spells erupted—lightning, shadow, fire, ice.
Sam waved his hand.
Everything dissolved.
"Impossible!"
His eyes burned red.
Genjutsu activated.
Wizards turned on each other, trapped in hallucination.
"0.1 seconds," Sam whispered. "That's all it takes."
Phoenix Fire
The leader summoned a dark vortex.
Sam moved his daughter aside.
Phoenix Fire ignited.
The vortex vanished.
The leader collapsed—alive.
"I don't take lives," Sam said. "Remember that."
The Forehead Kiss
Sam knelt before his daughter.
Soft light bloomed under his touch.
"Pendant or not… I'll always find you."
"How?"
"A secret. A small forehead kiss."
Meera's Reaction
At home, Sam kissed both foreheads.
Meera froze.
"You…?"
"Can't a husband kiss his wife?"
She flushed deeply.
"Mama's blushing!"
She punched Sam lightly, heart melting.
Vacation Training Begins
Sam stared at the pendant.
"I won't always be there."
Vacation began.
"We're going to a lakeside villa. Training included."
"Training?! Yayyy!"
Meera narrowed her eyes.
"You're hiding something."
"Observe training… or cook."
"You—!"
Six Months of Growth
The villa was serene.
Training began.
Light. Fire. Healing. Combat. Control.
Failures. Laughter. Progress.
Sam pushed her relentlessly—because he never wanted her helpless.
Meera watched, understanding.
The Bond of Family
By the final month, their daughter stood strong.
"Strength isn't to hurt," Sam said. "It's to protect."
She hugged them both.
Meera cried quietly.
"And I'll always be with you," Sam said.
End of Chapter
Shooting stars crossed the sky.
Sam stood watch.
Calm. Unmoving.
Whatever the future held—
His family would endure.