Chapter 14: The Fate Of Ethan Blackwood

The sword in Ethan's hand pulsed with an eerie glow, its dark aura weaving around the blade like living shadows.

Ava's trembling gradually subsided as her gaze locked onto Karnixm's lifeless body. A shaky breath escaped her lips—Ethan had come for her, just to save her.

 "Ethan…" [Ava's voice quivered with emotion, her eyes brimming with tears that streamed down her cheeks.]

Ethan stood in silence, his grip tightening around the sword. Ava watched closely, noticing the slight tremble in his hands.

Nearby, Daniel lay on the ground, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. A deep sigh escaped his lips as his gaze shifted to Ethan. His eyes widened—Ethan's hand was still shaking, yet the sword's dark aura only deepened, growing stronger with each passing second.

 "Ethan?" [Ava spoke again, her voice soft, laced with concern.]

Before Daniel could speak, Ethan let the sword slip from his grasp. It clattered against the floor with a sharp, echoing click.

Daniel watched as the dark aura slowly faded, leaving the sword looking utterly ordinary.

Ethan turned to Ava. She sat against the wall, trembling. The sight of her sent a surge of emotion through him, and tears welled in his eyes. Without hesitation, he rushed to her, wrapping his arms around her in a desperate embrace. A single sob escaped his throat.

Ava clung to him tightly, melting into his warmth as fresh tears streamed down her face.

 "I... I thought you... you left me here alone." [Ava whispered, her voice trembling. Tears streamed down her face as she clung to Ethan, sinking deeper into his embrace.]

Daniel watched them in silence for a moment before averting his gaze. With a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes.

 "I told you... I'd protect you no matter what." [Ethan said, his voice unsteady.]

They held each other tightly, lost in the warmth of their embrace, sharing the moment before finally pulling away.

Ethan gently wiped Ava's tears and offered her a warm smile. He helped her to her feet—her legs were still trembling, but with his support, she managed to take slow, steady steps.

As they stood, Daniel approached, carrying a chair for Ava. Ethan turned to him, surprise flickering in his eyes.

 "H-How did you— I mean, your knees were broken, right?" [Ethan asked, taking the chair from Daniel and setting it down for Ava.]

Both he and Daniel watched as she sat, her body still trembling.

 "I have that device. Did you forget?" [Daniel said with a smile.] "It also helps me regenerate certain parts of my body."

Ethan couldn't help but notice Daniel's striking features. Despite the brutal encounter with the monster, his face remained flawless, almost beautiful.

A pang of jealousy coursed through Ethan as he watched him. Here he was, just an ordinary boy, while Daniel stood before him—handsome, powerful.

Ethan's mind swirled with conflicting thoughts, but they were quickly interrupted when he felt Ava's grip tighten on his arm.

He was standing beside her. Looking at her, he saw her gaze cast downward. Silently, she urged him to stay close. He smiled softly, reassured by her presence.

 [Daniel watched the scene before him, then spoke.] "I'll bring some water for you two." [With that, he turned and walked toward the kitchen.]

When Daniel left, Ava lifted her gaze, meeting Ethan's. A silent understanding passed between them. Her grip on his arm tightened.

He felt the pressure and gently squeezed her hand with his other:

 "Don't worry." [He said with a warm smile] "I'm here. I'll protect you, no matter what"

Ava's heart skipped a beat at his sincerity. Slowly, she rose from her chair, leaning toward Ethan.

Their faces were mere inches apart, their gazes locked in silent conversation, words unspoken but understood. Ava gently placed her hand on his cheek.

Ethan squeezed her hand, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

 "Thank you, Ethan. You saved me again. I—I..." [Ava's voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes.]

"It's alright, Ava. You don't need to say anything."

Without another word, she wrapped her arms around him, her body shaking as she cried.

"I—I'm sorry I doubted you... that I thought you'd abandon me here alone."

[Ethan gently patted her back, his touch reassuring.] "It's a natural instinct," [he murmured,] "that your thoughts drifted there."

 "I think I should come back later…" [Daniel said with a smile.]

Startled by Daniel's sudden appearance, both Ethan and Ava quickly pulled apart, the air growing awkward between them.

Before Ethan could find the words to explain, Alicia, Sara, and Clara entered the house.

Ethan immediately noticed the tears in Alicia's eyes. The moment Alicia saw him, she ran forward and wrapped her arms around him. Ethan melted into her embrace, overwhelmed by the warmth and comfort of his mother's touch. Tears streamed down her face, as if they had never stopped flowing.

 "Well, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Ethan... I need to ask you something." [Daniel's expression shifted to one of seriousness.]

Ethan nodded, gently pulling away from his mother's embrace. But as he did, his gaze fell on Clara. She was moving toward her parents' lifeless bodies, tears streaming down her face, her sobs echoing through the room.

Alicia's heart broke for the girl. Without hesitation, she walked over and wrapped Clara in her arms, offering what comfort she could.

 "I am so sorry, sweetheart. [Alicia whispered; her voice filled with warmth.] "I know this pain is unbearable, but we have to keep going. They wouldn't want you to give up now. We're all here for you"

Clara's sobs grew louder, her hands clutching onto Alicia's clothing.

"I... I don't know what to do. I can't... I can't face this without them," [Clara choked out between sobs.]

Alicia's heart ached, but she held Clara tighter, offering what little comfort she could.

"I know it's hard, honey. But you don't have to face it alone. We're a family now, and we'll fight this together. We'll get through this, I promise you." [She paused, wiping away Clara's tears.]

"Your parents were strong... and you are too. They'd want you to keep going, to be brave—for them. Your father died protecting Mrs. Caldwell."

Clara slowly looked up at Alicia, her face streaked with tears, but there was a spark of determination starting to return. Alicia smiled softly, stroking Clara's hair.

 "Mrs. Blackwood is right, Clara. We're all here for you. Don't lose hope." [Ava said, her voice steady despite the weight of the moment,] "And... that monster... Ethan killed him alone."

Alicia's heart skipped a beat at Ava's words, the weight of them sinking in.

 "What?! Ethan… My Ethan… he… killed that monster… alone?" [Alicia asked, her voice filled with concern as she looked at him.]

At first, Alicia didn't believe Ava's words. But when her eyes fell on the deep scratches marking Ethan's body, her breath caught in her throat, and she gasped in shock

[Alicia gently pulled away from Clara and rushed to Ethan's side, her hands trembling as she gently examined the scratches across his body.] "Ethan..."

[Her voice cracked with emotion as she touched his shoulder, her eyes welling with unshed tears.] "Why didn't you tell me? Why did you have to face that thing alone?"

[Ethan looked up at her, his exhaustion clear in his eyes.] "I couldn't let it hurt anyone else. I... I had to protect you… and… and… Ava." [He glanced toward Ava before shifting his gaze back to his mother]

[Alicia shook her head, her breath shaky.] "I'm your mother, Ethan. You don't have to protect me like that. I—"

[She stopped herself, swallowing the lump in her throat.] "I don't want to lose you. Please, promise me you won't do something like that again."

[Ethan reached out, taking her hand in his.] "I'm sorry, Mom... I didn't want to worry you. But I'm okay, I'm here."

[Alicia squeezed his hand, her face softening despite the fear still lingering in her eyes.] "I know you are... but don't ever put yourself in danger like that again. You mean everything to me."

 Your son defeated Karnixm alone. He's stronger than we thought." [Daniel said, his gaze falling on Karnixm's lifeless body.] "That's why I wanted to ask him a few questions." [He averted his gaze and turned to Ethan.]

 "How did you manage to form an aura around my sword? Did you learn it before?" [Daniel asked]

 "Umm... I actually don't know," [Ethan replied.] "When I entered, I saw Karnixm about to attack Ava. A wave of fear and raw anger coursed through me. I noticed your sword at the entrance, so I grabbed it and attacked him."

"I don't even know how I formed that aura around the sword. But when I wielded it, I felt this surge of power rush through me."

Daniel nodded, looking at Ethan for a few moments, awestruck by his potential. Meanwhile, Ava felt a sense of relief that Karnixm was dead.

Ethan's gaze lingered on the lifeless monster, and he let out a sigh of relief.

 "Where's Ref and Mr. Schitzwit." [Ethan asked, scanning the room.]

 "W—We don't know. Maybe they escaped." [Alicia replied.]

Daniel's thoughts lingered in his mind. Ethan was powerful. He had formed a dark aura around the sword, something Daniel had never seen before, and without even fully understanding how to wield it.

And then there was Karnixm—the king of monsters, a creature that even Daniel struggled to fight. Yet, Ethan had defeated him easily, wielding the sword with a power that was almost unnatural.

Daniel couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and fear. Ethan had grown, his potential evident, but that dark aura... it troubled him. There was power in it, but also something dangerous, something unpredictable.

Suddenly, Ethan coughed, blood staining his lips.

 "Ugh… ark…"