Chapter 109: Awake

Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Awake

"The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them." — Lois McMaster Bujold, The Hallowed Hunt

’I’m still alive.’

The room was far too quiet.

There was no howling mountain wind.

No crackling campfire.

No Fen laughing loudly enough to annoy everyone within twenty paces.

No Sera complaining that Fen was being too reckless.

No Mira quietly humming to herself while analyzing some strange magical phenomenon.

There was nothing.

When Riven finally opened his eyes, the harsh white marble ceiling of the medical ward greeted him.

He stared at it for several seconds without moving.

His body felt heavy.

Not weak.

Not exactly.

Just... distant.

His chest was wrapped tightly in layers of compression bandages. Every breath sent a dull ache through his ribs, while warm restorative magic continuously worked beneath his skin, slowly repairing the fractures.

His right hand was immobilized in a reinforced brace.

For a moment, the room disappeared.

He was back in the snow.

Fen’s greatsword shattered.

Sera screaming.

Mira’s barrier breaking.

Blood staining the white ground.

Riven closed his eyes.

The memories vanished.

Only the ceiling remained.

"Fantastic."

His voice was barely more than a rasp.

Silence.

Riven stared upward again.

His chest tightened.

Riven turned his head toward the window.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains.

Real sunlight.

Warm.

Golden.

Something he had spent an entire year imagining.

Something Elora had promised they would see again together.

Riven’s eyes remained fixed on it.

He should have been happy.

He made it to the surface.

He had survived the abyss.

He had returned to civilization.

This was supposed to be the easy part.

His fingers curled against the blanket.

The blue haired swordsman had been the first person to greet him after his return.

He had offered his hand without hesitation.

He had trusted him.

I watched him die.

Riven swallowed.

Sera.

She had trusted his judgment even when he was technically a rookie.

She had listened whenever he corrected her archery.

She had smiled whenever she landed a difficult shot.

And I couldn’t save her.

Mira.

Quiet.

Kind.

Always curious.

Always asking questions about his shadow techniques.

She had been fascinated by Nyx.

And now she’s dead too.

Riven slowly pulled the blanket higher.

His expression remained completely blank.

That was easier.

If he didn’t show anything, perhaps the memories couldn’t get inside.

The door opened.

Riven immediately wiped his expression clean.

A young girl stepped into the room.

She wore immaculate white silk robes, but the red around her eyes betrayed the tears she had shed before entering.

Riven looked at her.

She looked at him.

Neither spoke.

Finally, she pulled a wooden chair toward the bed and sat.

"You’re awake."

Riven glanced toward the ceiling.

"Unfortunately."

The girl blinked.

He sighed.

"Sorry. Still getting used to being alive."

She gave a small, uncertain smile.

"My name is Caelia."

Riven’s eyes shifted toward her.

"Lady Caelia."

"Yes."

"The million gold prize."

Caelia’s expression immediately darkened.

Riven noticed.

He regretted the joke.

"Sorry."

"It’s fine."

"No, it wasn’t."

She looked down at her hands.

"I never properly thanked you."

Riven shrugged carefully.

The movement sent pain through his ribs.

He immediately stopped.

"You’re welcome."

Caelia looked at him for several seconds.

"You don’t have to pretend."

Riven’s expression remained calm.

"I’m not pretending."

"You are."

Silence.

Caelia’s voice softened.

"The guards told me what happened."

Riven’s eyes moved toward the window.

"They told me about them."

His jaw tightened.

Caelia continued.

"They told me how they fought."

Riven said nothing.

"I also saw what happened"

That earned a faint, humorless smile.

"Apparently I have terrible survival instincts."

Caelia’s eyes filled with tears.

"You protected me."

Riven looked at her.

"You were a hostage."

"I know."

"You didn’t do anything wrong."

"I know."

"So there wasn’t much to think about."

Caelia shook her head.

"There was."

Riven’s expression hardened.

"No."

"Riven..."

"No."

His voice was quiet.

But firm.

"You don’t need to thank me for doing what I was supposed to do."

Caelia stared at him.

Riven looked down at his immobilized hand.

"I was supposed to protect my team."

His voice became quieter.

"I failed."

Caelia’s lips parted.

"You didn’t fail."

Riven gave a dry laugh.

"That’s generous."

"You fought someone much stronger then you."

"And lost."

"You survived."

"Barely."

"You protected me."

"I couldn’t protect them."

The words came out before he could stop them.

Silence filled the room.

Riven stared at the blanket.

His fingers slowly tightened.

Caelia moved closer.

"Riven..."

"Don’t."

She stopped.

He took a slow breath.

"I’m fine."

"You aren’t."

"I’ve been worse."

"That’s not the same thing."

Riven almost smiled.

"You’re surprisingly perceptive for someone who spent most of yesterday inside a cage."

Caelia actually laughed.

It was quiet.

Small.

But genuine.

Riven’s smile appeared for half a second.

Then vanished.

The door opened again.

The elderly Duke entered.

Two imperial knights followed him.

The Duke’s expression was solemn.

He approached the bed and stopped.

For several moments, he simply looked at Riven.

Then he bowed his head.

A full, formal bow.

Riven’s eyes widened slightly.

"Please don’t do that."

The Duke straightened.

"Why?"

"I’m fourteen."

The Duke raised an eyebrow.

"That does not diminish what you accomplished."

Riven sighed.

"Apparently it does make getting out of bed more difficult."

One of the knights stifled a laugh.

The Duke didn’t.

His expression remained grave.

"Young Riven."

Riven looked at him.

"You saved my daughter."

"I’ve heard."

"You continued fighting after suffering near fatal injuries."

Riven shrugged.

"Poor decision making."

The Duke studied him.

"You use humor to avoid discussing what happened."

Riven’s smile disappeared.

The Duke’s voice softened.

"It is understandable."

Riven looked away.

The Duke continued.

"I have spoken with the physicians. Your physical recovery is progressing well. Your core is stabilizing, and your injuries should heal completely."

"Good."

"You will require additional rest."

"Less good."

The Duke almost smiled.

Then his expression became serious again.

"Your definitely not an F rank."

"I can give you work if you need."

Riven studied the mans face he genuinely seemed to want to help him.

"What type of work."

"The expensive type."

Riven considered that.

"The house owes you."

Riven’s expression hardened.

"I didn’t save her for payment."

"I know."

The Duke stepped closer.

"That is precisely why the debt matters."

Riven looked down.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Finally, the Duke said quietly:

"Your companions will be buried with honors."

Riven froze.

He regretted not getting to know them better he didn’t know their families to contact them.

"They will?"

"Yes."

The Duke’s voice was firm.

"They died serving the people of this empire. Their names will be recorded in the regional Adventurer’s Hall, and their families will be compensated from the governor’s treasury."

"All three."

Riven nodded.

"Thank you."

The Duke turned toward the door.

Before leaving, he stopped.

"Riven."

Riven looked up.

"You are not required to carry their deaths alone."

Riven stared at him.

The Duke left.

The door closed.

Silence returned.

Caelia remained seated beside the bed.

Riven stared at the door.

Then he looked toward the window.

The sunlight had shifted slightly.

He could see a patch of blue sky beyond the glass.

It was beautiful.

It hurt.

Caelia reached across the space between them.

This time, Riven didn’t pull away.

Her hand rested gently over his.

"You miss them."

Riven looked at their hands.

"Yeah."

The word was barely audible.

He closed his eyes.

For once, he didn’t make another joke.

He didn’t pretend.

He simply sat there.

Grieving.

Outside the window, the surface world continued moving.

People walked through the streets.

Merchants shouted.

Guild adventurers laughed.

The sun climbed higher into the sky.

And somewhere beyond the mountains, the road back to the Human Empire waited.

Riven opened his eyes.

He had survived a year in the abyss.

He could survive this.

Even if every step hurt.

Even if the silence reminded him of everyone who wasn’t there anymore.

Even if the jokes became harder to make.

He would finish what they had started.

Riven looked toward the blue sky one last time.

"Try not to die before I get there."

The room remained silent.