Chapter 38: THE SOLDIER’S GRAVE

VIVIAN

The interior of the Sky Ship was nothing like Vivian expected.

It was enormous. The vehicle was divided into several rooms, with a spacious sitting area in the center. Soft seats surrounded a low table, and the walls were fitted with transparent panels that displayed the clouds rushing beneath them.

Vivian sat opposite Darius.

She couldn’t take her eyes off him.

"From now on," Darius said, "I’m your legal guardian."

Vivian frowned. "What exactly does that mean?"

She leaned forward. "Please, Commander. Just take me to my father. I was told his beast was acting up. I was on my way to him before Emelianna’s gang took me and injected me I couldn’t fight back ."

Darius was silent for several seconds.

Then he lowered his eyes. "I’m sorry I’m the one who has to tell you this."

Vivian’s heart tightened. "Tell me what?"

"Your father can no longer maintain his human form."

Her face went blank. "What? I don’t get it."

"His beast frenzy has surpassed his normal eighty-eight percent. During his last mission, he overused his spiritual energy. He’s now ninety-eight percent., and his body couldn’t withstand it anymore."

Vivian stared at him. "What are you saying?"

Darius took a slow breath.

"His frenzy has reached a dangerous stage."

Inside Vivian’s consciousness, Beeny whispered,

Pretty sister...

Vivian didn’t respond.

He means your father is practically dead.

Vivian suddenly stood. "No."

She rushed toward the door.

Two soldiers immediately blocked her.

"Move!"

"Miss Vivian..."

"Move!"

She pushed against them, but they didn’t budge, they were 3 times stronger than her. That’s why they are elite guards of a purple uniform Sentinel.

Darius stood. "Vivian!"

"Take me to him!"

"We’re thousands of meters above the ground."

"I don’t care!"

She turned toward the door again.

"I’ll go myself since you don’t want to take me to him."

Darius’s voice hardened.

"Do you want to jump out of the Sky ship?"

Vivian froze. Her legs suddenly lost their strength.

She slowly slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor.

Her eyes became wet. "Please..." Her voice broke. "Commander, take me to my father."

She looked up at him.

"He’ll want to see me."

Darius closed his eyes.

"Vivian, you’re not a child who can’t survive without her father."

He walked closer.

"Your father transferred your guardianship to me because he believed your mother wouldn’t take proper care of you."

Vivian wiped her tears. "Then take me to him."

She looked directly at Darius.

"I want his beast."

Darius’s expression changed. "Vivian!"

His voice thundered through the hovercar.

"Do you think I’m playing a game with you?"

She flinched.

"Your father is no longer capable of maintaining his human form. He’s completely lost control of his beast nature."

His fists tightened. "He is dangerous. I can’t even approach him safely anymore."

"Where is he?"

Darius hesitated. "The Void Planet."

Vivian’s brows furrowed.. "The Void Planet?"

"Soldiers call it the Soldiers’ Grave."

Her heart sank.

"Before I could stop it, your father was transferred there. The news was blocked and got to me late. "

Vivian buried her fingers in her hair. "I don’t understand. Why was Issac sent there instead of getting treatment."

She looked at him desperately. "Aren’t there female Guides who can use spiritual power to calm male beasts?"

"Yes."

"Then why hasn’t anyone helped him? What is the Military doing?"

Darius didn’t answer.

"Why?"

Vivian’s voice rose. "Do you all want him dead?"

Darius remained silent.

Vivian grabbed his hand. "Why are you suddenly quiet?"

Darius looked at her. "Vivian... your mother is a princess."

He gently placed a hand on her head.

"She is also one of the highest-ranking Guides in the Federation."

Vivian’s expression hardened.

"If she refuses to allow another female Guide to intervene, most of them won’t dare disobey her."

"What about the ones who tried?"

"They weren’t allowed to treat him. The only one who did was a B rank. She couldn’t help him..he needed an S or SS female guide."

"Why? Why CAN’T a higher rank female help?"

Darius sighed.

"The official reason was that your father was only an A-rank soldier. The Federation prioritizes S-rank and SS-rank soldiers because their combat value is higher."

His expression became bitter.

"Those soldiers are deployed in the most dangerous wars. The Federation considers their survival more important. The higher females had to attend to them first. Your father was injecting his suppressant but it wasn’t working anymore. He had suppassed 97 at that time. "

Vivian’s lips trembled. "So because he was only A-rank..."

She couldn’t finish. Darius nodded.

"Your father kept fighting anyway."

Vivian slowly released his hand.

She dropped her head onto her knees.

Her shoulders began shaking and she said to herself.. "Why am I always so unlucky?"

Darius watched silently.

"I finally had a father."

Her tears fell onto her hands.

"And now he’s gone."

Her voice became smaller. "Is it because I’m not supposed to have a family?"

She hugged her knees tighter.

"I came to this place knowing nobody. I didn’t even know why I was here."

She wiped her face. "And the only person I had..." Her voice cracked. "...is gone. People like me are misfortune; anyone around me will surely get infected. I was the one that hurt Isaac..if only I wasn’t so unfortunate."

Darius turned away. After a moment, he spoke to the soldiers. "Give her some time."

The soldiers nodded. Darius left the room. The door closed behind him.

Vivian remained on the floor. She cried until her eyes became swollen.

THE NEXT MORNING

The hovercar landed at the Haxia Federation Military Academy’s new Recruit Dormitory.

Darius walked beside Vivian as they entered. "This is your new house."

He handed her a small access card.

"It’s close to your training grounds."

He paused.

"Arin and your robot have already been transferred here."

Vivian nodded silently. "You’ll also receive your father’s military pension every month."

Vivian lowered her head. "Thank you, Commander Valen."

She entered. The moment she stepped inside...

"Miss!"

Arin ran toward her. She wrapped her arms around Vivian. "Where have you been?"

Arin’s voice trembled. "I was so scared! I thought you’d forgotten about us!"

Vivian hugged her back. "I’m fine."

Arin pulled away. Her eyes were red.

"Sir isn’t here anymore."

A soldier standing nearby lowered his head. "We were told he was transferred. We won’t be able to see him again."

Arin looked at Vivian. "Where were you, Vivian?"

"You know he wanted to speak to you when he called."

Vivian didn’t answer. She simply walked past them.

Robot 99’s screen displayed a large crying emoji.

Vivian stopped. She gently touched its metallic head. "I’m okay."

Robot 99 displayed an even larger crying face.

Vivian almost smiled. She entered her bedroom and closed the door.

Then she collapsed onto the bed. She buried her face beneath the pillow. And cried her heart out. She said.."He had something to tell me. He said he will do everything in his power to stop this. But I couldn’t understand. What was he trying to stop that made him lose his life!! Was it really the Supreme’s World work?"

"Vivian." She ignored the voice.

"Vivian."

Nothing. A tiny figure appeared beside her. Beeny tapped her shoulder.

"Vivian."

Vivian remained motionless. Beeny tapped her again.

"I really have something important to tell you."

Vivian suddenly sat up. "Say it!"

Her eyes were swollen. "Can’t you see I’m not in the mood?"

Beeny flinched. Then she swallowed nervously. "You don’t have to cry."

Vivian glared at her. Beeny pointed at herself.

"Because your father isn’t dead."

Vivian froze. "You...?"

Beeny’s expression became serious. "He’s still alive."

Vivian’s breathing stopped. Beeny continued. "You can still save him. He is just 98%"

Vivian stared at her. "How?"

Beeny smiled. "You can soothe his beast frenzy."

Vivian’s eyes widened. "Are you sure?"