Riven's Fall
Riven pushed himself off the ground.
"Ahh… my head…" he groaned.
Elya rushed to his side.
"Riven, are you alright?"
"My head… it hurts. Feels like it's going to explode," he muttered, pressing a hand to his temple.
Darel approached carefully.
"Hey Riven… what was that thing in the air just now?"
Riven took a deep breath.
"I don't know… but there's one thing I do know," he said, his eyes flickering with a dark glow. "Right now, I could destroy even a god."
Darel instinctively stepped back.
Elya thought to herself, "Riven is losing his humanity…"
Riven stood up straight.
"Corven."
Corven appeared before him instantly.
"At your service, my lord. What are your orders?"
Riven's tone was cold and precise.
"There are a few people nearby, watching us. Kill them all… but leave one alive."
"As you command," Corven replied, and vanished into the shadows.
Riven turned to Elya.
"We need to get to the village immediately. We'll need some money… and make a deal."
Elya frowned.
"What kind of deal, Riven?"
Darel cut in, wary.
"What are you planning this time?"
---
Corven walked silently along the dark forest path.
"Hm… so you're hiding there, are you?" he murmured.
He suddenly froze, eyes narrowing.
"Ah… gods…" he muttered. "They're… from our village. My lord will be furious when he finds out."
His jaw tightened. Then he moved—swift as a gust of wind.
He appeared behind one man and, in a single motion, severed his head.
"We've been spotted! Run!" one of them shouted in panic.
Corven smirked. "Too slow," he said, and in seconds, two more were dead.
The last man stumbled back in terror.
"Damn monsters! Die and face the judgment of the gods!" he screamed.
Corven's face darkened.
"Shut your mouth, you bastard," he hissed, slashing across the man's face and gouging out one of his eyes. The man fell to the ground, screaming in agony.
Another took the chance to flee.
"Damn it…" Corven growled. "I was supposed to leave one alive anyway."
Without looking back, he melted into the darkness, heading toward his master—Riven.
At that same moment, Riven lifted his head.
His nostrils flared slightly.
"Hm… the scent of blood… and…" he muttered softly.
Elya noticed immediately.
"What is it, Riven?"
Riven's eyes glimmered faintly.
"That missing man…" he said under his breath. "Unfortunately… he's coming straight to me."
---
Riven smirked as he saw the man.
"Well, well… look who we have here," he said coldly.
Elya gasped. "Damn it… we're done for," she whispered.
Darel, still trying to understand, asked, "Seriously?"
Riven vanished in a blink—like a shadow slicing through still air. In an instant, he appeared beside the man, grabbed him, and hurled him into a tree. The man crashed, bounced off the trunk, and staggered, the mask on his face cracking.
Riven tore the mask away. Underneath was a trembling, pale face frozen in terror.
A dark aura began to radiate from Riven, thick enough to suffocate. His eyes burned with malice.
"This time, I'll kill you," he said, voice colder than death.
The man fell to his knees, hands raised in pleading.
"Please… forgive me! We made a mistake! May the gods protect you…" he sobbed, so terrified he wet himself.
Riven grabbed him again, whispering, "You'll see what I'll do to you."
With unnerving calm, he pressed his fingers to the man's face and plucked out one eye. The man screamed, blood bubbling from his mouth, body trembling between agony and madness.
Riven's voice was low, chilling.
"Wait," he said. "I'm not finished with you yet."
Elya shut her eyes. Darel clenched his fists.
A silent scream seemed to echo between them—Riven's humanity was gone.
---
Riven's grin faded as he stared at the man's face.
For a moment, time stopped.
That face… those eyes…
Suddenly, memories flooded in—a rainy night, a house engulfed in flames, a child screaming, and a man lying lifeless on the floor…
His father.
Riven's breath grew heavy.
"You…" he muttered, his voice trembling.
The man stepped back in confusion. "Wh-what's happening?"
Riven's eyes darkened.
"I remember you," he said quietly. "That night… when our village was attacked… you were their leader."
The man stumbled back in fear. "No… I—I just—"
Riven's fist slammed into his gut.
"SHUT UP!" he roared. "My father's blood is still on your hands!"
Elya flinched. Darel stepped back.
The aura around Riven grew so thick the ground itself seemed to crack beneath him.
He grabbed the man by the hair, lifting him off the ground.
"No… not here," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Your punishment will end where it all began."
---
That night, the only sound in the village streets was the man's screams.
Riven had dragged him to the village square.
His face remained hidden, but his crimson eyes gleamed through the dark—cold and merciless.
The man's consciousness faded.
His pupils trembled, his tongue twisted.
"God… please… forgive me," he muttered weakly.
Riven's voice echoed.
"Your god isn't here."
The man suddenly began laughing—broken, insane laughter.
His eyes rolled back. His sanity was gone.
Riven stood there for a moment, silent, then turned his back.
"No punishment could ever equal yours," he said softly.
Elya wiped her tears.
"Riven… is there still someone inside you?" she whispered.
But Riven didn't answer.
He just walked away—into the darkness, leaving his father's vengeance behind him.
---
Corven approached quietly, the dust of his last kill still clinging to him.
When he saw the glow of Riven's aura, he froze.
"This… this aura can't be…" he muttered, voice shaking. He dropped to one knee. "My lord, I have returned."
Riven's eyes burned faintly red; the air stank of blood.
"Didn't I tell you?" he hissed. "I said kill them all—except one. How did this one escape?"
He stepped forward and shoved Corven aside.
Corven doubled over, gasping. "Ugh… I'm sorry, my lord. It won't happen again."
His voice trembled—fear mixed with loyalty.
Riven's gaze was like a blade.
"Good. Don't ever let it happen again. In fact… don't let anything happen again," he said coldly.
Corven bowed deeply, whispering, "As you command."
He turned and walked away slowly, his steps heavy with regret and fear.
Elya looked at Riven, tears in her eyes. "Riven… is this really you?"
Riven didn't respond.
He just stared into the distance—into the darkness where a child's scream, a burning roof, and his father's blood still lingered.
Darel clenched his fists, torn between fear and disgust.
Silence returned to the village.
As Corven's footsteps faded, a new chill spread through Riven's shadow—
the chill of a decision… and an unending vengeance.
—