Everyone was shocked upon hearing Calec's revelation. Their guardian leader fell in love with the demon god's daughter! No wonder he quit being a member of guardian warriors.
This was something they would never tolerate. They were shaken by this kind of betrayal. The leader whom they thought would protect them until the end and fight with them turned his back on them.
They couldn't accept this. They wanted to punish him. They would like him to suffer a great consequence. This was unacceptable. Their morale as guardian warriors suddenly went down.
"Is this true?" The elder shaman asked them again.
Riyu just closed her eyes while lowering her head. Shiba and Shino exchanged glances with one another. They were being pressured by the elders until they confessed the truth.
They didn't want to get involved in this conflict. It's better to tell them what they knew instead of bearing the consequence of Liam's actions. Besides, Liam would never return so they would not benefit anything from covering up for him.
"Yes… Our guardian leader fell in love with the demon god's daughter."
An uproar of several guardian warriors was heard in the divine hall. Everyone started cursing Liam for betraying them.
But aside from that, they felt more alarmed as the demon god was still alive. They didn't know that Zu Wan had lost his power. For them, he was still a great threat to them.
"We should prepare. The demon god is alive. He is back! What if he will try to come back here and get revenge against us since our descendants killed his wife?!" Mheera's grandmother saw this situation as a very urgent and serious matter.
"We have three powerful enemies now! The former guardian leader, the demon god, and his daughter! We must train hard and prepare for the worst." Another elder shared his sentiments with everyone.
Riyu shook her head. She wanted to tell them that they didn't have to do anything as Zu Wan, Liam and Zhen-Zhen would never go back to their world. They were already living happily and normally in the other world.
'What happened to Mheera? I think she would never give up. She planned something against the demon god's daughter. I wonder if Liam succeeded in stopping her.' Riyu was not at ease. But she had no time to worry about them as she was also in great trouble right now.
"You supported him. Because of that, we have to punish you to set an example!" The Elder Shaman pointed her finger at Riyu.
"No. Don't punish her. She just did what our previous guardian had ordered her," Shino said, defending Riyu. He stepped forward, pushing the sword away from Riyu's neck.
Riyu just giggled humorlessly. She hated Shino and Shiba for supporting Calec's lie. She didn't know why Calec was manipulating the truth.
But Riyu could only sigh in defeat as she knew that no one would listen to her now. At this certain moment, she realized that Liam was right.
The guardian warriors were close-minded. They let an innocent child suffer before, sealing her in the divine mountain. They didn't have mercy. They didn't give the demon god and his family a second chance so this tragedy happened.
They ruined a small happy family. This was not a duty of a guardian warrior. They were supposed to defend and protect. But now, they were the ones who wanted to destroy beautiful things.
'Now, I can understand why Liam chose to quit as guardian warrior. These people… only believe what they think is right. They are judgemental.' Riyu slammed her eyes shut while grinding her teeth.
'The demon god's daughter is more merciful than them. She knows how to protect… not to hurt or destroy other people.'
"If you think that I deserve this punishment then I will not object. But I knew deep inside my heart… I didn't do anything wrong. The same with our former guardian leader… He just followed his heart."
Riyu's statement brought more rage from the other guardian warriors. They were looking daggers at her, ridiculing her. They thought she was a traitor too who didn't deserve any mercy.
Anyone who sided with the demon god and his daughter was considered an enemy.
"Kill her!" One guardian warrior shouted from the crowd.
"She might be possessed by the demon god!"
"She is under his spell!"
"Kill her!"
Riyu just smiled bitterly. If this was her fate then she would be glad to offer her life. At least, at the last moment, she found the truth. The demon god and his daughter were not pure evil… and the guardian warriors were not always the good ones. They also had this evil side… they're rotten inside. No mercy and no compassion. They were blinded by their own hypocrisy.
Riyu had decided not to fight back. Someone attacked her from behind. A strong vine pierced her heart. It was too late for Shiba and Shino to protect her.
But Riyu didn't even wince. She just looked at them with her solemn expression. Her lips soon curled up in a bitter smile.
'My guardian lord… I pay for my crime… for betraying you before… Now… I am proud to say that I stand by you.' Riyu mumbled inwardly, still thinking about Liam.
'My guardian lord, I hope you will find your own happiness in that world… don't ever come back here. Protect the people you love.'
It did not take long when Riyu finally closed her eyes. She fell to the ground. Her breathing and her heartbeat stopped. She was gone. The only guardian warrior who remained loyal to Liam.
"Riyu! No!!!" Shino gathered her in his arms. "Healer! We need a healer!"
However, no one stepped forward to heal her. She's gone. They could never bring her back. Shiba and Calec were also shocked beyond belief. They didn't wish anyone to die. Riyu was their friend… but they betrayed her.
Meanwhile, in the other world where Liam was still lying in a coma, tears suddenly fell from the corners of Liam's eyes as if he dreamed something bad about Riyu.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶