277 Why? (2/2)

Claire eventually couldn't take it anymore and asked to join the group embrace as well, and of course, none of them were opposed to that.

”Sensei...” Joseph whispered while looking at Xadi, ”Do you know this pain too...?”

Xadi remained silent for a moment and soon began to speak while crossing his arms, ”Yes... I lost my parents and my wife when I was not that much older than you... It's like the ice lady said... Death is the same for us all... It will probably happen to you as well at some point... So get ready for it by not creating any strong attachments to anything or anyone...”

”Anyone...?” Joseph repeated.

”Anyone...” Xadi answered, ”Bonds just weaken you down and let you vulnerable for the enemy to strike when your guard is down...”

Joseph stared at the crossbow family, at how they each stood side-by-side and carrying each other while reaching their lowest point. The boy would often hear every now and then from his parents about how one of his uncles died, or how one of his grandparents might have passed, but neither he nor his mother and father ever showed this kind of reaction.

”I don't know...” The boy whispered, ”They don't seem weak to me at all...”

Joseph then stood up and began to bow while looking at Detra.

”Miss Detra...”

”Eh...?” the ice mage mumbled.

”I wanna fight too! Can you please put my name on the list?”

Detra raised an eyebrow, ”Pardon me...? Where did that come from...?”

”Please!” Joseph begged, ”This is the first time I ever felt what it means to be a true family! I wanna fight for them as well!!”

Detra began to rub her chin while looking at the kid and suddenly noticed Daren coming closer as well.

”Me too...” he said, ”Let me fight in this battle!”

”You!?” Detra gasped, ”You wanna fight? But... How...??”

”I can use magic now! Leona showed me how to do it! Please!” Daren insisted.

”Well...”

”Me too!!” another voice spoke, Ashley's voice, ”I wanna fight as well!!”

”Wait, what!? You're not even a fighter!” Detra tried to argue.

At that moment, Marcus began to glow and finally changed from his blade form back into his human form.

”She can!” He declared, ”I saw it! With the right weapon, she definitely can!”

”Wait, wait, wait... Hold on a second...” Detra tried to beg while raising her hands.

”Detra...” Evlin said with a look of resolution as she and her whole family came forward, ”Please, let us fight for our friend!”

Detra looked at their eyes. These weren't the eyes of people who wanted to fight for revenge. They were not the eyes Daren used to show, that Evlin used to show, or that Hana used to show. They were different. As if they had no anger inside their hearts, only a desire to let their fallen comrade know that he can count on them to bring forth the victory.

”You people are crazy... You know that...?” Detra commented, ”You think just because you want to win you will have no trouble against the dragons?”

”Yes...” Evlin bluntly replied, ”Because our reason to win is much bigger than any reason Knucker might have...”

”Why?” Detra asked, ”For revenge...? It's always about revenge when it comes to you guys...”

Evlin began to think about how Daren and his group almost killed themselves by trying to go after Detra with no plan due to their hatred for her, and how she herself almost lost her life to Mia because she would go after her with only the desire to get revenge in mind, making her commit many mistakes in the process.

She did not know how she would feel the next time Knucker appeared in front of her, but right now, there was no anger or desire to get revenge on him, only a deep hole in her heart from knowing that she would never see Gustav again, and a fear that the same might happen again.

The woman then understood, she loved her family more than she hated her enemy. She didn't want to get payback on him, only to keep them safe, and for that to happen, he needed to go away.

”No... Revenge never goes anywhere... I just want this to end... This is about survival...” Evlin corrected, while wiping her tears, ”I just wanna stop that guy and end this... Before I lose anyone else...”