Idriss turned his back on Seraphis and slid down, sitting on the cold floor, his back resting against the side of the medical pod.
Idriss stared at him for a long while, then let out a soft exhalation.
"You always looked untouchable… even now, frail, old, and weak... still, your expression is unchanged."
He spoke under his breath, his mind drifting back... to the night they first met.
They were about the same age as Levi's generation... around eighteen years old. He could still remember the air reeking of rot and blood in the depths of a Midnight Dominion nest that wasn't part of the CRS Platform.
He remembered the panic, the screams, the swarm that surrounded him and his party... back then, Seraphis wasn't a king, nor a noble.
Just another mercenary hired with a cold gaze and an aura of immense pride... Idriss hated him at the time, thinking that his pride was too overbearing, which made his ego too hard to deal with as the party's captain.
However, his impression of him changed when he had been pinned down, bleeding, weak, awaiting a certain death mere seconds away... until Seraphis appeared out of the smoke, his golden shimmering blade slicing through the swarm of nightcrawlers like light through fog.
"Get up," Seraphis had said back then, hand stretched out for the boy, who hated his guts and didn't hesitate to call him for it, "You die when the job's done... not before."
Idriss smiled faintly at the memory, his lips shaking a bit... he looked at his peers in front of him and said, "After that mission, I never walked away from Seraphis' side... I told my father I wanted to become an international mercenary to sharpen myself, and he allowed me, just like I allowed my eldest son to go seek his own path."
"We fought across borders, across worlds even, carrying out one mission after another... we weren't soldiers. We were Daywalkers... mercenaries who lived by the job and nothing else."
"You know what happened next."
"Grave'Maw's invasion." High Chancellor uttered solemnly.
Idriss nodded, smiling bitterly... he remembered the day he received a call that his region was being invaded. At the time, he was on a different continent altogether, but still, he tried his best to return and offer his assistance.
Seraphis didn't hesitate to come with him, but alas... the war was won, but Idriss' father had fallen that day, defending their region while Idriss was still on the way.
That's when he decided... he could no longer roam the world. He needed to carry on the torch; he must take his father's place and make his legacy live on.
When he left the mercenary world, Seraphis returned to his region as well... the mercenary now a prince once more.
They met again many times, and Idriss even saved Seraphis when his region was under invasion from the Bishop's personal dogs... but his region had fallen, and his royal family was slaughtered.
This happened when Seraphis was already suffering from losing both his wife and only daughter during his ruling... so, he had nothing left in life but his broken pride.
No family, no home, nothing... he was suicidal, and if it wasn't for Idriss bringing him to his region and giving him a job to teach newborn Daywalkers, he would have kicked the bucket years ago.
Now, years later, Idriss betrayed his friend's trust, knowing that he couldn't sacrifice the only thing he still cared about... his students.
Yet, he still pushed him to join them in the mission, knowing that he was the only one capable of helping them without raising Darius' suspicion.
It was all planned to limit risks.
It was for a good cause.
It was their job to protect their citizens, who were living in a safe bubble and had no clue just how harsh the outside world was.
Yet... Idriss felt like he was the biggest piece of shit in the history of humanity, feeling like he had sacrificed his friend for the sake of their region.
His friend, who had already lost everything and had nothing else but his instructor job... even then, he didn't let him retire in peace as Seraphis always wanted.
"What have I done..."
Idriss lowered his head in silence... he wasn't crying, but droplets were falling from his chin and landing on the ground softly.
Was it raining? Who could tell...
Hicham, Madam Ysara, and the High Chancellor had never seen Idriss in such a vulnerable state.
He was the man, the toughest out there, one of the most respected Daywalkers in Northern District, the one to spill dread in the hearts of nightcrawlers, and yet... here he was, a human eaten by grief, just like the rest of them.
If Seraphis were to die an honorable death... he wouldn't have reacted like this; he would have been the proudest out there, as it was a dream of theirs to die a warrior's death.
But, how could he feel proud when he was the one putting his friend in a death sentence... at the time, he didn't know it was going to get that badly, but still... it changed nothing.
"Idriss... you're being too hard on yourself, and you know it." High Chancellor sighed, "Seraphis went down with a fight... he went down for his students to live, for our region to continue prospering... what he failed to achieve with his own nation, he succeeded with us. I am certain, if he were awake now, even for a few moments, he would tell you that he has no regrets."
"No regrets?" Idriss scoffed in derision without looking at them, "Four of his students have perished, and one of them has defected to the other side because we involved them in the expedition."
Before anyone could respond, Idriss stood up and faced them with a cold expression... his eyes were bloodshot, but not a single tear was seen in them.
Then, he uttered, "I'm no child who needs comforting… I know what I did. I know what we did. I know this is the life of Daywalkers... death follows every step we take. I've seen it more than anyone else."
He turned around and looked up at Seraphis' frozen, wrinkled face, his jaw tightening. "But that doesn't make it right. So many died just so our plan could work… all because we weren't strong enough. Our weakness pulls death toward everyone around us... friends, allies, even those who trust us. And now…"
His voice went low, almost breaking, "Now, you're paying the price for our weakness, for my weakness... all over again."
"And what are you going to do about it?" Madam Ysara asked calmly.
"What else?" Idriss said coldly, "The Hound, the Bishop, and all of his f*cking dogs are going to die under my hands... and I will seek through it regardless of what it takes, even if it means returning to the Nocturnal Ring."
"Easy now... no need to involve that death trap." Hicham warned solemnly, "All of us know the kind of monsters are joining that platform... it was hard, but doable at the beginning ranks, but the Baron rank is not a fun place to be. You barely made it out alive the last time, and you swore never to set foot in it again... for the region, for your family, for yourself."
Idriss turned around and looked straight at Hicham's charming prince-like face... then, he responded coldly, "It has to be done... someone has to, and I have no plans on putting this burden on our children's shoulders alone."
"If I die, I die... but, they have caused too much terror and heartbreak... enough is enough."
With those lasting words, Idriss left the chamber... his mind already made up.
Seeing him leave like this, the High Chancellor and the others remained quiet for a few moments, understanding that Idriss had been hit the hardest with Seraphis' death.
Yet, this wasn't even the biggest of their concerns.
"What are we going to do about the kids?" Hicham smiled wryly, "They had done everything in their power to get into the ancient site to find a miracle medicine to save Seraphis... they will be absolutely heartbroken to hear that he is gone."
"Let's pray for their safe return first... we can deal with the aftermath then."
The High Chancellor clasped his hands behind his back, eyes fixed on Seraphis. Then he said, "If you think the Bishop is going to let us walk away after what he did to him, you have no idea what kind of man he is… he holds grudges forever."
"What are you saying?"
"We have to prepare for the worst..." The High Chancellor uttered solemnly, "The Bishop is going to target us again, and this time... he is going to make sure we know our place."