Chương 86: 83: Rough Diamond

Manzur Amy had grown. His friend's malnourished daughter now looked like a healthy girl. Still a bit skinny for her age, but much better now that she had a proper diet. Her tiny horns had grown too, resembling Remnya's, except they were light gray and curvier.

"You've improved," Manzur said, smiling at her. Teal-green electric arcs flew between her tiny fingers. Amy practiced her newfound skill, as she always did after lunch. It had only taken her a couple of weeks to learn to summon lightning from her fingertips. The old man's heart twisted at the sight of such a color. So beautiful, yet carrying the weight of a past he'd rather forget. Teal. Not green, not blue, but somewhere in the middle. A natural affinity Amy had inherited from that demon.

For months, Manzur had tried to teach her how to manipulate wind and water, her mother's elements, but her body was naturally drawn to electricity. As if he were there, pulling the strings from the shadows.

"That's enough." Manzur raised his voice. Amy kept shooting lightning at the endless row of pebbles she had lined up on the ground. Some flew away, others melted, and others cracked in half. There was an eerie intensity in her expression whenever the sparks flew between her hands, something far from the innocent joy he was used to seeing.

"Amy! Enough!" His voice boomed, making her flinch and close her hands, the electric arcs dying down instantly.

"Why?" Amy's eyes narrowed as she turned to him.

"You told me to practice."

"I know. But it's time to rest." Manzur tried to smile while a cold sweat dripped down his armpits. She frowned, her cheeks bulging in annoyance.

"I don't want to."

"Amy..." He approached her, knelt, and gently touched her shoulder.

"I told you not to get lost in it." Her lips pressed tightly, and her gaze lowered as if she was being scolded.

"Zeo and Rem are out there fighting. I need to get stronger. So I can help them!" Manzur gulped. It was like seeing his old friend again, the stubbornness and passion in her words. That calmed a part of him, reminding him that she was still her mother's child, not a monster's puppet.

"I understand." He patted her head.

"But sometimes, we must slow down to move forward." Amy's face remained impassive, her eyes fixed on a spot on the ground as the wind ruffled her hair. Was it because of her friends? No child should have to bear such a burden. Or perhaps, the moment her powers awakened, something else took root within her. Manzur grabbed her face with both hands, raising her gaze to meet his.

"One day, you'll be strong enough to fight with them. For now, trust this old man and rest." She pulled away from his touch, turned around, and ran toward their cabin. The door slammed so hard the sound echoed across the entire campsite. Alone, the old man sighed and got back to his feet. Children were never easy, especially those with Nephilim blood. Manzur shook his head. There was no time to ponder. Night was approaching, along with the same threat that had haunted his mind for the past twenty-two years.

How many friends had he lost? How many times had he mourned? And still, that shadow persisted, unyielding, feeding on every soul around him.

"Just a little longer," he muttered as he made his way toward his men to give them the same instructions. Night patrol was a blessing for those who could no longer sleep. Unfortunately, his body couldn't handle seventeen straight days of sleeplessness anymore. It needed rest, no matter how his spirit resisted. Manzur approached a group of twenty men and women, all silent, waiting for his words. They were a mixed group of hybrids, each a survivor in their own right.

"Varek," he said, acknowledging the muscular man standing before the others. He turned to him and smirked.

"Going to sleep, grandpa?" The old man chuckled.

"A nap, perhaps. I'm sure you lot can handle things just fine without me." He smiled, then lowered his head.

"The leader..." Varek trailed off.

"When is he coming back?"

"Soon." Manzur placed his arms behind his back.

"If you've been paying attention, you must've felt it." His soldier nodded.

"That girl... Remnya… She's endured more than any child should." This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"She is not just any child, Varek. She carries the legacy of her mother and father in her veins." Manzur gazed into the horizon, where Mount Vezzanyo stood tall and imposing.

"Debrin knew."

"Shouldn't our leader be here with us?" asked a middle-aged woman with braided black hair. Manzur turned to her, his expression calm.

"Osha. Our leader's responsibility is greater than this place." He tilted his head, his wrinkles deepening.

"You should know we're mere servants. He serves something far beyond our comprehension."

"We've lost half our men." Osha frowned.

"Each raid, each skirmish, it's like they know our every move." Her words made Manzur tighten his fingers. It was true; they were losing more than they could afford. Their enemy was always one step ahead, and their resistance slowly crumbled.

"No more of this." Manzur raised his hand, silencing them.

"Keep training and surviving. When our leader returns, we shall see the light again. For now, trust in what he's laid upon us." Osha bowed her head, while Varek placed his hand on the old man's shoulder.

"That other child..."

"I said no more." Manzur grabbed his arm and lifted it away.

"Vigilance, that is your duty tonight." Varek stepped back and nodded.

"As you wish." Manzur bobbed his head and headed toward his cabin. It was the biggest structure in the refugee camp, with a separate room for Amy. Debrin had built it himself when he set up the camp ten years ago, just as he had built the other six structures scattered across the volcanic camp. As Manzur passed by Amy's room, he caught a glimpse of her sitting on her bed, reading that same old book again.

'The Fourteen Wonders of Nature,' the book she had brought from the orphanage. How many times had she read it? The cover was falling apart. When Amy allowed herself to be a child again, he couldn't help but see her mother sitting there. The way she gripped the book, her feet swinging back and forth, the focus in her eyes—Ozura had all of those mannerisms. Manzur stepped into his room and collapsed into his bed. * The old soldier woke up to the patter of raindrops on the window.

Slowly, he sat up, listening to the familiar downpour. Was it midnight? He couldn't tell; the room was shrouded in darkness. Sleeping was a luxury he rarely allowed himself, and tonight was no different. He approached the window and watched lightning illuminate the barren landscape. Sudden rains weren't unusual in this region, yet something was odd about this one. He put on his Karx jacket and adjusted his combat boots. His body ached with every movement, a reminder of his last battle. Manzur walked to Amy's room.

He placed his wrinkled hand on the wooden surface and gently pushed it open. A small flame appeared on his palm, illuminating the room. And there she was, curled up in her bed, holding the book close to her chest, peacefully asleep. He nodded to himself and rushed out of the house. The guards had already formed a defensive line nearby, and more were running to join them. A ghastly blue aura surrounded Varek's body as he stood on a slope, peering into the horizon.

The raindrops felt soothing on the old man's face as he crossed the camp. The petrichor scent brought him back to his younger years when he first discovered his affinity for wind. Since then, every heavy rain had taken him back to that moment. Finally, he joined the line, the mud squishing under his feet. Varek turned his head, eyes glowing.

"You're late."

"Can't a veteran get some sleep around here?" Manzur shook his head.

"Speak. What is it?"

"Twenty, maybe more, a kilometer away." Varek looked back at the darkness.

"They're waiting." Manzur squinted and reached out with his senses. A faint presence prickled his mind, a disturbance in the wind.

"Their presence has become more frequent now," he said, his lips tightening.

"The day is coming."

"Why?" Varek clenched his fists.

"We already talked about this, Varek." Manzur's voice seemed to lose its energy.

"All will be made clear when the time comes."

"She's the daughter of that monster. It's a matter of time before he comes, and then what? We all die for a girl who has his cursed blood?"

"Lower your voice," the old man ordered.

"It's getting harder to placate Osha and the rest. They know what's at stake." Varek gritted his teeth. Manzur clenched his jaw, restraining the anger that threatened to surface.

"Nobody is holding you here. You and everyone else are free to leave if you wish." Varek snorted and looked back at the darkness.

"I don't understand Debrin... He brings us here, tells us to protect this child at all costs, and then vanishes to train a teenage girl. What the hell is he planning?" The lightning flashed once more, then thunder growled over the camp.

"Fear," Manzur whispered, wiping the water from his eyelids.

"You're all scared."

"Damn right I am." Varek glanced over his shoulder at the old man.

"Morale is at an all-time low. We're losing our grip on the border towns. The attacks have increased, and there are no answers. Our leader has abandoned us yet again." Manzur's gaze fell as he listened. The grim reality was undeniable. Yet, Debrin's words echoed in his mind. If there was a man capable of restoring order to this fallen planet, it was Debrin Kavram. He placed a hand on Varek's shoulder.

"Exhaustion is taking a toll on your mind." He gave the warrior a slight shake.

"Go rest for tonight. I'll take over." Varek's aura vanished, and he slumped, closing his eyes with a heavy nod. Manzur let out a long breath as his soldier turned and walked back to the camp. Once alone, he expanded his perception. He saw the shadows lurking, not with his eyes, but with his mind. They were always there, waiting for an opening.

"You're biding your time, aren't you?" the old man muttered.

"Watching us like an eagle, waiting for the right moment." And as if his voice had triggered something, the shadows moved. Manzur smiled, wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes.

"There you are." Quick as lightning, he pointed his finger at the immensity beneath. A sharp, whistling sound cut through the rain, and in an instant, a massive amount of energy gathered at the tip of his index finger. A beam of light shot out and tore through the night, leaving a pink trail. Many kilometers away, in the blink of an eye, it struck the ground. A massive explosion illuminated the whole region like a second sun had been born. Pink and yellow light spread along with the deafening roar.

The ground shook, and the wind howled, as if the very earth was crying out in pain. Dust and rubble shot up, a mushroom cloud rising in the far distance, where the heart of the explosion lay. His people took cover, shielding their eyes from the blinding light. Then, the darkness returned, but an endless echo lingered. The ground trembled for a while, and a massive glowing crater marked the earth. Manzur sighed and lowered his smoking finger. The force he had conjured was too great for his old body.

He stumbled backwards, his chest heaving. Behind him, Varek rushed to his side, holding him from behind.

"What the fuck was that?!" The younger man's eyes darted from side to side.

"I can't feel their presence anymore..." The old man chuckled, his face pale from exhaustion.

"Now you can rest easier." Manzur smiled and touched the young man's arm.

"But first, take me to bed, would you?"