[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights IV: Fated Holy War

Episode 11: Heart Broken

I gasped as Dad began to stir.

"Papa?" I asked, cautiously holding a hand toward him.

He rubbed his eyes and smiled. "Hey, Woof."

I tackled him. "You're alright! You scared me there."

"Sorry about that." He reached a hand out and caressed my face. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I smiled and shook my head. "You tried to choke me, but I managed to escape your stranglehold."

"By yourself?" He chuckled. "You must've gotten stronger."

"Your demon-form had only a fraction of your strength," Hyosetsu said as he stared at his phone. Was he texting Kohri to tell him that everything was fine now?

"Which was fortunate for us, else we would be in trouble," Grace said.

Dad's hazel eyes shifted toward Hyosetsu, Grace, and Takuya. "Is Setsuko not here?"

"I told her to go get some rest," I said. I pushed myself up and stretched a hand toward him. "Let's go see her."

Dad shook his head. "Let her rest for now."

Hyosetsu gasped as he continued to peer at his phone.

"What's wrong?" I asked, walking toward him.

He sighed. "Seems like she's not here."

"Huh? What do you mean she's not here? Where did she go?"

"She sent me a text saying that she's going home."

"Ehh? By herself? Why? Did something come up?"

Hyosetsu ran a hand through his raven hair. "She didn't say."

"Is the Ziz secure?" Dad asked, pushing himself up.

Grace nodded. "The Rat Pillar managed to free it, but my mother retrieved it. We've already sealed it back up in the underground chamber."

Dad gasped. "Your mother sealed that thing up? Isn't it supposed to be as strong as one of the archdemons?"

"Just how strong is she?" I asked. I had only seen her in action briefly, but I knew she was incredible.

"She is the oldest child of the last Magus Maximus, so it stands to reason she's strong," Takuya said, grinning. "That said, I don't think the legendary bird had awakened completely. But Grace's mom did deal with Rocio, whom the rest of us were strugglin' against."

Dad ran a hand through his golden-brown hair. "True. Her sister and brother-in-law managed to fend off the rulers according to the intel your dad gave me." He pursed his lips. "Speaking of Shi, I saw him."

Takuya's emerald eyes widened. "What? You saw my dad? Where? How?"

Dad moved his head back. "It was the part of him which died years ago. He used that fragment to save me, again."