Long-awaited Embrace

"If they had a reason, they wouldn't have cast me aside for not accepting immediately," stated Bil. "If they actually cared about saving my life, they wouldn't have closed me out. If they truly wanted me to be happy, they would've welcomed me with smiles instead of armed guards. The only mercy they spoke of was basic citizenship and the right to live within the city. What a miracle, am I right?"

Neither Jash nor Nelphy laughed with Bil. Noticing that, Bil sighed, "The world was nothing like it is now… Some people may have been happy being the playthings of upper society, but I disagreed along with my late father.

"That's why I trained and eventually joined the rebellion. Though it was his younger years, it was thanks to the conqueror that, one day, our rag-tag force took that city for ourselves. And that's where it all began… Before we knew it, a small rebellion was quelled in two neighboring cities. Neither succeeded but the survivors joined us and bolstered our forces.

"That was the push we needed to gradually expand our force. We rarely stayed in a single town for longer than a month, but we never left a town with any sort of church intact. And then…"

Sighing first, Bil broke out in soft laughter. And before the other two could question him, Bil stated, "Then… our forces were crushed during our march to the capital."

"WHAT?!!" Jash shouted, jumping to his feet. "But the conqueror–"

"He was defeated plenty of times. As I said, don't take the legends for granted," remarked Bil. "After we were crushed, there were only a few dozen survivors and we all fled the country. Sadly, crossing the border proved more difficult than we'd expected. Half of us were taken out and I barely managed to enter the next country…

"Due to infighting, we all split up in an attempt to hide. All I could do to survive was learn to hunt and train to get stronger. Eventually, I was lucky to hear about a new rebellion rising in the nation where I was born, and it was again the conqueror leading the way… What do you think happened this time, after years of training, Jash?"

"You won?!" Showing a hopeful smile, Jash was left dejected by Bil's shaking head.

Astonished, Nelphy shakily asked, "Y-you lost? Again?"

"We were crushed even harder than before, and the conqueror was captured," answered Bil. "At the time, people were rumored to have heard his tortured cries every night. But that was false. I know. I was in a nearby cell…"

Shouting again, Jash sat back down, "You were captured too?! Then, do you know–"

"By name at best. I've met him, but how many soldiers have stood before the conqueror? I'm one of the countless people that have banded together under him," Bil clarified, subtly glancing at Nelphy. "It was only a matter of time that the conqueror broke us all out. I was lucky to survive the torture and immediately followed that man yet again. At least, I wanted to… But he left us all after breaking us free…

"It wasn't until years later that he appeared again, leading another rebellion against the same nation. Of course, I followed the call…"

Almost falling out of his seat, Jash asked, "And? What happened that time??"

"... We won. It was the first time he was called a conqueror, and it wouldn't be the last." Standing up, Bil grabbed his walking stick. "Everything else is history. I was merely a soldier, a warrior for change until one day we finally did it. We claimed a place for humanity to live without the pestering and playing of the deities… And it was only after we'd won that I realized that my purpose in life had been realized. That I was left without a cause to continue…

"Then, I was lucky to have you both…"

Bil sniffled, changing the mood completely, "Without you two… I don't know where I would be, or what sort of man I would've become. You two are everything to me, the reason I fought my entire life, and the reason I continue to live. Thank you… for accepting me in your lives."

Nelphy bolted out of her seat and embraced the crying man. "Bil, I love you! You've given us everything, and I want to keep you in my life! Y-you're… the father we never had!"

Gingerly accepting the hug, Bil stopped caring about appearances. His wet headwrap leaned into Nelphy's neck and he threw his arms around her. "Th-thank you! I… That's all I could ever want…"

Unlike his sister, Jash hesitated to get up. But the moment he took his first step Nelphy pulled him in.

"Umm… Thank you, Bil," Jash muttered trying to stay composed. "I… I'm really grateful for you. And, I don't want you out of my life either…"

"I'm happy to hear that, Jash," Bil replied in turn, matching the young man's energy. "I'm just glad to have you two in my life. And I'm going to miss seeing you every day. But… This will be for the best."

Silence. The three held each other in silence, simply feeling the moment to the fullest.

"... Jash." Bil was the first to break the embrace. A sudden seriousness draped over his face. Jash and Nelphy were startled as Bil said, "It's time…"

"Time for what?" questioned Jash, seeing Nelphy's confused shrug.

Bil sauntered to the open area between the cave entrance and their camp. Then, he took a single deep breath while tossing his staff into the air, catching one end with a mighty swing. The breeze of the swing awoke Jash and Nelphy to the new tension in the air. "Jash, draw your sword."

"W-what?! Are we training? What's–"

"Draw your sword. Whether you keep the sheath at your side or throw it back matters not," stated Bil, reemphasizing his seriousness. "I said I'd hand out gifts next, but I feel that's better saved for afterward. Right now, it's time for you to graduate from my basic training. Fail now and you'll never stand a chance in Frantoch."