His Greatest Treasure

"What really happened that day? Well, to say the least, it was a trap. When I arrived, the hopes of the citizens were brought to their absolute peak, and then after calling upon a Death Knight, he released the captive and then summoned more minions to hunt them down. When one of them died, they screamed, and when they heard, the hope others had in their hearts was crushed, and their despair accentuated.

"He trampled upon their hopes and transformed the light they held in their hearts. He broke them, and the Death Knight and I killed each other as for me. As I lay dying, I watched the people I was supposed to protect die, and their souls used with the accumulated malignant energy that had built up in the territory for five years as ink to write the curse on Yulia's body. When it finished, I thought it was the end, but the curse did not activate, and it then began cackling in amusement. It said that Yulia's soul was too pure, and instead of just killing her, it smiled, saying she would be his greatest creation when she ripens. It changed its plans, used the Death Knight's sword to entrap my soul, and gave me my orders. I was tasked with becoming Yulia's greatest enemy until the day arrives when she comes and finds me to avenge me, and here we are now."

Without the bindings of being the Death Knight, Wing recounted his experience. How he became the Death Knight and how a Fiend randomly chose his territory to conduct its experiment.

"When I witnessed the ritual, I already knew the Fiend was trying to create a Headless Death God in the Mortal World. The Dullahan or the Headless Death God's ritual needs a corrupted pure soul to be beheaded and become a Dullahan after its death. As you have seen in my collections, I have many books about Giants and multiple legends. The Dullahan was just one of them. A Death God that could roam the Mortal World as a natural disaster, that's what the Fiend was trying to create." Wing ground his teeth in anger and frustration, "Now that I have told you everything… care to tell me how the Town is looking?"

Isaac leaned his back on the tree as his friend slowly started to wave in power. He recounted how numerous buildings were being built. The roads were paved beautifully, and the children laughed and played without fear.

"She managed to build a beautiful town despite what she had gone through. And she told me she's about to obtain your goal of turning the Town into some sort of City. The people talked about it often, how their Town would soon open to Otherworlders."

"...I see…."

Isaac noted as he looked at Yulia by his side. Yulia looked different from before; her hair was now split into black and white, and on her neck was the mark of the Dullahan's curse.

She was unconscious and would probably not wake up until sundown. Isaac snuck Wing a look, "Are you proud of her?"

"Of course." Wing answered as he oozed pride in his daughter, "But… I have put her through so much, but she still has done so much. I will not be able to tell her all of this…."

Isaac smiled at his words, "Yes… you can."

Bzzzz.

Isaac suddenly said as he collapsed after passing the energy he gathered while resting to Yulia through his electricity. He cheekily smiled, "You can't disappear without at least letting her know."

When Yulia opened his eyes, the first thing she saw was Isaac falling on her, "Isaac? What are you doing here?"

Yulia was confused. He should have already left town to meet Lullivan's student, but there he was in her arms, riddled with injuries, unevenly breathing, "What happened to you?"

"Don't move so much, my daughter." overhead, Wing spoke with a cheery tone, "His body is critically injured. He's stupidly hard to kill, but he's still mortal… or so he says. But he was about to stab himself in the heart earlier to protect himself. He's a man of mystery, isn't he?"

"Father?" Yulia froze with her thoughts; for now, the man she was trying to avenge stood before her. In a form that he did not initially possess, he stood before her nonetheless. She had so many questions, and the answer came from a headache.

A headache rushed into her mind, finding that she was lost. It felt as though a rusted knife stabbed her, and she vaguely remembered what happened after she killed the Death Knight.

Everything returned, how a deep-rooted curse activated. Everything returned from how it started when her heart was devoured by sadness and despair when she realized the Death Knight she killed was her Father.

How she rejected his Father. How she cried when Wing told her she was his treasure. Everything returned. There were also times when the figure of a man clad in lightning appeared to save the Death Knight and when he broke through the darkness.

"He used many dangerous and outlandish techniques that almost cost him his life, all so he could lend a hand. Saying he wanted to help a friend and repay a debt that did not exist. He's a weird person, but he's righteous in his own selfish ways." Wing explained, remembering everything that Isaac had done.

He was just a stranger in the whole debacle, he could've left when things went sideways, but he chose to stay. Against everything that was before them, he remained standing beside his companions.

"He did all of that… for someone he barely knew?"

"He claimed that you helped him in his time of need."

"But… I didn't even do much."

"But, that was enough for him to risk his life. You treated him fairly, and he did the same, though a lot bloodier." Wing laughed, realizing the absurdity of it all, "He's a good young man, and um… speaking of Isaac, he told me something about the Town changing?"

Yulia's eyes suddenly brightened, "Yes! Um… like Father has always wanted, I am about to turn the Town into an Angle City. We'll be starting as a D-Class Angel City, but I plan on turning it into a major City soon."

"Ooooh!? How wonderful, Yulia!" Wing hugged her daughter as he chose to sit on the ground with her with a big smile and expecting eyes, "Come, come, tell me more. How did you accomplish this? What did you encounter?"

Wing excitedly asked, and Yulia obliged, telling her the town's state and how she had lived for the last 25 years.

They told their stories, and in this conversation between Father and daughter, the two made sure to avoid the topics of their curses.

Wing was already about to disappear, but he decided to listen to Yulia one final time instead of saying his goodbyes. He wanted to see her smiling as she told her endeavors; he tried to think he was there for her… to know how his daughter grew up and matured.

"I hunted that beast with a single slash as Father taught me in the past!"

"Really!? Amazing! That must have surprised Old Oliver."

"That's right, Grandpa Oliver was crying thinking I had died but~"

Wing didn't want it to end.

He wanted to listen to her joyous tales.

Yulia… knew what Wing was doing, and she played along nicely.

Yulia could tell that something was wrong. She could tell. She could feel it from his presence. But, she held it in and continued telling her stories.

She wanted to tell him everything… She tried to assure him that she would be fine.

She wanted to continue telling him.

She wanted him to continue praising him.

But, eventually, her stories finished.

Her tales ended.

Wing's time neared.

"Yulia."

"Yes, Father?"

"You have experienced so much since I disappeared. It must have been painful… challenging, and hard. But you managed to overcome them all. From here on, you will meet more challenges, but I know you will be able to beat them as well. You will again face wall after wall… in those trying times, I hope you can find strength in these words… you are my pride and joy, Yulia… and that-"

Crack!

"I love you, my daughter."

With tears going down her face, Yulia showed, "I love you too… Father."

Saying those words, Wing turned to glowing dust as his ghostly figure slowly disappeared until nothing was in front of her.

Yulia remained seated with her smile slowly leaving her.

With her hands on her side, Yulia cried.

Wing died, listening to Yulia, the person he risked his existence to protect. His Greatest Treasure, his daughter.