It was two years ago that Huston awakened his bloodline, after he had a serious fight with his son, Ariel.
Ariel had questioned him seriously, asking why he didn't fight back when beaten, or why he never reported the matter to the government officials. But no matter how Ariel pressed him, Huston couldn't give an answer.
Because, to Huston, answering any of his son's questions would mean exposing the true reality of the world to his child, a reality he was desperately trying to shield him from until he was mature enough.
Still, Ariel's questions sparked something inside Huston. He began to wish for a life beyond the chains they had endured, a life where he and his family could live freely, not as disposable slaves to other races.
The following day, after that fight, during his mining session, Huston slacked off at work. The overseers beat the hell out of him, but Huston endured.
His son's words had ignited a quiet pride in him, a defiance that made him push through, even without power.
It was then that Huston felt a desperate desire, a desire for power.
Something that had never existed before.
Huston had always been servile, lowly, respectful, accepting his human fate. He had dreams, but he never acted on them.
But Ariel's words stirred something deeper within him, something that demanded action, power and freedom.
He struggled and struggled, enduring humiliation after humiliation, until finally, he awakened his bloodline.
But he knew it was illegal for a human to awaken a bloodline, so Huston kept it a secret from everyone, even those closest to him and trained in silence whenever he could.
SWOOOSHH!!
Huston swung his silver staff hard at the dark elves and goblins rushing him, but they easily blocked it, combining their strength in unison.
"You think a lowly human who just awakened their bloodline can take all of us at once?! You arrogant mongrel!!" a goblin shouted, grunting as he swung his club hard toward Huston.
Huston knew his bloodline was still weak and couldn't do much, but…
Years of mining had hardened his body in ways nothing else could. Combined with his awakened bloodline, he felt he could hold his own as long as he stuck to what he knew best.
Rather than trying to coat his weapons with his bloodline power like the dark elves and goblins did, Huston focused on his physical body, amplifying the strength he already had.
He bent low to dodge the goblin's club and hurriedly created distance from them, all while buying time for Ariel to start the ship.
Huston wasn't an experienced fighter; he relied on the skills he had learned in the mines and sheer grit.
On the ship deck, Ariel and Eyla were stunned, watching Huston explode with power, something they had never imagined he possessed.
"Huston… when d…" Eyla subconsciously raised her hand to her mouth, muttering in wild surprise.
Even Ariel was dumbstruck. He had never thought his seemingly ordinary father could have magical ability.
But there was no time to be surprised. Ariel dragged Eyla away and opened the cabin, where Uriel sat curled up, trembling in fear.
Seeing this, Eyla immediately scooped Uriel into her arms and whispered comforting words, rocking her gently.
Meanwhile, Ariel ran out to the upper deck to find the steering wheel, but there was a problem.
Ariel didn't know how to start a ship!
He had never ridden a ship, not even a modern one on Earth, yet now he had to figure it out.
Gritting his teeth, he resolved to rely on what he had seen in movies back on Earth.
He looked up at the lowered sails, his small body moving with agility and urgency as he climbed toward the oars.
Every movement carried the weight of desperation, because while Huston had ability, it wasn't enough to stop their pursuers forever.
Ariel reached the top of the sails and saw what was holding them. He summoned his strength and released the restraints.
FLAPP!!
The sails rose, spreading wide in square formation.
Ariel looked down and saw how far the top of the sails was from the quarterdeck.
"Tch! No time to use the wood to go down. Maybe I should just jump?" he muttered.
Normally, he wouldn't have dared such a thing, but since the dark elves arrived, normal had gone out the window.
"Well, here goes nothing!"
Without a second thought, Ariel jumped.
The wind roared past his ears, whipping like the rhythm of a rap song, and the quarterdeck approached fast.
Like a nimble cat, Ariel landed softly. He was stunned, he had expected a crash, a big bang sound or broken bones, but none of it came.
Just a soft thud, like an assassin.
But there was no time to think. He remembered what he had to do.
Ariel ran along the ship's side, searching until he found the ship anchor.
He began pulling it up with surprising ease. The anchor was massive, but he lifted it effortlessly.
Now he understood, his physical abilities had increased exponentially, though he had no idea how it was possible.
BANG! CLANKKK!!
Ariel dropped the anchor and ran to the steering wheel, still unsure how to move the ship.
He paused, thinking quickly. Then, an idea struck.
He jumped off the deck, landing on the beach. The moment he looked up, pain and anger washed over him.
"Father!!!" he shouted.
Huston had arrows embedded in his body, his chest and arms cut and bruised. His attackers remained unscathed, Huston had focused on blocking, not fighting, which was why he had survived this long.
Ariel sprinted toward him to help.
"Don't come over! Move the ship immediately while I hold them off!" Huston shouted, seeing Ariel's intention.
Ariel clenched his fists, rage boiling.
The young man in a child body who had once thought having family would make life boring now understood its value, and he wanted nothing to happen to them.
Yet, he obeyed. He ran back to the ship, positioning himself at the bow, laying both small hands on the front as he pushed.
"HAAAAA!!!"
Ariel pushed with all his strength. His pale white skin flushed red; the whites of his eyes turned red, making his grey eyes appear like black holes ready to swallow anything.
"PUSHHHHH!!!"
CHIIII!
The ship moved backwards a little as Ariel kept pushing.
Seeing this renewed Ariel adrenaline as he kept pushing with all his might.
The ship moved backward, inch by inch. Ariel's adrenaline surged as he kept pushing, muscles screaming, until the ship finally floated fully on the water.
He turned to his father, who looked worse for wear, and shouted,
"Father! Let's leave!"
Huston immediately ran toward the ship with all his remaining strength.
Sie, seeing this, grew furious.
"Not understanding my watch!!" she yelled, firing a fire cannon.
Huston felt heat lick his back and swung his silver staff, shattering the cannon with ease.
Sie had caused most of his injuries, but she couldn't attack effectively while supporting her subordinates, her fire magic couldn't safely combine with theirs and needed time to charge. That flaw saved Huston.
"Tch! Damn! Don't let him get away!" Sie shouted.
Ariel had already leapt onto the deck, arranging a rope for Huston.
Ariel felt a surge of peace seeing his father grab the rope and start pulling himself up.
"Hahahaha!" Huston laughed loudly, half in the water as he hauled himself aboard.
Then…
A shadow moved with insane speed from the forest, zigzagging through dark elves and goblins until it reached Huston.
Dread filled Huston's heart as he felt something horrifying behind him as he turned to see a massive darkness, with big green eyes that seemed hollow, radiating death itself.
"FATTHHERRRR!!!" Ariel screamed.
The shadow struck Huston, a massive blade of darkness piercing his chest.
Hearing Ariel screaming, Eyla and Uriel came out of the cabin and ran forward, seeing the attack. Their knees buckled with grief and dread; their eyes blank.
Ariel, physically exhausted from pushing the ship, was about to leap toward his father, but Huston shouted,
"No! Don't! Go protect your mother and sister!"
Ariel froze, understanding his father's plea despite the pain tearing through him.
Huston smiled faintly, knowing Ariel comprehended.
He threw his silver staff toward Ariel with all his might, whispering silently,
"I'm sorry, but it seems that will be the last gift I can give you."
Then he faced his attacker.
"It's only my life you will take today!" he spat, twisting his body as more blood poured from his chest.
He lunged at the shadow, who hadn't expected such bravery. Huston gripped it hard, feeling a body beneath the shadow.
The silver staff landed in Ariel's hands, and he looked at it, grief and tears clouding his eyes.
"No! Huston!! Huston!!" Eyla wailed, running to the deck edge. Ariel caught her instantly, holding her tight despite her desperate thrashing as she hit him, but Ariel endured it.
The distance between the ship and the beach stretched far.
Huston, seeing his family finally attain what he had always longed for, relaxed slightly, his grip on the shadow loosening.
The shadow leapt backward, as Huston gave up his last breath, whose heart was filled with peace and just a little regret