1367: Torn

Torn

Dyon's heart stood torn open. 2

Even Dyon wouldn't deny that he had been terribly immature in his youth. Regardless of whether or not he had the intention of acting on his words, he wantonly flirted with women. Whether it be Delia when he first met her, Ava just after she saved him from death by the Focus Academy Fountains or even again when she saved him from Darius, or Jade…

While Delia's matters ended simply, with her falling in love with Eli, what about Ava? What about Jade? Was it possible that Ava was experiencing the same pain Jade was? Could her pain be his fault too?

The mistakes of his youth tore Dyon apart. As a man born in a society where monogamy was the only path, Dyon didn't give much thought to such things when he entered the martial world. In fact, he hadn't even planned on falling for Madeleine. It was due to a mixture of his own inner pride and arrogance added to her circumstances that almost forced them together… Who knew what would have happened had it not been for that? Could it have been possible that he would have left Madeleine behind too?...

Even the matters with Ri hadn't ended so simply. Dyon distinctly remembered a time where Ri regretted choosing him. At that point, had it not been for Dyon's adamance, who knows if Ri would still be his wife today? And what about Clara? Her choice to save him cost her something she held precious…

He crossed the martial world, taking women he took a liking to and snatching their hearts, only to neglect them by tossing them into a harem for his own safe keeping. Was this even how a real man should act? Where was his sense of responsibility? Were these thoughts even his own? Was it even possible to pay back his wives what he truly owed them?

Dyon had changed. He knew he had changed. Even for a low-hanging fruit of a joke, he no longer teased women. He had grown out of it, but he had never turned back to correct the mistakes of his past. How could he be so neglectful?

When he watched Jade torture Ms. Everdeen, it was as though every attack and assault was being inflicted on his own body. There was nothing worse than seeing someone you cared for commit atrocities. The cognitive dissonance broke Dyon.

He didn't know how to fix this… He didn't know how to step forward…

Dyon struggled. His body being racked with waves of endless pain. He felt nothing but that debased, perpetual aching in his chest.

'I have to fix this. I have to…'

Dyon still felt that it wasn't his right to forgive Jade. Although Ms. Everdeen's final words spoke of forgiveness, he still felt uncomfortable doing so. No matter what the underlying reason was, it was in fact Jade, by her own hand, that killed an innocent old woman.

A roar escaped Dyon's lips. All of his complex and enraged thoughts focused into a beam of sound, rattling the space around him.

'We both have to atone for our sins. I for Jade, and Jade for Ms. Everdeen…'

Dyon suddenly remembered that he was within a trial. If he died here due to despair, nothing would change.

Unlike the Battle God who only saw an impossible path ahead, Dyon sought after something greater. The Battle God only relied on himself, believing the bigger fist would solve everything. In the end, he was almost right, until he fell during his ninth and final trial…

Dyon could distinctly remember his manifestation berating him. At the time, Dyon had thought that the Sovereign Heart's flaw was that it relied on others for strength. How could someone who pursued the highest martial peak only to rely on mere mortals to sustain their dao path?

Back then, his manifestation had said his understanding was shallow. Although he hadn't explained any further afterward, Dyon felt that he had grasped the edge of something.

The problem with Dyon's sovereign heart wasn't that he relied on others, but rather that he solely relied on others. He lost himself to despair, but never used his own power to lift himself back up, instead, he relied on the backs of those far weaker than himself to lift himself up. How pathetic was that?

This time, Dyon had no intention of doing such a thing. Even as his chest and orifices bled, Dyon's thoughts weren't of losing himself to despair, but rather about finding a path to fix this. He wanted to give himself a chance to see Jade for who she really was, and he wanted to give her an opportunity to make up for her past mistakes.

Dyon was completely right. Had he taken this trial before speaking with his manifestation, he wouldn't have only failed, he would have died a miserable death.

However, although this Dyon was without a dao heart, he was far firmer in his path than his former self. This Dyon was willing to rely on others, but would never slack off himself.

Dyon walked to Jade's side and looked toward Ms. Everdeen's crystal coffin.

"I'll release you when I get out of here. Then, you can pay her back in your own way. One day, you'll be worthy of her forgiveness. If not… I have the resolve to kill you myself." Dyon said softly.

Those last words seemed to take the last bit of energy from him. Swearing an oath to do something he knew would leave a shadow over his heart for the rest of his life without thoughts of taking it back… This was his resolve.

Dyon disappeared, the bronzed doors shimmering out of existence.

...

Dyon suddenly traded one pain for another. When he appeared back in reality, nothing had changed. His body was still in a sorry state of charred meat and bones. The only slight difference was that there was a pulsing golden glow floating just over his heart. It made his body almost look like an overheated metal in just that one spot.

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