Return of the Legendary Runesmith-Chapter 477 - 476- Awake and angry

"Agh..." Ariana groaned softly as her eyes fluttered open.

The world came back to her in fragments. First, the dull weight pressing against her body. Then the faint hum of silence, broken only by steady breathing somewhere close. Her limbs felt heavy, slightly numb, as if they had slept for far too long. Her throat burned, raw and tight, the kind of ache that followed hours of crying or screaming she could barely remember.

She swallowed with difficulty and turned her head.

A familiar face lay beside her on the bed, eyes closed, breathing slow and even. Dark lashes rested against pale skin, exhaustion etched into features that usually carried composure with ease. Ariana’s gaze softened instantly.

Before she could speak, a calm voice came from the other side.

"She wanted to stay awake to take care of you."

Ariana shifted her eyes toward the sound.

Adrian stood beside the bed now, already close enough that she hadn’t noticed him move. He placed a hand gently near her shoulder, firm but careful, as if ready to stop her the moment she tried to rise.

Her eyes traced his face instinctively.

Small marks stood out against his skin. Faint bruises along his jaw. A thin cut on his lower lip that had already begun to heal, but not enough to escape her notice.

Something had happened.

She parted her lips, the word struggling to form past the heaviness in her throat. "What... happened?"

Adrian answered immediately, his voice steady. "Don’t speak yet." His thumb brushed lightly against her cheek, assuring her. "And don’t worry about these. It’s nothing."

He didn’t want to stress her. Not when she had only just returned to consciousness.

Ariana nodded faintly, accepting the instruction without protest.

Slowly, she raised her arm.

Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for him, fingers curling weakly around his sleeve.

Adrian sighed. "Can’t you stay in bed for a few more hours?"

She shook her head.

The movement was small, but resolute.

He watched her for a moment, then relented. Taking her hand carefully, he helped her sit up, supporting her weight so she wouldn’t strain herself.

As she adjusted, her eyes drifted to the other side of the bed.

Ruby lay there, asleep as well. Her red hair spilled messily across the pillow, one hand curled loosely near her face. She looked utterly drained.

Ariana tilted her head, confusion flickering across her expression.

Adrian followed her gaze. "Things happened," he said quietly. "But first—sit down. Have some water."

He guided her toward the chair nearby, moving slowly to match her pace.

Before she sat, Ariana squeezed his hand gently and looked up at him.

Her eyes asked the question she couldn’t voice.

Tell me.

Adrian held her gaze.

For a few moments, neither spoke.

Then, without a word, he helped her into the chair and took a seat in front of her, their knees nearly touching. He held her hand again, fingers warm.

"After..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "After I barely saved you from Nytharos, he invited me to end things. A battle to be precise."

Ariana visibly stiffened in her seat, her eyes slightly widened.

Adrian wanted to smile helplessly seeing how easily she understood him.

He didn’t need to ask her to know what she thought. And she was right.

"I accepted," he continued softly. "I went." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Her breathing hitched.

She forced the question out despite his earlier warning. "Are... you hurt...?"

Adrian shook his head at once. He cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing gently beneath her eye. "I swear. I didn’t receive any damage worth worrying about."

She searched his face, as if looking for cracks in his reassurance.

There were none.

Ariana exhaled slowly, tension leaving her shoulders as she slumped back into the chair.

After a few seconds, she parted her lips again.

Adrian raised his hand before she could speak.

"No." He reached into his Inventory and pulled out a parchment and quill. "Don’t strain yourself. Write whatever you want to ask."

He knew her too well to expect silence.

The moment she took the quill, her determination returned.

The first question appeared quickly.

Did you take Annabelle and Ruby with you?

Adrian felt dread settle in his chest.

For half a second, he considered lying.

He didn’t need to. His expression alone betrayed him.

Ariana’s hand moved furiously.

Idiot! Why are you so fucking recklass?!

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "You misspelled the—ou!"

She pinched his cheek hard.

"Ow!" He surrendered immediately. "Okay, okay. I went alone. He demanded it."

Her pen hovered.

"And," Adrian added quietly, "because he had marked you. If I didn’t comply, he would have targeted you again."

Ariana frowned and wrote a single word.

Mark?

Adrian gestured toward her neck. "During the ambush. He left something on you that allowed him to appear near you whenever he wanted."

Her fingers tightened slightly.

"It’s gone now," Adrian assured her. "But we’re still visiting the church. I want you checked."

The mention of the church unsettled him more than he showed.

If even a drop of his blood were examined, they would notice. The system had warned him clearly. There was something in him that would not go unnoticed by divine scrutiny.

Still, avoiding the church wasn’t an option.

Not when Ariana’s safety was involved.

She sighed and wrote again.

Whatever the reason, it doesn’t justify what you did.

Adrian nodded. "I know." His grip on her hand softened. "It was unfair. But I couldn’t sit still knowing I nearly lost you. Twice."

His voice lowered.

"I wanted to hurt that thing," he admitted. "To make it bleed. To tear it apart and erase it."

His jaw tightened.

"I’ve never felt so helpless before."

The memory surged back unbidden.

The hours after he realized Nytharos had attacked Ariana again—here, of all places—had been torture. He barely remembered how he spoke to Ruby or Annabelle. Everything had blurred into a singular obsession.

Kill Nytharos.

Annihilate him.

"Hmm?"

Arms wrapped around his head suddenly, pulling him forward.

Adrian froze for a moment.

Then Ariana’s presence enveloped him completely.

He leaned into her instinctively, arms sliding around her waist as he closed his eyes.

She said nothing.

She didn’t need to.

Her warmth, her steady heartbeat, her quiet strength—it all dragged him back from the edge.

He breathed her in and held her tighter, savoring the moment.

Whatever truths awaited him. Whatever darkness lingered in his blood.

This—this was his reason.

This was his world.

And he would tear reality apart before letting it be taken from him again.