“Big brother Sol!”
Amon ran to Sol’s side in a panic. He placed his hands on Sol wanting to check how badly he was injured, but Sol’s body immediately spasmed and he sucked in a cold breath of air.
Just a mere touch and the pain Sol was feeling would flare up tenfold.
Amon seeing this, quickly redrew his hand. But he began to panic even more as he didn’t know how to help.
‘Tsk, look at you? This is what happens when you don’t listen to your father.’
Sol heard his father’s scolding once again, this time confirming he wasn’t just imagining it.
‘But-But I stretched before I took them off like you said. And I had no choice but to take off two, Amon was in danger.’
‘Amon? What about your safety? Were you even thinking of the dangers the backlash would cause to your body? It’s good to be selfless son, but think about yourself more.’
‘…Yes, Father.’
Hearing his son’s despondent reply, Han Min could not help but sigh.
‘Is it painful?’
‘Yes.’
‘How far are you from the bracelets, can you reach them?’
‘They’re a few meters away from me, but I… I can’t move to reach them. I’m sorry.’
‘Why are you apologizing?’
Han Min said as he formed a hand seal with his remaining hand.
“???”
Adalhard who was in the midst of his rant showed a confused expression at Han Min’s actions. He then paused his victory spiel and said.
“You have been looking down there for the majority of our battle. Are you that eager to see the destruction of your village?”
Though Adalhard said this to him, Han Min still paid him no mind.
After forming the hand seal, Han Min said to Sol.
‘Son, I want you to listen closely to what I’m about to say. These bracelets are a family heirloom that was passed on to me by my father, but now I think it’s time for me to pass them on to you.’
Sol hearing this had questions pop into his head.
This was the first time he heard his father speak about their family. As for who his mother was, his father had described her in detail but it was hard for him to imagine someone he had never seen before.
All he knew was that she was beautiful, and even his father with his good looks had a hard time winning her over.
Though despite the questions Sol had, he followed his father’s instructions and simply listen.
‘When you’re in danger in the future they’ll be able to help you. You can also adjust its size and weight to whatever you want so as you grow stronger you can continue increasing their weight for training. I can’t tell you everything about them now, but as you refine it you’ll come to understand them. However, promise me you will never take off all four of them.’
As Han Min spoke, the two ankle bracelets Sol took off along with the ones on his wrists flickered with light.
‘I promise… ugh!’
Sol suddenly felt something being carved onto his ankles and wrists, however, compared to the skin-peeling pain he was still feeling, it might as well be a tickle.
Several runic marks similar to the ones on the bracelets imprinted themselves around his ankles and wrists.
After, Han Min was heard saying.
‘Now I want you to close your eyes and concentrate. Focus on the runic imprints, you need to use them to control the bracelets and called them to you.’
Sol close his eyes and did as his father said. It was hard ignoring the pain, but he soon managed to sense the runic imprints on his wrists and ankles. From there he sensed a connection between them and the four bracelets.
Without opening his eyes, Sol could feel how far away they were from him and even ‘see’ them. With a thought from Sol, the two ankle bracelets flickering runes stilled, they then floated into the air and shot towards him.
“Ahh!”
Amon was heard yelling in surprise at these moving bracelets and ended up falling back onto his butt.
After the bracelets clamped back onto his ankles, Sol released a breath of relief. And even though he was still hit with a wave of exhaustion, it was a lot better than being tortured.
Seeing how quickly Sol sensed the runic imprints, Han Min smiled.
‘Good job. Even for me, it took several hours to be able to control them like that. That’s why you’re my son.’ .𝘤𝘰𝑚
Despite his father’s cheery tone of voice, Sol held a worried expression on his face as he asked.
“Dad… where are you right now?”
Sol wasn’t stupid, he could sense that his father’s words as he explained the bracelets to him sounded reluctant.
It was as if he was giving him a gift before sending him off into the world.
But after Sol asked that question, no response came from Han Min; causing Sol to panic.
‘Dad! Tell me what’s going on.’
Once again Han Min remained silent, not answering Sol. As a result Sol’s anxiety skyrocket and he couldn’t help but snap.
“You always keep things from me!!”
“Big-Big brother Sol?”
Amon was confused by Sol’s sudden shout, but Sol couldn’t hear him.
“I don’t care if you don’t tell me who mom is! I don’t care if you don’t want to tell me my origins or what I am!! But… But the village… The village and everyone is-”
‘Sol…’
Han Min finally spoke interrupting Sol.
‘…I need you to leave the village.’
Sol hearing this froze, he couldn’t comprehend what his father just said.
‘Dad, what-what are you-‘
‘Don’t disobey my orders Solovin. Just do as I say and leave. Get as far away from the village as you can, and don’t look back.’
Sol’s body shook, and he couldn’t believe what his father was telling him to do. He wanted him to abandon everyone and just run away by himself?
This went against everything his father ever told him to do, to protect those closest to him.
‘Dad how could you… How could you say something like that when everyone’s in danger?! The children are being trapped in the temple and the adults are being killed, we need to-‘
‘SOLOVIN!’
Han Min’s voice rattled Sol’s mind causing him to winch from the volume.
‘Don’t think of saving anyone when you can’t even save yourself! Are you going to disobey my orders and run head first into danger?!’
Sol hearing this gritted his teeth, and he slowly stood up as he said.
‘Even so, I’ll still try to save anyone I can. If I die then so be it!’
‘You…!’
Han Min’s voice started with a shout, but then it lowered into a soft, almost pleading tone.
‘….Don’t be so stubborn Solovin. I always kept things from you, and I know I’ve been hard on you. But this is the last time, just heed my last request and save yourself.’
Sol suddenly felt like he was dosed with a bucket of cold water and his anger dissipated.
‘Last…? Dad you…’
‘I don’t have much time son. Before I’m gone I need to know you’re safe.’
‘No, what do you mean when you’re gone? YOU CANT!!’
Sol’s head suddenly swerve around before he suddenly dashed out of the alleyway.
“Big brother Sol! Where are you going?!”
Amon followed behind Sol with nervousness. Sol was acting weird and he didn’t know why.
‘Dad, where are you?!’
Sol began looking around frantically.
‘You-I need to see you, tell me what you mean by when you’re gone? What about the village? You’re supposed to protect the village! What’s everyone going to do without you… What am I going to do without you? Dad…?’
‘…I’m not as strong as you think Sol. I’m too weak to save the village, that’s why I need you to leave. Goodbye son…’
Sol’s body shook, and tears began to well up in his eyes. He called out to his father through the mental link, but he could feel that he had left.
Thinking of how this could be the last time he spoke with his father, Sol couldn’t help but break down in tears.