Dancing on the golden ashes

Chapter 217 Rushing to Rescue a Useless Slave

I couldn't move. Time seemed to stretch on endlessly as I knelt there, my hand still pressed against the gravestone. This entire area was so quiet—devoid of any human presence. Perhaps, in this world, it was too much for anyone to visit the graves of the fallen. The battle for life was unceasing, after all. Every day, people went out to hunt beasts, yet only a few ever returned. It was a dangerous job, and only the strongest warriors would leave the safety of their homes, willing to risk their lives.

It was perfect for me.

I could stay here, with my family, for as long as I needed.

The memories of my childhood flooded my mind, overwhelming me in waves. And with them, the tears wouldn't stop. Each drop felt like a reflection of the pain buried deep inside me. The sharper I became, the more I grew in power, the more it hurt. It was as if my soul was bleeding, the pain deep and raw. It stabbed into my chest, sharp and unrelenting, as if digging all the way down to the hollow depths of my heart. That hollow heart that seemed to have no end, no warmth.

Yet, in that moment, I wished it would fill up again. I wished it would beat once more, as it once had, full of life and full of hope. But the truth was, the more I advanced, the more tragic this life of mine became. The more I realized that no matter how far I went, no matter how powerful I became, I would always be

The fight came to an immediate halt. The remaining attackers froze, eyes wide with shock, as I hovered above them, the world around us silent except for the pounding of my cold heart.