Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 380: The Man’s Story

Chapter 380: The Man’s Story

The air in Lyan’s chambers hung heavy with anticipation, thick enough to cut with a knife. The warm glow of the fireplace cast dancing shadows across the walls, creating an atmosphere both intimate and slightly unsettling. Lyan sat in the center of the room, his posture rigid with tension, his eyes flickering nervously between his gathered companions. Their faces, illuminated by the soft firelight, reflected a myriad of emotions - curiosity, concern, and an undercurrent of affection that made Lyan’s heart ache with a bittersweet longing.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, his gaze dropping to the intricate patterns on the carpet beneath his feet. The weight of his past, of the secrets he’d carried for so long, pressed down on him like a physical burden. When he finally looked up, meeting the eyes of those who had become his family in this strange world, his voice emerged as a barely audible whisper.

"Before all of this," Lyan began, each word feeling like it was being torn from his very soul, "before I came to this world, I lived a life so different, so... ordinary, that it feels like a dream now." He paused, swallowing hard against the lump forming in his throat. "I was just a bookkeeper on Earth."

The word ’Earth’ hung in the air, alien and familiar all at once. Lyan watched as eyebrows raised and eyes widened, but the silence remained unbroken. The lack of interruption, the patient acceptance in their eyes, gave him the courage to continue.

"My days were filled with numbers, dusty books, and endless stacks of papers," he continued, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It wasn’t glamorous or exciting, but it was... mine. And it wasn’t without its joys." His voice softened, filled with a tenderness that made his companions lean in closer. "I had my family, my younger sister. She... she was my whole world."

Lyan’s eyes misted over, lost in memories of a time and place so far removed from his current reality. "We didn’t have much, but we had each other. Those simple moments - sharing a meal, laughing over some silly joke, just being together - they were what made life worth living." His voice cracked slightly, raw with emotion. "I can still see her smile, you know? The way her eyes would light up when I’d bring her sweets from the market. It was like... like seeing the sun come out after a storm."

He paused, gathering himself. The room was silent save for the crackling of the fire and the soft sounds of breathing. When Lyan spoke again, his voice was tinged with a determination that seemed to come from the very depths of his being.

"I wanted to give her everything, to make her life better. I worked so hard, dreaming of the day we could move somewhere nicer, somewhere she could have all the opportunities she deserved." His expression darkened, a shadow passing over his features. "But then... then came ’The Cleansing’."

The temperature in the room seemed to plummet at his words. His companions shifted uneasily, the tension palpable. Lyan’s smile had vanished, replaced by a grimace that spoke of unimaginable pain.

"The Cleansing," he repeated, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. "It was like the world had gone mad in an instant. One moment, I was at home, surrounded by the familiar and the safe. The next..." He shuddered, his eyes unfocused as if seeing horrors invisible to the others. "I was thrown into a nightmare. A world of demons and dark magic, a place where everything I knew was turned on its head."

Lyan’s voice broke, and he had to pause, struggling to maintain his composure. When he continued, his words were barely above a whisper, filled with a vulnerability that made his companions’ hearts ache.

"I was so lost, so terrified. I didn’t know why I was there or what I was supposed to do. Everything I loved, everything I knew - gone in an instant. I felt... I felt like I was drowning in darkness, with no hope of ever seeing the light again."

He looked up, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "But then, I learned I was there for a reason. I was given a mission - to kill Tiamat, the evil dragon god. It was... it was something to hold onto, a purpose in a world that seemed to have gone mad. But gods, it wasn’t easy."

Lyan’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white with tension. "I had to fight, to survive, to become something I never thought I could be. And that... that was when I changed." He looked down at his hands, spreading his fingers as if seeing them for the first time. "I became an incubus."

The word hung in the air, heavy with implications. Lyan’s voice grew hoarse, filled with a mix of shame and defiance. "It wasn’t by choice. The transformation... it was agony. I felt my humanity being stripped away, piece by piece, replaced by something darker, something... other." He shuddered, the memory of the pain etched into every line of his face. "But I needed that power to survive, to fulfill my mission. I embraced it because there was no other choice. Because if I didn’t, everything - everyone - would be lost."

Lyan’s voice dropped to a whisper, filled with a grief so profound it seemed to fill the entire room. "I lost parts of myself during that transformation. The parts that made me... me. The bookkeeper who loved his sister, who dreamed of a better life - he died in that moment. And sometimes, I wonder if what’s left is even human anymore."

The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the soft sounds of muffled sobs. Lyan’s companions watched him, their faces etched with shock, sadness, and a deep, abiding compassion. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to continue, to bare the darkest parts of his soul.

"I became stronger, powerful enough to take on Tiamat. But power... power always comes at a cost." Lyan’s voice broke, a single tear escaping to trail down his cheek. "And my cost... my cost was my comrades. The people who fought by my side, who believed in me. They followed me into battle against Tiamat, and one by one, they fell."

His eyes were distant, haunted by ghosts only he could see. "I can still see their faces, you know? Still hear their voices. Their screams. My friends, my comrades... they put their trust in me, and I led them to their deaths. I was the only one who survived. I killed Tiamat, but at what cost? I had won, but I had lost everything that mattered."

Lyan’s voice trembled, his words punctuated by quiet sobs. "I carry that weight with me every day. The regret, the guilt - it’s like a stone in my chest, crushing me. I wonder if I even deserve to be here now, to be happy after everything that happened. I try to move forward, to find meaning in this new life, but there’s always a part of me that feels... unworthy. Tainted."

He looked around the room, his gaze lingering on each of his companions. His voice was thick with emotion, raw and vulnerable. "I’ve found something here - a family, people I care about more than I ever thought possible. But I’m terrified. Scared that I’ll lose all of you too, that my past will catch up with me, and I’ll make the same mistakes again." His voice cracked, and he looked down, his hands clenched into fists so tight his nails bit into his palms. "I don’t want to lose anyone ever again. But I don’t know if I can protect you. And sometimes, I wonder if I even deserve the happiness I’ve found with all of you. If I’m not just fooling myself, pretending to be something I’m not anymore."

The silence that followed Lyan’s confession was profound, filled with the weight of shared pain and unspoken understanding. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see how this moment would unfold. Lyan felt exposed, more vulnerable than he had ever allowed himself to be. He waited, his heart pounding, for their reaction. Would they understand? Or would they turn away, repulsed by the darkness he carried within him?

It was Wilhelmina who moved first, breaking the spell of stillness that had fallen over the room. She stepped forward, her eyes brimming with a gentleness that made Lyan’s breath catch in his throat. Her hand, when she placed it on his shoulder, was warm and reassuring, a lifeline in the storm of his emotions.

"Lyan," she began, her voice steady and filled with a quiet strength, "the burden of leadership is never easy. The decisions you had to make... they were impossible. No one could have made them without carrying scars." She paused, her gaze softening as she continued. "But you did what you had to do. You’ve saved and protected so many since then, including me. Including all of us."

Wilhelmina’s voice wavered slightly, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I’ve lost people too. People I cared about, people I loved with every fiber of my being. The weight of those losses... it never truly goes away. It becomes a part of you, shaping who you are." She squeezed his shoulder gently. "But it doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to find happiness again. You’re not alone, Lyan. You have us, and we’re here for you. Always."

Belle, who had been quietly wiping away her tears, couldn’t contain herself any longer. With a small sob, she moved forward, wrapping her arms around Lyan’s neck in a gentle but fierce hug. Her voice was muffled against his shoulder, thick with emotion. "You don’t have to carry that burden alone anymore, Lyan. We’re here for you, and we’ll always be here. You’re not just our leader - you’re our family."

Alina and Xena, who had been sitting quietly, her face a mask of conflicting emotions, finally found her voice. She reached out, taking Lyan’s hand in both of hers, her fingers intertwining with his as if trying to anchor him to the present. "I understand your fears," she said, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that made his heart skip a beat. "I have my own fears too - of losing the people I care about, of being powerless to protect them. But we’re stronger together, Lyan. And your past... it doesn’t define who you are now. You’ve changed, yes, but you’ve also brought us all together. That’s what matters." Xena continues.

Clarisse, usually so stoic and reserved, found herself deeply moved by Lyan’s words. She stepped closer, her usual mask of indifference cracking to reveal a depth of emotion that surprised even her. "I always thought you were invincible, Lyan," she admitted, her voice soft. "That nothing could shake you. But now I see... you’re just as human as the rest of us. And that... that makes you even more admirable." Her eyes shone with a newfound respect and affection. "You’ve shown us your vulnerability, and that takes true courage. I’m proud to stand by your side, not because of your strength in battle, but because of your strength of heart."

Ravia and Raine exchanged a glance, a silent communication passing between them before they approached Lyan. Ravia spoke first, her voice uncharacteristically gentle. "We’ve always respected you, Lyan. For your strength, your leadership. But now... now we understand the depth of your courage. Not just in battle, but in facing your past, in continuing to move forward despite everything you’ve been through."

Raine nodded, her eyes filled with a fierce determination. "And we won’t let you bear that burden alone ever again. We’re with you, no matter what comes. Your battles are our battles, your pain is our pain. We stand together, now and always."

Josephine stepped forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She knelt before Lyan, bowing her head in a gesture of deep respect and loyalty. "I understand the burden of responsibility, Lyan," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "The weight of it, the way it can crush your spirit if you let it. And I admire your strength - not just in battle, but in your ability to keep moving forward despite everything. I pledge my loyalty to you, now and always, not because of your power, but because of your heart."

Althea, the head maid, moved to stand beside Josephine. Her voice was soft, but filled with a warmth that seemed to wrap around Lyan like a comforting blanket. "You’ve given us all a place to belong, Lyan. A home. Not just a physical place, but a family. We will stand by you, no matter what happens. Your burdens are our burdens, your joys are our joys."

Lara, Tara, and Sigrid, the mountain tribe women, stepped forward as one, their faces etched with a mix of respect and affection. Lara spoke first, her voice filled with a warmth that seemed to chase away some of the shadows in Lyan’s eyes. "To us, you are the Great Chief, Lyan. Not because of your power, not because of your past, but because of your heart. You lead with compassion, with understanding. That is true strength."

Tara nodded, her voice quiet but filled with sincerity. "We chose to follow you because we trust you completely. You’ve shown us kindness when we expected none, you’ve given us a place to belong when we were lost. Your past doesn’t change who you are to us - it only makes us admire you more for the person you’ve become."

Sigrid, the eldest of the three, spoke last. Her words carried the wisdom of years, the understanding of one who had seen both joy and sorrow in equal measure. "No one can change the past, Lyan," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "What’s done is done. But we can shape the future together. We are here with you, and we will face whatever comes as a family. Your strength is our strength, your hope is our hope."

The room was filled with a sense of warmth, of unity that seemed to push back the shadows of Lyan’s past. He looked around at each of them, his heart swelling with an emotion so profound it defied description. He had shared his darkest moments, his deepest fears, and instead of turning away, they had embraced him, darkness and all.

Lyan felt a tear slip down his cheek, and for once, he didn’t try to hide it. A smile, small but genuine, formed on his lips. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice filled with a gratitude that seemed to come from the very depths of his soul. "All of you. I... I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m grateful beyond words that you’re here."

Belle tightened her hug, her voice muffled against his shoulder but filled with conviction. "You deserve us because you care, Lyan. You care about all of us, deeply and truly. And that’s more than enough. It’s everything."

Wilhelmina nodded, her hand still resting on his shoulder, a constant reminder of support. "We’re in this together, Lyan. No more carrying the burden alone. Your past is a part of you, yes, but it doesn’t define you. We see you for who you are now - a leader, a protector, a friend. Our family."

Lyan took a deep breath, feeling the weight on his chest lighten just a little. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, he felt a spark of hope - hope that maybe, just maybe, he could find peace. Not alone, but with the family he had found in this world, against all odds.

"Alright," he said, his voice stronger now, filled with a determination born of love and acceptance. "Let’s face whatever comes next - together. As a family."

As the others gathered closer, their warmth and support almost tangible, Lyan felt something shift within him. The darkness was still there, the weight of his past still present. But now, in the light of their unconditional acceptance and love, it seemed less overwhelming. He wasn’t alone anymore. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to face whatever the future held.

In that moment, surrounded by the people who had become his world, Lyan allowed himself to believe in the possibility of redemption, of healing. The road ahead would not be easy, but with them by his side, he felt ready to face it. One step at a time, one day at a time, they would move forward together. And in that togetherness, Lyan found a strength he had thought lost forever - the strength to hope, to love, and to live again.