Moraliska

After a long battle between Mia and Kai…

Kai lay sprawled on the ground, his face pale but strangely at peace.

He breathed slowly, watching Mia stand before him, her eyes blazing with fire.

Mia spoke in a low voice, each word etched with undeniable seriousness:

"Why didn't you fight me seriously? I know this isn't your true power."

Kai gave a faint smile, as if her intensity amused him:

"You're delusional."

Mia replied with a mocking smile, like she knew him better than he'd prefer:

"If you're doing this to atone for your sins, don't bother.

I will never forgive you."

Kai answered with quiet confidence:

"I know that."

Mia paused for a moment, then turned, ready to leave in search of Riven.

But before she took a single step, Kai's voice came from behind her:

"Zinfor… don't show yourself to him."

Mia froze, casting a look of surprise at Kai, silently asking: "Why that warning?"

He said nothing more.

She raised a cool eyebrow, then walked away with unwavering confidence.

Kai remained lying there, his breathing labored,

his gaze trailing Mia until she vanished among the trees.

Then he lifted his eyes to the sky…

The clouds drifted slowly, as if they were carrying him away from all this conflict.

He smiled faintly, whispering to himself:

"I hope you find happiness, Mia…

Seems I realized it too late,

but I…

loved you, beautiful one."

He rested his head against the earth,

and the world around him fell silent—

except for the echo of his wish…

carried by the wind, unheard by anyone.

Kai still lay on the ground,

his eyes gently tracing the sky, his breath calming after the storm.

But that peace… did not last.

A cold breeze stirred—unusual for the place—

followed by quiet footsteps, each one pressing heavily into the soil.

Then before him stood… a long shadow,

a presence that could not be mistaken.

Kai opened his eyes slowly, and when they landed on him,

his pupils widened, and his throat went dry.

Zinfor.

Zinfor gazed down at him, his features betraying nothing but disgust.

His voice came out cold and mocking—like frost itself speaking:

"This is… amusing."

He stepped forward, and that single movement was enough to send a tremor through Kai's heart.

"There's no place for the weak among us…"

He paused, then leaned down slightly, bringing his face close to Kai's.

His voice now softer—but venomous:

"Or rather…

no place for traitors."

Kai's face turned pale.

Every defense within him collapsed in that moment.

He knew full well what Zinfor meant by traitor…

Despite all he'd endured,

Kai couldn't hide the tremble in his eyes.

But no threat was issued…

None spoken aloud.

Only then…

Zinfor turned his face away—without looking at him.

Then, without hesitation, without even a flicker in his eyes…

he drove his sword straight into Kai's abdomen.

There was no scream.

Only a gasp, caught in the throat.

Kai froze. His eyes widened. His breath vanished for a heartbeat.

The sword pierced through him mercilessly—

not with rage,

but with absolute indifference.

As if it wasn't even worth discussing.

And just as it was driven in…

it was slowly pulled out.

Drops of blood fell silently onto the soil.

Kai collapsed, trembling in pain,

as Zinfor walked past him as if nothing had happened.

His voice came finally, calm, detached:

"Betrayal… is never forgiven."

Then he disappeared into the shadows,

leaving Kai drowning in pain… and regret.

---

On the other side…

Mia's steps were heavy, though her eyes knew no fatigue.

The cold wind stirred her cloak,

and the trees around her seemed to watch in silence… or conceal something from her.

She panted,

not from exhaustion—

but from longing… and worry.

She whispered to herself as she pushed through the branches:

"Riven… where are you?"

Her hand brushed the bark of a cracked tree,

eyes scanning for a trace—

any sign.

Mia was about to leave the edge of the ridge when suddenly…

she felt it.

That energy.

Not fire,

nor shadow…

but a familiar light—

living, pulsing—like him.

Her heart pounded.

She turned her head and stared into the horizon.

There, a faint glow struck the sky in the distance, pulsing…

as if sounding the drums of war.

"Riven…"

She breathed his name with trembling lips,

then darted forward with all her strength, never looking back.

The trees parted as if clearing her path.

The ground beneath her quivered, bearing witness to magic reigniting.

She ran without pause,

until she reached the edge of an open valley—

and down below…

She saw him.

Riven.

Standing face-to-face with Ostar.

The air around them crackled with tension—

blades of light and spirals of shadow

clashing in a battle that didn't belong to this world.

Blood streamed from Riven's shoulder,

but he stood.

Unyielding.

His radiant spear blazed in his hand,

and his eyes never left his foe.

On the other side, Ostar wore a sick smile,

his eyes gleaming with madness, his voice thundering like a storm:

"I thought you were finished last time…

but it seems I'll have to bury you properly now!"

Riven shouted, raising his spear:

"This time… I won't let you touch anyone!"

Before he could strike, Mia leapt from above—

soaring off the cliff's edge and landing behind Riven,

flames dancing at the hem of her cloak, her eyes sparking like lightning.

"So… the party started without me?"

she said with a tense smile.

Riven turned toward her,

his golden eye widening for a moment:

"Mia…?!"

But she held his gaze, steady and resolved:

"I won't let you fight alone."

Riven surged toward Ostar,

his spear shining like a celestial flare,

a glowing aura surrounding him—unyielding.

"Mia, no!"

he yelled without turning:

"Go to Leora… she's out there, she needs you!"

But Mia didn't move.

She stood firm, her eyes burning with fierce intent.

"I'll go… when I know you won't fall alone again."

The ground erupted between them,

shadows rising from beneath Ostar's feet.

His voice rang out, cold and furious as frost:

"Two against one?!

Fine… I'll make you regret that choice!"

Dark energy surged from his hands—

but Riven struck from the right,

and Mia from the left.

A radiant spear of light from one side…

and an inferno of fury from the other.

Their combined assault collided with Ostar,

sending him stumbling back,

his mask—half covering his face—cracking.

---

Elsewhere in the valley…

Leora stood on a high ridge,

her breath quickened, eyes locked on the unfolding battle.

"Who… is she?"

she asked with awe, her voice tinged with rising worry.

Kyle stood beside her, his wound still bleeding,

but his gaze didn't waver from the girl fighting beside Riven.

"I'm not sure… but her fighting… the flames…

who is she?"

Then Eli appeared, hovering silently near them,

her wings fluttering gently—

as if she were listening to what hadn't been spoken.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke with quiet depth:

"I sense no malice from her…

It seems she's not an enemy… but an ally."

Leora looked at Mia once more,

a strange feeling stirring inside her…

something she couldn't quite name.

But her heart told her one clear truth:

"This girl… isn't ordinary…"

---

Riven and Mia surged forward together,

their powers converging—

light and fire joining in one irresistible strike.

The shadows surrounding Ostar shattered under their combined assault,

his scream tore through the air,

and he began to falter, weary,

encircled by the radiance of the Moraliska champions.

In a flash, Riven raised his arm—

his luminous spear igniting the sky above.

Mia unleashed a blazing storm,

fueled by the fury of vengeance.

Riven shouted:

"This is your end, Ostar!"

Ostar collapsed to his knees, then to the ground, powerless—

a cold laugh dissolving into total silence.

Mia stood beside Riven,

her eyes burning with strength and resolve.

Riven, catching his breath, said:

"We did it… together."

The halo of light faded,

and Riven returned to his natural form—

exhausted but victorious.

In that moment, Kyle and Leora ran toward him, crying out in unison:

"Riven!"

He looked at them, wearing a smile of triumph and relief.

Leora reached him first, grabbed him, and embraced him tightly.

Her voice trembled with tears:

"Thank God you're alright."

Riven smiled, wrapped in warmth and comfort.

But suddenly, Leora raised her hand and lightly smacked him on the head.

She said, teasing with a smile:

"You really are an idiot, Riven the idiot."

Laughter rang through the air, joy rising after all the suffering.

Mia's tears streamed slowly down her eyes, her voice trembling with sorrow and longing:

"I've missed you all so much…"

She stepped forward—hesitant, yet resolute—

and reached out to hug Leora.

Leora embraced her tightly,

her tears overflowing like a sky raining pure joy and relief.

She whispered through her sobs:

"I can't believe it, Mia… you're alive!

I'm truly happy…

Happy that you're safe."

They clung to each other,

as if the world itself paused to witness this unexpected reunion.

Leora looked at Mia, her eyes wide with wonder and curiosity.

She asked softly, with concern:

"How did you escape the island? How did you get here?"

Mia stood still, breathing slowly,

memories reflected in her eyes—

marks that could never be erased.

Then she began to speak in a quiet voice, heavy with pain:

"That day… devastation swept through our island mercilessly.

Everything crumbled—sky, earth, even hope."

She paused, as if each word weighed on her heart, then continued:

"We were on the brink of death…

But suddenly, that boy appeared—he was from the Izarim.

Not just a savior, he was our only hope.

He led us away from ruin to this place,

where there was safety… even if only for a while."

Leora's voice echoed gently from behind,

a whisper carrying the burden of memory:

"We were…"

Mia turned slowly,

looked into Leora's eyes, and spoke with quiet bitterness:

"Yes… Oubi and I were together.

But fate was cruel.

Oubi was killed two years after we arrived here…

He left me alone to face this world."

A tear fell from the corner of Mia's eye,

but she quickly wiped it away,

as if trying to hide her pain behind a shield of resolve.

Silence fell over the place for a few moments.

Only the wind whispered through the trees—

as if echoing the truth with them.

Then Riven broke the silence, his voice low and stunned:

"I can't believe one of the Izarim… was the one who saved you."

Mia lowered her head slightly, then lifted her gaze with quiet resolve:

"Yes… the boy I met at the cave gate.

His name is Kai."

Her voice held a mix of longing and anger.

"He was about my age…

And though he saved me from death,

he brought me into something far worse."

Her tone trembled as she added:

"That's why…

I blamed him all my life for the pain I endured after that.

I couldn't forgive him,

because it felt like he pulled me from a swift death—

only to cast me into slow torment."

She looked at Leora and Riven with a pained but sincere expression:

"Sometimes… survival isn't a blessing,

but the beginning of an unspoken hell."

A brief silence followed her words,

but it wasn't fleeting—

it was heavy, as if the whole world paused to honor her wounds.

Leora gazed at Mia with teary eyes,

then stepped forward slowly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Her voice was trembling:

"You were alone… all this time,

and you endured the unbearable."

She looked down for a moment, then raised her eyes and said:

"If I had known…

If I had known you were still alive,

I would have turned the world upside down to find you."

As for Riven, he stood behind them in silence,

but his golden eyes shone with unmistakable sorrow.

He spoke quietly:

"No one deserves what you went through, Mia…

But the fact you're here with us now…

that proves you're stronger than all of it."

Mia didn't speak—

but a faint shimmer in her eyes said everything:

That something within her had begun to shift…

The pain was still there, yes—

but maybe… just maybe, it was starting to lift,

gently nudged by this light.

But before Mia could say another word,

the atmosphere trembled around them.

Then—

Footsteps.

Heavy. Slow.

Tearing through the stillness of the earth.

Their eyes all turned toward the top of the hill,

where a man stood with a stern expression,

his black cloak swirling around him like fog.

He advanced slowly—

and beside him, a silver-haired youth walked,

his eyes void of emotion.

Marco.

Mia froze, her hand trembling, but she said nothing.

As the leader of the Izarim advanced,

Leora stared at him, her eyes gradually widening…

Something in his features… his voice… his aura…

Memories long buried returning like a silent flood.

Suddenly, she whispered, unable to believe:

"You… you're him…?"

The man smiled—a cold, distant smile—

and spoke in a voice that carried traces of old affection, now tainted:

"Leora… my dear niece.

I didn't expect we'd meet here… face to face after all this time."

Words choked in her throat,

but the fury in Leora's veins surged faster than thought.

Her hand trembled, she stepped forward,

and her voice erupted from deep within her chest, drenched in anguish and betrayal:

"You… vile bastard!!"

She screamed with the last shred of composure she had.

That word wasn't just an insult—

it was a verdict, delivered after years of confusion and pain.

"You deceived us all…

You disappeared, abandoned us…

I thought you were dead!

But the truth? You were alive—bleeding darkness in the shadows!"

The ground trembled around her.

Her blue eyes flared with magical light,

and the surge of her power made even the trees shudder behind her.

"How dare you stand before me and say 'niece'…

after everything you've done?"

And he… simply smiled.

A calm smile—one that shattered every remnant of familial warmth.

He spoke with mocking amusement:

"Ah… so you're not just defiant… you're dramatic too."

Riven stepped forward,

his golden eyes widened in genuine shock, his grip tightening around his spear involuntarily.

He spoke faintly, as if reality refused to settle in his mind:

"This… can't be…"

He looked at Leora, then at the commander,

then at Marco… and froze in place.

On the other side, Kyle—rarely shaken—

narrowed his eyes, a mocking grin tugging at his lips.

He said coldly:

"The king of fools has arrived… and brought a fool with him."

Mia's face was pale, but steady.

Her gaze locked on Marco without hesitation.

She spoke in a low voice—serious to the core:

"Stop. We are not his equals."

She turned to Riven, to Leora, to Kyle…

then added, with a trace of restrained fear:

"You don't know him…

But I know everyone here—intimately.

And I know… he is not like any enemy you've faced before."

She paused, then spoke slowly:

"This man… doesn't retreat, doesn't show mercy, doesn't hesitate.

When he decides someone must be erased… he does it without even blinking."

She glanced at Marco briefly, then returned her eyes to the commander:

"The leader of the Izarim doesn't see battle as a means…

He sees killing as an art."

Zinfor stood silently, unmoved—

but his gaze pierced through Leora as if exposing her past to the world.

He spoke in a soft voice… but it dripped like venom:

"What's wrong, dear niece?"

His smile widened.

He slowly opened his arms,

as if inviting a warm embrace—

but one that stabs while smiling:

"Won't you hug your uncle?

I've missed you…"

His smile faltered for a moment. Then he continued, cold and dry:

"I miss seeing your parents' faces in yours…

Before I erase them forever."

Zinfor's mocking laughter still echoed in the air,

but it didn't last long.

"Enough nonsense!"

Riven's voice erupted like thunder,

his golden eyes blazing with irresistible light.

"You don't even deserve to be called 'uncle'!

Nor to utter her name!"

He stepped forward, grip tightening around his spear, then added with sharp conviction:

"No one misses people like you…

They belong buried in the folds of a dark past!"

But before he could act,

Leora exploded in fury.

"Shut up!!"

She screamed, charging forward with force,

her eyes flashing, and her enchanted cloak trembling with surging magic.

"I'll tear that mask off myse—"

In an instant,

Marco appeared right in front of her—

his eyes void of emotion.

He raised his hand, drew his sword with power,

and blocked Leora's attack with a single strike.

CLANG!

The clash of blades echoed through the forest,

and Leora stepped back, stunned by his strength.

She looked at him and shouted:

"You…!"

But Marco didn't speak.

He only stared—cold and hollow—

as if he saw nothing in her…

but a "target."

Leora froze for a moment, shaken by Marco's counter.

But before she could take even one step back…

Kyle charged first,

his hand raised,

earth flaring with rage around him.

"Stay out of this, you cursed bastard!"

he shouted,

the sword he rarely used now gripped firmly in his hand.

At that exact moment, Riven moved beside him,

his radiant spear glowing brighter than ever—

as if sharpened by pure fury.

He spoke in a low voice… but it dripped with venomous hate:

"I still… haven't forgiven you."

He raised his spear slowly, eyes locked on Marco's face:

"What you did to me in the cave…

What you did every day—

every blow, every mockery, every torment…

It won't be erased."

He stepped forward, voice rising:

"I won't forgive you, Marco…

And I will show you no mercy."

He and Kyle charged together—

light and earth uniting in a single strike,

roaring, soaked in anguish and fury.

As the joint attack hurtled toward Marco,

Kyle's voice rang out from within the blast, cutting through smoke and blaze:

"Leoraaaaa!"

He turned swiftly toward her,

then pointed his arm toward Zinfor,

his tone sharp, unquestionable:

"Go!

Finish off that wretched beast!"

His eyes blazed with determination,

debris swirling around him.

"This is your moment!"

Leora stepped forward slowly, her movements sure,

light crackling from her azure eyes.

Kyle's words weren't just orders—

they were the invocation she'd been waiting for.

She raised her hand,

and her enchanted cloak flared with radiant force.

A red aura surged outward, flooding the earth before her arrival.

She stood before Zinfor.

The space between them narrowed…

but she did not flinch.

She met his eyes directly,

and with a chilling smile, her voice quiet as a blade, she said:

"How sad…

that your end will come by my hand."

When Leora's words reached him,

Zinfor didn't rage—

he smiled.

A smile that bore no trace of humanity—

but the hunger of a beast savoring the kill.

He opened his arms slightly,

as if welcoming the battle,

and shouted with gleeful fervor:

"Yes… yes!"

His laughter rose amid the wind and dust:

"This is what I've been waiting for all this time!"

He stared at Leora with eyes ablaze:

"I've longed to witness the power of the Crimson Blood heir…

To see if you truly deserve that legacy!"

He unleashed his aura—

and the earth around him cracked and trembled…

The final battle has begun.

---

Zynfor launched his first strike.

His black blade sliced through the air, and his dark aura slammed into the ground like minor earthquakes.

But Leora… was ready.

She raised her hand,

A magical barrier of blue light formed instantly—

It blocked the first blow.

Then the second.

Then the third.

The clash of powers echoed like thunder.

With every parry, she grew steadier. Her expression didn't flinch.

Then, as she deflected a direct hit toward her shoulder, she spoke with lethal calm:

"I don't know what you're saying…"

She stepped back and threw a small incantation—

Just enough to scatter his energy for a second.

Then, her voice turned to steel:

"But so be it."

Her eyes ignited, and energy flared around her.

Her final words sliced the silence:

"You will die."

Zynfor smiled widely, savoring her words.

"Lovely… Let's see if you can back them up."

And in a blink—

He vanished.

He moved like a torn shadow, only visible when it was already too late.

Suddenly—

BOOOM!!

He dove at her from above.

His dark sword surged with a deadly aura,

Hurtling toward her like the air itself had collapsed.

Leora raised a barrier in haste,

But his energy pierced through and exploded in her face.

"Aaagh!"

She was hurled backward—

Crashing violently into the trunk of a massive tree.

The impact shook the ground. Wood cracked. Leaves burst into the air.

She slid to the ground,

Dust rising all around…

But her eyes—still open.

"LEORAAAAA!!"

Riven's scream tore through the battlefield,

Echoing like a dagger through the sky.

Mia rushed forward, but Riven raised his arm to stop her.

"No… This is her fight."

Beneath the dust, Leora stirred.

Her groans were faint, but her eyes still burned—she was still fighting.

She wiped the blood from her mouth and stood again,

Pulling herself from the rubble, her voice hoarse:

"I… won't let you… win."

She lunged forward,

A swirl of blue energy surrounding her body,

She cast a spell that split the ground beneath Zynfor.

But—

Zynfor was ready.

He blocked the attack with just his palm,

Then countered with a burst that threw her back.

She fell.

Her body trembled. But she stood again—and attacked.

She fell.

And again—

She fell.

Her breath was ragged. Her wounds deepened.

But she never stopped.

Each time she rose, it was like she was declaring:

"I will not bow."

But her body…

Told a different story.

Zynfor flashed forward like lightning, delivering blow after blow—

Each one like a quake beneath her feet.

Leora withstood them, bruised and bloodied, but her eyes blazed with unwavering resolve.

Suddenly, from afar, Riven appeared—

Racing in like he came from nothingness,

His golden eyes glowing with urgency.

He tried to reach her—

But Zynfor had anticipated this.

With a single brutal punch,

He struck Riven in the chest and sent him flying—

Crashing through three giant trees like they were nothing but twigs.

Leora wiped blood from her lips, stepping forward slowly, her breathing labored, her eyes burning with rage and pain.

She screamed:

"You bastard… I'll never forgive you for what you did to Riven!"

She attacked with everything she had—

Firing spells, swinging her blade, twisting the aura around her…

But Zynfor countered her effortlessly. Like he was toying with her.

He struck her again.

She dropped to her knees.

She tried to stand—

He slammed her down again.

Every attack she launched was met with an even stronger one.

Zynfor, with a cold smirk:

"The difference between us… is that you fight out of emotion. Me? I was born for this."

The sky darkened further. The air thickened.

It was as if evil itself had paused to watch—and grin.

Zynfor approached her, slow and sure,

His eyes sharp as blades. His voice dripping with mockery:

"All that spirit… for nothing. What a disappointment."

He stood over her broken form,

Then whispered, voice colder than death:

"Now… I'll end this. Say hello to your parents."

He raised his hand, preparing the final blow—

But in that moment,

Leora felt something strange.

A sudden heat rising inside her.

No—boiling.

Her blood was boiling. Screaming from deep within.

Her fingers trembled. Her eyes widened. A vein pulsed in her neck.

A voice echoed in her mind:

"Let the blood spill… let rage guide you… open the gate…"

The air around her began to tremble,

The light in her eyes shifted—

A deep red glow mixed with violet sparks.

Her cloak lifted with the force around her,

The symbol on her magical robe began to glow.

Zynfor paused, narrowing his eyes:

"…What is this?"

But it was too late.

The one rising now—

Wasn't the broken Leora from seconds ago.

It was something else.

Something that had been sleeping inside her all along.

Time itself seemed to freeze.

Leora's eyes opened slowly—

But only one glowed:

A deep crimson like a shard of living hell.

The energy around her erupted—

A storm of red and black aura ripped through the trees.

Winds howled. Nature bent.

She reached into her pocket…

And almost without awareness, pulled out the small wooden piece.

Yes…

The piece Harvis had given her.

Always seemed ordinary.

Faded. Useless.

But not anymore.

Her body moved on its own—

Something had awakened and taken over.

She raised the wood—

Suddenly—

A burst of blinding light.

The wood reshaped, twisted, cracked with spectral colors—

Until it became a magnificent scepter, etched with ancient runes.

At its peak, a glowing red-violet gem pulsed like a living heart.

Zynfor stepped back slightly, eyes wide:

"…That energy… it's awakening."

The scepter completed in her grip—

It glowed. It pulsed.

Like a piece of the ancient sky now rested in her hand.

The air stilled.

Even nature waited for her next word.

Leora opened her eyes slowly,

That red ember burning like eternal fire.

She looked directly at Zynfor, her voice low—yet carrying a quake within it:

"I will say this only once…"

She raised the scepter high—

The winds roared.

Her blue-black hair flared with the storm of fury.

"Blood must be spilled… for all who threaten the peace of this land."

Her voice wasn't just anger.

It was judgment.

Like she was speaking on behalf of something ancient—

Older than the world itself.

Zynfor chuckled, but his face paled:

"…You've changed."

Leora stepped forward. The silence shattered.

"No… I simply remembered who I've always been."

The scepter glowed brighter.

The ground trembled.

She lifted the staff slowly—

The aura around her now thick like living fog.

Her hair swirled. Her red eye gleamed like a volcano ready to erupt.

She stepped forward again.

Her gaze piercing.

Every wound on her body now fuel to her wrath.

She locked eyes with Zynfor—

And said in a cold, sharp tone, filled with pain and scorn enough to shake a mountain:

"This… is the beginning of your end, Uncle."

Silence…

Even the wind dared not move.

Zynfor's eyes widened slightly. He whispered:

"…So you know."

Leora didn't answer.

The scepter radiated blinding light.

The earth cracked beneath her.

The time for questions—was over.

Now… it was time for vengeance.

On another edge of the battlefield…

Kyle stood firm—his body worn down,

clothes torn, shoulder bleeding—

but his eyes were filled with unshakable resolve.

Before him stood Marco.

A feral grin never left his face,

as he unleashed wave after wave of dark energy—

tearing through the earth, ripping trees from their roots.

Kyle slammed his hand against the ground.

Massive stone pillars erupted beneath Marco,

colliding into him and sending his body crashing down.

But Marco rose again.

As if pain was a foreign concept.

Kyle muttered through labored breaths:

"He doesn't stop… It's like he's a curse."

Before Marco could launch his final, brutal attack—

A light fell from the sky.

Like a comet of violet fire.

Time held its breath.

From between the trees… she appeared.

Ely.

Her wings shimmered with a heavenly aura,

trailing delicate lights like whispers from another realm.

She extended her hand and spoke with calm clarity:

"Kyle… Let me help you. Let's finish this together."

Kyle offered a faint smile and replied:

"I've been waiting for you."

Ely raised her hand to the sky—

Strands of violet light shot downward,

Encircling Marco in a perfect arcane circle—

a prison of pure celestial magic.

At that very moment,

Kyle drove his foot into the ground,

unleashing a storm of razor-sharp stone blades.

They shot forward with immense force,

tearing into Marco's trapped body.

Marco screamed—

And then…

Silence.

His voice vanished.

And with it—

the shadow that had haunted them for so long.

Ely turned to Kyle, smiling gently:

"I was a little late, wasn't I?"

He wiped the sweat from his brow and said with a smirk:

"But, as always… you show up right when we need you."