The Ryu Dynasty Returns

Chapter 5:

“Senior Orion!”

“Senior Orion!”

Orion and Riven stop abruptly in their tracks, turning around to see a servant running towards them. He stops, clearly out of breath from trailing them to the training grounds.

“What is it?” Orion asks, perplexed.

“It’s… it’s Master Zhao—”

Before he could complete his sentence, Orion dashes towards the main residence with Riven at his heels. As they enter into Damon’s chambers, they are caught off guard by Damon’s appearance.

His face had lost color, white as sheets as he laid on the bed. Several servants stand by his bed side working alongside the doctor, medicinal herbs burning from the ancestral Zhao’s altar in the room to calm his mind.

“Father,” Orion calls out, walking towards the bed with little efforts to appear composed.

Riven walks behind him.

Damon opens his eyes slowly and coughs slightly. “My sons.”

“What’s wrong, father?” Concern etched in Orion’s face.

Damon shook his head and wave Orion’s concerns dismissively.

“Don’t look at me with pity in your eyes, Orion. There’s a lot left to be said and done,” he glanced at Riven beside him. “After yeas of silence, the enemies have come to our doorsteps. And they are searching for you. They came to see whether the rumors of the surviving Wei’s heir was true or not.”

Riven inhales sharply, remembering the last words of the man he had beheaded earlier.

“You must not let them get to you. Do whatever you can to remain in the shadows until the right time,” Damon says weakly. “You do know what you are supposed to do.”

Riven nods slowly in understanding. “I will not let you down.”

“I will protect and stand by his side as well,” Orion said, straightening up earning a rare small smile from Damon.

“Good,” Damon began. “But words alone aren’t enough.”

A servant walks towards Damon with a sharp knife. He beckons on the boys to come to him.

“Stretch out your palms.”

Orion does as requested but Riven hesitates. He knew what was about to happen.

An oath.

A blood covenant that can not be broken.

But this must be between trusted parties. The sincerity in Orion’s eyes as he looks at him and Damon’s weakening condition wavers Riven’s hands and he stretches forth his hand as well.

Damon cuts their palms lightly to draw out blood and he clasps their hands together.

“In front of the Zhao’s ancestors, regardless of power, bloodline and ambition, do you both swear to never raise a weapon against each othe? To uphold, protect and defend each other?”

“I do swear,” Orion responded.

“I swear.”

Damon hands the knife back to the servant and gestures to a document on the table beside him, then glancing back at Riven.

“There’s yet another thing you have to know, Riven. Before your father died, he arranged an alliance between the Wei and the Chen families through marriage. But know that this wasn’t done to acquire wealth or power but to open doors connected to the old dynasty by the two bloodlines and this will help save the world and our future from calamity.”

Riven’s face forms into a frown.

“I have a betrothed wife? Impossible!” He grits, trying to keep his anger at bay. “You keep hiding secrets from me and now, you expect me to accept this?”

Damon frowns.

“This isn’t optional, Riven. Powerful forces connected to the dynasty are already beginning to move and you know the transformations you are currently undergoing. Only the daughter of the Chen family is the key to your future. This is not debatable!”

“Remaining alone will only make you vulnerable before you understand who you truly are,” he adds.

Immediately Damon finishes speaking, he is thrown into a fit. Orion rushes to his side as well as the other servants as he coughs out a huge amount of blood.

Riven stands frozen on the side.

“FATHER!” Orion yells, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

“Men… do not cry, Orion,” Damon scolds as he takes in big puffs of air in a deep struggle. He exchanges glances with the two boys, his eyes holding pride.

“Protect yourselves. Survival without trust eventually turns men into monsters.”

Damon looks up and chuckles.

“It’s time.”

Without warning, his hands drop limply from Orion’s grip.