Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

Chapter 715 Moving forward

It didn't take long for Rain to reach the other side of the city and confirm what had happened… There were Numerous craters around and many holes in the walls, but the damage didn't spread that much in that region. Still, Rain could see countless bodies of warriors around the craters.

Asche and Liss were already on the field helping the wounded since all of the dragons had either being killed or they simply exploded. Rain could see a bunch of corpses in the distance, and it seemed like they killed a lot of them before they could get too close.

"How are things on your end?" Asche asked. "Is Terra alright?" Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire

"Yes… Dad lost his legs and at least five hundred warriors died though," Rain said while healing as many people as he could. "The battle is over… for now."

The last few words seemed really ominous, but those two could understand where Rain was coming from. Aside from time, resources and the same amount of them that would be needed to train more forces, Rain still felt deeply troubled by losing his warriors like that, even if they thought on their own volition to protect their homeland.

As their leader, Rain couldn't count their lives as just numbers in a paper.

After administering first aid on the most injured people, Rain was able to rest for a bit since a lot of people came from underground to help with the work after the battle. Branden and Esmeralda were with them, Karla also made things work a bit more efficiently.

Despite that, the inhabitants had to get used to the surroundings before they began to work efficiently… Watching the number of massive beasts around was pretty overwhelming.

"How many people did we lose?" Rain asked.

"You don't have to worry about that, let's focus on saving those we can save," Branden said. "We won, but we still have a very long battle ahead of us and helping the injured will lift our spirits."

"The casualties of civilians is zero, so in a sense, we won and defeated the dragons with flying colors," Esmeralda said. "Well, I can understand your thoughts a bit after seeing how much work is done behind the scenes to raise and train so many people."

Despite the weight of the recent battles and the desire to calm his children, Rain persevered in his work throughout the day. His commitment stemmed from the understanding that Terra's workload was likely to extend for an indeterminate duration, and he felt compelled to alleviate some of the burden on her shoulders.

While various mages within the academy could address minor injuries, the restoration of bodies to their pre-damaged state remained within the unique hands of Terra and Rain. In recognition of the critical role they played in healing the wounded, Rain dedicated himself to supporting Terra and ensuring that they could collectively attend to the needs of the injured.

"Papa! Where are mamas?" Danny asked when Rain returned home.

"They will come back later, they are a bit busy," Rain said while patting his son's head. "It seems that you looked after Sealyn well, I am proud of you two."

Rain didn't remember when Annie learned that, but she was able to hold Sealyn in her arms quite well. She put her on the ground, and then Sealyn slowly walked toward Rain.

"I feel like eating something sweet. What do you guys want for dinner?" Rain asked while forcing a smile.

Rain was tired… actually, that was an understatement… he thought that some sugar would help him with his mood. He wasn't that much of a fan of sweets, but his kids had a sweet tooth that they got from their mothers. In the end, Rain was only able to relax after he spent some time with his kids until they fell asleep. They could tell that Rain was tired, so they didn't push him too hard.

"Thou art my haven…" Rain said when he left the kids sleeping in their room and then he fell on the ground after he closed the door. "If it weren't for them, I would have gotten tired of fighting a long time ago."

Rain found himself thoroughly burnt out. The unrelenting nature of the ongoing battles, combined with the absence of a clear resolution to the wars, weighed heavily on him. The dual responsibility of both rigorous training for countless individuals and leading them into the perilous throes of conflict took a toll on his mental and emotional well-being.

Despite his desire to believe that he was preparing them for survival, the stark reality of the overwhelming odds made such optimism seem painfully naive. The weariness of ceaseless warfare and the burden of leadership gnawed at Rain's spirit, leaving him grappling with the toll of his responsibilities.

"Do you need a hand?"

The voice from the shield was coming again at an annoying moment… in the end, Rain was just too tired to even bother about this asshole, so he just took a deep breath and then got up after clearing his mind.

In the quiet recesses of his mind, Rain dealt with a complex array of emotions. The weight of loss bore heavily on his shoulders, each fallen comrade a testament to the harsh realities of war. While the sorrow and mourning were genuine, Rain recognized that allowing himself to be consumed by these sentiments indefinitely would be a disservice to those who had fought bravely by his side.

In that introspective moment, Rain acknowledged that honoring the memory of his fallen comrades required more than an endless spiral of grief. It demanded a commitment to the very cause for which they had given their lives – the pursuit of an end to the relentless conflict.

The recognition that their sacrifices would be in vain if he succumbed to hesitation fueled a newfound determination within Rain. His sadness transformed into a steely resolve, an unwavering determination to press forward and bring closure to the protracted war that had claimed so many lives.