The Villain Can't Lose

[Rowen's POV: During The Demon's Massacre]

As I sat in the carriage, I felt a sense of urgency wash over me. All I could think about was getting home as quickly as possible so I could rush to the dungeons. I needed to interrogate the female knight who had been sitting next to me.

Her demeanor had been suspicious from the moment I laid eyes on her. There was something about the way she held herself and the way she spoke that made me believe she was hiding something. And now, as I sat in the carriage, I couldn't shake the feeling that she knew more than she was letting on.

I knew I had to be careful. I couldn't let her know that I was onto her. But at the same time, I couldn't wait to get to the dungeons and start questioning her. I needed to know what she was hiding and who she was working for.

As the carriage jolted along the road, I could feel my heart racing with anticipation. I was so close to getting the answers I needed. All I had to do was get home and make my way to the dungeons.

I felt a sudden jolt as the carriage came to an abrupt stop, throwing me forward. My heart raced as I tried to figure out what was happening when suddenly, out of nowhere, Zuri appeared before me.

"Rowen, we have to hurry! The demon!" she shouted, her urgency evident in her voice. Without hesitation, she summoned my sword using her own magic, and I took it from her, feeling its weight and heft in my hand.

As I looked up at Zuri, I noticed her scrutinizing the female knight sitting next to me. I knew what she was thinking: could the knight be trusted to fight alongside us against the demon?

Frustrated by the suddenness of it all, I turned to Zuri and demanded, "Where the hell have you been?" My anger was palpable…

My frustration boiled over as I looked at Zuri, "Where the hell have you been?" I demanded, my voice sharp with anger.

I couldn't believe that she had disappeared when Nari was dying, leaving me all alone to deal with it. I had been forced to watch as Nari took her last breath, feeling helpless and alone.

"What happened to you?" I continued, my voice growing louder. "Nari was dying, and you were nowhere to be found! Do you have any idea what that was like for me?"

Zuri looked at me, her expression a mix of sadness and understanding. "I'm sorry, Rowen," she said softly. "I had to take care of something, but I'm here now. And we need to focus on defeating the demon."

Her words only made me angrier. "You had to take care of something?" I repeated incredulously. "While our friend was dying? That's not good enough, Zuri. I need to know what happened and why you left me to face my powers alone?"

[Rowen, the demon! Focus!]

Zuri's words fell on deaf ears as I continued to focus on my anger towards her. I didn't care about the demon attack or what she had to say about it. All I wanted were answers about her mysterious disappearance when Nari was dying.

"Listen to me, Rowen," Zuri pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation. "We don't have time for this. The demon is attacking the mansion, and we need to stop it."

But I couldn't let it go. "I need to know what happened, Zuri," I insisted, my voice hard. "Why did you leave me alone to? What was so important that you had to abandon us?"

Zuri looked at me, her expression pained. "I can't tell you right now, Rowen," she said softly. "But I promise you, I had no other choice. And we can talk about it later. Right now, we need to focus on the task at hand."

But I couldn't get past my anger and hurt. I felt betrayed by Zuri's sudden disappearance, and I wasn't about to let it go. "I can't just forget about it, Zuri," I said firmly. "You left us when we needed you the most. I need to know what happened."

Zuri's expression softened, and she reached out to touch my arm. "I understand, Rowen," she said gently. "But please, trust me. We need to work together if we're going to defeat the demon. And I promise you, I'll explain everything when this is all over."

As Zuri's words sank in, a sudden realization hit me like a ton of bricks. The demon she was talking about, the one we needed to defeat, was attacking the mansion. My home.

My heart raced as I thought about my siblings, Nari, and Serenu. Were they safe? Had they been hurt in the attack? I couldn't bear the thought of losing them, not after everything we had been through.

"Oh my god," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "The mansion. My family is there."

Zuri looked at me, concern etched on her face. "We need to hurry, then," she said. "We can't waste any more time. The demon is strong, but if we work together, we can defeat it."

I nodded, my mind still reeling from the sudden realization. I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me, not now. I had to focus on the task at hand, on defeating the demon and protecting my family.

"Let's go," I said firmly, tightening my grip on my sword. "We have to save them."