Zess was eighteen when he first went to the war, he was a freshman in the Knight division. Soon he would take over his father's commander mantle and he demanded a chance to experience everything from the bottom.
It was a war at the border, other small kingdom trying to oppose their larger empire. They came to take the 1st Knight division who failed.
Zess was still with his old spare, summoned by his magic when he was still training in the Ainsworth manor.
He was nothing but a new and a naïve boy, his twin brother stood on the other line with the fellow mages.
Zess saw his father's figure on the front-line, before the entire battalion of the second Knight Division. His father on the black horse, Aasira, her name.
The long maroon mantle, hugging his father average male figure, making the older man seemed so powerful.
The loud voice from their enemies, Zess could notice they had the goblins and orcs helps. The battle won't finish fast, this might became ugly even.
When the horn echoed, the normal horses shrieking and Ruach's black horse, Aasira let out a loud neigh.
The war has begun and everything turned a little blurry for Zess.
He remembered summoning his dark blue spare, cutting orc's head and bathed in the red of warm blood. Magic explosion everywhere and the mages throwing spell from the distance.
The dark blue fire soaring from Aasira's body engraved to his head clear, his father figure who cast a difficult spell with ease. He was like a grim reaper, passing and death bodies scattered after.
The dimension crack beside the whole battalion's commander side, Ruach summoned another mystical beast to help in the warzone. Cerberus and Phoenix aid Ruach, the enemies quivered in fear and surprised by the fact a human being could summon such powerful mystical creatures at once.
It was a scene both Zess and Luze won't forget, the powerful and perfect figure of a leader in the battle zone.
The way his father's tried his best to have his soldier alive. Protecting them with his powerful magic and casting numerous spell no human being could do.
The battle ended at the dawn when the first sunray hit them and the alive soldier groaned happily as Ruach threw the other commander's head to the ground.
They won.
Zess never know the victory would sweep all of his burden on his chest, he looked up to the sky proudly.
Ruach's face painted with the unfamiliar coldness and his body drenched with blood, the magic rushing from his whole body and Aasira shouted in happiness.
They had waited for this moment, one year staying on the battlefield with no actual result and finally, they won the game.
The picture of Ruach stepping on the enemy's head made Luze shivered, the figure of his kind and smiley father gone.
The rest of the mages beside him started to go down from their hills to help the injured soldiers, trying to cast healing spell at the moment.
It wasn't the kind and gentle father they knew, it was Ruach de Laurenia Ainsworth. The head-family who risen the status of their family and known as a heartless Grand Duke, the powerful commander; the strongest in the history.
The fear and admiration from the whole battalion, his sons included, making Ruach succeeded with hiding the blooming pain inside his chest.
The pain from the dark magic inside his veins forced his heart to work extra hard, the overloaded mana made his head dizzy but he couldn't faint here.
"Seize the rest of the enemies and bring them to the dungeon once we are back to our fortress," he ordered the vice-commander who replied obediently.
From the distance he saw his children's faces, he wished they didn't need to witness the cruelty of war but as someone who lived his entire life knowing the world was cruel; Ruach knew better.
The black-haired commander wiped the corner of his lips once he settled on Aasire's back, the blue fire already died down when the horse walked him back to the far fortress on the west of the warzone.
The soldiers walked behind him several feet, cheering with their victory while Ruach tried to quiet down his cough.
The blood made him choke, his lungs felt dry despite the troublesome liquid drowning him.
'You're nearing your limit,' Ruach heard Aasira whispering to him through telepathy, the temporary contract they performed giving an ability to connect.
The man smiled softly, caressing Aasira gently, "I'm tired, Aasira," he replied.
The horse shook her head but continued walking and once again Ruach swallowed down his bitter blood.
He closed his eyes and recalled the faces of Zess and Luze, his dearest children.
"My limit is near indeed," he said to the air as a stray tear escaped his eyes due to the realization of the dark magic damaging his internal organs had worsened.