The skies darkened, the winds howled faintly.
The ground trembled beneath us as cries of war echoed across the battlefield. It was chaos - a scene straight out of the abyss it self.
We the weakest of the squads, were sent
As reinforcements for the holyknights. But as the dust settled, it became clear.
We'd been betrayed.
We stood at the heart of the enemy forces,not as reinforcements but as expendables.
"this can't be.... Why are they here? Where are the holy knights?"
The others were frozen in disbelief. Even our captain, a seasoned soldier, could barely mask his shock. None of us wanted to believe it-that the Holy knights, the kingdom's supposed protectors, had abandoned us.
We we're the vanguard against an impossible foe
My heart pounded in my chest. This was my
First taste of war, and already i knew how it would end.
Yet, amidst the despair, our captain's voice
Rang out, unwavering :
"snap out of it! If were going down, let's make it a fight they'll never forget!"
A chorus of desperate cheers erupted :
"Yeahhh"
"thats our captain!"
The rain began to fall, light at first as if mourning the lives that will soon be lost.
"charge"
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Steel clashed against steel, and screams
Pierced the air, Men and women fell like autumn leaves, their bodies trampled into the mud.
I swung my sword with all the strength i could muster, but the enemy was too strong.
Their magic alone was overwhelming, and i--unable to even use the simplest of spells -was at a massive disadvantage.
"huff.... huff..." i gasped, my chest heaving as i struggled to stay on my feet.
The realization hit me like a punch in the gut:we had no chance.
---
The battlefield blurred, and for a moment, the screams faded and chaos around me fell away. My chest heaved, not just from exhaustion but from the heavy, suffocating weight of regret. My knees buckled as a memory clawed its way to the surface—a memory I didn't want to face now, of all times.
All i could see was her—Mother—standing in the doorway of our home, her hands clutching the edge of her apron, wringing it nervously. Her voice rang out, faint, trembling.
"Amura, are you sure about this? You failed the knights' trials here. What makes you think another kingdom will be any different?"
I could hear myself then, arrogant, naive, full of determination I didn't deserve. "The Kingdom of Zephyr is different, Mother. They don't care about talent, they care about effort. If I give them my best, I'll make it. I promise."
And what had she said next? Her voice had cracked, hadn't it? She'd tried to laugh it off, but I could see the fear in her eyes.
"Just promise me," she'd whispered, "that you'll write. Every chance you get."
I didn't.
How long had it been since i saw her? Seven years? Eight? The last letter I sent her was five months ago, and even that had been rushed—a couple of scribbled words about some stupid promotion. I'd told her I was doing fine. I lied.
The memory twisted, sharper now. Father's voice joined hers, his booming laugh echoing in the corners of my mind. Ha ha ha "Let the boy go, Chiyo. He'll be fine. You've always been too soft on him. He's got my blood—he'll make something of himself."
Father, would you say that now if you could see me? Crawling through the dirt like a worm, too weak to even hold my sword steady. Would you still call me "Little Emperor"? Or would you turn away in shame?
The battlefield returned in flashes, but my mind refused to let me go. It dragged me back to those quiet nights at home, where the biggest worry was how much bread we could afford that week. I remembered the warmth of the fire, the way Mother would hum softly while cooking, how Father would tell me stories of knights and emperors and heroes who rose from nothing.
What a fool I was to think I could be one of them.
Rain began to fall, each drop cool against the heat of my flushed face. But it wasn't enough to wash away the weight of my failure. The dirt beneath me mixed with the blood pooling from my wounds. I was a mess—broken and bleeding. My comrades were dying, Hana was gone, and here I was, thinking about home like a coward.
"Mother…" I whispered, barely audible. "I'm sorry. I didn't… I didn't mean to leave you waiting so long."
A sword slashed inches from my face, snapping me back to reality. I staggered backward, gripping my side. The enemy in front of me grinned, his blade gleaming, ready to end me.
For a moment, I thought about surrendering, about letting it all end here. But then I saw her again, standing in that doorway, smiling through her tears.
"You'll write, won't you?" she had said. "I'll wait for every letter."
I grit my teeth, the memory reigniting something deep inside me. No not like this. I couldn't let it end here. I promised her. I promised.
The enemy raised his blade, its edge engulfed in wind magic. I lifted my sword to block, but he was to fast. He feinted to the side, his blade angling toward my neck. I braced for the strike -
Swoosh
The sound of steel slicing through flesh filled the air, but it wasn't mine. The weight of the attack didn't land.
"Hana..." i gasped, my voice barely audible
Hana stood before me, her blade burried in the enemy's chest. Blood tickled from her lips as she staggered, the enemy's sword impaled Through her stomach.
"Hana!" i screamed, rushing forward as the enemy crumbled to the ground.
She turned to me, her hand clutching the hilt
Of her sword, face pale.
"Hana, no! You.... You can't.."
"Amura..." she whispered, her voice soft yet firm. "you need to listen to me."
I dropped my sword, reaching out to steady
Her as she fell into my arms.
"you've... Always been kind," she said, her lips curving into a faint smile. "even when you were struggling, you wanted to protect us. Thats why you... Have to live."
Tears streamed down my face as i shook
My head violently. "No. Dont talk like that!
We can get through this together. I'll find a healer - just hang on!"
Her trembling hand brushed my cheek, her fingers cold. "Amura your eyes. They're screaming, i don't want to die. And that's okay. Its okay to live. But you... Have to promise me...."
"Don't do this, hana don't - "
"promise me.... you will survive. Live for all of us," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her hand fell limp, her body grew heavy in my arms.
"Hana.... No! Don't close your eyes hana!"
I cried shaking her as if my desperation could bring her back.
But she was gone.
I sat there, gradling her lifeless body as the rain poured down, masking my tears. The battlefield around me blurred into an incomprehensible haze.
Why? If only i was strong
[initializing]
Why am I so weak? Why couldn't i save her?
[scanning for compatibility]
My hands trembled as i set her down gently, brushing the rain- soaked hair from her face. I wanted to protect everyone, but i couldn't even protect her.
My legs moved before i realized it, carrying
Me away from the carnage i had to escape.
Hana's words echoed in my mind arguing
Me forward
But my escape was short-lived.
A man stepped into my path, his presence
Suffocating. His eyes, cold and devoid of emotion, pierced through me like a blade.
Four others flanked him, their faces equally menacing.
In an instant, the man's sword swung, and i barely registered the sight of my severed arm falling to the ground. Blood poured from the stump, but i felt nothing.
I turned to run, my vision blurring with tears
And pain . The four men followed, their footsteps echoing behind me like a tolling of bell.
Blow after blow rained down, driving me into
The mud. They laughed as i writhed beneath
Their boots, their taunts blending into the storm.
"why won't you just kill me?" I gasped, my voice barely audible
But they weren't done.
One by one their blades pierced my back. The cold steel drove deeper, and my strength finally gave out.
My vision dimmed as the rain mingled with the blood pool beneath me.
[ you have been choosen as a player]
What?
[your heart will stop in 30 seconds]
[re spawn?]
[yes] [No]
25...20...19..
Is this real? Is this some kind of a joke
15..13..10..
Don't get my hopes up dammit
6...5..4.3.. 2..
I-
[your heart has stopped]