Lyron Village was a smoldering wasteland. Blackened beams of once-sturdy homes jutted from the ash-laden ground like skeletal remains. The acrid scent of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air as the Fourth Division of the Azel Empire's Elite Black Knights sifted tirelessly through the wreckage. Charred bodies were stacked like cordwood, and even the most hardened among them faltered at the sight.
Hani recoiled as she stepped onto the blood-slicked cobblestones of the village square, her face contorted in a mix of horror and revulsion. "What is this madness?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Salami Nortel, Head Captain of the Black Knights, stood beside her, her expression unreadable. "A quiet coastal village reduced to ash and rubble," Salami muttered. Her piercing gaze swept over the destruction. "Where's the boy—the one we found near Lord Guyu?"
"At the medic quarters," Hani replied, swallowing hard. "He's the only survivor. Everyone else..." Her voice trailed off, the unspoken words hanging in the air like a ghost.
Salami's jaw tightened. "One child spared from this slaughter. Was it divine intervention, or was he cursed to live with the weight of this massacre? Let's go to him."
The two knights made their way toward the medic quarters outside the village ruins. The makeshift tent was a stark contrast to the destruction surrounding it, a fragile symbol of life amid the devastation. Inside, a young boy lay unconscious on a crude cot, his face slick with sweat as he writhed in the grip of fevered dreams.
"Sister," the boy murmured, his voice faint but filled with yearning.
Salami frowned, her sharp mind piecing together fragments of the tragedy. His sister was taken. But why? She leaned over the boy and gave him a brisk slap. "Wake up," she commanded coldly.
"Captain!" Hani gasped, pulling Salami back. "You can't just slap him!"
Salami shrugged, her tone flat. "His face annoyed me."
The boy stirred, groaning as his hand went instinctively to his reddened cheek. "Huh? Where am I?" His eyes snapped open, wild and confused. The memories rushed back like a tide. "My sister! Where's my sister?" he cried, bolting upright.
"Slow down, boy," Salami said sternly, but Asuma pushed past her, staggering outside the tent. His gaze fell upon the smoldering remnants of his home, and his knees buckled beneath him.
"No..." he whispered, his voice breaking. "My home... my family..." Tears streamed down his face as the enormity of his loss consumed him.
Hani knelt beside him, wrapping him in a gentle embrace. "It's okay," she murmured, her voice soft and maternal. "You did well to survive. You're safe now."
Asuma clung to her, sobbing, before his voice broke the silence. "My grandfather... Did he make it?" he asked, his words barely audible.
Hani exchanged a glance with Salami. After a pause, she answered, "Your grandfather passed before we arrived. I'm so sorry."
Asuma's shoulders shook as grief overtook him. His grandfather, the strongest man he knew, was gone. His father. His village head. His family. All gone. He buried his face in his hands, silent sobs racking his small frame.
Hours later, back inside the medic tent, Asuma finally spoke. "They took my sister," he said, his voice raw. "The ones who attacked us—they wore strange markings. My grandfather fought them, but there were too many."
Salami's eyes narrowed. "The Black Guild," she said, her voice like steel. "Those demons haven't surfaced in years. Why now? And why this village?"
Hani nodded in agreement. "It doesn't add up. Lyron is isolated—barely on the empire's maps. The only notable figure here was Lord Guyu, and he's..." Her voice faltered.
"Guyu was more than just a notable figure," Salami interjected quietly. "He was a mentor. And more." Her voice carried an edge of emotion, rare for the hardened knight.
Asuma clenched his fists. "I have to find my sister," he said, his voice trembling with determination. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Salami regarded him with a critical eye. "You won't last a day against the Black Guild. They're ruthless, and their locations are unknown even to us. Rushing in will only get you killed."
"I don't care!" Asuma shot back. "She's all I have left. I'll risk everything."
Salami's lips quirked into a small, sad smile. "You're just like your grandfather—stubborn to a fault. He had a habit of diving headfirst into danger, no matter the odds." Her gaze softened. "His blood runs strong in you."
"Wait," Asuma said, realization dawning. "You knew my grandfather? Were you his student?"
Salami nodded. "Yes. Your grandfather was my mentor. He trained me when I was young, and much of what I've accomplished, I owe to him."
"And you wear the Black Phoenix crest," Asuma said, his eyes widening. "Grandfather told us about the Black Knights. Who are you?"
Hani stepped forward, placing a hand on Asuma's shoulder. "We should have introduced ourselves earlier. I am Hani Balar, Captain of the Fourth Division of the Azel Empire's Black Knights. And this," she gestured to Salami, "is Salami Nortel, Head Captain of all seven divisions and the strongest knight in the empire."
Asuma's thoughts raced as he stared at the two figures before him. The Black Knights? The strongest warriors in the Azel Empire? It was almost incomprehensible. Meeting a single captain of the Black Knights was a rare honor, an encounter even kings might dream of. But here he stood, face to face with not just any captain but their leader, Salami Nortel, and her trusted second-in-command, Hani Balar.
"I think he's frozen," Hani teased, her tone light as she glanced at Salami. "Maybe we should have saved the introductions for later."
"No, I'm fine," Asuma replied quickly, his voice breaking slightly as he tried to steady himself. "It's just… my grandfather never mentioned that he had trained the captain of the Black Knights."
Salami crossed her arms and tilted her head. "He likely didn't know I became a captain," she replied simply.
Asuma nodded, his gaze dropping momentarily. "That sounds like him. Grandfather kept to himself most of the time. Even in our village, he was a man of few words. My father always kept us away from him—said he was a bad influence. But we didn't listen. Anami and I would sneak over to see him whenever we could."
Salami's expression softened, the faintest flicker of nostalgia crossing her face. "Always alone. He never changed."
She stepped closer to Asuma, her sharp eyes locking with his. "Listen, boy. You can continue searching for your sister aimlessly, chasing shadows and wasting time, or..." Her tone shifted, the words heavy with purpose. "You can become my student. I'll train you, and together, we'll find her."
"A student?" Hani exclaimed, visibly startled. "Captain, don't you think that's a bit much? You've got enough on your plate already!"
Salami ignored her protests and kept her gaze on Asuma. "Well, boy? What's your answer?"
Asuma hesitated, the enormity of her proposal sinking in. "I... I need time to think."
"Fine," Salami said, turning toward the tent entrance. "I'll give you five minutes. Have an answer ready by the time I return." She glanced at Hani. "Let's go."
Left alone, Asuma sat in silence, his mind a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. The captain of the Black Knights wants to take me on as her student. He clenched his fists. Since I was young, people said I had a talent for magic, but Father never let us leave the village, not even to visit the royal capital. Anami begged him every day, but he always said it was too dangerous.
He stared at the tent ceiling, memories flashing through his mind. There were so many secrets—things Grandfather and Father kept from us. Maybe that's why they never got along. His heart ached as he thought of his sister. Why did the Black Guild attack us? Why was I spared? If I can save Anami and uncover the truth behind this massacre, I'll do whatever it takes. Even if I have to join hands with demons.
Outside the tent, Hani confronted Salami, her voice brimming with frustration. "A student? Are you serious? How will you juggle training him with your responsibilities as head of the Black Knights?"
Salami smirked. "Simple. I'll retire."
"Retire?!" Hani's eyes widened in disbelief. "Have you lost your mind? The royal council would never allow it!"
"They will," Salami replied calmly. "I've been considering it for some time now. There's a life beyond the empire's leash, Hani. Things I want to do. If I can give back to this boy what Guyu gave to me, it'll be worth it. If not for him, I'd have died as a nameless child in the swamps."
Hani sighed, exasperated. "You're impossible. Was this your plan from the moment you saw him?"
Salami's expression turned serious. "The boy concerns me. There's something about him I can't ignore. Until I understand it, I'll handle him myself."
"Fine," Hani relented, throwing her hands up. "But if he fails you, I'm dragging him off to a monastery in a foreign country."
Salami chuckled faintly. "Of course you will."
The two women returned to the tent, where Asuma sat waiting. Salami's piercing gaze met his. "Boy. Have you made up your mind?"
Asuma swallowed hard. "How long would I be under your care?"
"Until you can stand on your own," she replied firmly.
His voice quivered as he asked, "What if they hurt my sister while I'm training?"
Salami's expression softened slightly. "That's not something I can guarantee won't happen," she admitted. "But I can promise you this: if they do, I'll personally hunt down the ones responsible and make them pay."
Asuma clenched his fists, his resolve hardening. "No. That's my job. I'll find whoever hurt my sister, whoever killed my family, and I'll make them pay. All of them." His voice rose with fury, his eyes burning with determination.
Salami nodded approvingly. "Good. From this day forward, you are no longer just Asuma of Lyron. You're Asuma Nortel, my student."
They left the village that very day, heading for the royal capital of Anor. The journey marked the beginning of a grueling five years, during which Asuma would train at the academy of magic and under Salami's intense guidance at her estate. The frightened boy from Lyron would soon transform into a determined young man, ready to face the darkness that had stolen everything from him.