Will of the Battlefield

The White Forest fell silent. Not the silence of peace, not even the silence of fear.

It was the silence of a world that had forgotten how to breathe.

Snowflakes drifted like butterflies between the pale branches, yet not a single flake dared touch the figure floating above the frozen ground.

The creature’s cloudy lower body hovered without disturbing the snow.

Its seven horn-like fins framed its head like the broken crown of some forgotten god or... devil.

Thane stood alone before it. Behind him, twenty-three students remained frozen, and an instructor.

No one moved. No one spoke.

Even the wolves that had surrounded them moments earlier had disappeared into the depths of the forest.

Animals understood danger better than humans ever could.

Garret inhaled deeply, his chest rose once.

He rolled his shoulders, causing several joints to crack.

Then he spoke without turning around.

"...No one." His voice remained calm. "No one moves until I tell you."

Conor clenched his fists. "Master Garret—"

"I said..." Garret’s tone sharpened. "No one."

Silence answered him, Thane obeyed as well as he stood in front of Evelyn.

The Seven-Finned Beast watched the exchange quietly.

Its seven eyes blinked one after another, almost curiously.

Then its layered whispers filled the forest.

"How strange... Thou knowest thou shalt perish... yet still thou standest."

Garret smiled, the smile was not motivated from pride or confidence.

He was simply like a tired soldier who had accepted an old truth.

"I’ve been a soldier longer than these kids have been alive."

He rested one axe across his shoulder. "If I start hiding behind children now... I’d have wasted my whole life."

The creature tilted its head. "I seek only the Seal Breaker... It needeth not the lives of others."

Thane stepped forward, his hands shook. "I’ll go."

"No." Garret’s answer came instantly.

"I’ll go!" Thane repeated louder. "If it only wants me—"

Garret finally turned. For once, there was no lazy grin, no sarcastic remark, no calling him "gay."

Only the stern face of an instructor. "You think that’s bravery?"

Thane froze, he didn’t have answer.

"You think giving yourself away solves anything? You are stupid to think it will let the rest of us go after getting you, it won’t."

Garret pointed one axe toward the creature, his hands still shaking. "It wants you, it can take you after I’m dead."

The words struck Thane harder than any fist ever had, his throat tightened.

Garret turned away again. Golden light erupted from the three glowing lines across his face.

Aura flowed from his arms like molten sunlight and the air trembled.

Two axes of condensed energy materialized in his hands.

Unlike ordinary weapons, these glowed with an inner brilliance that pushed back the surrounding darkness.

The students stared in awe, even after everything, Garret still intended to fight.

The creature sighed. "I warned thee... I wouldst rather not slay one whose spirit still remembereth courage."

Garret laughed. "You talk too much."

He vanished, snow exploded beneath his boots.

His body crossed thirty steps almost instantly. The first axe carved through the air. "Axe Slash."

Light condensed into a massive crescent.

The attack raced toward the creature with enough force to split dozens of trees.

However, it never arrived. Halfway through its flight, the shining blade simply unraveled.

Not shattered, it ceased to exist, vanished into thin air.

As though reality itself had decided it never belonged there.

Garret’s eyes narrowed, just as he’d expected.

He never hesitated, his second gift ignited.

Aura flooded the sky. A colossal translucent axe appeared high above the forest.

Twenty feet long, jts edge shimmered with enough condensed force to flatten buildings.

The students gasped, even Hawk would have admired such overwhelming power.

Garret swung both hands downward, the gigantic axe followed. It descended like divine judgment.

The air screamed beneath its weight, branches bent, snow blasted outward.

The creature remained perfectly still. Then... it looked upward.

Nothing more, it just looked. The giant axe flickered, its outline blurred and it vanished against

The sky became empty once more. Garret landed several steps away.

His breathing became heavy. For the first time... uncertainty crossed his face.

The creature lowered its gaze. "I had hoped... that mankind had grown wiser."

Its whispers carried no anger, only disappointment.

Garret tightened his grip. "If you’re disappointed... come a little closer."

The creature answered and it drifted forward.

One step. No... not even a step, it simply appeared closer.

Garret attacked again. The axes in his hands spun. One strike, two, five, ten.

Every swing was flawless, every angle deadly, every movement represented years spent upon battlefields.

None reached their target, each strike dissolved inches before touching the creature.

Like mist meeting sunlight. Garret suddenly understood.

He wasn’t missing attacks, they were being denied.

Denied by something beyond strength, beyond skill.

His heartbeat quickened. "What are you?"

The creature answered quietly. "A remnant... An echo... One whom thy ancestors prayed would never awaken."

Hearing that, Garret charged again.

This time there were no blessings. Only steel and steel alike will.

He swung both axes together. A warrior’s final gamble.

The creature finally moved, one long claw rose slowly.

It touched the edge of Garret’s weapon. There was no clash or any loud explosion.

The axe disappeared. Golden particles drifted through the air before fading into nothing.

Garret stared at his empty hand. His remaining axe shattered into harmless light moments later.

The creature’s claw lowered once more. Silence returned as Garret stood motionless.

Then his knees buckled, he fell onto one knee, breathing heavily.

His Blessing had been extinguished. For the first time since becoming an instructor...

Garret understood true helplessness. The creature regarded him with ancient eyes. "I could unmake thee... As easily as one scattereth dust upon the wind... But there is no honor in crushing a candle."

Garret slowly looked back toward the students.

He saw frightened faces. Conor gripping his sword despite trembling hands.

Max standing before Simon without realizing it.

Rimon frozen.

The Edwin swallowing repeatedly.

Evelyn still clutching both daggers.

And Thane... trying desperately to step forward despite terror locking his legs.

Garret smiled. "Oh... they’re still alive."

That meant he’d bought time, maybe only seconds.

But seconds mattered, the creature drifted past him.

Garret tried to stand, his legs refused. His Blessing would not answer, his body felt unbearably heavy.

As though invisible chains had wrapped around every limb.

He could only watch. The Seven-Finned Cursed Beast stopped before Thane.

The giant instinctively tightened his grip upon his axe. It meant nothing, both of them knew it.

The creature spoke softly. "Breaker of the Seal... I have sought thee... I ask once more... Cometh willingly... And none shall suffer."

Behind Thane, Conor stepped beside him, he was violently trembling, he didn’t even know why he stepped but he did.

Then Max, Edwin and finally... Evelyn. She was the first to be bold until Thane stood infront.

Rimon, Simon and Sky, they were too afraid to step forward and none blamed them, tears poured down from their eyes.

None of those who stepped up looked brave, they looked terrified.

Conor’s sword shook visibly. Max’s breathing had become uneven.

Evelyn’s lips had lost all color.

Edwin looked ready to faint. Yet... none stepped back.

The creature observed them. Seven eyes moved from one face to another.

"Curious... It would seem... the age of heroes hath not wholly faded."

Thane swallowed hard. "I’m not going anywhere."

His voice cracked."But... I’m also not letting you hurt them."

The creature stared. For a very long time.

I laughed. A low, hollow sound like forgotten bells echoing beneath the sea.

"So young... So fragile... So terribly ignorant."

Clouds churned overhead. The forest darkened further.

Every tree groaned. Snow lifted from the ground despite the absence of wind.

The pressure became unbearable, students dropped to one knee.

Even Garret struggled to keep consciousness, only the creature remained untouched.

It raised one claw toward the Garret, and in the next moment, Garret exploded.

The blood splashed into the faces of students. Their instructor, the strongest amongst them, died.

Far away... Across the continent...

Every Seven-Lined Blessed suddenly felt the same crushing sensation in their souls.

The King of Bentram lurched out of his chambers

Cameron Grant stopped speaking mid-sentence.

Mirza Murad Khan slowly opened his eyes.

Grand Strategist Sohrab looked toward the northern horizon.

None of them knew why. But every one of them reached for their weapons.

Because deep within their instincts... A single realization echoed.

Something impossible had returned. And in the heart of White Forest... A group of children stood before it. Alone.