The clouds were thick that night, and so despite the twin moons shining brightly, their luminations are obscured by the dark heavy clouds that plagued the sky. In the midst of this darkness, Adav trekked the mountain, he didn’t have the leisure or safety to go through the usual road to the dojo as he may get spotted, instead trekking up through the woods. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about getting lost as he is quite familiar with the area.

  Yet unlike when he was running down to escape, the climb to the dojo is riddled with more difficulties. In the dark, he does not only need to be aware of where he is but of potential wild life that may attack. He can't run and tire himself quickly or have someone nearby notice him. Constantly through the climb, his mind was alert, one hand always on his sword, the other used to support himself as he slowly made his way up.

  What he thought to be an easy goal of climbing up proved to be much more tiring, both mentally and physically. Needed to stay alert at all times and with his guilt gnawing at him tires the mind, and having eaten little this day also left him tired and weak. He did manage to find some berries and places to rest, but they are not enough. He's not exactly great at foraging, nor would he allow himself to rest, given the scenario that any delay he makes may cost his father's life.

  There were a few instances where he encountered dangerous wildlife, but with the presence of his sword, and the animals generally being familiar of people with swords, nothing escalated too much besides further tiring Adav's mental state.

  After what felt like hours, with the sun having risen for almost an hour, the dojo, or what remains of it finally came into view. A charred remains of what used to be a large grand house. The sparring area which used to be filled with wooden swords were now half burnt containers with some of the wooden swords half burnt scattered on the floor. But instead of a burnt smell one could expect, the scent of rotting meat can be smelled a good distance from the place.

  Adav froze. There's no way father would let things turn out like this if he survived, could it then be? No, until I see evidence, I won't believe it. Yeah, maybe he escaped but is wounded, or maybe even captured.

  Swallowing his thoughts, Adav pressed on slowly. With the sun up, hiding will be much more difficult especially by the burnt dojo, and with him being very tired, there's no way for him to fight. Normally he should take a rest, but with his goal so near, all rational thoughts slowly faded, replaced by his feeling of dread and need to verify that dread.

  But as he get's closer, he hears movement, voices. Could it be? Adav hastened his approach, but stopped as he hears the voices much clearly. Foreign voices, using foreign language. He recalls the night before, indeed, none of the soldiers were from here but down south.

  His breathing became more difficult, he wanted to run, but also knowing that they are trampling around his house, made him feel angry. But luckily, he didn't let his emotions take control too much as he simply crept closer, listening and trying to ascertain their exact location.

  He didn't speak the language from placeholderEmpire, but he has met and interacted with people from there in the markets and students frequently enough to know some words.

  "---nothing---valuable---"

  "---tired---someone---days"

  "---Taegun--- reward---"

  It sounded like there were at least 3 people rummaging the house, perhaps looking for any more valuables. And the mention of the name ensures that they are from that persons army. He grips his sword tighter, the feeling of tiredness disappearing. He didn't want to think about what they being here meant, instead he recalls what they have caused, letting his reasoning fail just enough to decide to attack.

  "Aaaaah!"

  Having scoped out the area, there are at least 4 soldiers, each armed with swords, shields and bows. But unlike last night, none would be prepared for an attack, their weapons were sheathed, some were sitting and resting, and one had his back turned from Adav digging through some rubble.

  *slice

  The soldier that was digging had turned to look at the screaming Adav, only to get his neck cut by the sword. This was the very first time Adav has killed someone, but in his rage, that fact didn't even register, instead what he thought was to find the next nearest target.

  As soon as he screamed, the other soldiers began fumbling for their weapon, one of them didn't have time to react before Adav came down, attempting to slash his neck, but his hands managed to intercept, getting his right hand severed, but his left managing somehow to block the sword with a mix of his steel gauntlets and bones, but regardless, he too screamed in pain.

  Adav tried to pull his sword out, but let go of it as another came swinging his sword towards Adav, similarly screaming at him.

  Not again. Adav cursed at himself. The man he cut has collapsed on the floor, still screaming, while the other two had their weapons drawn. One with a curved sword, and the one at back wielding a bow.

  I need a weapon, quick. Adav thought, but even if he knew where the swords were in the house, the likelyhood of them still being there is unlikely. Then he thought of the guy he killed, was he wearing a sword? He backs away slowly, but with the enemy deciding to charge at him, he changes his mind to try and escape, but the one with the bow managed to hit his legs as he did.

  "Aagh" Adav fell as he felt the pain in his legs, as he checks his leg, the other soldier with a sword came down and kicked his head. His vision went black. Is this the end? He thought. To die from mere soldiers? Some talented swordsman I am.

  …

  Im sorry father, I could't be strong enough

  …

  Then his consciousness comes back, but now, he realizes he couldn’t move. He also couldn’t see anything. Looks like he's tied up, and in front of him, he can hear voices. Once again speaking in foreign language he can't fully understand

  "---- kill ---"

  "--- stop--- Taegun---"

  "ah ---"

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  He remains still as he hears them moving closer.

  *Stab*

  "Aaaahg!" A piercing sensation is felt on his foot, one of the men has drawn and stabbed his foot with his sword.

  "Are you awake now brat?" He spoke eastern in a broken way

  "You better speak or we'll kill you" The other warns, similarly in eastern

  "… Go screw yourself" Adav spats, bearing the pain on his leg which felt like it was burning.

  --- killl alrea---" The other soldier told the other, seemingly losing his cool

  "--- search ---- where---" The two are at odds, for a while the two argued.

  Finally the one that wanted to kill sat down, while the other looked at Adav.

  "Speak or I'll kill you slowly" He said taking out a knife.

  "Where is your family?" He asks, knife hovering close to his neck, it could poke him if he moved even slightly forward.

  "Kill yourself first" Adav replies as he glared at the soldier

  *Slash

  "!!" Adav gritted his teeth as the knife slices through his arm but not too deeply.

  "Need to be careful or you might die too quick of pass out" The soldier taunts

  Although the soldier says this, Adav is already fighting to stay conscious. Being exposed to this much pain is a first for him, much so that his body is going into shock. But his mind still awake can only think through this ordeal. How can father fight feeling far more than this… Even if it hurts, I should be able to handle something like this easily.

  But this thought is easier said than done. Despite Adav's best efforts, even after a few minutes, tears were welling up in his eyes, the pain being more than he can handle. He passed out multiple times, waking back up as the soldier made use of healing magic to keep him alive.

  But as he felt himself breaking, the only thing stopping him from giving out info is the gnawing idea that this is all his fault, so he can't let harm come to his remaining family.

  Eventually, something unexpected happened. A thundering boom was heard, he couldn't see where it came from as at this point he was lying on the ground tied up, his eyes blindfolded.

  Father? He thought hope returning. No one in class could create such shockwaves. Ignoring the pain he's feeling all over, he began to try and get the ropes. But It's fixed tightly on his arms and legs, no use, brute forcing it won't work. Eventually he hears the soldiers voice return, cursing.

  "---***---you kill---"

  He hears as the sound of a sword being taken out of its sheath.

  He couldn't move, so instead he shouted with what little strength he had left

  "Here!!!"

  *Boom*

  In that next moment, another thunder booms, this time right behind him along with the sound of the soldier shrieking as he fell.

  He's here! He thought rejoicing, then he hears his voice

  "Adav, are you ok!?"

  The voice wasn't his father's but someone else's. Adav could await as the person cut his binds and remove his blindfold. The person before him was a soldier from this kingdom's army, with his emblem visible, and his dark hair with red streaks, he was someone high up in the army.

  "Garjan…" Adav mutters as he recognizes his father's friend as he was finding something in his pouch.

  "Stay still" He says as he takes out a small notebook. He then puts one hand over Adav, the older holding the book, he begins to read the pages.

  A faint green glow washes over Adav, the smaller wounds closing up, and the larger clotting. He also feels much more tired, but forcing himself to stay awake. He has many questions he wants to ask.

  After finishing reading the note, Garjan closes it and looks at Adav. "That's only a simple healing I've done, I'll need to take you to an actual healer. He says as he picks him up.

  "Where's father? Did you see him?" Adav asks weakly

  "…no, I received orders yesterday about the enemy army arriving in this area. I arrived at the town below and your mother told me what happened" He replies as he walks

  "Please find father, I'm sure he's still somewhere out there-" Adav says, his body finally able to take it easy, slowly grows heavier as his consciousness slips. The next time he wakes, it will be to a unfamiliar ceiling.

  He looks around trying to make sense of what's happened. The events of what happened earlier now a haze.

  "What happened…" He groans as he tries to sit, only to feel his body very heavy, but most of the pain is gone. Did he imagine it all? He wonders as he looked around.

  He seemed to be in a large tent, on either side, were beds identical to where he's currently sitting on, about 5 other bads in total. There was one other bed with someone sleeping, and some other person treating him. Given the green glow, it must have been healing magic.

  Green glow?

  Then he remembers Garjan, and the events leading up to his arrival. His mind slowly gets anxious, as he struggles to get out of the tent, bumping to a soldier as he gets out.

  "S-sorry, but do you know where's Garjan?" Adav asks

  The soldier looks dumbfounded for a moment before his face lights up. "Oh, youre the kid sir Garjan brought, he's over by that small tent there" He says pointing to a small tent. Around it were more tents set up, with varying sizes and soldiers milling about.

  But ignoring where he is or what's happening, he goes straight to the indicated tent to find Garjan facing away from him, looking over some documents scattered over a table.

  "Oh, Adav, you're up?" He says, not looking back. How did he know it was me? Adav thinks, but that can wait.

  "Is there any news about father?" He asks straight away. Right now this is all he can worry about. Yet, Garjan remains quiet.

  "I'll be blunt" Garjan says. "He may likely be gone" continues, shoulders trembling.

  "T-theres no way that's true! You just haven't seen him there, he could be somewhere else" Adav shouts, his voice trembling.

  "I've read the reports, it seems the enemy, Taegun is a marked person. Plus with a small army behind him…" Garjan begins to say

  "No! I saw it! Father is stronger than them all!" Adav continues to deny

  "Adav? Were you there?" Garjan asks surprised, looking at Adav as he sets the document he was reading

  "Yeah! Father was beating them all up. Sure the Taegun guy couldn’t be cut, but father should have a plan… If only I wasn't there…" Adav recalls the night once again, of his father pierced by arrows as he himself is falling from the dojo

  "Adav, I need you to tell me as much as you can remember. Maybe we can find a clue" Garjan says

  Adav tries describing what he recalls that night to the best he can. Occasionally he freezes as he recalls parts, but he urged himself. If this can help find father, then-

  "I see. That matches with the evidence we've found. I didn’t want to believe it, but if that’s what happened…" Garjan begins muttering

  "What evidence? Do you know something?" Adav asks

  Garjan was silent for a moment, muttering something under his breath.

  "He's gone, we have found burnt remains, all but the head was found. It was under the rubble-"

  Adav runs out, not letting him finish.

  Theres no way. Theres no way. Theres no way. Theres no way. Theres no way.

  His thoughts were spinning in attempt of denial, he's going to prove his father is still alive. He wasn't sure where he was exactly, but given the placement of the camp in the middle of a mountain, he just needed to go up and hope he finds a familiar path to his house.

  Luckily, it didn't take long for him to find a familiar path, but the journey itself was filled with obstacles. It seems the soldiers at his house weren't alone, there were small skirmishes here and there. Forcing him to take even longer detours to avoid getting caught in the fights.

  Regardless of what was happening, his mind never wandered from his goal, to reach his house, and soon enough he arrived. Luckily, there wasn’t anyone there at the moment, letting Adav shift through the rubble without pause, and pretty quickly he did find it. Although parts of the body was missing, mainly the head and an arm, the rest was still there but is unrecognizable, having been caught in fire, the skin was charred beyond recognition.

  Adav's mind stops. True, it could have been anyone else, but his gut told him otherwise. Maybe due to some lingering evidence around the body such as cloth that wasn’t fully burnt, or the shape of the body, or the pose. Regardless, he is forced to accept the truth.

  A truth that will sadly be twisted by the person facing it.

  Adav's knees give out. Muttering softly, "He really is gone…"

  Time passes with Adav staring in silence, until another person arrives.

  "It couldn't be helped. The enemy was too strong and too many" Garjan speaks

  "No, it was because I was too weak so he needed to protect me" Adav mutters, fist tightening

  "I can't say anything for certain. But for sure, he was the strongest man I know, even now I still can't reach the heights he did. Im sure if the enemy was anyone ordinary, protecting you would not have been an issue. Though I doubt you'd want to hear any of this, but you should return to your mother now. There's nothing you can do right now"

  "…"

  "Adav"

  "…"

  "…"

  "No, I can't go back, I… I killed father by being there…"

  "…" Garjan could only imagine what is going through Adav's mind right now. He can't really say it wasn't his fault at this point, both because Adav won't believe it, nor does he fully believe it too. The Ashan in his mind is someone untouchable, even if he stopped fighting and began teaching. Those experience in battle won't just leave you years after.

  "Garjan… sir… where is Taegun?" Adav mutters. The intent clear as day.

  "Don't be ridiculous, you wont be able to even see him. Go back to your family, even lowly grunts almost killed you"

  "Then, can't you do something about it? Aren't you one of the strongest right now?"

  "There are limits to what even I can do. Plus I doubt I can even reach the amount of mastery your father did, as someone unmarked. If he couldn't beat them, I can't imagine I can"

  "But that's because they were cheating! They ganged up on him!"

  Yet Garjan does not reply. What's done is done, war unexpectedly broke, and this was simply the beginning.

  "Then, can you train me? At the very least, I must take his head for me to ever show myself to my mother and brother"

  "Adav, you know I can't. Im a soldier first and foremost, and your mother will never blame you for what happened."

  "!!! Youre just scared of this Taegun ! Fine I'll do it myself, I'll get stronger and beat him by myself" Adav says as he runs to the forest

  "Wait! Adav!" Garjan shouts after him, but he doesn’t reply, disappearing to the forest with his sword

  "aaah damn it" Garjan sighs exasperated. He could just drag him back by force. Even if he trains, it's not like he can get that much better in a short amount of time. Ashan was an exception, a talent that rarely appears.

  "…" But even thinking how pointless this is, a hope does linger. But if its his son, maybe theres a chance?

  Regardless, he should at least ensure his safety. His squad will be here for around 3 days, at the very least he'll make sure Adav doesn’t die, and if he doesn’t show any progress before he leaves, then he'll drag him back.

  With this, Garjan walks back to his camp, leaving Adav to his devices for now.