Slassh...

The head of the female raksha rolled slowly, sinking into a pool of blood among the corpses of the villagers. Master Vitjendra stood still, staring at the gruesome scene. His eyes narrowed, his heart filled with a sense of destruction and heavy responsibility. In his mind, he reflected.

"The kingdoms must immediately find a way to create stronger seals. Rakshas like this cannot be allowed to roam freely. Their threat is becoming uncontrollable," he muttered inwardly.

Master Vitjendra took a deep breath, then turned his gaze towards Captain Nansa and Nazzares. In a firm tone, he gave an order, "Nansa, inform all the soldiers to clean this place."

"Understood, Captain!" Nansa replied, then hurried out of the cave to carry out the order.

"Nazzares," Vitjendra turned to his disciple. "Search this cave. Look for anything suspicious. If there is something that could explain what happened here, report it to me."

"Understood, Master," Nazzares replied briefly, though anger still burned within him.

Master Vitjendra sighed heavily, then without hesitation, he approached the unconscious small raksha. Coldly, he unsheathed his sword and ended the little raksha's life without mercy.

Meanwhile, Nazzares began to explore every dark corridor of the cave with careful steps. He gripped his sword tightly, ready to face whatever appeared. But in his heart, he kept hoping—no matter how small the hope—that there were still survivors from the village.

Some time passed before Nazzares arrived at a large room inside the cave. His eyes immediately focused on a large tombstone in the center of the room. The stone emanated a strange aura, with mystical carvings resembling ancient symbols. He frowned, feeling familiar with the pattern.

"Isn't this the same pattern I found with Master in the forest?" Nazzares thought, his eyes studying the carvings carefully.

"What is this?" he muttered as he stepped closer. "Is this evidence that an external force summoned the rakshas into this world?"

A growing sense of suspicion intensified within him. Without much thought, Nazzares clenched his fist and destroyed the tombstone with a single powerful strike.

Crash!

The tombstone shattered into pieces, scattering into small fragments on the cave floor. Nazzares stared at the rubble with deep anger. However, he felt this wasn't enough. He still had to continue his search.

With more determination, he continued to navigate through the cave, looking for any remaining clues.

Nazzares stopped in a dark and quiet corner of the cave, then closed his eyes. He began to focus his mystical energy to activate his observation ability. With full concentration, he scanned every corner of the cave—room by room, corridor by corridor. His mystical energy spread like an invisible wave, sweeping through the entire area around him.

In the eerie silence, he felt something. There was life—weak, but still there. He detected the presence of humans in a hidden room deep within the cave.

Without wasting time, Nazzares opened his eyes and swiftly dashed towards the direction he had sensed.

Whoosh!

Upon entering the room, a heartbreaking sight greeted him. A young woman, about his age, was hanging with her hands tightly bound to the ceiling. Her body was covered in wounds, her clothes ragged, and her eyes were vacant, as if she had lost the will to live. In another corner, a small boy was curled up inside a small iron cage, trembling from the cold.

Nazzares clenched his fist, holding back the boiling rage in his chest. "What kind of torture is this? What have they done to make them like this?" he muttered, his voice filled with both anger and sympathy.

Quickly, he approached the young woman and released her bindings. She fell into his arms, her body limp and powerless. She tried to speak, but only a faint whisper came from her lips. Her eyes looked at Nazzares, but without hope—as though she had given up on life.

Nazzares felt his chest tighten seeing the woman in such a state. "Hey, hold on. I'll get you out of here. You're safe now," he said softly, trying to reassure her.

After ensuring the young woman was safe, he moved to the small boy locked in the cage. He easily destroyed the lock using his energy, then lifted the boy out. The small child only looked at him with eyes full of fear, too weak to say anything.

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With care, Nazzares carried both of them. The young woman on his shoulder and the small boy in his arms. Without hesitation, he hurriedly made his way out of the cave.

"There’s nothing more I can do here. The most important thing now is to save them," Nazzares thought, quickening his pace.

One day later...

All the bodies had been cleared, and the cave was now completely destroyed, leaving no trace behind. The families who witnessed the tragic state of their loved ones' corpses wept uncontrollably, pouring out their deep sorrow. The other soldiers could only remain silent, giving space for the families to mourn.

Funeral and Sobs

Stacks of wood lay neatly in the middle of the vast field, next to the village now silent in mourning. The grieving families looked devastated, watching their loved ones' bodies consumed by the funeral flames. Black smoke rose high, accompanied by the heartrending sobs that shattered the afternoon's stillness.

Amid the funeral procession, among the soldiers and villagers who came to pay their last respects, Master Vitjendra stood with calm composure yet undeniable authority. Beside him, Nazzares gazed at the blazing fire, his mind filled with questions that refused to quiet.

"Master," Nazzares spoke softly, his voice almost drowned by the surrounding cries. "Will a Fatalis’ life always be as bloody as this?"

Vitjendra took a deep breath, his gaze never leaving the funeral fire. "I don't know," he finally answered. "But you’ve already chosen to be a Fatalis. Strengthen yourself, for one day, the thing you hold most dear may be ripped from you right before your eyes."

Nazzares fell silent, digesting his teacher's words. In his mind, being a Fatalis felt like a curse—a fate that could neither be resisted nor rejected. The power granted by the will of the heavens might make them stronger, but the word "Fatalis" to Nazzares felt like cruel mockery from fate itself. Beneath that power lay a price to be paid in blood and loss.

Two days later...

Master Vitjendra sat calmly with Captain Nansa inside a tent, waiting for the right moment to speak to the girl they had just rescued. Aninda, the girl, sat on a small chair, her eyes vacant, though her body had started to recover.

"Aninda," Master Vitjendra began gently. "How are you feeling now? Do you feel better?"

Aninda nodded faintly, still holding a cup of warm tea that had been given to her by one of the soldiers earlier.

"Alright, Aninda. We won’t force you, but could you tell us a little about what happened to you before we found you?"

Aninda lowered her head, biting her lip for a moment. With a trembling voice, she began to speak, "It happened so quickly, Master. When I woke up, I was already in that cave. I... I saw people being killed mercilessly... one by one." Her eyes began to well up. "Women, men, children... they were tortured and then killed. I could only wait for my turn... waiting for when they would kill me too."

Master Vitjendra listened intently, his eyes full of sympathy. When Aninda finished telling her story, she simply lowered her head, tears flowing silently.

"That... that’s all I remember, Master Elf," she whispered, her voice almost lost in the emotions she was holding back.

Master Vitjendra moved closer and gently placed his hand on Aninda's head. "You’re strong enough, Aninda. Don’t worry, you’re safe now," he said confidently. He tried to soothe the girl by channeling a bit of his mystic energy to calm the unease still lingering in her heart.

Captain Nansa, standing by the tent's entrance, nodded slowly, respecting how Vitjendra handled the situation. Without any need for more words, he understood that this young girl had gone through horrors no one should ever have to endure.

Mission Accomplished

Nazzares sat lost in thought on a stone by the riverbank, accompanied by the calming sound of flowing water. Fireflies reflected a warm light on the surface of the water. He tried to enjoy the moment, but his mind was still filled with the events in the cave and the bloodshed that had occurred earlier.

Suddenly, a soft voice greeted him from behind.

"Lord," Aninda called cautiously.

Nazzares turned slightly, looking at the girl who seemed hesitant to approach him. "Yes? What is it?"

Aninda stood with her hands folded in front of her body. "I... I just wanted to thank you. You saved me yesterday. If it weren’t for you, I might have..." Her voice faltered, struggling to finish her sentence.

Nazzares gave a slight smile. "Relax. It was my duty as a Fatalis. You don’t need to thank me, Aninda. I’m just doing what’s right."

After a brief silence, Aninda continued in a soft voice. "Lord, what is your name?"

"I’m Nazzares," he answered briefly, his gaze fixed on the darkening sky.

"Lord Nazzares," Aninda called again, this time with a bit of hesitation. "Do you already have a wife?"

Nazzares was taken aback by the question. "Huh? I’m only 12 years old. Of course, it’s not time for me to get married," he replied with a half-laugh.

Aninda nodded but kept a serious expression on her face. "Well, but... if you’re willing, will you make me your wife someday?" she said with a genuine smile, though her cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

Nazzares froze for a moment. "Huh?!" he exclaimed, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"Why, lord? Did I say something wrong?" Aninda asked innocently.

Nazzares sighed deeply and tried to smile. "Sorry, Aninda. But I already have someone in my heart, and I love her very much," he said softly, the image of Kandita's face crossing his mind. He could even imagine her smile, always encouraging him.

Aninda fell silent, her smile fading a little, but she tried to remain strong. "That woman must be very lucky to have a man like you," she said softly.

"I think I’m the lucky one to have her," Nazzares replied with a small smile. "But don’t worry, Aninda. You’ll also find the best man for you one day."

Aninda nodded gently. "Thank you, lord." She then turned and walked away slowly, leaving Nazzares alone. Though her heart was slightly disappointed, she knew that love couldn’t be forced.

Unbeknownst to them, Master Vitjendra had been eavesdropping on their conversation from behind a tree. With a smug smile, something seemed to occur to him.

"Hehehe..."

To be continued...