The children gathered in the field as they prepared for their training. Today marked the first day they would practice together as a group. Clad in dark clothing—anything with a shadowy hue would do for practice—they stood ready under the soft morning sun.

Hades stood still grappling with disbelief. How did this happen? He had agreed to train a few boys from earlier, not the entire sanctuary. It was disappointing to see many of them who didn’t know how to properly use their life force.

Their masters had given them books and offered themselves up for sparring and practice sessions to sharpen their abilities. But the sensei's leniency had allowed the children to slack off. Most would rather spend their days in the valleys, indulging in games and distractions, even dragging Hades into it not long ago.

Today they were going to practice the first power. According to the library texts, it was the easiest of all the life force skills. Every living being’s life force had three layers: the soul, the first layer, the second acting like a layer of skin that could be hardened with energy—that was called coating—and the third layer, presence, allowing the command of elements with help from the second layer.

Hades fetched a small matchbox out of his pocket and held it up. “What I used earlier was one of the three core abilities we’ve been taught,” he began. “Commandment—the ability to enhance a specific element, depending on how potent your life force is.”

Jin stepped forward, arms crossed, nodding. “It’s a pretty simple trick. Fire and water are the easiest to master since they resonate deeply with mankind. But since we lack any water bodies nearby we’ll make use of this matchstick”

Hades eyed him. Where did he even come from?

He struck a match and twirled his fingers around the small flame, causing the fire to dance around his hand like a ribbon. The children watched in awe, while others crossed their arms, waiting for the part where this could be used in battle.

Hades pinched the flame, extinguishing it. “It’s just like coating. Instead of focusing on energy, you focus on mixing your life force with the element. Imagine it surrounding your outer layer, like an aura. Only this time, you’re wrapping yourself with the element itself.”

One of the children raised their hand. “So, you’re saying we can create, like, an armour of fire?”

Another pupil walked forward. “Yeah, the second power is the most common battle skill. I’ve heard that if you’re strong enough, you could even command storms. Like the Dragon Lord, who could make pillars of fire rain from the sky.”

A wave of awe rippled through the group as they all turned toward the boy, murmuring amongst themselves.

“Wow, that’s Harold for you.”

“Hey, Harold!”

Harold, however, paid them no mind. He was the only dark pupil at the sanctuary, once known as Number Three. His sword rested across his shoulders, and his red scarf fluttered in the wind, drawing attention to his large, muscular frame—far more developed than that of any other child his age.

“Thanks for the addition, Harold,” Hades said. If he knows so much about this, why is he even here?

A slender girl stepped forward, adjusting her glasses. Her dark, short hair barely peeked out from beneath her black cloak. “Hades is right about how it feels like coating,” she said, her sharp gaze fixed ahead. “But I’d like to make one thing clear. Commandments aren’t as simple as you’ve described. Fire strengthens, water provides air when submerged, rocks crumble, and the wind obeys one’s voice. These phenomena don’t just rely on the strength of one’s energy but also on the user’s affinity for the element.”

Hades turned his face away. Damn, I forgot about that.

“Krissy, you know a lot about the second power! That’s so cool!” one of the students said.

Krissy adjusted her glasses again. “As a swordswoman, it’s essential to be well-versed in these arts. The first, second, and third powers are gifts bestowed by our life force. They play crucial roles in our daily lives, not just in battle.”

She walked toward Hades, closing the distance until her face was nearly inches from his, their lips almost touching. “There’s a saying,” she whispered, her eyes gleaming, “that when someone has battled through all their struggles and accepted themselves fully, they are granted a gift—powers beyond human imagination, transcending the very concept of the life force.” She leaned in even closer, her voice soft but intense. “But you, Hades, were born with such a power. Tell me... how is that possible?”

Hades said nothing, his hand reaching for his blade. He knew where this was going and he didn’t like it.

Krissy smiled, clasping his hand instead. “You’ve got to show me up close sometime.”

“Huh?” Hades blinked, confused.

Harold walked over. “You’ve always intrigued me, Forty-Two. Or should I say Hades,” he said. “Your gift doesn’t just strengthen your life force—it can stir storms and create world disasters. It’s like a power on a completely different level.”

Krissy nodded, still holding Hades’ hand. “Yes, indeed. It’s a magnificent sight. I’ve been too busy studying in the gardens, so I haven’t seen it much firsthand,” she said, pulling him closer to her. “Can you perform the second and third powers as well?”

Hades chuckled, his face a bit flushed. “Uh, not really... I’ve practised them, but our teachers haven’t formally taught us that yet.”

Harold threw an arm over Hades’ shoulder. “Don’t worry. Once our training is complete, we’ll be fledgling swordsmen capable of bringing mountains to their knees! The other two powers would be childsplay to us”

Both Harold and Krissy laughed, with Hades joining in, though a bit nervously.

From the corner of the field, Lily and Jin stood, their faces gleaming with dangerous smiles. Jin walked over and removed Harold’s arm from Hades’ shoulder. “He doesn’t like being touched there,” Jin said, smiling sweetly at Harold, who just blinked in confusion.

Lily stepped forward, unsheathing her blade and pointing it directly at Krissy. “Would you mind letting go of my husband?”

Krissy recoiled, immediately letting go. “Sorry,” she said, pulling Harold back with her, both of them now bewildered.

Hades looked between Lily and Jin, still confused. “Guys? Is something wrong?”

Both of them glared at him, their eyes glowing red. “Nothing’s wrong,” they said.

Hades blinked. He had never seen them act like this before.

*

The others dispersed to practice their commandments, and surprisingly, it didn’t take long for them to grasp the basics of the ability.

Hades, too, tried his hand at it. The idea of enveloping his sword with flames sounded incredible—if not entirely impossible. Still, that didn’t stop him from attempting it.

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He stretched out his sword in front of him, breathing steadily as he let his energy flow into the blade. It didn’t work. Jin came up from behind, shoving him.

“You’re something else, you know that?” Jin smirked.

Hades eyed him. “What now?”

“You can’t just make a sword catch fire. That’s out of the ordinary,” he said. “You know swords don’t have a life force, right?”

Hades shook his head. “You have to look at the bigger picture. A little oil might do the trick.”

Jin smacked him on the head, laughing. “Now you’re sounding like that girl who’s obsessed with corn.”

Hades stood, glaring at him. “Don’t you dare compare me to her”

Jin continued laughing, clutching his stomach. “Aren’t you two married? Or did you finally get divorced?”

A chill ran through Hades. His eyes narrowed.

The surrounding air became tense. All the other students immediately drew their blades, sensing something off. The sanctuary grew eerily quiet, the breeze becoming the only sound that filled the stillness.

Their attention snapped to the entrance. The large wooden doors creaked open slowly, but instead of revealing anyone, a single leaf drifted in.

Hades fixated on the leaf. The instant it touched the ground, a man appeared out of thin air.

The others were stunned, rooted in place. Did he just… appear? they wondered.

Hades and Harold locked eyes on the figure. It wasn’t as if the man had materialized out of nowhere—no, he had moved so fast it merely seemed that way. Hades had barely caught the shadow of movement, the faint outline of someone rushing to the entrance before halting.

The man wore a large hat, adorned with colourful, flowing fabrics. His bright red robes were embroidered with floral designs, swirling down the length of the fabric. As he walked past the frozen students, none dared move. It was as if his very presence had immobilized them, each of them understanding that a single twitch might provoke an attack or a burst sending them to their knees.

He stopped in front of Hades, looking down at him. Removing his wide-brimmed hat, the man revealed an elderly face, his long white beard flowing to his chest. His eyes, though closed, were focused directly on Hades.

Hades remained silent since the massive energy was overpowering him, so much he had forgotten about personal space. The man. There was something about him. The energy he emits was nothing, he had experienced before. Hades trembled, even his gift could not hold a candle to this man’s power.

Lily glared at him, clenching her fist. “Master Luca,” she whispered.

The old man turned towards her. “Ah, his daughter is here as well. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, it seems.” He then looked back at Hades. “And you… must be the devil child.”

Hades could feel it now. The dark, foreboding energy swirling around this man. *Who is he?* And more importantly, *how did he get past the guards?*

“Hades, watch out!” Lily yelled.

A sword—a real one—lunged toward him.

Hades managed to dodge, or at least, he thought he had. But Luca twirled the blade and struck Hades in the stomach with the hilt, sending him crashing to the ground. His clothes were shredded in the process, leaving him in nothing but his trousers.

“Seems your master postponed your training,” Luca whispered as he picked up a fallen stick. “Let’s see what his precious little devil is capable of.”

Hades’ vision blurred for a moment. One strike sent me to the floor? No, that couldn’t be. He wiped the spit from his mouth, forcing himself to stand, his grip tightening on his sword. This man… he has such precise control over his life force that he manage to destroy my clothes with just a graze.

“I’ll gladly accept your challenge, stranger,” Hades said, pointing his sword at Luca. “After I win, you’ll explain why you’re here in the sanctuary”

Luca remained still. “You’ve grown, boy. Now, you dare to point your blade at your elders? Show me that gift of yours. You might actually stand a chance.”

“Don’t need to.”

Hades dashed forward, as cheers erupted from the other students.

But in the blink of an eye, Hades was flung back, his bare back slamming into the ground as he lost his grip on his sword.

How could a stick hurt this much? he thought, groaning as he tried to rise. He hadn’t even seen the man strike. His eyes fell on Luca, who stood in the same position, twirling the stick between his fingers.

Lily’s eyes narrowed. Luca had been one of the trainers at the sanctuary years ago, before being sent away under their sensei’s orders. Why has he returned?

Luca walked forward. “Impressive. You’re still conscious after that. Is it thanks to your gift? I thought you didn’t plan to use it.”

Hades gritted his teeth. If I hadn’t used my gift at the last second, that blow would’ve knocked me out cold.

“Come on, Hades!” one of the boys across the yard shouted. “You can do it!”

The others chimed in. Meanwhile, Lily and Jin stood back, watching with unease.

Luca was infamous. A ruthless instructor, known for his brutal training methods and the countless deaths his pupils had endured. His skill surpassed that of the other trainers—he had even reached the level of sensei. In the past, he was meant to be the successor to the sensei. A shiver ran down her spine. *How could a heartless guy like that be promised such a position*

Luca kicked Hade’s sword towards him. “Pick it up,” he said. “A swordsman’s blade is his life. Letting go of it is the same as surrendering your soul.”

Hades, trembling, reached for his sword. His body was screaming in pain, but his eyes blazed with defiance.

“Yes, that’s the look of a swordsman,” Luca said, raising his stick. “Now come, child. Show this old man what you can do.”

Hades rushed forward, his sword aimed directly at Luca’s head.

“Enough!” The voice of Sensei echoed through the sanctuary, causing the entire yard to fall silent.

Sakura walked forward from behind Sensei. “You’ve grown disrespectful, Luca. Challenging the children without first paying respects to Sensei?”

Luca’s smirk vanished. He immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head. “Forgive me, Master. I was merely curious. The boy… lacks the third layer. I wanted to witness it firsthand.” His eyes opened, bright green and filled with life. “To see what the Gift of Wrath was like.”

Sensei sighed. “So that’s what it’s called,” he whispered, “Come with me, Luca”

Luca rose, placing his hat back on his head. “Another time, then.” He turned his back on Hades, following Sensei.

Hades collapsed to one knee, panting. Lily rushed over to help him, but he gently pushed her away, still catching his breath.

“You… know him?” he asked.

“He used to teach here,” Lily said. “He was once a friend of my father.”

The other students gathered around Hades, voices overlapping as they praised his bravery, but their words were distant to him. Luca’s words echoed in his mind. The Gift of Wrath… What does he mean?

Hades stood, walking toward the sanctuary in silence. The world around him felt quiet like he was trapped in a bubble of his own thoughts, separated from everything else.

*

Luca knelt before the Sensei in the dimly lit room, surrounded by the soft glow of flickering candles. The walls are adorned with white roses.

“I have returned, Master,” Luca whispered, his forehead pressed to the cold floor.

Sensei leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling as his fingers drummed on the armrest.

“The boy, born with a gift of unknown origins.” His eyes shifted toward Sensei. “I have gathered information about said gift.”

“Why did you duel with him, Luca?” Sensei whispered. “Was there something you sought to learn from the boy?”

Luca’s entire body tensed. He could feel it—Sensei was livid, though outwardly calm. Few knew the true nature of Sensei. This was a man who had once single-handedly challenged the Nine Realms during the war, a warrior whose wrath was not something anyone could afford to provoke.

“Please, Master, have mercy,” Luca begged, hitting his head on the floor. “The boy is far beyond anything we anticipated. His gift... it should have been impossible. When one is granted a gift, it comes with a name, but this boy... he was too young to remember it. There is a place, Master—”

Sensei’s gaze shifted from the ceiling to Luca. “What place?”

“The Realm of the Departed,” Luca replied, his voice shaking. “A woman resides in a temple there, south of the realm. She revealed the boy’s gift to me, and it was... terrifying. My very soul shattered at the sight.” Sweat dripped down Luca’s brow as he spoke. “And not just his. There are other gifts... gifts that surpass human comprehension.”

Sensei’s fingers stopped drumming. “What did you see?”

Luca took a deep breath, the air in the room lightening as Sensei’s fury seemed to subside. He raised his head. “The woman led me deep beneath the temple. There, I was stripped and submerged in the water. What I saw…” he said, holding himself together. “I saw giants—hundreds of them—destroying realms, no, the world itself. Storms ravaged the skies, typhoons devastated the seas, and sickness plagued mankind. That… that is the essence of the boy’s gift. It symbolizes the end of all things.”

Sensei smiled. “To think, forty-two gift was of that calibre,” he whispered. “Do tell, this woman. Who is she?”

“She’s a disciple”

“I see. So she’s done with the walk?”

“Yes, Master,” Luca said. “Her sins have been cleansed, and she now serves as a maiden at the temple.”

Sensei’s eyes traced the delicate petals of the roses. “How long will you remain here?” he asked without turning back.

“I came only to deliver this message in person,” Luca said. “A letter would not have conveyed the gravity of this revelation. I have also resigned from the sanctuary.”

Sensei’s expression softened, his gaze lingering on the roses before he turned back to Luca. “I’ve had visits from some old friends lately,” he said, smiling. “Stay a while. It would warm this man’s heart.”

Luca lowered his head again. “For you, Master, I will stay and devote myself to shaping your finest pupil!”

Sensei reclined in his chair. “This new information has changed my perspective on many things.”

Luca looked up, confused by his master’s calm demeanour. “Master, you… seem rather composed, given the gravity of the boy’s gift. He is prophesied to bring about the end of the world, and yet…”

“Calm?” Sensei chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I be? This is far from the first time I’ve trained a student destined for great things. Good or Bad. Coincidentally, one of those troublemakers visited me earlier today.”

“Her?” Luca asked.

Sensei ran his fingers along the wall of roses. “A girl without restraints,” he said to himself. “Luca?”

“Yes, Master?”

“I’ve made a decision,” Sensei said. “Tomorrow, we begin the youngling’s training.”