The layers of one’s life force aren’t just a means of power, Hades thought, sitting cross-legged in the sanctuary garden, his bare chest rising and falling with each measured breath. The scent of roses filled his senses, and the soft trickling of water from the maidens’ jugs mingled with the songs of morning birds, all playing as little voices to fill his inner void of silence.
He focused harder, trying to cut out the world’s distractions. Each breath he took acted as a supplement to his inner self. Energy coursed through his veins, flowing fast throughout his soul. Ever since that fight with Luca, his entire body felt like it was on fire—not from his spilt blood, not from his aching back and head, but from the inner rage he had from losing a fight.
A man’s strength is defined by his deeds and achievements throughout life. It cannot be attained merely by lifting weights or wielding a sword. Experience equates to strength.
He remembered the scene of that day. Luca standing at the other end of the battlefield, his stance defines an impenetrable stronghold. His blade carried the weight of countless lives he’d taken. Those eyes… they were the eyes of a warrior who knew no hesitation, no mercy, even when facing a child.
Hades opened his eyes, their silver hue shimmering like crystals in a dark cave. Rising to his feet, he slipped on his dark jacket and trousers. Today is the beginning, he thought, the start of our training. But this wasn’t just another sparring session. Something felt different. There was a shift in the air—he could sense it. A change was coming, but did he want it?
In the past, Hades had walked alone, a lone wolf in pursuit of strength, shut off from the world and deprived of any real connections. But now, things were different. He had companions. Friends who not only understood him but supported him cheered him on. He had always assumed the others hated him because of his strength, but Lily had shown him what he couldn’t see on his own. And Jin had proven that growth didn’t always come from isolation.
Hades tied his hair up, his face determined. This marks the first day of our training, he thought. Our dreams are starting to take shape. He clenched his fists, eyes falling to the ground. Will the others be okay? If it comes to it. He’ll protect them all.
*
The early morning breeze whispered through the golden forest, carrying with it withered leaves across the ground. Hades knelt among the others, his head bowed, clad in the same black attire. Each of them wore a sword strapped to their waist, blades that held the power to claim lives. Their eyes remained shut, but their ears were keen, waiting for the words of their teachers to cut through the silence.
Luca stood before them, his flowing white robe brushing the earth. Colourful clothes were tied to his straw hat, dancing in the wind. At his side stood another instructor—young, but his face scarred. His youthfulness was not recognised at first glance. His robe was shorter than Luca’s, and his hat was devoid of any adornment.
To Luca’s left was the final teacher, a woman whose white robe clung to her slender frame, revealing more than it concealed. Her blade, unlike the others, was strapped to her back. She was older than the scarred youth, and her face was untouched by any marks of battle. But her piercing purple eyes were said to strike fear into the hearts of her students. Her hair was tied back much like Hades’. This drew her attention toward him, stealing a few subtle glances his way.
“Today, your training begins,” Luca said, walking forward. “Sensei had granted you a precious gift unlike any other. Childhood”
His eyes roved over the group, scrutinizing each student. He could already see their weaknesses. If they were to be attacked at this very moment, many would fall. But Hades… though his eyes were cast down, his hand hovered just above the hilt of his blade, ready. The constant attacks from his peers had sharpened him. If not for that, he might have perished long ago.
Luca eyed him. No wonder, sensei favors him
He cleared his throat and continued. “Today you’ll forget all of it. Every game you played, every delicious food you ate and every comfortable sleep you had,” he said, looking down on them. “From this moment onward, the battle will be difficult, your skills will be heightened and your blades also shall tell stories of it. You will taste suffering, hatred, and perhaps even death. There’s no other path to being the greatest. Before you raise your swords on the battlefield. You must dominate the battle within yourself”
“If your heart is weak, if your body is still tethered to the desires of your youth, then leave us now,” Luca said. “This battle isn’t yours to fight”
None of them stood. Why would they? Because of the pleasures of being young?
They all chose this path the moment they stepped through the sanctuary gates. They admired the swordsmen, who guarded the land of Heathens. They fantasised about being so strong. They denounced their names for this. Now they would sacrifice something else. What good does being young have when all you do is play around.
They shared the same wish. Hades.
Hades, trained alone while the others played in the fields. He had been born with a gift, yet he refused to rely on it. While they squandered their time in games, he dedicated himself to mastering his sword, training so that he wouldn’t need to rely on his power.
He was seen as a weapon of destruction. But even someone like him had found his equals. Lily, who had once been just a dancer, had become just as formidable. And Jin, the boy who had grown from being the weak thirty-fifth to challenging Hades and his gift.
They wanted to be just as strong. They wanted to be like them. Nothing could make their hearts falter.
Lily kept her eyes closed, steadying her breath. She had left the safety of her home behind for this—trading the comfort of being an only child for something greater. Her father, her only family, was on his deathbed. In a world like this, weakness wasn’t an option. If she wanted to survive, she had to become stronger.
Jin’s grip tightened around the hilt of his blade. Like so many others, he had been orphaned, left to fend for himself. But his ambitions stretched far beyond the confines of this village. There was a vast world out there, teeming with unknown creatures and entities that defied the boundaries of his understanding. Strength was the key to unlocking those mysteries, to dominating lands he had yet to see. He wasn’t just after power—he sought the knowledge that lay beyond the edge of his comprehension.
Hades, on the other hand, smiled to himself. He had known the truth all along, but that knowledge came with a heavy feeling in his chest. He didn’t deserve the innocence of childhood, not with the monster lurking within him. Its power was immense, gnawing at his soul, twisting his thoughts into something darker. It whispered to him, changing him in ways he couldn’t always control. To keep the beast at bay, he needed more strength—strength to contain the darkness that threatened to overtake him.
Yet, despite the monster inside, Hades had been given something precious. The others had offered him little gifts, gifts of acceptance, of camaraderie. He had found a place among them. For now, that was enough. He was content.
Luca saw no one got on their feet. Sensei was correct about these younglings. In the past, two or three students would immediately stand at the mention of death. Yet even with his reputation for harsh training, none of these younglings wavered.
He smirked to himself. For now, he thought. After the first lesson, they’ll be begging to leave.
Composing himself, Luca whispered, “To your feet!”
The students obeyed, standing in silence, their gazes fixed straight ahead.
“We begin immediately,” he said. “Follow me.”
He led the students through the forest, while the other two were hidden in the leaves for some reason.
The village could be seen at the distance, quiet and simple even from afar. The town of Heathens.
They arrived at a clearing, the ground littered with fallen leaves, and at its centre stood a lone scarecrow—its straw limbs bound together in a rough, humanoid shape.
“This is your first exercise,” Luca said. “There are forty-seven scarecrow-like dolls scattered across the forest. Your task is to retrieve one and bring it back to this exact spot.”
They all remained quiet. The exercise seemed too easy.
“As you may know, this area is monster territory. The terrain will not be easy, and more importantly, scarecrows don’t have a life force you can sense. You’ll have to find them without the aid of your energy,” Luca said, pacing around the scarecrow. “Not everyone here will succeed. Monsters roam these woods, and they may destroy some of the dolls before you can reach them. Dan and Enma will be observing you as well, grading how you handle the situation.”
He stopped in front of the straw figure. “You have to bring the doll right here unharmed. Failure to do so and you’ll be disqualified. There’s no point in being here if you can’t do a simple task”
Lily frowned. He was exactly as she was told. This was the man who wouldn’t falter when children died from his training. His so-called leniency, allowing the weak to leave before the harsher trials began, was nothing more than a facade. He had no qualms about sending them into monster territory, where survival was anything but guaranteed. Now they had to protect straw dolls on top of it all.
“You have until the end of the day to complete this task,” Luca said. “Now, begin!”
The students dispersed, vanishing into the forest.
Luca stood still, his boots crushing the dry leaves beneath them as he looked out into the woods. The air was crisp, the sun barely breaking through the treetops.
It truly is a beautiful morning for blood to be shed.
*
Hades stood on a tree, scanning the forest. This method wasn’t very effective, he thought. The scarecrows had no life force, making them difficult to detect, and his eyes weren’t sharp enough to spot them from this distance.
He widened his eyes, remembering something Teacher Luca had mentioned: there were monsters in this area. They had been placed specifically to destroy the scarecrows, so it made sense that they would be near a scarecrow or moving toward one. Hades closed his eyes and focused his inner energy. Tracking the monsters would help him find the dolls.
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His energy surged through the forest at an intense speed. He sensed others running around, searching for their dolls. Birds and other animals in their daily activities. Beyond those energy points, he felt one of animosity—there was a monster nearby.
Hades leapt from the tree, bounding from branch to branch with increasing speed. He dodged obstacles in his path, concentrating on each step to maintain his balance. As he neared a waterfall, his eyes locked onto the doll perched on a stick above it, tied to a stick. Below, a grotesque creature climbed the cliff, its body resembling oozing green sludge with plants sprouting from its mass. Its mismatched eyes rolled wildly as it clawed its way upward.
Hades drew his blade. The beast noticing the shimmer of light, jumped off. Its gigantic body looked down at Hades, who stood undaunted.
“It’s not every day you see a monster,” he said, meeting the beast’s eyes. “Shall we begin?”
The monster roared swinging his arm at Hades. He jumped over it, still smiling but it shifted to shock the moment a whip shot out of the beast’s body, tying Hade’s leg.
The monster slammed him into the ground, crushing stones beneath his body as it hurled him about.
Gritting his teeth, Hades sliced through the whip and tumbled to the forest floor, gasping for breath.
The beasts turned to Hades, still growling. It walked to him, his pace increasing till it ran opening his mouth to swallow him whole.
Hades dodged, cutting through the beast’s side. He turned back to see the wound closing up. The monster touched itself, his eyes growing angry.
“Regeneration, that’s troublesome,” he said, dodging the beast strikes and landing some of his own. Again and again, the beast healed its wounds.
His eyes darted around, searching for an advantage. The scarecrow remained untouched for now, but the monster wasn’t going to let him claim it easily. *The waterfall...* A plan formed in his mind. If he could lure the beast into the water, he might be able to break its body apart and buy himself enough time to escape with the scarecrow. He didn’t need to kill it—just stall it.
Time was also of the essence since another monster could be on its way here.
He led the beast into the water. This was his first time fighting a monster, and he was almost out of energy.
The beast hurdled towards Hades. He lept over it, landing on the head and piercing its eye.
The monster screamed, raising his hands to clap Hades to death. But he dodged and jumped above the waterfall where the doll was.
His energy courses through his coating. Hotter and fiercer than it had become, it was his gift. The life force of an entity he knew nothing about. His energy skyrocket. He screamed, placing his hand on the rocks below him, weakening them.
The rocks collapsed on the monster, crushing it to pieces. The rushing water carried the fragments of the beast's flesh away, preventing the creature from regenerating.
Hades sighed, his chest throbbing. He was already out of energy. He tore out a cloth from his sleeve, tying the scarecrow to its back. More enemies were coming. He needed to return to Luca.
He jumped on the trees, staying hidden and returning to conclude his mission. His mind wandered. How are the others faring?
*
Jin stood, looking down at the decapitated monster, its furry head staining the bright-coloured leaves in red.
He panted, falling to his knees, smiling to himself. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so strong,” he said, looking at the trees. “But I trust you had no trouble?”
Lily leaned against the tree, her doll tied to her waist and not a single dirt on her. “I wouldn’t call it easy but it was enjoyable to some extent,” she said. “Knowing Hades, he would have been done by now”
She stayed silent, watching a flock of birds flying past the forest. Last night, Hades had confided in her his lack of ambition to become the strongest or most prestigious. At that moment, she felt a connection with him, an understanding that bound them together.
Yet, every soul craves something. She was still unravelling her desires, uncertain of how to question another’s path. Hades should be finished by now, she thought, pushing herself off the tree. “Let’s go find him, Jin.”
*
Harold and Krissy evaded the monster’s vicious attacks. Before them loomed a grotesque plant, its gaping mouth filled with jagged teeth, while sharp, poisonous vines writhed around it.
“We’ve already gotten our dolls,” he said, drawing his sword. “And here we have this trouble maker”
Krissy adjusted her glasses. “It seems we’ll have to fight together to take it down.”
“It seems that way but we can just run”
She chuckled, “You must be joking! What would our comrades think of us if we fled like cowards with our tails between our legs?”
Harold stretched his sword, “We’ll take you on, you foul spawn of hell”
“No matter what it takes!” they said together.
They charged toward the beast, Krissy weaving through to avoid each attack. She sensed the life force in every strike, acting with precision to sever the vines and clear a path for Harold.
As she made her way through, Harold rushed forward, slicing through the vines that escaped her strikes. A few lashed out from his blind spot, but he backflipped over them, his eyes locked on the beast. Right in the air, Harold yelled as he swung his sword, severing the monster’s head.
Krissy sheathed her blade and adjusted her glasses. “That was rather easy”
Harold grinned at her. “Guess all that studying in the garden paid off, right?”
Her cheeks flushed a bright red. “Of course it did,” she said, stepping forward. “Now, let’s finish this, shall we?”
“Yes, we shall,” Harold said, matching her stride as they moved on together.
*
Mika sat on the floor. What have I done to deserve such fate, she wondered. Her brown hair fell around her like a whirlpool, and blood seeped from wounds as she clutched her sword with the last remnants of her strength.
Before her stood a monstrous creature, its body covered in matted hair, roaring like a beast. It took on a gorilla’s stance, pounding its chest with an earth-shaking force that sent tremors rippling through the ground.
She clutched her doll, hiding it beneath her cloak, her heart heavy as she glanced at her friends sprawled out, gasping for breath.
“Is this really the end?” she whispered, a shiver of fear racing down her spine. “Am I going to die here?”
Bon coughed up blood, struggling to rise. His hands trembled, but his gaze remained locked on the monster. “How dare you hurt my friends!”
Mika eyed him. They were all given a choice to leave, but they stayed. They all did.
The others got on their feet, legs shaking. They held on to their blades.
“This monster isn’t even that terrifying,” Kim said, “Hades’ monster is a million times scarier!”
Bon ran towards the monster. “Levi! Distract him!” Bon shouted. “I’ll hit him from behind!”
A long-haired boy leapt into the air, his eyes glowing in the dark forest. “Leave it to me,” he whispered, recalling the battle between Hades and Jin. It had been a spectacular sight while he was on the ground, helpless. Never again!
Levi dodged the beast’s strike in midair, aiming for its arms, but his sword got stuck. “Dammit!”
The creature raised its massive fist, preparing to strike.
“Levi!” Kim screamed, blocking the blow with her blade, her arms trembling under the weight of the attack.
Mika watched her comrades fight. She could see the terror in their eyes. This was their first battle against monsters, yet they fought with surprising skill.
They had all found their dolls by sensing the monsters’ life forces and evading them, but now they faced the very embodiment of their nightmares. This creature was immense, a being of great strength, yet
it wouldn’t fall to its knees. So why. Why was she still on the floor? Why was she still looking up to this monster while her friends fought?
She was terrified.
She was cold.
Her feet hurt.
Bon arrived at the monster’s back, his eyes focused on its head. “Get up, Mika!” he yelled. “This is no time to stay still! If you want to be strong, then stand up and help us take this thing down!”
She remained on the floor. What could she do? All this time they spent their days having fun. Now all of a sudden she’s expected to kill a monster? It’s not fair. Why was she even here?
Then she saw it: the beast was poised to clobber Levi and Kim.
Bon was still gathering his strength. There was no time to waste; if she did nothing, her friends would die. Even if she wasn’t strong enough to defeat the creature that seemed as terrifying as the devil himself, she had to act. She got on her feet, her bell jingling at her waist.
Mika drew her sword. This time. She will do better, even if it’s not the best. As long as her friends lived.
She dashed forward, her coating hardening around her as she blocked the attack, swinging her blade to sever the beast’s hand just before it could strike.
“Good job, Mika!” Bon whispered, leaping toward the monster’s head. He swung with all his might, the creature roared as its massive energy pulsed through the forest.
Bon was momentarily stunned by the force, hanging in the air, his vision blurring. Was that a burst?
Kim leapt forward, grabbing Bon to steady him. Mika and Levi took a step back, keeping their distance as the beast lashed out, wreaking havoc among the trees. With a deafening roar, a new arm sprouted from its body.
Bon opened his eyes, now surrounded by his friends.
“In the end, we couldn’t do it,” he whispered.
The beast grew larger, its eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
Mika stepped forward. “No”
Levi lifted Bon. “We’re not done yet!”
Kim brandished a lighter. “We’re not giving up until our final breath! We chose this fight; no one forced us into it!”
Bon smiled. “Yeah... you’re right,” he said. “We’re not out of the game just yet!”
The beast roared again, charging toward them.
Commandments are the ability to control every element. Coating creates an armour using the second layer of energy. A burst is an explosion of one’s energy.
They had limited information about all these forms. The technique could have been executed better if they had more knowledge. However, they had no choice; there was no time to hesitate. It was kill or be killed.
The beast lounged forward.
They intensify the flame, causing it to enlarge. As they hardened their coating.
They roared back at the creature, linking arms to create a protective field of energy. The beast closed in for the kill.
“Burst!” they shouted.
Their energy surged, intertwining with the flames, creating a tremendous explosion that spread through the forest and engulfed the beast, turning its body to ash.
They collapsed onto the forest floor, their clothes singed and their bodies exhausted. As Mika opened her cloth, tears welled in her eyes as she fell back to the ground.
*
Hades sat on the floor, watching the clouds pass by in the crimson sky. All of them had passed surprisingly. Luca seemed displeased about it. Did he really want to see people fail, Hades wondered? Also, there was that weird explosion. It must be the work of a monster.
Hades glared at Luca. Lily was right about him. He was like a madman in his training.
The last group staggered forward, battered and bruised. As they handed over their dolls, a wave of excitement swept through the children.
“We all passed!”
“It was so difficult!”
Joyful hugs enveloped them, some collapsing to their knees in tears of relief.
Luca frowned. “You, thirty-eight,” he said, turning to Mika. “You failed.” His finger pointed at the scorched back of the scarecrow.
She fell her eyes to the floor. Bon and Levi rushed Luca.
“You can’t fail her! She did her best to protect it!” Levi shouted, standing toe-to-toe with Luca.
Bon joined in, fists clenched. “Yeah! Without her, we would’ve died back there. It’s your fault for making it so difficult!”
Luca glared at them. “Watch your tone, boy. You were tasked with protecting that doll with your life, and you let it get injured. How can you protect anyone if you’re that weak?”
Bon’s teeth ground together as he took a step closer, ready to fight.
“Enough!” Maki said, tears rolling down her cheeks. “It’s fine, Bon. I guess I wasn’t cut out to be a swordswoman after all.”
“No! That’s not true!” Levi’s voice was soft yet firm. “Without your help, Kim and I would’ve been killed!”
Kim nodded, hands clasped together. “Yes! You were amazing! The way you took that monster’s hand was spectacular!”
Maki’s eyes glittered. What happened back there was nothing she expected. But a loss is still a loss, she failed the test by getting her doll hurt.
She watched how her friends surrounded her.
“If you want to fail her, you might as well fail all of us,” Bon said.
Levi joined in. “Without her, we wouldn’t have been able to create that explosion to stop the monsters”
Luca glared at them. No matter what they say, the girl’s failure is inevitable.
Hades stood. The blast from earlier was so immense that he thought it was a very dangerous monster. This group had really pulled something like that off?
Lily joined them. “Teacher, this isn’t right. Yes, she got injured, but can’t you turn a blind eye? Her friends say she saved their lives. Isn’t that worth more than a doll?”
Surrounded by her classmates. Maki was overwhelmed. Harold and Krissy stood firm, while Hades and Jin remained vigilant.
“Yes! She’s right!” one child called out.
“She did what any other person would have!”
“We’re not letting one of our own get kicked out for protecting her friends, teacher,” Bon said, eyes fiery. “Even if we have to stand against the strongest in the sanctuary”
Mika held back her tears. What did she ever do to deserve all this? She was happy to have friends like this.
Luca eyed them. They were not playing around. They were serious about this, hands near their blades, prepared for anything. Had just one lesson taught them this much?
Their bond—how had they forged something so strong? Luca smiled to himself. Sensei must have played a significant role in it. A friend in the field is like a precious treasure on the battlefield, someone you can trust completely.
Dan and Enma jumped from the bushes, standing next to Luca.
Hades eyes met the woman’s. She’s dangerous, he thought. They all were.
All of them against Luca was already like a suicide battle but fighting those three would lead to their demise. But that won’t stop them, Hades thought. He has to stand up for his friends, no matter the situation. He never actually had one back in the day, so he isn’t planning to lose the ones he had.
The man whispered into Luca’s ear while the lady kept staring at Hades. Luca nodded and sighed.
“It appears you did pass,” he said. “Forty-three, you’re correct; your comrades’ lives are worth more than a doll. A swordsman must know when to prioritize to avoid regret. Also—”
He approached Mika, kneeling before her. “You’re strong; your life force is that of a hopeful warrior. Beautiful yet dangerous.”
Mika fidgeted, barely able to stutter, “T-Thank you.”
Luca walked away, accompanied by Dan and Enma who had provided him with details about every student.
Mika turned to her friends, preparing to bow in gratitude, but Bon stopped her. “No need to thank us,” he said.
Lily punched her arm. “We are one after all”
Hades smiled, giving Mika a fist bump. He wasn’t good at it but it didn’t matter. “Yeah we’re one,” he said, also filled with warmth.
Harold threw up a fist. “Let’s celebrate on a successful first day”
They all screamed out, their cheers reaching the skies.