SIEVERT

At that moment, I forgot how to control my body. I stood frozen, the orange beam of flame merely inches away from me. Dodge, I wanted to move away from it, but my body didn't listen. Is this fear I’m feeling? Am I that scared of this beast…? Yes, yes, I am. I’m scared as hell, I don't know what to do. The only thing I had was a sword that formed in my hand out of thin air. 

Use it, defend yourself! Every fiber of my body screamed to me, but I felt like I was trapped, chained together. I could feel the arcis begging me to draw it out—but I don't know how to, it was like I’ve never used magic before, as if I was a mindless being. No sound, no wind, no warmth, just me, the Emberjaw, and this endless abyss. 

My eyes shut when the spell released from the Emberjaw hit me. I was burning. The flame of the spell engulfed me whole. I screamed. Yelled for help. I was turning to ash. My vision snapped, and darkness consumed me again. I could still feel the burning flames on my body, but I don't feel any pain. This feeling it’s like I’m in a state of tranquility. It felt nice. I heard no sound, not even an echo of my burning flesh and bones. No smell, I doubt there’s any air in here. Whatever I was feeling, it was nice. It felt like I was at home, sleeping in a warm blanket.

I was falling, yet at the same time I wasn't. It was like my body was…floating, all alone, the Emberjaw wasn’t in my field of vision…do I even have a vision? Another warm sensation traveled through me. I heard a muffled sound, as if someone was trying to speak to me while I was drowning in water, falling deeper and deeper. 

Who’s there…? Well, I don't really care; it must've been my imagination. Shut up, brain. Let me be for once, just…let me enjoy this peace. I didn’t know what was happening anymore. My memories were fuzzy, no sight for me to see, no sound for me to hear, no smell for me to choke on. 

“—nder!” An incomplete word, the only sound I heard in this dark, colourless abyss. Someone’s trying to talk to me, and that voice…it’s familiar, I’ve heard it somewhere. The fuzziness I was feeling started to melt as my mind recognized that voice.

“Commander!” Yes, I know that voice, a voice that I had long forgotten about. It was one of my soldiers, a young lad who had died alongside his comrades back on earth—Kevin. 

“You must fight! You mustn't let it devour your sanity!” A plea that came from a feminine voice, I was able to recognize this voice, too. It was a woman, an innocent civilian, who was killed in front of my eyes. I can’t believe I forgot about her, Mia. The only person I truly admired, even at dreadful times, she would always look out for us warriors. Always made sure we were motivated, she didn't lose faith in us, even when most of the civilians criticized us. 

My vision started to clear up, and my hearing came alive again. I heard a growl, low and dangerous. I groaned, lifting myself on my elbows. I studied my surroundings; I was back to where the Emberjaw is. My gaze landed on the beast, which was pacing around, snarling like a predator. My unease started to resurface again, cold sweat formed on my forehead, and it rolled down my cheek slowly; I gulped. My hand moved towards the sword that was lying next to me. 

My body was full of burn marks; it hurt like hell.

I have to fight it, no matter what. I stood up on my legs, the sword clenched in my hands as I positioned it in front of me. I couldn't shake off the unease and dread I was feeling. The way it’s looking at me is making me consider my actions. 

I took in a lungful of breath and breathed it out through my nose. I examined the beast; it seemed different…it had gotten thinner, which didn't happen when Amilia was fighting it. I didn't know what was happening. All I knew was that either it dies, or I do. The Emberjaw echoed a loud snarl, but it felt weaker than the roars it had made earlier. Hope took root in me, maybe it’s weaker than before? 

I took a step forward, and a new sense of confidence and determination pulsed in me. “Heh, what’s wrong? You look pathetic now.” I taunted it, testing the waters. I didn't attack, just growled. Confusion bubbled up. What’s going on? Was it scared? I took a few steps forward, but it still didn't move, as if a border separated us. Weird…really weird, I kept closing the distance between us, my steps echoed in this void, getting mixed with the low grumbles of the beast. 

I was just a few feet away from it when something stopped me, my form froze again, not from fear but from something physical. I was chained, forced to go down on my knees. My feet were chained to the ground, my arms tied to the surface beneath me by a glowing purple chain. I didn't let go of the sword; my grip on it only tightened. The beast rose, preparing to launch another attack. 

“You ugly piece of shit!” Anger rose in me; it was as if fate itself wasn’t letting me live, as if it wanted me to give up and let this beast take over my sanity. I clenched my jaw, refusing to give up. “If I have to reject fate, then so be it!” The darkness around me trembled. My breath slowed, my heartbeat steady, yet my core burned like wildfire. I could feel the arcis surging within, refusing to settle—refusing to be tamed. If fate has other plans, if it won’t let me choose my own path… then I’ll crush fate itself. 

I tugged at the chains, trying to break myself free. I sensed nothing but anger in me, my earlier fear giving way to irritation. The Emberjaw loomed over me; the flames around its jaw were faint, barely burning. It screamed out, but I felt no fear this time, just rage. “You think I’ll bow to you?! Never!” It hadn’t attacked me until these chains gripped me, as if it knew this would happen. I kept yanking my arms free from these chains; they only held me in one place more firmly. I yelled as I used more force to break them. The ground beneath me trembled, the chains cracked, but they didn't break. 

The Emberjaw lunged at me, and I glared at it as I heaved at these chains, feeling blood spill out of my flesh. It roared, and so did I. The darkness around us cracked. The ground beneath us rippled violently, veins of blue light tearing through the darkness. “I said…” My voice trembled, not from fear but fury. “I won’t…bow…to you!” My jaw was clenched tight enough to draw blood, the veins in my arms popped out, glowing with a blue shimmer. 

Through the snarl, I heard something, faint, distant. “Commander…stand tall.” The echo of a voice long gone. My soldiers… My breath hitched. My rage burned brighter. “You think I’ll die here? No, I won’t.” The chains trembled, cracks spreading as light poured out from within me. It brought down one of its claws on me, but…it felt slow, really slow. The chains shattered, dissolving into dust as my core burst open with blinding light. 

I moved fast, too fast. I managed to dodge its strike. The beast lunged backwards. I rose up, standing tall. My wrists felt like they were broken, but I could still move them; that’s all I needed. I picked up the sword again; it felt lighter this time. My core was overflowing with arcis, I’ve never felt it pulsing through my body like this. This feeling was something completely different from anything. I shook my head, no time to think about other stuff; I’ve got a beast to kill. 

Blue shimmer flared around me, humming with power as I gripped the sword and lifted it up, pointing it at the beast. The Emberjaw lowered its head, snarling as it charged. I could feel the arcis within my core twist and surge, answering my will. Wind gathered around my feet, and a gust of wind tore through the void. “Come on…” I muttered under my breath, tightening my stance. “Let’s end this.”

The beast lunged, the ember around its jaw dripped like lava. I stepped forward, not backing down anymore. A ripple tore through the ground as I swung at the beast, bolts of lightning coating my sword. The clash was deafening, flame met light, and for a moment, the world vanished in a flash of blue and orange. Sparks showered across the abyss. 

I pushed forward, the heat biting at my skin, but I didn't stop. The sword vibrated in my grip as I drove it through the beast's flame, cutting through its breath. The roar it let out shook the void, echoing in my bones. I drove the sword through its thick skin, just above its claw. 

Before I had time to react, a sharp pain exploded in my chest. I looked down—three jagged claws tore through my back, jutting out of my chest, slick with blood. I coughed out blood, my vision going dark again. So this is what dying feels like? My body started to go limp. I felt nothing, no sound, no vision, nothing except a memory that played in my mind.

“Do it!” an echo. 

“You must kill it!” another.

“For your and our sake, you have to beat it!” These echoes, I remember them. They’re the yells of my soldiers when I faced off against the ruler of the Ashborns. 

“Commander Sievert!" You’ve got this!” These were echoes from the end. My vision blurred. I could see them again, bloodied, screaming, yet smiling through the pain. Every fallen soldier, every desperate plea—it all burned inside me. My breath trembled, but my heart…my heart roared.

"I failed you all once,” I whispered, my voice hoarse, trembling. “Not again.” My body felt alive again, I dug the sword into the ground. Breathing heavily, my form trembled, and blood ran freely from my chest. The Emberjaw took a step back, its eyes flickering with uncertainty. The abyss trembled as my core pulsed, no longer a quiet glow but a blazing inferno. 

“You think I’m scared of fate? Of you?” I raised my head, my gaze piercing through the darkness. “I’ll carve my own path, even if I have to burn through destiny itself.” My sword pulsed, no longer a weapon but an extension of my will. The Emberjaw roared and lunged. I raised the sword and swung at it. Our attacks matched each other in a desperate attempt to kill. 

We went blow for blow, each one equally matched. Sparks and blood rained around, the sound of my yells and the beast's grumbles filled the empty void. My body was a bloodied mess, and the Emberjaw was in no different condition than I was. A grin formed on my face. “What’s wrong?! Are you struggling against little ol’ me?! I thought you were strong—” I was cut off by a surge of blood that came out of my mouth. I coughed uncontrollably.

Wiping the blood from my lips, I panted. My vision blurred, but my focus never left the beast. The Emberjaw roared, molten light spilling from its jaws, ready to burn everything to ash. “Come on then…” I muttered, my voice low, broken, yet it burned with defiance. “Come kill me if you can!” I could taste iron, feel the warmth of blood trickling down my chin. But I didn't care. The pain kept me grounded. The pain reminded me that I was still alive and what I was fighting for. Adrenaline pumped through my veins; this moment felt weirdly good.

 I laughed, a barking sound that made the Emberjaw pause. “Come on!” I screamed, my voice tearing through the void. “Show me what you’ve got left! Weren't you going to take my sanity?! Huh?!” 

The Emberjaw snarled, its eyes narrowing, flames flaring brighter. Its body convulsed, the darkness distorting with heat. “Yes…” I whispered, my grin widening. “That’s it. Let’s end this.” It lunged, flames tearing through the shadow. The moment it did, time slowed. The sound of my heartbeat drummed in my ears. I could see every spark, every ember twisting in the darkness. My body moved on its own. My feet dug into the ground, my sword slashed upward, guided not by thought, but by sheer instinct.

The blade carved through flame and flesh alike. It raised its claw again. “Is that the only thing you know?!” I barked, and it roared as its tail thrust toward me. A laugh escaped my lips, mindless and maniacal. I didn’t care about anything; nothing else mattered now. The only thing that filled my mind was the desire to kill, to fight, to go back to Amilia and Rendal.

The Emberjaw howled, a sound that shattered the stillness of this void. It stumbled, its blood scattered like rain across the dark. I could sense that it had grown weaker. It lifted its head, the same beam of orange bursting out from its mouth. I lifted my palm, commanding the arcis in my core to gather in one place. A blue ball of water formed in my palm. I pointed it toward the hurling inferno. I waited for it to draw closer. Once it was closer than two feet, I launched my spell. The sphere burst forward, colliding with the flame. Steam formed around the impact of the two opposing forces. 

I didn’t stop. I couldn't. My body was long past exhaustion, my mind barely holding together. But my heart was still screaming. I closed the distance between me and the beast. I slid to a stop under its neck. I remembered how Amilia killed it. “I’ll behead you, just like she did!” I dug my blade straight into its neck; it growled and desperately clawed at me. But I didn't move. Didn't withdraw my sword. 

“Burn in this heat that you created!” I slashed the muscles of its neck, and a sickening sound echoed through the abyss. Blood spilled everywhere, mine and the beast’s. The beast fell, but it wasn't dead yet. I brought the blade down. A flash of blue erupted from the impact, consuming the void, swallowing the Emberjaw’s roar, the pain, everything. 

I fell, the ground that was holding me, and the Emberjaw disappeared. My heart was barely beating, I felt pain all over my body. I fell deeper into the abyss; my eyelids were heavy, my breathing shallow. And for a moment, my mind wasn't functioning. It was blank, just like this void. 

As I drifted through the darkness, a faint voice whispered. “Thank you… Commander,” I didn't know why…but tears slipped down my face. They helped in my previous life and now in this life as well. I’ll never forget them, ever. 

The darkness around me started to fade. I was going back to the place I could truly call home. I saw the colours filter into my eyes. It felt like I was waking up from a nightmare. I studied my surroundings; they were familiar. I looked down at myself, and relief washed over me. I was back to being Kairon. For the first time in both my lives…the silence felt earned.