Nevan stood there, a war hammer in each hand, panting. He was covered in blood, sweat, and tears. His left arm was broken in several places, and his body was covered with soon-to-be bruises. Ayu faired much better, only decorated by a few minor cuts. He stood there, like someone that was caught on the edge of death, unmoving. He faced her eye-to-eye, looking for her next move. A twitch of her left shoulder, and he stepped forward. The incoming whip encircled his left ankle, the spike tearing flesh. He ignored the pain and pivoted his right leg, stepping on the length of the whip. The sudden movement jerked Ayu down, and for a second, she lost her balance. He took the opportunity to slam the padded hammer upwards on her chin. Although the blow was padded, it was still infused with tenaga, and it sent her flying.

“I think that’s enough for today,” she slurred due to her dislocated jaw. Larsen stepped in and healed her and Nevan after. “Thanks,” she groaned from the ground. Nevan made his way to her and joined her lying on the ground, watching the darkening sky. “You’ve done well these past few weeks,” she said.

“I had a great teacher.”

“Well, my ego boost is at least worth the trouble. You’ve mastered the war hammer, congratulations.”

“Thank you, teacher.”

“You’ve also mastered the art of fooling a visioner. There’s not much left for me to teach.”

“What about fighting elementalists and healers?” he asked.

“They are simple. Healers are rarely combat-oriented, but for those that are, just don’t let them touch you. Elementalists often rely too much on their abilities, and with over-whelming skill, can be easily beaten. With our pain tolerance, even easier.”

“What’s next then?” He asked sleepily, watching the night sky filled with stars.

“When are you planning on leaving?” She asked the question that had plagued her mind.

“It’s been a month. I can’t stay much longer.” He sighed.

“Why is that?”

“There was a plague recently. My younger sister was affected. We got the best healers money could afford, but it was fruitless.” He gripped the thief’s emblem inside his pocket. “My family gave me money to bribe the apothecary and get hold of the medicine. It was scarce, but my family was wealthy.” His voice cracked, and Ayu sat up. “The noble thief stole it from me.”

“The noble thief?”

“Yes. Based on the classic tale of a thief who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. This time, however, there will be real repercussions. My sister, Nalia, was in constant agony. And I was the one that had to feed her the liquid that took her life.” His tears were no longer controllable. “She begged me not wanting to die. I lied and said the medicine would help to ease the pain.” Ayu took his head and placed it on her lap, brushing his now long hair away from his brow. “My parents followed her, making sure she wouldn’t be alone in apaya. And now their souls won't rest until I can find peace for them.”

“Is that why you're seeking this thief? To find your family peace?”

He shook his head. “That’s what I told myself when I chose this path, although I never believed in their religion, unlike my sister and parents. But now, I realize I’m doing this for myself. I hate that thief with my very being.” Her student buried his face onto her lap.

“I understand.” She said softly, and she indeed did. “Stay another week. I have a final lesson to give you.” The boy nodded, falling asleep. Ayu stared at the now star-filled night, basking in the night’s silence, thinking about the wisdom she wished to impart unto her student.

The following day, Nevan found himself woken in his bed. He ran through his usual routine, some rudimentary exercises, and made his way to the fields. He arrived before anyone else did, taking over some of the others' work once he was finished with his.

After work, he made his way to the lunch hall, meeting Rano and Tora there. “My my, you’ve grown.” Tora eyed Nevan, the boy now as tall as the older man.

“You fed me well.” Nevan chuckled. They ate lunch together, as usual, catching up on what had happened to them this past month.

Ayu waited for Nevan in the garden. She saw him coming up the hill. She noticed how tall Nevan was now, taller than her. Boys always grew just before they began turning into a man. She remembered when the boy was much shorter than her, much weaker.

Nevan noticed that this time, that there was no weapon rack and that she was not dressed in suitable combat attire. “We’re not fighting?” he asked.

“Not today. I have something prepared for you. Follow.” She led him through the lush gardens and parks of Nirvana until they reached a large wooden barn. The barn was plain, unpainted with the usual bright colors of Nirvana. Inside the barn, it was much longer than one would expect viewing from outside. It was filled with hundreds of armed and masked sorcerers, a gold goblet at the far end of the barn. A few healers wearing a white armband stood on the side. None of them spoke. “Your goal is to take the goblet. This is the last test. I wish you the best.” She stepped back.

Nevan took the hammers that were clipped to his belt—holding them outwards to both sides. At the same time, everyone else got their weapons ready. “Begin,” Ayu said. Nevan dashed forward, aiming for the sorcerer closest to him. The sorcerer wielded a glaive and readied himself to block. He was too slow, and Nevan managed to slam the sorcerer’s jaw. Nevan fell to the floor as a blunt force struck his head. A whip wrapped around his neck and dragged him backward. Someone slammed a staff on his abdomen, breaking a few ribs. Another grabbed his left leg and broke it sideways. A bell sound, and everyone parted, leaving his broken body on the floor. A healer came and mended his wounds, including the crippled leg.

“Again,” Ayu’s voice boomed from behind him. Nevan understood then. He needed to be violent. He dashed in again, this time with killing intent. A spear wielder lunged at him first, eager to get the first strike. Nevan jumped and stomped on the sorcerer’s head. Healers immediately rushed in. Nevan took the fallen spear and threw it forwards, impaling a sorcerer against the wall. He still barely made any ground. There was always someone there. A needle rang through the air, stabbing his left eye and through. He collapsed. He awoke to find a healer mending his ruined eye and the other wounds he must have accumulated while unconscious. “Again,” Ayu’s voice boomed. And thus he began again, and he fought, he fought, he fought. Then he failed, and failed, and failed. Ayu only signaled to stop once the sky filled with stars.

The same stars Elnor, the so-called noble thief, watched in front of her tent, awaiting the battle to come in the front lines.

“My Lord,” her new squire, Leo, greeted her.

“Can’t sleep either?” she asked him.

“No, ma’am.” He said, moving to stand beside her. He was much younger than her, young enough to be considered a boy. ‘They’re sending children to war now,’ she thought. She knew Ronan’s situation was terrible, but she did not expect it to be this dire.

“What is it like? War I meant.” He asked her.

She wanted to say it was glorious, filled with men sworn to their duty to protect their country. But she would be lying. At the end of the day, the quiet night will be filled with screams of the wounded and the wailing of the mourners. The stench of blood and the dead will swamp one’s senses. The eyes of those you have slain losing their light will bring nightmares until you grew numb to them. Others would see the scars on your body as a mark of glory, but it would be a reminder of a horrible deed to you.

“It’s not pretty.” She said. “It’s ugly and bloody. Any sense of glory or righteous would disappear.”

Leo gulped. “I thought it would be glorious. Running into battle for the nation. But, right now, I feel sick.”

“Get used to it. It doesn’t get better with time nor experience.” She plainly said as she looked towards the stars. They were dancing in their own little world, not anxiously waiting for what was to come—disappearing during the day to light up the black night again.

“Leo,” she called out to her squire.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“If you feel that it becomes too much, feel free to leave. You’re still young and have a long life ahead.”

“With all due respect, my lord, I would not do such a thing. I have a family that I need to protect.” He stood a bit straighter and said determinedly.

She understood him and said nothing in return. They stood there for a while, basking in the serenity before the storm.

“Why did you decide to enlist?” she asked, breaking the silence.

Leo stared at the sky, distracted for a moment. “My family was poor. My father was scammed by the local baron and lost all our savings. But one day, we woke up to find a bag of gold coins waiting for us at our front door. All of the villagers did. Rumors said the noble thief stole from the baron and gave it to us. We were settled for life.” He smiled, recalling his families’ reaction. “The noble thief took care of my family, and now I want to do the same. When news spread of an incoming war, I decided to participate.”

“Some might say that you should run instead, and it is foolish to join the struggle. Especially for a non-sorcerer,” Elnor commented.

“My father said as much,” he shrugged. “But when I came to the recruitment post and saw people like you, knights fighting to keep the people of Ronan safe, I wanted to join. I want to be one of you, be like you.”

Elnor stayed quiet, keeping her thoughts to herself. “Which city do you come from, Leo?” she asked.

“Girintalo. Half a day away on horseback from the capital.”

She remembered that city. The local ruler was known to increase taxes to fill their own pockets. That is until she stepped in and gave their wealth away. Thanks to the documents she had left on the headquarters in the capital, Sutra, they were stripped from their position.

They silently stood in the comfortable silence until she heard the footsteps of a messenger running towards them. The messenger saluted Elnor before delivering his message. “My lord, the general wants to meet you.”

“This late at night?” Leo asked.

“Apologies, my Lord,” the messenger ignored Leo. “But General Miras is calling forth all high-ranking officers for a briefing for the battle.”

“Tell him I’m on my way,” Elnor said to the messenger. The messenger saluted before he left.

She turned to Leo, “Get some sleep. You’ll need it.” She said before turning to make her way towards the General’s tent.

Leo waited for his superior to leave before allowing his hands to shake. The truth was he was currently terrified. He wanted to return home where he felt safe, and his parents would tell him everything would be alright. He ran behind the tent, where he hurled his dinner. It would be easier to sleep on an empty stomach. “Stay strong,” he said to himself. “Everything will be fine.” In actuality, nothing would be alright, as he would find out later.

Elnor entered General Miras’ tent to discover a few other commanders already waiting. She saluted the general and took a seat beside Commander Ahri, a close friend from the sorcerers’ academy. They waited in silence around a round table, the General looking over documents the scouts just reported. A few more commanders entered the room.

General Miras looked around the room when all ten commanders were present. “We’re all here.” The General held a grim expression, portraying the news he was about to break. “I apologize for summoning you this early, but we received concerning reports from our scouts an hour ago. Our adversary had recently brought in around five thousand horses. Officially increasing their cavalry numbers to seventy-five hundred.” Murmurs fill the tent, people expressing their concerns.

“We do not have the numbers to defend that,” Elnor said to Ahri.

“I know. I wonder what the General’s plans would now be.” Ahri said back worryingly.

“We may have to retreat under cover of night.” Whispered Elnor.

The General raised his voice, “I understand your concerns, and that’s why I have called for this briefing. Does anyone have opinions on what we should do?”

“What are our options?” Commander Lipsis, one of the more experienced, asked.

“We can fight. We are at a three-to-one disadvantage in terms of cavalry, but we still have more sorcerers. Or we can retreat to Fort Indah, where the walls are high, and their cavalry wouldn’t be as useful. But the people there are still currently being evacuated. If we fail there, the casualties of citizens may be high.”

The gathered commanders thought for a while, discussing different ideas and possibilities until a plan was agreed upon. “We retreat.” Commander Lipsis said. “A few of us will remain to thin their numbers, making it more possible to hold the fort until reinforcement arrives.” Silence filled the room.

General Miras considered the plan for a moment. “That is a possibility and probably the safest option in terms of minimizing both citizens' and soldiers' casualty. All those in favor?” he asked the commanders.

A number of hands were raised. Once it was apparent that the majority agreed, the remaining commanders held up their hand, forming a unanimous decision. “All right then. Now, do we have any volunteers that are willing to stay and risk death and capture?” No hands were raised.

Commander Lipsis stood up. “It was my plan, and I have no one waiting for me back home. Therefore I’ll stay. I’ll gather any volunteers from my men to join me.”

General Miras nodded to the commander, “I’ll stay too. I am the General of the third army and also in a similar situation as Commander Lipsis. That makes at least two master Elementalist. We should be able to take out at least a quarter of their army or a third with some luck.” He looked at the remaining commanders. After waiting for any additional volunteers and finding none, General Miras continued. “As General of this army, I promote Commander Ahri as General of the third army and strip myself of my position.” He said loud enough for all the Commanders to hear.

Elnor looked to her side at Ahri, who stood up and saluted. Now Commander Miras saluted in return. Ahri switched seats with Commander Miras, who now sat beside Elnor. Ahri summoned the messenger, “Prepare a fire.” Once the messenger left, she stood up and placed both hands on the map placed on the round table. “Let’s discuss our maneuvers.”

After the briefing, the Commanders gathered outside the tent where a small fire had been lit. They were there to witnesses the ceremony. Commander Miras and Commander Lipsis knelt on each side of the fire. General Ahri signaled to an elementalist to diffuse the flame and add water to the ash. She dipped a finger into the black liquid and painted a line across the foreheads of the men. “I, General Ahri of the third army, at this moment grant you the position of a suicide knight. The highest honor an officer could receive. Die living.” She saluted the two men.

“Bury me alive!” the two suicide knights shouted with all their effort.

“Die Living!” Elnor cheered with the rest of the commanders.

“Bury me alive!” Miras and Lipsis shouted again.

The same cry can be heard repeatedly until dawn as volunteers were promoted, replacing the once quiet night.

“Bury me alive!”