Nevan worked in the fields alone. The sky was still dark, and the others were still asleep. He slept little that day, finding it hard to go to sleep and even harder to stay asleep. He had finished mixing the fertilizer with the soil and now was doing the others’ work. The rest would find that day’s task finished when they arrive. Finding nothing else to do, he made his way to the library to discover what secrets Nirvana held.

There was no librarian, each visitor responsible for keeping the place neat. His only light source was the dim red lanterns scattered in the wooden structure's ceiling. Large windows were around the walls, reaching from top to bottom, ready to be shined through by the sunlight. He walked through the maze of massive shelves, scouring through the title of each book until he found what he was looking for—"The Conjuring War." The book was leatherbound, old but clean, and well preserved.

He brought the book to a table with a red lantern, ready to drown himself in history rather than frustration. He skimmed until near the end, where the writer explained how the war ended.

The four pillars were frustrated that neither of them was winning. Their sorcerers continued to die, but none of them were gaining any advantage. Many fell during the war; most of them non-sorcerers caught in the crossfire.

We did not know how it happened nor why, but the gates of Nirvana opened to the world. We did not understand better and thought another child of Nirvana was coming to join us. Our gates led us to a field where a battle between the visioners and elementalists had taken place. One of us found a survivor, injured but still conscious. A young one went to the sorcerer and tried to help, unskilled and caught by surprise; the master elementalist slew him. Angered, we captured the elementalist to be interrogated. The other survivors we found, we mercifully killed.

The murderer did not receive much kindness in Nirvana, they were tortured for information before finally being impaled alive. Their still impaled, yet breathing body was placed in front of our gates, alongside the rest of their fallen comrades, to deter those who wish malice upon us. We learned about the current war, and we decided to act.

My teacher, the previous Bhante, brought two of her least skilled students to bring vengeance. I was there with them, only to act as an observer. Those three brought destruction on the elementalists, massacring all the sorcerers that stood in their path. They slew the council of elementalists, each of the council members dying as their jaws were ripped off their faces.

The three then approached the lower-ranking members of the other pillars, informing them that they would receive the same fate as the elementalists, unless they kill their leaders by hanging them upside down. It did not take long for the bodies to drop on their strongholds, ending the forsaken war.

Our thirst for revenge quenched, we left for Nirvana. Those three knew the price they had to pay, and the gates of Nirvana were forever shut for them. I had asked them if it was worth it before we parted. Their answer surprised me. “Revenge is as sweet as nectar,” my teacher said to me.

I told her what I have said before, “Losing one’s desire is a blessing, not a curse.”

She smiled at me, “I can now peacefully resign my position on to you.”

All it took to bring down a whole land of elementalists, was three sorcerers of the fifth pillar. Nevan was more disappointed in himself now; he could not even beat a simple test. He closed the book gently, wiping it with a cloth before placing it back where he found it. Today would be the fifth day of the test, and he would have to succeed soon if he were to leave on schedule.

“Begin,” Ayu’s voice boomed.

Nevan rushed in again. He destroyed the eye socket of an incoming mace wielder. A sound of the crackling of a metal chain, and he ducked, the knife attached to the chain passing above him. He swung with his left hand, destroying a knee. A follow-up swing with his right hand smashed the sorcerer’s rib cage. He jumped over a lunging spear wielder, stepping on their back, pushing himself higher and further forward. It was as close as he had ever gotten, the reflection of the goblet filling his vision. A large shield smashed him sidewards. His body crashed the sidewall, and the shield struck again before he could fall.

He awoke to find a mask healer healing him, saying nothing.

“Again,” his teacher said.

Nevan experienced what seemed to be an endless cycle of failure. Ayu had stopped today’s test and called for him to stay and wait until all the other sorcerers left.

“Give up,” his teacher said.

“Never,” he replied.

“So you’re staying longer then?”

He shooked his head and slightly frowned, “I can’t. I’ve been here too long.”

“Then you are giving up,” she retorted.

“I’m not. I’m simply delaying the inevitable.”

Ayu closed her eyes and breathed in. She opened her eyes to look at the dark sky once she had made her way out of the cabin. Her student followed her.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. You are out of chances.” She dissapointedly said.

“I’m only leaving in two days. I still have time. Even then, I can still return to complete it.”

Sadly, his teacher frowned. “The gates of Nirvana do not always open to those who leave. There is something else we need to do before you go. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She left before Nevan could ask her any questions.

The next day, after lunch, he found her waiting for him outside the lunch hall. They went to the garden and sat at the same place they had for a month.

“Have you read of how we stopped the conjuring war?” she asked him.

“I read a book yesterday detailing it. I wanted to ask you about it. How did three fifth pillar sorcerers manage to destroy the elementalists?”

She nodded, “That’s what I’m here to tell you.” She pulled out a small box from her inside her robe, revealing silver needles inside. “Nirvana grants those it chose a gift that would follow them wherever they go. It’s a weapon specially forged for the ones it chose. When used, it would unleash great power to the sorcerer. Power strong enough to allow three of us to take down thousands of sorcerers. But,” she emphasized, “It can only be used once and would turn mundane after.”

“That’s amazing,” Nevan gazed with awe at the needles.

“It is not to be used lightly,” she warned, placing the box back into her robes. “Once used, the gates of Nirvana will certainly be lost to you.”

“I understand.”

“Follow me. We will forge you one before you leave.”

They walked through the colors of Nirvana until they approached a large stone building. It was a forge. Ayu opened the unlocked door and entered with Nevan, locking it behind them.

“This is the only building that came with Nirvana,” she said.

She directed her student towards a barrel full of metal ingots. The room was dark, but the ingots shined brightly. “Take one and bring it here.” She moved towards a furnace. She took a match from the matchbox beside it, lit it, and threw it into the coals. A soft cyan flame glowed.

Nevan placed an ingot on the anvil near the soft fire. It was far hotter than the light it gave out indicates. “I can’t see properly. It’s too dark.”

“It does not matter. You’ll know when it's ready. I’ll keep the fire lit.” Ayu placed her hands on the blower.

He took the forging hammer that hung on the wall. He hammered down, feeling the soft metal bend. He kept working on it with the dim light, neither knowing what shape he was making nor when it would be finished.

They stayed inside the whole night, the sound of a hammer against the anvil ringing the entire time.

Nevan felt the soft metal cease bending, now fully rigid. He hammered a few times again to make sure. “It’s ready,” he said confidently. Ayu took a pair of tongs, lifting the worked metal. The metal did not glow, but they felt the scorching heat. She dropped the metal into a small water hole on the floor. In the dark, the water seemed endlessly deep. The water bubbled, and they heard the sound of metal breaking. Once the bubbling stopped, the metal floated to the surface.

Lifting the metal with the tongs, Ayu placed them on a tray. “Let’s go.”

They left the forge, where the dawn light began to appear. Nevan could see the weapon they had made, or weapons now that he could see clearly. It was a pair of small curved daggers, the likes he had never seen.

“Karambits,” Ayu said as she eyed the knives. “An old design.”

“I have never seen one before,” Nevan gazed at the silver masterpiece. It looked simple, but he felt a strange connection to it.

“Warriors of the ancient Sunda Empire used them long ago.”

Although she smiled, he felt a hint of sadness in her voice.

“Thank you,” the boy hugged her. “For everything.”

“Good luck out there,” she hugged the boy in return. “My student.”

Nevan went to gather his meager belongings, the knives tucked safely inside his robes. Ayu had wrapped the handles with a gauze, warning him again not to draw them. He returned the war hammers he had used all this time, thanking her again. He made his way to the gates to find the friends he made waiting to see him off. The farmers, Rano, Tora, Larsen, and Ayu, were there. They gave him their best wishes.

“You did not have to smash my kneecap that many times you know. It hurts!” said Rano.

“That was you!” exclaimed Nevan.

Tora and Rano laughed, “Don’t worry, we repaid you in droves.” Said the older man. “Good luck out there, son.” He patted Nevan’s shoulder.

It was Ayu’s turn now to say goodbye. She hugged Nevan, the boy who has now grown into a man recently, but to her, he would always be her boy. “Stay safe, my student.” She felt his arms tightened around her, hugging her back.

“Thank you, my teacher.”

She watched as the man she felt she had raised exited the gate of Nirvana. She had seen him grow in a short month, from a weak child, into a strong man ready to face his journey. And now she must watch him leave her. “Goodbye.”

Elnor approached the home of Leo’s family, bringing the pendant with a single word engraved- ‘courage.’ Safia was back in Elnor’s estate, with Hua and Mrs.Sari, the housekeeper. Elnor had replaced the real pendant with a copy, switching them while Safia slept. Collecting her courage, she knocked on the door

She sat in the living room with Leo’s parents, his mother crying on her husband’s chest.

“Thank you,” Leo’s father said. “For giving our boy a chance,” grief pouring out every word. “What was he like?”

“He was brave. Easily scared, yet he always faced his fears, never backing down. He died protecting innocent civilians. ” Elnor tried to hold back her tears.

Leo’s mother wiped her red eyes and smiled sadly. “That was our boy, Leo. Always willing to protect others.” She held the pendant in her hands. “Thank you, Commander Elnor. We know it isn’t easy to deliver this news yourself.”

Elnor did not know what to say. She just stared at her squire’s parents, begging forgiveness with her eyes.

“You were supposed to protect him!” shouted a little girl from the stairs of the top floor. “You were his Knight! He told me how great you were all the time in his letters! How could you let him die?" The girl had tears in her eyes, having silently listened in on their conversation. “He promised me we would meet again.” The girl cried, and her mother went to cradle the child in her arms.

Leo’s father turned to Elnor, about to ask the Commander to leave. But what he found was a knight crying with her eyes closed, repeating the same words. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry….”

In Nirvana, the Bhante sat with his student, sipping on his tea. “I heard you gave the young man an impossible task?” he asked.

“I wanted to teach him a lesson,” Ayu replied, gripping the warm glass between her hands.

“Which was?”

“That sometimes the only way to win is to give up.”

“Did he learn this wisdom?” he took another sip of the tea.

“No,” she answered. Her teacher gave her a sign to go on, and she continued. “He wouldn’t give up no matter how many times he failed. Not even willing to surrender as he left.” She looked to the side.

“Did you try to change your method?” her teacher calmly asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

She turned to look her teacher in the eyes. “I realize at some point that to be able to depart my wisdom onto others, I must learn it myself.”

“You gave up on him?” a hint of curiosity present in the Bhante’s voice.

“I did.” She said shamefully.

Her teacher smiled at her, then bowed his head. The white hair of his balding head filling her vision. “I peacefully resign my position onto you.”

“Wh…. What?” Ayu asked in surprise.

Shobikh laughed at her reaction. “The final step on becoming the Bhante is to impart your wisdom to someone.” He took another sip of his tea. “Including yourself.”