No one spoke a word as the group walked down the grassy path. A sense of restlessness filled the air around them. Stella, Aria and Alex had all experienced their first kills. Their thoughts seemed to speak out loud as a steady breeze brushed their skin. Sometimes, they would look to each other and expect some form of reassurance. However, all they would get in return was the same look back. The captain and Nero were different than them. They walked in front of the trio, casually strategizing about their next move and discussing the combat capabilities of their enemies. As if the fight before had no effect on them. Stella was at a loss for words when it came to Nero. She had watched him kill four people with ease, with a smile on his face. It seemed Nero was mistaking his bloodlust with a calling for battle. It all came so natural to him, while Stella could barely stomach killing one person. He was beginning to scare her. It’s not like Nero changed over time, there was just more things being revealed about him now. The sinister air around him was in his nature.

The captain could feel the fear in the air. He stopped to address his squad.

“It’s not supposed to be easy... killing for the first time. You have every right to feel the way you do right now. However, you are now soldiers. You were prepared for this back at the academy. You should be proud. There are many knights who didn’t survive their first fight. You all did very well.”

The group nodded their heads out of habit. Forcing themselves to understand their superior.

“Listen, we are close now. We will arrive at our recon position very soon. Level your heads.” The captain added.

He began walking once more, leaving the squad to stare at his golden cape as it flowed in the wind. It was covered in blood.

After an hour had passed, the captain led the squad off of the path and into a forest clearing. Alex seemed to be excited, he knew this area.

“I’ve been in this field before. My village is close!” He said with a smile.

“Captain! You have to let us stop by Alex’s hometown.” Aria pleaded with puppy eyes.

The captain stopped and turned to the group.

“No. Not until the job is done.” The captain said.

“Such a buzzkill.” Aria said under her breath as the group continued.

Eventually, the captain led the group to a grove of trees that were tightly packed together.

“This is where we will set up camp. Notice how we are protected from arrow fire here? Keep in mind that us knights are better at close range fighting. Whenever you’re on the road, find places like these to rest.” The captain said as he set his bag down.

The rest of the group set down their bags and sat down to rest. Meanwhile, Alex walked around with a look of wonder on his face.

“I’ve been here before. Me and my younger siblings used to play out here. We thought it was a fairy grove. Mom would get so mad at us when we wandered this far, but it was worth it.” He laughed.

He walked to an old tree, and began clearing moss of its bark.

“Look!” He called to his squad.

His friends joined him at the tree, while the captain began setting up a small fire.

The tree had names engraved on it. Alexander, Jasper and Mirajane.

“I remember now. We marked this area as our fort. We would pretend it was under attack and defend it.” Alex said with a nostalgic voice.

“How old are your siblings now?” Stella asked.

“Jasper is 15, he wants to be a knight so bad. Mirajane is 12, almost 13. She probably still wants to be a princess.” Alex laughed.

“That’s so sweet. You sound like a good brother Alex.” Aria said as she nudged his shoulder.

Alex walked beyond the trees and into a field.

“If I remember correctly, there’s a cliff nearby. We could see my village from there. I’m going to check it out!” Alex said with excitement.

Alex running through the field, he was joined by Aria and Stella. They were happy to see Alex this excited for once.

“Stop.” The captain said.

“It’ll only take a second, sir!” Alex yelled back as he ran faster towards the cliff.

“Come back! That’s an order!” The captain commanded.

Aria and Stella slowed down a bit. Something seemed off. However, Alex was too excited to stop. He had not seen home in many years.

“Damn it.” The captain said under his breath.

Nero looked at the captain with skeptical eyes.

“You’re hiding something.” He spoke.

Nero began running towards his friends. He heard a yelp from Stella beyond the tree line. He began to run much faster now, clearing the tree line in seconds. His blood turned cold.

He was joined his friends at the cliff. Alexander was at the edge, on his knees. Aria and Stella were gasping for air, they couldn’t comprehend the horror before them.

Beyond the cliff was the village. It had been burnt to the ground. Black smoke rose to the sky above and the trees and fields near the village were grey with ash. No house remained. No animals roamed the grass. There were no signs of life. Nero enhanced his senses, and looked closer at the town. He saw crucified bodies, and skeletons that had been burned at the stake. Men, women and children layed dead on the ashen ground.

Alex stared into the smoke beyond. He was hyperventilating and shook with a type of rage Nero had never seen before.

The captain stood behind them silently.

“Alex...” Aria said softly.

Alex was in an instinctive state now. He jumped off the cliff and slid down to the ground below. He then began sprinting to the town, weapons in hand. Nero jumped down after him, giving no second thought.

“Let’s go Aria.” Stella said as she began sliding down the cliffside as well.

Aria turned to the captain.

“You knew.” She said with a burning rage.

The captain was silent for a few seconds.

“Why do you think we are here in the first place?” He replied.

“You had no right not to tell him, he told you his hometown was close to our mission. You had to have known!” She barked back.

The captain said nothing, he just looked towards the smoke of the village. Aria scoffed and began going down the cliff.

Alex arrived at the village; he had the look of a wild beast. He began kicking down doors of the burnt down houses. Nero could not tell if he was looking for survivors or bandits. Perhaps it did not matter. Alex then ran to a burnt house by a sawmill.

“Dad! Mom! Are you here?!” Alex screamed with a teary rage.

Nero began looking at the bodies around them. There was no chance for survival. They had all been burnt or mutilated. Most were completely unrecognizable.

Alex began to try and kick down the door of his childhood home. The wood was black from fire, but it seemed the door had been barricaded. Nero knew that whoever was inside had not survived the flames, but he chose to say nothing.

Alex revealed an animalistic form of strength. He tore the wooden door off of its hinges and began pushing away the furniture that had barricaded the door. He rushed inside. Nero then heard Alex go silent. By now Stella and Aria had joined Nero outside of the house. Aria began throwing up from the smell of burnt flesh. Meanwhile Stellas skin had gone pale. She fell to her knees in the ashes. Alex was heard wailing from inside of the house. Aria was about to rush in, but Nero grabbed her arm, stopping her.

“It’s not safe to be around him right now. Let me.” Nero said softly.

Nero walked into the dark burnt house. He embraced the smoke as entered the doorway. The wood within the room was still slightly lit with embers. Alex was near the back, on his hands and knees. Nero winced at the sight of the bodies. There were two adults, burnt beyond recognition, and the ashen bodies of two children. It appeared that the parents used their bodies to shelter their children from the flames. This left their bodies intact, but they had clearly suffocated from the smoke. Their skin was of a blueish texture and their eyes were bloodshot. Alex couldn’t stop screaming. His whole family had been slain.

“Alex...” Nero said.

Alex looked back to Nero with defeated eyes.

“I can’t do this Nero.” He said quietly.

“You should come outside with us, friend.” Nero said softly as he reached out his hand.

Alex paused for a moment and sat back on his knees. He began taking off his chest plate. His eyes were completely dead.

“Alex what are you doing-” Nero tried to say.

Alex grabbed his sword with both hands and pointed it at his chest.

“Stop!” Nero said as he rushed towards Alex as fast as he could.

Nero wasn’t going to make it in time. Alex was about to stab himself. As the tip of the blade approached his chest, a gust of wind blew past Nero. It was so strong it knocked him to the floor. When he opened his eyes, he saw the tip of the blade stopped just before impaling Alex. The captain was gripping Alex’s hands on the blade. He had barely made it in time.

“Kid, let go of the sword.” The captain struggled to say as he fought against Alex’s force.

Nero ran to the two, and grabbed the blade. He began to pull it away from Alex’s body, which caused his hands to cut open badly, but this did not stop him. When the blade was pulled from Alex’s hands, Stella and Aria rushed in.

Alex began struggling while the captain tried to restrain him.

“Help me damn it! He’s out of control.” The captain ordered.

Nero grabbed Alex from under his shoulders and used his greater strength to pull him out of the house.

“Let go of me!” Alex screamed.

He launched his head backwards and hit Nero straight in the nose, causing him to lose his grip. Alex fell down to the ashy mud below, covered in the blood from Nero’s hands. He laid on his stomach, breathing heavily.

Stella rushed to Nero; she had noticed his hands were bleeding badly, as was his nose. Meanwhile, the captain approached Alex. He knelt down next to him.

“I can’t take this captain... I wasn’t there for them...” Alex said wearily.

“I know kid. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before. I didn’t want you to find out this way.” The captain replied as he put his hand on his shoulder.

“My family... was the only thing that I lived for.” Alex said as he began crying.

Stella and Aria felt their friend's pain and began to shed their own tears. Nero just looked down at the floor, he felt rage building towards the Dead Eye gang.

“Captain.” Alex said.

“Yeah kid?”

“I want their heads. All of them.”

Nero saw a similar rage in Alex’s eyes.

“Luckily for you, that’s why we’re here.”

Alex began to pass out. His mental trauma had taken a toll on his body. Meanwhile, Stella began using restorative magic on Nero’s hands and nose.

“I didn’t know you could use that type of magic.” Nero said with a tired voice.

“Alba taught me a long time ago.” Stella replied softly.

The cuts on Nero’s hands began to close, while the captain and Aria helped Alex to his feet. Stella and Nero joined them, and they began the silent walk back to camp. Leaving the scene of horror behind their backs, but at the front of their minds.