Echoes Of War

The dawn at the castle brought a tense air, heavy with omens. Though the walls remained calm, inside us burned the certainty that the storm was approaching. The Oracle’s revelation had not been a mere warning—it was a sentence.
Cicilia gathered the council in the throne room. The knights lined up in silence while we stood at the front, like central pieces on a board about to ignite.
—“Our archives confirm what we feared,” —Cicilia said gravely, spreading several scrolls across the table—. “Kiseki is not only a threat on her own. Her bond with the chained god makes her a catalyst. If she manages to fully unleash her power… no wall, no army will be able to stop her.”
The echo inside me laughed softly, as if delighting in the despair filling the room.
"Not even you will be able to stop her… unless you accept me."
I ignored the voice and clenched my fists. —“Then we must find a way to break that chain before it breaks on its own.”
Rei tilted his head. —“What do you suggest?”
—“The Oracle spoke of the Veilbearer,” —Lysbeth recalled, pointing to the scrolls—. “If the texts mention it, perhaps there exists a weapon or a ritual capable of facing a god.”
Nara collapsed into a chair with annoyance. —“Mythical weapons, impossible rituals, chained gods… could our life get any more complicated?”
—“If you can’t handle it, you can leave,” —Rei replied coldly.
Nara looked at him slyly. —“Oh, calm down, perfect knight. If I stay, it’s because someone has to make Aria laugh before we all go mad.”
Aria smiled faintly, grateful for the attempt. I, on the other hand, could barely breathe under the weight of their gazes.


That afternoon, I decided to train in the gardens. I needed to clear my mind, although every movement of my sword seemed to draw more power than I could control. The air cracked with every thrust, and the stones beneath my feet trembled.
Suddenly, the voice spoke clearly.
"Your friends don’t understand. You are the chosen one, the vessel. When the time comes, you will have to choose between your love and your duty… and both know that duty will crush love."
—“No!” —I shouted, swinging a strike that split a nearby tree.
The crash drew Aria, who ran to me, alarmed. —“Kaoru! What are you doing?”
—“I can’t control it,” —I admitted, lowering my sword—. “Every day I feel this consuming me more.”
She held my hands firmly, unafraid of the dark energy still crackling in my fingers. —“Then we’ll fight it together. If that shadow tries to possess you, it will have to go through me first.”
Her words hurt and healed me at the same time. I didn’t deserve that level of faith, yet it was precisely what kept me standing.

That night, gathered again in the library, Cicilia showed us an ancient map.
—“The Veilbearer was a warrior who, according to legend, faced the gods in the primordial era. His relics were scattered after his fall, hidden in different temples.”
Rei studied the map carefully. —“And do we know where any of these relics are?”
—“One of them,” —Cicilia answered—. “The Veil Spear. It is said to pierce any barrier, even those forged by a god. But it rests in the Ruins of Eltaris, to the north.”
Nara whistled. —“Cursed ruins, an army of shadows, and now a legendary spear. I’m starting to think fate has a strange sense of humor.”
Lysbeth stood. —“Then there’s no time to waste. If that spear is real, it could be our only chance against Kiseki and what supports her.”
I nodded, feeling the fire within me. —“We depart tomorrow.”


In my dreams, the shadow did not leave me in peace. I saw Kiseki in front of me, her eyes glowing with a mixture of sorrow and rage.
"Will you save your beloved Aria and condemn me? Or will you try to save both of us, knowing the world will not allow it?"
The chained god resonated behind her, and the dark laughter enveloped me until I felt like I was drowning.
I woke up gasping, and Aria slept beside me, serene, as if she did not carry the same fate I did. I hugged her tightly, silently vowing that I would not let that vision come true.
I could not fail. Not her. Not Kiseki. Not any of mine.

At dawn, the castle gates opened, and we set off north. The knights bid us farewell solemnly, knowing we might not return.
Aria rode beside me, her eyes fixed on the horizon. Rei marched silently, Nara hummed to break the tension, and Lysbeth led with her gaze fixed on the map.
The cold northern wind enveloped us, and every step brought us closer to the ruins and the weapon that could decide everyone’s fate.
But inside me, the shadow whispered with delight.
"Keep searching, Kaoru. No matter how many spears or relics you find. In the end, the only power that will save you… will be mine."
And for the first time, I feared it might be right.