Do You Have a Name?

As the Hero of Mezi walked toward the castle, the little girl simply held his hand, completely unaware of the weight of his decision. For the first time, Zero was not following an order. He was walking because he had chosen his own path.

The massive doors of the throne room slowly swung open.

With every step, the sound of his boots echoed across the marble floor. White columns supported the vaulted ceiling, the kingdom's banners hung between them, and tall windows allowed the light of the setting sun to pour into the hall.

At the far end, seated upon a throne carved from pale stone, was the King of Mezi.

A golden crown rested upon his graying hair. A small dark violet gemstone set in a pendant rested against his chest, quietly reflecting the sunlight streaming through the windows. His gaze carried the calmness of a man accustomed to deciding the fate of thousands.

When Zero stopped before the throne, he bowed. The little girl, unable to understand the silence surrounding her, simply remained at his side, clutching her stuffed bear.

The King smiled.

"Welcome back, Hero. I have been informed that the mission in Arvel was completed without any casualties among our soldiers."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Excellent work. We spared those poor souls from the fate nature had imposed upon them." His gaze then shifted to the little girl. The smile faded, replaced only by quiet curiosity. "I assume there is a reason you brought her here."

Zero remained silent for several seconds. It was the first time he had ever asked for something. He had never been trained for that. There were no protocols to follow. He drew a slow breath.

"She was born blind."

The King waited for him to continue, intrigued.

"I know... your power knows no limits."

The assembled court watched in silence.

"If it is not too much to ask..." Zero hesitated for the briefest moment. "...I ask that you restore her sight."

A few of the royal advisors exchanged discreet glances. One of the guards raised an eyebrow. The Hero of Mezi had never asked for anything.

The King observed the little girl for a few moments. She kept her gaze lowered, absentmindedly stroking the teddy bear's head with her fingers. Then the King slowly descended the steps of his throne and stopped before her.

"What is your name?"

"Alicia."

"And your family name?"

"My mother said peasants aren't allowed to have one."

The King simply nodded. The advisors suppressed their amusement before turning their attention back to Zero.

"Tell me... why her?"

Zero took his time before answering.

"Because she wants to see."

The King studied him for a long moment. His blue eyes reflected the light cast by the jewels decorating the hall. Then he spoke with the same calmness as always.

"Everyone desires something." He slowly resumed walking. "Some desire wealth. Others desire power. Others simply wish for more time with those they love."

He stopped before one of the tall windows. The sunlight illuminated his crown.

"A king does not rule by granting wishes." He turned back toward Zero. "He rules by choosing which sacrifices allow millions of others to keep living."

His gaze briefly returned to Alicia.

"This child was born unable to work. Her village failed to pay its taxes. Under the laws of Mezi, she became property of the kingdom."

A brief silence followed.

"We even saved them from those creatures." His voice remained calm, devoid of even the slightest trace of cruelty.

"Your power is absolute," Zero interrupted.

The interruption displeased the King, though he concealed it.

"Enslaving her would serve no purpose. Healing her would consume a resource that belongs to the entire nation."

The King took a few measured steps closer.

"Tell me, Hero... If I use my power to grant the wish of a single child... how could I deny that same right to the thousands of others who suffer as well?"

"..."

Zero searched for an answer. He found none. Throughout his entire life, he had been taught that the King was always right.

The King smiled gently. There was no contempt in his eyes. No anger. Only conviction.

"Your compassion does you honor. But a king cannot rule with his heart."

He returned to the throne and sat down once more.

"The girl will be pardoned at dawn tomorrow, together with the other prisoners who have yet to be purchased. It will be the best outcome for her. We will spare her from future suffering."

Silence settled over the throne room. The King looked at Zero once again.

"You have carried out your mission with excellence. Now go and get some rest."

Zero remained motionless. He knew exactly what pardoned meant. Behind him, the little girl gently tightened her grip around his hand. Without fully understanding what had happened, she asked softly:

"Are we... going to see my mother tomorrow?"

Zero slowly closed his hand around hers. But no words came.

"Take the girl away."

Two soldiers stepped forward. One of them seized the girl's arm. She flinched at the force.

"H-Hey... I..."

Without a word, the soldier began dragging her toward the exit.

She stumbled on the first step leading down from the throne room. Her small body pitched forward. Before she could fall, the man yanked her roughly by the arm, forcing her back onto her feet without slowing his pace.

"It hurts..."

Neither soldier answered.

Clutching her teddy bear tightly against her chest, the little girl continued walking. The massive doors of the throne room closed behind them.

Zero remained still for a few more seconds. Then he gave the King one last bow, turned, and left the hall.

The castle corridors stretched on endlessly — or perhaps it was only his thoughts that made them seem that way.

Servants hurried from one end of the corridors to the other carrying documents. Soldiers rotated their posts, while palace officials discussed the affairs of the kingdom as though it were any other day. Everything remained exactly the same.

Yet Zero's footsteps grew heavier with each step. His heart pounded rapidly, untouched by fear. He had never known fear. It was something else.

An unfamiliar pressure tightened around his chest, like armor that had become too small for the body it was meant to protect.

You have eyes... but you do not see.

The old man's voice returned. Then another.

I wish I could see my mother's face...

Zero closed his eyes for a brief moment, but he kept walking.

I bet you have a beautiful smile too.

He drew a slow breath. Why wouldn't those words disappear? He had always been able to forget a mission the moment it ended.

Always.

Yet instead of returning to his quarters, his feet carried him toward the Shadows' training grounds.

Perhaps the King was right. Perhaps all of this was nothing more than a distraction brought on by exhaustion. Training would put his thoughts back in order.

The training grounds occupied a vast area enclosed within the castle's inner walls. Wooden dummies, targets, and stone training structures were scattered across the grounds. Blade marks scarred both the earth and the surrounding walls, silent traces of years of relentless training.

When Zero entered, only two Shadows were there.

Three stood near one of the walls, tightening the wraps around her wrists. Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and the twin sai rested in the harness strapped across her back.

At the center of the training grounds, Six repeatedly struck a reinforced wooden post. He was broad-shouldered, with short brown hair shaved at the sides and a narrow scar running across his left eyebrow.

"One... two... three..." Each blow tore splinters from the wood. He stopped as soon as he noticed Zero. "I thought you'd be getting some rest."

"..."

Zero's eyes swept across the training grounds.

"Where are the others?"

"One, Four, and Five were sent to the villages west of the capital," Three replied. "There were reports of Colossi movements near the border."

"Two and Seven?"

"You know how Two is. He never says where he's going," Six answered. A grin spread across his face. "Seven went to see one of his girlfriends."

Three watched Zero for a few moments. Something about him was different. It wasn't an injury. Nor was it exhaustion.

His shoulders remained steady, his breathing calm, and there wasn't a trace of weakness in his body.

Even so...

Something about his presence had changed.

Zero walked over to the weapon rack. He slowly removed the sword from the harness on his back and rested it against one of the wooden stands. Then he returned to the center of the arena with empty hands.

Six watched him for a moment before letting out a short laugh.

"You're going to fight like that?"

Zero answered with a slight nod.

Three glanced toward the sword leaning against the rack. Even she couldn't remember the last time Zero had trained without a weapon.

Six walked over to the nearby weapon rack. He gripped the handle of a massive war hammer forged from Noctrium. The weapon was nearly as tall as a man. He lifted it effortlessly and rested it across his shoulder.

"It's been a while."

Zero raised his fists. Six's grin widened.

"This should be interesting."

Three stepped away from the wall.

"No killing blows."

"You're telling me that?" Six asked, casually spinning the hammer over his shoulder. His eyes settled on Zero. "Ready?"

"Yes."

Six smiled. He moved first. His foot sank slightly into the stone. Dark violet light flashed through the veins of his forearm before disappearing beneath his skin.

"You're actually using your Resonance in training?" Three scoffed.

"Have you looked at who I'm fighting?"

The next instant, his body exploded forward. The force of his dash cracked the arena floor. The massive hammer carved through the air with enough force to crush a horse.

Zero merely tilted his head. The weapon passed only inches from his face. The displaced air stirred his hair. Without even looking at the hammer, he raised one hand and caught the shaft as it swept past.

The entire arena trembled.

"You're really a monster..." Six laughed.

The next strike came faster. Much faster.

Zero raised his hand. He could have stopped the hammer. He could have shattered its shaft. He could have ripped it from Six's hands. But his vision wavered for the briefest moment.

Are we... going to see my mother tomorrow?

The hammer swept past. A thin crimson line appeared across his shoulder. Six's smile vanished.

"..."

Zero looked down at his shoulder. Blood slowly trickled from the wound.

Three uncrossed her arms. Her eyes widened as she took a step forward.

"Zero..."

Six remained frozen.

"You... let that happen..." His pride burned hotter than his Pulse. "Do you think this is a joke?"

"..."

The drops of blood falling from the wound became the only sound in the arena.

"Look at me!"

No response.

The violet veins spread across Six's arm once again. The Noctrium hammer vibrated and he vanished.

The first blow struck Zero's side. The second smashed into his forearm. Each impact tore another piece from his uniform, leaving fresh crimson marks across his skin.

Even so… He never fought back. He simply stood there.

…I wish I could see my mother's face.

For brief moments, the world around him disappeared.

...I bet you have a beautiful smile too.

The hammer crashed into his shoulder. Then his ribs.

Six's breathing grew heavier. His anger was slowly giving way to unease.

"Enough!" Three's voice cut across the arena.

Six froze. He looked at Zero once more. The Hero still stood, his breathing steady. Blood ran down his arm, across his forehead, and along the side of his uniform. But his eyes were empty.

"...Zero?"

"..."

Zero simply walked over to the sword resting against the wooden stand. He picked it up by the hilt and fastened it to his back once again. Then he walked between Three and Six without looking at either of them.

Neither tried to stop him. Three remained staring at the corridor where he disappeared. An unfamiliar feeling tightened in her chest. She had never seen the Hero of Mezi lose a fight. But at that moment, she couldn't shake the feeling that he had just lost a far greater battle.

Zero left the training grounds as a drop of blood slid down his hand and fell onto the stone corridor beneath his feet.

As he crossed a small inner garden, where white lilies and neatly trimmed hedges surrounded winding stone paths, his steps came to a halt before an ancient stone fountain.

Water flowed peacefully, indifferent to the weight pressing against his chest. With a sudden motion, he pulled the sword from his back. The blade spun through the air.

Clang.

It plunged halfway into the fountain's crystal-clear water. The metallic sound echoed through the empty garden.

He slowly stepped closer. Resting both hands on the cold stone edge, he stared at the submerged sword. Ripples spread around the blade. His reflection wavered with them. The cut across his forehead was still bleeding. A single drop traced its way down his face before falling into the fountain, vanishing almost instantly.

"The girl will be pardoned at dawn tomorrow, together with the other prisoners who have yet to be purchased. It will be the best outcome for her. We will spare her from future suffering."

He cupped the water in his hands and splashed it across his face. It streamed through his hair, over his forehead, and down his jaw.

Still, the feeling remained.

He took one breath. Then another. His jaw tightened. Once again, he found himself facing something for the very first time.

The Hero of Mezi wished his heart would fall silent once more. But it no longer obeyed him.