Kael Numbra

Not long since Lyrica and Aran departed from the town, Kael who took the prinsepe's place already encountered trouble.

"Kael, Mahal na Reyna! A soldier of Kruule got out of town with a horse! He was last seen heading towards the south, most probably to retreat to the capital of Kruule."

"What?"

Kael just took the position that's supposed to be for the one he serves, and yet there's already trouble that fell under his responsibility. Without a doubt, he could feel the pressure seeping through his body and mind.

"Do not chase them," Amaya spoke as she stood beside Kael, the pressure that's slowly overcoming Kael quickly dispersed with her presence. "It's safe to assume that they're already preparing for our arrival. All we can do now is to keep pushing through and retrieve the heroes!"

She looked into Kael's eyes soon after what she said. Now that she took the lead, she wanted Kael to follow suit and fully take over. Having received the signal from single eye contact, Kael swallowed his saliva before reluctantly stepping forward. He then steeled his composure and finally gave his first order.

"...Ready the horses and make haste to the capital of Kruule! Retrieve the heroes no matter the cost!"

"Masusunod!"

Is it because it was him, or because Reyna Amaya was behind him to support him? Either way, it surprised Kael that the soldiers who are of the same rank as him would be willing to follow his command just like that.

While the soldiers of Reilaea are making preparations to head out, Kael faced Amaya.

"Mahal na Reyna, I shall bring you the heroes no matter what," Declared Kael. "However, I'm going to ask you to stay here."

The knight looked up into the orange sky.

"It will be dark by the time we arrive in the capital, meaning you

won't be able to use your magic ability until the sun rises again."

"You're right. That is why I want you to take over until Aran and Lyrica return." She asked Kael, "Can I count on you on that?"

Kael puts his right hand onto his left chest, his eyes brimming with determination. "You can rest assured that I will do my utmost best, Mahal na Reyna. However, I have a favor to ask of you."

"You're like my son and a brother to Aran, Kael. You can ask me whatever you want, and I'll make sure to grant it with my power."

"Then, once this is all over, I will no longer accept any task to take command."

"..."

Kael Numbra. He's alive today because of the rulers of Reilaea. Or more precisely, because of the late king of Reilaea who saved him from the hands of a very formidable monster that took his life in that same moment. For that reason, he swore to serve Reyna and Aran till his last breath.

"I will be heading out." Aran stood in attention before Amaya with his right hand placed over his left chest. "But I would like to hear your answer later, Mahal na Reyna."

***

13 Years Ago...

"Are you sure about going, Ina? Ama?"

"Your mother and I want the kingdom to be safe, and we also want you to have a bright future..."

"... And that's why we have to go."

Kael's parents are knights stationed in the small village of Karna, their home village. They are among other soldiers and civilians who are on high alert due to the news of countless deaths caused by a rare sentient type of Anino. Or otherwise known as an Intelligent. It is said to have been born out of hatred after its host, a young boy, suffered from mental abuse from his older siblings.

The Anino was smart enough to hop from one city to another and continue its neverending thirst to manipulate every family it came across and make their family members hate one another until they eventually murdered themselves.

A few weeks ago, a big operation was set up by the Reyna and Hari of Reilaea to hunt and kill the Anino. From civilians, adventurers, and soldiers alike, many people gathered to hunt down this dangerous entity. But none succeeded in capturing the Anino so far.

If anything, the situation has only gotten worse as the Anino also started a killing spree on those trying to hunt it down. While the lone survivors of the parties that encountered the Anino would eventually commit suicide just like the others before them.

At the time, Kael was just four years old. He looked up to his parents who are both proud knights of Reilaea. They believe that the kingdom will never be safe, and their son will never have a secured future unless the Anino is dead. And so, even though it's late, they both decided to join the kingdom's hunt to take down the entity.

However, unlike their unwavering courage, Kael felt incredibly anxious. Kael is not a seer, he most definitely cannot predict what's about to happen in the future. But the nerve-wracking anxiety creeping him from inside out felt like it was telling him to not let them go.

Kael followed his feelings. He tried to convince them not to go with every reason that he could muster. And fortunately for him, he was able to talk them out of it.

The night came and Kael's parents have left to go for their evening shift. However...

"Why...? Why do I still feel uneasy...?"

Even after managing to convince his parents to stay, Kael is still feeling so anxious that he cannot stop sweating profusely for some reason. Though perhaps he had all the right to feel uneasy. After all, without everyone knowing, the Anino that was being hunted during that time had set its hateful eyes on Kael's home village. And more particularly, on the band of knights and civilians patrolling the night along with Kael's mother and father.

Not being able to rest easy at all, the young Kael decided to go out and find his parents. Kael is aware of the danger, especially with the lurking horror that is the Anino. But he also heard about the Anino making presence and then disappearing usually in large towns and cities of Reilaea.

Karna village is located between the north of the capital of Reilaea and Tarrasque Mountain. Karna only had less than a thousand people living in a small village at the time, unlike the towns and cities where the Anino was spotted, hence Kael was confident enough to go out thinking the Anino wouldn't attack his home.

He was wrong.

Kael continued running with his heart beating faster than the last. With endless gasping for breath, his eyes wandered, hoping that it would cross the sight of his parents. It didn't take long until it did, however...

"Ina... Ama...!"

The young Kael's leg froze and so is his breathing, but his eyes would tremble restlessly at the sight of a horrifying entity standing before his father and a bunch of bloodied corpses along with her lifeless mother's corpse.

Grrrr...!

"...!"

The Anino hovered and turned to Kael with a beastly growl. Its glowing red eyes staring directly at his soul sent him cowering on his knees. Not only that, it had a horrifying humanoid upper half with a face made of fire, big claw-like hands, and a ghost-like tail for the other half. All in the shade of black that's darker than the night sky itself.

"Who are you...?" Asked the Anino with a deep, eerie voice. "I don't sense any hatred, only fear. You have no use for me. But..."

"Don't touch him!!"

In a fit of rage and desperation, Kael's father rushed at the Anino from behind.

Hack!

"I was right. Humans are indeed foolish." Said the Anino. "Even though the truth is standing right in front of them, they still failed to understand their own powerlessness."

Kael's father attacked with his sword, but even though he somehow managed to slice the Anino in half, the entity simply reconnected its body to normal as if nothing happened.

"Too slow." The Anino mocked Kael's father.

After that, the entity started to make its own move. A spark of dark flame spawned at the palm of the Anino's beastly hand. It then flicked the dark flame towards the man.

Kael watched as his father tried to back away as he hack and slashed the wisp of black fire. Though no matter how much he tried to kill it, the black fire wouldn't die at all. Eventually, Kael's father realized his back was against a wall. The fire continued to approach him.

The man did all he could do to stop it, and yet he couldn't even push it back as it slowly creep towards him.

"Kael!"

"Ama...!"

"Live."

At that moment, Kael's father already accepted his death. The black fire entered Kael's father's body. And when he thought he was about to meet his end, the Anino spoke.

"Humans, such hilarious creatures. They're stupid, easy to manipulate, weak."

Kael's father opened his eyes.

"But more than that, their hatred is delicious."

For whatever reason, he's alive. He had no idea what the black flame did to him. More importantly, he turned in the direction of his son and saw that he's all right. The young Kael remained still on the same spot, staring in the same direction where the intimidating figure of the Anino could be seen.

But, the Anino that was supposed to be in front of Kael is now gone. He could have seen where the Anino went, however, as a young boy, he was so frightened and broken when he thought his father was about to get killed that he failed to see how the Anino just suddenly disappeared.

That's right. Despite having his eyes wide open, and tears of fear are running down his cheeks, Kael's consciousness had already drifted away.