Chapter 1: Senna Vitra

I stand on the balcony, my gaze fixed on the sprawling city of Sehz-Clar below. The wind is sharp and cold, but I hardly feel it. My mind is trapped in the memories of the war that ended just months ago—a war that claimed thousands of lives. A war I was a part of as Scythe of Sehz-Clar. The title feels heavy now, like a chain around my neck.

What did we gain from it? Land, titles, a fleeting sense of power-nothing that justifies the oceans of blood spilled. I close my eyes, but the images are seared into my mind. Fields turned into graves, and villages were reduced to ashes. The screams still echo in my ears, the faces of the fallen flash before me. They called it a victory, but all I see is loss.

I turn away from the night sky and step back inside. A map is spread across the table, detailing the territories we took from Vechor. My fingers hover over it, tracing the lines that define our new borders. Each line represents a battle, each inch of land paid for in blood. The nobles celebrate, their greed sated for now, but at what cost? They look at this map and see gains. I see ghosts.

I am Seris Vritra, Scythe of Sehz-Clar, and yet I feel powerless. I was supposed to be a protector, a force of strength for our people. But all I've done is play into the hands of those who see this world as nothing more than a game. The Sovereigns-they sit above us, watching from their thrones, treating our lives as pieces on a board. They pit us against one another and push us into these wars, all to satisfy their twisted need for control and entertainment.

I clench my fists, the anger rising again. How many more must die before they're satisfied? How many more wars will they orchestrate, all in the name of their so-called order? I've seen it all-the manipulation, the lies, the sacrifices. The nobles play along, eager for whatever scraps of power the Sovereigns toss their way. They're blind to the fact that they're nothing but pawns in this endless cycle of violence.

But I see it. I see the truth. And I refuse to be a pawn any longer. I refuse to let them dictate the fate of our world. The war with Vechor may be over, but the battle is far from done.

As I stand there, grappling with the weight of my thoughts, a sudden shift in the air catches my attention. I turned my heart racing, just in time to see a figure ascending from the darkness below. The figure floats effortlessly, drawn by mana, and lands gracefully on the balcony beside me.

The figure is cloaked in shadows, their disheveled hair catching what little light there is. The disarray of their appearance-hair unkempt and clothes in disarray-gives them an otherworldly quality. They hold something tightly within a blanket, the edges of the fabric peeking out, revealing a small, mysterious bundle.

My breath catches in my throat. Instinctively, I reach for my weapon, but something in the figure's demeanor stops me. There is a desperation in their eyes, a silent plea that resonates with the turmoil I feel. I see the blanket moving slightly, the form inside it shifting.

"Who are you?" I demand, my voice sharp but tinged with fear. "What is this?"

The figure doesn't immediately answer. Instead, they slowly unfurl the blanket, revealing the contents within. I see a small, fragile baby, wrapped tightly in the fabric. The sight is so unexpected that for a moment, I am rendered speechless. The baby's eyes, wide and innocent, seem to peer directly into my soul.

The figure's gaze meets mine, and I can see the fear and urgency reflected there. Then, the figure speaks-a voice so familiar it sends a chill down my spine.

"Seris!" she says, her voice barely above a whisper, but the familiarity is undeniable. My heart skips a beat as recognition floods in. "Please, protect my child."

For a moment, the world around me stills. The wind, and the distant hum of the city below, all fade into the background as I take in her words. I stare at her, disbelief and shock coursing through me. This figure, cloaked in darkness and desperation, is someone I know-someone who shouldn't be here, someone I never expected to see again.

"You..." I struggle to find words, my voice faltering. "It's you..."

She nods, her eyes filled with pain and urgency. "There's no time, Seris. They're coming. You're the only one I trust. Please... protect her."

"Senna," I manage to say, still in shock as the realization sinks in. "Is she your child?"

The name feels foreign on my lips after all these years, and yet, here she is-Senna, my old friend, standing before me when I thought she was long gone. The weight of the question lingers between us, thickening the air with unspoken memories and the remnants of a bond we once shared.

Senna's eyes soften, and for a brief moment, the desperation in her gaze is replaced with something tender, something maternal. "Yes," she whispers, her voice breaking slightly. "She's my daughter, Seris. My little Caera."

I look down at the baby again, her small form nestled securely in the blanket. She seems so fragile, so innocent, the realization that this tiny child is Senna's-born from someone I once called a friend-only deepens the gravity of the situation.

"B-But, wait," I stammer, trying to catch my breath as the flood of questions overwhelms me. "Where were you all this time? What happened to you, Senna?"

She hesitates, her gaze shifting to the side as if she's weighing whether or not to reveal the truth. Then, with a deep sigh, she meets my eyes again, her voice steady but tinged with a weariness that speaks of untold struggles.

"Wraiths," she says, the word hanging heavily between us. "Once I awakened the Vritra blood, I was chosen to join the Wraiths."

The revelation hits me like a punch to the gut. The Wraiths-those mysterious, elite enforcers of the Vritra Clan, feared and revered in equal measure.

"You were... a Wraith?" I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper. The shock of it, the idea that my old friend had been pulled into that shadowy world, sends a shiver down my spine.

She nods, her expression grim. "I didn't have a choice, Seris. The moment my bloodline awakened, they took me. I had to leave everything behind-my life, my friends, everything I cared about. They trained me and molded me into one of them. Experimented on me..." Her voice cracks as a tear rolls down her cheek. The pain in her eyes is palpable, a raw wound that time hasn't healed.

I can feel the weight of her words pressing down on me, a heavy sadness settling in my chest. My heart aches for her, for the life she was forced to abandon, and for the darkness she had to endure. The Senna I remember was full of life, vibrant and fierce. To see her now, worn down by the cruelty of the world she was dragged into, it's almost too much to bear.

"Senna..." I whisper, my voice trembling with emotion. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

She shakes her head, wiping away the tear with the back of her hand. "It's not your fault, Seris. None of it is. They-" Her voice falters as she struggles to find the words. "They turned me into something I never wanted to be."

She gestures to the baby in my arms, her expression softening as she looks at her daughter. "Caera is everything to me. She's my hope, my reason for all of this. And I can't let them take her too."

I look down at the tiny, fragile life nestled against me, feeling the enormity of the task that lies ahead. Protecting this child, keeping her safe from the forces that seek to control her, won't be easy. But I can see now that it's the only way to honor the friend I once knew-the friend who fought so hard to reclaim a piece of herself.

"You won't have to, Senna," I say firmly, meeting her gaze with unwavering resolve. "I'll protect her, no matter what. She'll be safe with me."

Senna's eyes fill with gratitude, though the sadness never fully leaves her. "Thank you, Seris. I never doubted you."

Before I can say anything more, she conjures a small blade, its sharp edge glinting in the faint light of the night. In one swift, precise motion, she cuts both of her horns. The sound of the blade slicing through bone is sharp and final. Senna winces, her face contorting in pain, but she doesn't hesitate. She holds the severed horns in her hands, blood slowly trickling down her fingers.

She extends them to me, her eyes filled with a fierce determination. "Give this to her," she says, her voice steady despite the pain. "When the time comes, she will need it to protect herself."

I stare at the horns, my mind reeling at the significance of what she's just done. For a Vritra, their horns are not just a symbol of their heritage-they are a part of their very essence, a manifestation of their power. By cutting them off, Senna has sacrificed a piece of herself, a piece of her strength, for the sake of her daughter's future.

With trembling hands, I take the horns from her, the weight of them heavy in my grasp. "I will," I promise, my voice thick with emotion. "I'll make sure she gets them when the time is right."

Senna's face softens, a small, bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you, Seris. You've always been stronger than you know."

Before I can respond, she steps back, her figure blurring into the shadows once more. "Take care of her... and yourself," she whispers, her voice barely audible as she disappears into the night.

And just like that, she's gone, leaving me alone on the balcony with the weight of her sacrifice in my hands and her daughter cradled in my arms. The night feels colder, the winds sharper, but I know that I can't falter. Not now. Not when so much depends on me.

I clutch the horns tightly, a silent vow forming in my heart. No matter what lies ahead, I will protect Caera with everything I have. For Senna, for the future... and for the hope that still flickers in the darkness

~~

A/N: Well here is the sad ending to one or a new start for other. Like this chapter, if this chapter was able to touch you, I am not very good at writing this type but hope its good enough.