The forest shimmered under the soft morning sun, trees swaying gently in the breeze. Sei had turned 8 just recently.
He stood in the river by the waterfall. His arms were outstretched, a faint sphere of water swirling between his hands. He was training harder than ever, his face etched with focus.
"Not bad," Fari purred, sitting on a rock nearby.
"I know… just give me a second," Sei murmured, sweat lining his brow. The sphere trembled, then collapsed with a splash. He groaned in frustration.
"You're trying too hard. Water doesn't obey force—it flows with intention," Fari said with a sigh.
Before Sei could respond, a sharp sound caught his ear—footsteps. Many of them. Rustling through the trees.
"People… coming from the west?" Sei muttered.
He sprinted off, heart pounding. Fari leapt onto his shoulder without a word as they dashed through the trees toward the village.
Sei was excited—it had been 2 months since his father went to war, and this many footsteps only meant that they had returned.
As they emerged, Sei skidded to a halt.
The village square was filled with a crowd. At the center, some people were getting off a cart, some were leaning on makeshift support. One had no arm. Another's leg was wrapped in torn, bloodied bandages. A third man had a cloth over one of his eyes, their faces hollow with horror.
They were the same men who had left with his father. They weren't warriors anymore—just mere survivors.
Ten people had left, but only five returned.
The villagers were silent, and the air was thick with fear.
Sei's breath caught. 'These… are the men who left with Father…'
Then one of the soldiers, a grizzled man with a scar across his chest, fell to his knees. Tears streaked down his face.
"I… I'm sorry… Sir Leon… he didn't make it."
A gasp rippled through the crowd.
His mother stood at the edge of the crowd, both hands pressed to her lips.
"No," Sei's mother whispered, her basket falling from her hands. "No…." She took a shaky step forward, eyes wide. "You're lying… you're lying!"
"He died…" the soldier sobbed. "He saved us… He saved everyone. He fought that monster alone."
Sei's feet felt like they were sinking into the ground. His ears rang. The world seemed to blur as tears filled his eyes.
'No… it can't be…'
"Monster…?" someone whispered from the crowd.
"The monster of Astresia. A butcher in human form. We thought we were winning until he came. That Gillian Fredrik… we never stood a chance against him."
"Sir Leon fought that monster as an equal. That's why we won this war," another soldier added, his voice as low as a whisper.
Sei's mother dropped to her knees, her hands trembling as she clutched the ground.
Sei couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. His warm, second life—was suddenly crumbling around him. Something inside Sei snapped.
Tears rushed over. He turned and ran, faster than he'd ever run before, tearing through trees and brush. He didn't know where he was going—only that he needed to get away from those voices, those faces, the awful truth ringing in his ears.
He reached the waterfall and dropped to his knees.
And then—he screamed.
Fari appeared moments later, breathless. "Sei—what happened? What's—"
"UNSEAL IT!" he roared, his face wet with tears, hair stuck to his cheeks. "Unseal my core!"
Her eyes widened. "No. You're not ready—"
"I DON'T CARE!" he cried, fists pounding the ground. "He's dead, Fari. My father… he's dead. And I wasn't there. I couldn't help. I couldn't protect him!"
"What is the meaning of having something when I couldn't even do anything? In my previous life, my parents didn't care, they didn't love me. Here in this world, I got my parents' love—and this happens."
Fari approached quietly. "Sei… I know it hurts. But this is not how—"
"Please," he whispered, breaking. "Please, just unseal it. I want to get stronger. I can't protect anyone like this."
Fari trembled, watching this small, broken boy unravel in front of her. Her heart clenched. Slowly, she walked over. "Sei… please. Listen to yourself. You'll die—your body isn't strong enough to handle it."
"I DON'T CARE! I'll kill him! I'll kill that monster myself!" he sobbed, voice hoarse.
Tears filled her emerald eyes. She hesitated, then finally nodded. "Forgive me."
She walked behind him and placed a glowing paw on his back.
The moment the seal broke—
Instantly, Nature Energy from all around rushed into him—not just one or two, but all types. Even an eerie dark energy swirled around him.
The ground split beneath him. The water from the fall and the lake twisted unnaturally.
A storm erupted around Sei's small body. His hair whipped in every direction, eyes turned wild with blue and violet glows, the energy violently reacting to his anguish.
Sei screamed.
Blood burst from his mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. His body bent under the unbearable weight. But he didn't fall.
Fari cried out, "Stop! You have to stop!"
But he didn't. Couldn't. He stood, defiant, body torn apart by the very power he begged for.
He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but only blood came out.
Then—a thunderous slam.
The Old Grandmaster appeared from nowhere, crashing a palm onto Sei's back. The energy shattered outward, and with the same powerful glow, he sealed his core once again.
Sei lay on the ground, gasping, bloodied and broken.
"You fool," the Grandmaster said to Fari—not with anger, but with disappointment. "You could've killed him."
Fari rushed to Sei's side, tears welling.
The old man knelt, pressing a hand to Sei's forehead. "He'll live. Barely."
Sei sobbed into the dirt. "I… I have to be strong… I can't lose anyone again…"
"Foolish boy," he said softly. "You'd trade your life for rage?"
The Grandmaster didn't speak for a while. Then, slowly, he spoke, "If you truly wish to avenge your father… to protect those you love… then learn to master your pain. Not be mastered by it."
Sei's weak eyes met his.
"I… I will…"
The Grandmaster stood and looked toward the village.
"Listen, boy," he said without turning back. "You want strength? Fine. I won't stop you."
He finally looked down at Sei's face. "But earn it the right way."
His voice softened—just enough. "If you can master hydro and tempest in the next two years… I'll admit you to the Academy myself. I will make an exception to enroll an 10-year-old."
And then he left, the wind quiet behind him.
Fari curled beside Sei's body, pressing against him like a shield.
Silence pressed over.
Sei's body felt a sense of relief as he felt his consciousness slip.
'I will become stronger, I swear I will kill him. Why am I so useless? First, I lost Haru and now I lost my father. I am such a piece of shit…'
But this was just the beginning of a greater storm.