Chapter 4
Three years had passed since the Wall Incident.
Poul and Jay still had nightmares about that fateful day. Poul was the most affected, overwhelmed by guilt for letting his wife die before his eyes. That memory consumed him slowly but relentlessly, coming back whether he was happy or sad.
Driven by vengeance, he trained tirelessly—his body, his swordsmanship, and, in between, a bit of his elemental power. Poul's focus was always revenge.
The Nameless King grew increasingly infamous for destroying villages of humans and giants alike. Many had attempted to kill him, but none succeeded. He became stronger and stronger, yet felt more and more lost.
Another day began. Poul woke up early, as always, in his dark room. Rising from bed, he prepared himself and then went to wake his son. Opening the door slowly, he found the room empty.
"So he's not here… I'll have to find him," he thought.
Descending the stairs, he soon found his son lying on the living room sofa, absorbed in a book.
"I never imagined I'd get addicted to reading," Jay thought.
"Jay, I'll have to work hard to buy you more books!" Poul said.
Jay simply looked at his father and gave a thumbs-up.
"That kid…" Poul muttered, shaking his head.
Poul headed to the kitchen, grabbed some pans, and started preparing breakfast, cracking and frying eggs.
"Breakfast is ready, Jay!"
Jay closed his book, tucked it under his arm, and followed the tempting aroma. After eating, he thanked his father and returned to the sofa to continue reading, his eyes glowing.
After some time, Jay decided to go to the park. Before leaving, he waved to his father:
"Dad! I'm going to the park!"
Poul nodded, smiling.
As Jay walked under the sunlight, his mind wandered.
"Why was I reborn into this world? Was it for a purpose, or is this just natural after death? What is my purpose and destiny? Three years of peace… it feels too quiet. Something's bound to happen."
These thoughts, remnants of his past life, had resurfaced after his mother's death. He paused, pressing his hand to his forehead.
"Does that mean I'll never change? Is this a trait I can't escape? No… it's a remnant from my past life. Eight years… I didn't even try to change. I hope I don't repeat the same mistakes in this new life."
Lost in thought, he arrived at the park until a soft, delicate voice pulled him out of it.
"Hey! Jay! Over here!" a girl with purple hair called, waving and smiling gently.
Jay waved back and ran toward her.
Meanwhile, Poul, dressed in his army uniform, went to work. Arriving at the army training center, he greeted his superiors and headed to the training room, following his daily routine.
After some training, he approached the captain of his squad to fill out some reports. Then he returned to practice, focusing on his elemental power. After three years, his body had adapted far more than when he first started training.
"I'm stronger than before. I can now protect my son from the world's cruelty," he thought.
Soon, he was called by his superiors. Entering the room, he saw several soldiers gathered.
"I've gathered you all to share news that will shake you," the captain announced.
A soldier raised a hand. "What news, sir?"
"We spotted a giant. But not just any giant—an earth elemental giant," the captain replied.
Everyone was shocked. Poul, however, felt a thrill of excitement and hid a dark smile behind his hand.
"How do you know that?" a soldier asked.
The captain sighed and fixed the soldier with a stern look. "We know by observing the abnormal behavior of the forest giants. Understood?"
Everyone nodded.
"Since a battle is likely to erupt in the city, start evacuation preparations immediately." He glanced around the soldiers and noticed Poul's darkly eager smile. He smiled faintly.
"Someone seems eager for this battle… interesting."
"Dismissed. I'll assign who will be on the front line and who will stay in defense," he added.
Poul went to refresh himself, drinking water. He frowned, thinking, "How will they treat my son? Damn it, just because I'm absent at moments like this."
At the park, Kyrai, his best friend, looked at him excitedly and came up with an idea.
"Jay, let's eat at my house!" she said.
"Huh?"
She raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to come?" she asked, making a cute face.
Jay sighed, resting a hand on his chin. His father was likely at work, preparing lunch, and the thought made him lazy.
"I'll go! Definitely!" he said enthusiastically.
"Thanks, Kyrai. You saved me," he thought.
At Kyrai's house, Jay was warmly welcomed. He ate calmly until a sudden rumble and wave of pressure struck. Everyone panicked, especially Jay, as flashes of memories from the tragedy three years ago and his mother's death invaded his mind.
As he prepared to warn everyone to leave, Kyrai's father stood and instructed them to go to the basement. They all complied, including Jay.
Meanwhile, Poul, assigned to guard the wall with a partner, felt the approaching pressure.
"It's coming from the east!" he shouted, looking in that direction. His partner fell to the ground, trembling.
"We're going to die," he whispered.
Poul saw a mountain of earth forming, piled with giant bodies, and atop it, a colossal giant looked down at them as inferior beings. The mountain moved toward the wall, intent on destruction.
"Fire!" he ordered the artillery. The cannons fired, but the giant opened a massive mouth and swallowed the shots.
Poul inhaled deeply, extended his arm, and unleashed a powerful blast of ice, freezing the mountain. Pain shot through his arm, which became covered in ice. He knelt, catching his breath, a mild burning in his nearly frozen arm.
"Did I… save the city?" he wondered, glancing at the people he protected.
Then, he heard a crack. Looking up, he saw a seven-meter-tall giant leaping from the mountain.
Poul rolled aside, gasping, and tried another ice blast. The giant landed, creating stone walls on both sides. The ice barely froze the walls, and Poul's arm froze further. Exhausted, he stayed on the ground, breathing heavily.
The giant shattered the walls, saw no threat from Poul, and ignored him, leaping into the city.
"No… Jay… I have to… save… my son," he gasped.
Inside the city, the giant destroyed houses but found no living beings—the evacuation had begun. It sensed something approaching, raised its sword toward the noise, and was stabbed through the leg, falling and dragging houses with it. Civilians were injured.
Poul gritted his teeth, closed the wound in his leg, and formed a spear in his hand. The artillery was ready again.
"Fire!" the captain shouted.
The giant threw its spear, clashing with the cannonballs in a cloud of smoke, terrifying citizens further.
In the basement, Jay and Kyrai watched in fear. The father kept alert for any noise. They then heard an explosion and the invaders breaking in.
"Search the house! Find the residents!" the invaders shouted.
Jay wanted to see his father but couldn't. He offered to help Kyrai's father, who guided him.
Meanwhile, Poul recovered, though his arm still burned. He looked over the city in chaos, tasting the bitterness of failure again.
"Use more than blasts, Poul… you can do more," a mysterious male voice whispered. He felt it was familiar.
Poul imagined wings, and ice wings sprouted from his back. He leapt from the wall, flying toward the earth elemental giant, envisioning a sword of ice in his hand.
The artillery was nearly out of ammo. The giant destroyed some cannons but was slightly wounded from the surprise attack. Poul raised his finger, and suddenly, towers of ice spikes shot up, piercing artillery and soldiers.
The squad captain drew his sword, realizing the monster before him.
Even without hope to win, he thought, I can hold it here until reinforcements arrive.
He saw a figure falling—a human—recognizing it as Hyou Poul, wielding his ice sword. Poul struck at the giant, slicing along its arm. Reaching its shoulder, the giant's hand struck him, sending him flying toward the wall. His body ached; his left arm and legs felt numb.
The giant rushed to finish him, creating a sword of earth, cutting the wall. The blade froze along with his arm. Blood spilled, but the ice regenerated his injuries, spreading from his arm to his chest.
Poul rose, smiling, with ice-encrusted arm and sword. Spikes of ice emerged around him, facing the giant, whose pride crumbled.
The two clashed in a storm of ice spikes. Poul pierced the giant's foot, eliciting a scream that he covered with more ice. Finally, with a bloodied grin, he struck the giant's neck, killing it—his first kill.
In the basement, Jay and Kyrai's father fought the invaders. Jay, forced to kill a soldier, held the bloodied knife in shock. Kyrai's father reassured him, embracing him, telling him it was necessary.
"Guide Kyrai and Mary while I silence the rest," he instructed.
Jay nodded. Luis discreetly eliminated the invaders, disposed of the bodies, and met his family. Jay reunited with Poul in a medical tent, embracing his father.
"Thank goodness you're alive.