Hero of war : The divine beast

A boy stood in a cold, damp prison cell, his arms shackled and suspended from the ceiling. His animal-like ears twitched at the sound of approaching footsteps, the faint echo bouncing off the stone walls. A dim light flickered, growing brighter with each step.

The boy squinted as a figure emerged from the darkness—a man with a cold, cruel smirk tugging at his lips. In his arms was a small girl with white hair and blank red eyes. The girl's face was emotionless, her body limp, as if she'd already resigned herself to whatever torment awaited her.

The man stepped closer, his voice sharp and condescending. "From now on, you're Subject One," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't kill herself."

The boy's fiery gaze locked onto the man. Fury burned in his golden eyes as he hissed, "Then free me."

The man chuckled, his smirk widening. "Did you just talk back to me?" His voice was almost playful, but his eyes glinted with malice. "That's going to cost you an ear."

Without hesitation, the man drew a knife from his pocket, its blade glinting ominously in the faint light. He grabbed the boy by his hair, yanking his head to the side. The boy screamed, a sound of raw agony that echoed through the prison as the blade cut into his animal like ears. Blood dripped onto the cold stone floor,

---

Kael jolted awake, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. Sweat drenched his face as he clutched his blanket tightly, his wide eyes darting around the room.

"It's just a dream," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Why did I suddenly see that again?"

He swung his legs off the bed, his bare feet meeting the wooden floor. The familiar creak of the boards beneath him grounded him in the present. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

A loud knock shattered the silence, making him jump. He turned toward the door, his heart pounding anew. "That must be the person Sis sent to check up on me," he muttered, walking cautiously to the door.

Kael opened the door to see a cloaked figure standing in the doorway. The figure's imposing presence and concealed face made Kael's instincts flare.

"Lift your hood," Kael demanded, his voice steadier than he felt.

The figure complied, revealing Asmodius's familiar face. Kael relaxed slightly, though his guard remained up.

"Oh, it's you," Kael said, stepping aside to let him in. "Did Sis send you?"

"Yes," Asmodius replied calmly. "She asked me to check on you. Have you eaten yet? If not, I brought some breakfast."

Kael's stomach growled at the mention of food. "Oh, I didn't eat yet. Thank you," he said, accepting the bundle Asmodius handed him.

Asmodius nodded. "There are rumors of assassins nearby. It's not safe here. If you'd like, you can come with me to the camp."

Kael hesitated, then shook his head. "No, Sis told me to stay here. Do you know when she'll be back?"

"She should return tomorrow," Asmodius said. "Stay safe, Kael."

Kael watched as Asmodius left, then turned his attention to the food. His eyes sparkled at the sight of the hearty meal—a generous portion of beef and a steaming bowl of soup. He placed the food on the table, but before he could take a bite, he remembered the garden.

"Oh, wait," he said to himself. "I need to water the plants first."

Grabbing a watering can, he stepped outside. As he surveyed the garden, his brows furrowed. Several flowers were missing.

"Where did they go?" he muttered. "Maybe some animal ate them. I'll tell Sis to make the garden more secure when she gets back."

As he moved to water the remaining plants, a glint of light in the grass caught his attention. He squinted, trying to make out the object.

"Is that... a doll?" he murmured, walking toward it.

Kael knelt down and picked up the doll. His breath hitched in his throat. The doll looked exactly like him—down to the green eyes and the scars on his arms,

Before he could process the eerie resemblance, the doll's mouth moved. A sound, guttural and agonized, escaped it—a sound Kael knew all too well.

"No," he whispered, dropping the doll as if it burned him.

The wailing grew louder, filling his ears and drowning out his thoughts. Kael clutched his head, screaming, "Stop!" His mind spiraled as memories he'd buried deep began to resurface.

He stumbled back to the cabin, slamming the door shut and barricading it with anything he could find. Collapsing onto the floor, he clutched his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth.

"Why?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "Why is this happening? Why now?"

Kael dragged himself to the bed and collapsed onto it, his mind a storm of fragmented images. One memory stood out among the chaos—a girl with black hair and green eyes.

She was shaking him, tears streaming down her face as she cried, "Brother, wake up!"

He lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath him, his vision blurring. A man's shadow loomed over them. The girl screamed as the man grabbed her, silencing her with a hand over her mouth.

Kael forced himself to his feet, blood dripping from a gash on his head. His voice was weak but desperate. "Take me instead. Leave her alone."

The man smirked, his expression dripping with malice. "Now you want to bargain?"

The girl hit the ground with a dull thud as the man grabbed Kael by the hair, dragging him away. Her green eyes, wide with terror, were the last thing Kael saw before darkness claimed him.

---

Kael bolted upright, his breath ragged, chest heaving as if he had just resurfaced from drowning. His trembling hands gripped the blanket, trying to ground himself, but the cold sweat trickling down his face only reminded him of the vivid nightmare.

"Why can't I remember anything before that?" he whispered, his voice hoarse, barely audible over the pounding of his heart.

The moonlight poured through the window, casting long, jagged shadows across the room. The stillness of the night felt oppressive, as though the world was holding its breath. Kael glanced outside; the garden was bathed in an eerie silver glow. He hadn't realized how much time had passed—it was already nighttime.

A sudden knock shattered the fragile silence, echoing through the cabin like a thunderclap. Kael froze, his body tensing instinctively.

"That can't be Asmodius," he thought, his mind racing. "He already came earlier."

The knock came again, firmer this time, more insistent. The faint creak of wood followed, as if someone was testing the door.

Kael's instincts screamed at him, every fiber of his being brimming with unease. He slid off the bed as quietly as possible, his bare feet making no sound against the floorboards. His eyes darted to the front door, his gut twisting.

"Should I open it?" he muttered under his breath, gripping the edge of the table to steady himself. A shiver ran down his spine, his unease intensifying with every second of silence that followed.

The cabin felt smaller, suffocating. The air was heavy, the shadows darker. Something was wrong—he could feel it in his very bones.

His gaze lingered on the door, and his breathing grew shallow. "I've got a bad feeling about this…" he whispered, his voice trembling as his eyes flicked toward the only weapon within reach—a dull kitchen knife sitting on the counter.