The Second Name
The field was silent.
The survivors stood frozen in a circle, their eyes locked on the tall, unyielding figure of Verya. The instructor's gaze cut across them like a knife, weighing each trembling body, each set of eyes that dared to meet his.
The first name had already been spoken.
"Daren."
The word still lingered in the air, heavy as an execution bell. Daren's boots scraped against the dirt, his body already moving forward, though every step seemed dragged by chains. His jaw was clenched so tight it looked like it might shatter.
But the silence remained unbroken, because everyone knew—one name was not enough. A battle required two.
Verya's lips moved again.
"Fin."
The sound tore through the survivors like lightning.
Gasps broke the air. A few voices whispered, disbelieving, as if their ears had betrayed them.
"No way…"
"They're paired…? Those two?"
Kaen's chest tightened violently. He turned his head, eyes darting first to Daren—already rigid in the arena's shadow—and then to Fin.
Fin stood pale, lips trembling, his hand hovering uselessly over the hilt of his short blade. For a moment he looked like a boy again, fragile, lost in a nightmare.
Kaen (inner monologue):
"Not them… anyone but them. They've been together since the start. Brothers in all but blood. To pit them against each other—this isn't a test. This is cruelty."
Lyra's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes already glistening. Riku's gaze sharpened, his usual calm masking a storm beneath. Even he, who rarely flinched, narrowed his eyes with unspoken anger.
The untouched group, however, did not gasp. They did not tremble. They only smiled faintly, smirking as though they'd been waiting for this. One even chuckled under his breath.
Untouched trainee (mocking):
"Perfect. Let the weak devour themselves first."
---
The Walk
Daren did not look back. His boots struck the dirt with heavy thuds as he stepped into the ring. His hand finally closed around the hilt of his chipped sword, though he did not yet draw it.
Fin's body refused to move. His breathing came shallow, uneven, his eyes locked on Daren's broad back as if begging him to turn around and call it off.
Lyra (whispering, desperate):
"Fin… don't…"
But the boy's legs moved anyway. Shaking, stumbling, but moving. Step by step, he followed Daren into the arena.
Kaen's eyes tracked him, every movement a knife in his chest.
Kaen (inner monologue):
"He doesn't want this. He can't fight Daren. And Daren… Daren won't raise his sword against Fin. How can they call this strength? How can this be the measure of survival?"
The two stopped, facing each other across the cracked dirt floor. Mist swirled at their feet. Above them, the morning sun broke free from the clouds, casting their shadows long and dark behind them.
---
Begin
Verya raised one hand.
Verya:
"The rules are simple. Fight. One stands. One falls. There will be no interruptions."
His voice cut through the field, silencing even the whispers.
Then his hand dropped.
Verya:
"Begin."
---
The First Hesitation
But no one moved.
Daren's hand gripped his weapon so tight his knuckles went white, but his blade remained sheathed. His eyes locked onto Fin's, heavy, unreadable.
Fin's short blade shook in his grasp, its edge wavering in the light. His knees quivered. He tried to raise the weapon, but his arms refused.
Fin (whisper, broken):
"Daren… I can't. Not you."
Daren's throat worked, but no words came. Only the grinding of his teeth, the storm raging in his chest.
Daren (inner monologue):
"Don't make me do this. Don't you dare make me break the only bond I have left."
The silence stretched. Survivors shifted uneasily. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Then, from the untouched group, a mocking laugh.
Untouched trainee:
"Pathetic. Look at them—too scared to swing. If this were the frontlines, they'd already be corpses."
Daren's fingers twitched. His jaw clenched harder.
---
Memories of Yesterday
And then, the past came rushing back.
The academy training yard. Dust kicking up as wooden swords clashed. Fin, younger and clumsier, swinging too hard and missing entirely, tumbling to the ground in a heap.
Fin (laughing):
"Ahh! Guess I'm hopeless at this!"
Daren stood over him, smirking faintly as he offered a hand.
Daren:
"Get up, idiot. You'll never improve lying in the dirt."
Fin grinned as he grabbed Daren's hand, letting himself be pulled up.
Fin:
"One day… I'll beat you. Just you wait."
Daren only rolled his eyes, but deep down, he admired the boy's stubborn spark.
---
Another memory. The dormitory roof, the sky spread wide with stars. Fin and Daren lying side by side, their voices hushed.
Fin:
"When we graduate… when we're real soldiers… let's stick together. No matter what happens."
Daren (after a pause):
"…Yeah. No matter what."
They bumped fists beneath the sky. A promise.
---
The memory shattered. The present crashed back.
Fin stood before him now, trembling, tears stinging his eyes, blade wavering in weak defiance.
Fin (whispering):
"We promised, Daren. Not like this. Never like this."
---
Pressure
Verya's voice boomed again, merciless.
Verya:
"Is this your resolve? To tremble before one another? Strike—or be struck down. This is no place for children's promises."
Fin flinched. His blade shook harder.
The untouched smirked, leaning on their unscathed weapons, watching with amusement.
Untouched trainee (mocking):
"Brothers? Friends? It doesn't matter. In the end, only one walks away. That's the truth of war."
The words sliced through the silence, leaving only the sound of Fin's ragged breathing.
---
The Weight of Choice
Kaen's fists clenched as he watched, nails digging into his palms.
Kaen (inner monologue):
"This isn't training. It's torture. And yet… if they don't fight, if they don't give everything… Verya will cast them aside. This is the army's truth. This is what it means to survive."
Lyra's voice trembled as she whispered:
Lyra:
"Please… someone stop this."
Riku said nothing, but his eyes narrowed, sharp as steel. His silence spoke louder than any words.
---
The Moment Before
Fin's lips moved, voice almost too soft to hear.
Fin:
"…If I can't do it… then you have to. Don't let them call you weak."
Daren's throat tightened. His vision blurred for a heartbeat.
Daren (inner monologue):
"Don't… don't ask me that, Fin. Don't you dare make me break the only promise that kept me alive."
But the world was watching. Verya's gaze cut like fire. The untouched sneered. The survivors held their breath.
Slowly, with trembling arms, Fin raised his short blade. The steel caught the sunlight, weak but resolute.
Across from him, Daren's hand finally drew his sword. The blade hissed free of its sheath, scarred and chipped, but deadly all the same.
The two stood frozen, weapons raised, hearts breaking.
The battlefield held its breath.
---
To be continued…
The blades are raised. The first clash awaits.