The War That Took It All...

The guttural voice rang out in the throne room, its power and ferocity akin to lightning that shook the very foundation of the entire Winterfall dynasty.

Standing up from the throne, Vuernech's hair danced in the air, his eyes flashing an intense red from anger.

Beside him, his two sons rose up into the air, clothed in powerful blue-colored armors inscribed in various runic lines.

"Father..." The voice rang out from behind as Vuernech's hands reached for the door, halted, and turned his head to the place where the voice came from.

It was from none other than his small blue-haired boy.

His blue eyes currently held worry, and he could smell the young man's fear as he stood there, rubbing both hands together, something he had taught him to do to calm his heart.

Slowly, his hands halted from the door as he turned to the boy, taking a step forward and instantly appearing before him.

"What is it? Hael.."

"I just want to ask if you'll... you'll be fine..." Hael struggled to say as a smile appeared on Vuernech's face, reigning in his anger for his son.

"What is my full name, Hael..." He asked, as he got on a knee and looked into those blue eyes.

"Vuernech Winterlock the first!" Hael pronounced.

"That is true, Hael. I am the first because I have never lost a battle before. I am the god of war in Aetheria..." His father whispered to him, as pride flashed in Hael's eyes, and for a moment, he forgot the pain. As it was true.

His father truly was Aethieria's god of war, having fought a thousand and sixty-five battles without losing a single round.

This would be no different...

"I'll be back soon, Hael..." Vuernech whispered as he shook his shoulders firmly and rose up from the ground, staring at his two wives whose eyes showed unflinching confidence in him.

Dressed in blue armor, a sword by his waist, Vuernech moved out of his palace, his back straighter than a pine tree, and his long blue hair dancing behind him as he headed to war, an ever-constant game in this world...

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"RUN, HAEL, RUN!!!" The feminine voice rang out as Hael ran with his fastest speed through the forest.

Tears streamed down his eyes, yet his legs ran at full speed, even as the sound of metallic swords clashed together, elements clashing in full fiery force.

He didn't look back at all as he ran away akin to a weak-hearted from war, his strange blue eyes seeing the forest as clear as day, enabling him to weave through the trees even in the pitch black darkness.

He didn't know what direction he was heading, only that a total of 500 guards had fought to the death just for him to be able to escape, and even his mother now lay behind him, fighting to give him a chance to escape, for the enemy wants him and him only.

An hour passed... ten hours...forty-eight hours.

SPLASH

The sound of water flowing could be heard as Hael's weary eyes narrowed and his ears twitched repeatedly like that of a cat...

"Hmm, water..." He said in shock, his voice cracked as he rushed toward his direction with his fastest speed, which was only as fast as that of a snail...

Pushing through the leaves and completely exiting the forest, what came before his eyes was the sight of a sea, whose ends were unknown, but his attention couldn't help but narrow, horror flashing in his eyes, as he noticed the person who was seated at the seabed...

"Vather..." He muttered, teeth grinding together as he looked at the blue-haired man, who looked to be the same replica of him, only five years older.

But he knew well, the person before him looked nothing alike to him at all. Nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing...

"It must have been hard, brother, transversing the entire Winterlock forest, on foot, without yet unlocking the first door of the nine petals. As expected of someone blessed by all the origin power of the Moon petals itself..."

"You traitor..." Hael barked out between the gaps of his teeth as the man chuckled before standing up from his cross-legged position.

"I'm deeply offended by such a word. You know I used to brag about you never having been disrespectful to me before. But I guess that record was broken today. Ahhh, how shameful..." Vather said with a saddened expression.

"But many records were indeed broken today, many more... important records..." He mused out loudly with a sinister smile as he stared at Hael, whose murderous rage wanted nothing but to rip him apart.

He sensed betrayal from those blue eyes, but it was also tinged with a bit of confusion.

"Why, Vather. Why did you all try to desperately kill me so much?" Hael demanded in confusion.

Immediately the news of the king having fallen in battle was preached by his two brothers who went to war with him.

Swords had been turned on him by none other than his own two brothers, Vather and Hadeon. They were more than brothers to him.

They were his teachers, almost everything he ever knew about the world was taught to him by both of them.

His brother Hadeon excelled in combat and had taught him everything he knew, while Vather excelled in war tactics, ingraining in him all of his knowledge.

So why? Why are they after his life, so much they brutally slaughtered everyone on their path?

"Why, Hael? Why have you remained blinded? Why couldn't you see this day, even after it has been shown to you so many times?" Vather snapped, the same deep confusion in his eyes as he stared at Hael.

"I...I don't understand."

"You are born with the Nine Petals Runes, Hael. You have the same potential said to rival that of a god. Even our father only has five petals himself, and yet he could almost remain undefeated in the whole of Nexuria.

"Fate has been written, Hael. The fate of who will sit on the throne of Winterfall. But your existence became a large obstacle in the path of that fate.

It surprised me, how you failed to notice that, after everything that I have taught you..."

"But.."

"What do I teach you about obstacles, Hael? What did I tell you to do to them if they reared their head in your path..." Vather inquired with a nefarious smile.

It was a question that anyone with sufficient brain cells should be able to answer...