Kael:Swords and Flowers

The Beginning of Destruction – Kael's Path of Vengeance

The screams still echoed in Kael's ears.

Mara's voice… Elira's terrified cries… Eris reaching for his sword, shouting…

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was blood.

His body, collapsed on the dust and dirt, and his aching head meant nothing.

He had lost everything—every sound, every feeling.

But then… his eyes fell on the lifeless bodies lying on the ground.

The first person he saw was Elira.

Her tiny body was drenched in blood. She was still clutching her little doll in her fingers, the one she had always believed would keep her safe.

Her eyes were open, but there was no light left in them.

Kael's mind froze.

The whole world went silent.

With trembling hands, he knelt beside his daughter and cupped her face.

"Elira…" he whispered, his voice hoarse and weak.

When he lifted her into his arms, the warmth had already left her body.

He forgot to breathe.

Then his eyes searched for Mara.

When he found her a few steps away, something inside him shattered beyond repair.

Her dress was torn, her body battered.

Her lifeless eyes were still fixed in an expression of desperation—one that had once called out for him, pleaded for his help.

Seeing her like this stripped away the last remnants of humanity within him.

Kael's breath caught in his throat.

But the horror was not over yet.

A little further ahead, Eris lay still.

His son… He had reached for his sword, remembering what his father had taught him.

But it hadn't been enough.

His body was covered in cuts and bruises. He had fought, struggled, but in vain.

Had he taken down even one of them? Had he been afraid?

Had he believed his father would come for him?

Kael's mind burned with these questions.

The area around him was wrecked, filled with looted belongings and overturned carts.

But Kael saw nothing.

The only thing that existed now was his murdered family.

For a long time, he didn't move.

Then, slowly, he rose to his feet.

When he clenched his fists, his nails dug into his palms, but he felt no pain.

His vision darkened, his breathing deepened, and his entire body trembled with rage.

Kael no longer had a reason to live.

But he had no reason to die, either.

Only one thing remained: Vengeance.

---

Ashes of Destruction – The First Steps of Revenge

Kael knelt on the ground, his trembling hands gripping the dirt.

The wind carried the scent of battle—blood, ashes, and despair.

Before him lay the three bodies that had been his entire world.

Mara…

Eris…

Elira…

The silence of death gnawed at him. Even his own heartbeat echoed in his skull.

He clenched his fists and took a deep breath.

Now was not the time to be weak.

Now was not the time to surrender to grief.

With shaking limbs, he stood up.

He draped Mara's old cloak over his shoulders, tied Elira's small leather bracelet around his wrist, and picked up Eris's sword from the ground.

He had to carry all of them with him.

And then… he had to bury them.

---

To the Embrace of the Earth

Kael dug through the night.

He had no shovel, no tools—only his bare hands.

His fingers tore open, his palms bled, but he never stopped.

The first to rest was Elira.

He laid her small body in the earth, covering her with her favorite blanket.

He placed her little doll beside her.

Then Eris… His son's eyes were still open.

He had fought. He had tried to protect his family.

Kael, with trembling hands, closed his son's eyes and dug him a warrior's grave.

He placed Eris's sword over his chest.

And last… Mara.

Every part of him screamed to hold on.

But he knew what had to be done.

Slowly, he laid her to rest.

He fixed her hair, wiped the dirt from her face, and kissed her forehead one last time.

Then, he covered them with earth.

With every handful of soil, the last pieces of his humanity crumbled away.

Kael knelt before their graves.

He didn't speak.

He didn't pray.

He only bowed his head and remained still.

Forgive me…

But no one answered.