The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the battlefield. 

The sky was an angry blend of red and bruised orange, casting an eerie light on the scene. 

Nert's breath came in ragged gasps as he braced himself, bloodied and weary, against the relentless wave of bandits swarming toward them. 

Beside him, Jiighual raised his massive pavise shield, gritting his teeth as he took the brunt of incoming blows. 

Together, they had felled dozens of these bandits—

But the crowd showed no sign of thinning. 

For every one they struck down, it seemed three more took his place.

Nert clenched his jaw, swinging with desperate strength, his fingers raw from clutching his weapon. 

Every grapple and strike felt heavier, his muscles screaming for rest that he knew wouldn't come. 

As another bandit lunged, he twisted the attacker's arm, a sickening snap echoing as the man collapsed to the ground. 

But he could barely savor the small victory—

There was no time. 

They were drowning in numbers.

Glancing at Jiighual, he could see his companion's exhaustion mirrored in his eyes, his breath haggard as he used his shield to batter away yet another wave. 

The two shared a silent moment of understanding—

No words needed to pass between them. 

They knew they were near their limits.

As they fought, memories began surfacing, unbidden. 

Flashes of past battles, all as brutal and unrelenting as this one. 

Moments where he had clung to life, each scar telling its own grim tale. 

What had it all been for? 

Nert thought, an ache deeper than any wound throbbing in his chest. 

Just how long have I been doing this? 

And for what?

His gaze drifted across the chaotic scene, and for the first time, he felt it—a nagging emptiness, hollow and dark, gnawing at him from the inside. 

Each strike, each dodge, seemed to weigh him down, pulling him into that void. 

He felt like he was fighting against something far heavier than the bandits before him. 

It was as if he were fighting against himself.

"Jiighual...." he muttered, barely audible over the clanging of steel. 

His voice was hoarse, almost unrecognizable. 

Jiighual only grunted in response, eyes fixed on the oncoming threat, but Nert knew his friend had heard him.

Jiighual's shield swung again, slamming another foe to the ground, but he, too, looked like he was hanging on by a thread. 

And yet, Jiighual fought with determination, as though he had something to protect. 

That realization struck Nert—

Jiighual fights for something. 

And what was he fighting for?

In the fading light, as exhaustion weighed his limbs, Nert felt the full force of a question he had been too afraid to ask.

Had his life been reduced to this? 

A relentless, pointless battle without end?

He looked into the faces of the bandits, twisted with hatred, and wondered if he was different from them—caught in an endless cycle of bloodshed, each side fighting for a cause they didn't truly understand. 

For the first time in his life, he was afraid—

Not of death but of living a life that meant nothing.

As dusk settled into night, the battlefield became a blur. 

His movements grew slower, his vision hazy, but he kept swinging, kept grappling. 

Each blow he landed felt emptier than the last. 

His mind wandered, unfocused, drifting into thoughts of his past—moments when he had laughed, had dared to dream of something more than survival.

Jiighual's voice brought him back. 

"Hold on, Nert! Just... hold... on!" 

But Jiighual's voice sounded distant, almost swallowed by the darkness encroaching on his mind.

In that murky haze, Nert's gaze lifted to the skies, watching the final rays of light vanish. 

For once, he was tired of just being the weapon, the unthinking blade in the hand of a cause he couldn't see or feel. 

In that moment, he felt a spark—a desire to be more than this cycle, to be someone with a purpose, like Jiighual, like Zach.

Suddenly, a fierce determination flared in his chest, dim but growing brighter, stronger, like an ember fighting against the darkness. 

He would fight, not just for the sake of it, but for something that mattered. 

Nert felt a surge of energy, not just physical, but from deep within, a flicker of hope. 

I'll make this count. 

I'll fight not just to live but to protect—

To be someone worth remembering.

With newfound resolve, he braced himself, his stance firm. 

He looked at Jiighual, nodding. Whatever happened next, he knew he was ready to face it—

Not as a weapon.

But as a warrior with a purpose.

Nert felt a fire erupt within him, pushing past the haze of fatigue and pain. 

With a guttural roar, he lunged forward, grabbing the nearest bandit by the arm and twisting hard. 

The crack of bone breaking echoed through the clearing, but Nert didn't stop. Another came at him, sword raised, and he ducked, driving his fist into the man's ribs with a strength that belied his bloodied, exhausted state.

"ARGHHHH!" 

Nert's shout shook the night, echoing across the field as he became a whirlwind of defiance. 

Each blow, each shattered limb, felt like a release—a fierce declaration that he would not be just another soldier in someone else's war, mindlessly spilling blood until his own was drained dry. 

He fought with a newfound intensity, raw and unrestrained.

As if every strike was meant to break the chains that bound him to a life—

Of purposeless violence.

Jiighual watched his friend with a pride he hadn't felt in a long time. 

A grin split his face, teeth bared, and he raised his shield to slam into another attacker, pushing the man back as he staggered. 

He shouted.

"That's the spirit!" 

Side by side, they stood, pushing back every last wave of the enemy. 

Jiighual's shield rose and fell like a hammer, crushing those who dared to come close, while Nert's fists and elbows flew, breaking bones, driving back the bandits with a fury they couldn't match.

The battle dragged on, the two of them covered in blood—

Some their own—

Most not. 

Their breath came in harsh, ragged gasps, and their bodies screamed for rest, but they kept going, moving as one, drawing strength from each other. 

It felt as if time itself had stopped, leaving only Nert, Jiighual, and the endless waves of attackers. 

They were in a world of their own, bonded by battle and something deeper.

One after another, the bandits fell, their numbers thinning until the field was silent, save for the heavy, labored breaths of the two warriors. 

Blood soaked the ground around them, pooling in the grass, turning the earth dark. 

And still, they stood.

Finally, only one bandit remained. 

He stared at them, terror etched into his face, weapon trembling in his hands. 

Jiighual took a slow breath, raising his shield one last time. 

With a final, mighty swing, he hurled it across the distance, watching as it collided with the bandit's head. 

The impact was brutal, and the man crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Silence fell. 

The battlefield, once filled with cries of anger and pain, was now still. 

Nert stood there, chest heaving, feeling the weight of what they'd done settle over him. 

Blood trickled down his face, his body battered and bruised—

But he felt strangely at peace.

In the quiet, he looked at Jiighual, who gave him a tired but proud smile, the kind that needed no words. 

They had fought for each other, not for any banner or cause but simply because they were there, together. 

Nert felt his heart tighten, a strange mix of sadness and gratitude filling him.

He wanted to say something, anything—

But words failed him. 

How could he explain what it meant to feel this bond, this purpose? 

He only knew he was grateful—to still stand, to fight alongside a friend, and to feel, if just for a moment, like he was more than a weapon, more than a shadow.

The night wrapped around them, cool and quiet, and Nert looked to the stars above, letting the silence speak what he couldn't. 

And there, in that stillness, he made a promise to himself.

He would be more than this. 

He would fight, not just to survive but for those who stood with him, and for the chance to find something real—

Something worth living for.

Nert looked out across the battlefield.

He said.

"Where... where are the others?" 

His words were barely more than a whisper, the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him.

Jiighual paused.

"Right! I forgot about them!" 

His urgency was clear, and he bent down to retrieve his bloodied shield from the ground. 

"We must help them now!"

But as Jiighual took a step forward, Nert reached out and gripped his arm, his fingers tightening just enough to halt his friend. 

The silence lingered, heavy and almost sacred—

As Nert found the words he'd kept buried for so long.

"Jiighual... you're not just someone I fight beside," he said slowly, his voice thick with emotion. 

"You're my...  brother...  my... only brother..." 

He glanced away, fighting the vulnerability in his voice, but the words kept pouring out. 

"If it weren't for you... I don't know who I'd be right now. Just... another shadow, probably..."

Jiighual's face softened, the usual bravado in his eyes dimming as he took in Nert's words.

For a moment, he looked down, his fingers tracing the edge of his shield, his silence speaking volumes. 

Then, he looked back up, meeting Nert's gaze.

"Well, then let's make a pact," Jiighual said, his voice low but filled with warmth. 

"No matter what happens, we fight for each other, yeah? Not for some cause or for glory, but because... we're brothers. You and me, until the end."

Nert's grip on Jiighual's arm tightened, a surge of gratitude and trust passing between them in that single gesture. 

He swallowed hard, feeling the weight of their bond settle over him. 

"Jiighual... if you're fighting, then so am I. I'd never leave you to face this alone. Not now, not ever."

Jiighual's face broke into a faint grin, but his eyes were damp, filled with something unspoken. 

He teased, though his voice wavered slightly.

"That's good, 'cause if you ever tried to run off, I'd drag you back, kicking and screaming," 

They shared a quiet chuckle, a small oasis of peace in the chaos that surrounded them. 

Nert stood there, catching his breath, his gaze distant as he took in the bloodied field around them. 

Silence filled the air, interrupted only by their tired breathing. 

He finally broke the quiet, his voice barely above a whisper—

Carrying a weight he'd carried alone for too long.

"Jiighual..." he began, his tone raw and vulnerable. 

"All these years... fighting, struggling, feeling like it's just me against the world. Sometimes I wonder... is this really all there is? Just... battle after battle? No peace, no end. Just blood and dust." 

He trailed off, unable to look at Jiighual, feeling a strange vulnerability he wasn't used to.

Jiighual watched him, his usual smirk slipping as he realized the depth of Nert's words. 

After a pause, Jiighual chuckled softly, though there was no mockery in it. 

"Nert, don't go getting all poetic on me now. You're scaring me."

But Nert wasn't swayed by the humor this time. 

He looked down, fists clenched, the weight of years heavy on his shoulders. 

"I'm serious, Jiighual... I mean, think about it. All the lives we take, all the blood on our hands... Is that really all we're meant to be? Weapons? Tools for someone else's wars?"

Jiighual sobered, his face softening. 

He rested a hand on Nert's shoulder, his voice quiet but filled with an earnest warmth. 

"Hey... come on now, you're more than that. And we both know it. You're Nert, the man who's saved my skin more times than I can count. The man who... well, keeps me grounded, even when the world feels like it's spinning out of control."

Nert's gaze lifted slightly, meeting Jiighual's eyes. 

"But... what's the point, Jiighual? What am I even fighting for? Is it just to survive? To die on some battlefield with no one to remember us? I... I just want to feel like I'm fighting for something more than a cause or a battle."

Jiighual was silent for a moment, letting the weight of Nert's words settle between them. 

He took a deep breath, letting his usual humor fall away as he spoke, his tone softer, more thoughtful than Nert had ever heard.

"Maybe... maybe the point isn't something out there, Nert. Maybe it's something right here." 

He tapped Nert's chest lightly, right over his heart. 

"We don't fight for some grand reason. We fight because... we choose to. Because we're here, and because we're stubborn enough to keep going, even when the world wants to tear us down."

Nert swallowed, feeling the truth in Jiighual's words, but still struggling to accept it. 

 He whispered, barely able to voice his deepest fear.

"And if that's not enough?"

"Then... we make it enough. Because that's what we do, Nert. We survive, we adapt, and we find meaning in whatever pieces are left."

For a moment, they stood there in silence, Nert's gaze searching Jiighual's face, finding comfort in the strength of his friend's words. 

Jiighual squeezed his shoulder once more, offering a small, reassuring smile. 

"And listen, if you ever start doubting yourself again... remember, I've got your back. Every single damn time... Every... single... time..."

Nert managed a faint, weary smile, something warm and resolute igniting in his chest. 

"Thank you..."

"Don't get all mushy on me," Jiighual replied, but there was no mistaking the warmth in his tone. 

They shared a look, one of deep understanding and unspoken loyalty. Whatever battles lay ahead, they would face them together—bound by more than duty, but by the unbreakable bond they'd forged through blood, sweat, and sacrifice.

Jiighual exhaled, the exhaustion catching up with him, but he gave a final nod and glanced toward the darkened path ahead. 

"Then let's go," he said, his voice steady with determination. 

"They need needs us. We can't leave them out there."

Nert nodded, taking a deep breath, the pain and weariness in his bones easing as he leaned on the bond they'd forged. 

"Lead the way."

They shared a look, one of deep understanding and unspoken loyalty. Whatever battles lay ahead, they would face them together—

Bound by more than duty.

But by the unbreakable bond they'd forged through blood, sweat, and sacrifice.

△▼△▼△▼△

Nert and Jiighual ran through the dense forest, their breaths shallow but determined, Nert found himself falling a step behind. 

His eyes traced the ground ahead of him, and every step felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of his own past was pulling him back. 

A hollow ache tightened in his chest, a feeling he hadn't let himself fully face in years.

He muttered under his breath, the words barely audible.

"So many fights... so many battles. And what's it all been for?" 

He glanced up to catch Jiighual ahead, determined as always, his shield gleaming faintly in the dusk. 

"All these scars, these years of bruised knuckles and sleepless nights. Fighting because it's all I know, but... what if that's not enough anymore?"

He slowed, his gaze shifting away from Jiighual, focusing on the dead bodies of the bandits over the forest floor. 

The truth of it all, the relentless exhaustion, the years of being just another weapon wielded against nameless foes— 

It was beginning to crack through his armor. 

He'd built walls around himself—

Convinced himself he didn't need a purpose beyond survival.

That the pain and emptiness could stay buried beneath layers of stubborn pride and numbed instinct.

He clenched his fists, his knuckles grazing a nearby tree trunk as he steadied himself, feeling the rough bark bite into his skin. 

"I've lived my whole life just... getting by. Just fighting for the next sunrise, another day." 

He shook his head, frustration tightening his jaw as he pushed himself off the tree. 

"But is that really living? Is that all I am? Just fists and bruises and a hollow soul?"

His mind filled with faces — fleeting glimpses of people he'd met, allies who had come and gone, bonds he'd never dared let himself forge too deeply. 

He'd been running, he realized—

Not just from enemies but from himself.

From the fear that if he stopped fighting, he'd be left alone with nothing but his own pain and regrets.

In the stillness of the forest, he whispered to the shadows as if they were the only witnesses to his struggle. 

"Maybe I'm more than that. Maybe... I could be something more." 

The words hung in the air, heavy with both doubt and the faintest flicker of hope.

The forest around him seemed to hold its breath, like it, too, was listening. 

Nert looked up at the darkening sky, the faint glow of stars just beginning to pierce through the fading light. 

Beneath the vastness of the heavens, he felt small, yet for the first time, he felt like he belonged to something greater, something beyond the confines of battle and survival.

Jiighual, sensing Nert's pause, turned back and gave him a faint grin. 

"Oi! You slowing down already? Thought you were supposed to be the one with the brute strength."

Nert managed a weak smile, trying to brush off the heaviness in his chest. 

"Maybe... maybe even brutes need something worth fighting for." 

The admission felt strange, yet a quiet sense of relief crept in—

As if voicing it lightened a burden he'd been carrying alone.

Jiighual slowed down, falling into stride beside him, looking at Nert with a mix of amusement and genuine understanding. 

"Look at you, getting all philosophical on me. Next thing I know, you'll be writing poetry."

Nert chuckled, a sound that came out rough and unexpected. 

"Don't worry, I'll leave the poetry to the romantics. But... there's gotta be more than just this. More than just swinging fists and ending fights." 

He looked up at Jiighual, his eyes carrying a vulnerability he'd kept hidden. 

"I think... I want more than that."

Jiighual's expression softened, and he placed a hand on Nert's shoulder, steady and grounding. 

"More, huh? That sounds like a damn good reason to keep going." 

His voice, though playful, held a warmth and sincerity that struck deep. 

"Maybe the reason doesn't have to be clear yet. Sometimes, the path makes itself known as we walk it."

Jiighual broke the silence first, his tone turning more serious. 

"You know, maybe you've been fighting for something all along, even if you didn't see it. Maybe it's been right here, in moments like this, with people who don't just see you as a weapon but as..." 

He trailed off, searching for the right word. 

"As family."

Nert felt a lump form in his throat, his chest tightening with a strange mix of gratitude and sorrow. 

"Family," he murmured, the word foreign yet comforting on his tongue. 

The idea of fighting not just to survive but to protect, to care for others—

Was something he hadn't let himself fully accept. 

But now,he felt a new fire ignite in him, something beyond just brute strength— 

A purpose that was beginning to take shape.

He looked back up at the stars, and beneath their silent, endless expanse, he made a promise to himself. 

"I'll fight... but not just because I have to. I'll fight because it's worth it. Because maybe... maybe I can protect something more important than myself."

Jiighual grinned, clapping him on the back. 

"Now that's the spirit! I knew you had more in that thick skull than just muscle."

Nert rolled his eyes, but a genuine smile tugged at his lips. 

Nert's steps felt lighter, as though the burden he'd carried for so long was finally beginning to ease. 

He ran alongside Jiighual.

Feeling more than just a sense of survival—

But a newfound purpose a reason to keep fighting.

And then, almost as if sealing the moment, he muttered quietly, his words carried softly on the wind.

"For family... and for a future worth seeing."

In the distance, they heard the faint sounds of battle, and Nert's gaze sharpened, his resolve solid and unyielding. 

With Jiighual beside him, he charged forward.

No longer running away from his doubts—

But straight toward his destiny.

Nert clenched his fists.

And then, with a steady, low voice that grew louder with each word, Nert declared.

"I am the Warrior of Sloth... Nert."

The Warrior of Sloth had awoken — 

Not just to fight, but to finally live.

═════ ◆ TO BE CONTINUED ◆ ═════

◆ ◆ ◆ Author's Notes ◆ ◆ ◆

Nert finally found his purpose.