Five years had passed since the day Renart saved Ashar and brought him home. A child ran out of the door shouting, "Father". Renart looked at Ashar with a gentle smile on his face and knelt down to hug him. Ashar hugged Renart tightly -- a little too tightly -- forgetting to control his monstrous strength. Renart winced in pain
"Ashar, loosen your hold a little! How many times do I have to tell you to control your strength?.
"I am sorry Father." Ashar replied, Sofiana shouted from behind "why are you making such a fuss over a hug? You're a Sword master for heavens sake! Can't you handle that much?. humph -- you must be getting old."
Renart grumbled. "I am not old. It's a good thing that I am a Sword master any other person could have been seriously injured by that hug"
Ashar's face fell. Without another word, he turned and bolted toward the trees. Sofiana glared at Renart "You stupid. why did you have to say that in front of Ashar. you seriously don't know how to take care of a child, did you not learn anything this past years."
"I will go get him." Renart replied. Renart could find Ashar even without following his footsteps because he knew where Ashar would be. The surroundings had changed very much. The once‑wild outskirts of the Gurkhaha Forest that was nothing but a place with just trees, bushes, animals and monsters had changed -- tamed into a private haven for their small family. Renart reached the waterfall where Ashar had ran off too.
"Haven't I told you not to run off on you own?."
Ashar with a sad face. "father.... am I a bad person?." Renart shocked to hear this question from Ashar asked "What do you know about bad person Ashar." "mother told me that a person who hurts other is a bad person." Ashar replied, Renart goes and sits beside Ashar with his leg half submerged in the cool water.
"Ashar a person who hurt others is not always a bad person."
"Then who is, father?."
"A person who hurts other Knowingly and for their own good. or someone who enjoys hurting others. that is a bad person."
"Now did you hurt me intentionally?."
"No! I would never."
"I know Son." Renart pats Ashar head and says "You are the sweetest child. you would never hurt anyone." after saying that Renart stood up and broke two branches from a nearby tree gave the smaller one two Ashar and said "It's time for your sword training." Ashar despite being just 5 years and 10months old was fighting Renart like a veteran would. this was all because of Renart teaching sword fighting to Ashar when he was just 2years old and the thing that contributed the most was Ashar talent and his concentration which was something that not even seasoned warriors could achieve even after years of training. While Renart was feeling proud and admiring Renart Swordsmanship. Renart mocked the boy about being too weak. "How are you going to protect your mother and me when we get old if you are this weak, huh?." Ashar in anger hit Renart with a vertical slash and lost control over his strength, Renart blocks his attack. Ashar after realizing that he had again lost his control over his strength apologies. Renart smiles and tells him
"Your dad is not so weak when he holds a sword."
"But father that's a branch"
"I Know!"
Renart concludes the training session and they both head home. While eating the dinner that Sofiana had cooked. Renart was thinking about the vertical slash that Ashar used and the force he felt from that attack. He knew that any ordinary person could die even if Ashar was using a branch. This was one of the many reason Renart had never trained with Ashar using a real sword. he would always use Wooden sword or Sticks to train him. Renart calls Ashar and asks him to make a promise.
"What is it, father?." Ashar asked.
"Ashar you know how your mother can heal and use magic."
"Yes father. mother is super cool!" Sofiana smirks in confidence.
"Yes Ashar just like that you also have a gift from the gods"
"What father?." Ashar asked with curiosity.
"It's your strength son."
Ashar face fell again the strength that had always caused harmed to his mother and father. was suddenly called a gift from the gods.
in a soft voice Ashar murmured "But I don't like this gift..."
"Ashar my son you might not like it now but once you learn to control it. It will be your biggest asset in this world. No one can look down on a powerful man. Don't you want to be a powerful man when you grow up?"
"Yes father. I will become a great and powerful man just like you when I grow up."
"Ashar so to make you properly focus on your swordsmanship we both will place a Seal on you which will make your strength same as a child of your age."
Sofiana angered "What are you talking about. Renart why didn't you discuss this with me before, I am not placing any seal on our child...." Sofiana refused to hear anything that Renart had to say. Ashar approaches his mother. in a soft saddened voice "mother I don't want to hurt you too anymore....can you not make me normal like you and father." hearing that Sofiana's anger faded in an instant. She knelt down and cupped Ashar's face in her hands, her eyes trembling with unshed tears.
"Ashar… you're are completely normal. You're our son. You don't have to change for us."
Ashar looked down.
"But I want to. I want to be like you and father… I want to protect you too, not hurt you."
Renart placed a gentle hand on Sofiana's shoulder.
"We're not sealing his strength forever," he said softly. "Just until he learns to control it."
Sofiana looked into Ashar's eyes, so filled with guilt, determination, and a strange, quiet strength far beyond his age.
"Alright," she whispered. "But. It won't suppress everything just enough to make your training safer. And we'll remove it when you're ready. Understood?"
Ashar nodded.
Later that night, outside the shack, Sofiana stood before Ashar. Magic circles glowed faintly under her feet, drawn in starlight ink. Ashar sat cross-legged in the center, breathing slowly, eyes closed.
Renart watched silently, arms crossed.
Sofiana raised her hand, murmuring ancient words. A warm, golden light gathered at her fingertips and slowly descended onto Ashar's chest. It shimmered briefly, then sunk into him, pulsing once like a heartbeat.
The glow vanished.
Ashar opened his eyes.
"It feels… quiet," he said.
"That's your strength resting," Sofiana replied. "It's still there, still part of you. Even I can't release the seal now even if I wanted to. The seal will release when you turn Eighteen, Hopefully by then you would have learn to live like a normal person and can control your strength."
Renart knelt and held out his fist.
"You made your first real warrior's promise tonight, Ashar. I'm proud of you."
Ashar grinned and bumped his tiny fist against his father's.
That night, while Ashar slept soundly in his room, Renart and Sofiana sat together by the fire.
"Do you think we did the right thing?" she asked quietly.
"We gave him a choice. And he chose to walk the harder path… just like we once did."
She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"He's not like other children, Renart."
"No," he murmured. "He's something else entirely."
Outside, the moon hung full over the Gurkhaha Forest, watching silently, like it had for generations, now with one more soul it would keep its eye on.
Ashar.
The boy with strength blessed by the gods… and a heart strong enough to carry it.
The next morning came Renart would teach Ashar Swordsmanship during the day and Sofiana would teach him magic during the night. This continued for 5years.
After 5 years and 2months..........
Today was the day Renart found Ashar in the forest, and he made it Ashar's birthday today Ashar would turn Eleven. Sofiana was busy preparing all kinds of food she could manage in that forest. Renart and Ashar were sparring near the waterfall. Renart strikes Ashar with a real sword and Ashar counters it with his sword. Ashar's swordsmanship had grown a lot these past few years Ashar despite being so young was fighting on equal footing with Renart both of them attacked each other with one after another attack. Even though Renart wasn't fighting with all his strength he was still taking it seriously then Ashar used a move which wasn't known to Renart he called it the "Falling Star".
A technique born from watching the way meteors streaked across the night sky, beautiful, fast, and devastating. It was a diagonal slash that started high above his head, using the full momentum of his body. But what made it unique was the sudden change in rhythm mid-strike, like the pause between lightning and thunder, catching even Renart off guard.
Renart raised his blade to block, but the moment of hesitation cost him. Ashar's sword stopped just an inch from his neck.
The air stilled.
Renart blinked, then laughed heartily. "That's new. When did you come up with that?" Ashar grinned.
"Three nights ago. After mother told me that story about the constellation dragon. I dreamed I was flying through the stars… and I woke up knowing how to move."
Renart sheathed his blade and ruffled Ashar's hair.
"You're insane. But in the best possible way."
"You said something like that to mother once too!" Ashar chuckled.
Back at the house. Sofiana had transformed their old shack into a celebration. She hung wildflowerswoven into garlands stacked over the door, stacked plates with roasted meat and fruits. Ashar arrives and Sofiana placed a small crown of woven leaves and silver feathers on Ashar's head.
"Today's the day our star fell into our lives," she smiled. "Happy birthday, Ashar."
Ashar's eyes gleamed.
"Thank you, mother. Thank you... for everything."
Sofiana eyes searched for Renart. "Where is your dad?."
"He said he is going into the city to buy me a present. I also wanted to go too.... But he refused."
"why doesn't he let me go into the city mother"
Sofiana froze just for a breath. Her smile twitched, the corners of her lips tightening as if holding back something she couldn't say. Her eyes shifted for a moment -- not in avoidance, but in quiet calculation.
Then she knelt in front of him, brushing his hair gently to one side.
"The city's… not as kind as this place, Ashar," she said softly, the warmth in her voice carefully controlled. "Your father just wants to keep you safe. That's all."
Her smile returned soft, reassuring but her eyes held a flicker of something else. Fear. Memory. How could she have mentioned that there are people out there that wants him death.
"Ashar go get washed we will eat when your dad arrives." "Yes mother!." Ashar beamed and ran off.
"It's been few hours since Renart left… he should've returned by now."
"mother when will father come? its getting late." A chill ran downed Sofiana spine as as a terrible thought slipped into her mind. What if something happened to Renart?
She forced a gentle smile onto her face, but her hands clenched slightly at her sides.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," she said softly. "You know your father… he probably got caught up with a merchant."
But even as she spoke, her gaze drifted towards the forest edge.
The unease in her chest refused to fade.
Sofiana gave a book to Ashar and asked him to read this while his dad comes. "I am going to wash myself Ashar I will be back soon. do not come out. "After saying this words to Ashar. She used her teleport magic to teleport to her old house. Sofiana stepped out of her house and started looking for Renart. she had dressed her self so no one could recognize her. she visits the local tavern to get information on Renart.
Two drunkards talking.
"did you see that giant earlier?."
"yes who could not see him. he was tall -- I mean really tall and muscular, too. For a second I thought he was really a giant. hahaha."
"You idiot, " his companion snorted, "Giants went extinct centuries ago."
Sofiana approaches the two drunkard. "The giant you saw earlier, can you tell me more about him?."
"Huh? Oh, sure, sure… but only if you buy us a drink, lady," one slurred, grinning. "Information's expensive these days! Pwahahaha!"
She bought them drink and one of them mentioned "I Saw a Big fella, 'bout seven feet tall, built like a fortress. Empire soldiers had him in chains. Handcuffed. Didn't look like he was struggling, but the guards sure looked nervous."
The second one nodded eagerly. "Yeah they were dragging him through the eastern gate. Happened just a few hours ago. Guess he pissed off the wrong noble."
Sofiana's heart sank. Her grip on her cloak tightened.
In The Empire Castle...
"Is it true?" one soldier muttered. "That the legendary Swordmaster was brought in… in chains?" another nodded "Yes word is, the King received a message that The Swordmaster Renart had been spotted in the city"
another soldier said "But hasn't the king been looking for him ever since the day he vansihed. and few years back also, there was a news that Renart had appeared but there was no trace of him. do we even have the right man?."
Before anyone could answer, the sound of armored boots echoed through the corridor.
The elite platoon approached.
Every head turned.
At the center of the formation, he walked tall, broad-shouldered, his head bowed, wrists bound with thick mana-forged cuffs glowing faintly. It was him.
Renart.
The man they'd been discussing.
One of the younger guards peered closer at the soldiers surrounding him, and his blood ran cold.
None of the elite soldiers had pride on their faces. No smirks. No triumph.
Every single one wore the same strained, haunted expression, like men walking beside a beast they barely kept leashed.
And then the guard understood. They weren't dragging him. He was letting them walk beside him. And if he wanted to, he could break free at any moment.
The cuffs were glowing brighter now, humming with containment spells, yet Renart moved as if they weighed nothing.
His eyes were calm, unreadable.
The captain of the elite platoon turned to the royal guard. "Inform His Majesty. The Swordmaster has arrived."