- Once terror lurks, there's nowhere to hide...

Just before Fate fell unconscious on the ground, the sickle he just threw made its way to Caeruleus' chest plate. It was something that gave Caeruleus chills that trickled down his spine. Their training has been successful.

"Someday, Fate," Caeruleus whispered, "someday, you will eventually be at my level. It will be a long journey... but be rest assured that you'll eventually beat me."

Caeruleus went for Fate. He checked the injuries Fate had acquired during their fight, but to his surprise, he saw none. After their intense fight, he didn't even see a bruise or even a scratch, although he saw Fate's mouth covered in blood. He also noticed Fate catching his breath, inhaling and exhaling deep and hastily.

"You literally gave your best, didn't you?" Caeruleus exclaims under his breath. "Yes, you definitely did a good job," he adds.

Caeruleus proceeds to remove the sickle embedded into his chest plate. He was left in shock as he realizes that the edge of Fate's sickle is barely an inch away from his chest.

Caeruleus sat on the ground beside Fate as he watched the sun slowly setting down. He watched the birds fly in the direction of the Sun. Caeruleus felt he was sweating a lot. As such, he removed his chest plate to release the heat inside his body. It was a thing Caeruleus hates. It makes him uncomfortable and irritated.

After removing his chest plate, a surge of a warm, gentle breeze made its way into Caeruleus. He had never felt such a serene feeling after a good, long fight. Sure, it wasn't the cool wind he wants, but does it matter to him? No. A gentle breeze is always the best breeze for him, may it be cool or warm. Feeling it is just as good as being above the clouds.

14 hours before The Triplet's Vow

Fate woke up very tired. His body was heavy for him. He couldn't move his arms very well. It was as if he was paralyzed. Fate described the feeling as "being stomped by a Gargantua" as he cannot stand up that well. As a matter of fact, he couldn't move at all. Fate had no choice but to lie down on the ground.

"So, you're awake already, huh?" Caeruleus asks Fate.

"Y-yes sir," Fate mumbles, "I... I cannot move my body very well."

"Looks like you overdid your own body, Fate. That doesn't sound very good."

"I-I know sir, but does it matter now?"

"Huh, what do you mean by that, kid?"

"Sure, I almost killed myself in the process during our fight, but it is all worth it."

"Hah hah! Talk about one's endurance and vitality."

"..."

"You did a very good job, Fate. You did."

"Did I, sir?"

"The sickle you just threw earlier... it made its way into my chest plate. It pierced my armor, Fate. I was left in shock you did that."

"W-wait really, sir?"

"Hah hah! It was barely an inch away from my chest. If I didn't wear my armor, you could've ended my life."

"That is... surely fantastic, sir. Even I couldn't believe it..."

"You are surprised too? Your dad would be very proud of you if he saw how you fought."

"I wish he would, sir."

"Yes, Fate. I am clearly sure he would be proud of his son. That age of yours? That was Escarion's peak performance back then - when we used to train for The Triplet's Vow."

"You do really respect my father that much, sir?"

"Why would I not? He was the one who saved me from my almost untimely demise."

"The Triplet's Vow, I suppose. Am I right or am I not?"

"Indeed, it was The Triplet's Vow. I saw the peak of your father's vigor at that time. Every time I see you fighting me during our training, you always reminded me of your father."

"Do you think I would become what he became, sir?"

"Everyone becomes what they want to be, Fate."

"What do you mean by that, sir?"

"One's dream would come true, and will always come true. If a frail wants to be a sage, he would become a sage. If a weak wants to become a high-level official, he would become one."

"Why is that, sir? What makes their dream come true?"

"It's because it's their will that makes it come true."

"Y-your point being, sir? I am kind of confused..."

"Wishing something to come true isn't that easy, Fate. Gods are the being not capable of granting it. Overseers cannot grant their wishes, and neither does The Eternal Primes. Granting wishes is something that is limited for them. Even their Godly powers that could alternate the realities according to how they see fit cannot grant wishes."

"..."

"The only one who's capable of granting one's wishes is none other than themselves."

"H-how, sir?"

"Just like what I have said earlier, it's their will that will make it come true. It's always their drive of motivation that will make their wish granted. Sure, it will take them long before it comes true, but if they are persistent enough to obtain what they want, then they will surely obtain it. A predator cannot catch its prey if the predator won't pursue it. It applies to us, Fate. Like the predator catching its prey, pursue your dreams by doing everything you can."

The conversation between Fate and Caeruleus ended when the moon revealed itself gradually. The moonlight slowly lit up their surroundings. Along with the moon, fireflies also revealed themselves gradually. The clouds that filled the night sky slowly drifted away, revealing stars twinkling above, filling the empty sky above. It was as if the stars are rivaling each other's radiance.

Suddenly, Fate managed to sit on the ground despite his exhausted body feeling heavy after the fight with Caeruleus.

"Are you already fine, Fate?" Caeruleus asked him.

"I am feeling better right now, sir," Fate replied. "Although my body still feels heavy."

Caeruleus eventually reached for a bag beside him and opened it. There, it revealed a few vials filled with a liquid substance.

"Here," Caeruleus told Fate as he gave him a small vial filled with clear, sparkling water. "Drink this. It came from a well deep inside the woods."

Fate took the vial and opened the cap. He drank everything and left no single drop from the vial.

After drinking, Fate felt very refreshed. His body became light, and his fatigue slowly vanished. He could also stand up easily.

"Are you going home now, Fate?" Caeruleus asked him as he slowly stands up too.

"Yes, sir. I can't wait to see my father right now," Fate replied.

"Are you sure, kid?" Caeruleus asks Fate once again, "It is already night, you might be involved in danger. I am unbound for your responsibility anymore once you and I got separated."

"Sir, trust me. Our town has no danger. The threat is non-existent out there. Besides, I know how to fight back."

"If that's what you want, then I guess this will be where our paths will separate."

"Perhaps this is it, sir. It is a pleasure to be trained by someone like you."

"I know, Fate," Caeruleus said as he opened a portal to a somewhat familiar place. "This gate will lead you to the entrance of Monteraz Town. The portal is only open for a short time, so enter it immediately."

Without further ado, Fate stepped inside the portal, and it led him to the main entrance of Monteraz Town: Fate's hometown.

"Thank you, sir," Fate tells Caeruleus as he finally made his step inside the portal.

"The pleasure is yours, Fate. Until our paths cross again," Caeruleus replied as he waved goodbye to Fate before the portal closes.

13 hours before The Triplet's Vow

The portal had finally closed. He made sure he brought his belongings to him. That includes his clothes, the money he brought, and the pairs of sickles. Gladly, nothing has been left behind just before the portal closed.

After checking his bag, Fate made his way through his home. Fate noticed that something was wrong. It is something that feels very uneasy even for someone who lives long enough in his town.

The town is dead silent. The only thing you can hear is the whoosh of the cold wind. Fate could hear his footsteps easily along with his constant breathing. "Something feels really wrong here," he thinks.

The wind got colder and the uneasy feeling of being alone made him anxious. The lights of every house are not lit. Every house he went through is closed shut, from the doors to the windows. No house had no open areas, not even a centimeter.

Monteraz Town is lively, may it be daytime or nighttime. The said town is always filled with music alongside the vendors who promote their products. It has been always that prosperous since Fate's childhood so it really does feel uneasy to see his town being that dead silent.

"Hey," someone whispers to him. He noticed an old man peeking outside his home from the window on the second floor. "What are you doing outside this late??"

"Uhh, going home?" Fate managed to sarcastically reply despite feeling very uneasy.

"Are you insane?? You don't know what dangers you can face! Come inside this house real quick!"

"I'll... just go home real quick tonight."

"Wait WHA- are you serious??"

"Uhm, yes, I am?"

"You know what, fine. Good luck if you can head home safely!"

The old man quickly closes his window shut. Fate seems to be warned about the 'danger' he could face. If there really is, then it might be something that made his town dead silent.

Fate could finally see his home from a distance. There, the lights are not closed. He assumes his father is still awake, waiting for him to come home. His father might be worried sick since he hasn't reminded his father about his training with Caeruleus. Fate cannot wait to tell his father everything, and his excitement rose.

Fate hurriedly ran towards his home, hoping he could talk to his father about what happened after almost a month.

As opposed to what the old man said to Fate, he made his way to his home in one piece. Fate stood before the door of his home. He took a deep breath, calming himself down as he is getting very excited about what happened. He smiled ear to ear, and he couldn't help but be happy as he was already in front of his house.

Just before Fate's about to knock, the door opened. There, Escarion stood before him. Fate could smell a trace of alcohol coming from his father, but he ignored it and looked at his father happily.

"F-father! I'm already hom-"

"Hmm," Escarion interrupts as he scrutinizes Fate from the top of his head to the toes of his feet.

"W-what do you think, dad?" Fate happily asks.

"Huh," Escarion coldly replied. "As for trash like you, you have surprisingly improved your physique."

Fate's smile eventually vanished as he felt that Escarion isn't interested in anything Fate was about to say. Not to mention that Fate didn't even feel any slight concern from his dad since Fate was gone for a month and he had not reminded his father about the one-month training.

12 hours before The Triplet's Vow

It was lonely midnight for Fate, and he couldn't bear the disappointment he felt earlier when he met his father, Escarion. The pain inside his heart melted him as he knew that his father will never be proud of him. At least, Caeruleus is proud of him. Fate slowly lost hope of impressing his father as he knew it is almost impossible for him to do. The pain lingers inside Fate's heart, and Fate will never make it go away. The pain will always linger inside his heart and there's nothing best or the least he can do.

4 hours before The Triplet's Vow

Fate immediately woke up as the ray of the Sun made its way into his eyelids. He felt refreshed as he had finally gotten enough rest.

Fate went downstairs to eat his breakfast. He had himself a sandwich with ham and lettuce as fillings. He also brewed himself a coffee and put three cubes of sugar before stirring it. He sat down to eat his breakfast, and for some unknown reason, he noticed that Escarion isn't home. "Nah, he probably is asleep, or maybe he went outside. He doesn't wanna see me, anyway," Fate thought to himself.

Just before Fate is about to finish his breakfast, Escarion arrived. He opened the door and Fate saw him bringing a tabloid newspaper tied by a rubber band.

"Hey, Fate," Escarion told him.

"Y-yes?" Fate replied as he looked at his father.

"You're a participant of The Juvenile's Pledge, right?"

"Y-yes, father. Why did you ask?"

Escarion threw the tabloid newspaper to Fate. He caught it successfully. "You already know how to read the newspaper. Look at the headlines, there's news about the participants of The Juvenile's Pledge."

"N-noted, father," Fate replied as he hurriedly went upstairs. It must be good news since Fate is also a participant of The Juvenile's Pledge.

Fate removed the rubber band and straightened the rolled Tabloid newspaper. There, he looked for the news about the participants of The Juvenile's Pledge in the headlines. What he saw left him in dread and terror:

"Half of the participants of The Juvenile's Pledge reported missing. See page 6 for full details."

Without any further ado, he flipped over the 6th page of the newspaper, and there, he looked for the news he was looking for.

He had succeeded in finding the details about the news for the participants of The Juvenile's Pledge.

The page reads:

---- The Juvenile's Pledge Messed Up? ----

Parents of the participating students for the upcoming project 'The Juvenile's Pledge' have been seen creating ruckus in front of The Teran Academy as they claim that their sons and daughters went missing for two(2) days.

The first victim reported: "Two days ago, I saw my daughter training outside my house with his sword and shield. It was an evening at that time. The second I looked away, she went missing. It has been two days already, I wanna see my daughter again. I shouldn't have let my daughter join that damn Juvenile bullshit!! Find my daughter, I am begging you."

The following victims also reported the same thing. Their daughters went missing two days ago.

However, some parents had reported a mysterious incident involving their sons having their eye sockets empty, their son only having one eye on either left or right side.

The civilians in every town had speculated that this is the works of the rumored "Abductor of The Night" folklore that claimed to abduct every female kid 15 years of age and below. The rumored folklore also claimed that the 'Abductor' despises male kids and is said to leave them blind by either taking both eyes out of the victim's eye sockets or taking only a single eye from the said victim.

The Teran Academy is already working on the investigation about the missing participants of The Juvenile's Pledge and the mysterious incident about the male victims. They have told everyone that they should close their houses once the clock tower at the Central Town rang its bell at 8:00 pm.

As per The Aristocratic Councilor's announcement, they have mandated every parent whose sons and daughters are a participant of The Juvenile's Pledge to attend the public hearing of The Aristocratic Councilor regarding the said incident. The remaining participants of The Juvenile's Pledge are also mandated to attend the public hearing.

The hearing is said to be held at The Clock Tower located at the center of Eurik Town at exactly 12:00 noon, the exact date when The Triplet's Vow is supposed to take place.

---- End of News ----