Bloodstained Oath: English

That night, the sky over Eldoria stretched vast and black, speckled with silent, glittering stars. Beyond the towering fortress of Eldoria—a place that held their hopes for a turning point in this war—Caelum stood alone, gazing out at the dark horizon as if seeking answers from the eternal heavens. The night wind whispered through the leaves, but nothing could soothe the hollow ache gnawing at his soul.

Since Raedan's death, it was as though his spirit had been trapped in the shadow of the man he had once admired. Every decision, every step he took, felt guided by something larger than himself—yet he could not discern the direction. Taking Raedan's place was more than leading an army; it was about finding a deeper reason, a higher purpose, and most of all, a flicker of hope for those who followed him.

"Caelum?" Elira's soft voice broke through the silence that had encased him. "We're almost ready to move. The rebel forces are waiting for Azrin's command."

Caelum nodded without turning, his gaze fixed on the dark horizon. "I know. Time isn't on our side. The Empire will strike soon, and we must act before it's too late."

Elira stepped closer, her eyes searching his face. There was something different about him tonight—a restlessness she couldn't ignore. "Caelum," she said gently, "I know this weighs heavily on you, but we need to stay focused. We've come too far to falter now."

Closing his eyes briefly, Caelum let out a weary breath. "I'm not just a leader, Elira," he said quietly, his voice trembling. "Raedan always knew what he was fighting for. I... I don't. I just know we have to keep moving, but for what? What are we really chasing?"

Elira fell silent, her usual bright demeanor clouded with worry. She seemed to understand more than he was willing to admit. "Caelum," she whispered, "you've given us purpose. That's more than enough. Don't be so hard on yourself. We need you."

Caelum said nothing, merely nodding. But deep down, the doubt lingered, a relentless specter. If he didn't know what he was fighting for, how could any of this matter? Vengeance against the Empire wasn't enough. He needed a reason greater than rage and bitterness.

---

The next morning, Eldoria was awash with tension. The rebels prepared for battle while Caelum worked to align the critical documents he had brought with their strategy. Yet even on the brink of a decisive confrontation, an unshakable anxiety gnawed at him.

Amid the bustling preparations, Carl approached, his expression uncharacteristically somber. There was a weight to his presence that Caelum couldn't ignore.

"Caelum," Carl began, his voice low and steady, "we need to talk."

Caelum met his gaze, exhaustion plain on his face, but something in Carl's tone told him this conversation was unavoidable. "What is it, Carl?"

"It's about the rebellion," Carl said, hesitation lacing his words. "I know we've allied ourselves with them to bring down the Empire, but... what happens after that? What are we going to do when this war is over? Raedan always said we should survive, but surviving isn't enough."

The question struck a chord deep within Caelum, planting seeds of doubt that he couldn't ignore. What would come after the Empire fell? What would they fight for then? Was victory enough to bring peace, or would it only leave a greater void?

"What's next for us?" Carl pressed, his voice rising with urgency. "We're fighting to avenge Raedan, but is that really all there is? We need to figure out what we'll do after this is over."

Caelum felt as though he stood at a crossroads with no clear path forward. Everything he had done, everything he had fought for, had been driven by vengeance. But Carl was right—vengeance alone wasn't enough. Without something deeper, they would be trapped in an endless cycle of emptiness.

"I don't know," Caelum admitted, his voice barely audible. "I just know we have to keep going. We have to stop the Empire. After that... we'll see. This contract isn't ending anytime soon, Carl."

---

As the battle loomed closer, the weight of it all became unbearable. For the rebels, this war was about freedom from the Empire. But for Caelum, it was something more—about ensuring that their sacrifices meant something. If they stopped now, if they failed, everything they had fought for would be lost.

In the midst of a tense meeting with Azrin, the ruthless rebel leader, Caelum felt that weight press down even harder. Azrin's piercing gaze bore into him, his voice sharp and unwavering.

"You've brought us these documents," Azrin said, his tone laced with skepticism. "But are you strong enough to carry this burden? We're not just fighting to destroy the Empire. We're fighting for freedom. If you're only here for revenge, we don't need you."

Caelum met Azrin's gaze, his own unwavering despite the turmoil within. "We fight for the same cause," he replied firmly. "We fight to end the Empire's tyranny, and we will fight to the end, no matter the cost."

Azrin studied him for a moment, as if weighing the truth in his words. "If you survive, you'll earn your place. But if you're not strong enough, you'll fall alongside the Empire."

---

That night, as the moon cast a faint glow over the camp, Caelum found himself wrestling with his own uncertainty. After the meeting, he knew retreat was no longer an option. But the doubts still clung to him—was their purpose strong enough to see them through?

Under the dim light of the moon, with Raedan's sword still in his grasp, Caelum heard the faint echo of his mother's voice, a memory that had never truly left him.

"Don't let vengeance consume you, Caelum. Find a purpose greater than yourself."

His head throbbed with the weight of those words, and for a moment, he felt trapped in a labyrinth of his own making. But one thing was clear: to ensure their struggle wasn't in vain, to make it all mean something, he would have to find that greater purpose.

"I will," he whispered to himself, his voice steady with resolve. "I won't stop."

With that determination, he turned to face the battlefield awaiting him. For Caelum, this was no longer just about revenge or defeating the Empire. It was about finding peace—not just for the world, but for the storm raging within him.