"We heard voices," Theron said calmly. "We came to check."
A lie.
A weak one.
The Commander's eyes didn't change.
If anything.
They sharpened.
"Did you?" he said.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"But you didn't leave."
Silence.
Cassian's fingers twitched.
The Captain's gaze narrowed.
"You heard everything," he said.
Not a question.
A statement.
The air turned heavy again.
Leo felt it clearly now.
This was bad.
Very bad.
The Commander tilted his head slightly, studying them.
Then.
He stepped even closer.
Close enough that Leo could feel Theron's heartbeat against his ribs.
"Tell me," the Commander said quietly.
"Why shouldn't I kill you both right here?"
No anger.
No threat.
Just a simple question.
And somehow.
That made it far more terrifying.
"If those words go out..." The Commander said, and then thought for a moment, "The soldiers will lose morals... so isn't it better to eliminate the variables that might spread it?" The Commander asked with a smile on his face.
Light.
Casual.
Terrifying.
That cold spike of fear. It ran through Theron's body like ice in his veins.
His heartbeat quickened.
Cassian trembled beside him.
They were truly afraid.
Not of training.
Not of war.
But of the man standing in front of them.
Leo felt it too.
Not just Theron's fear.
His own.
He's serious.
If the Commander decided it...
They would die here. Silently.
Without a trace.
The corridor felt suffocating.
Heavy.
Like the air itself was pressing down on them.
Neither Theron nor Cassian spoke.
Neither moved.
Then.
The Commander sighed, softly.
"Relax," he said.
And just like that, The pressure eased.
Not gone.
But lighter.
He took a few steps back.
Putting distance between them.
Leo blinked, confused.
The Commander raised his hand.
Casually.
Almost lazily.
And pointed it at them.
"Erase," he said.
A single word.
The moment it was spoken.
Something shifted.
Leo felt it.
A strange wave, like something brushing against his mind.
Theron's body swayed.
Cassian's knees weakened.
Their eyes...
Flickered.
"No." Cassian tried to speak.
Too late.
Darkness took them.
They collapsed, unconscious.
Leo felt it too...That same force reaching into his mind.
Cold. Searching. Erasing.
But.
It passed through him.
Like he wasn't there.
Like he didn't exist.
Leo's thoughts remained.
Clear. Untouched.
What…?
He didn't understand.
But there was no time to think.
Because as Theron's body fell.
His consciousness followed, pulled down into the same darkness.
And everything.
Went silent.
----------
Next Morning.
Sunlight slipped through the narrow windows, cutting thin lines across the stone walls of the barracks. The air felt calmer… lighter.
As if nothing had happened.
Theron stirred, a slow breath.
Then his eyes opened.
Normal, no tension, no fear.
Just another day.
Beside him, Cassian shifted as well, stretching slightly before sitting up with a tired yawn.
"…morning," Cassian muttered.
Theron nodded, already reaching for his gear.
Leo froze.
…What?
Something was wrong.
There was no tension in Theron's body.
No memory.
No reaction.
Leo's thoughts raced.
Don't you remember?
The corridor. The Commander.
The words.
The memory erasing.
Nothing.
It was like it had never happened.
Theron stood, adjusting his uniform like always.
Calm. Focused. Unaware.
Leo felt a chill run through him.
I remember…
His thoughts were clear.
Sharp. Untouched.
Only me.
"…Cassian," Theron said suddenly.
Cassian looked over. "What?"
A small pause.
Theron frowned slightly, "I think we forgot something."
Cassian blinked.
"…yeah."
A moment passed.
Then both of them spoke at the same time.
"The child."
They went still.
A faint unease settled between them.
Not memory.
Just instinct.
Cassian rubbed the back of his neck. "We were supposed to… what, check something?"
Theron didn't answer.
But he was already thinking.
That faint pull.
Like something missing just out of reach.
"…we'll look after training," Theron said finally.
Cassian nodded. "Yeah."
They moved. Quick. Routine.
Armor adjusted. Swords checked.
Everything normal.
Leo stayed silent.
Watching.
Thinking.
This is bad.
They left the barracks and headed toward the training ground.
Knights were already gathering, the usual noise returning, metal, voices, movement.
Nothing felt out of place.
Training ended faster than usual.
Only an hour.
But it was intense.
Every movement was sharper. Every strike heavier. The knights pushed harder-like they were trying to prove something.
The Commander stood there.
Calm, composed.
Exactly like yesterday.
Like nothing had happened.
The knights straightened instantly.
Respect. Discipline.
Leo watched him carefully.
He's acting… normal.
No sign.
No hint.
No trace of what happened last night.
He walked between the rows again, hands behind his back, observing.
The same predator. The same quiet pressure.
But now.
Leo knew.
And that made it different.
"Decent," the Commander said lightly. "Better than yesterday."
A few knights exhaled quietly.
Relief, pride.
They didn't know.
They couldn't know.
Leo's thoughts tightened.
He erased their memory…
And now he stands here like nothing happened.
Theron didn't react.
Didn't question.
To him.
This was just another day.
Another training, another inspection.
Cassian stood beside him, just as normal.
Talking, breathing, existing.
Leo felt something twist inside him.
A mix of confusion… and unease.
How easily he did it…
Like it meant nothing.
The Commander stopped briefly in front of their line.
Just for a moment.
His eyes passed over Theron.
Then Cassian.
No reaction.
He moved on.
Leo's breath felt tight.
Does he know…? Did he notice?
Did he realize Leo was still aware?
No answer. No sign.
Nothing.
And somehow.
That was worse.
Because now Leo understood something clearly.
The Commander wasn't just dangerous on the battlefield.
He was dangerous in a way Leo couldn't even fully understand yet.
And he was right here.
Watching them.
Smiling.
As if nothing had ever happened.
----------------
A Week later. First Day of Joining The War.
"I can't believe we came here"