[Nightmare]

Helix walked over to Tilo with a firm expression and commanding aura.

He had to act, but it was her request to be a leader.

Tilo smiled at him when he saw the way that he approached.

He looked into Helix's eyes while pulling out multiple items.

"This is her general's cape." Tilo announced while handing it to him.

"Tyrene told me that true power doesn't come from strength.

It comes from leading others that are stronger than you."

Helix bowed his head as he accepted that cape.

"She also said: that brat is too damn fashionable to accept armor or anything similar anyway." Tilo added with a mocking smile.

The women giggled, and Helix blushed after hearing the note.

He was still wearing his Warpshire peacoat in the sweltering heat caused by the bonfires.

The pelt was cooler because it didn't have most of the fur on it, and Warpshires fought with fire.

The beast's internal organs were much different from that of humans to endure the heat.

But armor is armor. It wasn't a windbreaker.

"She also gave you all of her war medals and emblems in her will." Tilo announced while taking out a massive box.

Helix's eyes widened with shock and hesitation.

"You can't wear the titles and honors yourself, of course." Tilo clarified.

"Tyrene gave these to you to inspire your actions.

She also knew you'd find the best way to use them.

Whether you keep them, pass them to those you lead, or give them to a museum is your decision.

Tyrene trusts that you will make the most of them as a leader."

Helix and her partners gave Tilo hesitant expressions.

He looked to the ground with a wry smile and slight shame in his heart.

"This pin and metal…." Tilo began while putting the box on the ground and pulling out a patch.

Helix's eyes went wide when he saw the emblem she wore daily.

"Were earned during her first battle as a general when she was your level." Tilo announced while pinning it to his peacoat.

"Well, the level you were at yesterday." He added with a chuckle.

The group smiled wryly at the addition.

"It wasn't given to her as a new general." He continued.

"It was given to her by her troops, not her superiors.

Now you know why she wears it every day and why she planned to give it to you after you led troops to victory in a major battle.

She planned to give you the pin after this battle because you led the soldiers to victory."

The group started crying.

Helix summoned all of his willpower to keep a strong expression.

"Tyrene wanted me to tell you that she doesn't want you to become a general or lead the battle for humanity.

Neither do I." Tilo announced with a mysterious smile.

Helix studied the man's expressions with confusion.

His partners were doing the same thing.

"That's an honest statement.

We hope you can live a life as carefree as possible.

It would be nice for you to sell [appliances] as you and your girls call them.

I love my [hot tub]." He chuckled.

The group burst out laughing with bewildered expressions.

"We all heard your will before we left for Kozen.

Tyrene wanted you to live a life where you were a blacksmith making magic circles and goofing off." Tilo laughed.

Marie, Charlotte, and Riley giggled when they were reminded of Helix's message.

Helix was thankful that the darkness was hiding the color of his face.

"Tyrene doesn't expect you to become a leader or general out of duty.

She doesn't expect you to fight for humanity." Tilo explained with a mocking smile.

Helix looked at Tilo with a crumbling expression.

"You didn't ask to become a leader.

You never wanted this fate that was thrust upon you.

Tyrene wanted you to know that she hopes you can live as long as possible with a carefree life.

However… Tyrene's giving you these signs of leadership because she expects you to become a leader." He continued.

"She says that you couldn't stay away from the role even if it killed you."

Marie, Charlotte, and Riley shifted their gazes to Helix with warm smiles.

He looked at Tilo, turned to his partners, and gave them all wry smiles.

"That boy makes himself sound so [lazy], but he works harder than anyone else." Tilo reenacted with a nagging tone.

"I swear, that kid thinks we're all blind and charmed by his nonsense. It's almost insulting."

Marie, Charlotte, Tilo, and Riley erupted into hearty laughter.

He stared blankly into the darkness with a bitter smile.

"Therefore, she wanted you to have these when you're prepared."

Helix nodded.

"Lastly… hahahaha!" Tilo laughed in bewilderment while bending over.

The group looked at Tilo with perplexed expressions.

"Tyrene… haha… she gave you a present that you want… hahaha!"

Charlotte grinned in anticipation.

"These… take them… hahaha… I can't hold your presents while laughing this hard…."

Helix grabbed the two packs of 24 battle discs hesitantly.

"Circle of Remembrances?" He asked with a perplexed expression.

His partners couldn't hide their curiosity and ran up.

"Yes… hahaha… just…. My sides! Just… listen to one… hahaha!"

TIlo wiped light tears from his eyes.

Helix's eyes to the left to make eye contact with Marie hesitantly.

She gave him a slightly worried expression.

He glided his eyes to the right.

Charlotte had an evil grin less than an inch from his face.

He turned his head to Riley.

She gave him a gentle nod to give him confidence.

Helix sighed and activated the circle on the top.

"I, Grandmaster Winter General Dame Tyrene Masney, give this brat my metals, emblems, pins, and general cape.

His name is Helix Hellsgate Margrave, and he's my idiot apprentice.

I gave my sword, cloak, and armor to his girlfriends, Marie Skybolt, Charlotte Kline, and Riley SInger.

If you have a problem with that, I'll rip your windpipe out and play it like a flute."

Helix burst into laughter, and his partners looked at him with shock in their eyes.

"I… hahahaha… Tyrene… this… is how I know… you paid attention… but… hahaha… you… this…."

Now Helix and Tilo were laughing.

Charlotte, who was let down, turned to Marie.

Marie was in shock, so she wasn't responsive.

She couldn't believe Tyrene made an official statement that they were dating when she knew the information nearly got him killed.

Charlotte was of the same mindset.

She turned to Riley and found the young woman giggling.

"Psssst! Riley. What the hell is going on?" Charlotte asked in annoyance.

Riley gave Charlotte a sweet smile.

"If Helix shows up to the Capital with us, Tyrene's metals and general cape, soldiers and jealous people would want to kill him.

He'd be bitter and wouldn't wear them or even announce them if she didn't do that." She explained with a gentle smile.

"Ohhhhhhhhh…." Charlotte replied with a knowing expression.

"Not just… hahaha…." Helix cried.

"Battle… haha… she gave me… battle… hahahaha!"

He was bending over with tears rolling down his cheeks.

Helix was nearly hyperventilating.

Marie looked up at Tilo, who was recovering.

"Master…." She called out.

Tilo chuckled and took a few deep breaths.

"She gave the boy the circle on battle… haha… discs!" He explained before bursting into laughter again.

"Oh, I get it!" Charlotte cried with wide, excited eyes.

Marie turned to her with an embarrassed expression.

"I… the message eludes me.

Is it a symbol of training? They seem practical, so I don't get why it's funny." She confessed with a frustrated tone.

"Symbol? This is training!" Charlotte cried.

"That's right! Hahahaha." Tilo roared.

"It's a trial… she… is giving us… merciless training… even in death… hahahaha!" Helix exclaimed between breaths.

A stroke of realization washed over her.

"That means…." She gasped.

"That's right. If we want to survive having these items, we need to prepare for battle." Charlotte proclaimed with an evil grin.

Marie chuckled, looked to the sky, and sent it a wry smile.

"You knew people would start attacking us on sight." She whispered.

"So we need to survive by proving our training worked."

"That's right… she gave me what I wanted most but is still making… me work… for it." Helix said while recovering his composure.

He had tears rolling down his cheeks, but now they were tears of remembrance.

"Of all the people, I have the lowest defense stat… so she gave me battle discs… knowing I could survive with the skills I have best…."

Tilo chuckled and patted him on the back.

The young man's composure had finally broken, and he was crying for the first time.

His partners started crying as well.

"Tyrene loved you, boy." Tilo said with a gentle voice.

Helix turned around and stared at Tyrene's funeral pyre behind him.

Everyone present followed him and gazed at the glorious sight of him with bitter-sweet smiles.

"She'll be watching over you until you come out on top in life, regardless of what you do."

Helix bent to the ground to clutch her general cape as tightly as possible.

Teardrops fell from his eyes and soaked into the earth.

"I… love you too… Master Tyrene." Helix declared.

"Thank you for giving me a chance at life. I will never forget you."

—

Power stones and grammatical errors = more content. :)