Will of the Battlefield

After witnessing the beauty of Max’s casino, Thane wanted to have a closer look. Hawk also came and brought two cups of fine tea, Thane looked at it and took a breath of relief; he was happy it was not a coffee, he hated it.

The aroma coming from the tea was otherworldly, surely the world of rich people was different. Unlike other nobles, Thane’s household carried a different norm. Despite being the best blacksmiths of the Bentram Kingdom, they lived an ordinary life.

Max asked Thane to follow him after they finished their tea.

The teenagers stepped outside and Hawk silently followed behind.

Max spoke as they roamed. "This place was once an illicit small gambling venue, two years ago, my father helped me buy it under the name of Hawk. I insisted on buying the whole 1 acre of land.

I’ve rented all the hotels on the land but kept the underground in my possession."

Again, Thane was surprised. "Do you mean, some of those other luxurious hotels in the neighbourhood are also yours?"

Max gave him a serious look. "Don’t yell. Keep your voice low ... and yes."

"Wow, your father must be very rich," Thane said

Max chuckled. "Haha, not as much as yours."

"Nah, pops is poor. He only gave me a pouch of coins." Thane retorted.

Max sighed. "At least he can openly show his love, can’t he?" His tone had a hint of sadness.

Thane turned his gaze to Max, and then pondered the moments he spent with his father. "True, he and everyone in my city loves me." He replied.

Max became silent, only the noises of games, gamblers, and croupier hit Thane’s ears before Max spoke again.

"My life is different. It’s a power struggle between siblings since everyone wants each other to die. My father loves me, but he can’t show it to keep me safe. That’s why he sent me away from the main city under Hawk’s care."

Thane quietly nodded his head, he didn’t know what to say.

"Anyways, let me show you the games of my casino. There are numerous things one can bet on. Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Tables Games, Baccarat, Craps and whatnot."

My casino rivals those of the main capital city. And everyone here has their identity hidden, mostly those who can’t gamble in main cities, like young heirs of big households, army officers."

He was still in the middle of explaining when they heard a commotion.

A fat man was throwing a tantrum at the Blackjack table.

Hawk slowly strided towards the table. "Gentleman, may I ask what’s the issue?"

"Are you the manager here?" Asked the fat man, his frustration could be felt from his shaking tone.

"Yes sir, I am." Hawk politely answered.

"You bunch of scammers, I was winning all the small bets and just when I bid a large one, I started losing. I spent my life in casinos., I know all your tricks, your croupier switched the cards, he must have hidden it in his sleeves." He yelled, gathering the attention of all others.

"If that’s true, I will immediately send our croupier to authorities. Our casino is a legitimate establishment, and every action has consequences." Hawk replied.

"Yes, good." The man spat. "So give me my money back."

The mask hid the rest of Hawk’s face, making only his lips, dark hair, and eyes visible. "Sure sir, but... you have to prove your allegation first."

The old man fumed. "Prove! You want me to prove?! Who the fuck do you think I am. Do you think I would lie over such a thing?"

"Sir, it’s not about you, it’s about us. You’ve created a disturbance in our establishment, gathered all eyes on you. Our image is at stake. If you can not prove this childish accusation then I’ll have to ask you to leave. As for our croupier, we’ll have authorities to inspect the incident." Hawk’s voice was soft as he spoke, yetstill carried a tremendous weight.

The furious fat man removed his mask, and one line could be seen on his face. "I am the brother of Baron Edward, are you still suspecting me of lying."

Thane’s eyes widened. "1-Line blessed!" He poked Max and said. "Hey, drop this issue, that guy is dangerous."

Max was calm as the sea. "Keep watching." He replied with a smirk.

Meanwhile, Hawk shook his head, his smile still intact. "I suspect no one. I’m following the protocol."

The fat man could no longer tolerate the disrespect. "You fucking frauds". He rushed towards the croupier, heat emitting from his hand as it turned to charcoal."

Thane had his eyes wide open and watched every detail of the fat man’s body. "That must be his blessing." He said to himself.

The fat man’s blazing hand was about to grab the wrist of the croupier before it abruptly stopped. He turned to see and found that Hawk was already there holding the fiery attack with utter ease.

The fat man tried to shove him off, but his struggle was in vain., No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t budge Hawk’s grip away.

The fat man gritted his teeth and his whole arm turned charcoal. Immediately, immense heat erupted. But still, the man with the Hawk mask was unshakeable. The only thing that burnt by that heat was Hawk’s glove.

The hand of Hawk was not normal. It was not human skin ... but of diamond.

The fat man opened his mouth, his tone softer than before. "You are... blessed!"

Hawk replied, but now his smile was nowhere to be seen. "Sir, you are crossing the line, we now have every right to defend ourselves. Please, be reasonable before things escalate further."

That fat man flinched, but he was beyond the point of retreat. After revealing his identity, his name would take a huge blow. Not only his, but also the name of his Baron brother. He at least had to win this fight to save some face.

"Fuck off." The fat man yelled and raised his other hand, emitting the same heat.

But before he could hit Hawk, his eyes rolled backward and he fell on his knees, screaming in pain.

Hawk tightened his grip and crushed his hand completely.