Will of the Battlefield

Amidst the lavish party, where every tone of music made couples’ feet sway, the host of the very party was in a tense mood.

"You... you are alive!" He looked at Hawk from toe to head and continued. "And well-fed."

Max was puzzled, and so was Thane. Max didn’t know the two knew each other.

Ildiem Zenonar, the second biggest tycoon of combat sports, and Hawk, a bodyguard.

No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t find any connection.

"I am Hawk now, sir. Diamond Head died the day Blessed Knuckles closed," Hawk said with a gentle smile.

"Blessed Knuckles! What a disturbing recall of memories. I never thought I’d hear that name again," Ildiem said.

His usual aura was fading, as if he had grown weak all of a sudden.

"Morris," he mumbled. When he took that name, his face changed. Fear was written on it.

He looked Hawk in his eyes and asked, "Had you done that? Vidu took your name."

"I don’t know what you are talking about, sir," Hawk replied.

"I see. I beg pardon, I forgot you are not the Diamond Head I once knew," Ildiem said. "You ought to have worn a different veil. Why are you wearing Diamond Head’s signature mask at my party?"

Hawk remained quiet for a moment before speaking again. "I had no other mask."

"Then wear nothing. It’s been 18 years, no one would have recognised you," Ildiem replied.

Hawk was silent.

Ildiem looked at him. His gaze had warmth and regret. He turned his head towards Max.

"I assume you don’t know the past of this man. I bear no disrespect for you, but he has to leave before Vidu Morris sees Diamo... Hawk."

As he said those words, he gently tapped Max’s shoulder, gave Hawk one final look, and walked away to attend other guests.

Max gazed at Hawk with suspicious eyes. "How do you know him?"

Hawk opened his lips and closed them. He seemed hesitant.

But before he could speak, a familiar voice came. "Hawk was a combatant in a fighting organisation 18 years ago." The voice belonged to John Prada.

Max glanced at him, and John continued. "20 years ago, Bentram Kingdom signed the No-War treaty with every kingdom on the continent.

The wars were gone. However, not everyone wanted peace. A small portion of the Bentram Army began to question their lives.

They had already become monsters who couldn’t live a normal life. They needed a thrill. Blood.

In that dire time of frustration, a 5000-man commander named Morris Niero opened an unauthorised organisation and brought in all the soldiers who were bored with life.

He named it Blessed Knuckles. Soon, that organisation became a gigantic establishment. People like Ildiem Zenonar used to follow Morris."

Max looked at Hawk. "You never told me that, Hawk?" Max was displeased.

He thought he knew everything about Hawk and that they shared a strong bond, or at least that’s what he thought.

Hawk remained silent throughout the chatter, and still.

John spoke again. "Max, in people’s lives, there are some things that they do not want to remember, and one should respect that."

It was a lesson, and Max learned it the hard way. He was hurt, but he understood.

"Master Max, who told you about The Pit and Vidu Morris?" Hawk finally spoke.

"It was you... Hold on a second. Vidu Morris! Is he the son of the same Morris who created Blessed Knuckles?" Max asked quickly.

Hawk nodded.

"Now all the dots are connected!" said Max. "You were a fighter under Morris, and Vidu was his son. You both know each other.

Good, but how were you going to make him fight you? Aren’t you like old pals?"

Hawk shook his head. "No, Master. We are enemies."

"Is that so? Why?"

Hawk gritted his teeth. "Because I killed Morris."

Thane’s eyes widened. Max’s heart skipped a beat. He had not the slightest idea that Hawk’s past would be this dangerous.

As per John’s words and Ildiem’s reaction, Morris sounded like an authoritative magnate.

The question that rose in Max’s mind was how he killed such a man.

Could anyone imagine killing Ildiem Zenonar? But Hawk managed to kill someone even Ildiem was afraid of.

Hawk opened his mouth again. His eyes lost their shine, as if they had become hollow marbles. His lips started to dry. "Morris had three sons."

"Vidu’s brothers?" Max asked. He looked at John, whose expression couldn’t be seen behind his mask. He was awkwardly quiet.

Max squinted his eyes at Hawk. "Where are the other two?"

"I killed his second son too," Hawk replied.

Hawk stopped. Vidu had every reason to hate him, he thought.

"What about his third son?"

"I am his third son," Hawk said. Tears gathered in his eyelids, but he expertly held them back.

At this point, Max was stunned, and so was Thane, who was surprisingly silent.

Silence fell around them. Nobody spoke. Nobody. This was more complicated than Max thought. It was something personal, very personal.

"Let’s go back to the hotel," said Max.

"I’m sorry, Master Max. We will only go when we conquer The Pit," Hawk replied.

Max shook his head. "I don’t need any fucking pit. We are going, Hawk." Anger could be felt in his tone.

Hawk sighed and nodded, but before they could move, a chill went down his spine.

He gave a tentative look over his shoulder and then looked back at Max. "He is here."

Max and the others impatiently turned their gazes and found a man without a mask walking towards them.