Note" Alright. This is a short piece I wrote for my headcanon about Halt's feelings. Happy reading and let me know what you think.

Chapter 1~Emptiness~

The air hung heavy with smoke and soot, the acrid scent permeating every breath Halt took. Through the haze, he could make out a line of boys, their hands cuffed together, being led into a foreboding two-story building.

A burly man stood at the side of the door, a sadistic glint in his eyes as he thrashed every boy who dared to pass him. "You miserable slackers, move it!" the man bellowed, his voice cutting through the thick air.

Halt's gaze scanned the crowd of boys until it settled on a small figure, a boy he recognized all too well.

His face was dirtied and bruised, his body emaciated from the harsh treatment he had endured. "The troublemaker himself."

A cruel smile twisted the burly man's lips as he struck the small boy across the face with a forceful blow.

The boy crumpled, falling to the ground, shaking and tears streaming down his bruised cheeks. The burly man unsheathed his sword, raising it high above his head, ready to deliver a final, fatal blow. "Halt!" the boy cried out, desperation lacing his voice, but it was too late.

The sword crashed down upon him, and Halt's heart lurched with a mixture of horror and helplessness.

Jolting awake, Halt found himself gasping for air, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.

Beads of sweat trickled down his face, his body drenched in the aftermath of the nightmare. It took him a moment to realise that he was safe in the confines of his darkened room, the only sounds being the howling wind outside, reminiscent of a wolf's mournful cry.

For a week now, Halt had been tormented by this haunting dream, a relentless reminder of the events that had transpired.

A week since Will had vanished, disappearing along with that cursed ship. A week since Halt had made a promise to himself, vowing to find his young apprentice no matter the cost.

Placing a trembling hand over his racing heart, Halt took a deep, steadying breath, his resolve flickering like a flame on the verge of extinguishing. "I cannot bear this any longer," he whispered into the silence, his voice carrying the weight of his despair.

With a heavy sigh, Halt swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his bare feet finding their way to the cold floor. He moved with a purpose, navigating through his room until he reached the fireplace outside. Once a place of warmth and comfort, it now held only a haunting stillness that seemed to suffocate him. The sound of his own breathing was amplified, each exhale a reminder of the emptiness that engulfed his home. Sinking into his favourite chair, Halt lowered his head, cradling it between his calloused hands. "This is all my fault," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "Abelard is no ordinary horse, so why wasn't I fast enough? Why couldn't I save him?" A sharp pang of guilt twisted in his chest, causing tears to well in his eyes.

"So you are sending me away because, you can do without me?" Will's voice echoed in his mind, a touch of insult lacing his words.

Halt could still feel the sting of his apprentice's disappointment, even though it lasted a couple of seconds.

The tears slid silently down Halt's cheeks, falling onto his arms as he mourned the mistakes he had made. "I shouldn't have let you go," he choked out, his voice thick with regret. "It was a terrible judgement on my part, and you paid the price for it."

Taking a shuddering breath, Halt tried to compose himself, to gather the shattered pieces of his resolve. "I failed you, Will," he whispered, the weight of his words heavy in the air. "I am a horrible mentor."

Once he had grieved to his heart's content, Halt pushed himself up from the chair, the wood creaking under his weight. Stepping outside into the predawn darkness, he stood there, his silhouette blending with the night as he waited for morning to break. This had become his routine, an agonizing ritual that seemed to stretch on for eternity. But Halt knew he couldn't give up, couldn't succumb to the darkness that threatened to consume him. He had made a promise, and he would keep it, no matter the cost.

That would be all for now. Maybe I could turn this into multiple short pieces of Halt' point of view, during this book. I'll see what I can do.