It's been 84 years :'v. I am working a lot bc I am in a financial crisis soooo you will have slow updates on all my fics. I'm sorry about that :( That said, this is the penultimate chapter. Enjoy!
On the mountain, everything was ready. Even the last woman and child had been taught how to fight. Seth and AJ were in front of the house they had shared until that morning
"Then you made your choice," AJ murmured.
"I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want any of you to lose concentration, but after the conversation we had, I know where my heart is and I feel very guilty." Seth let several tears escape his eyes.
AJ took the boy's chin and forced him to face him. "I wish there was a way to make you reconsider your decision."
Seth looked sadly at the other man. "There is no way… I love him. Please don't hate me for what I'm going to do."
"I could never hate you." AJ hugged the young man. "It's just that your decision terrifies me, not just because I have to accept that I've lost you. What scares me is Roman's horrible past, at some point someone will want to take revenge against him, hurting you."
Seth wanted to say that those suspicions were exaggerated... But were they?
"Roman is going to protect me, I trust him. We will win this battle and we will be happy." Seth answered.
"I'm sure he's going to protect you but... what if he can't protect himself?" AJ sentenced.
Seth was wide eyed, for some reason he was afraid. But before he could say anything, he heard the trumpets signaling the arrival of the enemy.
…
Seth was in one of the towers that supported the wall, armed with arrows of different types, that was his specialty, AJ was in another tower. The towers had 3 levels and each level with people ready to try to stop the troops before they could be too close to the wall. The rest of the improvised soldiers were waiting in the center of town.
If it was necessary to leave the wall and go to battle, they would, but as General Cesaro told them, that should be their last option. Seth was worried: the royal army was approaching and the number was incalculable, the villagers on the other hand were less than 300 people.
If Eva's troops managed to cross the wall before Roman arrived with the promised help, the mountain would be razed. But Roman promised to return for him, win the battle and take him away and Seth knew that Roman would fulfill his promise.
Now they had everything to get their happiness, they only had to overcome this last obstacle. Roman would come with help, Seth trusted.
AJ was also watching the whole thing and could not believe it. There were a lot of horses and soldiers approaching. Dragging four big strange weapons, followed by others a little smaller, the warrior had never seen anything like this.
Eva's army was divided in three troops, the first one with shielded soldiers on horseback. The second with many beasts of burden dragging the weapons composed of catapults, battering rams and a trebuchet, in addition to the unknown weapons. And the last, the royal caravan. The Queen herself came to supervise the killing. Nowhere was the help that Reigns and Cesaro swore they would send.
The villagers threw fire arrows and the first troop made formation with their shields to defend themselves. They kept moving forward. From the wall, the peasants throw stones. They had also built improvised catapults.
Half the men of the first troop reached very close to the wall and fell into a pit. That was another strategy that Cesaro had indicated to the villagers, they had dug a pit that surrounded certain points around the wall. All these strategies were designed to gain time, because sooner or later Eva's army would reach the wall.
The fallen soldiers received a load of arrows and rocks. This was the war: kill or die.
While this was happening, the second troop placed the heavy weapons on the edge of the pit. Eva's army fired with catapults, throwing rocks full of gunpowder and at the same time throwing fire arrows, causing the rocks to explode when they crashed against the wall. The farmers located in the towers began to feel the walls trembling.
From the inside of the walls, the rest of the villagers heard the explosions that shook the whole place. No one knew what was happening outside the wall, but they suspected that many of them would not end the day alive. Bayley was with the village healer preparing everything for when the wounded began to arrive. Charlotte, Sasha and Becky were with the villagers ready to fight if they had no alternative.
Eva's army thrown a large rock covered with gunpowder that crashed near the tower where AJ was. The explosion caused a large crack that reached the top of the tower.
"We have to get out of here and get ready." AJ urged everyone to leave the tower.
Seth, from his tower saw, the crack and AJ and others leaving the place. It happened so fast. In the same crack, the cannons fired all their artillery. Soon the wall that had protected the villagers was largely destroyed. Enough to allow the soldiers to enter and kill them all.
AJ spoke to the peasants: "We have to get out of the wall and do what Reigns and Cesaro taught us, we hope the help arrives soon, but if not, you know that at the end of this day we will all die fighting."
One of the peasants spoke. "That was the fate that we chose, nobody blames you. Besides, they used all their artillery, they transported those heavy weapons to the mountain because they wanted to destroy the wall, now they only have the same weapons they've always had to fight."
The villagers still had their improvised catapults and began throwing stones against the enemy. But Eva's army used the huge battery rams to make a kind of bridge to cross the pit. From the tower still standing, Seth and Dean fired arrows and rocks against Parta's army.
Seth saw a new troop with many soldiers arriving from afar. The young villager was absolutely sure that it had to be Roman. Hesent Dean to tell AJ that help was coming. AJ was in the main formation attacking from the ground, when they received the news. Now maybe they had a chance to win this battle.
…
Roman came with the troops from Mira. The raven-haired man watched in horror as the wall was being demolished. Cesaro and Roman knew very well how the pit was designed, so they directed their troops to the west gate of the wall, where several farmers would wait for the signal to let them in while Eva's troops tried to enter through the crack of the east gate.
In the pre-established signal, the doors on the west side of the wall were opened and many soldiers and war chariots entered. Seth from the tower, saw Roman riding a horse, the boy sighed, Roman looked so gorgeous, and this time he was fighting for a fair reason. Seth fired an arrow that fell at the feet of Roman's horse.
Roman looked up and saw Seth, the boy had an amazing aim. Seth smiled, waved and Roman smiled back.
"With the same trebuchet and catapults, Eva's soldiers made a bridge and their troops are crossing the pit." Dean said desperately.
Roman addressed his troops. "This day we fight!"
The troops mobilized on both fronts. The soldiers led by Randy did not know that Roman was alive, let alone leading a troop. Randy always wanted to defeat Reigns, but he had to admit that he was relieved when he thought that Roman had run away and could not return.
"Roman is alive and helping those stinking peasants!" Eva was furious.
"Roman really dumped his achievements and military career for that kid who was his prisoner." Randy looked toward the mountain while the soldiers on both sides faced a fierce battle.
"Seth was always a problem, I knew from the first day that AJ brought the idiot boy six years ago. It does not matter what happens today, I want Seth Rollins dead, I want to take a bath with his blood. I want Roman alive, so I can show him Seth's head."
Eva said this while cutting the excess cloth from her dress with a knife.
"What are you doing?" Randy asked.
"I know a lot of AJ's tricks, you forget that I was part of those farmers, AJ personally trained the fag and me." Eva said as she held her long hair in a high bun. "I want a small sword and a bow with arrows, we will not lose this war."
Despite Eva's haste, Randy knew that she was afraid.
…
Now the fight was on equal terms. In addition, from the other side, John's troops were coming. Eva's troops had to divide to fight on both fronts. The final battle began and everyone was involved. The smell of blood began to spread across the mountain. AJ and Roman finally found themselves on the battlefield, and to their surprise, both were on the same side.
"Now we will fight for the same reason, but when we win this battle, if I have to face you to take him with me, I will do it." Roman sentenced.
"That won't be necessary, Seth has already made his choice." AJ came face to face with Roman and looked at him impassively. "After winning this battle, you will take with you what is the most valuable thing on this mountain for me, he loves you and chose you."
Roman smirked. "Then we will win this battle because I am eager to claim my prize."
Dead and wounded soldiers began to appear on both sides. The fight was on equal terms. Randy was dragging one of the farmers who had impaled him with his sword. He threw the body against Cesaro's horse.
"You're nothing but Reigns' lapdog. You could be doing a great military career but you're here on the verge of death instead…" Randy said.
"I wish I had the pleasure of killing you, but that is something that belongs to Roman." Cesaro said.
"You helped her in the death of the woman who was like my mother." Roman's voice was heard behind Randy. "You also helped her destroy my parents' inheritance, now you will pay for your stupidity."
Cesaro went to continue the battle and Randy threw his horse against Reigns'. The impact sent the two men to the ground.
"Evem better." Roman smirked. "A one-on-one fight."
Several soldiers and peasants made a kind of round to prevent anyone from interfering in the battle. AJ and Cesaro continued fighting on the edge of the pit. Roman cut Randy several times and the general also did the same on Roman. However, both were very skilled.
Roman was still a bit weak, since he caught the plague he could not rest properly, but that did not stop him from keep battling. Randy was very smart, threw a small dagger and buried it in the shoulder of the raven-haired man and then attacked with all his strength, almost throwing Roman into the pit. Roman's sword flew through the air.
"It was fun watching that old bitch dying." Randy gloated. "Eva plans to cut off the head of the fag you love and wants you to be alive so you can see it, but I think that won't be possible, I'd rather kill you now."
"I'll kill you both before you can hurt him." Roman said angrily.
Despite being unarmed and injured, Roman threw himself on Randy. Roman held Randy's arms with his as he put his knees in the ribs of his former comrade-in-arms.
Randy had to drop the sword to try to push Roman. Despite the pain, both kept fighting. Randy always wanted to know why the raven-haired man boasted of being better than him.
Now he seemed to have his answer. Roman was very quick and skilled.
Randy regretted the words he had said, only served to transform the Roman man into a killing machine. Little by little he was pushing Randy towards the pit. Roman was too strong for someone who had recently survived the plague. Randy pushed Roman with his weight and they both fell to the ground. Randy ran to take his sword, when he had the weapon in his hands, he turned only to be impaled by Roman's sword.
The raven-haired man was so fast that Randy did not notice when Roman reached for his sword.
"Without their General, it's only a matter of time before we win this battle. We just need to find that bitch." Roman said, his shoulder was still bleeding but that did not matter to him. Randy was writhing on the floor. "I need to kill you quickly, but I wish I had the time to torture you like you did with Mary."
Roman drew his sword from Randy's body and nailed it again, three more times to make sure the man was really dead.
…
Cesaro was fighting against several soldiers. One of them shot an arrow in the General's left thigh. The handsome soldier fell and just as one of the enemy soldiers threw his sword at him, Dean fired an arrow that pierced the heart of the enemy.
Dean tore off a piece of fabric from his clothes and made an impromptu and useful tourniquet on the thigh of the handsome general. "Now you are in debt to me again."
"You must survive, then." Cesaro smirked. "You know I don't like being in debt to anyone."
The battle continued until the defeat of Eva's troops was a fact. Parta's soldiers had no one to guide them and ended up surrendering, and the rest of Mira's troop was also arriving.
The sun was about to set, but its rays still illuminated the place. Many peasants and soldiers were killed and many others were injured. Charlotte, Becky and Sasha began to take the wounded to the healer who was being helped by Bayley.
Seth came down from the tower and immediately went in search of Roman, found him quite hurt. The young man ran into the arms of the raven-haired man, Roman hugged him.
"I promised to come back for you." Roman smiled. "AJ said you chose me, you will never regret your choice."
Regardless of whether the other soldiers saw them, Roman kissed Seth, the boy kissed him back. Soon they would flee together to a place where no one would bother them, so Roman did not give a damn if his new fame was now being a homo. He was too much in love with the brat now to stand more time away from him.
The kiss continued for a few more moments and someone coughed as a signal to break the kiss and, in doing so, Roman received a big surprise. John brought with him the most valuable prisoner of that war: Eva.
John threw her at the feet of both men. Eva looked at them with hatred.
"You don't even care that everyone sees you kissing that fag." She spat bitterly. "I really loved you and wanted to make you a king, and you chose to become a fag."
"We're supposed to take her to Mira to be executed, but the people she hurt are gathered here, so I think everyone here can skip the fact we caught her alive." John said.
Eva looked at AJ, her ex-boyfriend. "Are you going to kill a woman? Did you become a murderer like Roman?"
"Your destiny is to die Eva." AJ said. "There's nothing I can do about it."
"The hero will not have to stain his hands with your blood, that's something the killer will do with pleasure." Roman sentenced.
"Her destiny is in your hands, then." John told Reigns and walked towards the soldiers.
Eva then looked at Seth. "I still think that the main mistake was to pick your sorry ass six years ago, if you had died, I would never have all this hatred in my heart, I would live happily here with AJ. Roman would continue to climb positions in a military career and would not be a fag. Even the old witch would still be alive; nobody wants to accept who the real culprit is."
The soldiers who were helping the villagers stayed nearby watching the scene. Seth was cold and pale. Roman looked at him a little scared.
"Are not you going to believe what this bitch is saying?" Then, Roman looked at Eva even angrier.
"He knows I'm right." Eva smirked.
"That's not true." Seth spoke. "I didn't choose any of this. AJ saved me as he did with many people in this town, we didn't choose to fall for the other, it just happened and was your jealousy and ambition what changed everything."
Seth sighed. "You took me to Roman and now I am part of his life and I won't let him hurt anyone again. If my life were such a bad thing, maybe Roman would be the one who would have devastated our village and none of us would have survived, not even you. Now he is another person, he has been fighting to save us, without his help you would have defeated us."
"Sethie here, wants to turn the killer into a hero." Eva looked at the villagers. "Many of you recognize this man that sweet Seth chose instead of AJ. Many of you lost family and friends in his hands and now he is here as a hero. Please, you know that to erase Roman's past as a blood thirsty murderer and forgiving him would be like spit in the memory of all the people who died at his hands."
Several refugees from other villages began to murmur, Eva smiled as many of them looked at Roman with hatred.
Eva then looked at Roman maliciously. "You're no better than me, sticking your cock in Seth's ass did not purify you, that only made you a fag. You're still a murderer, you still have in your conscience the deaths of hundreds of innocent villagers and they're still waiting for justice from their graves."
"Don't try to outshine the good things Roman has done." Seth insisted. "You think it's easy to leave behind ambitions, dreams of glory, money and power? You yourself sold your dignity to get those things. Roman redeemed himself today and people here know it."
AJ intervened. "Even I have to admit that Reigns has changed, if he had not changed, I would never let him take Seth. His past actions did not stop him from helping us, although many people here may hate him forever, they now owe their lives to him."
AJ looked at Eva with hate. "You killed a lot of people in this village, people who knew you, a lot of them liked you. You know you're lost and all you want is to drag any of us with you. I know you very well, you could manipulate everyone here except me. Reigns will decide your destiny because if he doesn't, I will do it myself."
AJ turned and Eva got up. "You don't even have the courage to kill me. You want Roman to do the dirty work."
Roman approached her. "Leave the tantrum Eva, just accept that you've lost."
It happened so fast. Eva took the little dagger hidden under her clothes, she had also been well trained. The woman tried to throw the weapon into Seth's body, but both Roman and AJ could guess the action. The dagger moved only a few meters since she could not throw it with all her strength. Both men had buried their swords in Eva's body, crossing her on both sides.
"You're a murderer just like me, Roman." Eva tried to talk. "Look at me, this is the fate of murderers like us. There are things that can't be forgiven and forgotten."
AJ drew his sword from the female body. Roman kept the woman impaled on his sword.
"I'm not like you, Eva, because I'll give you something you don't deserve." Roman said, taking a small knife from his waist and buried it in the heart of the dying woman, killing her instantly. "Die with no agony, something you did not give Mary."
The sun was setting and the horizon turned all shades of orange. Seth hugged Roman tightly.
An old woman spoke. "I'm from the town of Turi, I saw you killing several of my neighbors and friends, General Reigns. What you took from us can't be returned, but the lives saved today can't be minimized either. Hate does not solve anything, and this chain of hate needs to end, so you can go in peace, and take good care of that brat, he's not as sweet as it seems."
Seth smiled and looked at Roman, hugged him even harder. Roman looked at the old woman gratefully, she reminded him of Mary. Roman closed his eyes and held Seth with love.
"Thank you very much, I am aware that I don't deserve it, but I appreciate it." Roman sentenced.
The night was already falling. On the horizon was seen the Royal Caravan of Mira.
Many soldiers and villagers lit torches and lamps that illuminated the mountain. It was very sad, they had won, but many people had died for that victory. It did not seem like a fair exchange, but they had no choice but to look forward and start again.
Dean and Cesaro were talking, hiding behind some debris, taking advantage of the darkness of the night.
"I guess you want your payment." Cesaro smiled.
"You're so weird, I know you'll never do what Reigns did. I don't care if you want to hide, I really like you, if I have to do that for a kiss, I want it." Dean said.
"This is strange and new to me, Dean. I'm just testing." Tony looked at the villager intensely.
"I'm an excellent test subject, everything that comes to your mind, the moment you want, I'm always ready." Dean's blue eyes sparkled with emotion.
"I can see your predisposition a mile away. Now shut up and come here."
Dean straddled Tony's lap and began a session of passionate kisses and caresses.
…
Roman and Seth were just outside the wall doing exactly the same thing: kissing and caressing each other.
"Where are we going, Roman?" Seth asked between kisses.
"South, we never campaigned to those villages because they are far away and there is nothing of importance there. That will be a good place, nobody will recognize me." Roman kissed the boy's forehead, stroking his fluffy hair.
AJ approached them both. "Now you can go in peace, you managed to become a hero, Reigns. Everyone is talking about it, children want to be like you, the story that people will tell about you will be very different from how Eva wanted to make it see. You saved the village and the whole kingdom, if it were not for you Eva would have destroyed everything in her path."
"We'll leave in the morning." Seth said happily. "Thanks for everything, AJ."
Seth approached AJ and hugged him tightly. Roman had to swallow the whole scene and he did not like it, but he did not say anything because after all, he had taken from AJ the person he loved the most. AJ buried his face in the kid's fluffy hair.
There was a yell. AJ pulled his face away from Seth's hair and screamed in horror.
One of the refugees from the village of Turi, whose family were killed by Reigns, buried a sword in Roman's back, crossing it. Roman started spitting blood. Seth looked around in horror. Roman fell with the sword still in his body.
"Eva was right." It was not fair that General Reigns had a happy ending about the corpses of our families. The man sentenced.
"Help!" Seth yelled, kneeling beside the body of the man he loved.
The next chapter will be the final. Anything can happen, so be ready. Thank you very much to those who are still reading this, leave me a review, that encourages me to keep updating!