The Crescent Lake
Zesshi sat in her room brushing her hair, she rarely did any preening but she wanted to look pretty. Usually she just had her servants make herself presentable, it was also why she cut her hair so short. Now as she looked at herself in the mirror she wondered if she should let her hair grow out.
"My lady, it is rare for you to preen." her servant commented.
"A lady must look her best, does she not?" Zesshi replied as she adjusted a stray hair.
"My lady, I heard an odd song from a little bird." another servant said.
"And what song did that bird sing?" Zesshi asked.
"It sang a most curious tale, a song of an immortal high elf and of our dear princess." the servant replied.
Zesshi's hand twitched and the brush fell from her hand as she felt her face grow hot.
"A most nosy bird." Zesshi replied.
The servant let out a small giggle as she walked over and picked up the brush. The servant ran the brush over her hair smoothing the rogue hair easily.
"I heard another song that might interest you princess." the servant said.
"What song was that?" Zesshi asked curiously.
"I heard the hymn that said a certain high elf likes to spend his evenings in the moon garden alone. Per chance he could use some company?" the servant said a smile in her voice.
"Yes, I suppose he could." Zesshi replied softly.
"Would this dress be suitable, princess?" another servant said
Zesshi turned and saw a dress of white with long flowing sleeves. The chest was embroidered with gems and silver in patterns of branch and leaf. The skirt was long and flowing with a long back. The dress was made of the finest elven silk and it shimmered lightly under the dancing candle light.
"I don't recall owning a dress like that." Zesshi said.
"This dress was made years ago for your 70th name day. You never liked dresses and I suspect it was buried under all your other gifts." the servant said.
"Shall we help you get changed princess?" the servant asked a smile on her face.
Zesshi walked along the silver corridor towards the moon gardens. She walked lightly over the white stones of the palace. Her servants followed behind her as she made her way towards the east wing where the Moon Garden lay. As she walked past a pair of guards they looked to their princess in surprise for few have ever seen her in a dress.
"Princess." the guards greeted their fists over their chests.
"At ease." Zesshi replied gracefully not at all like her brusque self.
The guards stunned merely bowed their head in unison and allowed the princess to pass.
As Zesshi approached the Moon Garden she could hear distant music and singing. It was a peaceful song that sounded like the gentle winds of the forest. Soon she could hear the words of the singing and she recognised the voice. It was the voice of Quacey, his voice was ethereal like an angel.
The leaves were long, the grass was green,
The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,
And in the glade a light was seen
Of stars in shadow shimmering.
Tinúviel was dancing there
To music of a pipe unseen,
And light of stars was in her hair,
And in her raiment glimmering.
As Zesshi turned the corner she saw a pair of noble girls hiding behind a pillar as they peered into the Moon Garden. Zesshi felt a twinge of annoyance as she looked at the pair of ogling girls.
Zesshi hastened her pace and the girls turned hearing her footsteps. They stood stunned as they looked at Zesshi.
"My ladies, the hour is late, perhaps you should turn in for the night." Zesshi said coldly.
"Princess." the pair greeted with a bow.
"Let us escort you back my ladies." Zesshi's servants said
"Erm…" the pair looked to each other and looked back at Zesshi.
"I have business with Lord Quacey, I wish to be alone." Zesshi said cooly.
"Yes princess." the pair said unhappily as they bowed and left, leaving Zesshi alone.
"Harlets." Zesshi muttered under her breath.
Zesshi looked into the glade and saw Quacey sitting on a bench playing the harp under the silver moonlight. His fair skin shimmering in the silver glow. The birds sat around him as they listened to the melody that he plucked from the strings of the harp.
There Beren came from mountains cold,
And lost he wandered under leaves,
And where the Elven-river rolled
He walked alone and sorrowing.
He peered between the hemlock-leaves
And saw in wonder flowers of gold
Upon her mantle and her sleeves,
And her hair, like shadow following.
"Hello Zesshi." Quacey said as he ended his verse. He didn't look back; he merely continued to play his harp.
Zesshi didn't reply; she merely walked over to the bench and sat down beside him. She saw him turn to look at her, fingers still dancing over the harp. In the moment she found herself lost in his cerulean eyes which glowed faintly on his porcelain features.
"It's a beautiful song." Zesshi said.
"It's an old elven song, do you like it?" Quacey asked.
"Yes very much." Zesshi replied.
"Would you like to hear the rest?" Quacey asked.
"Yes very much." Zesshi replied softly.
Enchantment healed his weary feet
That over hills were doomed to roam;
And forth he hastened, strong and fleet,
And grasped at moonbeams glistening.
Through woven woods in Elvenhome
She lightly fled on dancing feet,
And left him lonely still to roam
In the silent forest listening…
Quacey paused and his fingers danced over the harp. Zesshi let the melody take her and she closed her eyes. She felt the melody dance with it's ups and downs sounding faintly like the chirping of birds. She could stay here forever and listen till she was old and grey.
He heard there oft the flying sound
Of feet as light as linden-leaves,
Or music welling underground,
In hidden hollows quavering.
Now withered lay the hemlock-sheaves,
And one by one with sighing sound
Whispering fell the beachen leaves
In the wintry woodland wavering.
Zesshi opened her eyes as the lyrics paused and she saw Quacey gazing at her. His gaze soft with a hint of longing.
He sought her ever, wandering far
Where leaves of years were thickly strewn,
By light of moon and ray of star
In frosty heavens shivering.
Her mantle glinted in the moon,
As on a hill-top high and far
She danced, and at her feet was strewn
A mist of silver quivering.
And just like that his finger stilled and silence returned to the garden.
"Where's the rest of the song?" Zesshi asked curiously
"I don't like the rest of the song." Quacey said.
"I see, thank you for the song Quacey. I feel I have many things to thank you for. Protecting my home, healing the Everwood, protecting me in the Everdream and now it seems for that song as well. I wish there was some way I could repay you." Zesshi said softly
"I want nothing, except…" Quacey said as he looked away shyly.
"Except?" Zesshi asked.
"I want nothing except to gaze upon the Princess of the Crescent Lake, for she is more fair than all the stars in the heavens." Quacey said looking her in the eyes.
"I never took you for a poet." Zesshi replied shyly
"I read it in a book once." Quacey admitted sheepishly
"Usually you don't tell the girl that you plagiarised a smooth line." Zesshi said with a giggle.
"Mother told me that words for those you care for must come from the heart." Quacey replied.
"So… does that you mean you care for me?" Zesshi asked softly
"I do." Quacey replied.
Zesshi felt her heart jump at those words and felt her face grow hot. She let out a happy laugh which was joined by Quacey.
"Do you truly mean that?" Zesshi asked.
"Yes, blessed am I to gaze upon that is most fair. The only curse is that I shall call nothing fair lest it be you." Quacey replied.
Zesshi's gaze softened as she reached up and cupped his cheek. Quacey reached up and gently felt the back of her hand, The pair gently leaned and Zesshi closed her eyes. She felt his soft lips on hers and her heart hammered hard so hard in her chest she felt her chest might burst. Then a moment later they separated and Zesshi opened her eyes to see a blushing Quacey.
Zesshi smiled and scooted closer grabbing his arm. The pair turned back up to look at the night sky with the silver crescent moon in the heavens. Zesshi held onto his arm and leaned her head on his shoulders.
"Quacey?" Zesshi asked softly.
"Hmm?" Quacey replied.
"Could you sing me another song?" Zesshi asked gently.
"I can't play the harp without my arm." Quacey said, turning to her.
"Just use your voice." Zesshi said as she snuggled closer to him and shut her eyes.
He rode through the streets of the city
Down from his hill on high
O'er the wynds and the steps and the cobbles
He rode to a woman's sigh
For she was his sacred treasure
She was his joy and bliss
And gold and a keep are nothing
Compared to a woman's kiss
For hands of gold are always cold
But a woman's hands are warm…
Draconic Theatre
Dearest Husband
I received your letter this morning and I am writing you a reply as soon as I am able. I hope to give it to the man before he finishes his rounds delivering letters. Perchance by giving it to him earlier you might receive this sooner.
The children are doing fine, Mika just entered the school run by the Temple of 41. I spoke with the priest, an elderly gentleman with a head of white hair and kind wrinkled eyes. I wanted to tell him how Mika can be difficult at times and I apologised for any future trouble he might cause. This is the first time in generations any of us have received an education, true our fore fathers taught us to read and write so that we may read the holy texts but it is no real education.
At first I feared the good priest's mood may sour at the news of a misbehaving student. To my surprise he merely laughed. The priest said in a voice of mirth that a child must be curious and boisterous as in childhood they bear the least burdens. A child who is quiet and well behaved is one who already bears many burdens, so the livelier the better. If the class refuses to listen then the teacher simply does not compel their attention. He said he desires children strong and lively in his classroom not ornaments who memorise lines of scripts from dusty old tomes. Oh Genji how blessed are we to see the light of the 41 return to this world.
Buku is still upset that she can't attend school this year but there will be other years I suppose. Although it is strange Buku always hated reading lessons, she much preferred the stories of old. Of the Brave and Valorous Takemikazuchi and the Kind and Gentle Bukubuku Chagama. Perhaps she might change her mind when Mika returns and tells her what school really is. I confess I am rather curious too as we have not been blessed with the opportunity.
Sena is doing as well as can be expected, she still awakes to nightmares crying for her mother. I do all I can to soothe her but the scars she bears do not fade easily. Although there is hope, the change is gradual but I see her returning to her old self bit by bit. Though she still avoids any who worships the six, this is perhaps my greatest concern. I once caught her looking at the Temple of the Six with a hatred I did not think possible for one so young. I hope she can learn to forgive and not to let the ghosts of the past haunt her future. Although I say this speaking from a place of privilege, I know not what I will do if I should lose you or the children. To be cast alone into this world with all others who bear your blood buried beneath the ground. It is a horrifying thought so please my beloved, return to me. Our futures are bright and I want nothing more than for us to build our futures together.
These few months I confess I find your letters growing more and more distant. At first I thought it was because you were weary from the war. However, I suspect there is another reason. To that reason I pray I am wrong. If perhaps you do not wish to shield me from the horrors of this war, I ask you not to. When we took our vows of marriage all those years ago, we swore to always be at each other's side. What is mine is yours and what is yours is mine, that was the vow we swore in the sight of the gods. So my dearest husband, if you should feel the need to tell me what you have seen, what you have endured, please do not hesitate. You do not need to carry your burdens alone for what is a family but share our kin's burdens. The children will hear none of it I assure you, it will be our burden to bear and ours alone.
So please if you should feel the burden is too much to bear then share it with me, if writing to me the accounts of what has transpired would ease your burden then please do so. I will not promise I will not worry or weep. I will not promise that the horror will escape my imagination but just as you face these horrors with your body and soul I will face it with your words and my mind.
We stand together now and always my dearest husband. I long to have you warm my bed when this war is done. So please come back to me safe and sound.
Yours now and forever,
Your wife Lucy Aico
Genji put the letter away and gently folded the parchment and put it into his bag. He looked around at the destroyed ruins that once was the proud city of Vox Varanus. He let out a sigh as he looked at a woman weeping over the torso of a man who had been caught in a blast from one of the Fallschirmjaegers. There were alot of survivors here, it appears this city was used as a larder for the beastmen to store their human livestock. Surprisingly more than half the city's population survived with additional people from the surrounding villages all crammed into this city. It appears the news that the Ordo Malleus cares little for hostages has spread to this city. The few times hostages were used were all met with cold indifference as fire and death fell upon beastman and human alike. Thanks to this most of the humans were crammed into warehouses and storage facilities taking them out of the fighting.
"A letter from the wife?" Varian asked wearily.
"Yeah." Genji replied as he turned to look at his friend.
Frankly he looked like shit, he was covered in grim and blood. His rifle lay at his feet the bayonet hilt was still attached but the blade was snapped. He had a bandage over his upper arm, he took a light wound in the fighting. In his hands he held a letter as well although it was folded and clasped between two fingers.
"From your folks?" Genji asked.
"Yeah, my mum's losing it. She asked me to break my wrist so I can come home. Should probably tell her Jonah got his hand chopped off and with a little magic he had his hand back… and once he got his hand back they stuck the rifle back into his hands." Varian said.
"Might wanna skip the part where he got his head cleaved open." Genji replied numbly.
"Yeah, might be a good idea to skip that. Oh well wasn't me, my Ma will be pleased. Stupid idiot." Varian said.
"I thought you liked Jonah." Genji said.
"I did, but he was an idiot. Was right next to me when he died, froze when a beastmen charged him with a baby strapped to the bastard's chest. Dumb idiot couldn't do it, so he got a chunk of his head removed for his trouble." Varian replied.
"You ok?" Genji asked.
"Yeah I'm alive in case you haven't noticed. I'm doing just great…" Varian said as he tossed his mother's letter onto the bloodstained cobblestones.
"You sure you want to do that?" Genji asked, gesturing to the letter.
"I'm sick of it, come back you stupid boy, let the braver men fight, please come home, please come home, please come home…" Varian muttered.
"She just means well, hey that's coming from a father. I don't know what I'll do if my son was standing where I'm now." Genji said gently.
"I swear you sound like my dad." Varian replied.
"Well I am a dad." Genji said
"So it's ok for fathers to die for their sons but not their sons to die for their fathers?" Varian asked hotly.
"It's not right for anyone to die. We aren't going to die Varian." Genji said.
"I don't know if you realised, these beastmen can barely cast spells. They prefer warpaint to armor, we still have to deal with the Theocracy. They can use angels Genji." Varian said
"And these beastmen burned this kingdom half to the ground. They are fearless and seek only a glorious death. The Theocracy are men, men who know fear, men who want to go home to their families. We will probably get a surrender for once when we fight the Theocracy." Genji said with a weak smile as he stood up.
"Yeah I suppose your right…" Varian said with a sigh.
"Here. Contents or not these are still your mother's words, they come from a place of love. We need all the strength we can in this war." Genji said as he picked up the letter and handed it back Varian.
Varian looked at the letter and back to Genji. He sighed and took the letter and placed it in his bag with the rest of the letters.
"Thanks." Varian said
"Anytime." Genji replied.
Later that night
Genji lay in a bed of one of the former residents of the city. He gazed up at the cracked stones above him and he could faintly smell blood on the hay he lay on. The furniture or what was left of them showed a young woman once lived in this room. The furniture was made of wood with patterns of swirling flowers.
Genji sighed and shut his eyes trying to sleep but once again he heard the screams and blasts of the tanks great guns. The scream of the woman when the tank missed and struck the wrong building. The howls of fear as the beastmen plunged from the walls, the final gaze of the young man as the reality of his imminent death sank in.
Genji sat up in frustration, his body felt exhausted yet his mind was afraid to enter sleep lest he relive the horrors again. Then he thought back to Lucy's letter and he remembered the old words of the 41. For their words unmatched in wisdom and timeless in their truth. The words say "What use are kin if not to share our burdens?"
So Genji rose from his bed and took out a candle from his sack along with a quill, ink and parchment. So the words began to flow from his hand…
Dearest Lucy
I have read your letter and I confess your suspicions true. With each battle I feel I leave a little piece of myself behind on the blood soaked fields of battle. At times I wonder will I still be recognisable when I return? I feel myself growing numb to the horrors around me with each passing day and I fear will I one day not feel at all? I am writing this as sleep escapes me, my body knows fatigue of a ferocity I have never before experienced and yet sleep eludes me. When I close my eyes the events of the day haunt me like ghastly apparitions. I shall tell you what transpired today, of the assault on the fortress city Vox Varanus. It is not a tale that is pleasing to read but if you so wish I shall tell you. I do all that I do to give you and the little ones a life better than the ones we had. If my blood is the ink that shall rewrite fate then so be it.
The attack started at dawn, I stood in my armoured carrier and looked at the looming walls. We were not going fast, we were merely trundling along at marching pace. In front of us were siege towers constructed by Empire engineers, filled with the brave knights of the Baharuth Empire. Above us in the vast sky soared the Elysian Fallschirmjagers, they are warriors unlike any other Lucy. I once heard their home land was one of great beauty, their land is suspended in the air filled with floating islands born aloft by great mana winds. Their words show their pride in their heritage, their words goes as such "Where men walk, Elysians fly." They are masters of the sky unmatched in skill and grace. In the vast blue heavens there are none that are their equal.
The Fallschirmjaegers were the tip of the spear; they soared straight at walls ahead of the army resolve unflinching…
Mia Siox flew next to her commander, the beautiful and cruel Lieutenant Colonel Viktoriya Serbyakov. The wall was crawling with filth and it was her job to clean house and that was what she would do.
"Ladies and Gentlemen it appears we are the tip of the spear once again, try not to destroy the wall. I am told the residents would like to keep it after this battle." Viktoriya said with a smile in her voice.
"No promises." Mia replied.
"Then would you like to take the gate controls Ms Siox?" Viktoriya asked with a laugh.
"Gladly." Mia replied.
Scarlet Wing dived right on top of beastmen atop of the wall, casting localised [Shockwaves] blowing dozens of beastmen off the wall. Mia cut three beastmen with one swing of her rifle. Her axe blade affixed to the tip of her rifle Liberatador reaped a harvest of blood upon those unfortunate enough to find themselves in her immediate vicinity.
Mia hewed her way to the door of the gate house, a beastmen roared and tried to slash down at her. She batted the sword away with her rifle with enough force to knock the sword out of his grip, sending the sword spiralling down the war. She thrust with her rifle stabbing the beastmen, she then twisted and tossed the fatally wounded beastmen off the wall after his sword.
The next beastman attempted a grapple but she used her flight magic and shoulder charged the beastmen. The beastmen saw a small masked figure but in truth she was a level 90 Battle Mage, most Fallschirmjaeger varied from level to 40 to 70 depending on their veterancy. Scarlet Wing however was different, they took only the best they were all above level 80 with the highest being the Scarlet Letter herself Viktoirya Serbyakov standing at a level 100.
The beastman found himself struck with such force that his ribs turned to powder and his organs liquefied. He was thrown back blood spewing from his mouth and he barreled right into two more beastmen knocking them howling off the wall. Soon she was at the door to the gate controls, there a beastman met her with a pair of short cleavers. Short weapons for fighting in confined spaces, long weapons would obstruct movement and her rifle was ill suited to fighting in such cramped spaces. At least that would be true if the walls could be considered obstruction. Her axe blade tore through the stone as easily as it did the flesh of the beastman. His torso fell to the ground spilling offal on the stone, she coldly stepped over the corpse and looked inside to see three beastmen weapons raised.
"Three more." Mia said as she hefted her rifle and entered the room.
Ser Blavik stood in the dark confines of the siege tower, he could hear the roars of the beastmen at the wall. Then he heard odd howling that grew more distant as if they were falling.
"I think they're throwing those bastards over the wall." the knight next to him said.
"Those mages must be strong." another said.
"Aren't mages supposed to be weak in melee?" another asked.
"Not these ones." Blavik said
Then they felt the lurch and heard the groaning of wood as the siege tower contacted the wall. Blavik watched as the ramp started to lower and the first rays of light entered the dark siege tower.
"Come on men let's show these bastards what the Empire's made of!" one of the knights shouted.
As the ramp dropped there was war cry and the Empire knights stormed across the ramp to see most of the wall cleared out, there were a few groups of stragglers huddled together but they were quickly being advanced on by red dressed Fallschirmjaegers.
The fighting spirit died in an instant as the Empire knights gazed impotently at the slaughtered beastmen. A Fallschirmjager turned to face the gawking knights.
"What the fuck are all of you standing there gawking for? Stop standing there like a bunch of lemons and go down the wall the gates are gonna rise soon." the Fallschirmjaeger said coldly.
And then the gate rose, as we approached I saw beastmen being flung off the wall, their bodies breaking upon the hard earth below. Soon we were under the gates and the light of the sun was blacked out. At that moment I felt like I was entering a portal to a new world. Then I heard the roar of the tank in front me ring out and I heard the shattering of stone and wood. After came the screams of pain as the merciless flames of the tanks great cannon ripped flesh as easily as it did stone.
As I entered the city I saw civilians scattering in all directions as the vehicle's plowed forward heedless of those who lay in their way. The beastmen tried to use the civilians as shields but the relentless war machine that is the Ordo Malleus cares not for hostages. The beastmen tried to rally but our forces were swift and relentless, the beastmen could do little to our armoured vehicles as they tried to swing at the passing masses of iron.
Then we stopped and we were out onto the ground, by then the beastmen were either dead or fleeing into the city. I looked up and saw the Knights of the Empire emerge from one the watch towers. They formed up ahead of us and we began our sweep of the city…
Genji stood rifle raised as they advanced down the street, the streets were deserted but there were the houses and the alleys. He looked at his left and saw one of the doors ajar swinging slightly on its hinges.
"Genji, Varian, Snaf the house on the right. Hilda, Cob. Teak the one on the left." the officer commanded.
Genji and the duo ran up to the door of the house. Genji peeked in and saw the room deserted, he slowly entered his shotgun raised. He heard Varian enter after him followed by Snaf.
"Clear!" Genji shouted.
"Now for the second floor…" Varian said uneasily.
"Come on then." Genji said as he approached the stairs.
The staircase was bent, the first half was straight and then the second half turned out of sight. It was made of wood and he could see hoof prints on the dust covered wood. As he approached the stairs he saw a hint of fur peeking out from around the corner. Genji gulped in apprehension as he trained his shotgun at the corner. As he approached the first step he tensed the finger that was over the trigger and he paused. Then he took a step on the wood and made sure he was heard, the creaking of the wood rang out across the house and he paused again. Still no movement.
Genji turned to look at the pair behind him and he pointed at the fur that was hanging out from the side. He pointed his finger at the fur, the pair squinted and their eyes widened. They nodded at him and trained their rifles at the corner. Genji lowered himself and took another step up the stairs, still no movement. Then he took three rapid steps and brought his feet down as hard as he could on the wood. Then he heard movement, Genji immediately jumped backwards falling hard on his back on the stone floor.
Genji heard the crack of two rifles as the two streaks of light struck the beastman splattering his blood on the stone wall behind. As the beastman fell another emerged from the corner and let out a battle roar. Genji pointed his shotgun at the beastman from his position on the ground and fired. There was a spray of sparks, the beastman's face and torso were splattered as it was thrown back against the wall.
The group paused for a moment before relaxing. Genji stood back up and turned to see Varian had his rifle's tip held out like a spear and Snaf had his rifle chamber open but there was no round in his hands or the chamber. Genji looked down at the ground and saw the round on the floor.
"I dropped it…" Snaf said softly.
"The beastman was three metres away from us did you really think you were gonna reload in time?" Varian said hotly.
"I…" Snaf sputtered.
"Quiet, we're not done yet." Genji said as he turned and faced the stairs.
In the end they found the top floor empty. When Genji left the house he saw Hilda being carried out of the other house, her body limp and her right arm missing at the elbow. He watched as white dressed medics rushed forward to carry her away.
"Damn… poor Hilda." Snaf said.
"She wanted to be tailor once this war was over…" Varian said
"Cut it out. Focus, unless you want to go home in a box." Genji said curtly.
The trio turned and ran towards the back of the advancing line of troops...
We moved deeper and deeper in the city, clearing house to house. Some houses were empty, some were not. Sometimes we found human prisoners naked and hollowed eyed. In others we found beastmen hiding with murderous intent. The other soldiers from the Veteran Battalion were of a different breed as compared to us. They cleared the houses quickly, like a gale they stormed the horse and snuffed out any whisper of resistance. As for myself and my compatriots we lost one one every other house. One friend wounded or dead with every other house and we had the whole city to clear.
Eventually we came to a village square where we were met with a sight of horror…
"By the 41…" Varian whispered in horror.
Genji didn't reply; he merely looked on in mute horror. To his right he heard Snaf choke and gag before he emptied his stomach contents onto the street.
Before them lay what used to be a market, now it was a giant pen for prisoners. Mutilated corpses decorated the surroundings and on stalls he could see half butchered human corpses hanging like cows on meat hooks.
There were a group prisoners left behind but most were butchered on the pen floor. Genji approached with the rest of the soldiers and began opening the pens. Most of the remaining prisoners rushed out in panic and relief. Genji was embraced by a weeping man, the man clutched him as if he was the only anchor holding him in this life. The man fell to his knees and Genji followed suit trying his best to comfort the poor man.
"Where's the rest? The pen is too large and there's not enough prisoners and bodies." an officer asked a calmer prisoner.
"They took them, they took what they could and killed as many as they could manage." the prisoner replied.
"Where?" the officer pressed.
"The citadel." the prisoner said
"Thank you." the officer said as he gestured for a medic to take him away.
"Wait, give me a sword, I wish to fight." the man said.
"You are too weak and have been in captivity for months you are not fit to fight." the officer replied.
"I was a soldier garrisoned here, this was my home. My wife and child were taken to the citadel. I will not sit idly by while someone fights my battles for me." the man replied wrath alight in his eyes.
"You have a strong spirit, if you wish to help tend to other prisoners. Help the medical staff, most of the prisoners are almost catatonic. We can't help them if we don't know what happened." the officer said.
"But…" the man began.
"Do your duty soldier, your duty is to your people. My men and I can do the killing but only you can help preserve what's left of your people. That is your duty or are you not a soldier?" the officer said.
"I… I am. Forgive me, living in horror for months have addled my mind. You are right, I shall do what I can." the soldier replied his head lowered.
"Good man, when the fighting is done you may take up your arms again. Before we part I would know your name." the officer said as he placed a hand on the soldier's shoulder.
"My name is Nishki." the soldier replied.
"I could use men like you Nishki, when this battle is done if you so desire, we can see how you look in red." the officer said.
"To be Ordo Malleus would be a great honour." Nishki replied.
"We would welcome you, now go, you have a duty to perform." The officer said with a nod.
"41 protect you good sir." Nishki said as he turned and rushed over to where they were keeping the liberated prisoners.
At the time I thought I had seen the worst, how wrong I was. As we marched ever closer to the citadel the attacks on us grew more furious and desperate. Beastmen leapt from windows blades raised, intent on killing as many as they could before they died. Many of our number were killed as the beastmen seemed to rain down on us where we least expected them. Eventually our commanders ran out of patience and ordered every house to be torched with flame throwers. The houses were made of stone so the fire would not spread, it merely turned every house into an oven as the flammable furniture within burned like kindling.
The beastmen although savage were not stupid, soon we saw beastmen abandon the houses and rush for the citadel. We shot many in the back as they ran, one less beastman was one less friend lost. Whichever survived was simply killed when we caught up to them. No order for quarter or mercy was given, so we gave none. Though one thing still bothered me at the time…
Genji saw the fleeing beastmen fall, the shot had missed and struck him in the back of his left knee. The round had blown his leg off and the beastman crawled forward braying in fear. As Genji approached he saw this one was smaller and looked clearly younger. Its horns were shorter, it's snout was wet with snot and its eyes were wet with tears.
"No kill." the beastman begged.
Genji looked to his right and Varian matched his gaze both unsure of what to do.
"Mercy, me give up." the beastman whimpered.
"What are you two doing?" an officer asked as he stalked over.
"This one is surrending." Genji said
"Is he now?" the officer said as he walked in front of the beastman.
"No kill." the beastman said again gazing with eyes of fear at the officer. While Genji and Varian's eyes betrayed a touch of pity this man had none in his eyes.
"What do you do for the beastmen?" the officer asked
"No know what say." the beastman said fearfully.
"Your job." the officer said coldly.
"I carry, food, weapons. I no fight, no know anything" the beastman whimpered.
"Great a labourer, useless." the officer said with a scoff as he drew his pistol and pointed it at the beastman.
"No!" the beastman yelped in fear.
With cold indifference the officer fired his pistol and the young calf went limp as life left his body. Genji looked at the officer in shock.
"What? Look around you, does it look like we can take prisoners now? Get back in line." the officer said coldly.
The officer was right of course, we were on the march, danger on all sides. We didn't have the time to take prisoners. The humans in this city, the innocent would need all the care we had available. It's just when I gaze into that fearful calf's eyes I couldn't help but feel a touch of pity. I wonder will I still have that shred of compassion left by this war's end? Perhaps this war will make monsters of us all.
We continued our sweep, now there were no beastmen hiding in the houses, they had all fled to the citadel. Soon we found ourselves at the gates of the Citadel, the shield of the north this city it was called. The gates were steel; the beastmen must have been truly ferocious to have taken this city. However, steel would not stop us, the great cannons of the tanks raised and pointed at the steel gates. With a roar that shook the earth the tanks fired in unison and the door was blown to pieces. The knight of the empire locked shields and began to enter the Citadel. High above I could see the Fallschirmjagers attacking the citadel, their spells rained down on windows and the walls. Beastmen were flung from the walls by the Fallschirmjaegers yowling in terror.
Then came the signal for us to advance, I steeled my spirit for the final act in this chapter of carnage…
Viktoriya soared past a group of beastmen huddled at a section of the wall, hurling spears down onto the empire knights. She raised her rifle and fired a [Pyroclasm] infused round at the group blasting the beastmen into a red mist. Their flesh rained off the walls like little drops of hail peppering those unfortunate enough to be caught underneath.
The soldiers were now storming the Citadel, whatever barricades the beastmen had set up were blasted to pieces by the Panthers. The fools, you don't use wood to shield yourself from 105mm high explosive shells. The barricades that they used for protection turned into razor sharp burning shrapnel that tore the bodies of the beastmen to ribbons.
Viktoriya flew down and hovered right over the advancing line as they approached the door of the great keep. The rest of her wing joined her as they advanced. Then the gate opened, out stepped a large beastman followed by a retinue of warriors. Behind them stood a group of small cowering beastmen armed with nothing but wooden clubs.
Viktoriya flew down and was joined by Mia as they approached the beastman.
"Are you here to surrender?" Viktoriya asked sweetly.
"No, you the commander?" the beastman growled.
"No, I'm afraid not." Viktoriya replied with a laugh.
"You are strong." the beastman said
"Compared to you definitely." Viktorya mocked, with another bell like laugh.
"I challenge you. One to one, an honourable battle." the beastman growled.
"I take no joy in dueling weaklings." Viktoriya said.
Quick as a flash her rifle was up and a spell was fired blowing the beastman into a thousand small pieces. The other warriors in outrage and charged they were met with another blast from Viktoriya that scattered what's left of them into the surroundings. One beastman charged through the smoke somehow surviving the blast, Viktoriya calmly swung her rifle and her bayonet severed him in two as easily as one might cut cheese.
As the smoke cleared the army saw something peculiar a beastman had his hand out and the rest of the smaller beastmen were cowering behind him. He raised his hands and began walking forward, in one hand he clutched a ragged white cloth.
"I surrender on behalf of myself and what remains of my kin. I have read it is customary among your kind that a white cloth is a symbol of surrender." the beastman said.
"Oh you're an interesting one." Viktoriya said.
"Yes my brethren view surrender as a shame." the beastman replied.
"No I mean interesting in the fact that you speak in complete sentences." Viktoriya said.
"My people are not the most eloquent but we are not fools." the beastman replied coldly.
"I can tell, guerilla tactics in the city and a secondary defense line in the Citadel. I assume it was your doing?" Viktoriya asked
"Yes I planned the defense." the beastman said.
"Impressive it would have worked if you were facing an army typical of this realm." Viktoriya replied.
"Tell me how did you take this fortress city?" Viktoriya asked.
"Same way you did, aerial forces take the walls. Siege ladders on the wall, raised the gates and let our minotaurs through. The defenders on the wall are ill suited to fighting manticores." the beastman said.
"Ladders? Can't build any siege towers?" Viktoriya asked mockingly.
"I can't fit siege towers through the gate, I still needed to take the Citadel." the beastman replied coldly.
"Sharp one aren't you? Very well I assume you have something to bargain for? We have no reason to spare you and that cowering mass behind you." Viktoriya said.
"Nothing to bargain, only a gift of good will." the beastman replied.
"A gift? Will it be wrapped in a velvet ribbon?" Viktoriya asked.
"I give you the prisoners here, in the Citadel are 30 000 humans. 30 000 lives in exchange for the lives of myself and the young ones behind me." the beastman said.
"I'm afraid your math is off, there were 150 000 people in this city alone. You're still 120 000 in debt." Viktoriya replied.
"This is war, if you expect to receive the population back I'm afraid you are terribly naive." the beastman said.
"Oh I know what war is." Viktoriya said as she turned her head to look at a nearby officer.
The officer raised his hand and as one the surrounding soldiers took aim with their weapons. At the sight the cowering beastmen fell to their knees sobbing and begging.
"There need not be any more bloodshed." the beastman said.
"It's your blood, we can gun the lot of you down like the beasts you are and you wouldn't be able to stop us." Viktoriya said coldly, the cheer in her voice now gone.
"Is that truly your wish?" the beastman asked in a strained voice.
"It is not but I see no benefit in keeping you alive. Unless…" Viktoriya said.
"Unless?" the beastman asked.
"Unless you tell me everything you know, the whole truth. Your tactics, your logistics, how you fight, why you fight." Viktoriya said as she walked closer with each word until she was face to face with the beastman.
"I will not damn my kin for my own life." the beastman growled.
"Your kin are already dead, they just don't know it yet. Our orders are simple, end the beastmen threat… forever." Viktoriya said as she whispered the last word.
"You will find no easy prey past the borders." the beastman growled in reply.
"I beg to differ, unless my scouts are blind in both eyes. I know your lands are nothing but open plains, perfect terrain for our army. Plus we can burn and destroy with impunity, no more hostages to hide behind." Viktoriya said.
"The beast king still lives, our people do not die quietly." the beastman countered.
"You sent your best here, I know this because of the size of the invasion. Now your best are food for the crows. Your people will die either way, might as well save yourself." Viktoriya said.
"You expect me to be some braying cow, the last of my kind serving under your human kings? No, I rather die." the beastman said coldly.
"We could make you the king, after we defang your people of course." Viktoriya said.
"I will not be a puppet to dance on human strings." the beastman growled.
"I see, pity… take him." Viktoriya said.
In a flash two Fallschirmjaegers dropped down behind him and speared him through the back of his knees. They pressed him to the ground and began binding him.
"You are no different from us, you say we are beasts but you would do the same as us given the chance." the beastman roared as he was bound.
"Of course not." Viktoriya said as she removed her mask and helm before turning to look the beastman in the eye.
"We don't have horns or hooves." Viktoriya said jokingly with a smile.
"Kill the rest." Viktoriya said calmly to the nearby officer as the beastman let out another roar of rage that was soon drowned out by the sound of gun fire.
When I entered the Citadel, it was hard to believe that humans once lived here. Foul effigies made of corpses adorned the walls, runes and symbols were painted on the walls in blood. The stench of blood and offal permeated every room and hall like a foul miasma. In the great hall we found that the beastman was telling the truth we found the surviving survivors were all crammed together naked and terrified...
As Genji entered the great hall followed by his comrades at first they were met with screams of fear. No doubt the prisoners thought their tormentors had returned but when they laid eyes on humans their tears of fear turned to those of joy.
Genji saw a woman carrying an almost skeletal boy walk over, in the middle of the chaos of the crowd she fell to her knees.
"Please, he's still alive you can still save him…" the mother wept.
"I…" Genji said as he knelt down and looked down at the boy.
The boy was about 8 years old with curly brown hair that had fallen out in tufts. His limbs were like wooden sticks with the skin pulled tightly only over the bone like leather. Never in his life has he ever seen a person that looked so much like a skeleton.
"Here." Genji stammered as he pulled out a ration bar and gave it to the woman.
The woman tearfully took the bar and held it to the boy's lips but the boy was unconscious and too weak to even open his mouth.
"It's food Ansel… food… " the mother said half weeping and half begging.
"Eat please…" the woman whimpered.
"Please help him…" the mother begged as she grabbed Genji's sleeve in desperation.
Genji did not know what to do. He knew no magic nor healing. How do you save a starving child that was too weak to eat?
"Come with me." Genji said.
The woman stood up shakily, the woman as well was thin and deathly weak.
"Give him to me." Genji said, extending his arms.
As Genji took the boy in his arms it struck him how light he was, the poor boy probably weighed less than his equipment. He cradled the boy and carried him out the door.
At the medic station Genji laid the boy on the table and a Hospitaller medic approached. Genji watched as the medic pointed a light into the boy's eyes.
"Pupils unresponsive, possible blindness." the medic said.
Another medic approached with a strange white box and wrapped a strange cloth band around the boy's arm. The armband was connected to a tube that led to the strange white box.
"BP is low, heart rate is low… too low." the medic said.
The medic summoned a glowing arcane ball and the ball began to hover over the boy. Shining a blue light over his body.
Detecting damage to all major organs
Detecting Severe Malnutrition
Multiple Organ Failure probable
Blindness probable
Long term health complications probable
Recommend nutrient infusion followed by extended nutritional therapy
Estimating expiration of patient... three hours
Necessary equipment, unavailable
Personal with suitable healing capabilities, unavailable
Insufficient treatment options detected
Recommendation, transfer to superior treatment facility
As the blue orb finished it's speech it vanished.
At that moment another soldier carried in a man with a stinking festering stump for a right leg. He was followed by another who was helping another skeletal man. Soon the beds in the station were filled. Genji watched as the medics conversed briefly before tying a black tag around the boy's leg.
"Soldier, help me carry him out." the medic said, gesturing to Genji.
The medic took a cloth and walked out followed by Genji. Once outside, Genji saw the mother waiting outside apprehensively. The medic laid the cloth out on the ground.
"Place the boy there." the medic said gesturing to the cloth on the ground. Genji did as he was bid and put the boy on the cold stones.
"Why are you putting my son out here?" the mother asked.
"What are you going to do?" Genji asked.
"Nothing, there's nothing we can do. The nearest field hospital with required equipment is four hours away, we don't expect the first transport to be filled for the next two hours." the medic said solemnly.
"You can use healing magic right?" the mother said frantically as she took a step forward.
"Healing magic would be useless. Healing magic targets physiological abnormalities, like a wound. Malnutrition is not considered an abnormality by the host's body, the only magic that can reverse this would be Druidic magic to restore the life force to his body, Thaumaturgy to infuse energy into his blood and Chronomancy to reverse his body to what it was before he got to this state. To treat him with more mundane means would require equipment to sustain his body, we need to keep him alive while his body restores itself with nutrients that we can inject directly into his bloodstream. Unfortunately there isn't a Druid, Thaumaturgist or Chronomancer within a hundred kilometers of this place and the nearest hospital is as I said previously four hours away." the medic replied with a sigh.
"Please there must be something you can do." the mother wept falling to her knees clutching at the hem of the medic's robes.
"If he's still alive when the first transport leaves and if there are no other higher priority patients we will send him. However, we have assessed his chances of survival to be extremely low so he is rather low on the priority list." the medic said, her voice cold and clinical.
"You can send him there early…" the mother pleaded.
"That would condemn the others to wait, if we send transports too early there will be a pile up. Dozens may die if we do so, I will not risk dozens for one boy. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." the medic replied.
"Please… please my boy…" the mother begged as she pressed her head into the ground.
"Celene, we need you." a medic said as his head popped out of the doorway of the medic station.
"Try to make his last hours as comfortable as possible, a child's last moments should be in their mothers arms." the medic said as she turned, pulled her robe free and reentered the medic station.
Genji looked on mutely as the mother raised her head and wailed at the heavens as if to ask the gods what sin has she commited that they have deign to punish her son. Her tears flowed down her hollowed face, Genji could only watch impotently as her face crumpled with grief.
"Aico we need you upfront." a voice said.
Genji turned to see one of his platoon sergeants looking at him.
Yes sir…
It is strange looking back, the days of me carting away pig carcasses in the butcher shop seems like a lifetime ago. An impoverished peasant I was, a soldier I have become. When I was a boy I thought being a soldier was just like the songs and stories. You fight for glory and honour, the good slay the bad. The just king defeats the monsters with his loyal soldiers at his back. That is just stories and songs. The songs don't have a verse about a wailing mother, there is no rhyme for a child you leave on the ground to die because you can do nothing for him. War is horror aplenty and mercy so scarce you would pay for it by the kilo of platinum.
A soldier's life is nothing like the songs, I am no valorous soldier. I am what my commanders need me to be. Need someone to guard that stockpile? I'm your watchdog. Need someone to dig that hole? I'm your labourer. Need someone to burn that house? I'm your arsonist. Need someone to kill that man? I'm your killer.
I hope what I have written will not frighten you but I know that is unlikely. As I write this line I find the dark clouds over my heart seems to have cleared somewhat. I will write again when time permits, know that my thoughts are always with you and the children.
Yours now and forever
Genji Aico
Author's Notes:
Hey guys here's another chapter, hope you enjoyed it. There are quite a lot of parallel story lines so do let me know if it gets a bit too difficult to follow.
So leave a review if you liked it or hate it, love to hear from you guys and your comments do affect the story. So if you have something to say I would love to hear it.
See you guys in the next chapter.