The city center was once a place to gather. Now it was a reminder that a grave last stand happened, that or it was a host to a mass execution. Twenty bodies. Four soldiers, five children, eleven civilians. They fell victim to magic, more specifically fire magic. Burn marks adorned their bodies, yet no one had a visible puncture on their wounds, suggesting that they were burned alive indiscriminately.
There were no words to describe what went through Mike's head. He was confused, scared. All he could look at was the "nightmare" that surrounded both himself and the twenty-three others. His now semi-bandaged chest pained him, as he let out several soft grunts and growls. His movements were sluggish as he tried to focus on the reality around him. His head throbbed in pain, and his eyes threatened to clamp shut from the lack of true rest he had forgone for the entire time he was on this god-forsaken planet. He held back tears and he open and closed his mouth as he reigned his emotions.
It only took the soldier a second to realize where he stood amongst the others. He like five of the Volunteer Corps members stood injured over the destroyed settlement. Remembering the orders that Lecca, his commanding officer, provided, he found himself sitting against one of the few wooden carts that had survived, his head resting uncomfortably on the makeshift, stiff padding. The entire mission was supposed to be nothing but reconnaissance. It was supposed to be a simple mission to observe enemy forces. Yet here he stood, standing in death. There was no doubt that the orders the princess had received were only half true, that, or she completely lied convincing him and the others to go on a suicide mission behind enemy lines.
Sure, Rangers were trained to complete the mission, but this was too much. They were trained to complete a mission and get out alive, not get stuck isolated and outgunned. In truth, yes, he and the others were somehow alive even with all the shit that had happened, yet he feared it wouldn't be long before one of them eventually met the reaper.
Yet, he supposed orders were orders.
Though ragged, the princess moved quietly beside him. Dirt and soot covered her once beautiful pale face, and a small mark below her left ear, a scar was visible in the small amount of light that came from the setting moon in the west. As a small speck of sunlight rose in the east, the burnt clouds above glowed in a fiery orange letting a small amount of light illuminate her soft brown eyes and her firm expression.
A familiar member of the newcomers, the Guild Attendant now know by the name, Veronica White, stumbled her way to the fountain. Silence grew over the few fighters that whispered amongst themselves as she knelt and placed her once clean hands on the dented, scratched, and war-torn structure of the fountain. Whispering to herself in an almost inaudible voice, the bodies within began to break apart into the same golden spheres that Mike had seen during the clean-up after the surprise raid on Bishmark.
Just glancing over her shoulder, the guild member's short-brown hair shuffled under a quiet breeze as her eyes sharpened with skepticism and hate. Though the sergeant had no idea who her sudden glare was directed to, he knew that he and the other Rangers were collectively being separated in her mind from the Corps members. Her sudden icy look froze Captain Thompson in his place, a somber look overtook his normal battle-hardened expression.
Turning on his boots, said captain maneuvered himself away from the front of the group, his troopers following behind silently. Mike knew the look Thompson had on his face, he had only seen it once before during the campaign in Africa, however the princess beside him was dumbfounded as the captain greeted the both with his cold-onyx black eyes.
His sudden scratchy-quiet voice caught her off guard as he spoke, his face contorting in anguish and confusion, "Commanding Officer, Chieftain Airish. What is our next move…?" He asked. "I have nothing left to provide. I've allocated things that even I would label as valuable. I have no plan left, I could only ask that you get me and my men home safely."
Just below her feet, a small collection of purple flowers shuffled in the cold fall wind. Her shadow was casted over one of the wilting flowers, and her mind went blank at the words said by the captain. As the sun rose higher highlighting the sweltering clouds of smoke, dust and ash passing over the settlement, the millions of stars high above began to fade.
"I-."
In the distance several members of the Corps were silhouetted against the orang e-blue sky. A flock of unknown birds flew high above, smoke trails from the desecrated buildings chased after them as the wind changed direction. Her eyes snapped to the left; Mike was struggling to keep himself upright. His chest rose up and down as Green suddenly moved to his side to keep him from falling. Tears gathered at the corner of his own eyes, yet he could not bear to let them go.
Several petals of the purple flowers grew loose and were carried from their homes alongside the remaining spheres of light that ascended to the burnt skies and blue heavens. Looking up towards the light, several strands of her silver hair brushed over her eyes, the sun's light made them glimmer.
Finding her voice, finding her answer, she gave her answer. Her voice was unwavering, her eyes-she saw the world.
"We go beyond the walls." She said firmly. "The king yet send me on a mission that will help his nation. He has sent you with me to survive."
Turning around, Thompson stared at the small gate in the walls so far away. The sun's light was the only thing that breached such a strong defense, but just beyond the harsh light, vast fields of green waited for them.
"There is no army, there is no Demon Lord?" Turning to the source of the voice, Lecca stared at Mike with wide eyes. "Let's be real, everything we've fought against… they're just people…"
"Mike what are you saying?" Green whispered harshly, "They burned kids alive! Civilians! They're monsters!"
The sergeant's eyes fell to the ground.
"Enemy raid!"
The sudden ringing of a bell drew the attention of everyone standing around the fountain towards the eastern gate.
"What the hell?" Lieutenant Patterson said aloud as the horde of fighters moved towards the gate with knights Eugene, Anne, and Marco in tow.
"Get on the fucking cart!" Green ordered as he, with the help of Lecca, dragged Mike on.