In war, everyone lost, or so went a common saying.
It was clear in the scenery. Although they had been the victors, as the hopeful faces and the rebuilding efforts of the people showed, the price they paid to the god of death was an exorbitant one.
A year ago, Azoria went to war, sending every capable man, and woman, horse, and cannon to the valleys around the city. At least, it started that way in Nathan's memory of his novel. There, they waged war against the Yudeans, who wished to undermine the authority of the city and form their own province where they would rule as their own people, for their own people only.
'It was a reasonable ambition,' Nathan had thought when he wrote the novel. However, Azoria did not share this sentiment. The Thirty Wise Men, enraged, declared war and ignited a conflict that would last a year, and result in the decimation and total massacre of the Yudeans.
'Except one person...' Nathan searched in the scene around him.
The destruction of the city turned the landscape into a large plaza, suitable for public discussions on rebuilding and politics. Indeed, in front of him, thirty men, dressed extravagantly like peacocks amongst a flock of sheep, eyed the people.
Nathan beckoned an onlooking woman.
She turned around. Her skin was gray and laid bare over her bones, not a single gram of fat on her face, she appeared dead.
"Auntie, what is happening?" He asked her.
"The Thirty Wise Men were not able to decide on the life or death of the boy...the war refugee, they will now hold a public vote for us to decide."
'Huh?' Nathan rubbed his chin. A public vote? This was not how it went in his novel.
Originally, the city would sustain a surprise attack by two survivors of the Yudeans, who would take a woman hostage. The boy - the war refugee would trick them, and in the spur of the moment, he saved the woman's life.
Impressed by his feats of morality, the Thirty Wise Men of the city decided that he would not only remain alive; He would also become a formal citizen of Azoria.
The time for mysteries was over, concluded Nathan. It was time to introduce the boy, as he had caught sight of him.
In the corner of the meeting, there was a boy - with dark eyes and droopy shoulders, he observed on as others decided on his fate, this was Julius.
Suddenly, Julius caught his stare, and a chill went down Nathan's spine, he gulped. This was the might of a protagonist.
Yes, Julius was one of the protagonists of his novel.
A boy, then a man, cursed by fate. Julius would grow to be a great figure if everything went along with his novel.
In another corner, the hangman, wearing a grimace on his scarred face, eagerly waited to announce the execution of the young boy, polishing an axe in one hand; and wielding a thick, bloody rope in the other.
Nathan pushed through everyone - he wished to see the public trial of the young Julius directly. He wondered how far events would stray from his novel.
"Citizens of Azoria."
One of the Thirty Wise Men, a member of the aristocratic fifteen, who dearly wished for the death of the young boy, spoke. His calling attracted the attention of everyone.
"We have an urgent matter on our plate today - perhaps more important than the rebuilding, or our lives. It concerns, I believe, the very life and existence of our city, our pride, and our identity."
Pride and identity were important to the Azorians. They had, after all, gone to war in order to protect those.
"A young boy, lonely, without a father or a mother to call his own, and now, without a city to call his home," He gave a quick glance to Julius in the corner.
Julius glared at the man, he didn't like how this was progressing.
"Personally, I believe in matters of the greater good. A boy left alone, forsaken by the dead and the alive, will not live very long in this world. He will grow, hateful of everything, good and bad, and in hate grows desperation and vengeance. He will wish to avenge his city, rape a few women, kill their husbands and torture their children. He will do crime, he will rot in prison."
A man who knew how to speak could convince a crowd to even kill themselves, telling them it was for the good of everyone.
"Instead, as much as it pains me to say - I believe ending that legacy of hate and vengeance now will go a long way."
*Clap*
*Clap*
The masses applauded him very heavily. Julius' face turned somber.
'Wow, congratulations. You just convinced a crowd to execute a child...' Nathan grit his teeth. The man had a proud and emotional expression on his face as if he accomplished world peace.
Unfortunately, a child could not do much.
The crowd's opinion already leaned very heavily towards the execution of the child. The members of the Thirty Wise Men who were of a different viewpoint could do nothing but whisper as their words fell on empty ears.
Helplessness. Nathan wallowed in his helplessness. This was not optimal, if one of the protagonists died now, then everything else would change.
What was this joke? He woke up in the world of his novel, only to look on as one of the characters he worked hard to write would die in front of him.
Nathan rubbed his forehead. An avalanche of pain suddenly descended on his head.
At the same time, a galloping sound echoed amidst the silence of the public plaza.
"Halt!"