"Hurry up , push the carriage. All other carriages are waiting in line ."
A big soldier was shouting to a group of newly enlisted young people who's job is to give push to the goods carrying carriages which are stuck in the mud .
It is raining heavily now in the road leading to the 'Waterkoo'. A lot of new enlisted soldiers and old soldiers are constantly being sent to the waterkoo for the war . Tomorrow morning will be a big battle there .
Lersoul , a young men in his early 20's is also forced to join this war by the decree of his majesty. He is a very skinny boy who loves to paint the beauty of nature . Although he never succeeded in selling any of his art but he still did this as he loves to do so .
He has a big brother who does business in a city north of this kingdom. All of his parents died of a disease outbreak in their village .Most of the villagers died because of that . The two brothers were only 11 and 13 in order at that time . They were also infected and was praying to the goddess for help . Lucky for them ,the noble family that ruled that village heard that and sent a dark magi who was rank 2 ailment path magi . He used a special spell above that village which caused a blood rain there . He ordered to all the living villagers to bath in that gory liquid. The living people had only one wish that was to live . They respectfully stand under the bloody rain . Soon they started to feel good and sometimes later they felt as if they were never ill .
The dark magi then took all the dead bodies with him not caring the prostration of the living villagers who were in deep respect for him .
The 2 brothers were the only one alive in their family. His elder Krehsol brother always loved him and never minded if he do not work and just draw some useless paintings.
After his brother got a job at a caravan , he never had any financial worries and would paint for all day long . But all this good times came to an end because of the war .
Because of in skinny body ,he can hardly hold a normal sword ,not to mention at least swing it . So he was not made into a soldiers but send to work at supply unit .
Although he was relieved that he will not die early but now he is wishing if he could go to the battlefield.
In a heavy rain , he , with a lot of people like him are pushing carriages since morning till now, which are being stuck at because of rain and water .
Since morning he is working hard and feeling sad because he never did any exercise nor had any fat in his body to give him strength .
After successfully pushing the stuck horse carriage out of the mud ,they heaved a sigh of relief .
It was a three horse powered carriages which had a lot of weapons in it . That's why when it got stuck , it took a lot of efforts of these 25 people's group to make it free from the sticky mud .
They all are now taking heavy breaths in and out outside of the road .It is the first day of work after joining this war . They felt that they will not survive torture like this .
Lersoul looked at his both hand while lying in the roadside keep drenching in the heavy rain .
His hands are not full of cut and bruises . They are a lot of dark spot indicating sever pain them .
'Just a few days ago , these hands were full of beautiful colors of paint , they were healthy and beautiful .But just after a day of joining ,they are full of cut and bruises . Can i last till the war ends ? Brother Krehsol ,please save me .' He unconsciously started to cry . Thanks to the heavy downpour no one noticed it .
"Hey why are you laying in the side of road for ? there a carriage got stuck , go and pull it out of the damn mud , hurry up. We must send supply to the waterkoo before night falls. Tomorrow is a big day !"
A war horse riding soldiers shouted loudly at these young boys who are laying down in roadside like dead dogs in a heavy rain.
Hearing a high ranking soldiers shout the quickly got up and ran toward the stucked carriages .
'I hope goddesses would make nightfall today earlier , my whole body is in pain now , i need sleep .'
While running to the stuck carriage ,Lersoul prayed to the goddess as it is still 2 hours before darkness .
All of the 25 young boys , who's task is to push the carriages in near 1 kilometers area , become sad witnessing a heartbreaking scene . A 1500 pound horse has broken it's front legs by slipping its legs in the mud . It is trying it's best to stand up but with no success . The carriage driver constantly using his whip to make it move forward but that poor horse can't stand up at all .
A patrolling soldiers in horse came here and go down to the mud . Seeing that the horse can no longer work , he brandished his sword from his scabbard .
He was going to kill the horse but suddenly stopped and looked at the young men's who are looking at him as if he was doing something bad and inhumane .
The soldier stopped and talked to the young men's .
"You lot ,why giving me a look as if i am going to commit a henious crime ? You think i love seeing these horse in this state and kill them ." The soldier said in authoritative voice .
All of the young men's quickly shook their heads to not to disrespect a soldier.
" This horse is in pain and will be useless for us in this great war . It can at least contribute its meat to fill our brother's hunger. Do you think there are anyone who can carry it to a city to let it be healed . Even famous war horses are not that lucky ! The how can this inferior horse can ? Do you think this war is a childs game ? You are new that's why it will be hard for you in the beginning ,but you will eventually become a person like me who would be stared as if a mad men who loves blood of innocent like the peoples like of all ."
The young men's all lowered their heads and didn't dare reply.
"You come forward , take this sword and free this horse out of her misery let her contribute by giving us her meat at least."
The soldier pointed his index fingers at Lersoul who was Infront of the young boys and had the most pained expression of all of them .
He gulped a mouthful of rain water unknowingly. He was feeling sad for the horse and gave an angry look at the soldier who was about to kill this innocent animal .
Did this horse deserved death even though it served the war for this kingdom ? Lersoul was asking this question in his mind .
But when the soldier wanted him to kill it ,he was in despair .In his life ,he never killed any animals .His elder brother would always mock him for this . But now he was ordered to kill a horse .
His hand and foots are shaking and he also uneasy essence in him .But can't be disobedient to a soldier . He got the heavy swords and picked it up difficultly .
After struggling for a while ,the horse was tired and in pain .The soldier quickly hold the horse's head and shouted ,
"Do it or you will die by my hands ."
Lersoul didn't wanted to die . A soldier can kill a new recruit if he disobey him . He hold the sword high infront of the horses neck and was crying a lot . He's both hands holding the sword was shaking and his legs were freeze .
He looked at horses eyes which was begging him to not to kill her and let live . Lersoul shouted loudly in blood red eyes and swung down the heavy blade .
Hot red thick blood filled his whole body which started to wash away by the heavy rain .
"Please forgive me please please please, i was helpless i didn't mean to kill please please please. Goddesses please show miracle and make this horse alive like you brought back a peasant from death in your holy book please please." Lersoul sat on the black mire and started to pray to the goddess for a miracle and letting him out of this sin.
" Stop wasting time. go and see if a carriage in stuck somewhere ." The soldier said harshly to them .
Like Lersoul , many others are also depressed now . They nodded and quickly go away .
Lersoul was now like a lifeless men who lost his humanity and turned into a zombie .There was only one word in his mind
" Why? why? why?!"
Seeing the young boys dispirited expression the soldier shook his head and got up on his horseback .
"No deity hears a ordinary people's prayer but a clergy's prayer ,who prays in a gold paved churches after donating wealth ."
he said which could only be heard to these 25 young men in these heavy rain and then left. But they will never forget this line .
Lersoul said loudly kneeling in the mud,
"Goddesses if you really exist ,come down and stop this madness war . Please end the suffering of your childs ." he begged loudly in this rain sorrounded by a group of young men . But he received no response . Today learned a lesson ,
"If you want to survive in this cruel world ,you need to be cruel to yourself first . No goddess exists in this world , if they really do ,why there are war , suffering, destruction ? Why ?... How can she watch her childs being suffered to this point !"
Hearing Lersoul's blasphemy against moon mother goddess , the young men's just listen but didn't do anything . If it were normal times , they would instantly burned that man ,but today hearing Lersoul's profane and sinful questions they can't help but repeat it in thier heart .