As we ride through a plain, the ground becomes more and more compact and the grass turns yellow...
-Is it the cold?- I ask taking a bite of whatever animal it is Qin Luo hunted while I was feeding the horses
-I'm afraid not... The grass seem to have been burned.
I suppose these were grain fields once, but after the riots reached here too... Well you can guess the rest- he sighs
-Mhn... I suppose you are right-
-We'll be seeing much more unpleasant things on our way as we venture further in the north. I'm afraid many of our men won't be able to bear with those...- he stares at the crowd all around us with worried eyes
-We got reports of... Burned villages, where the corpses of the peoples can still be distinguished clearly... Some even displayed in horrible conditions.
War is horrible, yes... But much more horrible is seeing innocent people being killed in their houses, their safe places, for the greed of someone else- He clenches his fist around the wooden stick with which he was cooking the meat -Some of these soldiers are from similar villages... Some of them left their wifes and children alone, just to serve here. I can see the fear in their eyes...
The constant worry of something happening to your loved ones and you can't do anything to help them... Simply because you are here, risking your life for hundreds of other peoples in the vain hope of a better tomorrow.
Receiving maybe one day a letter... With condolences, for a death happened months before- His voice is broken as he talks, It must be a reality close to his situation...
I can see the pain in his eyes and words... It is almost as if I can feel it too, even not having experimented it firsthand.
-Monarch after Monarch... They are all the same.
There is no right or wrong side... Today is this unknown Monarch, yesterday was our Emperor trying to conquer new lands for his kingdom, tomorrow will be one of the Princes against another King!
But at the end it all comes to one single thing... Innocent deaths- he remine silent for a few seconds -Nevermind... That's exactly why we must fight, to give the people hope- He finally face me as I nod
As the night fall those words still wander in my mind...
Could that really happen...? I did left many peoples behind too.
My old father and my crazy mother... They live in such a big mansion, alone, with just a couple of guards...
Youya... So much could happen to her, war or not.
Chao... Wherever he is, for how strong that man can be, alone he won't survive against a storm of these dimensions.
XianLen and Wan...
Or... Linghe... Wandering who knows where all alone... Something unpleasant already forced him to move from the Capital, who knows what could happen to him on his journey.
...
A couple of days later we eventually meet one of those villages...
The General send a small groups to search for any survivor so Qin Luo gestures me to follow him and his men
-Let me show you what we are fighting for- he says, before rushing his horse toward the black village...
Once inside the horses get scared andbwe proceed slowly.
The roofs are fallen and the walls burned down,vwith just a few pillars still standing to make you understand a home was once there...
-Is there anyone?! We are not enemies!-
-Ehy there?!-
The men keep calling in vain...
Everyone is dead anyway
-Anyo...?!- as the man cups his hands to yell, Qin Luo comes from beside him lowering an hand on his shoulder. The man stops, facing him but the Liutenant only shake his head before dropping off the borse
-ChangLai? Come with me...-
-Mhn, yes Sir- I discharge coming to his side -Is something the matter...?-
He nods -I want to see what's down the street... But these men can't come with us I'm afraid-
He start walking with me following from behind.
At the sides I can see where the houses were, or the different shops...
One that partially survived the fire still has chairs laying outside...
It probably was a small restaurant. Excatly like those in my hometown...
There's one zone who pretty much resemble a market plaza...
Burned stalls and carts are everywhere, some completely turned into ashes and some still recognizable... I cannot tell which sight is worst.
I see a small book on the stone road and bend down to take it...
Some pages are still readable, I hide it in my clothes hurrying back to Qin Luo' s side
-It's all left as it was when it got burned down, but... Where are the people? Do you think they managed to escape in time?-
-The people... That's where we are going-
As we reach the end of the street a nauseous smell approaches us...
-Is this...?-
-Yes- he nods, looking away for just a moment
We come to face an open area. The ground is completely black, covered in ashes... Laying on top there are a tons of bones and pieces of, some not entirely, carbonized bodies.
-T... This...-
-This is hell- he looks enraged, his voice vibrating low as he speak...
I hear a crack and find myself stepping on something
-Don't look do!- he tries to warn me but it's too late.
A small skull...
-A... A... A chi- the words get stucked in my throat and tears build up behind my eyes, I cannot move my body.
Qin Luo turns to me with sad eyes, reaching an hand to drag me away as I am stucked looking down with wide eyes
-Do you understand now? This is what I meant the other day...
This is what war leave behind... No purpose, for how noble it can be, is worth any of this-
I surpass him and go on my knees in front of the cumulus of burned flesh, with a spear stucked in the centre... As a flag reclaiming it's ownership over the massacre.
-What are you doing...? Stand up those are ashes, belonging to someone...-
I take out the small book and open it to read out loud
-"I was playing with my friends today too... When a man came and papa called me back home..."-
I turn the page
-"Today Papa had to go away... Mom was crying but not me... I'm a man now! Papa will go be an hero and I will help Mama myself!"-
-Lai'Er... Stop... It will only hurt you to read that-
-"It's the Qixi today! I will make Mama happy and gift her a flower! But I'm scared to go out.
Mama said to never leave the village... Is that why we are not receiving enough of food anymore?"-
I look up, holding back my tears as I force myself to talk -The Qixi... I was in the capital having fun with my friends...
We ate a lot of food, more than needed! And them watched the fireworks all together...
I thought that for one night it was alright to forget about everything and have fun... That it was as if war didn't exist that day, all while these peoples were suffering just a few miles away...!-
-It's not your fault... We cannot let ourselves to fall into sadness because of this, We must act... For them- He bends down, resting an hand on my shoulder
-"Today I wanted to write something again, but as I sat down I heard peoples screaming... I can't find Mama.
She went to the marked and didn't come back anymore... The door banged... They are herrrr~~~..."-
The words are unfinished and just a straight line with a few drops of dark red cross the burned page...
-I'm sorry...- I bow down on the ground, as fire begins building up on the cumulus
-What....?- Qin Luo stands back scared and take out his sword
-Don't worry... It's me-
-You...? How...? This-
I nod before standing back up taking the book with me -I will win this War for all of them-
As We get back to the Armada a man comes toward us -Was there anyone...? Any survivor...?-
Qin Luo shakes his head in reply and the man falls on his knees
-My... Family lived there...- I approach him, giving him the small book
-We found this... It isn't much but...-
His eyes widen at the sight of the book and grabs it, quickly turning page after page
-My... Son... My dear son... My Son!- he begin crying, holding the book to his chest as a few men rush to comfort him
-Thank you...- he says toward me -Thanks for giving me back one last memory of him...-