A couple was sitting on a sofa while holding hands. The wife was pregnant and her husband was caressing her bloated stomach with extra care.

"What do you think? How would he react after seeing us?" asked the mother with worried expressions.

"I don't know either, how would a child react to his parents right after his birth is a mystery to me" said the husband while laughing and continued, " you need to relax, it's not like this is your first time becoming mother."

The woman sighed and muttered, "I am afraid what will happen if he couldn't remember us? We so little time. They have already found about this settlement. It's matter of days that they attack us."

"If that happens at least we would be able to say our goodbyes" said husband with tender eyes.

"Ahhh! I think it's about time. Please call for help "said the woman while holding her stomach.

The man rushed out of the room to look for assistance and soon came back with healers and other assistance in tow.

The women that arrived, asked the husband to wait outside and quickly rushed in to assist the wife. The door was shut on his face.

From inside, came shouting and crying voices of his wife. Although she was a strong woman, it didn't help him to get rid of worries. Every second outside the room was like an hour for him.

After what felt like an eternity, a child's crying sound came from inside. One of the lady rushed outside and asked him to enter.

When he came inside, he saw his wife with tired expression and right next to her was a child wrapped in clean white cloth.

The caretaker who was sitting next to the bed stood up and gestured him to come to near the bed and then she said, "Congratulation! to both of you it's a boy."

'Yes, I know' they both thought at the same time.

The ladies told him that the baby and mother were in perfect health and left them alone.

The wife was the first one to talk and said, "he looks almost similar from back then, don't you think?"

The husband nodded and asked, "so what are we going to call him?"

The mother looked at the child with tender gaze and said while gently caressing the child, "you already know it. He has been and will always be our Satvik."

_____________

After few weeks, outside the forest, where a huge population of refugees from different kingdoms were settled, a huge army was surrounding them in a coordinated formation.

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Behind the formation, a group of elite soldiers were guarding the general who had been appointed for this crusade to be victorious.

Before him a scout appeared and after saluting started giving him his report, "we have completely surrounded them from all sides but it seems they were already aware about our crusade as they have placed traps and established the rank in their make shift army."

The general nodded and said, "it seems we have a traitor with us who has already leaked the information about our plans."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"But it doesn't matter. If they would've moved to another location it might have been a different story, but since they want to fight our forces head on, we have to fulfill their last wish" said the general.

"Commence the attack and leave no one alive, let's show them the might of lord Ashanti."

"For lord Ashanti."

"Don't leave any of these heretics alive."

After several cheers they started pushing forward towards the enemy.

_______________

A group of people were standing on a tree branch and observing the enemy's movement. These people were the leaders of the refugee settlement.

"So they've already decided to push in through traps and our formation to kill us without even care for their losses" said one of the leaders.

"I'm pretty sure in their eyes we are nothing more than fish in the barrel" remarked other.

Then the two leaders looked at the last person. He was the strategist of this entire settlement and silently observing the battle formation and tactical movements of the enemy.

Then he finally said, "It doesn't matter. The sole reason we established this make shift resistance was to ensure his birth. Now, we are already past that. Just make sure to save as many lives as possible. "

Everyone nodded and gave commands to their subordinate to order evacuation of people who couldn't fight.

The strategist looked back at the camp, and precisely towards the tent where a husband and wife just graduated and became parents.

"I hope they're right, we have already staked everything on that child" said the strategist while looking towards the sky.

While he was mulling over thoughts of future, several captains began the evacuation procedure of non-combatants.

Priorities were given to women and children. The old population demanded to fight with men as their one foot was already in the grave and they at least wanted to give the chance to the young generation to escape.

The bombardment of magic spell began. The makeshift army of refugees couldn't compete with well-planned formations and tactics of the Theocracy army.

Though losses were piling up on both the side, for the soldiers of the army of the Baimum Theocracy dying was just a medium for rebirth in their Lords Paradise.

There was no hesitation in the eyes of the army. Their main goal was to take out as many heretics as possible with them to the afterlife.

After the spell bombardment were over the melee troops advanced to engage in battle. The sound of metal clashing over metal could be heard from miles away. Swords, axes, shields were all painted in red with the blood.

After a day of bloodbath, the battlefield was dyed red and vultures and crows were scavenging on the dead bodies.

The scout once again came before the General of the Baimum Theocracy and after saluting continued with his report, "Sir, it seems they were fighting through tooth and nail with intention to act as a diversion which allowed women and children escape."

"We were surrounding them from all side, from where did they escape?" asked the general in confusion. His plan was perfect, box them in, use full might to eradicate every last one of them.

The scout then bowed his head due to shame and said, "they had already dug a tunnel to use it as a passage for escaping towards the river in the east."

"Then go chase after them, no matter what it takes, pursue them and kill everyone even if you have to chase after them to hell itself" said the General while fuming.

The scout nodded and gestured the captains to follow him with their respective companies.

He couldn't believe that they were able to escape right under his nose. If this crusade fails he would lose his dignity and the lord might not reward him as promised.