The expression 'war is hell' has always made me chuckle. I would say that it depends on the war. If your war involves absolute chaos and destruction then it may be somewhat similar. I guess the main difference is that wars on earth have a beginning and end. Hell has always been the same ever since you made it. You made it so that no one, not even yourself, could control what goes on there. I like to think that you made it for me so that I would have a home that reflected me, but that reasoning doesn’t fit you. Anyways despite what people like to say, war isn't hell.
War is organized. War is planned and something is accomplished. War has a purpose whether it's for glory, wealth, land, or people. I've been in many wars. I've started a fair share as well. I fought for my own reasons. Friends, lovers, sometimes I fought just to rid myself of the boredom that plagued me. I could imagine become like you should I exist long enough. Not caring about anything, just existing. Older than the very plane of existence that we stand on. I fought to deny that. I would usually fight on many sides, preferring the ones I found interesting rather than the ones in power. For a very long time war didn’t change. Then a particular war happened.
The Wife of a powerful King was taken by a Prince of another power. At the time the King claimed that his Wife was forcefully taken away. She was forcefully taken way but it was not the Prince. It was her heart. She had snuck aboard the ship of the Prince when he left and once he found her, he could not turn the ship around. His heart would not allow it. The King demanded for his Wife to be given back and the Prince's head as an apology. Once he was denied war was declared. The King assembled an army from the multiple lands that he held control over and sailed to the Prince's city. I sailed in his army under another warrior we called Achos.
I had been with Achos his entire life, from his birth to his death. He was born as a prince of an island. The king of the island was the greatest warrior of the Myrmex. The Myrmex were a people that had been created from a collection of the greatest warriors. His mother was said to have been your daughter. No, she was a daughter of a simple farmer. However because of her beauty and wisdom she was thought to have been from the heavens. When she smiled time seemed to slow and the world became… perfect as if everything had stopped to look at her. Yet to me her greatest quality has her rhetoric for she could craft masterpieces with her words. Her words would convince any who heard her. I once saw her convince a fisherman that he would be punished by the gods for using a net to fish. She told him that the correct way was to use his feet. We watched as he ran around kicking the water trying to hit the fish. The sun had begun to set and he had caught 10 fish. He turned out to be quite skillful. I gave him a fair amount of money as an apology for wasting his time and the entertainment. I enjoyed the time I spent with her.
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The sky stormed the day that Achos was born. Lightning, thunder and rain fell unlike any storm the island had seen before. It looked as if the world was trying to warn us of something. The storm raged and grew more powerful until he came. He glowed as the midwife held him up and the storm vanished similarly astonished with the child as the rest. He looked like his mother in that the world would gladly kneel if just for his beauty. He was given to his mother so she could hold her precious child.
"You are the product of our love. The gods have blessed me for being able to find my true one and they have blessed me again by giving you to me. You will be more powerful than any man. You are godlike, noble and will grow to be as great as your father. You, my greatest creation, my son, will be named Achos for you shall conquer all including pain."
She yelled out, her voice carrying so that all in the island could hear about the birth of her son and thus cry out in joy. I looked at the pair my breath, lost at the sight, not returning until she looked towards me and spoke out.
"Raise him well; so that he will know right from wrong. Raise him strong; so that those that seek to do him harm will instead fall to his sword. Do not raise him light-handedly or else he will grow arrogant for his gifts are many. Raise him so that he will know what he means to me, what he means to us. Raise him for me."
I simply nodded, walked over and took the child cradling it in my arms. I touched his hand with my finger and the small one grabbed it with strength inconceivable for a new born. The action drew a smile to my face and I walked outside. I held him with my two hands and held the child up. The clouds from the storm parted and a ray of light fell surrounding us. I knew that he would not live an easy life nor a very pleasant one. As she had said he was too gifted and the world had a way of punishing those who are gifted. I guess you made it that way so that people could somewhat be equal in that regard.
That day was bitter sweet, for Achos was born but his mother had passed away.
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Hi, so I was wondering if any of you would like for me to respond to your comments. Honestly I really enjoy it when I read your comments or reviews. That is something I heard alot of people say before, but it seriously makes my day to see I got a new comment. I wish polls worked so that I could ask where you are all at. North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Antarctica, Hell... Anyway let me know if you would like for me to respond in the comments.
Also I decided that I'll keep the word count around 1000 words so that I have enough time to write this most days and keep up with my studies. That said I found out I wouldn't be able to post tomorrow... but since the weekend is coming up for me I'll have plenty of time to write then.
Oh and Achos means pain. I'm basing it off someone hopefully it isn't completely obvious who.
Thank you for reading.