This time, as we prepared to march towards the forest again, I was no longer with the main body of the army. Instead, I found myself with Almon and the men who had been on horseback the last time. My armour was far less flashy than theirs, though my sword gleamed like a diamond in the mud. Unlike before, the soldiers were no longer mounted with some of them carrying strange cans of liquid however I didn't pay much attention to them, figuring they were probably for thirst or something similar

"Where are the horses?" I asked Almon. I couldn't ride a horse, but I had been looking forward to not having to march anymore.

"We're heading into the forest. What use would horses be?" he replied.

"You're right, I suppose," I conceded, though a look of disappointment crossed my face. I had grown weary of walking, having done little else for days. I followed Almon and the others as we set off on foot.

As we walked through the camp towards the exit, I noticed the other soldiers lining up, ready to leave. This puzzled me, as they had been used as cannon fodder in the last battle. Now, Almon's group was leading the way which did not make sense as the emperor would not want to lose the most obviously skilled part of the army but my thoughts were meaningless, all i had to worry about was what was ahead and how to survive no matter what.

we eventually approached the same hill from the day of the previous battle, the scenery was drastically altered. What had once been a vibrant green field covered with beautiful flowers was now a grim tableau of carnage, with bodies strewn across the landscape. Crows, nature's scavengers, feasted upon the grisly banquet provided by the war. As we navigated through the field, we occasionally encountered survivors, their cries for help piercing the air as they called out for their families. However, there was nothing we could do for them. Many were grotesquely deformed from the battle—organs spilling from torn abdomens, limbs severed, faces disfigured beyond recognition, resembling nightmarish works of modern art. The only mercy we could offer was to end their suffering.

Gradually, we drew closer to the forest. It was so dense with trees that visibility was limited to mere metres ahead, yet an eerie emptiness pervaded the air, as if no living creature dared to inhabit it. There were no birds, no animals—just a haunting silence. Stepping into the forest evoked a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of stepping into the wardrobe, only this time I was acutely aware of the imminent danger.

We continued our journey, trudging forward under the guidance of a fellow soldier who seemed to possess an uncanny sense of direction. "How does he know where to go?" I inquired of another soldier.

"Oh, well, he's a Sylvan, that's why," came the reply.

"A Sylvan? But why does he fight for Cassis?" I asked, puzzled.

"His family was killed by a Sylvan noble," the soldier explained. "He managed to flee to Cassis in search of survival, and Almon found his knowledge invaluable. There are many in this squad from various nations." He pointed to a young man, possibly in his early twenties, with hair strikingly similar in colour to Thorsten's. "See him over there? He's from Credeni. Almon recruited him because Credeni is renowned for its advanced surgeons, and he has already made a great impact to our team's survival."

It became apparent that this group was not just composed of people from Cassis but was a carefully curated assemblage of individuals from multiple nations, each selected for their unique skills and strengths. This realisation bolstered my confidence, as I too had been chosen to be part of this formidable squad.

We had been trudging through the forest for what felt like hours, the rhythmic clanking of our armour the only sound breaking the oppressive silence. The air was thick with tension as the leading soldier suddenly halted, raising his hand to signal us to draw our swords. Moving cautiously forward, a large village emerged from the shadows of the towering trees, nestled in a clearing. The trees, ancient and foreboding, cast long, dark shadows over the settlement, giving it a sombre, almost melancholic appearance. The buildings, crafted from high-quality timber, stood in contrast to their bleak surroundings, showcasing fine craftsmanship.

Almon addressed us with a grave warning before we proceeded. "There should be no remaining enemy soldiers nearby; our scouts have confirmed their retreat. But stay alert." With heightened vigilance, we advanced toward the village, our eyes darting around, scrutinising every shadow and movement. The village seemed deserted, but I noticed families peeking nervously through the windows, their eyes wide with fear at the sight of us, intruders on their land.

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Our presence was soon challenged by a man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. His once-blonde hair was now streaked with dirt and grime, and his rugged, weathered face bore gave him a depressing look. "Why are you here?" he demanded, his voice tinged with both defiance and desperation, his gaze fixed on Almon, whose authoritative bearing left no doubt about his leadership.

Almon's response was curt and commanding. "This town, and all others in the region, now belong to the Empire of Cassis. Under the emperor's orders, you are to submit. Any defiance will be punished."

The man's shock was evident, and a wave of murmurs, filled with anger and fear, rippled through the villagers as they emerged from their homes, forming a tense and anxious crowd. One voice rose above the rest, dripping with indignation. "Who are you to tell us to submit?"

The crowd's defiance swelled, their voices growing louder, hurling insults and objections. To me, their resistance seemed a futile struggle for freedom, not realising that true freedom comes from strength. A rock suddenly flew through the air, striking the helmet of one of our soldiers with a resounding clang. Back on earth, police might have responded with non-lethal force, but here, things were different.

Almon's voice cut through the clamour like a knife, "Any who defy will be executed!" His words silenced a few, especially families with children, who retreated to their homes. However, many remained, their anger undiminished, throwing more rocks. Their delusion and audacity infuriated me. How could they, so clearly inferior, dare to defy us?

"Subdue them all. If they do not comply, kill them," Almon commanded. A strange sense of relief washing over me, liberating me from being held back. We advanced on the crowd. More villagers fled, but some stood their ground, arming themselves with farming tools and axes. Among them, a couple around my age caught my eye. The man wielded a pitchfork; the woman, a large knife. Their faces were set with determination as they approached me.

The man lunged with his pitchfork, but I easily caught the spikes from beneath, halting his attack. The woman, thinking I was distracted, came at me with her knife. But with a single motion, I drove my sword forward, piercing through the front of the woman's and emerging from the rear.As I swiped my sword out, Blood sprayed in the man's direction, coating his face in a vivid crimson and turning his expression to one of shock and horror. His face contorted in anguish as he dropped his weapon, desperately trying to stem the flow of blood from her mortal wound, but it was too late. I ended his life with a swift, merciless slice, ensuring his grudges would not threaten my safety later.

The sight of the headless man cradling his dying wife's body in a pool of blood brought a chilling silence over the villagers. Their defiance crumbled as the reality of their situation sank in. They dropped their weapons and retreated to their homes, defeated and broken.

"It seems the Devil of Cassis is a suitable nickname for you," Almon remarked, unfazed by my actions.

"Are you not disgusted, Commander?" I asked, almost apologetically.

"Of course not. They attacked first, and if you had left that man alive, he would have eventually sought revenge."

For the first time, I realised Almon shared my perspective. His experiences had shaped him into a kindred spirit, and it comforted me to know I was not alone in this harsh world.

After the confrontation, Almon gathered us and announced grimly, "We have killed 24 villagers. They will not forget this. The emperor has ordered that if we suspect any future trouble, we are to wipe this village off the map."

I had no idea what Almon intended, but it boded ill. He continued, "Take the oil from your containers and coat the houses." The men obeyed, dousing the wooden structures with the viscous liquid. Then, in a chilling display, the soldiers struck their swords with black stones, creating sparks that ignited the oil on the houses. Within minutes, the village was engulfed in flames. The once-quiet forest town was now an inferno, filled with the agonised screams of men, women and children burning alive.

"It's not pretty, is it, Yoshida?" Almon said to me, his eyes fixed on the burning buildings. The orange flames flickered off his face, casting eerie shadows. "However, this is necessary. The people in this village would have lived their lives harbouring a never-ending grudge, and that grudge could have led to even bigger problems."

I nodded in understanding. Even the smallest of creatures can cause significant damage if underestimated. The town had been burning for an hour, yet the trees of the surrounding forest remained untouched, as if immune to the fire's wrath.

"Why is the forest not burning?" I asked Almon, puzzled by the sight. The fire should have spread, but it was confined within the town.

"I'm not sure either," Almon replied. "At the start of the war, we tried to set fire to the forest, but the trees would not catch alight. Many speculated it was the work of spirits inside the forest."

Spirits, huh? Even after coming through a portal, spirits still sounded far-fetched. We waited just outside the town, ensuring there were no survivors. Once confident, we began our journey leaving the burning town behind and continuing through the forest, pressing forward into the unknown. We were venturing closer to the Sylvan capital than anyone had since the war began, and an ominous feeling washed over me as we delved deeper into uncertainty.

To be continued…