The siege of Midlake had entered the fourth day since the first attack. With both sides just testing each other out at the moment, the elite members of Revenant were set aside from battle.

With no tasks on hand, Dovos suggested meeting up in a tavern and drinking.

"I heard you are quite busy these days. Spraying holy essence on people, are you?" Jonah told Ethan with a bit of a sarcastic tone. Although he was in Revenant, he was one of the few who never believed in the 'Champion of God' thing. He was never a religious person anyway. His respect for Ethan was solely as a great warrior.

"Don't even start. I am sick of it. Cleo told me it was a one-time thing. But they sold it so big, now they are making it every evening. I wish I could ride out the gate and fight the Temple on the field right now." Ethan gulped down his ale to the last drop after a grumble.

Louise had been hosting the evening prayer sessions prepared by Maria every evening since the first one turned out to be a great success.

"Hey, our cups are empty. I asked for more ale earlier. Where are they?" The tipsy Dovos yelled at the server as the ale was taking too long to come. It was something new so Ethan looked at Dovos worriedly. Dovos was a loud guy but he never yelled at the girls. It was Gura who mostly did.

"What's wrong with him? Did something happen?" Ethan asked the others if they knew. They shook their heads. "He has been moody like this since that day," said Igüan.

"I am sorry sir. We can't serve you more ale. Princess has decreed a law on all taverns not to serve more than three drinks per person because of the war."

"Because of war!? What does that mean? Hey, I am still talking here. Where are you going? A ban on ale at the time of war? Did I hear it right?"

Dovos couldn't believe what he just heard.

Dovos was making a scene so Ethan tried to calm him down. "We may have to fight any time so they need us sober. Make sense. Let's not trouble the waitress."

"No, it doesn't make sense at all!" Dovos argued. He drank three pints of ales in a short amount of time so he was starting to be talkative.

"Ethan, you are siding with the princess because you are_you know why. So I will ask the others. Hear me out Jonah, Gura, Igüan. Are we supposed to kill another human while we are sobered? This isn't the same as killing the monsters. A human. Can you put the edge of your weapon into the flesh of another human, staring into his dreadful eyes as you suck his soul away from him? Without the help of ale. Are you able to do that?"

Dovos asked a question which came from the deep of his mind. The party fell silent for a second, each in their thoughts. As elite hunters, they had been slaying monsters for years and rarely they dreamt of a nightmare. The past few months had been different.

Jonah and Gura remembered the faces they had slain during the fight at Indra. Those curses they swore at the last moment of their death. They frightened them.

Igüan remembered how he ruthlessly smashed the golden cloaks without hesitation during the raid of the palace. He had no personal grudge against them yet he cruelly smashed their heads beyond recognisable. During the heat of the moment, nothing came to him. However, when the dark came, those gruesome images visited his bed.

As for Dovos, it was the Temple girl. He saw her just for a moment at the stairs of Grand Temple but her smile became one of his sweetest memories. It changed into his darkest memory when he saw her lifeless body among the rubbles.

"I was so consumed by bloodthirst, that I completely forgot she would be at bell tower to bring us snacks. How am I the good guy when a kind, pure soul perished because of me? How am I on the good side? I am a bad man. I am as criminal as Templers. I fighting for a greater cause is a hypocrisy." Dovos opened up his guilt to his friends. He asked the deepest question of his existence.

Upon his words, they all lowered their heads and reflected on what they had done. It was a rare silent moment in a pub with ales and music.

After some contemplating, Ethan answered Dovos' question. "We fight for the betterment of the community, unlike the Templers who fight to oppress and make everyone live in a lie. I say that's enough to call you the good guy. For the sins we have, let the punishment be decided by the one above. For now, we shall focus on being a better person for the people."

Ethan dunked half of his cup into Dovos' cup so that Dovos had some ale to clank. Jonah wrapped up the conversation.

"Right. Let's put some ale into our belly and get the energy to bring down the enemy at the front. Cheers."

The door opened wide and a cold snap of winter air brushed the men when they were about to clank their cups. It was Abel. Abel joined the party late. Igüan gave up his seat which was closest to the door to Abel.

"You look exhausted. What have you been doing? Can't you give us some tasks? The others are fighting right at this moment but here we are drinking ale to pass boring time." Asked Gura. All of them were curious as they wished to have some tasks on their hands. They did not agree with Cleo's idea of telling them to rest well until the real moment.

Before she opened her mouth, she stuffed herself with a chicken thigh and a cup of ale as if she had been starved for a week. After gobbling up, she let out a long sigh of satisfaction. Then, her eyes became fierce and her brows slanted.

"Currently, I am more frustrated than exhausted. The hospitals are full. The wounded are left on the streets near the wall without being tended to because the hospitals are incapable of giving them a bed. The physicians have been working mornings and nights but the loads aren't getting lighter. More and more bodies are piling up."

"What do you mean?"

"I have been helping old man Elba at the hospital since the start of the siege. Lots of wounded soldiers are coming lately. Mostly from the eastern wall. Even though the enemy main force is at the north, more casualties are coming from eastern defence than from northern defence."

When Abel alarmed the situation at the eastern wall, they were baffled.

What was happening, Ethan tried to grasp the situation. They all thought the East was the easier side. Grand Templer Celius Mark led the northern army while the east one was led by a Baron, a young lord from House Clement. The command at the palace even thought the east was a hoax to misdirect and spread the defence thin. With the impending danger from the Imperial army, Easton would not send a real army for Midlake, the Palace Command believed.

"What's is happening? I need to see the situation. Let's go to the east wall." Ethan decided to check for himself. The others also tagged along since they were bored. "Maybe we can lend them a hand or two."

When they reached the east wall, the situation was as bad as she said. Bodies were piled below the wall because the carts were full. The wounded soldiers were taking shelter from the enemy barrage in the streets between buildings, waiting their turn to be picked up by a medical team. Some civilians took the matter into their own hands and formed a rescue team to carry the wounded out of the hit zone. They used the dining table from their home as cover from the enemies' arrows which sprayed into the neighbourhood.

Up on the wall, Ethan saw lines of archers taking turns to shoot at the enemies. They were standing tall on the wall showing their concrete determination and bravery. An army of infantry consisting of pikes and swords was also standing in formation below the wall in coherence with their comrades above. They were readied to fight the moment the enemy decided to take the combat into close one.

"Incoming!!" shouted a soldier a warning.

Ethan and the team took cover behind a building, and so did the volunteers. However, the army stood still, unfazed. The commander yelled, "Don't be daunted, my children! Face it head-on, like a holy warrior you are, whether the rain is droplets of water or spikes of iron! Shields UP!!"

The swordsmen lifted their shields on command, covering themselves as well as the pikes. It was the formation swords and pikes were placed alternatively where the pikes acted as the main offence while the swordsmen faced off any enemy who broke into the inner circle, although the second pikemen in the fourth row would mostly take care of the enemy the first pike failed to get.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

A shower of blades poured down on the wall and the army below. Most arrows were stopped by the shields but a few unfortunate men were hit by the arrows that made through the small gaps.

The arrows were kind to the infantry below by not giving any lethal wounds but they did not give the same treatment to the archers above. Some went through the neck. Some went in the chest. One locked itself into an eye socket.

Right in front of his eyes, Ethan witnessed a dozen unlucky fellows fall by the arrows. A few bodies would fall down the wall backwards, splattering blood. Some spots of blood reached the footing of the infantry line, making a young horrified soldier step back a little. It messed up the formation.

"Hey! You there! I told you to hold your position. Are you scared of death?"

"No, I...I.."

"Shut up. Did you lose the balls your father gave you? Then, let me put it back. Give your shield to the soldier behind and stand out there."

The old commander punished the young boy who stepped back. He told him to stand out of the formation alone without the shield. He threatened to kill him and punish his family as deserters if he disobeyed. Forced by the ultimatum from his commander, the young boy walked away from the group staggeringly. He stood alone, in the open. He rubbed the tiny bronze sword given by his parents and muttered prayers in the hope of divine protection.

When Ethan saw it, he could no longer stay behind the building and watched. He decided to intervene. But he was held down by a pair of hands.

"Stop. You can't go there, sir Ethan."

"What do you mean I can't, Luther?"

"It means I won't let you."

"What? Don't tell me this is your doing."

"No. But the commanding officer has the authority to punish his man as he sees fit in time of battle."

"But the kid might die."

"Even if it is death! Understand? And that ain't no kid. He is a man. A warrior. A soldier who is protecting our wall. Don't go around belittling him as a 'kid'."

Luther stopped Ethan in track, telling him to back off and let the army do their own thing.

At that moment, another wave of attack came. "Incoming!!"

Just as the earlier one, the rain of iron came to play another round of death. The army raised their shields and covered themselves. The young soldier recited the prayers louder than before, his voice trembling. The arrows took down a few good men on top of the wall that time as well but the men below were safe. Especially, the flying missiles miraculously missed the young soldier; one flew as near as an inch apart above his shoulder and landed behind him.

Those who were peeking at the lone soldier sighed in relief after they saw him safe. Some cheered him and Abel was one of them. The young soldier raised his hand in triumph with a very big smile on his face. The commander seemed to be proud of his man, too. But a second later, an odd enemy arrow came in suddenly. It cut the Adam's apple of the young soldier and landed behind. Blood gushed out. The young man tried to stop the bleeding but to no success. He called for help but only a gurgling sound came out. He was choked to death in his blood.

It was a terrible scene. Abel shut her eyes as she could not watch. Igüan turned Abel around and covered her ears for her. Jonah and Gura disbelieved what they just saw meanwhile Dovos puked uncontrollably. It was because of ale, Dovos would argue later.

"What in the hell?" Ethan muttered. His shock did not come from the gruesome sight but from the ridiculous command, the commander gave to the young man. It angered him so much that he would have punched that old commander if Luther wasn't there.

"Don't stop me, Sir Luther. That man killed that boy. Not the arrow. Not the enemy. It was him. The officer who is supposed to be taking care of his men."

"I understand your frustration. I truly am. But do not let the anger cloud your judgement."

"My judgement is clouded? That man is the murderer. He cold-bloodily makes his man die. What was he trying to prove with that act of bigotry?"

"I admit there is arguable fault in his punishment."

"It is murder, I tell you. And if that doesn't look like one to you, there is something wrong with your judgement. I am facing him."

Then brushed off Luther and charged straight toward the old commander who was overseeing the defence of the entire eastern wall inside the safe sturdy stone tower. Luther followed him but Abel and the rest stayed to help out the volunteers in carrying the wounded.

With each step toward the top floor, Ethan felt his breath getting hotter like a fiery flame of Hell. The gruesome image of the boy repeated in his head. He pushed the two guards standing at the end of the spiral stairs and barged into the room.

"Why did you do that? Why did you kill that boy?"

Ethan asked the old Commander. He cut the formalities and went hard right from the start.

The officers turned their heads, baffled. They did not expect to meet the champion of God like a furious angel who came to send judgment in the middle of a war.

"Now is not the good time, Champion." The old commander coldly replied to Ethan. His sound was full of confidence. His hands are put in the back. He also told his officers to return to duty just like his eyes which were fixed to the enemy ahead, and his army below; analysing every detail.

"If now is not a good time, when? After everyone is dead? These soldiers are human same as you, men who have loving people waiting at home. They have parents, wives, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers. Daily, thousands of people are desperately attending overcrowded suffocating shitty ceremonies in the hope of a safe return. They send their loved ones trusting you, us, that we will treat them well and bring them to victory. So, stop treating your men like worthless trash you can discard any moment as you see fit. We must treat them with respect and at least honour them a worthy death."

Ethan uncontrollably poured out his feelings when he saw the cold response from the old Commander. His eyes turned red and his nostrils flared in rage.

The room turned quiet. The officers stealthily exchanged looks with each other due to the awkward standoff. One was their superior officer and another was the esteemed holy Champion of God. They dared not pick a side.

The old commander inhaled a deep breath and gave his position to his deputy commander. "Take this rod for a moment and do not let the enemy take advantage of us." He turned around and finally faced Ethan. When he saw Luther with Ethan, the commander turned to Luther first, "Say, do you also think so, Luther? I understand the passion of god's champion over his people. It makes me put more faith in our champion. But as a commander yourself, if you think the same, you should return home and ask your adopted father to teach you again."

Luther lowered his head as his senior scolded him in front of his peers.

"To answer you, my champion." The old commander continued. "He did not die worthless. He taught his colleagues a valuable lesson. Breaking formation means death. It will imprint into their bones now. Discipline is key to victory."

"Discipline, my ass. There are many ways to discipline. What you did was murder."

"Of course, there are many. But they are not so lucky like us. They do not have leisure time to build up experience through small fights like we did. Most of them are urban kids who wake up in warm beds in the morning, chase girls in the afternoon, drink ale in the evening and safely return to bed at night. The greatest violence they have been in is a bar fight. They did not grow up like rural pumpkins who lived under the constant threat of monsters. They haven't tasted true violence yet. Now these soft kids are suddenly thrown into a war where everywhere they step reeks of death. Do you think they can swallow it as a whole? No. I have to give them the taste of death bit by bit or they will break. I am sorry but they are the unlucky ones."

When the commander explained, Ethan remembered the question Dovos asked at the tavern. If the fights took sanity from experienced warriors like Dovos, what would those boys do in a war? Maybe the commander was right about letting them taste bit by bit: Ethan swayed. They were the unlucky ones.