Cristobal watched with a wide smile as families entered the gigantic silo. The giant bestowed a cheerful smile upon each person who reached the silo's door, regardless of how repetitive the action was. This made Tea quite uncomfortable, as he clearly noticed his uncle's abnormal behavior. To the point that the young redhead began to suspect that Cristobal was actually enjoying watching each of these families willingly enter this "trap" like pigs heading to the slaughterhouse. To make matters worse, Cristobal occasionally made ironic comments about the future of these people or discreetly warned them about what would happen to the families that entered. However, he did it with the subtlety that only he and his nephew could truly understand. This added even more pressure on young Tea, who struggled internally not to think about the eyes or faces of the poor children who entered happily, unaware of what would happen next.

—Isn't it a bit cruel to deceive these peasants like this?—Tea asked in a hushed voice, unable to bear the pressure in his chest any longer, watching with despair as a young couple entered the silo doors after receiving his uncle's "reliable" smile.

—In reality, Tea, we are saving many people—murmured Cristobal, looking at the paths on the streets, not hiding how eager he was to see more people fall into the trap.

—How is this supposed to save anyone?—Tea asked, incredulous at what he was hearing.

—We are saving many soldiers who will fight against these peasants in the reconquest war. Moreover, if we don't do this and fail to capture the capital, it will be the main army that is besieging the capital that will carry out this "task". With their numbers, they wouldn't bother and wouldn't leave a single heart beating in this town. So, we are saving many lives, lad—Cristobal said, surprising Tea considerably. From that perspective, many people would come out alive, although the surprise for the redhead came from discovering his uncle's lack of confidence in the conquest of the besieged city.

—But when that happens, we will already be dead...—Tea replied, speaking each word slowly and despairingly. He understood the weight of failing in the next mission and reflected on all the beautiful things he hadn't even experienced in this life yet—Do you really think we will fail? Dad told me to have confidence in the great general, and I really doubt that Grandfather's brother selected me for this mission just to arrange my funeral before he died.

—But of course, we will succeed: I'm a hundred percent sure we will capture the capital in a few days!—Cristobal replied with a foolish smile, putting his axe on his shoulder and watching as some flaming arrows flew through the sky, as if indicating something.

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After hearing his uncle's words, Tea was left with his mouth agape, looking at the signals in the sky given by the other soldiers. He wondered why his uncle, who just a few hours ago was the most pessimistic person in the world, now seemed to speak with the confidence of a lovesick dove.

—But then why do we kill all these people? Couldn't we...—Tea tried to say, wanting to remind his uncle that all these people would do no harm if they succeeded in capturing the capital, and these people would even be necessary to appease and bribe the survivors of the siege with food.

—Many things can be done, lad, but now is not the time to think about such nonsense. I need you to give the signal once and for all; I don't see anyone heading this way anymore—Cristobal interrupted while putting both his hands on the silo doors, causing the double door to turn into solid rock.

With more doubts than he would like to have at this moment, Tea followed his uncle's order and pointed his finger at the sky. Immediately, a fire arrow shot out from his finger and burst in the air like fireworks. Upon seeing the fireworks coming from the direction of the silo, the soldiers understood the signal and hurried to make the final preparations to start the grand spectacle.

—Shall I start the fire?—Tea asked, raising his hand to the silo with the same slowness that his doubts provided him, understanding that having given the signal to start the second stage of the operation, there was no turning back for the poor souls trapped in the silo.

—No, no, I'll do that—Cristobal replied, looking at the fireworks in the sky with delight.

—But you can't even make a measly marble-sized fireball—Tea commented.

Nevertheless, the giant took a torch he had already prepared and, with great effort, managed to make a very tiny flame come out of his gigantic hand. Taking more time than Tea would have liked, the giant managed to ignite the torch, but it quickly went out with the wind.

—Do you want me to light the torch?—Tea asked, watching as his uncle began to turn red with anger as he saw the torch extinguish every time he lit it.

—Yes, come on, we can't be the last ones or the people inside the silo will hear the screams of the others and start to panic—Cristobal replied, bringing the torch closer. However, Tea only had to snap his fingers for the torch to ignite by itself.

—How skillful...—Cristobal responded with a smile as he threw the torch onto the thatched roof of the silo. Although logically, that hadn't caused anything since many more torches were needed to make the fire spread quickly. So, the giant commented:

—Well, now finish setting the roof on fire before the people inside notice the torch I just threw.

Slightly annoyed at how useless the torch had been, Tea aimed his hand at the silo's roof, and a flurry of small fireballs began to shoot out of his palm like a machine gun, burning the roof on all sides. The fire quickly began to spread, but for now, the people inside the silo could only smell the faint, bitter scent of the burning straw.