The End of War. A glorious achievement, a moment, of which every soldier, revolutionary and extremist dreams. They hear the stories from their commanders, fathers, teachers, leaders, and more; tales of the great euphoria that arises from emerging victorious and the crushing despair that accompanies defeat. Hence they fight with all they have to emerge the victor.
But no one ever tells them the truth.
No, no one ever does.
The truth of the harrowing despair that immediately follows momentary joy. The misery that crushes your soul as you look upon the mangled body of your best friend. That hellish, hollowed laughter chokes you upon realizing the rivers of blood paid for the celebrated victory.
No one ever tells them. There are no real victors or losers in a war. Only Survivors. And in the end, it falls to the survivors to pick up the pieces no matter the outcome and strive for a future where they would not have to watch their brethren perish.
Still—Still, despite all this, there do exist a few occasions; battlefields where despite the drowning grief, there arises a small, minute surge of pride. Not the shallow satisfaction of one who congratulates himself for surviving. No, this is the subtle pride that surges up a soldier's chest as he gazes at his fallen brethren.
A pride that arises from realizing that every one of those fallen brethren is the only reason they still live. An overwhelming joy quietly consumes, fuelled by the knowledge they were able to fulfill their slain brethren’s wishes, obtaining victory and ensuring their lives did not go to waste.
This silent pride, purposeful yet subtle, is the most intoxicating of drugs to the grief-laden soldiers. It gives meaning to what would otherwise be a meaningless end. Provides hope that one day, when they too are claimed by the flames of battle, their souls would not be forgotten. They would be able to walk proudly in the afterlife, carried by the pride and gratitude of their brothers-in-arms who lived.
And for those warriors left behind on the earth, the subtle pride within their hearts would give them the courage to step onto the next battlefield. Yes, because no matter how mangled their bodies got, they would be able to continue steadfast in the knowledge that their deaths would not be meaningless.
This was an emotion that transcended reason, orders, and purpose. It did not matter if the soldier was an honorable general or a conscripted slave. As long as there was a brother beside them, they would be able to fight, spurred on by the knowledge that should they perish, their deaths would serve as a platform for their brothers to survive, and vice-versa.
So it was for Yngvar Kernode, who watched with a steely gaze as weeping dwarfs covered their fallen brethren’s corpses with tarps to protect their bodies from the scavenging birds. The old general frowned. His throat, constricted tightly by forcefully blocked emotions, managed to squeeze out, "Many good brothers and sisters were lost."
Absalon, who stood by his said, uttered not a word, gaze similarly cold. Although they had managed to obtain victory, the dwarfs had simply lost too much in this war. Of their six thousand armies, approximately two thousand had perished. That was about a third of their full number! Similarly, Absalon's troops had also lost a third of their number, but most of them were Summoned. So although it was quite irritating, he could take solace in the fact they still lived in the other world.
The dwarfs had no such luck.
"Stand proud," Absalon finally spoke, voice slightly hoarse. As a side effect of staying too long with the Maggots, he had long stopped viewing the residents as computer programs. The pain in his heart was no less than when his brothers died during the short, six-month techno-wars. "They have paid the ultimate price to ensure your freedom.". "Rather than mourn, you should celebrate their sacrifice and pay as much of this debt as you can."
Paiee Nilsen hunched over a dwarf, cradling a bloodied right arm. Reddened eyes watered as she looked up to the red mage. "Is it possible to repay such a debt?"
"No," Absalon instantly refuted. His features relaxed as he let out a sigh. "However, at the very least, you can ensure their sacrifices are not in vain. These men and women fought and died for a free Aygorzi. It now falls to you to make this city one which your fallen brethren will be able to laugh and boast about, even in the afterlife. Make it so they can puff out their chests and say, ‘Ha! You see that! I died for that city right there!’ ”
"Ha, you see that. I died for that city right there," repeated Brexio Rocha under his breath, eyes clouded over with heavy grief. A chuckle escaped his lips, eyes regaining their vigor as he pondered on the words. With a stamp of his ax, he bellowed, "HAHA! Take your time and relax over there. We shall definitely make it so you can stick out your chests and boast even to the gods!"
The wild man's bellow echoed throughout the battlefield, igniting the flames of the dwarfs' squashed pride. One warrior after another stamped their weapons against the earth, repeating the warrior's words.
"Hey, Annabelle! Boast to pops. Your brother will build a great nation like never seen!"
"My love, watch on. I shall surely make you proud."
"Hey Walfrid, still owe me a beer, you goat fucker," murmured a young dwarf, small rivulets of blood dripping from a stump where his left arm should have been. In a bout of carelessness, he had lost it to a merrite, but his best friend took the killing blow in his place. His remaining hand trembled with strength as it clasped firmly onto the ax's hilt. "Heh, don't worry, by the time we're done, you'll have to greet me with the most expensive wine..."
Hovering in the air, Syèl clutched his chest as similar declarations resonated across the plains. Memories of young, impressionable faces surfaced, their features twisted with pain and depression. Yet, every one of those faces sported weakened smiles, their final words a burden too heavy to bear. "Live well." "Live on." "You must live for all of us." "Stay strong." Then she appeared, golden hair beautiful eyes stained with red. "Live on. Live Happily. Live the life we wanted. Live a life we can be proud of. Thank y—"
With a heavy flap of his wings, Syèl burst into the sky above, the opposing wind managing to interrupt the memory. Below, Shoko raised her gaze to the sky, a flash of guilt crossing her face as she watched the young man's fleeing back, small drops of clear, transparent liquid glistening in the afternoon sun. However, she soon fixed her expression, returning her attention to the merrites who were being shackled. "...I cannot tell him yet. Not like this." She cast her gaze to the north, where a battle was sure to be taking place. "Please finish this. I must leave this horrible place."
A dwarf noticed her far-off look and followed suit, sending a pleading gaze and prayer to the north. Like a current of hope, not only the dwarfs, but even the merrites, Summoned and felur turned to the north. No one knew what they were waiting for or what they expected, but without fail, they looked to the north, half-believing, half-hoping a sign would come. A signal to indicate their losses would not be in vain.
Absalon's whitened knuckles tightly gripped his staff, brows furrowed as he too gazed toward the north. "Come on, Kashi."
Within the main palace, a pale-faced Anton heavily heaved, his body still struggling to recover from the after-effects of utilizing the mana-reliant defense system. Despite his apparent fatigue, his gaze held strong determination as he uttered with a piercing glint. "Kashi-dono, please finish this."
Outside the palace, Lunette clutched a microphone to her chest, worried gaze cast toward the north where her brother and Kashi were sure to be fighting. Above dark clouds had begun to gather, cold winds nipping at her knees. Ignoring the cold, Lunette mumbled a prayer as a determined gaze shone in her eyes.
She faced Lufer and nodded, firm resolve resplendent in her eyes.
The conductor raised his baton, preparing the orchestra for one last number. Beyond that, Lunette would be the only one with enough mana to continue. "Iggy, Diegel, Ziggy. We'll be depending on you guys for this one. Think you can handle it?"
The triplets readied their tools of war, gazes somber with powerful resolve.
"Ready whenever," said Diegel, drumsticks raised high.
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At the northern end, the silent battlefield exploded to life, as with a swipe of Lufer's baton, roars similar to the war cry of an uncaged proud beast burst out.
As if spurred by the explosive opener, accumulated ki exploded beneath the daeben's feet.
Despite hovering ten meters in the air, panic suddenly gripped Ruse. With a desperate shout, he sharply retreated in a burst of flames. While fleeing, he did not forget to launch several fireballs ahead of him. The fireballs collided with each other at a set distance, erupting in a brilliant conflagration that covered the skies.
"I warned you to get down," a cold voice, akin to death itself, spoke from within the eruption. "You forced me to do this." The flames suddenly burst open to reveal the daeben with a bow in hand.
Ruse attempted to flee. But by the time the flames dispersed, an arrow had already struck torn through his left shoulder. The mage suppressed a pained scream as a searing pain shot up his shoulder. "Kashi!" screamed Ruse. "I'll kill you!" Ruse swore as a massive red mandala formed in front of his outstretched right hand. "I'll slau—"
BOOM!
"You talk too much."
Larsial's eyes widened with disbelief as a massive bow taller than she was slammed into the earth. Mechanical gears in the giant weapon suddenly spurred to life, spinning madly. She could only watch as Ruse, caught unprepared, crashed to the ground, pulled by a rope attached from the bow to the arrow lodged in his shoulder.
Not giving the mage a moment's rest, Kashi deftly switched to a carbon copy of the giant bow. The bow series, simple named 'Hunter' was an anti-MaM (Massive Aerial Monster) weapon, designed to make it much easier to pin down quick, mobile aerial monsters. Kashi did not create it for humes, but quite frankly, he did not give a shit.
Ruse burst from the earth, face red with rage. However, the gears in the first bow pulled hard, preventing him from gaining any ground. Irritated, the mage pointed his right hand at the bow.
Pa!
"AAHH!" Ruse’s intent turned to a scream of pain as another arrow stabbed into the arm. His gaze whipped to the daeben, who nonchalantly planted the second bow by the first.
"I think I finally see the joy in fishing," Kashi mocked, arms folded. He looked over at the bows with appreciation. "Too bad, I only managed to finish two. Still, at least I was able to get some valuable field test results. So all's good."
Ruse, who felt like his arms were about to be torn from their sockets, roared, "Don't force my hand, daeben!"
Kashi's nonchalant gaze bore into the primate's. "I care not what hand you have. I only warn that you must never speak down to me." His gaze narrowed, voice dropping till it was as freezing as the winter wind. "Next time, I shall not be so polite."
Ruse almost went made with rage, eyes bulging out of their sockets like they would soon explode. "Who do you think you are!? Do you know who I am!?" He, Ruse, was not only a primate but a primate of the younger generation. His future was endless, and the Holy Land viewed him quite favorably. When had he suffered any kind of humiliation? "Where do you get this baseless confidence!?"
Kashi walked up to the flaming mage, disdain in his gaze. "This is not mere confidence." He stopped before Ruse, an intense gaze seemingly tearing into the primate's soul. "This is Arrogance." His fingers wrapped around the mage's throat. With a straight face, Kashi began to squeeze. "The Arrogance of the Strong. I am stronger than you. Hence you shall obey my rules. If you do not..." Kashi's grip casually tightened, causing veins to rise up Ruse's neck as he desperately fought for breath. "Now, I have some questions that need an—"
"HAHAHA!" Ruse bellowed, eyes holding not a small hint of mockery and laughter. "What a good Arrogance of the Strong!" The mage's lips parted to reveal a toothy grin as his flames begun to take on a dark yellow hue. "Fine then! Watch, Bear Witness to True Power!"
BOOOM!
A colossal blaze, over ten meters, flared up in all directions. Maddening laughter rang out as a silhouette was flung across the plain by the combustion's force. The daeben, having suffered the bulk of the attack, gritted his teeth and righted himself. His feet hit the earth, but the momentum sent him sliding several meters back.
The daeben barely had time to gain his bearings before a yellow apparition appeared in front of him. Ruse, whose body resembled yellow solidified lava, punched at the daeben. Kashi, despite his weak balance, ducked to the side. Despite this, the heat alone from the flames left scabs on the left side of his face.
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
The daeben prepared to take a hard step back, but Ruse was having none of that. A massive fireball shot out his left hand, instantly engulfing the daeben. However, it achieved the opposite effect, as Kashi slightly jumped into the air just before the attack exploded several meters away.
Kashi's fingers swiftly picked out a bow from his inventory. By the time his feet touched the earth, five missiles had cried out in rage.
Ruse snorted at the daeben's attack. The arrows combusted immediately hit the primate just as several mandalas appeared around the mage, which then fired dozens of flaming projectiles.
Kashi's eyes glowed, a grin curling up charred lips at the massive sky of flames. Dozens of arrows, in turn, flew out as he dashed in a curve round his quarry. Thunder rang in the skies above as the arrows and fireballs exploded against each other. Kashi jumped, dodged, and weaved his way past the fireballs that made it through, arrows flying out in retaliation.
Shadow frowned as he watched Kashi suffer under splash damage from the crashing fireballs. As injuries steadily accumulated on Kashi's body, it became apparent he could not quickly heal against these new breeds of flames compared to the previous one. What's more, this was utterly disturbing. Since when did the daeben properly kite and play like a real archer? "What're you up to?"
"Hahaha!!!" Ruse erupted in laughter as he watched the daeben scurry around like a rat. "Run, run. There's nowhere to hide!" The flames, seemingly having no end, only increased in size, intensity, and number as they bombarded the daeben unceasingly. If it were not for the daeben's uncanny accuracy that allowed him to take out over eighty percent of the fireballs, he would have long since perished. Still, judging from the injuries, it would not be long before he fell.
"What was that you said!?" Ruse bellowed as a spherical flame began forming behind him. "Arrogance of the Strong!? Hahaha! I'm stronger than you, so shouldn't you obey my rules!?" With maniacal laughter, the primate lifted ten meters off the earth. "I want you to run until you die. So run! Run, you rat!"
A dangerous glint crossed Kashi's eyes, but he could not charge on account of the bombardment.
"Hehe! Frown all you want! It won't change the outcome," taunted Ruse, a gargantuan sphere of flames over fifteen meters in diameter hovering above his head. "You will die. Slowly, painfully, without honor like a rat." With a drop of his hand, the massive bomb dropped toward the daeben. "When I'm done with you, next shall be that slut! I will ensure she experiences the definition of Hell on Earth. Do not worry. In time you will be reunited with whatever remains."
Kashi’s steps suddenly froze. Multitudes of fireballs exploded around him, the ensuing explosion shrouding his figure.
Ruse burst out in animated laughter as the gargantuan fireball slammed into the earth. The earth crumbled to dust as the subsequent detonation dug out a massive crater.
Ruse held his belly with animated laughter. "This is your fate! To be squashed like a bug! You should be honored I personally sent you on your way." Ruse grinned as he waited for the smoke to disperse. He did not doubt the daeben's demise as the last attack held over seventy percent of his total mana.
No one could have survived that.
Ruse only wished to see the daeben's remains for himself. "Hehe, I wond— ” BOOM! “— AAAAH!!!"
Ruse's right arm exploded into pieces resulting in a bloodcurdling yell. "Who! Who did that!? Come out!?"
"I did warn you," scolded a familiar cold voice. A burst of wind scattered the dust to reveal a dark drakul within the crater, a beautiful green bow in hand. No, wait. On closer inspection, that was not a drakul at all. His features were too refined and graceful.
"A... A draconian!?" Ruse screamed with fright! How!? Why!? This was impossible! There was no way a draconian could exist in these times. "Who, who are you!?" Ruse's eyes flitted to the bow in the draconian's hand. What the hell? The power he felt from that thing was no less than the draconian himself. When had he offended such a figure?
"I did warn you," Kashi spat, slowly notching arrow onto Ferulic's Practice Bow. "You are not permitted to talk down to me. As if that was not bad enough, you touched my reverse scale." Red eyes burning with smoldering rage glared at the primate. "Do you know what happens when you touch a dragon's reverse scale?"
Ruse panicked, instinctively firing a chain of fireballs in a straight line. The primate's eyes widened as an arrow tore into his chest before the fireballs dispersed as if only then realizing they had been burst through. Dread filled the primate. He had to escape! He turned around, eager to run for his life, only to feel a tug on his chest. His eyes traveled down, eyes widening as three arrows tore through, extended teeth clasping to his chest. He did not need to look back to know there were metal ropes on the other end.
"No, NO!" Ruse cried out as he prepared to explode in flames once more.
Within the crater, Kashi's gaze remained level as he seemingly casually tugged on the rope. Ruse sharply jerked, then like a ragdoll dragged by a child, was yanked down to the outstretched daeben's arms.
BOOM!
Ruse coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, his descent forcefully stopped by the draconic hand clasped around his neck. With his back to the draconian, Ruse could not see Kashi's expression, further compounding the terror. "L-let me go! S-stop! Do you know wha--!"
Craack!!!
Blood gushed out of Ruse's nostrils as Kashi slammed his face against the earth. Subtle hot breaths by his right ear nearly made the over thirty-year-old man wet himself in fright. "P-plea—"
"What was that about hell?"
Ruse trembled from scalp to toe as he was forced to stare into the most terrifying pair of blood-red eyes. Those raging pools exuded a bloodthirst, unlike anything he had ever seen. This type of raw bloodlust should not come from a hume! "Hiiii!!!" Ruse shrieked with fright as he futilely struggled to get out of the draconian's grasp. "Y-Y-Y What are you!?"
Boom!
"How rude!" Kashi protested as he crushed the primate's skull against the earth. "I am a perfectly normal daeben." Boom! A sickening grin marred the daeben's rage-filled features. "In fact, I am so normal, I simply can not imagine what 'Hell on Earth' is like." Boom! "You said you would show her, right?" Boom! Boom! Boom! "How about you teach me first?" Kashi placed his right leg on the primate's back and switched his grip to Ruse's good arm. "Is it something like this?"
RRRRiiiip!
"AAAAHHHH! AH! AH AAAAAH!"
Chills went down Shadow's spine as he watched the draconian casually crush the torn-off arm, unfazed by the fountains of blood that sprayed upon him. Only now did he truly understand why he always felt wary around the daeben.
Neither Kashi’s furrowed brows nor grinning lips showed his true feelings. No, the daeben’s genuine emotions lay in his eyes.
The eyes which gazed at the screaming primate were filled with stark indifference, devoid of any emotion. It was almost like Kashi had relegated Ruse’s existence to less than a bug. The primate was similar to a pile of waste paper he could absentmindedly tear to shreds.
"AAAHHH! LET US DIE TOGETHER!!!"
BOOOOOM!!!!
The watching soldiers quickly dove to the earth as a mighty explosion, akin to the detonation of a nuke erupted, enveloping over thirty meters in its blast radius.
[Supernova] was Ruse's trump skill for desperate occasions. It involved simultaneously combusting all the mana in his body at once. The ensuing explosion was enough to slay dragons in one fell swoop, with its only downside being he would become nothing but an average human for at least four days. Still, no one had ever survi--!
"Oh, that was quite the blaze," drawled a lazy voice.
Ruse's complexion whitened as he felt the foot still pressing down upon his back. How!? How was he still alive? How did he survive that! Ruse could clearly remember how Kashi was desperately dodging the fireballs earlier. Then there was his level. How could a brat who had not even reached level 110 be this powerful?
"Don't be too shocked," Kashi said as he casually notched an arrow. Although he took pride in torturing himself to get stronger, he derived no pleasure from torturing others. Thankfully, Ruse's combustion had helped cool him down. It was better to end this quick. "Earlier, I only needed you to help me test the effectiveness of my Elemental Resistances."
Kashi's foot slid up the primate's back and pressed his head firmly to the ground. "I must thank you. It was rather insightful. I was able to confirm my daeben form is now completely immune to Tier 1 flames, but not so much Tier 2." Kashi drew the bowstring till it was taut and trained the arrow at the exposed skull. "Well, you have served your purpose. So, you can go die now."
"W-wait, P-pleas—"
"STOP!"
Kashi froze in place, his gaze turning to see Larsial clutching a familiar woman with a blade to her neck. Brow raised, he asked, "What are you doing?"
Larsial bit her lip, pupils shaking with disbelief. Even if she lost, even if the entire army lost, she’d firmly believed Ruse would be able to handle the dwarven army by himself. Yet, what was this reality? How was this even possible? Gritting her teeth, she pressed her blade to the neck of a battered, despair-eaten Zaram. "Release him! Or I shall kill this woman!"
A mocking smirk curled up the daeben's lips. "And why would I do that? I don—"
"Do not lie!" Larsial interrupted, her tone heating up with desperation. "I know you made contact with her. She kept her word and led you safely into Meilfour. Surely you, a man of honor, would not abandon her now."
Kashi's draconic scales receded, revealing the daeben's perplexed look.
"Hahahaha! Man of honor? You? Did Shadow knock this woman in the head?" Kashi's confusion turned to irritation as Kira's amused laughter echoed within his mind.
Larsial, as if sensing his irritation, screamed out, "Besides, Zaram Karim is highly respected among the Merrites. If they hear you abandoned her to die here today, they will fight you to the death! You might not know this, but she is Brock's distant cousin. She only left him because they saw different futures for Merriheim. If you save her, Brock will happily help you. If you do not... Hehe, Few know this, but of the three great overlords, Brock is the most terrifying of all."
Kashi smiled. "You make a compelling case." He gestured at Zaram with his chin. "What does the lady have to say for herself?"
Zaram's lifeless eyes stared at the body beneath the daeben's feet. Was this the invincible Ruse? Was this the power she thought she had to impress if she wanted a better life? In the end, why didn't she listen to her cousin and focus on developing herself first? Why did she think she needed to rely on Ruse's power? A power which, in the end, had destroyed the very lives she had been trying to better.
Zaram cast a limpid gaze at the daeben. Throat too dry to let out a single sound, she only nodded, a single tear of satisfaction rolling down her cheek. If she could exchange her one life to atone for her sins, she would not hesitate to do so.
Thunder roiled in the darkened sky as Kashi nodded. "Good choice."
"WAI—"
BOOM!
SPLAT!
Larsial went weak at the knees as she watched Kashi take his feet of the headless corpse. The heavens opened up, letting out heavy rain which beat down on the daeben, washing blood and brain tissue to the earth. Rivulets ran across the battlefield, washing away blood and tears and carrying them towards the crater.
Lightning flashed, illuminating Kashi's bright, sinister smile, as he looked at Larsial. "I shall give you two choices: A) You let her go, and I accept your surrender. B) You attempt to kill her. See what happens."
Larsial's hands trembled, sheer terror reflected in her eyes as she peered into the daeben's. In her life, she had never feared death as much as she did at that moment. Looking into those bloody pools, it was like she was face to face with the reaper. It was almost like death was the happiest outcome she could hope for if she crossed him.
Eventually, Larsial's blade dropped to the earth along with her knees. "You win. I give up."
Kashi grinned, genuinely pleased. "Great. I didn't want to commit genocide on my own race. Order them to stand down."
Larsial's eyes widened. "You knew?"
Kashi snorted. "How many races can draw so many accurate runes that they can use them so wastefully. If I couldn't figure it out, I should go bash my head in."
A glint of hope appeared in Larsial's eyes. "So, you won't slaughter us?"
"Well, that'll depend on you guys. My King seeks Unification of all. Including you ass hats."
Larsial's gaze narrowed. "I do not believe there is a king capable of ordering you."
Kashi shrugged. "That is none of your business. Just order your men to stand down."
Larsial sighed and shook her head. This was the fate of the defeated.
Larsial took out a scroll from her side pockets—a scroll she’d hoped she would never have to use. She shut her eyes and ripped the scroll.
Outside the crater, the red armored army glanced up at the dark sky, where a white sun temporarily bloomed before dissipating into little sparks that hopelessly fell to the earth. As if following a predetermined script, the armored troops dropped to their knees and stabbed their weapons into the ground. They then bent their heads and removed their helmets.
A host of white-haired men and women revealed their heavily tattooed pale-blue faces to the world for the first time in over a decade.