The thunderous blasts of cannon fire tore through walls and earth, reducing them to dust. Houses, slums, crops, and trees were all devoured by the merciless flames, while the lifeless bodies of villagers hung from dead trees. Nightville, once a thriving community, now lay in ruins, with half of its existence reduced to nothing but ashes.

The marching footsteps of countless soldiers created an overwhelming thunderous rhythm as they paraded through the village in a triumphant march of genocide and mass arson, following the orders of the Great King. The colossal smoke engulfed the settlement, merging with billowing black clouds, creating a polluted atmosphere that veiled Nightville from the moon's gentle glow.

The rest of the villagers, lacking means of resistance, coughed amidst the stifling air, their sanity diminishing with each tolling sound. Atria soldiers mounted fierce armored steeds, patrolling with an air of dominance. From a distance, they resembled a swarm of black locusts, descending upon the village, trampling the fallen, and mercilessly executing any villagers who dared defy their orders. Those who attempted to flee were swiftly hunted down, their lifeless bodies impaled on spears as macabre warnings to potential defectors.

The cries of men and women reverberated, marking the passing moments in this apocalyptic scene that unfolded upon the destruction of the impoverished village. Hunters disguised as ordinary villagers—blacksmiths, alchemists, bartenders—met gruesome ends, their lives torn apart. The children, witnessing the sadistic spectacle, succumbed to feverish nightmares, their innocent minds ill-prepared for such horrors.

As time wore on, the massacres grew increasingly brutal, and though hope had long been abandoned, the symphony of death continued its macabre performance, stretching into what felt like an eternity. Seeking aid was futile, as even their prayers fell upon deaf ears while the self-proclaimed god-king ruled with an iron fist, commanding the loyalty of tens of thousands of soldiers ready to die in his name. For those who perished as defectors, they held no regrets, believing it preferable to live a single day as a hero than an entire lifetime as a beggar.

The golden juggernaut, its three dragon heads menacing, bulldozed through all in its path. Following closely behind was a colossal palanquin adorned with red curtains, escorted by a multitude of soldiers as it traversed the village streets. From a distance, it resembled a moving palace armed with cannons, instilling fear in the hearts of the villagers who struggled to find shelter. Flags and pennants proudly identified the legions, infantry, and cavalry of Atria, their presence overwhelming the village as they marched in reverence before the resplendent palanquin, gleaming in black and gold. Adorning it was the royal coat of arms of Atria: The Black Hydra.

The villagers and soldiers had gathered, forming a circle around Dale, Luca, Camus, Talindra, and Kagari. The children trembled in terror as the curtains of the palanquin parted, revealing the imposing figure of King Urien seated upon his throne. Stout, mighty, and resembling a warrior, he was said to possess the strength to lift several tons of stone. His regal cuirass was adorned with a royal robe, and a thick beast fur adorned his neck.

"O King Urien, these rascals have been pilfering your provisions all this while!" accused one villager, pointing accusingly at the children.

"Rascals...is this true?" inquired the king.

Dale and the others were paralyzed by fear, unable to utter a word. This marked the first time the village had come under a complete assault by the royal forces. If their actions were deemed insubordinate, the king might not hesitate to level the village, much like a raging bull charging at a blind man.

"That's not true!" shouted out Kagari, her once timid voice now filled with conviction. "They forced us into it. We're just kids, we didn't know any better."

From the loss of Yaevin to the events unfolding before them, Kagari's perspective on the world had undergone a significant transformation. She wanted to be looked up to like Fenrius without being a burden to her comrades.

One of the villagers snapped, "Do not listen to these little monsters, Your Majesty. They have been trained since childhood to kill and steal. That's why there are rumors of children's gangs scattered across the city."

Camus couldn't believe his ears, but he gradually understood their feelings. Those were villagers whose homes had been burned down and their families killed. Because they couldn't fight against an unbeatable army, so they blamed the children's gang. Camus wanted to curse at them, but he was too scared to do that in front of the king with his menacing aura.

"Damn you all!" shouted Dale, his anger reaching its boiling point, and he couldn't hold back any longer. "If it weren't for us, you'd be six feet under by now!" he burst out in rebuttal, his voice quivering with tears. "We risked everything to bring you food and medicine, and this is how you repay us? By teaming up with the enemies and calling us monsters? You should be damn ashamed of yourselves!"

"My king, we have warned them not to steal the cargo," said another villager. "But they still won't listen to us, please give them the consequences!"

"You're the ones blaming us!" Luca shouted, pointing at the villagers. "We've endured hardships, struggling to survive in this unforgiving place while you turned a blind eye! We never asked for this life, but we banded together, forming a family to protect and support one another. We are not the monsters you make us out to be!"

Luca's words echoed through the tense air, challenging the villagers to confront their own complicity. The villagers were left speechless, unable to respond. In an attempt to end the argument, they began clamoring for the execution of the orphans. They believed it was better for five lives to be sacrificed than for the entire village to be wiped out. However, the king remained unmoved by their pleas.

"Silence!" the king snarled, causing everyone to jump in fear. "If this continues, I will be compelled to execute every one of you right here."

The king's intimidation left the villagers bitter. He was a former general, known for his strength, violence, and hot temper. Determined to rule over the central continent of Ardaenor, he showed no mercy to anyone who stood in his way, regardless of age or disability. His arrogance surpassed even that of the Demon Lord, and his reputation resonated throughout the Runeverse world. It was no wonder that many empires sought to humble his arrogance.

Now, the lives of the children rested in the hands of the king. With no troops from the empires able to challenge him, there was no one else to turn to. Their tear-streaked faces failed to soften his heart of stone, and the king desired to test them further.

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In a condescending tone, the king addressed the children, sneering, "As you can see, brats, none of the villagers care about your lives. They want you executed. Now, I will ask you this: Do you want to sacrifice yourselves for this village?"

Dale, Luca, Camus, Talindra, and Kagari fell silent at the question. If they died, the children's gang would cease to exist. The flame of their resistance would fade, and Fenrius would surely lose all hope and succumb to despair. Moreover, they had made a promise to Fenrius—to survive at all costs and explore the Runeverse world together.

Without consulting their friends, Camus, sobbing, stepped forward and pleaded without thinking, "Please forgive us! We promise never to do it again!" The boy begged pitifully before the king, with hundreds of villagers and thousands of soldiers as witnesses.

"Hmm, wrong decision," replied the king with a smirk. "If you had dared to sacrifice yourselves, I would have acknowledged your bravery and freed all of you from this wretched village. However, it is too late for that now."

The king turned to one of his soldiers and ordered, "Do it...!"

"Ready, Your Fierceness!" responded the soldier, who then instructed the other soldiers to carry out the execution.

"No, nooo! Please!" Camus pleaded for mercy, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as the soldiers had already surrounded and disarmed them.

Talindra and Kagari surrendered as they were surrounded and captured by dozens of soldiers. Meanwhile, Dale and Luca fiercely struggled in the soldiers' grasp. Despite the odds, the two managed to break free, forcefully pushing their way through the crowd like cats doused with hot water.

Their daring escape ignited a spark of hope within Camus, urging him to attempt his own getaway, which he executed successfully. Enraged by their escape, the soldiers unleashed their fury upon the villagers, indiscriminately beating anyone in their path, regardless of age. The villagers were filled with terror and panic.

However, despite his efforts to elude capture, Camus was apprehended when he tried to flee down a narrow alleyway.

"We've caught one of them!" exclaimed one of the soldiers.

"Please, let me go!" pleaded Camus, tears streaming down his face.

"Take him to the gallows!"

"No, he's too noisy! Just drown him!" interjected another soldier.

Arriving at the village lake, the soldiers bound Camus with chains and dragged him to the water's edge. The murky water, filled with a repugnant stench, contrasted sharply with the clear skies above. Camus screamed in terror, begging for his life as he desperately struggled against his restraints. Talindra and Kagari, who had remained silent until then, were now overcome with uncontrollable sobs, their hearts shattered as they witnessed their friend's desperate cries for help.

Meanwhile, Dale leaped from one roof to another, his emotions overwhelming him, tears mingling with heavy breaths. His body alternated between feelings of heat and cold, and beads of sweat dripped profusely. He gradually realized he was surrounded by both sides. Jumping from the height of the roof appeared to be his only opportunity for escape.

"There's another one on the roof of that house! Catch that rat!"

The soldiers stormed into the house, racing up the stairs to reach the rooftop where Dale was trapped. Looking down, Dale saw that it was already filled with spearmen who taunted him to jump to his death. Gasping for breath, he closed his eyes, his mind racing as he contemplated his fate. Knowing there was no escape, he whispered in his last moments, ("Forgive us, Fenrius...but you must avenge us!")

The soldiers forcefully pushed Dale from the roof, and he plummeted into the waiting spears below. Talindra and Kagari screamed in horror as they witnessed Dale's tragic end. Kagari closed her eyes while questioning why orphans like them deserved such a cruel fate.

Meanwhile, amidst the relentless pursuit of the patrolling soldiers around the old hut, Luca found refuge in a haystack. Having lost track of him, the soldiers questioned a villager who had seen the boy enter the hut.

In a state of insecurity, Luca cautiously moved behind a cargo box, holding his breath to avoid detection as the soldiers meticulously searched through the pile of dry grass. Suddenly, the sound of wheels running outside grew louder. The soldiers in the hut swiftly rushed out, aware that their comrades were about to destroy the hut with a colossal cannon.

"We're clear! Destroy this hut immediately before the boy escapes!"

The troops outside, carrying the massive cannon, loaded it and lit the fuse. Luca surrendered himself to the confines of the hut, covering his ears with both hands, desperately hoping for a miracle.

"Countdown! Three...two...one...fire!"

As the cannonball struck, the hut crumbled to the ground, causing chaos inside. Luca was thrown around, his body colliding with walls, planks, and cargo boxes. Despite the mayhem, he miraculously managed to survive, gasping for air and realizing, ("I'm still alive!")

As Luca gazed upwards, the ceiling structure crashed down, exerting immense pressure upon him. A pained groan escaped his lips as the sensation in his body gradually faded away. The light of life dimmed in his eyes, and his frail form yielded to the weight of the wreckage. With his last breath, he managed to utter, "F-friends," before succumbing to eternal stillness.

Talindra and Kagari wept as they witnessed the horrors unfolding before them. In their darkest moment, a soldier pushed Talindra forward, declaring, "Hey, you're next!"

They led Talindra to the execution site, where a hanging rope awaited her. Despite the impending death, Talindra felt a sense of relief, knowing that her fate would be less brutal than that of her friends. Her hands were bound behind her back, and she resigned herself to her destiny, longing for the afterlife.

Guided by the soldiers, she walked up onto the wooden platform, her gaze falling upon a towering stake surrounded by a pile of firewood. It dawned on her that this was the execution site prepared for Kagari, not herself. She could only hope that Kagari would be granted a painless death.

When she reached the gallows, the soldiers placed the noose around Talindra's neck. Talindra cast a final glance at the weeping Kagari, and in an attempt to offer comfort, she mustered a smile and nodded her head, assuring her that everything would be alright.

Seeing Talindra's smile, Kagari summoned her own, but it was strained. She nodded back, holding onto the Elf girl's words spoken after the tragic deaths of their friends: ("Don't be sad. This world is not for children like us. But one day, we will definitely meet again in Heaven. Remember that, always.")

With a loud sound, the lever in the gallows shifted, and Kagari closed her eyes. After a moment, she opened them to see Talindra's lifeless body. Then, a soldier approached the sole remaining child, the red-haired girl, and asked her, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready," Kagari responded, prepared to accept her fate.

"Wait," the king interrupted, surprising everyone. "Little girl, I will spare you. Go now."

"No," Kagari weakly replied. "I don't want to live in this world anymore. Please let me die with my friends..."

Kagari's words left the king astonished and brought tears to the eyes of the villagers. While sacrificing these orphans seemed more palatable to them than witnessing the destruction of their homes, their ingrained mindset held onto old traditions, accepting their fate without resistance. They acknowledged the inherent powerlessness of the weak and oppressed in the face of the strong and blessed.

"Your wish shall be granted," King Urien declared, turning to his guards. "Shoot her with an arrow. Let her die with honor alongside her friends."

"Very well, Your Fierceness!" the king's guard acknowledged, preparing his bow and arrow to aim at Kagari.

Through Kagari's eyes, she could envision Fenrius' face, filled with meaningful smiles and comforting words during moments of despair. Fenrius was the village's only problem-solver, and his motivational words extended the lives of both villagers and children. However, lately, his presence seemed distant. Tears streamed down Kagari's cheeks as she thought of Fenrius one final time. Her heart raced as if it were about to burst.

("I'm sorry, Fenrius... I'm no longer strong... I'm not as strong as you... If you're still alive, we'll be waiting for you in Heaven...")

An arrow pierced Kagari's chest, causing her small frame to jerk backward.

"Somebody, help me...!!!" Fenrius screamed in the midst of the gloomy night.