War, a funny concept really. While soldiers die in the battlefield, the people who started it indulge themselves with unfathomable luxury. Balls filled with uneaten food that will just rot before anybody gets to eat it, luxurious dresses that could have kept hundreds warm in the winter months, and nobles that has only one talent, taxing the people.

A war is something that no normal person wanted but are the ones most affected by it. Innocent children starve to death on the pavement of streets and noone bothers to even bat an eye to them. While the children of the people who started this war, waste money on pointless luxury that could have fed dozens of starving family for a year! What a fucked up world this is.

This, is my world.

Four years ago, due to some disagreements between 2 groups of people, one of the bloodiest war in the history of both countries started. The Kingdom of Colette declared war against the Kingdom of Castelle after the Castellians announced that they will increase the tariffs and support the Arch Duke who announced secession from the Kingdom of Colette. After that, it spiralled out of control. It was also the year when the Sage of Castelle died from old age, with that, Colette knew it had a chance. Conscription of both countries hiked to an unprecedented numbers. It left many villages, crippled due to the loss of work force. Bandits grew in numbers, which attacked undefended villages relentlessly.

Many civilians flee their villages and headed to bigger cities. Only to starve in the coming winter. The cries of mothers for the loss of their children no longer mattered, for the lives lost due to the negligence of the ruling class and nobility were treated as mere numbers. It was hell.

In this world, one will never be able to survive if they could not dirty their hands. At age 6 I learned to steal from people, this was due to the orphanage I used to be in closing down due to the lack of funding. I robbed people of their possession just to live. I did all that I can just to get a loaf of bread and clean water for I had noone to do it for me.That continued for a year, and I found a bunch of kids my age who are trying to survive as well.

We lived in a shack in the slums of the capital where no laws are really implimented. That means one cannot simply call the guards to rescue you. As I got home after nicking the wallet of a man causing trouble to one of the shop in the market, I wanted to have dinner with food I bought with the money I stole with one of my friends so I called onto him.

  " You should eat Yensin " I spoke, to the kid on the floor who had his back turned to me. To us, the floor is no different from our bed and dinner table.

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No reply could be heard.

  " Yensin? " I asked again with no reply. At that time one of the kid I live with entered the house, he was a chubby kid older than both of us who've we regarded as a leader. He entered the house sweating profusely and out of breath. He walked to my direction and held my shoulders.

  " Hildenn, RUN! " I was startled with the sudden raise of his voice. I looked onto him confused and shocked.

  " What are you saying? Did something happen? " I asked him after composing myself.

  " A gang is out to kill us! I came back here to see if you are still here! They already got Yinsen! " He said while dragging me out of the house.

  " Wait Yinsen is right ther- " I noticed blood on the floor. As I peered closer to where Yinsen is, I saw his guts that have already left his abdomen. My legs loss all its strength as I was dragged out by Chubby. He got a candle and burned all our clothes and belongings.

We ran and ran. He explained to me that one of the people I stole on was a part of the gang, so they aimed to kill us as revenge. My body trembled in fear as I realized that it was all my fault. Tears fell in my eyes as I remembered the state Yensin was in. I was horrified that I might end up like that too.

As we're about to reach the end of the slums to enter the more buzzling market, Chubby collapsed to the ground. An arrow have pierced his chest. Another arrow hit my leg as I saw 5 men with swords running towards us.

  " SHIT! " I cried in agony. I trembled as the hand of my friend was losing its warmth. I accepted my fate for I believed this is retribution for my past action.

As my friend was about to say a word his throat was pierced with the sword of the man.

  " You little shit. Do you really think you can run from me? " He stepped on my leg that was pieced by an arrow. I writhed in agony as the pain I felt were inconceivable.

He grabbed my black hair and started lifting up my body. ' Ah this is it ' I said in my mind. Accepting my fate.

A sword swung between me and the man. Cutting his arms off. I was soaked in the blood that the wound of my friend bled. And was bathed with that of his murderer. I looked up and saw a man wearing an armor, holding a blade different from the dull ones you can find in the slums. He sliced up the men who were chasing us relentlessly. The blades carried by the pursuers were cut in half from by the blade held by the armored man. A woman behind me, held her hand out and started chanting. The wound on my leg immediately closed up.

  " You'll be okay now. " She said as she smiled onto me full of worries.

It suddenly turned silent. I returned my gaze to the man who fought the people pursuing me. I saw a bloodbath. The man turned around and nodded to the lady behind me.

The lady spoke again and the stick on her hands started glowing, it was magic. We were engulfed by water and suddenly the blood on my body disappeared. We were dried by the sudden gust of wind and she gave me a robe that covered my body and head. I looked onto her face and saw tears on her cheeks.

  " Hilden... " The man spoke as I lost my consciousness and dozed off.