Patches of red decorated the city roads, the vibrant colour making a sharp contrast to the dull streets. Even the brick walls of the countless rows and rows of buildings uniformly lined up were not let off.

 

Headless bodies lay sprawled out on the street, their heads a few feet away from their bodies with their faces forever stuck in a silent scream. The echoes of the screams in the distance were like a reminder of a few moments ago when the dead still lived and screamed just the same.

 

This horrifying scene made it impossible for one not to jump to the conclusion that it was the result of a monster’s rampage. However, it wasn’t. It was a result of human brutality.

 

“Mummy, where’s Papa?”

 

A young and tender voice was heard amid the chaos.

 

A little boy around the age of five was in the arms of a young woman. The woman gasped loudly as she ran. Her face was pale and her lips colourless, yet she did not stop once. She couldn’t. She had to escape with her child, as far away from the turmoil as she could. To somewhere safe.

 

“Shh, Ethan. Papa is working now. He will catch up with us later when he’s done.”

 

After whispering a reply, the woman softly hummed a nursery rhyme trying to distract her child from the screams in the distance. A trace of grief flashed in the woman’s eyes at the mention of her husband.

 

A few days ago.

 

Sounds of metal clashing sounded tirelessly in the darkness.

 

The border walls have fallen and the capital’s walls have been breached.

 

Cannons were fired, creating deep imprints on the dirt path outside the walls. Oil was poured and fire arrows were shot, burning the enemies charging outside the walls. Soldiers in blue military uniforms lined up on the walls, cutting down any that tried to climb the walls. 

 

The Raelem Kingdom threw everything they had at their enemy yet they barely made a dent in the Alynthia Kingdom’s military might.

 

It was impossible. This was the thought that every soldier in blue had when they fought the soldiers in black.

 

This was their first war. It was the first time they had faced such pressure and overwhelming might. It was impossible for them to win this war.

 

With their wills wavering, one by one, the soldiers in blue surrendered their lives to their opponents.

 

Tony had never been anyone special. 

 

He was just another face in the crowd, one that could be easily forgotten.

 

He became a soldier when he was eighteen, wanting to become a hero like his idol, the kingdom’s duke and general, Anthony Celest.

 

Duke Celest was the guardian of the North. He guarded the kingdom against the beasts that appeared near the Northern borders. Beast tides would occasionally occur near the border but with the duke’s strength alongside his army of elites, they were easily solved without a hitch.

 

The duke’s merits had inspired many young men in the kingdom to be like him, the valiant general of the North.

 

It was a pity that Tony did not have the qualifications to become a soldier under the duke.

 

Facing the Alynthia Kingdom’s soldier in front of him, Tony desperately swung his sword. He was exhausted out of his mind and his hands and feet were starting to feel numb. The feeling of despair washed over him as he glanced at his comrade’s bodies steadily piling up beside him. He wanted to give up. He wanted to drop his sword and let his opponent take his life. He wanted to lie down and take a breather. Or maybe sleep. Yeah, he could really use some sleep now.

 

CLANG—

 

“What are you doing, soldier? This is not a place to daydream.”

 

A strict voice harshly reprimanded Tony.

 

Tony’s eyes widened seeing the person who helped him.

 

With blonde hair as bright as the rising sun and eyes as blue as sapphire, Duke Celest parried and stabbed at the person fighting against Tony, instantly killing the person Tony had a hard time with in merely a few breaths.

 

“Chin up and fight. I’m right behind you.”

 

The presence of Duke Celest sparked a flame in the Raelem Kingdom’s soldiers. The general was like a beacon of hope to the soldiers, showing the unyielding trust and belief the Raelem Kingdom had for the duke.

 

Like an unstoppable blade, the duke swiftly and sharply cut through the battlefield, supporting his kingdom’s soldiers along the way. The duke’s army of elites quickly followed along to patch the wall’s defences, as well as replace their fellow soldiers who had been defending non-stop in the past few hours.

 

The addition of Duke Celest lessened the pressure on the soldiers. The Raelem Kingdom’s soldiers once again raised their swords courageously and fought the soldiers in black. Even if they did not succeed, they still had the duke with them. The duke will surely successfully protect the capital, just as he did with the Northern borders.

 

Hours flew by with neither side falling behind the other.

 

As the sun began to peak from the mountain head and its bright rays shone on the Raelem Kingdom, the soldiers in black retreated, signalling the end of a long night and bringing a moment of peace to the Realem Kingdom’s walls.

___

 

“It’s impossible. We have no chance of winning. The odds are against us.”

 

A heavy gloom shrouded the meeting room. Pessimism coloured the faces of each and every military commander in the room. It was as if all hope was lost and submission was imminent.

 

“It’s because of that mindset of yours that we are bound for failure. Since when was surrendering ever considered?"

 

Jones glared piercingly at the resigning faces of the commanders. Disappointment filled his heart at how easily the commanders gave up, the knight's oath forgotten.

 

It was time to remind them of the oath they had let down.

 

"Be without fear in the face of my enemies."

 

The commanders flinched recognizing Jones' words. It was the knight's oath. The oath they had made when they started serving the kingdom as honourable knights.

 

"Be brave and upright no matter the challenge."

 

With each word added to the oath, shame gradually replaced the pessimistic appearances of the commanders.

 

"Protect the kingdom and my home.”

 

Someone's voice joined in the recitation of the oath.

 

“Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong.”

 

And another.

 

“My duty is my truth.”

 

Heartbeats that beat in their own rhythm started beating in sync.

 

“For the kingdom, I will live.”

 

Voices that varied started becoming one.

 

“And for the kingdom, I will die"

 

At the last word, Jones looked pointedly at Krez, the person who created the demoralising atmosphere.

 

“Then what do you suggest we do?"

 

Krez was unrelenting of his stance. He wholeheartedly believed in the kingdom's defeat. He didn't want to continue a losing war and needlessly sacrifice the soldiers. The thought of doing so irked him.

 

"Fight," Jones replied, his eyes unwavering.

 

Krez looked into those firm eyes and frowned. He realised that no matter how much he argued, Jones would never change his mind. Once Jones' mind was set, it could never be changed. That was how unyielding Jones' will was.

 

"Sir…" Grasping at straws, Krez turned to the duke sitting at the head of the table.

 

The duke gestured for Krez to stop. “Commander Jones is right.”

 

The duke’s eyes roamed the many commanders sitting in the room. “This is our kingdom. If we don’t fight to protect it, who will?”

 

“I know of the many dissatisfactions in your hearts.”

 

The duke’s eyes passed Commander Gerald’s figure.

 

“A father.”

 

Commander Chris.

 

“A son.”

 

Commander Fernand.

 

“A brother.”

 

And lastly, Commander Krez.

 

“Who will protect our home if not us?”

 

The dying fervour was once again rekindled at the duke’s words. Whether it would be strong enough to face the upcoming storm, only time could tell.

____

 

After the meeting, Duke Celest returned to his tent to rest. Tomorrow would be an even busier day than today and he needed all the energy he could get in preparation.

 

“Anthony.”

 

A gentle voice welcomed the duke as he entered his tent; the figure of a petite woman reflected in his eyes.

 

The duke’s face unwittingly softened in the woman’s presence. With an affectionate tone, Duke Celest called the woman’s name, “Stella.”

 

The person in front of the duke was both the love of his life and his wife. They have been together for many years, and although it was said that the passion between lovers would eventually fade as the years went by, Duke Celest and his wife’s adoration for each other only grew the longer they stayed together.

 

The duke and his wife were inseparable — wherever one went, the other would be there. Their love story was an object of envy for many, and even more were inspired to have a love like theirs.

 

But the duke had to leave his wife in their estate to protect the kingdom’s capital. No matter how many battles the duke’s wife had gone through back in the estate, the duke knew that wars between kingdoms were largely different from the small skirmishes with beasts at the border of his estate. The risks were greater and he didn’t wish for his wife to get caught up in them.

 

“Am I dreaming?” The duke muttered.

 

So imagine the surprise the duke felt when he saw the wife he clearly left behind weeks ago appear before him.

 

Stella ran towards her husband at his question, arms stretched out to wrap around Duke Celest’s waist.

 

Burying her face into the duke’s chest, Stella spoke, her words muffled, “I missed you. Every second without you by my side was unbearable. And with you engaging in such a dangerous war, I couldn’t sleep peacefully, worrying about you to the point of sickness. Only when I’m back by your side am I comforted, even if it’s little.”

 

The duke’s wife spoke of her worries about the duke. She poured out her feelings regarding the duke’s involvement in the battle; how she hated his great sense of responsibility that would rather he die protecting the kingdom than abandon it like many of the nobles, and how she couldn’t endure the thought of waiting for him to come home only to be shown his unintact corpse at the end of the war.

 

Seeing his wife vulnerable for the first time, the duke didn’t know what to do. The duke only knew of his wife’s strong profile that stood beside him through thick and thin. His heart ached realising what his wife was going through and knowing that at the same time, he could do nothing to appease those worries of hers. For the first time in his life, the duke truly felt what it meant to be helpless.

 

“I’m sorry,” the duke said, feeling his clothes dampen. The duke pressed his lips against his wife’s head and hugged her tighter to his chest, trying to comfort her in the best way he could.

 

“I’m sorry.”