by T. Sae-Low
“We’re dead,” uttered the flat-faced soldier with the red hair. The words hung heavy in the air as they stared at the ominous army below. “There’s too many of them. And they have what looks like a dragon, for Creator’s sake! Even with an equal sized army we couldn’t defeat them! That power alone could torch us to the ground, just like he did to the colony. There’s no hope here! Running is our only chance!”
Major Kymon unsheathed his giant broadsword. “If you run, I will cut you down for cowardice! You are a Vicedonian soldier; you fear nothing, no one! Don’t you remember your oath?”
“But that enemy is unbeatable? How are we suppose to—”
The sword slid into his belly and out his back. Major Kymon pulled his sword free as the soldier’s body collapsed to the ground.
“I have no time for cowards! We will defend Sargatum till the end. This fortress hasn’t been penetrated through centuries of warfare. Even this army before us will not have an easy task ahead of them!”
A soldier came barreling through the doorway, panting heavily.
“Captain! Multiple arrowslits and windows have been blown apart by the enemy’s attack. The enemy’s catapults blew open gaping holes on multiple floors. Over a hundred archers were killed in the initial attack. What are your orders, sir?”
“Everyone to their battle stations, release every piece of weaponry that we have against this army! Rain down hell on the—”
“Incoming!” Titan hollered loudly. They all looked up and saw the enemy’s innumerable catapults launch another attack. The large boulders covered the sky, arching high above before crashing down into the interior of the castle. Aric braced for the impact, but oddly, did not feel the castle walls shake as they did before. Instead, he heard the sound of breaking wood and splashing water behind him.
What was that attack? Aric wondered.
Titan made his way over to the broken barrel behind them. A gooey substance now covered the floor. He reached down and wiped a bit of the substance on his finger. He smelled it first, and then tasted it to confirm his suspicion.
“What is it?” Major Kymon asked.
“It’s oil.”
Major Kymon was perplexed. “Why would they launch barrels of oil at…” his own words revealed the truth to him. “The dragon… everybody get down!”
Raden sent a column of fire through the gaping holes and straight into the center of the castle. As the fire mixed with oil, the combustible reaction exploded into a grand fireball that sent hundreds of Vicedonian soldiers flying out the windows along with tons of mountainous debris. The Vicedonians were already low on soldiers, but now their impenetrable castle had been severely damaged, too. The Renzai army rose up multiple ladders and began to ascend into the castle. Raden was about to advance up the ladders when he finally noticed the pile at the foot of the fortress. It was difficult to tell at first; dirt, ash, and debris covered them, but Raden could still see bodies moving around in the heap. Arrows littered the ground, pinned to everything. Raden hadn’t noticed them at first, his focus centered on destroying the fortress, but now he couldn’t take his eyes off of these poor people. But who were they?
His eyes searched the pile up and down, and then he saw someone he recognized. The little boy who tripped earlier sat in his mother’s lap, her arms wrapping him tightly as they leaned against the bottom of the pile, neither of them moving. An arrow jutted out of the boy’s chest, the other end trailing out of his mother’s back. Raden’s knees felt weak. He took a couple steps back before collapsing to the ground. Raden’s mind was reeling now. He had given the villagers the chance to flee, but it didn’t seem to matter. They still lied dead before him, some with their eyes still open, staring at him accusingly.
General Sako sensed Raden’s confusion. “Raden! We need to continue the attack! Bombard the castle with another blast!”
Raden barely noticed Sako. Her voice distant, her words muffled. Raden sat on the ash-covered ground, his shoulders sagged low, his head hung, heavy with grief. His eyes were wide open, tears already beginning to form.
“Raden! You need to focus! Continue the attack!” Sako was losing patience. She made her way towards Raden; if her words weren’t getting through to him, then perhaps a more physical approach was needed. She grabbed Raden by the collar of his robe. “You need to—”
A wall of heat sent her soaring across the battlefield. Sako hit the ground hard, her body tumbling wildly before she skidded to a stop. Her head still woozy from the sudden attack, she looked at her surroundings, trying to remind herself where she was. Renzai soldiers close by ran around frantically, flames trailed off of their bodies. They threw themselves into the dirt ground, desperately smothering the painful infernos. Sako looked over to where Raden once sat. She could still see flashes of him, his dark silhouette appearing intermittently behind flickering tendrils of fire. “Raden…” she whispered. That’s when the blazing inferno surrounding him erupted, consuming Raden whole.
Chapter 49