Sean Dorvin
The army was anxious, as preparations for the march were already in place, thanks to a difficult task that would have been impossible without the good faith of each and every one of those in charge and the weakest links. The weather was drab; Lombardi mentioned that at this time of year it tends to rain heavily. He was with Jane and Ashley, waiting for Goldes at the top of the wall.
We expected him to give us the information we needed and he would be more convenient to use for our objectives. Up until then, he had more than fulfilled the agreement. The amount of food he sent us was incredible, and we were amazed at the amount of metal we possessed.
Ashley began a friendly chat with Jane about how she felt in her new home; Jane mentioned that it felt quite cozy.
"Have you met Doc's new assistant yet?" Ashley asked Jane.
"I think Azumi told me about her. Yesterday, before I went to sleep, she came to visit me. She wanted to ask me a couple of things," Jane replied, her gaze lost and sad again.
"What am I asking you?" Ashley raised an eyebrow and pushed pebbles from the wall over the edge.
"She wanted to know about her race, wanted to know if I knew of any other tribes. Sadly, I know they were all murdered, and the only tribe that existed was hers," Jane murmured sadly.
Ashley asked him.
—How are you so sure?
Although she herself didn't have much confidence or hope in her words. I think the reason she asked this with some trepidation was that she was afraid of expecting a depressing answer from Jane. It's normal, every time we delve into the past. Unfortunately, she didn't tell us how she played with the flowers in the fields and played soccer with her friends in the afternoons. Jane was even worse with her stories; they often affected her as well.
"It was my father… My father was Adam's Dragon. I'm not sure if I've told you this before, but I think I've mentioned it. I am Jane Drangleic, daughter of the Dragon King. My father was Adam's Dragon, though I never met him, and my father… He wasn't too keen on dealing with me… Of all the things chasing me, that's not one of them, so don't worry about it. It was my mother and my sister who… You understand. The truth is, the Neko have become very weak from their initial strength, but I think that's what Adam wanted. Anyway, they left behind a small tribe; that's where Azumi comes from. I don't know if there are more, and since I've been wandering around the world for many years, I'm sure I haven't seen any other tribes." Jane answered, vaguely happy.
I'm surprised she responded in such a way because until now she cried every time she talked about her past, but I suppose she found some kind of relief in remembering.
We were interrupted by the presence of Goldes, who had flown in. He was wearing a brown cloak and covered with his hood, which was completely soaked with water. He landed softly on the side of the wall. We shook hands. He kissed Ashley's hand and tried to do the same with Jane, but she hid behind us. Goldes ignored it and looked at the tanks, which were impossible to miss from the wall. He was fascinated.
—Amazing... Amazing... I have to take the time to appreciate those... Weapons, if you'll allow me, of course.
—We'll talk about it when this is all over and we can get settled properly. I think it's the smart thing to do, don't you?
"Uh... yeah, you're right," Goldes replied, still fascinated and drawn to the tanks. "I have the address on this sheet, along with the security details and what you should expect. I also, obviously, have some information you'll need to avoid making a fool of yourself once you're inside, including how our system works..." He thought for a moment. "If you can even call it a system."
"What do you mean, Goldes?" I asked.
—A while back, a few years ago, to avoid wars, Vildur, leader of the Verevencia Empire, summoned us one by one after aiding and guaranteeing the independence of another empire in favor of the rebellion, all under the guise that this one was a god. That god is a brawny, orange-haired man named Salamander, a total character. While he's a good guy, the problem with this is that Salamander has a very strong sense of honor. That's why, even though Vildur is a jerk, he's one of his most loyal dogs. At the same time, Vildur has as his right-hand man a man whose name no one knows, who's also a god. Here's the kicker… Vildur isn't a god. But for some strange reason, he lies to us and pretends to be one; likewise, I don't think there's anyone at the entire table who still thinks he's a god. But I'm getting off track. The point is that he made it with very powerful allies and a remarkable military supremacy, which is why he created the table and forced us into a false peace, while forcing us to demand respect from him. Vildur is a very good politician, although I don't think he's a great strategist.
—I understand, I like the sound. How's the atmosphere? Do you want me dead?
"Yeah, sure. For starters, more than half the table loves you; no one can stand the fire bastard, but some honestly suspect that if you win, you'll be dangerous. So, rest assured, once you leave, they'll want you dead. Here's another detail that'll suit you: we can't go with our dragons; that's to make sure we don't fight each other, so no one will be interested in fighting you. Another advantage you have is that Vildur had the idea to have the magical warriors gather in the courtyards, and since Hermes doesn't have any, he sent his own son. If you show up and beat them, you'll have a very valuable hostage, a way out, against Hermes."
"Hermes?" I asked.
Ashley also raised an eyebrow.
"It's the real name of the god of fire," Jane replied quietly, behind Ashley's back.
Goldes nodded.
—Correct. Apparently, he's also having problems with his wife, his dragon… It was already a common secret that they didn't get along that well. He even came to me for help. Another thing, Hermes is talking to the mercenaries. I'm sure if we don't give him what he asks for, he'll hire them. Believe me, no one wants to help him, but that's why I think your visit is more appropriate. If you ridicule and declare Hermes your rival, Salamender will agree with you. When he gets involved in something, he gets involved. I'm pretty sure he'll threaten half the table, saying that if they help Hermes, he'll enter the conflict himself. But as I said before, he won't if Vildur gets involved. Well, Salamander owes him his life. How do we keep him from getting involved? Simple. He threatens the gods. The other half of the table, although they are gods, don't agree with following Vildur.
—Interesting to say the least…
"Yes, the fact is, you just have to show up and make a good impression; they'll think twice about fighting you. Since half the table is interested in taking down the fire god and weakening Vildur. If you get Salamander on your side, Hermes's allies will be afraid to join the fight." Goldes scratched his head.
"But according to you, to get in, I have to fight several warriors? Preventing their deaths will be complicated..." I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"So what? Did you forget? We're gods," Goldes replied confidently, smiling.
"Don't you care about the people fighting for you?" I asked in a soothing tone, holding his gaze.
—Sean Dorvin… I'm afraid you don't understand how the gods think… Although Salamander will like you immensely. Too bad Vildur has him on a leash. By the way, I recommend you try the same technique that scared Hermes so much. —Goldes turned his back on me with a wave. —Welcome to the game, Sean.
Goldes flew away, leaving me alone with Jane, Ashley, and the two leaves.
"Why would the fire god's dragon ask for help?" Ashley asked, frowning.
—Damn gods… They think they have the right to everything and everyone. Who knows what the fire god did to him? Did you hear him? Even to the others, his soldiers are nothing more than tools.
I was about to speak but Ashley interrupted me.
—But unfortunately, without the power of a god to challenge the gods, it's a difficult, if not impossible, task. Did you see what that bastard did to Sean in their first confrontation? He almost died.
—They were simple wounds for a god, you'll need much more than that… —Jane tried to defend herself, avoiding the initial question.
"But he's not a full god until he merges with you." Though the words were sharp, Ashley's voice held a gentle tone.
"I can't!" Jane began to tremble.
I don't know what terrifies her so much, but the idea of the merger terrified her. At first, I thought it was due to the trauma, but lately, she'd been calmer, and I'd even noticed her looking me in the eye several times. What I didn't understand was her reaction. I can still understand her willingness to say no... But why the reaction?
"Why?" Ashley asked softly.
I shook my head and responded in a soft voice.
—That's enough, Ashley.
Trying to calm the situation, after all, it was me who had promised Jane that I wouldn't force her.
—When you merge, you share memories, thoughts, and ideas with that person. During the merge, you are one person, not two. That's why gods like Hermes break the merge, because they can't stand each other.
"Don't you trust Sean?" Ashley asked, as I glared at her.
Jane's eyes looked at the floor of the wall as if she wanted to slip through the cracks and disappear.
"The only thing I have left... Are my ideas and thoughts, it's the only thing I can protect for myself... Do you know what it's like to be someone's slave for years? To have no rights, no voice, no vote." Jane was interrupted by Ashley.
—Yes… Yes, I know… Because I was… Because of my parents, I was a slave to the Nazi regime. It was Sean Dorvin who rescued me. I have to say, you suffered longer than I did, but I watched my two parents and sisters die… As toys, as experiments, as mere labor.
I stayed out of the discussion... I did have a good childhood... I had no right to complain. I mean, it's true I didn't see my parents, and that's why I've been interested in fighting for as long as I can remember, but at least they didn't die until I was a certain age...
—Like… You're even younger than me… How do you leave it behind…? —Jane asked, looking at Ashley with teary eyes.
"You live with it, you look for a reason to live, wounds heal. I swore to myself, just like you, that I would never fall into that situation. That's why you learned to fight, right? That's why I became a soldier. I'd rather die fighting than die like my parents did. I wanted to be strong. You've spent too much time in the darkness, on the worst side of humanity, locked away alone with your thoughts. It's normal that your wounds don't heal... I would have gone crazy, but if you ask me what you have to do, well, first of all, be proud. You're here, and you're strong. Even after everything that's happened to you, you have the will to fight, and you have one of the purest hearts I've ever seen. But you're afraid, aren't you? You're afraid of not being able to avoid falling in front of someone again, but I'm sorry to tell you that you will fall. We all will, that's life. But you won't have to get up alone." Ashley hugged Jane.
"I can only promise one thing..." I added.
-That?
"As long as I'm alive... Neither of you will suffer the same fate again, even if I have to give my life in the process." I gave them a smile.
Jane, with tears in her eyes, pulled away from Ashley's hug.
We went down from the wall to plan our attacks. Already in the tent were Azumi, Frost, Lombardi, the boys, and Doc's new assistant, Rexia. She had short, neck-length blonde hair with a fringe on her forehead. She was dressed in an army uniform, though she had a red scarf tied around her arm.
"I've received valuable information. The fighting may become more difficult, as the fire god plans to buy mercenaries. Fighting against mercenary armies will be a serious problem," I told Lombardi.
Lombardi raised an eyebrow.
"The mercenaries are already combat veterans. Our new recruits are in shape, but unlike my forest soldiers or your Lombardi soldiers, the new recruits haven't seen a real fight. They barely have the physical body or the knowledge to handle a weapon, but be prepared... Because our first confrontation is going to be a bloodbath!" I commented.
"But I even did what you said, using our former soldiers as squad leaders," Ashley commented.
"That will help, but it also slows our response time to a rapid threat... Anyway, it's the best way to produce soldiers quickly. We must advance to the northern city, which handles the food, but the important thing is that once we take this city, we have access to the entire empire. Our reconnaissance says they've prepared Gatling guns and defenses to prevent us from scaling, but I'm happy to tell you that with the tanks, we won't need to jump the wall. You can fire all you want, those tanks won't feel it." I gave someone time to speak; Lombardi used it.
"Assuming the tanks can get in, how will we get through?" he asked.
"Tech, what about the mortars I asked you for?" I asked Tech.
"I've got them ready, 100 mortars. The boys have already played with them; they require several shots to hit; however, we have around 800 rounds." Tech looked at his hands; he was physically and mentally exhausted; it was obvious.
"Tanks, supported by mortars, will destroy the defenses. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll break into your house like dogs. Next comes the fighting; we'll take the wall while a team, commanded by Frost, will fight their way through the city to the other side. There, she'll climb and support those on the wall. Lombardi, you'll take charge of fighting in the city. Mason and his guys, I want you to pay attention to Lombardi's smoke signals. That will mean you're besieged, and if you raise your guard, they'll be blown off. Same goes for you. I want you to make smoke signals; they'll change the color of the fire with this." I placed a bag of calcium metal powder I had obtained this morning from the mines on the table. "There are several bags ready; divide them up as you wish; just throw them into the fire. The fire will change color; that will be Mason's group's confirmation that we're ready to lend support." Now, Lombardi, you'll start the trail alone, while Mason, Ashley, and Azumi's boys do their thing, while I join in on the gods' conversation." I glanced at Azumi and noticed she was no longer wearing her signature kimono. She was wearing a skin-tight leather suit and had put on one of our trench coats, but she'd added purple embroidery around the edges, which I suppose symbolized something to her.
Lombardi nodded.
"While you're alone, you're in charge," I said, sighing softly.
"Guys, Goldes basically gave me a plan. He said where and how a group should come in to clean up, like Mason, how we should fight the warriors… It's also the most logical thing to do… But with that in mind, how are we supposed to deploy a power that will make the gods recognize us as equals?" I looked in Azumi's direction, but she shook her head.
"If you drink my blood, you'll gain a magic potion from God, the same on my side..." Jane explained.
"Drinking little pots of blood will make them look ridiculous. Isn't this whole operation supposed to make a good impression and make the fire god look bad?" Azumi added.
Frost nodded softly.
"I don't know if they bite each other," Azumi added with a smile that showed off her sharp fangs.
Which reminded me that Jane also had some interestingly sharp, larger than normal fangs.
—I read that the gods did it to create special techniques; besides, one of the visions they have of us is that we're terrorists, so, one way or another, when they do it, if I'm sure of one thing, it's that they'll understand they're serious.
"Jane, are you sure?" I asked quietly, even though everyone could still hear me.
"Bite me right now... I swear my emotions won't get in the way, I'll do the same." Jane gave me a forced smile.
We all nodded, and without further questions, we set off. About two hours later, we were all marching together. The only thing we could hear, apart from the footsteps and the roar of the machines, was the chatter of the soldiers.
We had achieved this with ease thanks to Ashley's planning and his functional chain of command. All he had to do was give the order for the army to move. Which they did with remarkable speed and excitement. They were eager for another victory.
We tried to pull the rope over, but Tech was resigned to doing it again. The wall was still visible, and when I looked back, I saw a woman running in our direction. When I pointed at her, my group stopped (a group consisting of the guys, Ashley, Azumi, Jane, and Rexia). Rexia's eyes widened and she ran toward the woman; we followed. Although we caught a few unsuspecting glances, I motioned for them to keep going. When she reached the woman, we listened to the conversation like gossipmongers; mind you, I wasn't the only one.
"Mom, what are you doing?" Rexia asked the woman.
"It's just... You left your food, your last meal, I couldn't allow it," the woman said, exhausted and crying.
"Don't worry, Mom, I promise I'll come back," Rexia replied as she accepted the bag of food.
They hugged each other and we slowly rejoined the head of the march again.
"My parents were afraid I'd join the war," Rexia commented with her usual cheerfulness.
—It's normal… —I answered when I saw that no one answered.
For a moment I wondered why everyone was acting like they weren't, but of course... They're all orphans.
"Oh, don't worry, you're under my care," Doc added, puffing out his chest.
Ashley took the opportunity to whisper to me without anyone noticing, but of course Azumi was listening and she was telling Mason and the others below, all except Doc who was engrossed in his conversation.
—Don't you think they're very attached?
I put my hand on her shoulder and hugged her back.
"You're a gossip," I whispered to her.
—And you too, now tell me how much you know… —He whispered back.
—I know less than you, darling… I've been training day and night. The only thing I know about Rexia is that, unlike us, she doesn't have much to complain about, aside from her treatment as a mining slave. She's extremely happy, and I'm worried she's not the stuff of war. The only reason I let her come with us is because Doc said she's his assistant, not a soldier per se, so she shouldn't have a direct confrontation… At least not so soon.
—The fact is that they are so close together, they don't stop talking all day.
We gossiped for a good part of the journey, before we had to leave the march and head towards the fortress where the Gods' Talk was going to take place. Ashley claimed someone had seen Doc kissing Rexia, and asked me if she should do something about it. The truth is, in the military, that's more common than you might expect, so I told her nothing really gets done.
The fact is that the whole group was silently joking around the entire ride. Rexia and Doc continued chatting happily, ignoring us.