With my newfound determination not to let the ghosts of my past get me down, with the determination to rise up as the leader they truly needed, I took the reins of the new city and, using the system Ashley had previously created, the process was repeated. A roof was quickly established for most of the city's weary inhabitants. As expected, many people rejoined the army, and we had considerably increased our strength.
The food the city produced consisted of enormous quantities of crops and meat, which could easily supply our first city. Thanks to that, I was able to order more workers for food and receive a much larger income from metal, which was sent to the base of the volcano. No, I'm really hoping they'll bring me a plane, but whether they do or not, I need to send them the train plans to maintain a fast and easily defended supply route.
Ashley's military organization made sense; the problem was communicating with it, so I had headed out very early in the morning to speak with a technician.
There I was, half-drowsy, even though I'd already done a lot of paperwork. The problem was that I'd done all of that at four in the morning, and it's only six. Out of curiosity, I should mention that dawn was just breaking, and the early morning breeze was bone-chillingly cold. However, due to the circumstances, few important people were actually asleep. Ashley was running around with the letters I'd given her. Lombardi was acting as spokesperson and organizing a meeting so the townspeople and new recruits could hear me.
But the real reason Tech hadn't been able to sleep was because he was Doc's closest friend, who was still crying like a child in the hammock they'd managed to rig up in a tree they used to set up their tent. Azumi was sleeping just above, and she looked up at me with her yellow eyes, which I felt were glowing in the cold, early morning darkness; however, she didn't say anything to me, closed her eyes again, and went back to sleep.
Tech, on the other hand, stood up when he saw me and came over.
"Do you need anything?" he whispered to me, his haggard face showing sleepiness.
"Yes, I need you to fix some long-range communication devices. I don't care if it's with magic or you can fix it some other way, but fix it, I trust you." I whispered back, put my hand on his shoulder, and walked away.
I didn't need to say more; he didn't need to ask any more questions. Short on time, I returned to the main base where they were still training a few soldiers, who obviously had professions suited to their skills, but it certainly wasn't like war asked politely. "Hey, are you a soldier?"
The boys gave me a tired smile as I hurried through the hallways, which were still a little bloodstained here and there.
When I got to my office, Ashley was already there, leaning back on her desk with her hands folded and resting her eyes. The soldiers she'd assembled according to my specifications were already here, many of them half asleep.
"Good morning, guys. Has Ashley told you why she's here?" I spoke in a raspy voice, having not used it for a few hours.
The soldiers looked at me closely, Ashley gave a sharp, calculating look.
"I didn't tell them," Ashley replied, shaking her head.
"The first question then is: What do you guys think about the war?" I crossed my arms because of the cold.
—It's… Horrible. Those who are capable of even seeing honor or pride in it have not seen the consequences. However, I have to say it… It felt good to win, to be admired by our people, to be the hero of the story. In the end, we fought for the greater good, and I like that, but once the shots are fired, we are not very different from the monsters we heard in children's stories.
"I think so, sir!" said one of the men in front of me. A young man with black hair and gray eyes.
Hearing such an answer, I couldn't help but smile, hiding the laughter I wanted to let out, but the young man noticed and asked the reason.
"Where I come from," I replied. "What you just said is sacrilege. A soldier lives for and through war. We fight because we have something to love and something to hate, but in effect, you stated a reality of war." I took a deep breath as I stole a sip of coffee from Ashley. "Now I'll tell you my version. I'll tell you the lie I learned to love. I'll tell you the lie that what happened to me in this assault happens when I don't believe myself well. War is about protecting the people who deserve it, the people I want to protect. Dying for them, and for them, is the highest honor I can ever cherish. Because I am a murderer, and as a murderer, I must die. Do I like killing? I'll answer them this way. There's no better feeling than murdering your rival. Their ideas will die, but yours will prevail."
"However, that's not entirely what we've experienced; it's romanticizing," added the only woman Ashley had brought.
A tall woman with completely tangled brown hair.
—Exactly, to be a good soldier you must be able to believe that lie, to believe that romanticism from the inside, and I tell you this, boys, because I want you to be part of this army's first real-time strategic chain. While we're in battle and I'm fighting the god of fire, you'll be making real-time battle leadership decisions, preparing the best combat strategies in the shortest possible time. The lives of your brothers and sisters will be in your hands.
As I said this with a smile, confident in what I was doing at all times, I could see the sleep leaving their faces along with their souls. The boys had given me some interesting faces that looked like they were carved in stone.
"Sir, isn't that a lot of responsibility?" said the youngest boy.
He actually looked more like a boy than a man, which makes me wonder if he really fit the characteristics I asked Ashley to look for, but I don't doubt her or her judgment, so I quickly put those doubts out of my mind.
—Of course it's a lot of responsibility, but I remind you that you are soldiers... No... You are my soldiers and my soldiers can do anything, even kill a god. —Their faces of disbelief didn't change, and I looked more like a madman than a leader. —Now you doubt whether victory is possible? After winning two cities? After winning mediocrely? —I added to my speech, seeing their faces change to those of a little boy paying attention to a good story, I relaxed, I had finally gained their real attention. —Of course, to receive such a burden, I have to prepare you, make you true lords and ladies of war.
So that's how my new command post began. I asked Ashley to find young men who didn't like the idea of fighting, but whose love for their people was still strong enough to make them go to war—young men filled with love for their people and their brothers who fight with them.
Once class was over and I'd sent the boys off to study some homework I'd thought of, I was left alone with Ashley in the room. We had a strange feeling, because we were used to hearing the noise of the soldiers and the city, a Mason shouting, or something like that. It wasn't that those things weren't happening anymore; the difference was that now we had walls; we weren't sleeping in a canvas tent anymore. This moment of tranquility existed because we had to prepare for today's speech.
"Aren't you overdressing?" Ashley asked me.
"That question is easy to answer. Just ask yourself who you would trust as a leader. Someone tidy and well-groomed, or poor Doc in his current state?" I answered while shaving with the bathroom door open.
It was actually a very clean torture room, it didn't have a shower, but it was strangely very clean.
—Although Doc is very capable, it's a simple argument... I notice you're different... Even more smiling than usual.
"It's not that the voices or their faces have disappeared from my mind, but now I have to resolve this. These boys are offering me their lives, if only for themselves… It's not fair to my old teammates or the new ones that I don't give it my all, because they trust me. Ashley, that girl… Doc… It was my fault. Before, what drove me was discipline, but now, without a doubt, it's love. I finally understood that when I was fighting. In a twisted way, maybe I need the war, I need to fight, yet I stay standing out of love." I approached her. "I love these boys for their innocence, for the way they wear a smile as they run to their deaths. They do it for their families, for something they respect. These cities, almost free of evil, give me hope. What I'm doing would be nearly impossible in our world, but these people don't complain, and they work with you. It's like watching a child show all the good in humanity. Ashley, I love humanity, or at least this side of it." —I gave her a smile as I leaned closer to her lips. —I love you. You're an incredible woman, a great warrior, and just like me, you couldn't look at this little boy and not help him. You saved me, Ashley.
A small tear escaped from her green eyes and quickly made its way to the corner of her lips, which were outlined in a smile, illuminated by the warm orange color of the only lamp that lit the room. She kissed me and I responded faithfully, with my hand on her waist, I brought her body against mine, I moved my lips away slightly as I looked into those green eyes,
"We have work to do." She gave me a smile as we walked away from each other.
Once we were ready, we left the room together, wearing our dark green trench coats, neatly combed, and determined. Lombardi was waiting for me outside the base, smoking a cigar.
"People are looking forward to it," Lombardi said as he started walking ahead of me, leading the way.
We left the military grounds, entering through the main street. As soon as I set foot inside, excited people crowded against each other.
As we approached the main square, there were more and more people; the street was blocked as we passed. When we finally reached the square, which still showed signs of fighting, we climbed onto the platform, where several of Lombardi's men were already waiting for us.
Suddenly there was silence. I was at the front of the crowd. Ashley was at my side, and behind me were Lombardi, Mason, Frost, and Clank.
"We have struck the god of fire…" My voice echoed, much louder than usual. It was obvious there was magic behind it. "I don't care if you are gods, deities, kings, or mystical beings. We will kill you! We will restore our former glory, avenge the fallen, and you will stop suffering once and for all. I beg you, at this moment, to unite as a family. We have to be strong, all of us must be, do our part. But those who want to fight, prepare yourselves! Because the task is to kill a god! Those who want to fight! Who want to give this bastard back a shred of the suffering he's had to endure! You are welcome! No more living in fear! I am Sean Dorvin! And I swear I will protect you even if I have to shed my blood!" I began my morale-boosting speech.
People were filled with hope again, and it showed. Once I finished my monologue to mobilize the people of this city and give them some confidence in me as a leader, I outlined the structure we were going to use to sustain the city. We hadn't changed much from one city to the next, but this one had a lot more people, and I had to do everything possible to maintain a sense of patriotism that would penetrate the hearts of these people and maintain the fragile order we had imposed.
Once I finished, everyone except Mason, who stayed to greet the new recruits, went straight to the base, dodging the large crowd of people.