Retribution of a Fallen God

[SaigoKusunoki]

Phoenix sighed. He wanted to help in some way...in any way. Though he survived, many friends of his, many good friends, had lost their lives. He quickly came to realize that this was a hollow victory. Loss of life traded for loss of life.

He shook his thoughts away. "Auvrea, this is what we have been trained to do. We have been trained to fight, and kill. This was just our first....our first field exam." Despite what he told her, he could not help to feel miserable.

"C'mere kid. The Emperor's back...we're safe now." He pulled her into a large hug, more instinct than conscious action.

*****

Sunev had not left the battlefield. In fact, she had not left her sitting position for some time. The whole hour that the students prepared for the march, she sat, eyes wide in disbelief, in horror. Her brother, her beloved Sidian, a monster, no better than the demons he once devoted his life to eradicating.

Saigo had stood watching her, a half an hour passing by, without saying anything. He understood her pain, to see a loved one turned against you. To lose a loved one. Pains he was all too familiar with. Quietly, he sat next to her.

"He...he begged for me to kill him...I could hear his voice...in my head. He wants death...death that I dont think I can deliver." her voice was shaky, and she sounded like she had been crying.

"Sunev..."

"No Saigo....there's nothing you can say or do. You have no idea what it's like!" she snapped, a little louder and sharper than she intended.

Saigo's blood rose almost instantly, but he managed to stifle himself and not yell.

"So...what was Zerakath Gaos...Sessho Stormborne...my father? Those three I lost, to my own hand! And what of our oldest son...it is you who doesnt understand, obviously...you haven't seen your son, the heir to your throne, beheaded in front of you." He spoke through gritted teeth, his voice dripping with malice.

"Saigo...don't bring up Dante. He died trying to impress you, don't you ever forget that." She said with challenging eyes.

He was on her in the blink of an eye. Instantly, he grabbed her by her throat and pinned her to the ground. His grip was powerful, and she could do naught but stare back at him frightfully. They locked eyes, his full of rage, hers full of sorrow. Slowly, his expression began to soften, as did his grip. He leaned in and kissed her, eyes closed, for a few long moments. She did not resist.

Eventually, he stood up, and wiped something from his eye. His expression was completely neutral.

"See to it that the students are prepared. We march in fifteen minutes."

"Yes my Lord."

She stood up, brushed dry grass and blood from her hair and clothes, and headed off to the school without another word.

Saigo gazed over the battlefield; he told them not to bother with moving or burying any bodies, and the stink of blood was heavy in the air. He walked through the bodies, brooding. Without thinking, he kicked at a dead barbarian's exposed head, shattering it's skull and spraying brain matter and fluids all over the dead body of a young girl student, no older than fifteen or sixteen. He sighed; this battlefield reminded him of a certain battlefield, so many years ago....

[PhoenixFlame]

"Field exam..." She echoed, returning the embrace. "A field exam."

Was that really, an exam? People didn't die during exams, at least... Not the ones you took in school. Then again, it was the academy of magic and warfare, and warfare was part of the game.

"We're 'safe'?" She asked, "We're anything but safe. Maybe..." she trailed off for a moment, and then picked up more rapidly, "Maybe we're physically safe, but..." She soon caught herself, and sighed.

"Oh, Phoenix... I know we did well. Not well, but we preformed well. It was well, wasn't it? Ah... I can't... Can't think, mental strain from spellcasting is getting to me..." She excused this confusion quickly with what might have been the truth, but she imagined it was merely fabrication.

"March soon." she finally said, "Better get ready to go."

[SaigoKusunoki]

"Aye...but Auvrea...make sure you're ready for more than just a march."

An hour had passed, and honoring their Emperor's request, the students had assembled in the courtyard, their hearts broken and bodies already tired from the fight. However, one glance at the Emperor filled each student with a small ray of hope. His kind, benevolent smile, and all-knowing gaze made one feel safe and secure. He would deliver them from evil. He definitely would.

"Students of the Academy...your efforts today were brilliant and beautiful. The almost near eradication of Morian's forces will surely send a message to him; he will not sully our land any longer, and it is not his right to try and take it from us. The youth of the nation, the future of the world, you have struck fear into the heart of a tyrant!"

His words of encouragement raised a weary cheer from the students; despite their inner feelings of doubt, being told that they caused Morian to fear made them feel more than just special. It made them feel like this incoming war could be won, that the few could stand against the many, and win.

"Now, we march north. North to our destinies. Whether we find victory or ruin depends on every single one of you. Now, let us march, together."

And like a shepherd guiding lambs, the Emperor Saigo Kusunoki turned his spear north and so followed his people.

[Ryu Kurai]

"That's the guy there, making some kind of weapon."

Crrrk, snikatch

"Ugh, he's ripping those bones in half. I mean, those aren't human bones, right?"

"Which side is he on, anyway? Looks ugly enough to be a heretic to me."

"Why don't you go ask him?"

"Yeah, sure. Get me a few more ales and maybe."

Darenith's skinning knife danced across the sharpened points of the heretic bone. He glanced down its length, sharpening another point further. He then took out a length of twine and a smooth wooden pole, holding the rib shard taut as he wrapped the twine around it again and again, making the twine almost one with the bone and wood. He did this again and again, making more spears than he could carry. From the way things looked, it still wouldn't be enough.

Fine by him.

But what would happen after this war? If the demons did win, things would certainly be different. Odds are, he would be dead. But if there were no more demons, what would he do?

Sure, he could hunt some remaining heretics for a while, but for how long? Killing was all he really knew how to do. It gave him purpose. After the war, would it be like after his exile?

He ran his thumb across one of his demonic canines. He did the same with the spear he had just finished.

Maybe he was the same as this weapon, to be discarded when it was no longer needed.

The thought filled his cold heart with the first real fear he had ever felt.

He bundled up his spears and began wandering the fortress, trying to find some sort of hint among the stone and soldiers.