Rhok sat on the rubbish-strewn ground, his knees pulled up high as he bridged his arms over them. His helt had retracted under his shoulder, revealing his sweaty face, with dried blood sared across his forehead.
He took a deep breath, but the air was thick with the burning scent of composites. He choked and coughed twice.
Before him, the once-normal town square had turned into a battlefield. The streets were shattered into small craters, glass was scattered, and buildings lay in ruins. So buildings were still on fire, the flas howling in the distance.
"So hollow..." Despite his victory against the enemy, his revenge felt hollow. Deep down, he realised that no amount of death could bring back his family or the Burrowbane family.
Rhok's gaze lingered on the tal scrap of Aurum's mobile suit — one of his friends from the Knight Institute, where they had all competed to achieve gold rank as quickly as possible.
His finger brushed the scar hidden beneath his hair on the left side — the one he had earned when he foolishly dueled with Aurum and ended up with it.
Now, as he recalled, Aurum was a highly competitive noble who loved reading philosophy and was exceptionally talented at the piano. They always competed at one another as allies, but by the end of their year at the Institute, Rhok had ranked at the top of his class and earned the title of valedictorian.
After two years of service, he had reached gold rank. His career had been lined with success for a decade and soon he might even achieve platinum, not until one fateful day when his bloodline was destroyed by powerful mages, and his hard-earned rank no longer ant a thing. He had lived only to kill as many as he could, bringing many to the depth of hell with him.
Fate had always favoured him, and so he had continued his ruthless crusade.
"What good did you keep for?!" Rhok scread in his mind, but the sky offered no response. His gaze fell on his trembling gloved hands.
So many deaths were on his hands, so many terrible things he had committed. Sin upon sin, and all for nothing.
"This is all just... empty... worthless..." Rhok lanted, letting the breeze brush against his short brown hair. Aurum's path and his could have been so different if it weren't for this stupid war.
"I was driven by hatred for so long, I was so blinded... Now that I've opened my eyes... How many more victories will it take until this war is over? It's so pointless!" He muttered bitterly.
Staring at the pile of ashen bones, Rhok soon began to understand Aurum's actions a little better. He couldn't have done it any differently. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, there were no tears to shed, but his heart yearned for sothing.
The reality continued to creep in, and his mind raced endlessly. Forlorn and alone.
A sudden voice broke his serenity. "H~Hey! Commander Rhok!" A large man called out, extending his hand. A gentle smile spread across his face.
Rhok glanced up. "Oh... I'm no longer a commander..." He corrected, taking the offered hand and hoisting himself up. "Are you a chanii? I could tell from the accent."
"chanii or Arcanii, psst! Screw that, we're all humans, pawns in the biggest sches," David grumbled. He examined Rhok's bloodied face for a mont before motioning for him to follow. "Co on, let's get you patched up too!"
Obediently, Rhok followed the big man, his boots scraping across the gravel. "...Thanks..." Rhok muttered.
Before him, he saw a strange truth. "Yeah... we're all pawns after all," He muttered under his breath, feeling the crushing weight of his futility.
"Pawns..." David's words echoed in Rhok's mind.
***
After the dust settled, the townspeople of Eastern Dam erged from their underground bunkers, their faces pale as they took in the destruction of their once-beautiful city centre, now reduced to ruins.
The nervous crowd gathered at the nearby assembly point, hundreds of eyes staring at them, uncertain of their next move. Their voices murmured, wondering if the fight had finally ended. So wore ragged, dirty clothes, but most were safe and dressed in office attire or uniforms.
Despite the absence of the ruling authority, police officers had erged to manage the crowd, directing them to water stations and maintaining order.
anwhile, Triss and her Virgo mages set up a spot to treat the injured as people lined up. They didn't have enough mana to heal every injury, but they managed to prioritise the ones in desperate need. So nurses and doctors from the town stepped forward, joining in to perform first aid on those who required it. It was a chaotic sight, but Triss managed to guide the injured with her divine voice.
Soon, P.N.I. bots and spacecraft landed about 50 tres beside the gathering crowd. The hatch swung open, and Princess Aurelia and her guardian stepped down, their movents regal.
Behind them, the magistrate of Hasenwald and his wife followed Aurelia, keeping close to her heels. They exchanged a respectful bow before heading into the midst of the crowd.
Aurelia stood atop a ledge, fashioned into a makeshift stage, and prepared to deliver her speech. Her white tunic, adorned with intricate gold seams, spoke of her noble status. Her red eyes sparkled with confidence.
Magistrate Ludwig and Petra stood in a line beside her. On the other side stood the Pri Guardian, draped in a royal white coat.
The townspeople hushed themselves, directing their eyes and ears toward the figures on stage.
"People of Eastern Dam!" Aurelia proclaid, her voice echoing through the area. "I am Princess Aurelia Sol Solara of Solis Aeternum, alongside Magistrate Ludwig and Vice Magistrate Petra of Hasenwald. We have co to rescue you from this predicant."
Petra stepped forward. "We are here to offer aid, but may we speak to your leader? Where is Magistrate Neil?" She asked. The crowd stared in confusion.
A woman pointed toward the pile of burnt corpses, her expression grim. "They were slain by those bastard knights!" She bellowed, her voice thick with pain. The crowd erupted into a hateful rumble.
"Please! Please!" Ludwig shouted, his tone loud but with an almost enchanting quality. The crowd quieted, listening intently. "We understand your frustration and your suffering. That is why we are here before you. We strive to restore order and harmony to your town as soon as possible. Police officers, firefighters, and hospital staff who are not badly injured, please step forward and form a line on this side! We'll need your assistance."
Ludwig, the tall Wildren, gestured with humility, and the crowd followed his instructions without objection.
For so ti, Aurelia and the governors continued to address the crowd: assuring the town's safety for the ti being, promising constant security and surveillance, offering help for those who had lost family mbers, and providing camps for those whose hos had been destroyed. The list went on, and as the tension in the air began to lift, the mood of the crowd softened.
Watching Aurelia from a distance, Jack's mind wandered, She's really not just a weirdo, huh? She could be so regal and noble if she wanted to.
Leaning against a pole with his arms crossed, Jack observed the crowd.
Frain sat in front of him on the curb, her legs stretched out in front of her. She chewed on a piece of custard bread, the cream sared on her cheeks.
A silver-haired figure drifted through the crowd, holding a bottle of water and snacks, "Jackie! Want so water?" Lupus urged, motioning to him.
At the sa ti, a short breath escaped below. Frain's face turned purple.
Jack exhaled as he took the bottle, twisted the cap off, and handed it to the choking baby lion. "Frain, water it down," He ordered. Frain swiftly took it and drank it all, leaving the bottle empty.
"Ahhh!" She sighed with satisfaction as her airway cleared.
Jack glared at Frain, who slouched sheepishly. "It's alright, I'm not really thirsty," He said, before he gave her a headpat, pitying her endearing innocence.
Lupus then took a seat beside her de facto daughter and shared her carrot buns. As she broke one into halves, the earthy sll crept into the air.
"Thank you!" Frain said, taking it with both hands and nibbling on it more slowly this ti.
Lupus smiled at her, her eyes closed for a mont. "Good girl."
"By the way, where are your sisters? Are they all safe?" Jack asked, his gaze still fixed on Aurelia on the stage.
"Yep! Just minor injuries and mana exhaustion, I presu," Lupus replied softly. "Now we're busier than during the battle itself," She added, exhausted.
Jack found himself agreeing, rubbing his chin as he felt the stubble on his hand. "That's true... the battle's over, but that was just the beginning. There's still so much left to do," He said, nodding in understanding.
"Exactly!" Lupus responded promptly, rotating her shoulder with a weary sigh. She then glanced up at him, her expression shifting slightly. "But don't worry! After the announcent, we'll rest. My other 16 siblings will be helping too. We've got a doctor, three masons, four farrs, six rchants..." Lupus rattled off the occupations of her siblings without missing a beat, her voice steady and practiced.
Jack's attention started to drift after the first few nas on the list, his mind growing a little foggy. He restrained a yawn, but it slipped out anyway, quickly covering his mouth with his hand.
Lupus raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Did you just yawn at ?" She snapped, her tone playful but sharp.
Before Jack could respond, the cute bunny Wildren hopped over and playfully jabbed her fist into his shoulder. "Ahahaha! Stop, hehe!" Jack chuckled, unable to help himself.
Their laughter lightened the mood, easing the tension between them and softening the atmosphere around the three of them.
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