Chapter 694 The darker side of a war
[Zodiac's POV: ]
Since the ancient times, perhaps since the dawn of us human species, there have been conflicts…
According to some stories, it all started whan the nature created mankind, who unfortunately received the wisdom that they were not supposed to receive.
They talk about how there was a proginator of mankind, the first man and lady, who were the ancestors of all of our kind, however, there are many variations of these stories talking about a certain start, a certain genesis.
'In 'that' world, there were stories, of how all beings, all kinds, all the intelligent species living on earth had born from waters. Some parts of that world believes we came from the some distant space in a meteorite. There were many versions of these stories of 'beginning' in that world as well.'
However, all stories later resulted in the origination of conflicts.
'They started fighting over things that they wanted to possess but couldn't, or things that belonged to someone else and were desired by them.'
Resources. That was perhaps the only topic of these disputes back in those days, perhaps.
Perhaps sometimes it was women or children. Sometimes their animals, or sometimes the position of the leader that could naturally only belong to the strongest one among them.
'In that past, that must have been the only reasons for a conflict to occur among their peaceful communities.'
However, as the humans, the intelligent beings of their kinds evolved and mankind took over the world's larger lands, disputes of other kinds must have started sparking all over the lands as well.
"Ptsssss…?"
"They are alredy dead. We cannot help them, SanSan."
"Ptsssss…"
Conflicts over the ownerships of lands, conflicts over possessions that belonged to someone else, conflicts over resources that could not be found in their lands.
Conflict over borders, conflicts over patty disputes, or the conflicts over misunderstood half-facts.
Many kinds of conflicts arise in the world of today, something I despise. And many of them result in a war, something that I could not separate from even if I wanted to.
'With war comes deaths, and with death comes dread…'
In the open streets that I had been walking on just a few hours ago alongside my friends, these markets that were bustling with activities, happiness, some darker emotions, and a lot of laughter… those same streets had turned into a dead quite 'path' made of cobblestones, that had been pained with blood.
There were dead bodies in the same places where the cunning merchants made profits from their coustormers.
"Haaaa…"
The ground was pained with the blood of innocent and the evil alike, however, the corroding bodies of the evil was not something that belonged to this pure land.
"Have them, SanSan."
"Ptssssss…"
The simplest ways to end a dispute was through a war.
A war between the two highest authorities involved in a dispute, a war of their assetsm, a war of their resources, their economy, their nations, or their governments.
There were many ways to fight a war, however, to solve a dispute, they mostly always choose the 'war' with their subject's lives on the line.
A war of blood, blades, and screams.
-Oooooooooooooong!
"May thy souls rest in peace."
The evil was the one to initiate the war this time, and with only selfish desires in their hearts. Thus, they, their dead bodies, and their energies had no meaning in this world anymore.
It was best for SanSan to have them so that we can use them for some greater purpose. However… the dead innocents were only normal humans, citizens that I had seen before.
Some, we had also interacted with.
And they had perished now, before their lifespans had come to an end, because the selfishness of the evil and their unknown, malevolent desires.
"Zodiac, let's move now."
"Yes your majesty… just a moment."
Th people here did not deserve the deaths they received, and it was our incompetence… my weakness that caused their deaths.
"Young boy, don't feel sorrow for those who have alredy passed away. We are doing this to prevent more-"
"Do you think they desreved this, Lady Vera?"
We had an unbelievably good plan, we had prepared as best as we could, mentally and emotionally, we had the strength to eradicate the evil, we had forces strong enough to go against them as well… we did not have time, yes, but, we were capable enough to save all these people who have died.
However, we could not do that.
The enemy we were facing, this damned leader of the tavern stronghold, the underlings they had, the large number of active golems, and the other bastards with powerful artifacts were too strong for us even with Empress Vera the (Witch of Immortal winds), Master of Hevenly spear arts, Knight hero of Silver Queen, and a total of nine such individuals on our side.
'By the time we had captured that bastard, it was alredy too late.'
The entire start was destroyed along with the houses of the common people.
Demonic beasts had positioned the very air we were currently breathing.
Theose bastards made sure to take as many lives as they can before they perished from this war.
'They even went as far as inviting their contracted demons to take over their bodies.'
Their actions right now weren't making any sense to any of us.
They just wanted to create as many sacrifices as they could.
Perhaps, there was something bigger in place here than we had predicted, however, did these common people who had never even have any knowledge of these evil, deserve this kind of end?
"Haaa. Zodiac, I was expecting more from you."
Empress Vera… she had a disappointed look for some reason.
The others weren't even looking at me, as if my question mattered nothing to them.
They were clearing up the area before Eon's arrows could make their way here and clear the corrupted places, while SanSan and I mourned the deaths of the civilians.
"You have fought wars, have you not? Then why ask such stupid question?"
She was the mind that ran the great Roxanna empire right beside the great emperor, and she was the oldest among all of us currently present here.
She had perhaps seen many wars in her lifetime, so she could tell this was not my first war. However, even after being experances with the wars and knowing the consequences, the reasons, the questions and their unanswerable questions, I was asking her a 'sttupid' question.
But, this wasn't an empty question.
I really wanted her to answer me.
It was a question to her, from me. And, I wanted her to answer that question.
"Please. Answer me, Lady Vera. Do you-"
-Slap!
"Yes those people weren't at fault! Yes we are weak, incompetent, and useless to not have detected them all this time! Yes I know this is all our fault! But do you think everyone here doesn't know that?!
Do you think everybody is just ignoring all these bodies, their blood, the children that had not even seen the light of their lives?!
We know you already know everything we do. We just saw you capturing that bastard even we had difficulty facing and crippling the hell out of him!
We know you are capable enough but! Young boy! Stop this bullshit questioning!
This is war! And war is fucked up!
Don't try to find the answers to those accursed questions from people who don't even possess as good of an understanding of 'life' as you do!"
She was shouting at me, screaming her heart out, cursing without caring about her status…
She was a noble empress who wouldn't even flatter in front of death, but, war… war made her like this.
And since she was far stronger than the two of us, the slap that I endured just now was making my ears bleed.
"You bastard!
Do I think they deserved this? Hell no! But what does my opinion matter anyway!
They are dead, child! Dead!
Demonic energy they had absorbed until now makes it impossible for them to revive either!
But that does not matter either! Fuck!
There's no way to bring so many people back to life unless a few high gods descends upon this land themselves!"
Her eyes were teary, there was rage, anger, sadness in her gentle eyes… but, the hatred in there overwhelmed all the other emotions.
"Those fucking bastards did this to them… and if we don't move our asses and bring that piece of shit back! More people are gonna die!"
I was looking into her eyes directly.
The others were done cleaning up so they were looking at us with sad looks as well.
I understood this shit situation, but there were no words I could offer to this enraged woman before us.
"Huuuuu… just shut the fuck up with your hurtful questions and let's move.
Spare us the sanity we have left, and go find the answers you seek yourself if you still want them."
The situation we all were in was absolutely terrible.
I knew that… and I still naively hurt her feelings.
'I believed she was the strongest person among us to ask that question…'
But she turned out to be just as fragile as any of us.
"I am sorry-"
"Don't apologise, stupid bastard. Let's go, move. Move everyone! We have a bastard to interrogate!"
Her anger towards those demonic people was far greater than the sadness she had experienced from my question.
She wanted to end them all if she could right this instance, however, since she was assigned to the city area, she could not use any powers that are too powerful or else the aftermath would cause more deaths.
"Yes, let's go."
The wars were waged for a 'glorious' fucked up purpose.
There was happiness for the party that won, despair for those who lose.
However, in between the beginning and the end of this vicious process called war… the darkness that overwhelms the common people like these, always goes unnoticed.
'And even if those who want to notice it, understand it, ends up in purgatory where a simple answer, becomes impossible to comprehend…'
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om