On the outskirts of the Forest of the Thousand Wonders - 10 days after the departure of the empire of Ingrissia:
A dark sky, loaded with gigantic purple clouds, covered the entire extent of the Forest of a Thousand Wonders. Violent flashes of the same hue crossed it, illuminating the horizon with a threatening light.
Under a thick and silent mist, Raiden, accompanied by his troops and companions, had just arrived at the edge of a wide river. This imposing river separated them from the mystical forest that stretched on the other side of the shore.
As the ground trembled under the army's heavy steps, Raiden calmly raised his hand. His gesture was clear: stop.
On the way to the forest, the troops had suffered many ambushes and attacks by dark creatures, coming straight from the abyss. Five thousand men had perished... five thousand souls, fallen without even seeing the real enemy in front.
But thanks to the air support of the Solarian and the Nebulae, the worst had been avoided. The blood shed was only the price necessary to continue moving forward.
Raiden looked at his men. In the eyes of some, he saw an iron determination, that of those who have already made peace with death. But in others, younger, more fragile... there was fear. A fear that he understood. A fear that he knew in his early days.
Because he knew that everyone here, deep down, felt the same thing: this day could be their last.
So, he pivoted his horse to observe his troops straight in the eyes. And in a deep, clear and unshakable voice, he declared:
"Tomorrow, we will launch the final assault against the deity lurking in the forest of the Thousand Wonders. I won't lie to you: many of us will perish in this battle. Some of you are afraid, and that's normal. I too once knew this fear. But it must not become a channel that will prevent us from giving the best of ourselves. "
He paused, letting the soldiers capture the weight of each word.
"Fleeing is not an option. We are here because we have people to protect. Families. Friends. Dreams. So even if we lose an arm, an eye, or our own life, we must continue to fight even if we have to wield our sword with our jaw. Not for glory... but to offer a future to all those who pray for us and look forward to our return. "
So, he drew his sword. And by instilling his mana into it, the blade lit up with an intense golden light. It sparkled like a sun in the midst of darkness.
This light was reflected on the faces of his soldiers, like a spark of courage rekindled in their hearts.
"Even if it is a god who faces us, he dared to invade our land. And we won't let it happen. "
"INGRISSIENS! INGRISSIENNES! Tomorrow, we will write History with our blood and courage! We will shoot down this being who has come to desecrate our world! "
"For our empire! For our world! "
An intense silence followed. Then, suddenly, a soldier shouted with all his might:
"FOR THE EMPIRE AND FOR OUR WORLD! "
A cry immediately taken up, in echo, by thousands of others:
"FOR THE EMPIRE AND FOR OUR WORLD! "
"FOR THE EMPIRE AND FOR OUR WORLD! "
"FOR THE EMPIRE AND FOR OUR WORLD! "
Raiden sketched a smile. It wasn't joy. It was a spark of pride. His men, even wounded, even broken, were still standing.
He then looked up at the sky, and waved his hand. The captains of the Solarian and the Nebulae immediately understood. They began their descent.
As the two ships were preparing to land, Raiden spoke again, this time with a softer tone, but still full of grandeur:
"Tonight, no tears. No regrets. Let's prepare a huge campfire. Tonight, we will party! Meat, alcohol, songs and laughter... Let's celebrate this last night as if it were the most beautiful of our lives. Because tomorrow... it's hell that awaits us. "
He snapped his fingers. Valen immediately advanced. The mage raised his hand and made a huge magic circle appear. In an instant, thousands of barrels and crates filled with meat, alcohol and various food appeared behind Raiden.
At the same time, the two ships landed simultaneously, in a grandiose breath. The one on the left. The other on the right. The ground shook. The sky seemed to clear, for a moment.
Raiden then opened his arms and declared in a loud and calm voice:
"Treast yourself. Tonight is the party! "
The soldiers burst with joy. A wave of enthusiasm swept the camp.
"LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR! LONG LIVE THE FIVE HEROES! "
"LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR! LONG LIVE THE FIVE HEROES! "
"LONG LIVE THE EMPEROR! LONG LIVE THE FIVE HEROES! "
Raiden, silent, watched them with a slight smile. He felt the fire of their courage reborn. And that was all it took to face tomorrow.
Aryna, his daughter, stood by his side. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, fascinated. She had just seen, not an emperor, but a father, a leader, a hero, instill hope in thousands of souls.
At nightfall:
The night fell without a sound. She wrapped the plains in a dark and cold mantle. The wind was blowing with intensity, taking with it the fallen leaves of a world still alive.
The soldiers set up camp. In the heart of it, a huge campfire burned, crackling in the darkness like a lighthouse in the night.
Tomorrow, it was the fate of the world that would be played out.
But tonight... tonight, it was the party.
The heat of the fire spread gently in the fresh night air, with the shadow of the Forest of the Thousand Wonders enthroned on the horizon. The crackling of the flames mixed with the laughter and chants of the soldiers. Some drank from the barrels, others cooked meat, improvising skewers with blades or branches. The youngest raised their glass at each anecdote told by the veterans, their faces illuminated by the flames.
Groups were formed everywhere: here a circle of soldiers shared memories of past battles, there, two archers played a sweet melody with the flute and lute. A magician showed some floating lights that danced above the fire, amusing the children present in the camp and soothing the troubled souls.
Despite the war, despite the dead, that evening, life regained its rights. The soldiers laughed loudly, sometimes cried, but they were together. United.
Raiden watched this scene silently, slightly apart, arms crossed. He said nothing, but his eyes saw everything. He saw these soldiers: men, women, young adults, teenagers, these people ready to die for their loved ones and a world they hoped to save.
"They all enjoy this evening without worrying about the next day... all thanks to your speech." whispered Aryna as she approached him.
Raiden nodded slowly and said in a soft and calm voice:
"It's better that they are in this mood the day before a big battle. Tomorrow the majority of them will no longer be alive, so a relaxing evening will not hurt anyone. "
"You're right father, it's nice to see them, the mind relaxed." Aryna replied in a soft voice with a warm look.
After that a little moment of silence reigned, Raiden looked at Aryna out of the corner of his eye, and noticed that she was distracted, her eyes staring at the flames while watching her comrades having fun in the distance.
So he sighed slightly and said in a calm tone:
"You know... I know that this brown-haired knight is waiting for you, you don't need to hold back here you can also go have fun. "
Aryna, having heard her father talk about the brown-haired knight, blushed instantly and began to stutter excuses.
After that, she instantly covered her face with shame.
"Sorry father, I didn't want to hide it from you! " shouted Aryna, instantly bowing.
Raiden, let out a small laugh and said:
"You don't have to worry, you're perfectly old enough to have relationships. But... did you really think you could hide it from me? "
Aryna looked away slightly, still embarrassed and her cheeks still red
"You are currently my side, but I notice that your gaze is on this knight, and it's been a while already. You're only twenty-two years old, but you're already putting too much pressure on yourself... so enjoy this evening too and have fun with everyone." he said with a warm smile while looking at Aryna.
Aryna moved by her father's words, let out a wide smile.
"Thank you father," she said in a soft voice with a warm smile.
After that Aryna rushed to a group of young knights and knightesses, and jumped into the arms of a young knight with brown hair and green eyes, before starting to feast with everyone.
Seeing his daughter having fun with the smile, Raiden let out a smile from the corners of his lips.
After observing everyone for a few moments, he decided to go along the various lights, greeting with one look at the soldiers who crossed his path. Some thanked him with a nod, others raised their glass in his honor. Everyone respected him.
At the bottom of the camp, near a slightly more discreet fire, four people were sitting there. His companions. His brothers and sisters of war.
- Valen, already drunk with a wooden mug in his hand, dancing around the fire.
- Sylpha, danced around the fire with Valen, her black hair reflecting the light of the flames.
- Kaelis, was leaning against a rock, his sword resembling a katana planted on the ground right next to him and his eyes riveted towards the sky.
- Garran, as for him, was just sitting, watching with a smile Valen and Sylha danced around the fire with a wooden mug in his hand.
Raiden approached and said:
"Hey friends, can I join you? "
So they all turned their heads towards him and Valen said:
"Of course, since when have you been asking us for permission," he said with a warm smile on his lips.
"Of course you can sit down, with us you are not an emperor, you are just our friend and companion" added Kaelis in a mature voice, he who had remained silent for a long time.
Raiden smiled slightly and advanced towards them. He sat down, then next to Garran, near the fire.
They then began to talk and laugh among themselves, telling each other jokes, anecdotes and memories.
Valen and Sylpha were still dancing around the fire with a smile on their lips, Kaelis had approached them, and with Raiden and Garran, they all sang in heart under the effect of alcohol.
They had forgotten everything, and they had all escaped into their little world of five, as in their youth, when they were still young adventurers, before becoming heroes.
While they were having fun and laughing all together, Sylpha, tired of dancing, collapsed to the ground and began to laugh slightly. The others seeing her collapsed and laughed, they also started laughing all together.
After laughing for a long time, Sylpha looked up at the stars and began to look at them with a warm look.
"Hey guys... if we survive tomorrow, what will you do after that?" She said in a calm tone with a sad smile.
TO FOLLOW...