'LET'S SEE THE CITY THEY LEFT BEHIND!' Her voice trembled, but I couldn't tell what it was she felt.
We were back in the town. The crowd had left—not even their torches could be seen burning on the horizon.
Just the women, children, and elderly filled the streets, most gathered around the inn where Rina was, while others kept their doors open.
There were no weapons left, and most had no fighting experience—they were defenceless.
Light slowly appeared on the horizon, but something didn't make sense.
The light was coming from the east.
These weren't he men that had left the city behind, some sat high on their horses, while most walked right behind them.
Men clad in black, most covering their faces, but all held a weapon in hand.
They had one objective—
"LET OUR FEAST BEGIN!" The man in front screamed out, rearing his horse as he pointed his sword at the town.
"Indulge."
All the men stormed in.
Among them, a single child—wearing different clothes from the rest, hands bound behind his back.
That was Rina's son—the kid Rina offered everybody up for.
'What do you think of her choice, boy? Offering everybody up, for just a single child—her own child.'
'I have a younger sister, whom I dearly care about. I have always protected her, the way my dad always protected me. I can't imagine anything like this happening to her... but if it did... I don't know—I don't know what I'd do.
'But I understand her... I empathize with her... but also with those who hate her.'
'Exactly, child. There is no correct choice her—it simply should never happen/'
I was unable to answer as I watched the scene unfold.
Most of the women and children who saw the light appear rushed toward it, while others stayed and narrowed their eyes at the horizon.
Both groups had been waiting on their husbands, sons, or brothers—and they came to the same conclusion simultaneously.
That was not who they had waited for.
"RUN!" The woman in front screamed back, but it was too late.
Those beast-like men had already begun filling the roads, running with weapons in their grip
Some managed to escape this assault, but others were less fortunate.
Some turned back, after seeing their child in the midst of those animals—exchanging themselves for their own child.
While others left their child in the midst of those animals—exchanging their own child for themselves.
Some begged the men to let their child go, while others understood it already—these weren't humans. These were beasts dressed as one.
Humans who had thrown their humanity away.
Some saw this as a chance to kill while making their kindred watch. Others saw it as a chance to commit indescribable acts—crimes against humanity—upon those they caught.
Robbing them from the life they could've had, no matter how long that life remained—they wouldn't be able to forget anything.
Some let their victims escape when they were done. Others killed theirs.
This was just the first assault. Once they had covered those in the streets, they ran into the houses—no door could hold them out.
They took everything—from simple bread to precious keepsakes.
And inside the houses, they found those who had tried to hide.
Some had been inside since the start. Some had escaped in time. Some had survived the streets. But no matter who fought back, they were beheaded—if possible, in front of their loved ones, taking away their will to fight, leaving them seized by grief.
There was no word fit to describe the scenes that unfolded in front of me, there was just one that came closest for me,
Humanity.
This was what I understood as humanity—all I had ever known, save for the few specks of light that had saved my own.
I had no way of knowing whether there was anything else beyond that world I grew up in—my world.
The scene before me showed no signs of stopping. There was no one to hold these men back—fifty, now down to forty-five, but with no resistance left that was enough.
There were just two ways to fight back: use every limb you had to fight for your freedom, or surrender, and hope there was something left inside the one who chose you.
When all hope seemed lost—a sliver appeared.
It was a single man—clad in shining silver armor, engraved with the proud head of a lion. The same head as on the coins I carried.
It was a knight—a knight of the northern empire. Hanserath.
He held his sword in one hand, his armor scraping as his cloak fluttered with each step, his face warmed by the fur collar he wore.
He held his sword up,
"You should not have woken me up." He spoke in a dull, cold voice, indifferent to the scene that unfolded in front of him.
I felt a lump in my throat as I watched him, thinking of my father and everything he stood for.
But all those emotions were soon blown away.
A bright light shone from his sword, it was so bright that the color was unclear to me.
It showed me how far below him I was.
In one blink it was over.
The only things left standing were the man and the horses he had spared.
A single step was all it took to silence the sounds that filled the air—the sounds of cries, and the sounds of laughter.
And then there was nothing.
Only the mist that followed the bodies.
Frozen footprints were left behind him. Every body he had passed bore frostbite where the cold had taken hold.
"Brrr... I made it even colder." He walked back into the inn, sheathing his spotless blade.
Lights from the west quickly filled the darkened sky soon after.
They all ran into town, and saw their worst nightmares before them.
The streets were painted red, filled with the sight of their wives and children holding each other, clothes ripped off their bodies, left in the burning cold.
Even Rina lay alongside her child, tears filling her eyes as she looked at the scene she had caused—to her friends, her family, and herself
It was no longer clear whether surviving this was a blessing or a curse.
But one thing was sure.
It was a horrific sight—caused by beasts, and by the man who always had the power to save them.
The sight faded to dark. I could see nothing except my own reflection.
It slowly transformed into the woman from before. She said,
'I'm sorry for showing you this... you are one of the children I wish to protect.'
'Don't worry about it... I have seen similar things in my life.'
'...'
'You are just a young child... how are you still standing even through events adults can't understand?'
'I don't know... I don't know anything... all I know is that I have things I need to live for—that's all I need.'
'You are a strong child. No—a strong human... not all would stay standing.'
'...maybe so...'
'Even after watching all this, do you still think I'm wrong? That I am not protecting these children—with my wish to give them a peaceful life inside of a dream?'
'Such a dream would be better than living through the cruelty of reality!' She threw her hands out before her.
'Uhm... I don't know... I have experienced nothing... I think...'
'All I have known is the world I grew up in. It's pure cruelty, a place of darkness... but even there were specks of light for me, from my family whom I loved, to my sister—who has been the only one left since five years ago...'
'I don't know anything beyond the world I know. I just know that my world is only a small part of a much bigger whole.'
My eyes shifted down, looking at the emptiness below my feet. 'I can't give an answer yet... all I know is my reality, after all. But I promise to find one—not just for you, but for myself, and for my sister.'
'I'm sorry for everything you have gone through... it's not something a child should ever experience—more than most adults have ever faced. So I'll hold you to this promise, and I will give you the children back.'
The darkness was washed away by a bright light. It felt close to the real world, but something still felt different.
'Do you know what you are?'
'Yes, I do...'
'Couldn't that be an answer on its own?'
'An answer?'
'Yes. You are the living form of those mothers' emotions—even in their last moments... I think so, at least.'
'You are right about my existence... kid.'
'You can call me Tjer.'
'What can I call you?'
'It's a beautiful name... Tjer.'
'I don't have a name, so call me whatever you want.'
'And to answer your question, I don't know either. I'm as much a product of love as I am of hate.'
The light began to dim.
'Tjer, please protect these children, and those who are powerless.'
'You have the makings of a hero, after all.'
'Me? Makings of a hero? I don't care about being a hero... all I want is to live a good life with my sister.'
Houses came into sight as we approached the last trees.
'...do you know how I brought the children here?'
'No?'
'I sent an illusion of myself and picked them up—using what they each held in their essence.'
We passed the final trees. The rooftops of the town were becoming clear, but the rest of my view was blocked by a crowd—tears flooding their faces, screams the first thing I heard.
'What do you mean?'
'...' I couldn't hear anything she said.
'Tjer... maybe you were right... it was lovely talking to you—'
'Maybe I was... I hope to find out—thank you, mother.'
I felt her separating from me, leaving something behind with me.
And even I have someone waiting for me—
"Brother!!"