Ashes and Kingdoms

After the festival, the captain's attitude seemed to have changed slightly. Though it is difficult to say that it has softened, it may have reassured me that it has been less sneaky than before.

The Euches were the same, but the captain alone was no longer concerned, and Finn was relieved.

The job was peaceful by the time I was bored. The extent to which we occasionally spot strays and take them to the city's poverty shelter, or escort the luggage of farmers and merchants coming from the south down the street.

But nothing happened at all.

Four days after the Summer Solstice Festival, at noon, when it was getting hot and humid, even on the north side, it happened.

The sentry looked all the way back at the rattling and the sound of the wheels walking down the street.

A luggage car running like crazy and a crowd of about ten people. Bandits.

"Let's go!

With Valt's decree everyone ran out in unison.

From this side, it has a gentle downward slope. The bandits also noticed and showed up to fight in the form of legion soldiers running down with spears and shields. The luggage car is already stopped. I guess I calculated it would be a round loss if I ran away.

Raise your roar, the bandits are on their way. But most of what they have in their hands are poor minister sticks, daggers and axes. Only one person has a spear. The disadvantage in time is clear.

Finn stepped in not to get too close with the rushing down momentum, poking out the spear at the belly of the bandit he was headed for. but the aim was it and the spear didn't sting, just blushed the flank. By then, the enemy is already fleshy with an axe swinging.

Finn slammed the spear diagonally and struck him with a pattern. Take a quick intermission into the gap for a moment and roll out the poke again. I had a heavy response.

But it also didn't lead to fatal injuries, and the bandits wield axes like crazy. The blade nearly blurred his face, and Finn slammed his opponent with a spear. The bandit fell backwards with the spear stabbed, but a newbie jumped from behind it.

Breathe sharply, Finn quickly pulled out his sword.

The blade engages. Finn's cold knob stabbed the eye of a murderous bandit.

For a moment, Finn could read his opponent's movements.

I knew exactly how and where I could make the next move. At the same time, the body was moving on its own.

The enemy waves up his arms, as shown in the predicted diagram flashing behind his brain. Finn's sword sinks slightly in the blink of an eye, then jumps, slashing off every wrist a dagger waved down to leave momentum. A stunned bandit's face vanished under his sight as he bled out, blinking.

(All right, next)

Extremely calmly Finn looks up and sees the situation. Just now, stepping over the fallen enemy there unconstitutionally, he went toward another bandit.

Captain Valt was struggling because he was attacked by two people, but suddenly one man glanced at him where he was in danger. On its belly, a cut of the sword pops up. When the man fell with his eyes peeled off in amazement, Finn stood behind him. The moment I saw that face, Valt peeled, even though he was helped.

Faster than a frozen chest breathes back, the other bandit is also slaughtered with Finn's sword.

In front of Valt, Finn looks for new enemies without expression. But when he found out there was no one else, he stood on the spot in vain.

Are you all right?

One of the soldiers is talking to a farmer who was running a luggage truck. Tranquility returned and the bird chirped was heard in the distance. Then finally, Finn blinked his eyes and exhaled like he had returned to me.

"Phineas"

Called in a blurred voice, Finn turns around there, still lacking a sense of realization. Valt was staring at this one in blue. Finn didn't know why he looked so stiff. Tilt his neck and ask, "Are you all right?" But Valt asked instead of answering.

"You... are you having fun"

"What?"

I don't know what that means, Finn frowns. Valt coughed and turned to the same, no, ever more vigilant eyes.

"You're not enjoying killing me, are you?"

To unexpected words, Finn opened his eyes. To that reaction, Valt pulls out his shoulder strength. I took a relieved breath, as if he had tried to hide it, but Finn also figured it out.

"No way," Finn leaked his wounded voice. I just don't want to die.

That said, I look around again. By now, the smell of blood and the faecal urine that drowned on the corpse was all over my nose.

"I can't believe you can enjoy this"

I shake my head alone. I thought they were looking at me that way, and it was a shock.

"Sorry," Valt apologized briefly. "Your battle was so vibrant. He seemed unaware of the fear. I hear you had a good teacher."

Finn did not answer. I couldn't answer that.

(I'm... having fun, I'm not here)

That was certain. But I wasn't even afraid. Nothing - I didn't feel anything at all. I remember suddenly losing my emotions after defeating the first one.

To be manipulated by something, pale and calm, read movements, breathe, calculate forces and movements. That's how, rather than killing, I was just, cleaning up.

It was understandable that there was no choice but to be afraid.

(Is something wrong with me?)

Unconsciously, stare at your hands. A hand that just took many lives.

The other guy was a bandit, a killer, and if he didn't do it, he'd have been hit. So there is no consciousness of sin. Even if it's natural, if it's normal, I don't know what it feels like to kill someone.

(But thanks to you, I survived)

Gyu, and squeeze your hand. Alive. The enemy falls and he stands. It was the result of a senseless and thorough battle, and if he had been caught in fear and confused or rushed to escape, he might have died. Of course, in that case, I couldn't help Valt.

(... not really, let's think)

Open your hands and exhale. Anyway, I'm alive, that's more than anything. Live, I can go back to the city today and see Nellis and the others.

When I remembered my family's face, something warm spread across my chest and my cheeks loosened. Finn nodded one small and slowly walked out.

All the soldiers were safe and gathered around the luggage. The poor horse was sweaty and had a nosebleed, but he seems to be sore without dying anyway, and his lord is sweaty and has no other importance than a mole or small cut on his face or arm. Moreover, there are still a number of cages of onions and ingen beans left on the carrier. I should say I was lucky.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep the streets safe lately."

"No, thanks to you, I picked up my life. I broke my head with this guy, too, didn't I? They have a lot of people, anyway. It's a bunch of wild dogs."

The farmer answers the captain so, and shows him a little bit of the bamboo that he has placed beside the table. Finn also peered from the side and glanced reflexively at the squirrel with the sticky blood on it. It's funny. Even though it would be fine if it were a sword or a spear, as soon as what should be used in everyday life has turned into a tool of killing, it feels somewhat disastrous.

Such a fin, the farmer kept talking.

"Besides, this time too, I failed because I thought it was a familiar path. Just a little grass by the side of the road, I was adding something... why, I heard a child cry."

――

took a lot of breath, Finn looked up. The farmer looks at the captain and doesn't notice.

"So I accidentally retracted and went to the back of the tree. You just heard the bastard yell before you could see him. I realized it was a bad idea, the thieves, and I turned back in a hurry, but then they noticed me too, and they chased me. As soon as I got in the carriage, one of them jumped out of the wagon, so I cracked him up."

The farmer is either helpfully relieved of the recoil or totally excited. I'm sure you'll talk about this day's martial arts tradition every time you drink alcohol for the rest of your life, that's the way it is. I was tempted to give it water, but Finn interrupted the conversation with "the".

"Where was it? I heard a child cry."

"Yeah? What, brother, are you trying to burn down those Negijos? It's time to stop, the woods are their territory, and they're not always in the same place. If you get ambushed, even legion soldiers are in danger... well, unless you bring a lot of them. I guess I was just past the westbound divide. Yeah, so let's go this way. I guess that means right in front of the divide."

"Okay," it was Valt who responded. "Report to the barracks and request a crusader. Until then, be careful."

Pong slapped him on the back and the farmer nodded "heh" and slowly left for the city. Dropping it off, Valt roars abominably.

"... be careful, huh? Fuck you."

Finn also knew how he felt and sighed. What do I tell you to be aware of? This time it just so happens that Xu has been helpful, but not necessarily the same luck again. You don't need to be careful, it used to be normal.

"If a bandit, not a beast of darkness, is his opponent, the commander might think of something decent. I don't feel comfortable, but I have to make an appeal."

Oh, man, Valt said, and looked at Finn.

"What's wrong with the kid"

"... survival of Tetna, may be"

hesitating, Finn replied in a whisper. The soldiers I was listening to are all lined up. Finn went on trying not to look at their faces. Because if you look at it, they were going to think you were blaming me.

"I brought in all the orphans, but before I entered the city, the bandits attacked me, five of them, missing. Maybe."

"Oh. Maybe a little. Fuck you, whatever it is, I'll get one platoon."

Valt roared. As expected, Finn felt somewhat unexpected. I guess that came out on his face too, Valt looked at Finn and said without hesitation.

"Those are the worst people I've ever had. I was murdered by bandits once upon a time."

…………

"I joined the legion because I wanted to avenge him, and put out my energy in the bandit hunt. I didn't take revenge at the heart."

Valt lays down his eyes and speaks pale of his past. Finn asked an aside.

"Didn't you find it?"

"No," Valt shook his head and accidentally looked at Finn. "Nanais' troops captured them. I wanted to kill them, but they got tied up in Nanais.... Remember?

The voice I asked was strangely awesome. Finn shakes his head and asks back confused.

"How many years ago was that?

Nearly twenty years ago.

"If that's the case, I'm not even born yet. Even if she was born, she's a baby."

"Right. How many are you talking about?

"Eighteen."

"I see."

Finn didn't know what was going to happen, but Walt was convinced of it, and he didn't say anything after that. Finn is baffled and stands up in a mood of discontinuity. I wanted to ask if I looked like someone or if my age had anything to do with it, but I probably wouldn't get a response.

Finn had no choice but to keep his mouth shut and walk out about the end of the line back to the city. Despite deliberately delaying and distancing, the same Euches slow down their steps and line up beside them.

"Finn, you're amazing"

…………

"But you're still a little unfamiliar with spears. Next time if you like..."

"Will you shut up?"

Shut up and roar like you want to yell, grinding with your back teeth. Eucis was also frightened by the boulder, and he clasped his mouth with a snotty look. Scratch your nose to deceive, clasp your shoulders, and still keep walking around.

When Finn bit his back teeth, he stopped and looked back, resolutely ignoring his opponent.

A bunch of squid are already gathering in the bandit's body. It was obvious you didn't need to bury him. After a whale or wild dog eats rough, you should just leave it overnight to clean up. For once, without even leaving a bone behind.

(Wait... how come those guys are safe?

Unexpectedly, Finn frowned. There, Valt calls from the previous one.

"Hey Phineas, do you see anything"

"No, I just wondered why they weren't attacked by the Dark Beast."

"Don't you know," Valt told me to throw up. "They're scum. I wonder if you've eaten the beast of darkness. Otherwise, they'll look like buddies. Don't mumble!

Come on, he yells, Finn looks around again and then slowly changes his body direction. A slightly summer feverish breeze blew the smell of blood all over Finn's body.

(Is there anyone they don't want to eat? If so, so am I.)

Will you be in one of them...?

"-"

Blink, shake your head, and pay for the unpleasant thoughts. Finn stopped thinking about it and ran to catch up with everyone.