Ashes and Kingdoms

3-7. Killing, Protecting

The legions were defenseless. He was obsessed with threatening unarmed villagers and depriving them of food and gold-eyed things, and he hadn't even noticed Finn's proximity.

(I don't even have to kill him)

Judging calmly, Finn struck a strong blow in the pattern of his sword and stunned him. Gu, a legion soldier kneels down and falls with a gushing voice. By then, Finn has already stood fangs on his next prey.

After cleaning up a few people, some soldiers noticed an unexpected enemy and made a scene. Get your hands off what you were carrying or the woman you were trying to take away, and put up a spear. Finn also re-gripped to use the blade, not the sword pattern.

An army soldier is attacked with a roar. Finn intercepting, as usual, was reading their movements. Avoid shifting your body away from the path of the spear all the while pushing your opponent's arm with your left hand. It's a sarda martial arts application. The soldier is dragged down by his momentum and disfigured. Finn poked quickly at the empty torso.

Don't put between them, jump into the pocket of another soldier whose companion fell and feared, diving the cutting edge of the sword on the shoulder of his dominant arm. The soldier who screamed and took the spear off was no longer a threat, and Finn lightly embellished it and searched for his next target.

"Oh my God, you guys!

Finally the captain looked at this one and called it in. The rest of the legions gather and surround themselves with far-flung windings. Finn answered with an eye to the captain, exploring where it was coming from and the signs.

"It's just a powder shop."

To a terminal reply, confusion spread. If this had been said with an invincible grin or a pungent voice, it would have been considered foolish and provocative. But a young man who has slashed into the midst of only two and thirty legion soldiers is so calm as to be thin.

"Since when have legion soldiers become bandits," Finn said in a harsh voice. "It would be the eight hits of Daimyo Dilgius, but shame on you, riding that butt horse, wreaking havoc on your round-handed villager opponent, etc."

"Don't take it personally, kid! It is in the first place that they are savage thieves, lowly scumbags, who have threatened the citizens of the Empire for years! If the garbage disappears, the mountains will be beautiful too!

The captain was crying out loud to make his men listen as well, but as soon as Finn narrowed his eyes to swordswallowing, he shut his mouth frightened. But as soon as he hath done it, draw out his sword, and do it, and lay down his men.

An army soldier attacked him at once, but Finn was blind to it and ran out with the captain in a straight line. Soldiers who hold back the way they go are quick and wasted, slashing their opponents or cleaning them up with a single penetration into the steeple.

With that extraordinary skill in sight, the captain blued once and for all, turning himself over and fleeing. Totally the right reaction as an animal instinct, but it was the worst thing to do as a keeper of a squad of legions.

His men, who were left without any instructions, were dazed and dared to stop standing up to Finn. Thanks to this, Finn could easily follow the captain.

The captain noticed in the direction of his escape and Finn glanced. Valt should be letting the villagers get away over there. Everyone would not have evacuated yet.

Turning to the shadow of the house, the old woman, who had missed her escape, said. I just screamed to run, and there's nothing I can do. Finn managed to catch up, but couldn't make it to a few more steps, and the captain captured the old woman and shielded her.

"What do you say, this still calls!?

Winning pride, the captain puts a sword on his nagging throat. Finn stood up, eating up his teeth, breathing on his shoulders.

"Dastardly"

To Finn, who roared small, the captain returned a tight laugh.

"Is there anything cowardly or cowardly about a monster like you? Well, if it's a shame to be such a bitch, throw away your sword, kneel down, and put your hands behind your head!

…………

"Hurry up!

The captain yelled and Finn nearly let go of his sword, that was when.

"Brother Finn!

I heard Mac scream and Finn looked up hah. In that eye, I see the captain's stunned face. He slowly slumped as he tried to look back. The liberated old woman greets you, and from behind you appears Mac.

Finn was relieved and rushed over to him.

"I'm sorry, thank you."

As I say, I urge the old lady to go to Valt, who looks beyond the tree. Mac didn't answer, blued, shivering into small pieces with his bloody sword clenched with both hands.

"... Mac?

Something's wrong. Finn got worried and tried to touch his hand on his shoulder. but sooner, he took off his sword and crouched, and began to vomit hard.

At the feet of Finn, who stood by surprise, Mac nodded beside the man he stabbed to death, crying in a rattling tremor.

(Is it normal for this to happen?

Finn realized with dismay. This is the first time Mac has killed a person. When bandits attacked me outside Winnea, I was on the protected side. Even when I attacked legion soldiers after entering this mountain, the premise was not to kill them.

What is causing Mac now is the shock of murder.

Valt came running and rubbed Mac's back off.

"It's all right, you were fine."

He says it like a father, with a look he rarely shows.

"You did the right thing, you helped your grandmother. Well done."

Still, Mac's tremors and whimpers couldn't stop. Valt slapped him to strength his back, then stood up and turned to Finn. The look is as harsh and approximate as it was the first time we met.

"What are you surprised, Phineas? Look, this guy's got a normal reaction. While I was in the Legion at Tetna, I ran around to bandit extermination and went through many battles. Even if the target is a bandit, this is probably what happens to recruits who kill people for the first time. It's not like shimmering chickens or pigs. I'm gonna puke. I'm gonna cry, some guy drools his piss and shit. One of these days I'll get used to it, so I won't get drunk on blood like you, and I can kill people efficiently without changing one complexion. You are unusual. Remember."

In a reprehensible tone, Mac raised his blue face and turned to protest. But I'm not in a very good position to defend Finn. Though I tried to say something, my lips were confusing and in the end the only thing I spilled was a whimper.

Finn at the time stood silently.

(After all, is there something wrong with me? I don't think anything about killing people... so I'm not having fun, I don't want to kill them. But)

Dark thoughts spread, and I began to wonder how darkness beasts looked more like each other than dragons of light, etc., at that time.

"Oh, I'm sure it's special."

A warm hand rested on his shoulder. My fingers are missing, but my hands are strong.

Soon as Finn looked up, Oandus stood by him. With his usual, honest and heartfelt smile, he said slowly.

"I don't know about the war. I've thought nothing unusual about my son, Valt, but maybe you're right after all. I liked him at first sight."

That's all he said, he stared at Finn with a strong temper.

"Phineas, you are a special person who protects those who cannot fight. When I first saw you in the orphanage, I knew it right away. This guy's not like the other kids, he's a strong guy, you know. That's why I liked you. I insisted that you're definitely good, not some other kid with more strength or arm."

There is strength in the hand holding the shoulder. Finn glanced at him, nearly crying in danger, and panicked.

"You certainly may not be like people. I don't know what Dragon Marquis is now. But still, he's my proud son."

The proclamation sounded both encouraging Finn and convincing Valt. No, Valt is not the only one, even as if to declare war against the world.

Finn never wondered at that time that his adoptive father would defend him so strongly. I was just overwhelmed by its strength, my heart was relieved, and I was biting off my deep joy.

The way Valt looks at his nose turns a blind eye and deceives him by pretending to care about Mac. Finn managed to speak up as he desperately restrained himself from overflowing with the hot stuff to be put in.

"... thanks, Dad"

Good, it didn't make me cry that much, and I care about trivialities at times like this. But it would have been better for Oandus to try to keep him calm in tears.

"Hey! You just told me to do it!?

Turning to a look of ecstasy, he held Finn roughly.

"Again, hey, let me hear it again! You don't have to call me that well-behaved, you see, hey!

Finn was also surprised by the boulder at Oandus, who rounded him up, and his emotions were blown away.

Mac laughs all over his tears, and Valt yells, "What the hell?" Prast, who had come to clean up the army soldiers, blinked his eyes, and Fauna, who had been hiding, came out, and exclaimed, alas, sloppy. Next to it Nellis says half-hearted and half-hearted.

"Are you that happy that your big son called you 'father', not as cute as a headstone? Disgusting."

"It's completely different from what my daughter tells me and what my son tells me! Hey, Phineas, please, look, one more time!

"What... no, the..."

I'm ashamed of this, not the other way around. Finn wandered off and escaped from the embrace of the mundane and the Oandus.

After a slight disturbance, when the situation finally settled, the evacuated villagers returned. All the surviving Legion soldiers have been disarmed, put together in a square and monitored against the face of a powderhouse. Only a few were intact, and half of the troops, including the captain, were dead.

Finn looked around at the legions and realized. In addition to the soldiers I have killed, most of them survive. Some soldiers were unluckily steeped with Plast's arrows, but otherwise - that is, soldiers who fought anyone but Finn - were only wounded.

Finn remembered what happened when the captain escaped and convinced himself with one heart.

(Normally, everyone will fight as hard as they can if they don't have to... even the legions)

It's like it's different between dealing with the beast of darkness and dealing with humans.

Thinking hard, Mac came to the side. Looks like he came washing his face in the creek, but he still looks so sadly screwed up. Faster than Finn cared, Mac apologized with a tendency to "sorry".

"... I thought it would be easy. I can do it like a brother, when I practice, I just stick my stopping hand out like that, he said. One poke... but"

Her voice blurred and her small body trembled like she had been struck by chills.

"I had no idea it was like this. I feel sorry for myself. My brother taught me so much."

"That's okay. Valt said you were normal."

"If this is normal, I'd rather be with my brother."

It would be a belated protest to dare imitate what Valt said. Finn stroked him when he broke his head.

"I don't know. I didn't know what normal looks like until just now. So by now, I might have even killed someone I didn't have to kill. Besides, I wouldn't mind going in there alone, but I wouldn't be able to work with everyone like that, would I? It would help if you tweaked it."

"You don't have to console me..."

"I'm serious," Finn put into his voice. "You make up for what I'm missing. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"... ok"

As he nodded small, Mac breathed deeply, stretching his spine and raising his face.

"So next time, will you think about taking the back of the enemy as far as you can? Me, earlier, I could stab him because he was turning his back on me. As soon as I was about to look back, I thought it was so... bad. Instead of being hit, I got sexually scared anyway. It's normal to be more advantageous from behind than fighting from the front, but apart from that, I don't know what to say... I think it's easier"

Finn couldn't hide his surprise that he looked like another serving warrior. Don't push me, I wanted to tell you, but Mac isn't being strong, he's really trying to be stronger. Finn blinked a few times and then somehow replied, "Oh."

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

To Finn, who thanked him for his discipline, Mac gave him a slightly frowned look and nodded silently. I recognize this attitude. Finn looked at heaven and secretly prepared that it might be time for words like Nellis to pop out of Mac's mouth.

At that time, signs of flutter and familiarity returned. That's all Finn is powered by and spills a smile of relief. Lena had not shown herself, but was felt to exist in the immediate vicinity.

That means that when Finn turned his neck, the indication was that blue fog had just appeared in the village.

"Apparently, Dilgius, once caught in one thing, is the only thing he sees."

Blue fog looked around at the prisoner and said without showing any particular trouble. Finn nodded and frowned. At this minute, Dilgius might send legions of soldiers straight in before the mountains are closed to snow. The soldiers I have to obey are the good annoyances.

"Either way, we should move the village. There are other land suitable for over winter. It's only going to work now, but if we stay here, we're likely to be raided again. I don't care if I go home to keep these people alive."

Saying something sarcastic and noisy, Blue Mist gave the prisoner a glimpse. As soon as they do, they will look frightened and frightened. He wasn't taken prisoner in a battle between the legions, so he thought he could skin the barbarians raw.

The blue fog left them threatened and went to consult with the face that was the Lord of the village. Valt drops it off and hangs out alone with Blur.

"... what are you going to do with him?"

Finn heard that, but couldn't answer it.

As a result of a lengthy and thoughtful consultation, the Legion soldiers decided to stay put. However, it is only after the village has been safely moved. Until then, I will stay here with the dough shop faces. So that they don't know where they're going, and also to delay Dilgius from getting the news.

"Leaving me captive like this, during the winter, I have nothing to feed. But even this year, you're hiring extra mouth. If we kill them all, Dilgius won't get any news, so we're safe."

Blue fog sounded like a prisoner, he said softly. Apparently, his fashion's payback.

"If you leave too many bodies behind, the beasts of darkness will come by. It's not a very pleasant winter to spend time surrounded by blue eyes watching for new bodies."

"Please don't talk like that because it's cold to us."

Finn complained, but the blue fog just kept on saying that he didn't know what it was about.

Oh man, Finn shook his head and looked at the villagers who were already on the run to get ready to move quickly. Even though I was busy with winter support, it's not as noisy as the heavens and the earth turned upside down. But there is order in it, and the work is gradually progressing, seemingly only bulky in the eyes of the stranger. The tent, which is the house, is dismantled and food and household belongings are packed.

It was only one fear that was hurrying the villagers working like ants.

Winter is coming. - There's a long, dark night.

Finn looked up into the sky and saw the grey winter clouds spreading, making him look harsh.

Also, that blue light dot lights the darkness of the night.

Finn trembles to pay the invisible frost on his body. The hand was unconsciously squeezing the pattern of the sword tightly.