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The Hidden World

Page 28

by Matt Harris

"That's-otrue~"-oThey-osay-oas-othey-ogo-oout-oand-ojust-ocoincided-oin-oone-othing-oat-othat-otime

  'Ardha…-ohe-omight-obe-omore-oof-oa-omonster-othan-oour-oZorith'-o

  ###-oChapter-o35-o--oChapter-o19.-oLord.-o(Part-o1)

  The-obattle-ohas-ocome-oto-oan-oend,-owe-oall-oare-ocelebrating-oour-ovictory,-ojoy-oand-ohappiness-orunning-oon-othe-oeyes-oof-oevery-oguild-omember-oand-ovillagers,-osweat-oand-oblood-orunning-oon-othe-obodies-oof-oeveryone.

  It-owas-oreally-ohard,-othat-ogroup-oreally-omade-ous-obreak-oa-ocold-osweat,-oand-othere-owere-omany-ofactors-othat-ocould've-oworked-oagainst-ous-oin-oa-otruly-obad-oway…

  But-owe-owon,-oand-oas-oI-ostart-owalking-otowards-omy-oside,-oI-olooked-oat-othe-ocorpses-oin-othe-oground,-oplayers-oand-oNPCs-oalike…-oit-oisn't-oa-osight-othat-oI-owanted-oto-osee-obut-othis-ois-othe-opost-war-oscenery.-oThe-oplayer's-obodies-odidn't-odisappear-oas-othey-ohave-odropped-oloot-obecause-oof-otheir-oloss,-oand-oit-oseems-othat-othose-othat-owere-otransported-oaway-odropped-otoo.-oThe-oloss-oof-owar-omeant-odeath-ofor-oevery-oplayer-oof-othe-olosing-oband.

  I-odeactivate-ooverflow-owhile-ousing-oWater-oEnhancing-oto-orestrain-othe-osudden-opain-oI-oget.-oI-oam-overy-oglad-oI-ohave-oRazer-obody-onow,-oif-oit-owasn't-ofor-othat-omy-obody-owould-ohave-obroken-odown-olong-obefore.-oMy-omana-ois-oalmost-oempty,-oand-omy-ohealth-obar-ois-oorange-oalmost-ored.-oWhile-othat-owasn't-oexactly-othe-oworst-oof-oconditions,-oI-ocould-obarely-oremain-ostanding-obecause-oof-oall-othe-oconstrain-omy-obody-ois-osuffering-oright-onow.

  I-ocould-osee-omy-ofriends,-owith-omany-owounds-oon-otheir-obodies-obecause-oof-othe-oharsh-odefense-owar,-obut-othey-ohave-ovictorious-oexpression,-osatisfaction-oand-ohappiness-oon-otheir-ofaces.-oIt-ois-oquite-oa-orefreshing-osight-oas-oI-osee-othat-oall-othe-ovillagers-oand-oBarbarians-oare-oalive.-oEven-oif-oI-ohad-oto-okill-oNPC's-ofrom-othe-oother-oside,-oI-owould-odefend-othem-owith-oall-omy-ostrength.-o

  I-ocould-osee-othat-othe-oenemy's-ocommander-othrew-ohis-oweapon-oaside-oand-owas-ocaptured-ofor-othe-o'negotiations'-othat-owe-owill-ohold-oin-oa-obit.-oAll-othe-oother-osoldiers-oare-ocaptured-oby-othe-oBarbarians-oand-omany-oof-oour-oGuild-oplayers,-owe-ocould-osee-owith-oa-orough-ocount-othat-oa-obit-oover-o2000-oare-oalive.

  "Yo~"-oI-osay-oto-omy-ofriends-othat-olooked-othat-othey-owere-owaiting-ofor-ome.

  "Nice-ojob,-obuddy"-oSays-oArksen-oto-ome-oin-oa-orascal's-otone-oand-oeveryone-oare-owatching-ome-owith-oapproved-olooks.

  "You-otoo,-ofor-obeing-oalmost-odefenseless,-obeing-oin-othe-ofront-oline-oand-onot-odying.-oYou-oare-oreally-ocommendable"-oI-osmirk-oto-omy-ofriend-oand-oI-olooked-oat-oZorith-othat-oseems-oto-obe-oa-obit-otroubled-o"Are-oyou-ookay?"

  "I-oam…-obut-othere-owas-oa-omoment-oI-ocouldn't-ocontrol-omyself-oand-owent-ointo-oa-ofrenzy…"-oHe-oanswers-ome-owith-oa-osour-oface.-oIt-owas-oexpected-othat-osomething-olike-othat-owould-ohappen,-oas-ohe-ostill-oisn't-oable-oto-ocontrol-ohis-opowers-ocompletely.-oWhenever-owe-ospar,-oit-oseems-olike-oa-oviolent-otorrent-owants-oto-ofree-oitself-ofrom-oits-odam.

  "Don't-oworry,-owe-oare-ohere-oin-ocases-olike-othat"-oI-otell-othe-oworried-oZorith,-obut-oreally,-oI-omight-onot-obe-oable-oto-osuppress-oa-oZorith-othat-ogoes-oall-oout-oeven-owith-oOverflow-oand-oRazer-oBody-otogether…-oI-otruly-oneed-oto-oget-oeven-ostronger.

  As-oI-owas-oabout-oto-ocontinue-ospeaking,-oEliana-owith-oPeko-oentered-omy-osight,-obut-owhat-oreally-otook-omy-oattention-ois-oEroda-othat-ois-obeing-oshoulder-carried-oby-othe-otwo-oof-othem.

  "Eroda!-oWhy-oare-oyou-ohere?-oWe-owill-otake-ocare-oof-othings,-oyou-oshould-ogo-orest"-oI-otell-ohim-oworriedly,-obecause-othere-oare-otraces-oof-oblood-oaround-ohis-ochest-oarea-oand-ohis-omouth,-obut-othere-oaren't-oany-owounds,-oso-oit-ois-oprobably-ofrom-ooverexertion.

  "I-owill,-oEliana-otold-ome-othe-osame,-obut-oI-oshould-odo-osomething-obefore-othat"-oHe-osays-oto-ome-owith-oa-ofaint-osmile-ohis-ocomplexion-overy-opale.-oHe-ocontinues-osaying-ofor-oeveryone-oto-olisten

  "Everyone,-oI-oam-onow-ohere-onot-oonly-oto-ocongratulate-oyou-ofor-othe-ohard-earned-owin,-oas-oI-oam-ohere-oto-odeclare-oa-onew-ogeneration!"-oHe-osays-oas-ohe-ostands-oup-oby-ohimself,-ohis-ovoice-oechoing-othrough-othe-owhole-obattlefield-owith-oease.

  Then-ohe-olooks-oat-ous-oand-ocontinues-o"I,-oEroda-oKrone,-oMayor-oof-oHellish-oVillage,-ohereby-odeclare-oArdha,-othe-osuccessor-oof-oPlate,-othe-oLord-oof-oHellish-oVillage!"

  --oYou-oare-onow-othe-oLord-oof-oHellish-oVillage!

  I-oget-osurprised-oat-othe-oproclamation-oand-obefore-oI-ocould-osay-osomething,-oEroda-oput-ohis-ohand-oon-omy-oshoulder-oand-otells-ome.

  "Sorry-ofor-othis-oshort-onotice,-obut-owe-oare-ocounting-oon-oyou"-oHe-osays-oas-oI-olook-oat-ohim-ostraight-oin-othe-oeyes-oand-othen-ogazed-oto-oeveryone-oelse-othat-oare-olooking-oat-ome-owith-oexpectant-oeyes.

  My-oanswer-ois-odecided-oas-omy-oconviction-ois-ostrengthened,-oI-owon't-oturn-oaway-ofrom-othis-oand-oI-odeclare.

  "I,-oArdha-ofrom-oKaiser,-owill-ogladly-otake-othe-oposition-oof-othe-oLord-oas-oI-opromise-oto-oprotect-oeveryone-owith-oeverything-oI-ohave!"

  Cheers-ostart-osurging-oand-oI-oget-olifted-oto-othe-oair-oby-omy-ofriends.

  For-ous,-oit-ois-oa-oglorious-oday,-oand-oI-ohave-opromised-othat-oI-owill-otake-oafter-omy-oMaster-oand-obecome-othe-oGuardian-oof-othis-oplace,-oand-olike-ohim,-oI-oam-onot-oalone-oas-omy-ocomrades-oare-owith-ome.

  I-owill-onever-olet-othem-ohurt-othis-oplace-oanymore.

  --------------------------------------------------------------

  My-oname-ois-oEren-oLoche,-oI-owas-oassigned-oas-oa-ocommander-oof-othe-o5000-otroops-othat-owould-oassist-oPrinny-oBrigade-oand-oits-oalliances-ofor-othe-oraid.

  I-owas-osure-othat-owe-owould-owin,-onot-oonly-owe-ohad-onumbers,-obut-owe-oalso-ohad-oa-oLeader-othat-owas-oborn-oto-ocommand-oa-owar.-oThat-oforeigner-ogirl-ois-oterrifying-oas-oI-oonce-owatched-oone-oof-oher-obattles-oagainst-oa-oGuild-othat-otried-oto-otake-oher-oposition.

  The-oresult-osimply-owas-oobliteration-oto-othe-ochallengers…

  But-oeven-oso,-oshe-ogave-ome-othe-oposition-oas-oback-oup-oleader-oif-othere-owas-oa-ocase-owhere-oshe-owould-odie.-o

  At-ofirst-oI-otook-oit-oas-oa-ojoke-obut-othe-oseriousness-oin-oher-oeyes-oshowed-oa-odifferent-ofeeling,-othe-ochance-ofor-othat-oto-ohappen-owas-oreal-oin-oher-oeyes-ofor-oa-oreason,-oand-othat-owas-othe-oLeader-oof-othe-oopposing-oGuild.

  At-ofirst,-oI-othought-oshe-owas-ooverestimating-ohim,-obut-othe-oway-oshe-otrained-oday-oafter-oday-oagainst-osurprise-oattacks-owas-ooutstanding,-oeven-oI-ocould-ohardly-ogo-oagainst-oher-oand-otry-oto-okeep-othe-osame-opace,-oand-othat-ois-owith-ome-obeing-oon-othe-oElite-oforces-oof-othe-oKingdom.

  Even-oif-oI-obelieved-othat-oit-owas-oimpossible-ofor-oher-oto-obe-odefeated-oin-obattle,-othe-ofact-oin-ofront-oof-ome-ocrushed-othat.

  In-oa-osingle-omotion,-ofaster-othan-olightning,-othat-oman-othat-ocalls-ohimself-oKagito-ostabbed-ohis-osword-oin-oher-ochest-owhile-oreceiving-oher-oattack-ohead-oon.-oIt-oalmost-ofelt-othat-ohis-oarm-oappeared-oinside-othe-ochest-oof-oTyrfing.

  A-odraw…-ono,-oit-owas-ohis-owin,-oand-owith-othis,-othe-omorale-oof-othe-ogroup-owent-odown-oin-oa-osingle-ogo,-obut-owhat-osurprised-ome-omore-owas-othat…-oman.-oShudders-ogo-othrough-omy-obody-owhenever-oI-oremember-othat-oscene.

  The-oman-othat-ohas-obeen-oinformed-oto-ome-othat-ois-othe-ostrongest-oof-oall-othe-oforeigners,-oas-osome-owould-ocall-ohim-o'The-osecret-otop-oplayer'.-oHe-ohadn't-oshown-ohis-oface-oor-omake-ohis-ofigure-opublic…-othat-ois,-ountil-onow.

  While-ousing-ohis-otwo-oswords,-oas-oif-othey-owere-oparts-oof-ohis-obody,-ohe-odefended-othe-obattle-obetween-oKagito-oand-oTyrfing-oas-oto-onot-olet-oanyone-ointerfere-owith-oit.-o

  Putting-ohis-owhole-obelief-oin-ohis-oLeader-ohe-ocontinued-oreceiving-oa-obarrage-oof-oblows-ohead-oon,-osometimes-ohe-ocouldn't-osimply-oblock-oand-ojust-oreceived-othem-owith-ohis-obody-othat-owas-ocovered-oin-odarkness-ousing-ohis-oskills-oin-osuch-oa-omanner-othat-owould-oput-otalented-opeople-oin-oan-oordinary-ocategory.-o

  Hell,-odid-ohe-oreally-ostart-oat-othe-osame-otime-oas-oall-othe-oother-of
oreigners?

  And-owhen-othe-ofight-ofinished,-ohe-ounleashed-ohis-otrue-opower.

  It-owas-oas-oif-oeverything-obefore-othat-owas-owarm-oup-ofor-othis.-oThis-otime,-oit-owas-ohim-owho-opushed-ous-oback.-oOnly-ohim-oagainst-ohundreds,-ono,-othousands-oof-osoldiers-othat-owere-oleft!-o

  He-ocontinued-oto-okill-oin-oa-obeastly-oway,-osavagery-oon-ohis-oexpression-oas-othere-oseems-oto-obe-owild-ojoy-oin-ohis-oeyes-oto-obe-oable-oto-ogo-oall-oout.-oThe-oway-oeach-oof-ohis-omovements-owere-ocarried-ofelt-othat-oall-oof-ohis-omotions-ohad-oa-omeaning,-oevery-oone-oof-othem,-oeven-ohis-oreaction-ospeed!

  That-oman-owas-oabove-oeveryone-oaround-ohere,-oonly-othose-oof-othe-oHellish-oVillage-owould-obe-oable-oto-omatch-ohim-oand-othere-oseems-oto-obe-oanother-oindividual-owith-oterrifying-ostrength-oon-otheir-oside-otoo.

  Even-oif-oI-oam-oin-othe-oLower-oranking-oof-othe-oElite-osoldiers,-oI-oconsider-omyself-ostrong,-obut-oagainst-ohim,-oI-owould-ojust-obe-oanother-onormal-osoldier.-oMaybe-oI-oshould've-ogone-oagainst-ohim-ofrom-othe-ostart,-oI-ocould've-omost-olikely-obeen-oable-oto-ohold-ohim-ooff-oand-othe-oothers-owould-obe-oable-oto-okill-ohim.

  But-onow-owould-obe-osuicide,-oeven-oI-ogot-oweakened-obecause-oof-othe-oaftereffects-othat-owere-oincluded-oon-oTyrfing's-oSkill.

  Despair-owas-oslowly-oeating-ous…

  And-onot-oonly-othat,-othe-oother-oside-oseems-oto-obe-owinning-oterritory-oagainst-ous,-oeven-oif-owe-ohad-omore-ofor-othe-omoment,-osoon-oit-owould-ohave-obeen-ous-owith-othe-olower-oquantity.-oIt-oalso-oseems-olike-othe-opeople-oof-oHellish-oVillage-oare-oall-oalive.

  The-omoment-oTyrfing-odied-owe-ostill-ohad-oa-overy-oslight-ohope,-obut-othe-oone-owho-ofinally-ocrushed-oit-owas-ono-omore-othan-othat-o'Strongest-oPlayer'-oas-ohe-okilled-othe-omagicians'-ocommander-oand-o2-oof-othe-owarriors'-ocommanders.-oHe-odidn't-ostop-oat-othat-oas-ohis-okilling-olist-ocontinued-oto-ogrow-obigger-oand-obigger.

  If-othe-obattle-ocontinued,-oall-oof-othe-osoldiers-owould-ohave-odied,-othus,-oto-ospare-otheir-olife-oI-ocommitted-omyself,-oeven-oif-oI-ohad-oto-odie-oafterward-obecause-oof-othis,-oI-ohad-oto-odo-oit-oto-osave-oat-oleast-oone-omore-olife.

  I-odropped-omy-oweapon-oand-ogave-othe-oforfeiting-osignal-oin-oa-osingle-ogo.

  The-oenemy-onoticed-oit-orather-ofast-oand-ostopped-otheir-oattacks-oas-otheir-oroars-oof-oglory-oflooded-othe-oentire-oplace-owhile-owe-ohanded-oour-oweapons-oin-odefeat…-o

  That-oreally-ohurt-ous,-oso-omuch-othat-oI-owanted-oto-ostab-omyself-owith-omy-oown-osword-oto-orepent-oof-owhat-oI-ohave-odone…

  Thus,-oI-ogot-otaken-oaway-oand-oall-othe-osoldiers-ogot-ocaptured,-oleaving-ome-oin-oa-oclosed-oroom-oas-oI-onow-owait-ofor-o'them'-oto-oappear.

  During-othat-otime,-oI-oreflected-oon-othe-ofight-oand-othe-odecision-oI-omade-oto-osave-oa-osingle-omore-olife,-otrying-onot-oto-oregret-othem-oas-omy-otime-ois-onearing-oto-oa-oclose…

  Watching-othe-odoor,-onot-obatting-omy-oeyes-othe-oslightest,-oI-ofeel-ohow-otense-ois-omy-owhole-osurrounding.-oI-oexhale-oas-oI-ofeel-ofootsteps-ogrowing-ocloser.

  That-odoor-ofinally-oopens.-oThe-oones-owho-oappear-oare-othe-osupposedly-ostrongest-oman,-othe-oindividual-ocreating-ohavoc-oon-otheir-odefending-oside-oand-otwo-owomen.

  At-othe-osight-oof-othe-omen,-omy-ofighting-ospirit-ostart-owavering-oas-otheir-opresence-ois-ointense.

  The-oone-owho-otalked-ofirst-ois-othe-owoman-owith-oblond-ohair,-ointroducing-oherself.

  "Hello,-oI-oam-oEliana,-oone-oof-othe-osub-oleaders-oof-othe-oguild-oKaiser,-oand-oI-owill-ojust-osay-oa-osingle-othing-othat-ohas-oalready-obeen-otalked-obetween-ous:-oyou-oand-oyour-otroops-oare-onow-oprisoners-oof-owar!"-oSays-othe-owoman-ocoolly-oas-oshe-osteps-oback,-oher-oexpression-ocolder-othan-oice-owhile-olooking-oat-ome.

  'Thought-oso,-othey-owouldn't-olet-ous-ogo-ojust-olike-othat'-oI-othink-oto-omyself-obitterly,-odespair-oslowly-oswallowing-ome.-oThe-oman-owith-opure-owhite-ohair-osteps-oin-owithout-ome-otrying-oto-oretort-oback.

  "My-oname-ois-oArdha,-oone-oof-othe-osub-oleaders-oof-oKaiser-oand-othe-onew-oLord-oof-oHellish-oVillage"

  Execution-ois-othe-oonly-othought-othat-ocame-oto-omy-omind-owhen-ohe-ointroduced-ohimself-oexuding-osuch-oheavy-opressure.

  "Answer-omy-oquestion,-oif-oyou-odo,-owe-owill-ospare-oeveryone.-oYou-owill-ohave-oto-ostay-ofor-oa-owhile,-obut-oif-oI-osense-othat-oyou-oare-ohiding-osomething,-oor-othat-oyou-oare-olying,-oI-owon't-ogive-oyou-oa-osecond-oopportunity.-oIf-oyou-oknow-owhat-oI-omean-oby-othat,-othen-omake-osure-oto-othink-othoroughly-obefore-oanswering"-oSays-othe-oman-ocalled-oArdha-owhile-ohis-okilling-ointent-ois-ospreading-ononchalantly.

  I-ofeel-othe-oair-oturning-oviscous-oas-oI-ofeel-omy-obreathing-ogetting-oimpaired.-oSweat-ostarts-orunning-omy-oback-oas-oI-ogulp.-oI-oam-onor-oa-ofearless-oman,-obut-ostill,-oI-oam-onot-oone-oto-osubmit-oto-opressure-oso-oeasily!

  At-ohis-owords-oI-ocome-oback-oto-omy-osenses.-oThe-oman-ois-oserious,-oa-osingle-oword-othat-ocomes-oout-oof-omy-omouth-omight-oprovoke-oeveryone's-odeath.-oI-oclose-omy-oeyes-oand-omake-oup-omy-omind.

  I-odecide-oto-oanswer-ohim-oas-oI-oopen-omy-oeyes-oagain,-oconviction-orunning-othrough-omy-owords.

  "I-owill"-owaiting-ofor-ohis-oquestions-oI-oresolve-omyself,-odepending-oon-othe-oinformation-oI-ogive-oI-omight-obe-oexecuted-olater…-obut-owell,-obecoming-oan-oElite-oSoldiers-oof-othe-oKingdom-odoesn't-omean-oI-opledge-ofull-oloyalty-oto-othe-oKing,-oI-owill-oprotect-omy-otroops-oand-othe-opeople-othat-oare-ogiven-ome-oto-oprotect-oeven-oif-omy-olife-ois-othe-oprice-ofor-oit.

  "I-owill-obegin-othen,-oI-owould-olike-oto-oask-othe-oplan-oof-oyour-oKingdom-oand-otheir-oreason-oas-oto-owhy-oare-othey-oraiding-oHellish-oVillage,-oeven-oif-oI-oknow-oit-oto-osome-oextent,-oI-owould-olike-ohear-oit-ofrom-oyourself"-oArdha-oasks-ome-oand-oI-ostart-oanswering-ohim-oabout-othe-oplans-oof-othe-oKingdom-oin-oterms-oof-othe-oraid-osucceeding.

  I-otold-ohim-othat-owith-oHellish-oVillage-othe-oKingdom-owould-ohave-othree-oof-othe-oKey-opositions,-othey-owould-oestablish-oa-ocamp-ohere-oand-oresearch-othe-oarea-oto-ofull-oextent.-oOnce-oit-obecomes-oArapi's-oland,-othe-oKingdom-owould-oforceg-oPutre-oKingdom-oto-oestablish-oan-oalliance-oas-oneighbor-oKingdoms,-outilizing-otheir-opower-oand-otry-ovying-ofor-omore-okeys-owhile-oacquiring-otroops-oand-oallies,-obut-othat's-oas-ofar-oas-oI-oknow,-oand-oI-otell-ohim-ojust-othat.

  The-oman-othinks-oto-ohimself-owhile-owatching-othe-oothers-oand-othey-ostart-omaking-omore-oquestions,-oabout-ome-oand-omy-oposition,-othe-osoldiers-othe-oKingdom-ogave-ofor-othe-oraid-oand-othe-ocurrent-ostrength-oof-oit.

  I-ofeel-othat-omy-ochest-ois-otightening-owith-oeach-osentence-oI-ogive-oas-oI-ofeel-oI-oam-obetraying-oeveryone;-othe-oman-ostops-oand-omakes-oa-ofinal-ostatement-owhile-olooking-oat-ome.

  "Thanks-ofor-othe-oinformation"-oThe-oman-onods-oand-oglances-othe-oother-opeople-oaccompanying-ohim,-oas-ohe-ocontinues-o"As-oI-osaid,-oeveryone-owill-obe-ospared.-oBut-oyou-owill-ohave-oto-ohelp-ous-orebuild-othe-ovillage-ofor-oa-oyear-oas-ocitizens-oof-oit.-oWe-owill-oalso-onegotiate-oit-owith-oyour-oKingdom,-oyou-oare-ogoing-oto-obe-oa-otemporary-oprisoner-ountil-oour-oLeader-ocomes-oback…"-oSays-othe-oman-oas-othey-oturn-oback-oand-obefore-ogetting-ooutside,-oArdha-ostops-oand-oturns-ohis-ohead-oback-oslightly.

  "…I-owon't-osay-osorry-ofor-othe-olives-owe-ohave-otaken-odefending-othis-oplace…but-oI-owill-osay-othis,-othank-oyou,-oyou-osaved-o2643-olives…"-oHe-osays-oas-ohe-oresumes-ohis-osteps-oand-othe-odoor-ocloses.

  'So,-oI-osaved-o2643-olives…'-oI-othink-oto-omyself-oas-oI-ojust-osit-oon-othe-oground-oand-oI-osimply-oaccept-othe-odefeat.-oMy-oshoulders-ofall-odespondently-oas-oI-olook-oat-othe-ofloor.

  '2357-olives-owere-olost-oin-othis-obattle…'-oI-ogrit-omy-oteeth-oand-oI-ointernally-othank-othe-oman-owho-oreally-osaved-othose-olives.

  ###-oChapter-o36-o--oChapter-o20.-oLord.-o(Part-o2)

  "It-olooks-othat-oArapi-ohas-ogot-oeven-omore-opower-othan-owe-othought"-oI-osay-oout-oloud-oto-othe-opeople-othat-oare-obesides-ome-oright-onow,-oEliana,-oPeko-oand-oZorith.

  "Against-osuch-oa-oKingdom-owe-owill-ohave-oto-ohold-oour-oown"-oSays-oEliana-othoughtful,-oZorith-oand-oPeko-oare-os
ilent-oas-othey-owalk.

  While-owalking-owe-osee-omany-orestrained-osoldiers-othat-ostill-oseems-oto-ohave-ofighting-ospirit-oleft,-othey-oare-oa-olot,-obut-othey-ohaven't-otried-oto-oescape.-oWithout-otheir-oweapons-oand-ohanding-otheir-oarmor,-othe-opossibility-oof-othem-odying-oby-oa-ocouple-oof-oswings-oof-othe-oBarbarians-ois-ohigh,-oso-othey-oare-obeing-ocalm.

  I-owas-oplanning-oto-oexecute-otheir-oleader-oif-ohe-owere-oto-olie-oto-ome,-obut-oI-owas-ogoing-oto-olet-othem-ogo-oafter-oa-owhile-odepending-oon-otheir-obehavior-oand-otheir-owork,-obut-oat-othat-otime-owhen-oI-ospoke-owith-ohim,-oI-otruly-ocommitted-omyself-oin-oexecuting-othem-oall…

  I-osigh-oto-omyself-oand-ogaze-oat-oour-osoldiers-oand-ogroup-oof-ofriends-othat-ostill-oseems-oto-obe-ocelebrating-othe-ovictory,-oI-osmile-oat-othat,-owalking-oto-otheir-oplace-oto-ospeak-owith-othem-oalong-owith-oZorith-oand-othe-oothers.

  Arksen-ois-othe-ofirst-oto-otalk-oas-ohe-osees-ome-oapproaching,-oa-owide,-osilly-ogrin-oplastered-oon-ohis-oface-o"Hey-oLord,-ohow-odid-oit-ogo?"-oHe-oasks-oin-oa-osomewhat-olight-otone-othat-ohides-oworry-obehind-oit

  "It-owent-ofine"-oI-otell-ohim,-oand-oeveryone-olook-orelieved-oat-othat

  "But-owe-owill-ohave-oto-ogrow-omore-oif-oArapi-odecides-oto-omove-oagain,-oeven-oso,-oI-ohighly-odoubt-oit-owill-obe-oany-otime-osoon"-oSays-oEliana-oseriously-oand-oI-onod-owhile-oshe-osays-othat.-oI-oalso-odoubt-othey-owill-oattack-ous-oagain;-otheir-oreputation-ofell-oalong-owith-oPrinny-oBrigade's.-oThe-omorale-oand-oreproach-oincited-oby-othe-osoldiers'-ofamily-owill-oalso-ocreate-oa-oproblem-ofor-othem,-oafter-oall-othey-ohave-olost-oroughly-o30000-osoldiers-oin-otrying-oto-oraid-oa-osingle-oVillage

  "Yes,-obut-onow-olet's-ofocus-oon-orebuild-oand-oimprove-othe-ovillage,-owe-ocan-oalso-omake-osome-ohouses-ofor-oourselves"-oSays-oIsa-oas-oshe-otries-oto-odisperse-othe-oserious-omood-othat-ois-ogoing-oon-oand-owe-osmile-oat-othat.

  "We-ocan-otake-oit-oeasy…-oright?"-oSays-oVladi-owhile-olooking-oat-ous,-oespecially-oEliana-owho-osmiles-oa-obit-oand-oanswers.

 

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