亚洲综合中美

The mist of battle rose, a bloodied field of lifeless mutilated bodies was scattered about. The search and rescue began four hours ago, normal monsters surveyed the land. No sign of the ‘abnormals’. Injured were taken off the wall and stacked inside the Medical camp at Reforge. Many died on transport, some succumbed to the curse of the monsters. Good men euthanized, lack of potion and supplies.

“Order the advance party to go further inside,” voiced Mello from inside the quarter. Multiple dots indicated the situation of the battle, spotters in form of the Wall-Guardians laid in wait about his perimeter.

“On it,” returned another. Messages were sent across the battlefield. Lack of fog meant the parties could be coordinated easily.

“Look at this for a chance,” said the Climber through the coms, “-Lieutenant Mello’s working for once.” A small remark braking the high-tension.

“Shut it,” gritted he, “-head on to back the advance party. We’re sending carts to recover both the living and dead, hard to imagine someone could have survived,” switching channel, “-heads up to everyone, don’t remove the adventuring tags unless said so, bring them to the wall.”

‘So cold,’ sleep broke, ‘-where am I?’ the visage felt sticky, the air felt lighter, straggling monsters were busy ransacking bodies. ‘What was that self-talk earlier?’ wiping the eyes, ‘-the uniform stands strong even after that?’ Looking around showed nothing but emptiness, people were sensed a few kilometers away – blocked by trees and broken remains of barricades. Standing sent thunderous pain down the neck till the heels, ‘-damn,’ he lost balance to grab onto a nearby tree, ‘-what’s wrong with me?’ The phone remained out of charge, no connection to éclair, “-what the hell...” breathing deep, ‘-better head back, he’s probably alerted Phantom.’ He broke off a branch, ‘-my right leg is shot, don’t know what happened,’ a makeshift walking stick.

.....

Injured with the Death-Element not being able to regenerate, he moved forth. The more he walked, the more grew the sheer devastation. Groups of people dead without drawing weapons.

‘Isn’t that?’ a beheaded body came in viewing distance. Flies circled, bugs and insects weren’t tactful, ‘-her uniform...’ crumbling to his knee, ‘-Anne, I found you.’ Her battered head, noticeable by her pony-tail, laid a few steps from her body. Alas, it lost its charm. Dark-brown hair muddied and stuck by her blood; bangs awry to the skinless cheekbones. Teeth exposed to the wild, the jaw pulled beyond its limit, the eyes and contours stuck to the terror she must have felt.

“Don’t worry,” he listlessly carried the head to her neck, “-I’ll do my best.” *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads,* the index finger flicked opened; the threads sowed her parted selves as one. ‘This is the only thing I can do,’ forehead to her stomach, ‘-I’m sorry. Even if we barely knew each other, I felt something between us, we could have become good friends, I truly believe that. It’s my fault... so many people died, and I have nothing to account for it. I wasn’t strong, I didn’t get strong, instead, I stood by, left others to save me. What a pathetic joke. It feels hopeless, just like my final moments, I couldn’t do anything, not even now.’

Minutes turned to hours, he remained at Anne’s side, fighting off the monsters wanting to ravage her body. Keeping her safe in death, questions about him and what to do next rose on without warning, doubt, failure, a painful smack to the illusion of happiness.

Hooves galloped to soon neigh behind, “-we found a survivor!” cried the adventurer.

“Really?” those in the immediate vicinity rushed over, including the mysterious lady of before.

“He’s the kid who fought off the monsters,” voiced one.

“The decoy?” added the powerful lady.

“Yes,” firmed they, “-he bravely saved a party and ran off into the mist to give others a fighting chance.”

“Is that so,” she locked onto Kniq’s symbol, “-boy, what’s your name?”

“...”

“Boy!” a smack later, “-wake up, what’s your name?”

‘Did I fall asleep on a dead-body... wait, my leg, it’s healed. Man, slothful.’

“Boy, can you hear me?”

“Stop referring me as a boy,” he refuted, “-I’ve got a name,” spinning around, “-I’m Igna Haggard-”

The eyes met, a connection spurred from within, without warning, the lady jumped into his arms, “-you’re alive,” said she unwillingly shedding tears.

“Impossible,” he gulped, “-Viola...”

“Yes,” breaking the harsh embrace, “-where were you,” she tilted her head in a comforting manner, the warm tears stopped at her lashes then soon dropped.

“I died,” said he, “-honestly, I thought you’d have returned to the Hall of Rebirth.”

“Shut up,” said she holding his hand, “-no way I could abandon this world. You left without saying a word, the presence vanished, my blessing shattered, do you know how worried I was?”

“Well,” he sighed, “-I’m not the man I was before. Not the boy you knew, I’m worse, a weakling who couldn’t even save a stranger.”

“Leave us alone,” ordered she, “-I’ll brief the boy.”

“Yes, ma’am,” and so the unwanted crowd scurried off.

“Igna Haggard,” gripping his shoulder, “-or Staxius Haggard, it doesn’t matter. You’re still the boy who swept me from my duty as an envoy of life and death. To be fair, I couldn’t be any happier. Life is good, nothing changed from when I sent the letter. Let’s catch up later, I ought to get back to work.”

“Wait,” he stood, “-I’ll help.”

“What about the injuries, and the lady you so tightly hugged and slept.”

“She’s dead,” the strong stare lowered, “-couldn’t do much in life, what can I achieve in death. What’s done is done, I’ll just keep moving forward.”

“See,” she smiled, “-not a weakling. Come on then, help me recover the bodies. There should be carts at differing points.”

“Alright.”

The aftermath had yet to be dealt with. The many guilds who lost members furiously argued against the wall and their lack of support. Mello had to give an impromptu report to the higher-ups, the center guild of Rosespire got in touch as opposed to the branch of Meke. One by one, till sundown, bodies piled on to head for the outpost. There, those identified were either taken by truck to the mortuary or the crematorium.

‘What’s happening here?’ thought Leonard scanning the outpost. Rena and Lampard walked with arms crossed, a commotion gathered a crowd around the center of town. Army officers were faced by the angry adventurers, “-sir, calm down,” said a Corporal.

“No,” refuted he slapping his chest, “-where’s Lieutenant Mello, that lazy son of a bitch stood there and allowed my guild to die,” he breathed, “-everyone here’s lost a friend, lover, and even family. We have a right to take our fallen comrades to the capital, they have the right to meet their families before death. Where’s your fucking humanity, why won’t you...”

“Enough,” voiced she, “-I understand how you feel, still, these are express orders from the Lieutenant. Those tainted by the curse will be burnt – or do you want the population to suffer at the hands of a plague?”

“...URGH, fine,” spitting at her feet,”-this isn’t over, trust me.” He burst into the crowd, leaving many unsatisfied by the outcome.

“Is this over?” asked she.

“No, we want an apology from the lieutenant!” said a coward hiding amongst the crowd.

“YES, WE WANT AN APOLOGY, THE DEATH OF OUR COMRADES WERE IN VAIN!” the crowd joined the protest.

“BRING OUT THE LIEUTENANT.”

“BRING OUT THE LIEUTENANT.”

“BRING OUT THE LIEUTENANT,” stomps, chants, the fallen stood in protest against the incident. The whole situation divulged into mistrust towards the already incompetent military – or so was reflected by their actions in other similar circumstances. Unable to calm the crowd, the officers returned to headquarters and closed their gates.

“Where’s Mello anyway?” inquired Corporal Tommy through the squeaky fan.

“Left for Meke, the guild’s angry at us,” reported Zoey sneaking a glance outside.

“Where’s Sergeant Appy?” wondered he going over the report.

“Leading the evacuation,” returned she, “-it’s getting bad outside. There might be a mutiny, adventurers don’t trust us as is...”

“I know, nothing much we can do.”

“Tommy, I heard your sister’s party suffered a death. I don’t know who died, but...”

“WHAT?” slamming the table, “-IS MY SISTER OK?”

“Don’t ask me,” refuted she, “-knowing her, she’s probably fine.”

An hour passed; dusk loomed over yonder. Footsteps frantically made for the office, “-Corporal, we need support. A few adventurers stole a truck, broke into the crematorium, and forcefully stole tainted bodies.”

“Oh, for fuck sakes,” they dashed out the office, “-you get a hold of Sergeant Appy,” ordered Zoey, “-Tommy, gather the soldiers, we might need to fight, load the guns.”

Radio coms reached up the walls, “-Sergeant Appy, we require assistance. The adventurers are threatening the safety of the country.”

‘What’s with them?’ crushing a half-lit cigarette, ‘-can’t a guy rest a little.’ The figure leaped off the quarters with hands in the pocket. Meanwhile, the crematorium rumbled by the threats of armed fighters. Bodies were placed in the stolen truck. Soldiers soon surrounded the perimeter, “-forsake weapons and come out with hands in the air. We can’t allow the corpses anywhere near the capital.” A building kept outside Reforge on a gentle hill. Graveyards were to one side, a church on the other, and the Crematorium in the middle.

“Fuck you, the resting place of our comrades is up to us, not the spineless military,” the gates broke with a loud crash. “FIRE!” bullets rained from the escaping truck. Everyone soon rushed to see the commotion; few soldiers gave their lives to stop the truck which soon crashed into a neighboring tree. The fight didn’t stop; 4 Tier-5 Ruby fighters kept on killing the novices of the army. One by one, despite training, normal humans couldn’t keep with the rawness of the fighters.

“Retreat,” cried Zoey, “-stand in the tree-line, don’t move. We can’t afford to lose any more men.”

“Draw a barrier,” ordered Tommy, “-we can’t allow bystanders to get involved.”

Gunfire rattled away at the otherwise silent night. The tranquil hill livened by muzzle flashes and spells.

“What’s happening over there?”

“Sir, sorry,” said a guard, “-a party of adventurers decided to lay siege in the crematorium. We’re currently fighting off their forces. Please stand by, there needn’t be any more deaths today.”

“THIS IS OUR CHANCE!” said the same coward of before, “-LET’S RUSH THE MILITARY AND CRUSH THEM. OUR BROTHERS HAVEN’T DIED FOR NOTHING!”

“Wait,” terror flashed on the guard’s faces. The horde’s aura changed, complacent to belligerent. The barrier broke, mindless angry folks trampled the garrison and went for the crematorium. Out of fear, weapons were pulled by faceless fighters. ‘I knew it... mindless idiots,’ reports broke the chain of commands. “Engage the machine guns...”