The sun shone above Ogrvol, birds flew across the sky, and the wind still blew — carrying the scent of smoke and blood while refreshing all those resting after the exhausting battle. Soldiers were scattered throughout the village, searching for supplies in abandoned houses. They had their own provisions, of course, but if the mission dragged on, they would need more.
"Well then, let's begin with the questions," said Elstan, sitting on a wooden chair in front of the Darnish commander. "First — where are the rest of the villagers?"
"We killed them all," the commander replied, clearly trying to provoke his interrogator.
Elstan glanced at Caerwyn, who simply shook his head as if to say, 'He's yours.'
"Ah, I see. So that's how it is. You see, it seems we didn't kill all of you when we took the town. Besides the handful who fled, we also have a few prisoners," Elstan said calmly.
"Tch. You think you can frighten me? Every one of my men would gladly give his life for our cause — myself included."
"Is that so?" Elstan nodded toward a young man who lay unconscious nearby.
"I'd say he's no older than twenty-two, maybe twenty-three. Tell me, if I were to ask him the same question, do you think he'd answer like you did?" His attention returned to the commander. "I know what it's like — losing comrades. It's never easy. But that's war; you never know who'll fall, and you can't save everyone. But this time…" He pulled the chair closer. "This time, their lives are in your hands. For every wrong answer, first go the fingers — and then we'll see. The important thing is that they won't be able to wield a weapon again. After that, we can choose what comes next."
The commander began to sweat. Elstan leaned back again.
"So then — the first question again," said Captain Nualami with a smile, before his face turned to stone. "I hope I don't have to repeat myself."
"All right, damn you," the commander spat, "most of the villagers fled into the woods or nearby settlements before we even arrived. The ones who stayed… we used them for the trap in the square."
"Just as I thought. Most of the houses we searched were empty," Elstan said, believing him.
"Good. I believe you," he continued. "Next question — where did your comrades flee to, and were you the only group that crossed the border?"
"There's no—" the commander started to shout, but Elstan threw his dagger at a prisoner, cutting off two fingers. The dagger embedded itself into a stone three meters behind him.Even with a gag over his mouth, the man's muffled screams echoed throughout.
"No, no, Commander," Elstan stopped and walked to retrieve his dagger. "That's not how we agreed to do this."
Darn stared at him, terrified, soaked in sweat.
"I don't think it would be wise to toy with your men's limbs," Elstan said, wiping the dagger clean before sliding it back into its sheath. "After all, no one likes losing comrades. So — be responsible, and give me answers." He sat back down.
---
"This sausage," said Nuro while slicing a juicy red pork sausage, "do you make it yourselves or buy it from the local farmers?"
He and Kjaran were having lunch — bean stew with sausage on today's menu at the barracks.
"It depends," Kjaran replied. "Whichever tastes better. But usually we buy from farmers — that's what Rina told me, anyway."
"Ah, no wonder it's so good. I heard at the tavern that pigs here in Luganor are a special breed, raised just for sausage and stuff like that."
"Seems like you know more about our livestock than I do, Nuro."
"I just like to know what I'm eating, to be honest. I wonder if our friends at the border are having lunch right now — or already packing to come back," said Nuro, scooping beans with his spoon and tearing a piece of bread.
"Hopefully the latter. They left yesterday — they should have reached Ogrvol by this morning. That's where the enemy was last seen."
Kjaran took his last bite of beans, emptying his bowl.
"And even if they sent a messenger, it would take at least until tomorrow morning for him to arrive. Until then, we'll have no news."
"Relax, my friend," Nuro said with a grin. "Come on, let's do some sparring before we go see the strategist. What do you say?"
"Why not, Nuro. I could use a bit of distraction."
The day wasn't too warm, but the sunlight made up for it. Tlum was quiet — after the feast, nothing unusual was happening.
---
Back in Ogrvol, the soldiers were having lunch as well. They had their own stock of dried meats like sausage and smoked neck. They found a few old cauldrons, so with the vegetables gathered nearby, they decided to make a kind of stew. Everyone enjoyed the warm meal while resting and waiting for their captain's next orders.
"Finally, a hot meal," said Ervin between mouthfuls. "After yesterday's shitty day and all that rain, this is perfect."
"Yeah, I agree," added Naitu. The four of them sat around a half-rotten table in an abandoned house. Other soldiers were sitting or lying around, resting.
"Desimir," said Osgar, looking at his half-full bowl while the others were finishing theirs, "eat before it gets cold. Who knows when we'll next have something cooked."
"I know," Desimir said, picking up a piece of sausage, "but—"
"No buts. I'm sure my father told you enough already. You're only making things harder like this — pull yourself together, or someone else might die because of it." Osgar's voice cut sharp as he walked away.
"You know, he may have said it harshly, but he's right," Ervin added.
"You have to snap out of it, Desi — not for us, but for yourself. Because you're the one who could end up dead."
Desimir stared into his bowl.
'If my head isn't in the fight, someone else might fall again', he thought.
"You're right," he said at last. "Next time, I won't let you down." His words lifted the spirits of Ervin and Ujiyoshi.
---
Elstan finished his interrogation and went over to Captain Caerwyn, who sat alone near the cauldron of lukewarm stew.
"Have you eaten, Captain?" he asked, offering him a bowl.
"Ah, not yet. Thank you, Caerwyn," he said, sitting beside him and starting to eat.
"Sorry to interrupt your meal, but I assume you've learned something important."
"Indeed. Turns out they weren't the only ones who crossed the border — but the other groups have already retreated."
"That sounds… foolish," said Caerwyn.
"Apparently, their plan was to weaken nearby villages and the two border towns first. Then they'd return with larger numbers and destroy them completely."
"Destroy them? Wouldn't they keep them for themselves?" Caerwyn asked, raising a brow. "I thought they wanted to fortify them."
"On the contrary," Elstan explained. "Their goal is to cripple trade and weaken political ties between Tolan and Luganor — that would give them the chance to strike Tolan from within while you're all busy dealing with us."
"I see… seems like a complicated plan. Looks like we shouldn't underestimate this prince."
"Exactly," Elstan agreed. "Also, apparently not all of them were here. Supposedly, about fifty hid in the small forest on the nearby hill."
"So he says," Caerwyn muttered, glancing at the captured commander. "Are you sure we can trust him?"
"Don't worry. He's no great commander, but he does care for his men. Anyway — what happened to that mercenary leader you fought?"
"Tch." Caerwyn grimaced. "I had him, but he slipped away. Still, one thing caught my eye."
Just then, Naitu passed by, and Caerwyn called out to him.
"Naitu, a question for you."
"Yes, Captain?"
"That mercenary leader — did you recognize him when we saw him?" Caerwyn asked, while Elstan calmly poured himself another bowl of stew.
Naitu took a deep breath.
"Yes, sir. The man you fought has been with the mercenaries for at least six years — since he was sixteen. He's from Kaharu, same as me. In fact… he's my older brother — Niiro Ujiyoshi."
---
In the small forest on the hill, the mercenaries were recovering from their defeat.
"How many men do we have left?" Niiro asked one of them as he leaned against a tree, resting.
"About fifty. Not enough to retake the town, that's for sure," the man replied, handing him an apple.
"Tch." Niiro clicked his tongue. "So that's that. Our group was the weakest anyway."
"Don't sell yourself short," the mercenary said.
"It's not me," Niiro bit into the apple, juice dripping down his hand. "It's that idiot Darni. They paired me with the worst commander possible."
"Maybe you're right, but oh well. So what's the plan now — wait for the promised reinforcements or retreat across the border like the others?" his second-in-command asked.
"You know why I became a mercenary, Sene?" Niiro said suddenly.
"I don't think you ever told me that story."
"You see, the Ujiyoshi family was always strong in Kaharu — one of the high-born houses. Thanks to our fertile lands, a quarter of all crops sold in Kaharu came from our fields. But about seven years ago, a great drought struck. Our lands dried up and we never recovered."
"Yeah," said Sene, sitting beside him and fixing his cloak. "I heard about that drought."
"After that, my family did everything they could to earn money — so did I. Then I heard that mercenaries were recruiting and paid well. The rest… you know."
"Trust me, none of us are here because we want to be," Sene said. "But since we are, we might as well do what we're paid for."
"If we return empty-handed, I'll feel like shit. The captain said reinforcements would arrive in three days if we held Ogrvol — but that's not happening. Best we head back to Tolan — empty-handed, but alive."
He finished his apple as sunlight pierced the yellow leaves, bathing the grove in gold.
---
"So that's how it is," Elstan concluded.
"Yes, Captain. My brother isn't a bad man — he just wanted to help our family. But since our parents died, he never came home. So I decided to look for him," said the young soldier as the wind swept his long brown hair across his face, hiding the scars he'd earned.
"Captain," a scout approached. "They're on the move."
"Well, looks like they got tired of waiting," Elstan said, standing up.
"Let's hope they're ready for round two," Caerwyn added.
"But…" the scout continued, drawing three puzzled looks, "they're retreating."
"Retreating?" Elstan frowned. Naitu exhaled with relief.
"Seems they know when they've lost," said Caerwyn.
"All right, send two men to follow them. I want confirmation that they've crossed the border before we head back to Tlum."
"Yes, sir." The scout hurried off.
"Looks like you'll get a chance to face your brother again someday," Caerwyn said.
"Yes," Naitu murmured, gazing toward the horizon. "It seems that way."
Elstan looked at the wagons loaded with bodies.
'We'll all go home together after all', he thought.
The mercenaries were indeed retreating, Niiro at their head. They moved at a brisk trot toward the border.
"You noticed them, didn't you?" Sene asked, riding beside him.
"Yeah," Niiro sighed. "They just want to make sure we've really crossed."
"By the way," Sene continued, "weren't your parents already dead before all this?"
"They were. What's your point?" Niiro tried to avoid the subject.
"Then why are you still with us? Wouldn't it be better to take the money you've earned, go home, and start over? Most of us have no one to return to — but you said you had a younger brother."
Niiro went silent for a moment, staring at the horizon as his horse galloped, hooves kicking up dust.
"I'm pretty sure," he said finally, pulling his scarf over his mouth, "that to him, I'm just another mercenary now."
---
Meanwhile, Elstan ordered that they would stay in Ogrvol overnight and leave for the capital at dawn.
In the courtyard of Luganor's royal castle, the royal division was training. Kjaran and Gerde stood watching.
"I see Captain Hino isn't with you today," Gerde said.
"Yeah, he said he had other business," replied Kjaran, paying little attention.
"He's an interesting man — one of the youngest captains in our kingdom, with remarkable talent.Probably the best wielder of spear in the world."
"What are you trying to say, Captain?" Kjaran asked, intrigued.
"Only that I wouldn't want to be on the opposite side of him in battle."
"Yes… I suppose you're right," Captain Brin admitted, a bit confused.
---
Night slowly fell, and the soldiers in Ogrvol lit their campfires, illuminating the abandoned village. Two scouts returned from following the mercenaries.
"Captain," said one, dismounting. "Confirmed — the enemy has crossed the border with all their remaining numbers."
"Excellent," Elstan replied. "You two will ride to the nearby town tomorrow and deliver this letter." He handed them an envelope bearing his seal. "Inform all the villagers who fled there that it's safe to return. Also, tell the lord of the town to assist with the reconstruction here. It will take time."
"Understood." The scout bowed and left.
The next morning, the soldiers packed up and departed. The journey back to Tlum was slower, but much easier, thanks to favorable weather. They camped in the same forest as before, and around ten in the morning, they came into the view of Kjaran, who was on the city walls as he was every day. When he saw them, he smiled faintly and signaled for the gates to open.
"They've returned!" he shouted.
When the gates opened, Elstan and Caerwyn entered first with Desimir and Ervin accompanying them in their seddles. They were greeted by cheers from the people gathered along the main street leading to the castle. Behind them came the scouts, then the royal division — the same soldiers who had left days ago with bright faces, shining armor, and proud, confident strides toward the enemy.
Now they entered dirty, bloodied, cloaks torn, their bodies covered in scars and wounds.
Last came the wagons carrying their fallen comrades — and the cheers turned to sobs, then wails and cries.
"Where is my son?" came from one side.
"Where is my husband?" from the other.
"This…" thought Desimir, but before he could finish the thought, Captain Slanei spoke quietly beside him:
"This is what every return from battle looks like — for both sides. Remember this well, Desimir… you and your friends alike."
The cries continued as they moved slowly through the city until they reached the castle. Before entering, Elstan turned back, now at the rear of the column.
"In the coming days, there will be a joint funeral for all fallen soldiers. I ask for your patience while we identify those who gave their lives defending our kingdom. By the end of the day, you will be notified and allowed to say your farewells before the burial. Thank you."
A clump of dirt flew past his head, thrown by someone in the crowd, but he didn't react — he simply turned and entered behind the others.
---
In the castle courtyard, other soldiers greeted them, helping them dismount and refresh.
"Welcome back, Captain Slanei," said the ever-cheerful Nuro.
"Well, I see you're as lively as ever, Captain Hino," Caerwyn replied, stepping down from his horse.
"Of course," Hino grinned. "Unlike the rest, right? Honestly, I think what you need most right now is a beer. What do you say?"
"I agree — as long as you're buying," Caerwyn said with a smirk.
"Why not? After such a long journey, I'd say you've earned it."
When Elstan dismounted, Kjaran greeted him with a quick embrace before stepping back.
"I'm glad to see you still in one piece."
"Yeah," Elstan replied, glancing at the wagons. The exhaustion showed on his face. "Unfortunately, I can't say the same for everyone."
"That was the first thing I noticed," said Kjaran, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. "You know how it is — we've both gotten used to it, sadly."
"You're right. But it's been a long time since we've had losses like this. For what's supposed to be a 'time of peace,' this is too much," Elstan said bitterly.
"I agree, my friend. But come — get some rest. Tonight we'll have a meeting about the mission to Ganalor."
The familiar sound of armor and saddles being removed filled the courtyard.
"That sounds like a good idea," Elstan said, heading inside. Kjaran noticed four young men nearby talking quietly among themselves.
"Well," he said as he approached them, clapping his hands once, "what are your impressions after your first mission?"
They looked at him silently — dusty, bloodied, exhausted,covered in wounds. And in that moment, he realized they were no longer boys dreaming of glory and knightly battles—they were warriors who had just endured real combat.
Before they could say anything, he finished,
"Never mind," he turned and waved, "I suppose you need rest too. Welcome back."