Chapter 5: Greed
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Let me ask you a simple question. Do you think the greed of man could ever have a limit? Well, the answer to that question, is simply no…
The greed of one man could alter the lives of many, but as long as he's benefiting from it, he will continue to do so. No matter how much power or land a man obtains, he will never be satisfied—Greed consumes men far beyond anyone can ever imagine.
My very own life was destroyed because of this inextinguishable desire of mankind, their greed took away my life and future as if it was nothing.
I was born in a remote village, situated far from the four great village. Our life in the village may not be perfect, but we were happy
"Jizen, is your father still working? I told him to come home early today, he's been working too hard lately.
Okay baby, go and call your father, dinner is almost ready"
"Okay mom"
I was 7 years old at that time. We had a farm, and we harvest just enough food for ourselves.
I pushed the door open with both my hands, and ran towards the open field to call my father
The harsh gust of wind was freezing-cold and sharp as a razor. My shivering body was a sign that winter had arrived.
I saw my father still working hard in the field, "Hurry up dad! Mom will be angry if you're late, let's go home"
"Oh Jizen, your mom sent you huh? Just wait there, I am coming"
My father's hands were as rough as stone from all the work he was doing. But still, I wanted to be like him, I admired him and wanted to work as hard as he did.
We went back together as he held my hand, "So Jizen, it's pretty cold huh? This means that winter has arrived. We'll have to make sure you wear warm clothes so you don't get sick."
My father opened the door, "We're back sweetheart, and sorry for being late again. There were some moles that kept digging our land, so I had to close it up"
"I understand, but I told you to come home earlier. And did you forget? Today is Jizen's birthday you know"
"Uhhhhhh, his birthday…
Sorry! I totally forgot, please forgive this foolish father"
"I-It's alright dad"
"Sighs, well if Jizen is saying it's okay, then I'll forgive you just this once, okay?"
"Yesss"
"Alright you two, come and sit now. I made this special potato dish just for tonight, so both of you, make sure you eat until your bellies are full, okay?"
"Okayy!!"
That's right, we were a happy family. That night was my birthday, the happiest day of my life, and it was also the last day that I smiled.
We laughed and celebrated my birthday as a family. It was fun, it was really fun.
"Knock-Knock-Knock!" Our front door was knocked by someone while we were eating.
"Who is it at this hour?" My father sat up to open it, and it was his best friend Chairo, "Oh it's you Chairo, what are you doing here so late?"
Chairo reached for his pocket, "My best friend Kaizen…I am sorry!"
"Squelchh—!" A blade… pierced through my father's heart
"W-What are you doing? Chairo…"
"Sorry Kaizen, but they offered me enough gold for your family's head. Don't blame me for it, you know how much I've always wanted to buy a land. After killing you, I'll finally have the money. I can't live in your shadow forever."
My father never asked anything from Chairo, rather my father helped him when he was struggling to even find something to eat. The whole village knew that my father was a good man who only wanted the good for others…
But! Just for some gold, my father was killed just for some damn gold! Was the gold really worth the lives of our family? Was their friendship worth less than a bag of gold?
"Run Jizen!" My mother yelled out with a trembling voice
"You know I can't let you escape right? I need all your head"
"Chairo, how dare you betray my husband! You'll pay for this!"
"The only pay I'll have is gold, now go ahead and die like your husband!" He grabbed my mother's wrist and stabbed her in the stomach.
"M-Mom! Dad!" I cried out, my body was shivering and trembling—I could barely breathe.
"Run Jizen, go to our room and do what I always taught you to do! You have to survive my baby, run now"
"B-But, mom please—"
"Go!"
I gathered all my strength and I ran. I looked back, and saw my mother holding down Chairo with her body, she was guarding me with all her strength even when she was stabbed. Her lips whispered, but I could not make out what she was saying.
Through the hidden path that we made together, I ran away to the forest.
I ran for hours without stopping, and my tears couldn't stop falling no matter how hard I tried.
...The worst part of all this was—this tragic incident of mine…was never supposed to happen. After the great war that happened 200 years ago, peace was made across the land of Aragath and Ryukon.
Today, instead of two lands, there are now four nations that govern the world.
The greed of these nations was what caused my village to be destroyed, they were the reason why Chairo killed my parents in the first place.
After days of surviving alone in the forest, my throat hurts so much from crying, that I couldn't even let out a single word.
In the cold winter with no proper shelter, I missed my parents so much that I couldn't help myself from returning.
I made my way back with all my strength. Upon reaching the hills, I saw faces that I have never seen before inside the village.
I stepped closer, and I could faintly hear them talking, "Such a dumb and foolish village right? We killed off their strongest mage in the first night, and we didn't even lift a single finger. The rest of them fell without a fight, I must say this is the easiest raid we have ever done, hahaha"
It turns out, the Wind Nation had begun a secret expansion of their land. And they were using Chairo to kill my father, who was the strongest mage in the village. They killed off all the villagers shortly after killing my parents, and they looted every house.
And so just like that, a new age of war started because of their inability to resist their greed.
My mother, my father, my village. They suffered the fate of tragic because of the greed of those magicians and their nation. I will never forget the pain, the pure hatred I had towards those greedy animals.
It's not just the Wind Nation, all the other nations are the same, each trying to become the ruler and kill off the smaller villages like mine—just so they could expand, and loot our hard earned money and food.
Luckily, I survived. And I won't waste this second chance that I was given.
I will create a new world of peace, where there is no pain, no suffering, no greed. Goroseki will cleanse this world of its evil, and I will make sure of that as its leader.
End of chapter 5.