31Death...endless destruction and suffering. I walk through the carnage that is war. Infants roamed the streets, crying for their now dead parents. Buildings are ablaze and bodies fill the streets by the dozens. I look around and see no soldiers, nobody even holding a weapon. Who could have done this? Looking down, my brown uniform pants were getting stained with the blood of the innocent. My longsword's sheath was entirely too close to the blood for my tastes. I took it out of my belt and held it in my hands.
Walking into the middle of it all, I saw a man in black armor. His armor was masterfully crafted, with an engraving of crossed swords across his chest. His sword was naked in his hand and it shone red with the blood it had spilled. The man lifted his head as I approached, his face hidden by the full helmet that he wore.
"Are you the one who's done all of this?" I demanded. The man's head tilted to the side a little, pondering my question.
"I eliminated those who helped Kazuma. It was my duty." His voice was somewhat deep, but not old. It was cold, devoid of emotion. His voice sent a shiver down my back.
"And what about the civilians? The mothers of the small children who now wander the streets?"
"Necessary sacrifices. Tell me, Makoto. Is it not better to end their suffering now or wait for them to die to the wilderness, or even become enslaved by the wild tribes that inhabit these parts? Without the men that opposed our king, the women had no chance to rebuild their society. I saved them endless years of suffering." I stared at him, at a loss for words. "Makoto, join me. Together, we can make this world safe for the crown."
"I wouldn't join someone who uses such barbaric ways to justify his own means." The man lowered his head into his hands, then raised it, laughing loudly.
"Don't you get it? You will join me because you must. Your own sense of justice will drive you towards me. You may not see it coming, but it will happen. I know this because you and I are the same." The man raised his crimson blade and thrust it at my chest.
I jumped out of my bed to a loud thud. The bell...again. I sit back down in my small bed to the sound of the school bell. How many years has it been since I started going here? And when were they going to fix that stupid dented bell? It doesn't even sound like a normal bell anymore. All I ever wanted was a chance to serve in the royal army against Kazuma's forces. I was too young at the time; nine years old was entirely too young for someone to join the army. Now, at sixteen, I was old enough.
"Makoto, come on! We're going to be late for class!" My friend, Aoi's voice came from behind the door. Aoi has been at this school for almost as long as I had. It's a boarding school that takes in war refugees
"Yeah, give me a second!" I shouted back. I quickly put my school uniform on, a white shirt and blue pants and opened the door. Aoi stood with her uniform, a white top and a skirt that went just above her knees.
"Come on! You know how Mr. Cavalier is about lateness! We won't have time for practice if he holds us back after class." Aoi grabbed my arm and pulled me off into the hallway. Everywhere, other students were coming out of their dorms, all wearing their uniforms. Males and females wore the same clothes, with the exception of skirts, and were held to the same standards at Seika High.
The inside of our general studies class was cluttered with our teacher's books and knick-knacks. Globes sat on small statues and maps laid on chairs. It was a difficult place to get used to. Mr. Cavalier stood at the front of the class, with his blue shirt with white stripes and brown pants. He was a young man, but his voice put the class to sleep. His specialty was history. Specifically, he enjoyed talking about wars in history. He tapped his podium with a wooden rod to gain the attention of the class.
"Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed your weekend." Murmurs of mixed agreement filled the room. He strode to the other side of the room and closed the door. Silence ensued as he turned the lights off and walked back to the front of the room. "I want to talk to you all seriously for a moment. As you all know, the military draft is today. Today's lesson will be about the actual war going on today so those of you enlisting will know what you are getting into. Do any of you know how this war started?" Not a single hand went into the air, surprisingly.
"Kazuma, the former duke of the kingdom, broke away from us and got his hands on some dark magic. Now, for his own reasons, he hunts the seven sacred clans that have kept our lands at peace for so long. They are the clans of light, dark, fire, water, wind, earth, and void. He's already succeeded in finishing four of the seven clans. The remaining three are fire, earth, and dark. His forces command untold power and Kazuma won't stop until the whole of the kingdom lies at his feet. When you volunteer for the army, you do so knowing that you will face untold terrors as Kazuma does his utmost to kill you all. I say this to you all because I know there is someone who wants to join, right?" I nodded and stood, feeling the burn of eyes at the back of my head and the whispers behind my back.
"I know all of this but...I have to. Kazuma isn't giving me much of a choice. My choice was already decided the day he attacked my clan. As the survivor, I'm obligated to chase him to the ends of the world." Mr. Cavalier cleared his throat.
"Well, you may need some time to pack. Why don't you head back to your dorm and collect your things? We'll just review for today." I bowed my head and headed out the door, pretending to be oblivious to the whispers of my fellow classmates.