DESOLATE HEART OF WAR

Rugged, scarred wars dripped wet, tingling echoes of droplets clashing against stones one of two sounds occupying tight chamber. Iron chains remained fixed and tightly woven within the concrete, stretching out downward and wrapping themselves around thinned out, bloodied wrists. Soft moans encapsulated the scene, causing even the hearts of hardened to thaw.

Woman’s body was placed in a half-kneeling position, her arms elevated above her head and chained up fixedly. She was entirely naked, body open for all who came to see, yet, very few would find it in any way beautiful or arousing. She who once donned fair, spotless skin that could bewitch the hearts of millions of men and women alike now bathed in soiled, drab and muddied hues, countless perverse scars, crimson dye only there to elate the state she was in. It was beyond cruel, deplorably inhumane, as though it was done by the hands of a devil rather than a man; yet, man’s hands were the cause.

Lady Ella was once a pristine beauty whose name resonated across the realms. Many-a-men and women traversed endless voids only to sneak a glance at her beauty, or for a chance to hear her choir-like, tranquil voice. However, that beauty was no more; her oval-shaped face had a wide and deep scar running through her left eye, cheek and jaw, bones and teeth clearly visible beneath. Her full lips had both been cut off clean, flattened with the rest of her face. Her full, rosy cheeks were pierced full of holes, bloodied and bruised, and her slender – but curved – figure had diminished down to mere skin and bones. Both her full breasts were cleanly cut off, much like her lips, and there now stood only two circular wounds, still bleeding.

Very few were able to stomach the view, and even fewer stand and stare at it for any prolonged periods of time. Torture, throughout the realms, was a tool – a commonly accepted one, even. Beatings, scarring, even crucifixion were used by nearly all. However, there always stood a clear line between torture and cruelty; when tool was discarded, and purity of evil descended. When the last shred of humane had been erased, and one sought the lands beyond.

Lady Ella was captured odd six months ago, and had revealed all she knew on that very day. She was a prideful woman, but she wasn’t a stupid one. She knew there was no reason to play coy and mysterious, and had immediately shared all she knew to her captors. Yet, it bought her little good will. She was immediately thrown into a dungeon, cut clean from the world, denied the basics of living, and, day after day, tortured until bloodied tears crept down her cheeks, and her mind finally shut down, unable to endure the pain… and humiliation. She had lost the count of number of times she was stabbed, raped, beaten, fed animal feces, cut, burned… she had endured it all, but not of her own will. She had surrendered to death long ago, yet death wouldn’t come. She was kept alive forcibly, and her role in the upcoming war was clear – she was a symbol. Symbol of betrayal.

Cruelty shown to her was matchless, and even the coldest men and women would agree that this act signaled the moment humans have lost their humanity. However, very few knew the exact state she was in; stories circulated outside merely mentioned that she was kept in a cold cell, denied edible food, and was chained. Most people who heard it found it ordinary, as that was the common practice with betrayers. Then, the news spread… of the state she was actually in. Fear, anguish, disgust, hate… they all filled the bellies of people, but pure, unfiltered terror ruled over them all. No one dared even joke about changing the sides, much alone think about actually doing it.

Within the cold cell, faint sounds of approaching footsteps echoed. Startled, Ella opened her one, functioning eye and raised her head in alarm. She appeared feral, like an animal that wished it was killed rather than be toyed with. As the iron doors creaked, a woman in tight, white battle armor entered, her silver hair flowing downward like river. Y’se’s eyes immediately landed on Ella’s body, and she felt sick; her insides churned, and her heart froze. The repugnant smell was the last thing on her mind when she saw the state of a once beautiful woman. Rather, she found it hard to even call Ella as she was now a woman. She was a creature, a product of someone’s twisted, evil mind. A symbol of lost humanity more so than anything else.

Pity surged within her eyes as she forcibly calmed herself down. She had just returned from the battle, and had heard the rumors about her. She raced here in disbelief, yet, it was exactly as the rumors said; no, it was much, much worse. Y’se saw it in Ella’s eyes – a plea. Simple, innocent plea… to die. She couldn’t talk, with her tongue having been cut long ago, but her eyes spoke louder than her throat ever could. She only wished for death. Y’se walked over and crouched in front of her. Former’s eyes were clear, determined, as she raised her arm and gently placed her hand atop of Ella’s head. She caressed it for a moment before a brief flash of pure white light emerged from her palm and pierced through the skull. Within less than a breath, Ella had died. The plea in her eyes had, at the very last moment, turned to gratitude, to relief.

Y’se bit her lower lip as she slowly got up and left the cell. Her footsteps were even, forward, but her pace was average. She didn’t appear to be in a rush. With her fists tightly clenched, she emerged from the underground prison and found herself in a city of white, promptly named Whitenhall.

The entire city was built from the purest, white, marble stone, and was considered one of the marvels throughout the realms. However, to Y’se, all that beauty was forever tainted by what she just saw. Whitenhall will never again be hoisted to the status of a marvel in her eyes, forever doomed to remain as the hellhole. The absolute bottom people have sunk to.

She turned her heel east and headed toward the City’s Hall. It was a four-stories tall building with a wide, beautifully sculptured dome acting as a roof. Each break of the floors had extruded platforms which held ten sculptures of men and women – heroes throughout the ages. The First Sage of Mankind, the First Divine Magus, the Dragon Slaughterer… every time she’d visit this place, a mere glance at these statues would leave her in awe; yet, this time, she didn’t even glance at them, immediately pushing through the arching entrance.

Insides mimicked the outside of the Hall; walls were painted in clean white, floor tiled in same color, and staircases adorned with coiling serpents – also white, as though all of world’s purity rested in this place. Ignoring the guards who had greeted her respectfully, she immediately began climbing the stairs and proceeded toward the topmost floor, where only one room was located – the Hall itself. It was currently being used as a main base of operation for the upcoming war, and most of the leading figures were currently located inside of it.

She pushed the giant, wooden doors open and walked through, causing the eyes of roughly twenty people present to immediately focus onto her. They were all seated around the large, rectangular table made of stone, which was currently a host for dozens of drinks and plates of half-eaten food. The entire Hall immediately came to silence, only the sounds of Y’se’s footsteps breaking through.

She paused for a moment as she reached the table and casually glanced over the faces. She recognized quite a few, some of which she even considered friends. Yet, she couldn’t hide the disgust in her eyes, and others saw it. Some lowered their heads, some frowned, and some intently stared back, as though defying her condemnation. Such silence lasted for nearly a minute before one of men sitting down – who was one of the few who stared back – broke it.

“Do you have some business with us, Lady Y’se?” the man appeared middle-aged, with thick brows and beard and short, buzz-cut black hair. He wore splendid, golden coat with a cross-cut sword insignia on left side. Y’se’s eyes moved onto him immediately as he spoke, fire burning within them.

“… out.” Y’se said only a single word, causing the man’s frown to deepen.

“Excuse me?” he said, his tone slightly more hostile.

“Out.” Y’se repeated, turning her body sideways and pointing at the opened door at the end of the hall.

“What is the meaning of this?” another voice broke out as chatter turned into commotion.

“Am I speaking some language you can’t understand?!!” Y’se suddenly yelled out, her roar resonating outside the hall itself, causing the ground beneath to shake. “I said out!! Out of my sight, out of this fucking city, out of this fucking world!!” she continued screaming. “If I ever – EVER – see your faces again, I’ll shove a fucking sun up your asses and burn you all alive!!” her roar finally came to a halt, yet the quaking was yet to subside; the man who first spoke slowly got onto his feet, his frown now turned completely into a glare.

“I suggest you leave, Lady Y’se,” the man said. “Lest this turns into something more.”

“… ha ha, no, no, you’re right,” Y’se suddenly broke into laughter as she stretched her arms wide. A mere moment later, space around her tore open as two figures walked through. “I can’t let you leave. What am I even thinking? No, you have to die. Right here and now. All of you. You two,” she then spoke to her two companions that just arrived. “Make it so there’s not a trace of them left.”

“Yes, m’Lady!” the man and woman pair replied in unison. Just as the battle was about to break out, a bell louder than any other sound they ever heard resonated. All came to an immediate halt as they raced toward the window and looked outside; in the distant sky, a black swarm was growing larger and larger by second. The very sound all of realms had just heard was the last they wished to hear, yet, it arrived at last. It marked the beginning of a Great War.