Chapter 38 – The Brave Hearts (1)

The sky looked bright. Shig liked the sky as the black mists that gathered were blown away by the blazing warship. The first assault that was done by air, men that came from the sky with parachutes on their backs, were done in by a crew of five in an air balloon, just with a rifle and a few bombs, and a bit of girth on them.

“That’s what you call bravery,” Shig laughed.

“Uncle Shig!”

“Damn it! Protect the Lord Enforcer you damn bastards!”

“Uncle Shig, stay with us! Don’t close your eyes!”

Shig could hear them shouting. He looked at his charred body. His torso filled with lead. This won’t kill him but his body won’t be able to fight. He should be sad yet the beautiful sight of a burning warship that blazes brightly up made him unable to think otherwise.

“Isn’t it great?” he could imagine her say that as her blue cape flaps about in the wind.

“It is,” said Shig softly. “The Era of Sword and Axes are gone. But brave men and women never cease to exist do they?”

“They don’t, my love,” The apparition chuckled. “Even at times of fear, they’ll come running. Not knowing anything, not having anything other than the courage in their hearts. They’d listen to their voice of reason, sprinting to danger.”

“Yeah, some wants honor, some wants recognition. Some just follow their heart, believing in something they didn’t know they believed. Bravado, ego, pride, all men, and women here have that. Or maybe they are just like me, a fool that knew nothing, only ending up on events like this. Well, it is not like I hated being that fool.”

“Isn’t it?” said the apparition, her voice was gentle as water. “Shig, you can’t fall down here. That little girl shouting for you needs you. She isn’t a cold warlord, just a lonely one.”

“Hah,” he smiled thinly. “Indeed, what about the others?”

“The Cattus has her sister, while the one you saw broken and deprived of everything in that room has a steady heart. If he didn’t have the heart, he wouldn’t be up there, assisting brave men and women, giving them the ray of hope that they need. Despite all the blood and tears, despite all the death and despair, people will find a way to light the darkness.”

“Indeed,” Shig breathed heavily. “You are right, now’s not the time for weakness. I can’t let these young ones. I am a Cornus damn it! The Proud Bull of the North! The Red Garbed One!”

Shig lifted his body up forcefully, he took the pills from the flask from his pocket and ate them all. The soldier that was watching him do that got slack-jawed, he wanted to speak something but the figure of the Lord Enforcer rising despite his wounds made him stagger back. Mia, who was a bit rattled, woke up from her fearing daze.

“Uncle Shig!” shouted Mia, keeping her head down as she approaches Shig. “Are you okay? You are wounded! Don’t just stop stand!”

“Hah!” Shig threw his head back and guffawed. “My dear, you are underestimating this bull. A few bullet wounds won’t kill me!”

He said with bravado, despite half of his body charred and injured.

...

The man held his rifle. He held it tightly as he looked at the dead enemy soldiers that lined up. Behind him were the servants of the stronghold. They are cheering him on, struggling to keep their spirits up. He was exhausted and his spirit was rattled as he too was surprised how he could kill so many people. He was just the guy who handles the explosives. He was from a certain village, somewhere outside the city where a river ran behind, filled with pebbles of white and gray, where the blue stream gushed, making serene noises.

He could have escaped from all of this. Yet here he was standing up for these citizens that wanted his help. Hold the line. That’s what he was asked for. That’s what he did. He could hear loud noises despite the thickness of the tunnel. He shuddered just by thing what was happening there. He could barely see with one eye, and his other hurting. He had taken pills but it was still hurting him, bothering him.

“Why am I here?” he asked himself. He smelled around him. The dust and the smell of the dead gathered, forming this pungent smell. It reeked badly that the gunpowder smell seemed the best thing to smell. Rubble falls down from the top; the walls of the tunnel shook, as each movement of anything rattles him, making him point his rifle at the line.

“Mister...” a weak voice called out. “Are we going to be safe?”

He looked at the little girl holding a straw doll. It looked new. “Yes, big brother is here to protect you okay? Don’t fear.” He tried his best say that.

“Okay. But you look hurt Big Brother...”

“I am fine. Just go back to your brother, and make sure to keep your little head down okay?” He said, patting the little girl’s head. The mother of the little girl was just near, she gestured at her daughter, hugging her tightly. He made a sigh as he then caught a glimpse of a dulled eyed little girl with cat-like ears. He remembered that she was the sister of the assistant of the Lord Enforcer. She was sleeping tightly, despite the noises around her. He wanted to know if she was alright, but he saw the little girl with straw doll approached her along with her mother.

Usually, it was rare a sight to see demi-humans and humans get along. But the sight of them snuggling and taking comfort made him feel something warm. He looked around him again. He then realized why he was standing here for. It was to protect these people. He was no cold-hearted bastard. He was a human with a guilty. He couldn’t abandon these people.

It’s troublesome, but he could only curse himself for being soft-hearted. So, he steeled himself, gripping his rifle, pointing his eyes like a hawk to the tunnel that he was guarding.