Entangled in Chains

Shen went to the town square to get something for his wife, Lina, who was at home resting and about to have a baby. The sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. Shen felt calm after this. People still had hope on their faces, even though the streets of the kingdom were still showing signs of fighting. People who walked by Shen showed him respect, and people who knew him stopped to say thank you. Everyone knew about the victories he had won over the Empire.

As he felt the warmth of the people's thanks, Shen's heart swelled with sweet pride. He was a hero to his people, and they loved him. People who knew him would stop and smile at him every time they saw him and shout, "Admiral Takeda!" Shen liked the atmosphere as he strolled through the busy market.

All of a sudden, the castle bells rang loudly all over the city. Usually, these bells meant that bad things were about to happen. Shen was very worried. The scary chime told him that something bad was about to happen. He knew that as Admiral, it was his job to handle whatever the issue was. He didn't think about it and ran straight to the castle.

Things were already going wrong when Shen got to the castle. The soldiers were running around and getting ready for anything. His sergeant came over and told him what was going on.

The sergeant's voice was shaky as he said, "A group of visitors is coming from the north." "They're soldiers from the Republic, and they have a white flag."

Shen frowned. Are these soldiers from the Republic? He believed that this visit wasn't just for diplomatic reasons. He went higher to get a better view of what was going on. Shen moved his eyes north from a spot where he could see the city and the area around it. There, he saw more than a dozen Republic soldiers on horseback with guns and a white flag moving toward the castle. This showed that they weren't there to fight, but it didn't mean they were good people.

Shen looked at the sergeant and then back at the men who were coming toward him. "Why are they here?" he asked.

The sergeant said, "We're going to find out soon." The soldiers in the castle were always on edge and kept a close eye on everything. Archers stood on the walls with their bows drawn, ready to shoot at the group that was coming. But the guests clearly wanted to talk, not fight, because they were waving the white flag.

Shen quickly spotted the tall person who was in charge of the meeting. The man got off his horse slowly and walked confidently toward the castle gates. Shen knew right away that this soldier was not normal. He had a lot of power because of how he stood, how sure he was of himself, and how calm he was.

The sergeant leaned in and said, "That's the Champion of the Republic," as Shen looked at the man's face. That title is the same as our Warlord in the Republic.

The Champion walked into the castle and went up to Shen and Geno Takeda. Shen is the current Warlord and Shen's older brother. The Champion and Geno looked at each other for a moment before speaking. Then the Champion spoke in a calm but strong voice.

"Congratulations on your promotion, Geno Takeda," he said, keeping his eyes on the Warlord.

Geno turned his head a little but kept a serious look on his face. "Thanks, but I don't think you came here just to say congratulations," he said in a cold, measured voice.

The Champion had a little smile on his face. He said, "You're right." "I've come to speak on behalf of the President of the Republic." Not long ago, the Empire, which is our ally, was attacked. I am here to make sure that the person who did this pays for it. He paused for a moment before looking at Shen. "Shen Takeda, I'm here for your brother."

When the Champion said Shen's name, a wave of whispers went through the castle. People all over the world knew Shen's name, and his fame had spread beyond the kingdom's borders. But what really mattered was the weight of the Champion's words, which made everyone pay attention to Shen. People wanted to know if Shen was really to blame for this.

Geno kept his cool and spoke in a strong voice. He said, "That is not going to happen." "We won't give you Shen."

The Champion said in the same tone, "If Shen is not given up, it will mean war between the Republic and your kingdom."

Geno's eyes lit up with rage. "Are you threatening us?" he asked, his voice getting louder.
Shen stepped up and stopped his brother in his tracks just as he was about to go on.

Shen's heart raced; the request came out of nowhere and shocked him more than he wanted to show. Would he now send them to war because of what he did?

"I surrender," Shen said.

But the truth was that he felt a rush of fear just before he spoke. Even though Shen was brave, his hands shook. He didn't know what the Republic was going to do to him. But the feeling of duty was stronger than the worry.

The castle was very quiet for a short time. When Shen spoke, everyone stopped moving. When Geno turned to his brother, he was shocked and angry. His voice shook as he asked, "Shen, do you know what you're saying?" But Shen spoke to his brother with full confidence and looked him in the eye.

He swallowed and thought about how long he had been ashamed. Finally, he said, "People shouldn't have to suffer or go to war because of me." I have already put myself in danger to protect this kingdom and made people sad for the sake of safety.
He saw this as a chance to pay off that debt. "If giving myself up is the answer, I'll do it for our people, our friends, and our family."

Shen kept talking and looked at Geno. "Brother, you told me before that a leader must do whatever it takes for their country." No matter how heavy the load.

The Champion listened carefully to what was said and then nodded in agreement. He pointed to one of his soldiers, who came over and put handcuffs on Shen's wrists. Shen held out his hands and didn't say anything, so the shackles were put on. He then went straight to the wagon that had been set up for him in a cage.

The palace went quiet when Shen got on the wagon. Everyone stood still and watched, both sad and impressed, as Shen gave up his freedom for the good of the realm. The Republic soldiers finished what they were doing and left, taking Shen with them in the wagon.

Shen felt a cold fear as the iron bars closed around him. He was scared of a thousand things, but at the bottom of it all was one strong feeling of purpose: he had caused enough trouble for his people.

From inside the cage, Shen looked at his brother, his friends, and the kingdom he had fought so hard to protect one last time. Shen was sure of his choice, even though the future was unclear.