Chapter 1:
13
The year was 1004. Thanks to its revolutionary tactics The Reevian kingdom of the west was making
impressive victories in recent battles but the sheer size of the large Imperial army of the east was
preventing ‘’Reeva’’ from making the push they desired into imperial territory. The second Magis
war was reaching a stalemate. The only non-constant variable was the number of casualties on both
sides, the number of burned-down houses and villages, the number of newly orphaned children, and
the number of freshly dug graves.
Today I stood in one of these recently burned villages. I looked around me, there were no signs of any
survivors. The place was crawling with Reevian soldiers moving from one house to another, it looked
like they were taking the food and supplies they found. ‘’ the spoils of war’’ was the term the
Reevian army often used, a less polite term would be ‘’ Theft’’.
I walked inside a fancy military tent, it was bigger and better looking than the rest. Inside a tall man
with elegant armor stood facing a wooden war table. He was engaged in conversation with a
female soldier who had a serious look on her face. I decided to put more weight on my feet and the
sudden noise of my footsteps caught the attention of the tall man.
He turned around and stared at me suspiciously:
‘’ You’re not one of my soldiers? Who let you in here? ‘’ The tall man spoke with a menacing stare.
I noticed the female soldier next to him reaching for her sword and eying me down, she was probably
trying to estimate my strength. Most soldiers in such a situation will be looking around trying to spot
other intruders but she chooses to focus on me instead. This soldier had special training.
The tall man waited for my answer but whatever I choose to answer him with will be a waste of time so
instead, I slowly reached into my pockets, took a small sealed envelope, and tossed it in the direction
of the tall man.
The tall man’s expression quickly changed to an inquisitive look as he bent down to pick up the
envelope.
‘’How dare you make the captain picks something off the floor ‘’courier’’? I shall cut you right now
for this grave insult ‘’ the female soldier yelled out as she pointed her blade in my direction.
‘’ it’s okay First Lieutenant, stand down ‘’ The tall man said as he waved his right hand at the female
soldier.
‘’ But sir ….? ‘’ the female soldier replied with confused eyes...
‘’ The seal on this envelope, this is the high council’s seal ‘’ the tall man replied.
‘’ The high council? ‘’ the female soldier said.
The second he recognized the seal was the moment I confirmed my assumptions. Only a few people in
‘’Reeva’’ can identify this seal based on his distinctive armor and the fact that the female
soldier called him ‘’Captain’’, this man is most likely ‘’ Captain Alexander Welkin ‘’. The renewed
officer of the first Reevian army but why is he stationed in a place like this?
While I was having these thoughts, the tall man finished reading the letter and raised his eyes to face
me, and said:
‘’ Can you provide me with details of this mission? ‘’
‘’ I’m not authorized to share such information ‘’ I replied as I locked eyes with him.
‘’ What’s going on Captain? ‘’ the female soldier suddenly spoke, her eyes were seeking answers she
desperately desired.
‘’ This is a direct letter from the high council, we are ordered to provide any assistance to this man in
his mission ….it says here his mission takes top priority ‘’ the tall man explained. I noticed his
fingers suddenly gripping the edges of the paper as he reached the final part of the letter.
‘’This man’s official name is ‘’13’’….A high traitor to the Reevian kingdom but for the duration of this
mission he shall be considered a ‘’soldier’’ and shall receive the same privileges that of a soldier ‘’
the tall man finished explaining the content of the letter …A hint of surprise was mixed into his
words.
‘’ A TRAITOR? This guy is a ‘’Number ‘’? ‘’ the female soldier stepped forward with her sword
pointing at my legs.
‘’ At ease first lieutenant ‘’ the tall man gently patted her shoulders...
‘’ But sir, you heard what the letter said, this man is a traitor. He’s armed and possibly dangerous. I
will cut off both his legs just to be safe ‘’ the female soldier replied without taking her eyes off me.
She was right, I am a traitor or as most people would refer to me a ‘’ Number’’. In the kingdom of
Reeva, certain acts could make you branded as a ‘’traitor’’.
The high council doesn’t believe in
executing ‘’traitors’’ because that would rid us of our sins nor do they believe in impersonating
traitors because that would be wasting food and shelter on us.
Instead, Numbers are stripped of their name and land and forced to live the rest of their lives shunned and humiliated by the rest of
the population. We are stripped of our humanity and looked upon like wild savage animals.
‘’ Indeed this man standing in front of us is a ‘’traitor’’ but the high council has ordered us to consider
him a ‘’ soldier’’ and to aid him in his mission so that’s what we will do ….do you understand, first
lieutenant? ‘’ The tall man declared as he stood in front of the female soldier urging her to lower her
blade.
The female soldier was hesitant at first but ultimately followed his orders. The tall man looked at me
one more time and said:
‘’ So …How exactly do you expect us to aid you in your mission?’’
‘’ I need 4 soldiers: an archer, a …..’’
Before I could even continue the tall man interrupted my words...
‘’ I’ve lost 2/3 of my men capturing this region and we are on the verge of attacking ‘’Vastis’’, I cannot
spare any soldiers. All I can offer you is Intel and supplies ‘’
The tall man’s words were cut and dry.
I anticipated the Reevian army to be launching an attack on
the town of ‘’Vastis’’ soon, this is exactly why I was only asking for 4 soldiers but I failed to anticipate
the severity of their causalities.
‘’ I can’t accomplish my mission without soldiers ‘’ I quickly replied.
This mission was near impossible in the first place, without any backup the chances of success are 0
percent.
The tall man contemplated for a second. Any other military captain would have just kicked me out by
now but this tall man was different.
He seemed to care. I guess the rumors I heard about him were
true.
‘’ You can take 1 soldier with you to aid you on your mission. This is the best I can do ‘’ Just one soldier, huh? That’s not enough at all but I don’t think I have another choice.
If I’m given the
choice to pick out one soldier to accompany me then the obvious way to go is to pick out the captain
but there is no way he will agree to abandon his post to aid a traitor on an unknown mission.
‘’ I pick her ‘’ I replied pointing my finger at the wide-eyed female soldier standing there.
The point of view of first lieutenant Karolina Porze
Year 1002.
The eastern border of the kingdom of Reeva
The command tent on the outskirts of ‘’Vastis’’.
First lieutenant ‘’Karolina Porze’’ of the first Reevian army.
I feel disgusted, I feel really disgusted just standing here in the presence of this ‘’Number’’. This isn’t
right, this isn’t right at all. Why are we ordered to help someone like him and why is the captain even
talking to him right now? That letter could be fake, he could have faked that seal. Why is the captain
trusting the words of a ‘’Number ‘’?
He is even offering him to take a soldier with him to God’s know where. This is wrong, this is very
wrong.
‘’ I pick her ‘’ the disgusting number said as he pointed his finger at me.
What? What? whaaaaat?
Has this lowly traitor gone mad? Does he really expect me to go anywhere with him other than to see
him hanged? If only the captain wasn’t here, I would cut both of his legs and call it an accident.
These thoughts were raging in my head when all the sudden the captain said words I never thought I
will ever hear:
‘’ Understood. First lieutenant, you are hereby ordered to offer your assistance to this man on his
mission ‘’
‘’ WHAT? CAPTAIN?’’ I quickly replied, please tell me he is joking.
‘’ I know very well how you feel first lieutenant but this is not negotiable. You are to aid this man on
his mission and then report back here as soon as possible. This is a direct order ‘’ the captain spoke
each word he uttered cut deeper and deeper inside of me.
I couldn’t believe my ears.
WHY?? WHY??? WHY?
This word continued to ring in my ears. I turned my gaze to the disgusting traitor in front of me. A
deep feeling of hatred engulfed my heart ….A hatred that was targeted toward one creature and one
creature only. A hatred that won’t ever disappear until I see his severed head rolling by my feet.
Year 1002.
The eastern border of the kingdom of Reeva.
The command tent on the outskirts of ‘’Vastis’’.
Captain ‘’Alexander Welkin ‘’ of the first Reevian army.
‘’ East of Vastis ‘’ I finally replied after being mesmerized by her attractive face.
‘’ Are you doing this on purpose Number? Do you mean to insult me? ‘’ my female companion replied
with an angry tone.
‘’ Not really’’
‘’ Ughhh, as a first lieutenant of the Reevian army, I hereby command you to tell me our destination
you disgusting lowlife creature ‘’ the female soldier declared as she looked down at me with disgust.
But while she was waiting for my answer, my focus was on something else entirely. We have been
walking on this wooden path for a while now and the same presence continued to follow us.
Someone was hiding on top of those trees. I’m sensing 3 maybe 4 men with light weapons.
They were waiting for the chance to ambush us. Forest bandits maybe?
If we take a turn here and start running we should be able to easily avoid their ambush. I doubt they
will even bother chasing us.
But instead of making a run, I decided to purposely come closer to the trees, and just like I predicted a
couple of armed men suddenly jumped in front of us.
‘’ Who do we have here? Travelers? Welcome, welcome to ‘’Vastis’’ my dear friends. My name is
‘’Dean ‘’ ‘’ the person who spoke was an old-looking man with a scar on his left cheek. A menacing
grin decorated his rugged face.
‘’ Who are you? What do you want? ‘’ My female companion quickly draw her sword and locked eyes
with the old man. She must have understood the situation.
‘’ Oh…A woman’s voice? Why are you hiding your lovely face, my dear lady? Won’t you honor us
with your beauty ‘’ the old man with a scar spoke elegantly? He must be interested in seeing if my
female companion’s face makes her worthy of being sold to a slaver.
‘’ Step away and move out of our way if you know what’s good for you ‘’my female companion
declared as she held tighter to her sword.
‘’I’m afraid that might not be possible my lady ‘’ the old man with a scar grinned as he gestured to his
men. This situation is becoming rather interesting.
‘’ They’re fucking bandits. I’ll take the 3 guys on the right you go for the remaining two ‘’ my female
companion added as she looked at me with a serious stare. She seems to have formulated a plan in
her head.
‘’ Uh, this might not be the best time to mention this but I’m afraid I don’t know to swing a
sword ‘’ I quickly replied with a confused look on my face.
‘’ WHAT? You gotta be fucking kidding me. ? Who doesn’t know how to use a fucking sword these
days? Were you born on a fucking pig farm? ‘’ My female companion looked at me.
Her anger and
disgust have increased tenfold and the small vein on her forehead was pulsating. She was really
pissed.
After giving me one final look of disgust, my female companion jumped forward. She took a unique
stance and swung her sword at the nearest bandit. Her sword moved at such an incredible speed the
bandit failed to even notice her attack.
The rest of the bandits watched as their comrade’s severed
head rolled on the floor. Such sight stunned them for a second as their brains tried to process what
they’d just witnessed.
Filled with anger and fear the rest of the bandits attacked at once. But their effort was in vain as my
female companion dodged their attack very easily and delivered swift precise slashes severing their
limbs and body organs like they were made of butter.
My female companion swung her sword so beautifully one final time finishing off the old man with
an annoying grin.
A gust of wind blew over as her sword pierced his chest uncovering her beautiful
elegant face. The whole sight was so magnificent it could have easily been mistaken for a work of art.
It was exactly like I thought. This woman, this soldier is incredible.
Not only did we manage to corner 2 hopeless-looking peasants but one of them is a woman. Oh my,
it's been so long since we’ve caught a woman and she looks so young from her voice. She should fetch
me a very good price.
‘’ Step away and move out of our way if you know what’s good for you ‘’ the woman spoke as she
branded her sword at me. How cute, it’s so rare to see an imperial woman using a sword. Can she
even carry that thing? Once I’m done with her male friend I will make sure to give her my meat
sword to grab into Haha.
‘’I’m afraid that might not be possible my lady ‘’ I spoke as I gave the signals to my men. Let’s not
wait a single second more.
The woman seemed to be whispering with the weird-looking man. It looked like they were arguing about
something. Huh? Why is he stepping back? Don’t tell me he won’t even try to defend himself.
Haha, what a fucking coward.
But while I was watching the weird-looking man with a big grin on my face. The woman suddenly
moved with incredible speed and swung her sword. The next thing I saw was the head of ‘’Tuck’’
rolling on the floor like it was never attached to his bulky body.
W-What?...........What the fuck just happened?
Before I lifted my gaze off the severed head of my strongest fighter, the rest of my men were laying
on the ground drowning in a pool of their blood.
H-How? How did this happen? No….no….no……no ….
I shook my head in denial, this can’t be happening. This doesn’t make sense. Is she even human? She
is a W-Witch …..She’s a fucking witch.
Before I could finish my line of thought a sudden feeling penetrated my chest followed by immense
horrible pain. I looked down, a shiny blade was piercing through my chest. I reached to pull it out but
my hands refused to obey. Soon I lost all power in my body and fell to my knees.
With my last remaining strength I lifted my eyes to gaze at the person stabbing me but what greeted
my eyes wasn’t human but an angel. An angel with long blond hair and angelic eyes, she stared at
me with her cold blues eyes.
‘’ I been killed by a lovely angel ‘’ this was my final thought before my life faded away.
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