Prologue : Sunlight for a dying rose

Beneath the starry sky, Above the scarlet pool, A lone rose cry, Realized she's was nothing more than a fool. her face is red, by the scarlet water and wrath. She cleaned her sword knowing it's over. Cheers and laughter filling the road, as crush their enemy core. The Lone Rose feel none of the same emotions, the only person that have both eyes open. Cover in red she angrily confront her leader. The one responsible for all the lifeless people. 

She found him Laughing above the body of what once a whole family of nobility. None was spared by this degenerate but still her actions at this point will do nothing for the broken and the lost. She  throw her sword to him, hitting the ground the sword meant only as silent protest to the things she is forced to do.

"what is the meaning of this Centurion Rosalia !?" The man shouted in anger, his face is red and his hand gripping his sword.

"Centurion Matius, You have gone to far!" The lady shouted back.

"Nonsense, we have won the war! look at them. with them on the ground our Magnus Tempus will have no enemies!" he answered proudly.

"and the civilian? or our own men who lost their lives because of your impatience!?" She shouted.

"nothing but collateral, besides, our men died bravely with glory and peace of mind. Small sacrifice for the greater good!" Answered Matius.

The tension between them is high. The men surrounds the two Centurion slowly back away as they knew these particular centurions aren't your average people. both have power beyond their ranks and both have the mind of tactician with the ferocity of a monster. 

"Centurions!"  a man shouted.

Both Centurions stand ready with that single word. A man with bronze armor with red and black garments walk towards them. He looked at the two with sharp eyes, Tired by the battle and irritated by his subordinates' actions.

"you are on the same side!, Centurion Rosalia you have no right to question the plan that have already been approved by the Legatus himself, and centurion Matius these casualty is beyond what we have predicted, I will discuss it further privately with you. are we clear?" The man ordered.

"yes, Praefectus." both of them answers.

"see that you do. Centurion Rosalia. you will head back and report to Legatus Lanius of our victory" he continued.

"Understood" she answered.

"DISSMISED!" as the man shouted they all separate ways. 

Rosalia head back to her camp. She looked at the burning flame and those which it engulf. She hold back her tears as a large white wolf arrived. seeing her almost in tears the wolf comfort her. She petted the white wolf and bury her face in its fur. The wolf whimpers trying it's best to console her master. It moved away and lick her face while whimpering in sadness. The knight forced a smile so she wouldn't worry her loyal friend.

"I'm Ok Lunae, it can't be helped." she said as she petted it's face.

"Let's find the others and rest" she said as she ride it.

The wolf howl and jumps from places to places towards a camp. Each time it jumped she could feel the wind pass through her. She saw the ruined city still burning, cheers of the victor could be heard across the burning city. While her nation celebrate she could only hold her tears and blamed herself for what had happened. As they got closer to her personal camp She took a deep breath trying to calm herself. As the wolf touched the land she smile to her men.

"Good work soldiers, Casualty report."  She said to them.

A woman with soldier armor ran towards her and gave her a list. Rosalia hold her breath as she read the names of those who lost their lives in this battle. She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. Slowly putting back the list she  look at their faces. Tried and broken by the loss of half the Centuria. 

"Soldiers... this day is a victory yet we mourn for the loss of our comrades, for the innocent civilian.. but now we must put our head forward and mourn while taking steps forward, for our country, for our comrades, and for the sake of our fallen comrades we must move forward!. never forget what we did, what we lost! for it is the only reminder to seek redemption in the next chapter of our lives!" she shouted.

The soldiers turn to her. some wears tired face, some hold their tears back but all look at her with hope and trust fer their Centurion. 

"Cry your heart out today and move forward for tomorrow, forget not the dead for they teach us a lesson with their blood, their lives!. so live! Live! and honor their death with your lives and live in Honor!" 

As she shouted the soldiers cheers and cried their hearts out for their loss today are greater than any of their previous encounter. She stood there listening to her soldiers woe holding her own tears. hours passed their cries finally died down. They begin wiping their tears and start to collect their loved ones bodies and honor them rightfully. Rosalia watched them till the last body is being carried to the carriage.

As the last body gently put aside, Rosalia start to walk towards her own tent. There two person awaits her, a tall old man with brass plate hidden behind a large black mantle with golden crest on his left chest and an old woman with normal maid clothes wearing identical mantle with the old man. 

"Oh dear! Oh dear! my lady you're covered in blood are you alright!?" The old woman shouted as she ran towards Rosalia.

As the old woman reach her Rosalia immediately hugged her tight without a word. the old man walk to her back and covered both of the with her large mantle hiding them from the eyes of the other troops. Slowly Rosalia fell to her knees still hugging the old woman. Tears stated flowing down her cheeks as she hugged the old woman tighter.

 "Ooh dear oh dear. It's ok child, you can cry as much as you want." The old woman console her.

"Forgive me my lady, although I agree with miss Joanne. But I advise to do so inside your tent privately. It is not safe here." Said the old man still hiding them behind his mantle.

"Oh you old fool! Does time took your strength with your heart! Can't you see this battle is too much even for veterans such yourself!? You demented ol-" old Joanne furiously shouted at the old man only stopped when Rosalia let her go and wipe her own tears.

"It's ok Joanne, Maxima is right.. those who hold my name.. can't show weakness. Thankyou Joanne,  Maxima." She smiled to the two old people as tears still dropping from her cheeks.

"I..I'm truly sorry my lady but that is the way, Thankyou for understanding." Said old Maxima.

"Oh my lady.. you're to kind here let me help you up, let's go inside.. and leave this heartless fool!" Said old Joanne.

Rosalia smile and got up as she try to calm old Joanne down as old Maxima could only take a deep breath as he endured old Joanne's hurtful comments about him.

Helped by Joanne, Rosalia wiped her body and changed her clothes. She then asked to be left alone and old Joanne obliged. She sat on her bed as she contemplate, voices of woe starts to pass.

Fell to her bed she hold her chest. Pain overwhelmed her and over and over yet. As a single tear shed from her eye. She a wish surface from inside.

"O Creator, Show me a kinder world, tho but a glimpse, I accept it so"

She kept praying in her heart as she began to drift away to the darkness leaving reality with the sound of a tear falling to the sea forming a ripple to her future fate.

Morning comes and Rosalia awaken by the sound of rippling water. As she opened her eyes the sound were gone and everything is normal. She sighed and get ready to head home.

She is always the early bird second to her servants that is believed never even slept. She greeted them with a smile then greet her wolf with an embrace. 

Joanne smile the instant Rosalia got out of her tent. As she felt something has changed in her master's fate. 

"You seems to have known something." Asked old Maxima as he saw her partner's sudden smile. 

" It's seems that the Lord would be kinder to our lady" she answered.

"Hmm.. well you are more attuned to the strings of fate than I could ever be, I just hope it's true." Comment old Maxima.

The carriages starts to float they begin their walk throug the vast field leaving the ruined castle. As they drove smole suddenly rise from afar. 

Seeing this Rosalia consult the map she has and find that there is a small village in the direction of the smoke. She immediately order her soldiers to be ready and followed her to the smoke.

She rode her wolf, as her soldier followed by using smaller floating vehicles. They move fast but the wolf is faster still shining through the field. 

When they arrived goblins body is every where burnt and separated from the village by burning flames that slowly dying down.

There she saw a man wearing clothes she never saw before in her life. She was sure that none wear those clothes but more importantly the man breathed heavily as he shields children behind him.

As their eyes met she saw what she rarely see in people's eyes when they met her. 

She saw hope in the man's eyes as he utter.

"Thank God, a noble knight." 

Noble knight. Hearing this brings back hope in her heart. The thing she always dreamed to be. The thing that is robbed of her by savagery of her own kind.

As the men starts to fall, she immediately ran to him and catches him. The villagers hesitant at first as they the banner but it all changed when the children cries and ran to her and asked her to help this poor man.

The villagers starts to welcome her as they ask her to bring the man inside to be treated. Even without her orders her soldiers helped the villagers as they swept by the tide of the villagers worry for this man.

Civilian and soldiers from an opposing sides work hand in hand to help a single man. It was beautiful a proof she always needs. A proof of a kinder world and in that man she finally finds.

Hope