The Benefits Of Victory

I was wet, slightly cold, but somehow I opened my eyes outside. I had a sinking pain in my chest, a sinking pain that appeared every time when I tried to get up. It stuck with me long enough to make me unable to carry my own body and fall again and again to the ground. I was just shaking involuntarily, and sadly, being a burden just then.

And at that time, when I put my foot before one another, I also saw Princess Mila approaching me. With the things she had collected in the forest, and putting me back to lie down, she immediately started taking care of me.

"You must lie down for a while longer! The wound in your chest, has not yet closed! So do not tire yourself!"

And as she said that and looked at my chest again, I saw that my wound was covered with something moss-like thing. Because of the situation that we were in, Princess Mila had mixed the things she brought from the forest on the leaf, used the algae and those materials to act as a bandage, and rubbed the material on my chest.

"I'll put this right here, so try to move as little as possible. A fairly useful mixture will allow the wound to close in a short time, but it can still burn a little."

Just like she said, the mixture started to burn like fire at the very first moment it entered my body. Hitting through all of the walls of my skin, it had many torturing sensations to tell and go along with. It was just a pure nightmare while being awake to feel it.

But sooner or later, it cooled down, and made me have some time to look around me.

I also saw that, after the princess finished talking, she started driving the mixture again, but on the one hand, her eyes were watching me. As carefully as a dear, It was as if there was something she wanted to ask, but held herself back since my condition wasn't all good.

She couldn't say something, but her watching me like that silently, became uncomfortable after some time, and made me ask her, turning my head slightly in her direction,

"Has something happened, Mila?"

She tilted her head in another direction, avoiding eye contact to hide her confused expression,

"No... Not something like that. It's just... quite interesting. A big, sharp spear, was stuck in your heart, just seconds ago before we got confused about what to do. But even soon after that, you are still alive, and there is no such thing as a severe injury to your body or its progression. And it just... baffles my mind, that's all."

She was saying these words as she was putting her hands under my chest forcibly to stop any kind of injury from happening. But still having unanswered questions on her mind, she was going back and forth about solving the main purpose behind our war and so on. She was worried, but wondered about many things too. Her eyes focused on a single point, I tried to get her attention, speaking, with the remaining energy in my body.

"It was because of the power that I had heard so many times before. Even if I can't figure out exactly how it happened because of some particular things, there's no doubt that I got away with that and it saved my life."

"And how did you know it would work? Wasn't there any chance for you to fall or even lose your life?"

"I never would have known, but still, even after getting into such a situation, it would be foolish to retreat. The only option we could do was to step forward, which is what we already wanted to do and what we were striving for. So I thought it would be best to believe in myself for a while longer."

"Hundreds of people for many years- No, human life, perhaps even beyond what we can count, have lost hope in suffering for a very long time. Their loved ones, their efforts, their honor. But it's finally over. As you helped-"

Her words slowly fell back to her inside her mouth, as I raised my hand to silence her and talk to myself,

"Tell yourself that you don't have to say these words. I came here for war to create peace. That's what we're here for, and we have to continue to be. Besides, we've both helped each other enough, remember?"

Princess Mila looked at me with tired eyes, but with a warm smile. She then sighed slightly and started to talk,

"My mother used to say, anyone, can help, as long as they don't get anything in return. She said that it helped people to understand the joy and need to help without something diversive getting in the way. I didn't understand what she meant, not until the moment I saw you. But now I do, and...."

The princess had fallen silent and had not finished her sentence. It was as if she was afraid of getting a negative answer, but still struggling to say something. A word or a phrase that was bothersome for her to say, making it like something supernatural was pushing her chest and making her unable to breathe or talk.

But even against her nervous personality, I still wanted to listen to her.

To see what she really wanted deep in her heart,

"I'm listening to you. You can say whatever's on your mind. If it's something that's going to hurt you so bad, you shouldn't keep it in."

As understanding what I said, she seemed more relieved about the situation and finally decided to say it.

"And I.."

It seemed once again she was going to give up on it, but she went on it anyways,

"And I want to join you all in your next battle!"

Misunderstood and confused, I looked into her eyes, forgetting I had trouble breathing. Since she wanted something like that at a point like that, it was a thing or two to make my mind once again filled with the stress and pain I have been dealing with. But since we were both there and had the opportunity to talk about long-term plans, and created somewhat of an atmosphere for her to finally say the things on her mind, I once again re-heard the words of her, both in my mind and head.

So slightly having the ability to move, I was just lying there, to say something to her and fulfill the expectation of her, that was created at that moment.

"I admire your effort. Really. But perhaps the best thing for both of us is to review the changes ahead. If this is how the war ended, and even the king ignored everything for you, perhaps it would be better for you to stay with a person who cares so much about you, and try to make your people live a better life. After all, there is no person he can better authorize for this task or love so deeply, than you."

"After all this, it will remain a broken honor, and a disappointment to the desperation of my dreams, not to do even more great and beautiful things. After everything you've done, at least I have to do this. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. What will happen or how we will feel and act according to it. If another Epic comes, so it will, Then what will we do? Maybe I can keep my people safe from where I've been for a while. But it's not forever. After a while, although I don't want to wake up from this dream, they will come back. That's why I want to put an end to this for my people, for my loved ones. The last I have to give. I'm sure my father will understand this as well. Otherwise, my heart will starve for it. To the desires, I was never to chase."

"There may be no turning back from this. You are sacrificing more than you know. Trust me, I have known what I was facing, so I did. But you can't know what can come, or what will happen. You are taking big risks, Mila."

"I know, that is why I have to try."

She then leaned for my hand, and continued talking while squeezing it with lost emotions in her heart,

"Please, Ryuu.. I can make my own decisions now. And I will not step back from them. Never."

If it was all to say, those feelings that Mila held in herself in despair were moving even much more intense than my will. Her soul and heart, were both rippling about the fact that she could try.

I knew it, since I had felt this many times before.

And also, as the map had shown, she was one of the people I was looking for. The symbol on the map, was shining brightly and pointwise right next to me. It was now certain that she would be somebody whom we were looking for.

And made me unwillingly think how she was better for the team.

As a person we would take with us in the war, the powers she had were quite useful and effective against certain enemies. But since her emotional competence was unclear, and we had no big event we went through or a certain memory, it would be a great responsibility to take Mila into the team. And the fact that she was also the daughter of the sea king, was a big sign for dangerous people to chase after us more.

It was a bet of win or lose at that point. But nevertheless, I was happy that I was going to fight back-to-back with somebody like her. Maybe we're going to face many more things, but we already had done a lot of crazy things and I thought it would be best not to leave her like that.

She was a good person with a soft heart and a strong determination.

"Then I have nothing to say for it. You are one of us now."

She became so happy from what I said, she got up and started smiling unstopping.

"Thank you, Ryuu! Thank you! And I will pay my gratitude back, I promise!"

"No, no, there is no need for that if you will have the same respect for me from now on."

She slowly, and little by little closed her eyes, and said re-opening them,

"Thank you... Then I will try my best to not let you all down. From now on, you can count on me too."