War

War is but a fool’s game that no one wins…

Prologue

War

Japan, 2068

Bombshells erupted all around the soldiers. The ground beneath their feet juddered continuously, throwing them off balance. The loud, ear-raping sound of sirens blared all around them. Screams of the fallen were etched in the surviving soldiers' minds. Even if they emerged from the battlefield alive, the memories of their allies' dying wails would be forever ingrained in their consciousness. They were in the midst of a cold and bloody war…

I’m scared… Why am I fighting, and for what? a soldier thought to himself. His eyes were lifeless and dull. Not from the pain of his wounds, but from watching his allies die in front of him, as if their lives meant nothing. Until this point, the soldier had enjoyed a good and peaceful childhood. He had many aspirations and dreams for the future. He wanted to be successful, start a business, have a family, and be a kind, gentle father.

Yet…

All that had been taken from him in an instant. For what? he thought despairingly as he gazed at the war-infested scene before him. What’s the point of this? For power? Control? How could anyone be so cruel as to carelessly steal the bright future of someone? Did they have no remorse?

“All reporting Knights, prepare for an ambush incoming from the southeast..."

The Knight heard a brash and cold order from his female commander through a Bluetooth hearing device. Yet he didn’t react to her urgent order right away. Hidden in an abandoned office building, he helplessly watched his allies fall beneath him through a large glass window. The enemy was drawing near, armed with state-of-the-art tanks and military artillery. They were heavily outmatched. He accepted his fate; death was inevitable. But yet—

“SHIT! A Monster hit our base in section 23. Just when things couldn’t get worse, a monster decides to attack us,” the commander cursed violently. The pressure was getting to her. “We have no more time. All units spread out and defend section 6—”

“What if I don’t want to, Commander Geta?”

“What?” she blurted out, clearly shocked by his soft yet miserable defiance.

“What the hell are you talking about, Officer Arthur? This is not the time for second-guessing. THIS IS WAR!” she roared through the device. Arthur let out a dead and defeated smile upon hearing her voice.

“What’s the point… what’s the point of all this death?”

“We're fighting for our freedom, Arthur! Have you no shame in giving up on that!”

“Freedom from whom?” Arthur asked, despondently looking down from the building.

“From... from...” Commander Geta paused, Arthur's simple yet profound question seeding doubt in her mind.

“Will this cause freedom? Will all these deaths change anything in our cold world? What do you think will happen after we all die? What then?” he muttered.

Arthur’s cold and black eyes remained fixed on the war below him. “Soon enough, there will be another war. It’s never going to end… so why even try to help? Like my life will make any difference in this battle,” Arthur let out a small laugh, his expression unchanging from its depressing state.

“Selfish...” Geta let out a small whimper. “YOU SELFISH SHITHEAD!”

Arthur felt the quiver in her voice. It broke his heart even more than witnessing his allies die in front of him.

“What about all the lives that were lost? Were they all meaningless to you? Did they all die in vain?! Are you going to let that happen, Arthur?!"

“They did die in vain…” Arthur replied softly, a tear starting to well up in his broken eyes. “They all died in vain. None of their lives will make a difference in this battle. They didn’t deserve this. No one’s going to remember them. Even if we win, will they get the credit? No, not a single one of us will. Life has to be more than this never-ending cycle of death.”

Arthur’s words shook the commander into silence. Small whimpers of crying subdued her usually brash and hot-blooded tone. The person he’d known since being drafted into the war was unraveling before him. He knew her better than anyone else. She was intimidating and demanding. Once, she soccer-punched him in the stomach for not sweeping the floors in their dorm. She would also get mad when he asked her for coffee in front of other people, given her higher rank. But despite all that, he loved her. He had broken down the walls she put up and witnessed her soft, gentle, and caring heart. Reminiscing those memories warmed his soul.

“It’s okay to cry sometimes, Geta,” he murmured, still hearing her attempt to cover her tears. “You’re so strong. Even against overwhelming odds, you managed to push forward and succeed. You made me a better and stronger person, Geta. Thank you for everything.”

“What’s next?” she sobbed. “What are you planning on doing now? If not fighting, then what’s the best option?”

He anticipated that question. And for the first time in a while, he felt optimistic.

“I know a place,” he smiled. “A place where there’s no war. No monsters. No hunger. A warm place where we can talk for as long as we want. A place where we can start our own family.”

“Does such a place actually exist?” Geta’s voice held a hint of hope.

“Do you trust me, Geta?” he asked. Her response was swift.

“I trust you with all my heart...”

“Well then…” he let out a hopeful sigh. All his worries suddenly vanished. Arthur smiled brightly as he smashed the window in front of him. A gust of wind hit his face sharply. He stepped forward to the broken window, high up and perfect for the job.

“I’ll see you soon. I love you…”

He stepped off.

Time seemed to slow as he took his leap of faith. His life flashed before his eyes. He wasn’t scared, but comforted. He was about to leave this sinful world. At the final moment of Arthur’s life, he was content.

He had no regrets. For the first time, he was grateful for everything he had experienced. He didn’t resent the world; He just didn’t want to see the cruel future that would inevitably come. But yet, he still hoped for a peaceful and happy world, a place much different than his own.

As he tumbled to the ground at a rapid pace, bombs collided with the ground. He witnessed a beautiful bright red and orange explosion, and the next moment, everything around him turned to ash.

Life is beautiful…

Those were his last thoughts before his new life began—a better and more peaceful one.

“……..”

All Geta heard was static from his earpiece. Her heart dropped, and she lost all strength in her body. Yet, she managed a small smile, tears streaming down her face like a never-ending river. She couldn’t live in a world without him. I truly hope that place exists, she thought. Geta grasped a gun beside her and felt its muzzle against her head.

“I love you too...”