Fighting Violence with Sacrifice: Chapter 3 – Rebels No Different than Royals

Chapter 3 – Rebels No Different than Royals

Stepping out of the crimson mist, Erasmus finds himself not far from what looks to be a ruined city, but upon closer inspection, he discovers that it’s inhabited. Many of the scars of war have been crudely patched over with large blankets, pieces of wood, and metal beams. Damaged black and white flags with birds in the center fly above certain buildings denoting this place as belonging to some new kingdom Erasmus is unfamiliar with. Most of the people are dirty and many seem sick and malnourished. Five of these civilians emerge from the wrecked buildings, try to steal from Erasmus, and threaten to kill them with their rusty weapons.

Seeing that they’re no threat to him compared to what he just encountered, Erasmus simply grinds his teeth and then tells them, “I have nothing to give you other than the advice to not steal from anyone, especially people like me. You’ll regret it afterward.”

The five ruffians laugh at Erasmus calling him nothing more than a dead man walking before attacking him. As he is being stabbed and hit, Erasmus simply stands in place while barely flinching at their pathetic attacks. Seeing that their attacks don’t have any effect on him, they slowly back away now afraid of Erasmus, and don’t have time to do much else as they are swiftly killed by a gang of seven people that suddenly appear. These men and women are dressed in armor common to this Eastern land with some of them able to transform parts of their body into shields, weapons, and armor.

“Are you…” the man with a shape-shifting body notices that Erasmus is no ordinary man before finishing his sentence, “Okay, sir?”

The man watches Erasmus grind his teeth and the blood dripping from his body as if mesmerized by his rotting corpse-like appearance.

“I will give you the same warning I gave those thieves. Do not steal from anyone, especially men like me,” Erasmus says.

Snapping out of his trace, the man says, “We aren’t here to steal from you. We simply saw you were in trouble and came to help.”

“I know what you people are. You’re all bandits and outlaws. I see it in your mannerisms and the state of this settlement.”

“Bandits is what other people call us, but we’re simply an independent settlement that refuses to involve ourselves with the current politics and conflicts of the world. Is that such a horrible thing to do?”

“It is when you stab your kingdom in the back. The visions I’ve seen in the crimson mists and my time being whisked away from place to place before I started my journey revealed this to me, and I know that your emperors will want their land and resources back. They’ll be here soon so you’d better repent of your ways.”

The people around Erasmus ask him questions to which he just repeats what he said. They don’t have time to discuss among themselves what to do before a small group of twenty knights descends upon the ruined town most of which are the men that can transform their bodies. This group is led by their emperors and two flag bearers that have the phoenix version of a Phasianus on it. One of the emperors is dressed in Eastern armor that is colored black and red while the other is dressed in green and dull gold.

“Surrender peacefully and we can reason an agreement to improve your living conditions,” the emperor in green, Fujin, says.

“Or there will be bloodshed and justice,” the emperor in red, Raijin says.

The people who talked to Erasmus look at him who simply points ahead at the emperors and tells them to make their decision. They do so and talk with the emperors for a time about why they declared independence and their grievances while Erasmus stands on the side simply listening to them. Emperors Fujin and Raijin look at him with curiosity and plan to question him afterward. After debating for a couple of hours, the emperors come to an agreement with the leaders of the settlement that the settlement’s independence will be considered once the current conflicts are done away with. For now, the settlement will receive a detachment of knights to protect it and builders to fix the damage done by the conflicts.

Emperors Fujin and Raijin then approach Erasmus who the leaders of the settlement talked about and get him to come along with them to their capital, which he planned to go to next anyway. Erasmus is given a horse for this journey and when he reaches the capital of Phasianus, he finds that it’s in slightly better condition than the settlement he was previously in with the scars of battles being repaired, and temporarily covered by tarps, wood, and steel. Even the castle in the center of the city isn’t exactly in good condition with tiles missing from the roof and black marks from fire.

“Please excuse the condition of our home. Our priority is the care of our people and navigating the mess of our times,” Fujin says.

Erasmus doesn’t respond and simply nods. When he enters the castle and is given an audience with the emperors in their throne room, he is offered tea and bread, which he denies.

“I have no need of food,” Erasmus says.

“I’ve heard that the mythical people of Onocrotalus hardly have to eat to stay alive. I never thought I’d see one of you in person. It’s an honor to see you,” Fujin says.

“The honor is mine to meet the faithful sons of Emperor Ryujin. Excuse me for bleeding on your floors.”

“Plenty of blood has been spilled on these floors as of recently and the blood of the people of Onocrotalus is said to be the same of Christ, so I don’t mind. News of what you did to Emperor Jianyu, King Heinz, and their respective armies spread fast. We owe you much for giving our greatest foe a black eye they’ll never forget,” Raijin says.

“Their punishment was humiliation to cease their war, not to settle the rivalry between you.”

“I know, but I’d be lying if the news of their humiliation didn’t make me feel good and that justice has been done. Draco has always been a thorn in our kingdom’s side and killed our father who died covering our retreat. Even though Emperor Jianyu promised he’d let us have our independence and cease his war against us after our father’s death, he didn’t help clean up the mess he created.”

“The lords of the Asiatic states who had their own loyalties continued to fight among themselves with some states being glorified bandit holdouts for the self-righteous and depraved, some of which hoped that the lords of Draco would see their efforts and incorporate them into the kingdom,” Fujin says. “People declared themselves lords in the Asiatic states and our territory, which only complicated the situation. Few were like the state that you were in that could be convinced to become allies and make arrangements to either reintegrate into our kingdom.”

“Most had to be put down like the scum they were,” Ryujin interjects.

“Brother.”

“It’s true and it’s for this reason that I assume God has brought you here.”

“It is, but first, I must see your mother. Where is she?”

“In the graveyard praying the rosary, probably holding our father’s grave, like always. She prays for our father’s soul, everyone in the graveyard, and for those lost during the civil war.”

“We try to make her come home, but she stays in the graveyard most of the time and sleeps in the cabin there, so we can only bring her food and water and try to comfort her as much as possible. She blames herself too much for our father’s death and the deaths in the war.”

Erasmus goes to the graveyard with Fujin and Raijin and finds their mother exactly where they said she’d be. She is dressed in a black mourning dress, a veil over her face, tear marks permanently stained on her face, and a worn-out rosary in her hands. While in the graveyard, Erasmus feels the hands of the dead in Purgatory touch him, the heat in their hands feeling similar to that of the screaming man he previously saw.

While kneeling and touching Izanami’s shoulder, Erasmus says, “Be at peace, queen. Your husband never held anything against you for your choices nor are you guilty of the bloodshed that is currently happening.”

The spirit of Emperor Ryujin manifests at his grave to hold his wife to which she profusely cries even more than she previously was. Seeing their father, Raijin and Fujin also embrace him as well before the family says their peace to him before he disappears. After profusely thanking Erasmus for what he did, the emperors and their mother don’t have long to enjoy the happiness given to them as a scout runs to them bringing news of an incoming attack of about two hundred men.

“Bastards formed a coalition against us,” Raijin says. “We’ll have to employ every soldier and shinobi we have and ask the civilians to help if we’re going to win this battle.”

“There’s no need. I’ll go against them by myself,” Erasmus says to the shock of everyone.

“How are you going to do that?” Fujin asks.

“Don’t underestimate the power of Onocrotalus’ blood magic.”

“Can we fight with you, at least?” Ryujin asks.

“No. Your place is here, and don’t worry, you’ll get enough blood.”

Confused by his words, the emperors allow Erasmus to face the army alone. The opposing army themselves are confused at Erasmus being the only one to face them and even joke among themselves about how they think they overestimated Phasianus’ strength.

“Repent now while you can because none of you will be leaving here alive,” Erasmus says.

The soldiers in the army are even more confused now with more laughter breaking out among them.

“Seeing that you’re the fabled man from Onocrotalus, I’ll speak with you to see if we can’t reason with one another,” one of the lords of the armies says.

“What is there to reason over?”

“I’d like to convince you that you’re fighting on the wrong side. We are all poor, struggling people who have risen against powerful kingdoms such as Draco and Phasianus. We follow the example of Emperor Ryujin who did much the same as we did while taking care of the misfortunate and those who lack necessities such as food, water, and clothing.”

“You are no different than the corrupt men that you have created in your mind and are all like Judas. The poor are with you always and the powers and things you have will be taken away from you. The land and things you have taken in the name of charity and giving yourselves your due independence, but you only do it to inflate your pride in your non-existent virtue and give yourselves the power and resources you think you deserve.”

“What do you know about our situation and who we are? You’re nothing but a foreigner who just got here and judged us without seeing what we’re living through.”

“I’ve lived longer than most elves, seen your type pop up every decade, and have seen your situation in the visions given to me by God while I traveled in the crimson mist. What is the difference between a greedy poor man and a wealthy one? The only difference is in the methods they use to commit their crimes, get away with them, and the excuses they have to justify themselves, and in the end, they’re nothing more than two different sides of the same rotted coin.”

“If that’s what you think, then we’ll prove to you our virtue by defeating you.”

“As if I’ll let you try.”

Erasmus uses his blood magic to make spears appear from the ground and form out of his dripping blood impaling many in the armies. As the blood from the spears drips down, more spears are created causing a cycle of spears and shedding of blood that quickly kills most in the army and critically wounds others. To finish off this farce of a battle, Erasmus bursts open each soldier while blood spills out of himself, creating a flood of blood that not only reaches the capital of Phasianus behind him but also many places on this side of the world. As Erasmus goes back to the capital, many people run away in fear while few celebrate his victory. Emperors Raijin and Fujin stand with their mother with half of their body covered in blood and in a sort of fearful joy at Erasmus’ power granted to him by God.

 “Remember what has happened here and do what your father did if you don’t want it to happen to you,” Erasmus says to the emperors who are speechless. “Do not fear. You are doing well, so far.”

Erasmus’ words hardly give the emperors and the queen any comfort, and before they can say anything to him, he walks away into the crimson mist that has suddenly appeared and disappears within seconds.