I walk through what remains of the small hamlet. Hours ago, the people here were sleeping peacefully, not knowing what was going to happen to them this day. Now they are all dead. Every single one of them. The homes that sheltered them became their graves and tombs. 

“Your majesty,” I hear along with the clanking of heavy armor. I turned to see a lizard folk approaching me. From the bright green color of his scales, I assumed he is from the Olstera Clan. He salutes, “we manage to capture Axel.”

“Good,” I answered, “and his units?”

“Most surrendered and gave themselves up willingly. Others fled and even fewer fought back.”

“Do we have an exact number?”

“I’m sorry, your majesty, I cannot say how many escaped.”

I groan. “I do not need this right now.”

“I-I apologize, your majesty.”

“I am not blaming you, I just,” I groaned. “Is anyone chasing after them?”

“Not that I am aware of.”

“Good. Can you take me to where Axel is being kept?”

“This way sir.'' The Olstera clan soldier takes me through the hamlet. 

The damage to the hamlet was worse the deeper in we went. Doors were broken down. Windows smashed. I didn’t even have to step in the houses to be hit with the smell of blood. It just drifted outside on its own.

In the square, my soldiers were standing around a kneeling man. I knew this man well. I watched him as he rose from a simple foot soldier to a General in my army. I was there at the ceremony to give him his current rank. A simple ranala by the name of Axel.

The soldiers surrounding the ranala saluted me as I approached. Axel noticed me immediately, “My lord!” his face was beaten and swollen. When he tried to stand, a soldier forced him down on his knees.

I scowl, “Axel, I want an answer. Do you have any idea what you have done today?”

“But my-”

“I asked a question Axel!”

“I-i am aware.” he said, unable to hide the fear in him, “but it was for your sake, my lord.”

“My sake? My sake! What you just did was possibly fuck up me and the entire’s countries future! You crossed the borders and slaughtered a hamlet full of innocent people in a neighbouring country. Your actions here can mean an all out war. Does that sound like something that would benefit me?”

“But sir-”

“Silence!” 

Axel maw slammed shut.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must now carry out your sentence here.” I draw my sword, “Axel, by my order as the king, you will be executed without trial. Your sentence will be carried out now.”

An audible gasp left all my soldiers. One soldier grabbed my shoulder, “but your majesty,” she said, “to just execute him without trial is-”

“Tyranny? Yes, but I have no choice. If word got out that one of my generals crossed the borders the Alliance set up so soon after the treaty was signed, what kind of light would it shine on our country? They would think as monsters again. Armies would come to our borders and destroy our home and citizens. We will be massacred. and all the demons will be back to be scavengers and wonders as before, hated and reviled everywhere.” I tighten my grip on my sword, “I will not let the kingdom my father dream of, the kingdom I brought to reality, end because the actions of one of my generals lead me to war!”

All of the soldiers glanced and stared at one another, each one of them unsure how to respond.

Then there was a laugh. All eyes turned to the source, Axel, “so this is it then? This is how it ends?”

“It does.” I answered.

He only laughs harder.

“What is so funny?”

“You don’t understand just how I just saved you.” his laughter died down, but he was grinning, “my actions here just assured that you will rule unopposed for decades to come.”

“How is this ‘saving’ me?”

“The Hero is now dead.”

Everyone was taken aback with Axel’s statement. 

“During the last Equinox, a child was born here bearing a mark of the Hero. If that child were to grow up, he would kill you and your rule will come to an end. I had to strike while he was defenseless. I had made sure that every single person here was killed, including the Hero. don’t you see, now that he is dead your rule-”

I didn’t even notice I swung my sword until I saw it in my sight, splitting open Axel’s head like a melon. His blood splattered the soldiers around him. His body crumbled before me.

All the soldiers stared at me with looks of varying horror at my actions.

My stomach wretched at the sight. I turned away from Axel, returning my sword to it seath. “Soldiers,” I call out getting everyone’s attention. “It is with a heavy heart that I must ask you to do something for me. We must now burn down this hamlet.”

All my soldiers turned their gaze onto me.

“For the sake of our country, it is imperative that word of what happened here doesn't reach the king of Corosa. If this was discovered, the king and his citizens will cry for our blood and the blood of our citizens. This hamlet must be destroyed entirely so the actions of Axel does not come to light. Please, I ask for your assistance in my act.”

The soldiers eyed each other. They silently walk away from each other and in different directions.

“You have changed, Malic.” a voice said behind me.

Even without looking I knew who it was, “I know.”

Bellar approached me, “to use your Commands to order them to burn down a hamlet like this. That is-”

“I know what it means Bellar! You don’t have to spell it out!” I turn around to glare at Bellar, “I promised not to use it but I had no choice. I am doing it for everyone’s sake. This hamlet must burn. It can’t be known that Axel did this. I just, just, I don’t even know what else to do.” I crumbled onto the ground, sobbing. 

Bellar groaned, “ugh. You are pathetic right now.” he grabbed my arm and pulled me up, “on your feet now, the soldiers can’t see their king crying in the dirt now. Besides there is something I need to show you.” Bellar forced a swaddled up bundle in my arms.

“What is it?”

“Unwrap it.”

I unwrapped the topmost layer and was face to face with a baby. “Where did-”

“I found it hidden in a closet in one of the houses screaming his head off from a soiled diaper. Saw the mother a few feet away. She must have hidden him before getting killed.”

I felt a strange sense of relief that someone survived this massacre, even if it was a child. 

“But we have a big concern about it. Check his neck, left side.

I monuvior the baby so as not to wake it up and checked it’s neck. On the neck was its birthmark that resembled stalks of weats, a holy symbol of Astrea. The gears turned in my head, “Bellar, is this child?”

“Ai. This child is the hero Axel tried to kill. The hero destined to kill you someday.”

An uncomfortable silence fell upon us both as we stared at the sleeping baby. What Iam holding in my hands is the person I was raised to see as an enemy and one day fight. But he was so small, so fragile. He would be easy to kill and make disappear, but the idea itself is revolting to me. I am supposed to hate this child but I just can’t. What am I supposed to do with an enemy I cannot bring myself to kill?

“Bellar,” I said, “I am going to raise this child.”

“Are you sure, Lord Malic?”

“Yeah. This child will be my heir until my wife can birth one for the throne.”

“If that is your wish then, my Lord.”

I hold the baby as I walk out of the hemlet. Wondering why the gods made us meet in this way.