Firstborn: Return of the heir

"May the light of Liveratus and all the other Firstborns illuminate their way now that the light of their life has been extinguished. Sir General, now is the time for you to send them off."

The burial ceremony for the fallen bodyguards took place on the very same day as when the poor men died. Just transporting them to the city took half of what remained of the day after the fight, making it hard for Saulus to organize the ceremony before the light completely faded away. But if he wanted to send his men, his friends, his trusted soldiers off, this was the only time he could do it.

"May your path be just as glorious as your life on this world was. On the day of your departures, I bring the light for your future journeys. May the Firstborns accept you in their grace."

Bringing down the torch that was burning in his hand, Saulus set the fire to a huge pile of wood on which the bodies of his loyal retainers were resting. In just a moment, the oiled wood took the fire, quickly turning into a huge ball of flames.

Stepping a few paces back, Saulus watched the climax of the ceremony in silence, with his face devoid of any emotions. Even though his heart was aching, showing sadness right now would defeat the point of the entire ceremony.

"May they rest in peace."

The quiet chant kicked in, whispered by all the men and women gathered around the fire. Looking around without moving his face, Saulus noticed several women who were trying their absolute best not to cry. Holding on to their kids who were the only ones allowed to shed tears, they stared into the flames as if expecting their husbands and partners to send them some kind of message…

But even the red moon, already visible in the night sky, wasn't enough to make such a miracle happen. Even with how everyone assumed it was the source of power for all the lords on the continent, outside of the simple folk treating it with mystical sanctum, normal people never felt its influence over their life.

Even in such moments as the current one.

"May they rest in peace."

As the fire grew bigger, the chant grew louder. No longer whispering it, people were now just casually speaking it. Soon, those normal words turned into shouts, before the entire area started to shake under the combined might of the shouts of all the people gathered.

"MAY THEY REST IN PEACE!"

Be it a trick prepared by the monk, a lucky event or a miracle, once the last, powerful shout shook the atmosphere of the place, the pile suddenly collapsed.

"They have now set on a new journey, that we no longer can be a part of. You are allowed to grieve. May your pained cries set the foundation for their happiness in eternity!"

With the voice of the monk finally announcing the end of the ceremony, Saulus finally allowed himself to shed a tear. The soldiers that were just consumed by the fires weren't only his subordinates. All of those who served in his personal guard or other private units were a long way from the simple recruits, from back when Saulus himself joined the military, through many battles and wars on his side and all the way to the current position… Where they died during a relatively small, yet important skirmish.

Thinking about it, Saulus felt his entire soul ache. If not for his attempt at recreating the Burn household, they could have still been alive. They could be with their families… Or even, instead of dying, they could have become a stepping stone for Retesian's patriarch during yet another of his bloody and unnecessary wars.

Shaking his head, Saulus threw his regrets aside. Taking a moment to bow to the children and widowed wives of the fallen soldiers, he turned around and walked off from the burial site.

Once the fires went down, all the ashes would be gathered and divided into seven different portions, each of which would be given in a special, decorated jar to the families of the fallen. But this process wasn't something that Saulus was supposed or even expected to participate in.

Even though during his talk with Bloy, Saulus claimed that he would depart on the next day, ultimately this decision changed. With the risk of the southerners attacking at any given time, he simply couldn't sit still. With all the orders for the troops remaining both in Mengia and in the capital now set and sent, there was no point for him to remain in the safe part of the country.

After walking a considerable distance away from the burial site, Saulus suddenly stopped before turning around and facing the city in the distance. The plethora of lights by its gates signalled that the caravan Saulus planned to hitch a ride on was already departing. Yet, instead of rushing towards it, the young general simply looked at the city with a thoughtful look on his face.

"I wonder when… I wonder if I will ever come back here."

With his mind filled with the thoughts of loss, the regret that Venna's scolding caused in the deepest layers of his soul, with the possible terrors he would once again experience firsthand at the frontline… Shaking his head to get rid of all those pointless aches, Saulus couldn't believe in himself.

To think that I grew so sentimental…The caravan started to move. With each passing second, it was getting closer and closer to the general's position. But rather than moving to the side where the road was, he simply stood in silence while watching the lights of the city.

But I guess I can't put up with this farce any longer. As if by the touch of a magical wand, Saulus' face suddenly changed. The usual calmness that the people of the rebelling provinces grew to identify with the popular general, was now completely gone. Replaced with a mask filled with wrath and bloodlust, Saulus' face gave off the vibes of a veteran returning from the battlefield only to take a sip of wine, a bite of meat and a kiss from his wife before returning right back to the bloody mess.

No matter what they planned in the south…Thinking to himself, Saulus calmed his facial expression down before trodding towards the road. Just a few moments later, he was already resting on the back of a carriage filled to the brim with grain.

...I will bring that stupid war to an end.