The Warden | A For Honor Fanfiction

Inner Conflicts

Inner Conflicts
There were thirty-two dead, fourteen wounded, and five missing as of the current count. Fifty-one Blackstone casualties, and that was on top of the twenty deserters who had fled to the enemy side. Seventy-one lost or injured Blackstone, seventy-one. No matter how many times I repeated it in my mind, the number never seemed to sound right. None of this seemed worth it to me, this wasn't a Viking stronghold or invasion, nor an incursion by unwanted Samurai. This was a logging hamlet, who'd simply had the misfortune of having deserters cross their path. Word of this would spread, and I could only wonder what distortions the people of Ashfeld would draw from it.

Around me, uninjured soldiers stepped over mutilated bodies and abandoned weapons, some of the corpses so horribly disfigured that it was impossible to begin discerning their identity. The path stretching out of the hamlet was partially obscured from the heavy snowfall the night prior, with only fading footprints marking any path onward. We were an hour's march from the hamlet now, and so far had yet to find any trace of the militia, or any meaningful signs from Liam's reconstructed legion. The entire trail still reeked of burning lumber and a metallic odor that I could not completely discern was rusted metal or quickly drying blood.

Even as I marched, I could sense the discontent rising around me. My men were tired, bloody, and irritable. The battle had taken more out of them than I think any of us had anticipated. My own body ached despite the durability and protection of my armor, I could only imagine the pain and exhaustion my soldiers must have been feeling. Only worsening the matters was how little sleep we'd gotten, the roaring blizzard and set watches had limited the actual rest we'd gotten. I doubted a single soul among us had slept any more than four hours. Knowing it was needed, I called for a halt in the march, ordering the men to rest and gather their strength. I suspect the collective sigh of gratitude reached Heaven itself from its volume.

I sighed as I paused and looked behind me, seeing a hooded figure I recognized as Helia making her way towards me. Her stride was slow and tired, her sword mere inches from being dragged alongside her. Still, there was an air about her that I recognized, one that told me her spirit had not been broken. I was grateful for that, Blackstone would need conviction from all of its commanders, especially in this hunt for both our enemies, and our remaining warriors who had broken off in the fighting.

"We have found another two warriors, both dead by arrows. The men are growing disheartened, my lord." She said as she stopped in front of me. Another two slain, that made the count thirty-four. It was hardly our largest number, but the fact that it continued to climb was disheartening to say the least. Just how much higher would it reach, I wondered? Even so, I knew we still had a mission to accomplish.

"Gather what supplies you can from them, then have someone perform their last rites. We won't have time to bury them." I said, turning to look over the men as I did. My attention fell on a small group of soldiers, each sat by the trees as they rested. One was inspecting the bloodied, heavily bruised hand of her comrade, who winced at every move. One of his compatriots only looked on as he sipped from a water skin, while the last stared blankly at the ground, his eyes dull, and empty. A sight like this should have been worrying to me, my warriors despondent and fallen. In truth,  I had grown all too accustomed to it.

"They've already been stripped of their equipment, my lord. All of their coin seems to have been taken as well." Helia said, drawing my attention back to her. Though I appreciated her attempts at seeming confused about the information, we both already knew what that meant. Worse, with so many soldiers, we'd have no way of discerning who had taken it. How many times now had the dead been robbed by our warriors? How could I even blame them? Apollyon welcomed taking what one desired, how could I scold them for following her principles? With a sigh, I shook my head and rested my poleaxe on my shoulder, considering the state of my Legion.