Yuri's story

*CRASH*

"What? What was that?" I thought to myself as i stumbled out of bed to investigate the strange sound. On my way, I fell face first due to being entangled in my sheets.

By the time I had made it to where the sound originated, the perpetrator was no where to be seen and in his stead was a small parcel. It was wrapped in brown paper and tied with yarn in a neat bow. After casting aside the wrapping paper, a small wooden box was revealed. It had no markings or writing to imply ownership but it looked old and cheap due to the molding wood and flaking paint. After I had finished inspecting the box, i had decided to open it. Encased within it was an amber pendant and a handwritten letter several pages in length, it read;

Dear Axis,

We haven't spoken in some time but i know i can still trust you. I entrust the information contained within this letter to you, do with it what you will. It will be a short summery of my life story so please read with an open mind.

My parents gave me this pendant the day they were taken from me. I still remember that day clearly in my mind. It was a hot day and the sun was blanketing the field with its warm rays while the humidity was making it difficult to breath easily. I was standing in one of the fields with my mother and some other farm hands scattered here and there. Thats when we saw them, 10 or 20 of them emerging from the tree line and sprinting towards the farmhouse. I turned to my mum and she said I must run away and not return until sundown. Before I could argue she had shoved the pendant in my hand and pushed me away. As she said, I ran and didn't return until sundown but when I got home, I wasn't greeted by her or dad or any of the farm hands, it was the town guard. They told me that my family was gone and I was now under the protection of the Empire...

Living at the barracks with the other orphans was tough. Really tough. There they trained us like dogs to become machines, agents of destruction with no remorse or hesitation. We became the badarses of the Empire and some even called us the next great hope for the war. We made the impossible possible and finished what others started.

I blindly followed this path for many years like a good little soldier and did many things that i regret. Many things that I should hang for and some things that I will hang for. When General Heizen gave me the order to pillage my own lands to leave more children orphaned to make more people like me... I couldn't do it. In all my years, this was the one order that I would not do so instead General Heizen ordered my head. For this, I took his. Rank only has power if you think it does, all men bleed the same money and status mean nothing with a sword at your neck.

Well, that's my story up until now. I wish I could have heard yours but it appears that I'm out of time. Please keep my family's pendant safe will you? What comes next is up to you, this information is yours now so do what you will with it,

•Your Friend, Yuri

"I... I." I stuttered to myself as words continued to elude me. There were so many questions and no answers. I was an emotional mess, not sure what to make of the situation. My friend, my oldest friend was going to die... From all of the confusion, there was one thing of which I was certain, I needed to see him again.

It wasn't long before dawn that I left for the town of "Vitae Finem". It was the closest town to my cabin and that looked to be the direction he was headed as shown by the squashed plants that lead to the road. It was a long and silent walk to town. Not even the birds dared to chirp in their trees nor did the crickets play their music. The grass was still covered with the morning dew and the closer I drew to town the more sick i felt. Something felt very wrong but I still continued, this was something that I must do.

By the time I got to the center of town, a large mob had gathered. I knew what they were here for but I didn't want to believe it so I pushed my way to the front. They kept shouting things like "murderer" and "traitor" towards the stage in the center of the crowded square. When I had finally gotten to the front, I saw him. It was almost surreal, there he was. My oldest friend was standing there right in front of me. Right in front of me with a noose around his neck. There was a moment of silence before he fell, this moment seemed like an eternity. We exchanged shallow smiles and locked eyes for the briefest of moments. They told the story he could not, one that no words could. One of misery and despair. But this story was now over.