Sanguine War Era

Chapter 7: The Final Feast

Heizen's encampment, Plateaus of Haui, Peacius, 5th Day 1st Phase 1457th Set

Teiga walked out of the tent and looked up at the sky to see an orange canvas with flocks of birds flying overhead back to their own nests. "Ahhh, it is almost time for the feast and I have not showered yet." thought Teiga as he hastily went back in to pick up his given garments. Before making a move to the showering area. Reaching the showering area, the scene presented to him was in stark contrast to that of the main camp. Soldiers who had fierce, depressed, scared, stress or anxious faces were all now smiling and laughing while sitting naked in a depression in the ground filled with warm grey herbal water. Other soldiers were just pouring buckets of water over themselves while wearing only loincloths and talking leisurely to their fellow men. It was as though the showering area was a city public bath where people of different standings could break the invincible barriers and communicate with each other. The sight was so familiar that a reminiscent smile appeared on Teiga's face that had droplets of sweat rolling down his smooth cheeks and forehead. From behind him, a large hand threw itself onto Teiga's shoulder. By instinct, Teiga tried to reach for his wooden katana that always used to hang beside his hip but grabbed a muscular thigh instead. Realising that the person who had his hand on his shoulders bears no hostility. The young man looked up to see a towering figure with defined muscle curvatures that wrapped around his body.

"Heh, are you into men or something?" jokingly asked the towering figure as he began to lean in towards Teiga.

"Erh, no. Whenever someone grabs me or surprises me. I have the reflex to unsheathe my sword at that person. By the way, I am Teiga Ura." Teiga replied with an embarrassed face.

"Oh well, welcome to the showering area where all the Verserien soldiers and new enlistees can throw away their background. I am Hanco Juin, the person who was thrown by the Veteran General and your platoon mate. Pleased to meet you."

"So you're the person who fought with the dual-wielding guy. Why were you sparring with him anyway?" Teiga asked inquisitively as he unknowingly opened himself to his platoon mate.

"Let's go wash ourselves first with the buckets and relax in the bath before I tell you," suggested Hanco with a slight tint of happiness in his tone. "Oh yeah, remember to put your change of clothes in one of the wooden buckets given over there by the side of the bath."

After changing into the loincloth given in the bucket, Teiga walked awkwardly towards his waiting platoon mate. He looked down to avoid any eye contact with other soldiers and noticed that the ground his sandals were stepping on was totally barren which led him to think back on what he saw in the main camp. There were no signs of plant life anywhere. From what he had learnt in his home tutoring sessions, the Plateaus of Haui were supposed to be brimming with life. Now, Teiga's face turned into one filled with curiosity and suspicion. He shook it off immediately by trying to think that the battalion made it barren to make way for the encampment. But deep in his heart, he knows that that was not the case.

"Let's go then!" said Hanco as he wrapped his hand around Teiga again and guided him to the washing point. That gesture brought the doubtful man back to reality again.

Soon, yellowish-orange torch lamps were being lit up as Teiga and Hanco sat in the warm bath with mist rising up continuously into the now violet sky that had a crescent moon hanging lazily from a passing cloud. Immediately after the torch lamps were lit, the sound of a battle horn reverberated through the encampment for 10 seconds and some soldiers in the bath jerked up simultaneously. They proceeded to get out of the bath and change into their tunics and trousers before running towards the canteen.