The tragedy of the village of Yonamine
For centuries, the kingdoms of Ouran and Estoubine have been at war, an eternal war between these two human kingdoms.
East of the fortified city of Regna lies the front line, and battles rage. However, one squad is being sidelined for insubordination.
“Corporal, Lieutenant Olivier wants you.” says one of his soldiers.
“Finally, we might get to fight!” he exclaims.
He leaves his tent and walks toward the lieutenant’s.
He enters the tent.
“You asked for me, Lieutenant?” he says.
“Yes, Corporal Eric. Mission orders. Return to Regna. Colonel Rolan will tell you much more. Take your squad with you.”
“Yes, sir!”
He leaves with a smile on his face. He wonders what mission his squad will have.
Corporal Eric and his squad arrive at the fortified city of Regna. The city was recently conquered by Ouran’s army. But goblin attacks from the Landes forest are causing problems. They enter, and the corporal is heading towards Colonel Rolan’s quarters.
He knocks on the door and waits.
“Come in!” says a voice from behind the door.
He enters, closes the door, and salutes Colonel Rolan.
“Corporal Eric, at your service, sir.”
The colonel looks at him and frowns.
“Ah yes, so it’s you. I’ll keep it simple: your squad will cross the Landes forest and eliminate any threats so we can take the enemy army from the rear. I hope you’ll be useful this time.”
“But—”
“Are you trying to disobey?”
“No, sir.”
“Well, you’re leaving immediately. Dismissed.”
The corporal grinds his teeth. He hadn’t expected a suicide mission. He goes outside and mentally prepares himself to face his squad.
In a tavern, he finds his squad feasting.
“Oh! Our corporal is back!”
“So, how are we supposed to slaughter them?”
But seeing their corporal’s grim face, they fear the worst.
“Our mission is to cross the cursed forest.”
At his words, silence falls over the tavern.
“But—”
“Those are our orders; we’re leaving immediately! Prepare yourselves! Prepare well! I’ll be waiting for you at the south gate!”
And the corporal leaves the tavern.
The corporal waits for his men at the south gate. The gates have been opened for him and his squad. He knows perfectly well that the colonel is waiting for confirmation that they truly left.
“Corporal, do we really have to go?”
He turns his head toward the soldier and sees that the first soldiers are there.
“It’s either this or the stake.”
He looks again toward the distance to the south, toward the Landes forest. He sees corpses, mostly goblins.
“Corporal! We’re ready!”
“Then, let’s go!”
They leave the city, and the gates close behind them. They are all nervous.
A few minutes later, they arrived at a stone bridge; it looks ancient. Small fox statues are placed on it, some of them crumbling with age.
“Corporal, are you sure? The bridge might collapse beneath our feet…”
“You’d rather jump over it.”
A soldier steps forward and looks down into the ravine. He sees the Nison River; he turns his head east, where it originates, then west, where it flows.
“With this current, it’s certain death. And this bridge is the only way we can get to the other side.”
“Get your weapons ready. We’re going into this cursed forest.”
The corporal draws his sword and begins to walk across the bridge, uneasy about its sturdiness and the proximity of the Landes forest. The squad advances slowly and enters the forest.
The squad advances slowly through the Landes forest. A scout raises his hand to alert them.
“A group of goblins is approaching us,” he whispers.
“Form up, mages and scouts in the middle, the rest around. And no fire magic,” the corporal whispers.
They quickly form up before the goblins can leap at them. Those with shields repel them while the mages chant their incantation. In no time, the threat is neutralized.
“Report!” says the corporal.
“No one injured, Corporal!”
“We’re continuing the march!”
Hours pass, and they have encountered other goblins since then.
“Halt!” exclaims the corporal.
He looks behind him. He sees that his squad is exhausted. As he has suspected, the Landes forest is dangerous.
“This wasn’t planned, but we’ll be spending the night here. Have scouts check the area.”
And they prepare for the night.
Further on, towards the center of the forest, lies a village of the fox people, the village of Yonamine. Night has already fallen, and the preparations for the harvest festival are complete.
“A calm night, and the moonlight allows us to see our surroundings clearly.”
“You’re right, the goblins seem more active. However, they aren’t attacking us.”
Not far from them, a scout discovers the village. He remains in the shadows of the trees, trying to make as little noise as possible. He circles the village to gather as much information as he can before moving on.
A few minutes later, back with the squad, he knelt before the corporal.
“Corporal, I believe we’ve found a secluded fox village.”
“What are you saying? Half-humans are hiding here.”
“That’s not all. I saw a statue, and it doesn’t resemble our goddesses at all.”
“Then they must be heretics from the cursed sanctuaries. The king ordered us to attack the enemy kingdom; he also told us to eliminate any threats! If we manage to eliminate this threat, I’m sure we’ll be received as heroes!”
The corporal looks at each of his soldiers. They all know it: this is a chance to return home alive.
“Now, rest. Tomorrow, we’ll attack this village.”
With these words, each of them prepares for the night.
The next day, the villagers begin the harvest festival, and music fills the forest. Many of them dance in the square where the statue of the goddess of the foxes stands. The fox people resemble humans; their only difference is their fox ears perched atop their heads and one or more fox tails.
Meanwhile, the squad advances slowly, able to hear the music. The corporal smiles.
“Don’t make a sound. We’ll surprise them. Everyone watches out for foxes with more than one tail; they’re dangerous.”
Reaching the outskirts, they follow the scout, who points out the entrance. The noise inside the village allows them to approach undetected. They see two guards. Two arrows fly, clearing the path into the village. A few soldiers quickly untie the knots holding the wooden ramparts together so they can collapse. When the first hits the ground, the corporal launches the assault.
Among the villagers is Reiko, a young vixen with long blond hair, who talks with her friends.
“Reiko, did you make this?”
“Yes, I asked Mother for help. It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“So pretty!” says another vixen.
Reiko is showing off a handmade scarf. She smiles. Then a flaming arrow pierces the scarf, planting it in the ground. She and her friends are startled, Reiko’s smile fades, and she looks around.
And in no time, flaming arrows are flying toward the various wooden houses. The first guards equip themselves and help the villagers take cover, then more victims arrive.
The corporal takes the opportunity to climb into one of the village guard posts to admire the battle and keeps an eye on his soldiers. One of them informs him of their progress; he knows they can’t stay forever. More guests might arrive.
“Well? Are they holding out?”
“They seem to be completely disorganized.”
“Perfect! Burn this village to the ground!”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldier leaves as an arrow flies toward the corporal, who deflects it with his sword. He looks at where it was shot and sees a fox with a bow.
However, a soldier cuts down the fox that shot the arrow.
“Filthy heretic!”
“No! Father!” cries a fox cub.
The soldier turns his head toward her as a vixen tries to hold him back.
“Run, Yui!” she screams.
The fox cub looks around before facing another soldier. The mother watches helplessly as the soldier’s sword pierces her.
“Come on! Come here!”
The vixen is dragged away by her hair.
Separated from her friends, Reiko desperately tries to find shelter. But one of the enemy soldiers appears before her, ready to strike when her brother steps in front of him and blocks the blow with his own sword.
“Reiko, take cover!”
“No… What…” she says in a panic.
“Quickly, I can’t hold out much longer.”
“Death to you, heretic!” the soldier shouts.
Seika tries to fend off the attack, but he lacks the experience to overcome a trained soldier. His fox’s ears prick up, and he sees another soldier approaching. He looks behind him; his sister is still there. So terrified, she can’t move, and the blow splits his sword before slicing him across the chest. Despite the impact, he refuses to give in; he doesn’t want to surrender, but he sees no way to survive. When a sound rings out, the soldiers stop. His ears perk up once more when a second sound rings out. The soldiers withdraw, but each of them wears a satisfied smile.
The corporal climbs down from the watchtower and walks toward the village entrance, joining the squad.
“Report!” he orders.
“Some wounded, but no dead. And we’ve captured some heretics, Corporal!”
“Well, let’s head back. Before the guests arrive.”
Walking through the forest, they move away from the village. The corporal approaches the soldier who had served as a scout.
“You did an excellent job. It took courage to venture alone near that village. And your bravery in battle impressed me. I was particularly pleased when you snapped that heretic’s sword in two before slicing him to pieces in front of his beloved.”
He smiles.
“What’s your name?”
“Alexander, Corporal.”
“I’ll tell our king about you! You can be sure of that!”
The squad continues marching to leave the Landes forest as quickly as possible. The corporal looks behind him. He sees the prisoners and can’t help but smile. For them, the return journey will be much easier than the trip there.
The harvest festival ends in tears. Reiko looks around slowly, breathless. She sees people lying on the ground, struggling to comprehend what has happened. Everything happened so fast, and her ears perk up. She stares at two corpses. Her heart races; she recognizes her parents’ faces. Seika makes sure the last soldier has disappeared from his sight. Breathless and on the verge of fainting, he looks at his sister. His attention then goes in the same direction, and he understands the problem. Without hesitation, he falls to his knees and embraces her.
“Don’t worry, I’m here…”
“But… they… no…”
“Don’t worry… little sister.”
Seika turns his sister’s face so she is only looking at him. He waits for it all to be over. However, Reiko’s sparkling eyes become empty, and little by little, the glimmer of life in her eyes disappears, leaving only emptiness.
It isn’t long before the squad reaches the southern gates of the fortified city of Regna.
“Why did you come back so soon?” asks a soldier atop the wall.
“Because we have heretics with us, prisoners of war!” exclaims the corporal.
His soldiers also shout their pride.
“Open the gates!” orders the soldier.
The gates open, and the squad enters.
A few moments later, the corporal enters Colonel Rolan’s office.
“You! Here…” the colonel begins.
“Colonel, we entered the cursed forest and stumbled upon heretics!”
“Heretics?”
“Yes! A village of foxes!”
“I see, you did well. Rest, and we’ll talk about the outcome of your mission.”
“Yes, Colonel!”
The corporal hurries out of the office with a smile on his face.
Somewhere in the fortified city of Regna, after a slave auction, a slave trader is tallying the accounts.
“What’s your name?”
“Haruka.”
“Where are you from?”
“The village of Yonamine.”
“Where is this place?”
“The Landes Forest.”
“Ah! You’re the ones who were taken prisoner by those soldiers…”
Haruka’s gaze is blank; she still sees the images of her lover’s death and that of their child.
“Don’t worry, I’m not like the others. If you work well, you’ll be fed, cared for, and housed. Anything I ask of you will be something you’d be willing to do.”
However, none of the new slaves believe him.
Years have passed since that tragedy, and the village of Yonamine has been able to rebuild itself. The village square has been redone, and the statue of the goddess of the foxes still stands there, but now a bank of flowers to appease the souls of the deceased. The flame that nearly went out that day still burns, but flickers again, endangering the village of Yonamine.
