The world was crying. Below the balcony King Grimmelshausen stood on laid death and destruction, his once proud capital now nothing more than ruin. The cobblestone buildings, reduced to rubble. The paved streets were now filled with craters and corpses. The air was putrid, the stench of death having become so potent that one smelled it even when locked inside a building. His subjects, dressed in nothing more than rags roamed the streets like rats, scavenging for anything they could. There used to be food to eat in the once bustling markets but they had now devolved to eating rats, dogs, and in extreme cases, each other. Others moaned in pain, having been hit with cannonballs that ripped off their limbs. Children cried over the corpses of their parents, grown adults crying for having fallen into despair. Despite the city being protected by massive walls, they were still harmed by the projectiles of the enemy army camped outside and there was little their king could do about it. The city of Straslund had been under siege for 3 years, a minuscule amount of time in the grand scheme of what his scholars have named the One Hundred Years’ War.

From his position, the king could see the enemy. They began to move, getting into formations. Their silver panoply shined despite the gray overcast, their weapons raised to the sky. They were preparing another assault. On the edges of Straslund at the walls, his own soldiers began to move as well, preparing to send out a force to hold off the attacks. How many waves had been sent against his city? The king had lost count long ago. Footsteps were heard behind the king but he didn’t need to turn around to greet them, he already knew who it was.

“They seek to attack once more.” the voice said.

“It appears so, Cardinal Ehrenberg” the king replied, stroking his beard as he continued to watch the soldiers move.

The cardinal walked up to the king, leaning on the balcony’s railing.

“You seem troubled, Sire.”

“I don’t deserve to be called Sire. I have no people, not anymore.”

He pointed to the destroyed streets, the decomposing bodies.

“I have no kingdom. Half of my people are dead, the other half barely living.”

“It is not your fault Sire” the cardinal argued. “I know it appears grim, but we will pull through, God is on our side after all.”

“God. I’m starting to think she’s abandoned us.”

“Sire, please refrain from talking like that. You know that kind of talk isn’t allowed, even for a king.”

The king took a deep breath. He took a few steps back, sitting in a now dirty leather chair. His red and yellow regal robes became covered in dust from doing so but it did not matter, his outfit was already torn with multiple rips and tears. Appearances stopped mattering a long time ago.

“I know Cardinal, I know but can you blame me for having doubts?”

The elderly cardinal shook his head. Like the king, he had a full beard but whereas the king’s beard was golden, his was black with gray streaks. He pushed up his glasses then rubbed his purple priest robes whose color had faded.

“When you have doubts, I am here to reassure you, that’s my job Sire. This is a holy war, I can’t have you abandon your faith, it would be abandoning the very reason we fight.”

“Yes yes, don’t act as if I don’t know we’re fighting for God. I’m well aware this all started when the separatists started teaching their false doctrine, praising their false Gods, going against the church. They defenestrated the Holy Priest all those years ago. My question is when is enough enough? The things we’ve done, can they truly be justified in Her eyes?”

“Ah.” The cardinal took a seat in the chair next to the king. “You mean the cullings. I told you time and again, what you did was heroic. Do not mourn heretics.”

“Even women and children? They killed our children, so we killed theirs. They killed our wives, so we killed theirs. It’s never ending. I feel like we’ve forgotten God a long time ago. This war began before I was born, I’d like it to end before my death.”

“It is a war between gods. There are things at play that we cannot comprehend. Everything happens for a reason, Sire. We are in a cosmic battle between good and evil, and we are good. This is all in accordance with the prophecy. In order for there to be light, there must be darkness. She has planned for all this. We will be saved.”

The ground shook, the result of the king’s army leaving the city, thousands of troops going out to defend Straslund. The king stood up and walked to the railing. He could see the armies clashing in the hills, plate crashing against plate. Men began to die as swords plunged into bodies and arrows pierced skin. Magicians began to cast spells, assaulting men with fireballs, lighting bolts, and throwing rocks.

“The prophecy.” the king began. “A man from another world, chosen by Her is supposed to save us all.”

“Indeed.”

“And where is this man? How much longer must we wait for salvation?”

“Not as long as you’d expect Sire.”

The cardinal stood up, becoming once again abreast with the king as the king continued to watch men die outside the city’s walls.

The cardinal leaned in, whispered “She has chosen him.”

The king raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

“The Central Synod has received the sign. The summoning will work. But Sire, there have been some complications.”

“What complications?”

“It appears that the hero refused to come here. He did not understand his destiny. In order to come to our world, he must die in his. Only once his soul is free from his body can the summoning be completed.”

“And he hasn’t died?”

“I’m afraid not. We sent one of our priestesses, Josephine, to finish the job but she has failed.”

The king drummed his fingers on the railing, contemplating.

“But don’t worry Sire.” the cardinal assured. “We will finish the summoning. We are going to send more people.”

“Who?”

“We put out a bounty. The church is willing to pay a fortune, for the world itself is at stake.”

“You hired mercenaries?”

“In order to bring about salvation, we are willing to deal with sinners. They are undesirable types but the money and promise of forgiveness for past sins is quite persuasive. They won’t betray us.”

“The church, hiring murderers. I never thought I would’ve seen the day.”

“It is necessary, Sire. It’s a race now. We will not be the only ones sending people. Now that the barrier between worlds has disappeared, our enemies will send their own after him.”

“So it’s not just our kingdom, but all the others as well?”

“Indeed. I don’t think it needs to be stated but our kingdom must claim him. Can you imagine the destruction that could be wrought if the separatists get their hands on him? Or the elves? Or the orcs?”

“I don’t want to imagine.”

“Neither do I. But as you see Sire, the end is near. Whether it will be our saving grace or our deaths, we are approaching this war’s denouement.”

The sounds of fighting stopped, the separtist army being routed. The King’s soldiers began to head back into the city but their numbers were halved, most laying out dead in the fields. It didn’t matter, they would return, continuing the siege. King Grimmelshausen thought that perhaps by the time they came back, there would be nothing left.

“I appreciate you for vouchsafing this to me Cardinal, I know it must be a church secret.”

“It is my pleasure Sire, but please do not tell this to anyone.”

“Of course. If you don’t mind, can you leave me be?”

The cardinal nodded, leaving the balcony. Once he was assured he was alone, the king let out a loud sigh.

“This war is a vortex. Are the peoples of this world not enough? Now we must drag in those from others? I don’t think we can be saved. I have put an end to cares, hopes, and fortune. Young man from another world, I hope wherever you are, you understand that whether you come here or not, you will face grave trials.”