The sun was already high up, its soft and gentle rays of light are completely in discord with the state of our frontier village.

The usually lively village has been exceptionally somber today.

As I slowly pace through the surroundings, sections of this place are completely devoid of its inhabitants.

It is a sorrowful day for us, a day where many grief-stricken men, women and children are forced to evade their delusions to face the hard reality once again. Of course, nothing's harder than to confront the dead corpses of your fellow humans, who valiantly fought to death(slaughtered) to defend their home from the invaders.

It's hard for anyone to not show a grim expression, when something like this just happened. Moreover if the deceased are people that they had been bonding since birth or so.

Every step I take, intense soreness resounds through my lower half. Whatever that I've felt on that hell the night before, it's amplified and remains in my muscles until this day. Well, except for the big gaping hole in my stomach, Fixed up by dearest Tilma.

Come to think of it, I owe her my life now.

Well shit, that demanding woman will be giving me a fabulous time by bending me to her will...

Seeing how much energy did she expend during that moment, it won't be surprising to see that she'll be weaker than the state I'm in. She won't die..

That old woman won't drop dead like this, there's still more in the future for her to suffer! hehehehe.

Having such a weak body now, I draped on my favourite cotton robes over my my half naked torso while wearing shorts. A pair of wooden sandals with leather straps fastened on my feet instead of my usual iron greaves and shoes. I could hardly even lift my longsword with one hand, the damage'll will definitely take some time to heal.

I kept strolling aimlessly as I get soaked into my own thoughts, pondering on the crisis that I just had endured.

"There you are."

Glancing at my side, Jarek suddenly appeared. In one of those seemingly cliche scenes moreover, he's leaning beside the walls of a cottage, with one of his legs arched and his arms crossed. Turning around to face him, I'd assume that he's looking for me so it's better to not ignore him like I always do.

"Hail, comrade."

I lightly raised my sore arm to greet my comrade in arms.

"Captain, a funeral is going to be held at the church."

Geez man.. He's not even inclined to respond to my salutations. Not even did he speak with his usual, cheerful, queerish tone. He's all dead serious right now, there's no hint of emotion in both his voice and expression.

Usually I'd joke around to tug his strings juuuust a bit more, but I forced myself to behave and engage him with a serious conversation. Seeing the nature of the situation that we'd just faced and all.

"Funeral? I heard nothing of it."

"Mass funeral actually, it's for.. you know.."

Jarek's voice stuttered here and there when cutting into the topic of our deceased. Poor guy, that must've left a huge scar on him.

In the meantime, he stood straight and started walking side by side with me, guiding me towards the church of our village. Taking such initiative, seemingly to avoid the conversation from deepening.

"It's fine Jarek, I understand."

*pat*

"y..yeah."

Giving him a much needed pat of reassurance on his shoulder, I then rested my fatigued arm around his shoulder.

"How ya faring?"

"Good.. can't say that I'm fine after 'that' happened.. But my light injuries have completely recovered."

He spoke briefly about it, trying to brush it past quickly as if he hated remembering 'that' past event.

"Giant-axe-man?" I asked with a slight ridiculing tone, to cool things down.

"Andrzej, he's bedridden as for now. His torso is bruised all over, one of his ribs cracked and his right knee dislocated.. But he's fine now, just needs rest..."

"..." I made no comments, just to coerce him into saying the unfinished part.

"He.. He is uhh.. a lot better... than the other injured..."

Remorse, guilt, sadness.. These bitter expressions that I could tell easily are etched onto his face. I tighten my grip on his shoulders, and tug him closer towards me, just to calm him down.. even if just a little more..

After a few moments of quick breathing, Jarek's flushed face slowly restored as he calmed down.

Then, I continued asking him questions.

"Uhh.. status of the millita?"

"Among the 39 present.. 25 dead, 11 injured, 3 unharmed.." As if already poised for this topic, Jarek muttered slowly and calmly.

"Well.. one third are merely injured, it can't be that-" Being shocked by the figures involved, I quicked spat out something positive to compensate for the situation.

And Jarek interrupted my halfway.

"Great portion of the injured are expected.. to be CRIPPLED for life." He exclaimed with a harsh tone, slightly losing his cool in doing so.

"..." I can't figure out anything to say.

Owh. I should have not made that casual remark, it made me feel so much worse now... I regret my choice so bad!

"Well.. sorry.. uhh..."

"I mean.. I... I just-"

Trying to salvage the situation.. I jumbled up my own tongue while trying to say something.. Well, just anything! I must salvage the situation...

"Captain, we already missed the burials!" Interrupted by Jarek once again as he exclaimed.

Looking right ahead of me, a sturdy church has appeared on the side of my vision. Made with a foundation of cobblestones and supported by wooden beams, the church itself is a sturdy building. A cross was erected in the middle of the roof, casting a shadow of the crucifix down towards its slanted roof.

And.. aside the church, was a small field. Almost the entire village was congregated at that location, like a parade or something, but in this occasion it was to mourn the dead.

Numerous fresh fug grave plots could be easily seen as the colour of the bulging dirt are contrasting the rest of the grassbed. Crucifixes of various shapes and sizes, made by nailing two wooden planks together are deeply embedded into the dirt mounds, serving as temporary gravestones.

As grim as ever, the populace that attended are stricken with immense grief. Sounds of sobbing and mourning from various people are audible even from this distance of many paces away. Women, children, elderly.. crying, sobbing at respective graves. Such a sight is painful even for me to behold.

My body shuddered, my heart sank deeper than ever, when the price that we paid are gouged out and shoved into our vision by the instance which we call the reality.

All villagers, me included are spinning up complaints towards God, angered that our grief, our sadness couldn't reach Him..

Well, it's not that God ever does anything.. I'd rather pray to my bed.. so that it provides comfort and eases my mind when I had a hard time sleeping.

Seeing such a spectacle spiraling out in front of me, I'd assume that it's not hard to fall into insanity. Not even me could endure multiple scenarios of these, if it ever happened.

Me and Jarek stood behind the great crowd of people, and stood there in silence.

Soon, our village priest appeared.

Wearing a light yellow priest robes, which are actually pure white when manufactured. This proves that this man and his robes had stood through the test of time, that also serves as a testament in his long years of service as a priest.

He raised his arms above his shoulders, extending his hands towards the direction of the graves.

At this moment, the entire place became silent, everyone is watching the priest intently, expecting him to provide spiritual relief in this desolate moment.

And he delivered the wish.

He spoke with a gentle voice, yet clear enough for everyone to comprehend.

"O' God, as these brave men and women had lost their lives in defending our homes,

I beg you to receive their souls, and grant them solace in their afterlife.

It is their sacrifice, that our community are harbored from the dangers beyond.

It is their bravery, that our people were granted life instead of chaos.

With your compassion, your might, I beg you to send them into heaven,

where our brave defenders shall be met with eternal bliss.

Put them to rest, as they've suffered enough as they were in life.

In the name of the God...."

Everyone held their head down, clasping their hands together, mourning the fallen.

"Amen"

Hence, the priest ended his prayers.

"AMEN"

And the polpulace followed suit, repeating it to reassure the God, such is their will.