We finally arrived at the outskirts of the kingdom of Gaimain, though the trip was not without sacrifices. Everyone of us are exhausted from the trip, especially Khrus, who has been running and dragging the carriage for over 4 hours in our whole trip, making it 5 hours of total time travelling if I include the halftime break.

I’m almost in no condition to start the assignment, and it looks like the others are too. Khrus is currently inside the carriage, faceplanted on the floor while snoring. Seems like he immediately fell asleep after that taxing trip.

Unlike my men however, I still had some strength left in me and I need to check outside, so I stepped down from the vehicle of hell and looked at our destination.

“Whoa…”

Is what I could only say. The setting of the sun amplified the atmosphere with tinting the sky red, accompanied by the lights of fire in the kingdom and smokes coming out from everywhere within it. It looked like it’s in the middle of an apocalypse. We are about 23 kilometers from the walls, and it looks like the gates are broken.

I could also faintly hear the sounds of screams and battles going on, even at this distance. Looks like they are still on it.

Now the problem is, how do I recruit people from that battlefield? The people will see me as an enemy, while my former fellow soldiers wouldn’t listen to me if it’s against the king.

I should make an advertisement, something catchy and interesting to make them join us. But how?

“Join us or suffer… no… hey hey, join us and stay? No…”

I thought hard about the advertisement. Really, it’s the only method I know to try and entice people in joining my lord’s… wing? Group? Whatever.

This is harder than I thought. I need some help. I walked back to the entrance of the carriage and asked my men for suggestions. Looks like they have regained some life.

“Sir, if I may speak.”

“Go ahead, Jim.”

“We could try making a banner or a flag to show our allegiance.”

Good idea, but we don’t have time for that right now.

“Considered. Anyone else?”

“Sir, me!”

“Yes, Mikey?”

“How about we put them in a sack and bring them back?”

“God damn it Mikey, we talked about this!”

Mikey just shrugged. That was a bad idea. I mean, I can do it, but I doubt my lord would like it if I do that, nor would I. Then Khrus raised his hand while still face first on the floor.

“What is it, Khrus?”

He rolled himself to the side, and spoke.

“Why don’t you pray to our lord for wisdom?”

“Oh, that’s a good idea.”

Yes it is. I kneeled my right knee, closed my eyes, and prayed.

O Nemer, my lord, I humbly ask for your wisdom on our current problem.

That should be enough. I opened my eyes, and so I heard my lord’s voice.

“What do you need?”

I’m relieved. Khrus, thank you for your suggestion.

“My lord, what should I do to gather people to our side? I cannot think of anything good.”

Then I heard my lord think. It was just him exhaling, but I know that sounds like a person in deep thought. While my lord was thinking, I gestured my men to get ready for dispatch, which they did.

“Put them into a sack and bring them back.”

My mind went blank from that statement.

“I’m just kidding!”

Oh thank goodness.

“It’s simple. Promise them of a better land where they can live peacefully and that they will be watched over by a god, namely me, Nemer."

So still advertisement. Much better than the ones I thought of though. Still, the kingdom is a battlefield. No doubt some of the people will be untrusting of us and we might get into problems.

“And also, your time limit is three days.”

There’s a time limit now? I sighed. It’s been decided by my lord, so I should comply.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Mhm. I’ll be minding my business now. Call me up when you need help again.”

Then I heard his voice no more. I woke up Khrus, and told him to drag the carriage until they were a kilometer from the gates. Khrus did so, and me and my men prepared ourselves. Swords sheathed, cloaks gone, our insignias thrown away, and checked up on our equipment. No problems so far.

As we get closer, and Khrus was surprisingly going at a modest pace, the noise of battles got louder and louder. I peeked my head to the front, and saw that there were no one in the gates. I went back and ordered my men to stay put, and picked one of them to be with me outside. We stepped outside and escorted the carriage. The night’s kind of mesmerizing when combined with the light of flames.

I told Khrus to go inside through the gates, which he reluctantly obliged. I was walking alongside the carriage on the right side, while the other soldier was on the left. Strangely, the first few blocks from the gates were deserted. Understandable, mosy wouldn't stay in this particular place if there’s a insurrection currently ongoing.

We walked along the streets, only the echoes of distant battling resonates within our area. I am starting to doubt about this idea. Shouldn’t we have waited till it was over before we marched in? I shrugged it off and just focused on my assignment.

There was no one. We didn’t want to go straight into a battle, we just wanted to recruit. Sure, there are people there, but who in the right mind would go there to recruit? We’ll just get yourselves killed.

Just then, Khrus suddenly stopped and looked towards a house on our right. I approached him and asked what’s wrong.

“There are some people there.”

These kobolds really have sharp senses, I didn’t even hear anything that hints on someone being there. Though, this was a good chance. Finally, some people to recruit.

I ordered his men to keep watch, and commanded another to guard me. We walked towards the house, arriving at the door and knocking on it.

“Whoever is there, I come in peace. I just want to talk something with you."

We got no response. I looked back at Khrus to make sure that his senses was right, which he responded with a confident nod. I turned to a broken window, and peeked inside. It was dark, no lanterns or candles lighting up inside.

“Please, there’s no need to hide. We assure you that we mean no harm.”

I’m trying to negotiate to people I don’t even think are here. Is there no here? Maybe Khrus was just delusional? It looks like I wasted my ti- wait…

I heard a noise. Sounded like a wooden furniture suddenly being moved. There was definitely someone in here.

“Hello? Please show yourself. We just want to talk.”

I looked around the room through the window, but I could only see darkness. I let out a sigh.

“Look, whoever is there, I promise I will lead you out of here. I have been given a will by my god, and It’s my duty to carry that out.”

I waited for a moment, then a man stood up seemingly out of nowhere. The faint light from the flames outside is only enough to make out his silhouette.

“Are your words true?”

Of course they are. No one would dare to make a statement with their god in it without fulfilling it. It would be cursing them and would lead to the damnation of the speaker’s life.

“I spoke true. I swear on my life.”

I replied to the man, which seemingly made tha man sigh. I’m not sure what that sigh meant. Either way, the man seem to recognize us as reliable people. He beckoned some other people from something he came out from, probably a table. Then came out two other figures, one a little shorter than the man, and the other only reached up to the man’s waist.

“We are coming out.”

“Alright.”

I put myself some distance from the door with my guard behind me. The door opened, and what came out was a man, a woman, and a girl. The man wore dirty peasant clothes, looked well built, and looked like in his thirties. He had full beard and messy black hair. His face had normal brown irises and was blocky and defining, oozing masculinity. He had a worried look on his face.

The woman also wore peasant clothes, and looked like around her twenties, nearing thirites. Her facial features were average at beast, with dominant sharp features and normal brown irises. She had long curly hair, reaching to the midsection of her back.

The girl had short hair reaching to her neck, and had a child’s peasant clothes. She was cute and innocent looking, also having the same brown irises. She was very small, probably she is around six years old.

All of them had a worried and nervous look on them, the family having close contact with each other, as if protecting themselves from whatever might happen. The girl was hugging his father tight. Seems like they are tensed, so I did my best to smile reassuringly.

“Do not worry, as I’ve said before, we will not harm you.”

The man was about to speak, when he recoiled while looking at me and held his family closer to him.

“You’re one of the royal soldiers!”

I forgot that I was still wearing the uniform of the royal soldiers. My insignia’s not there anymore, but the color of purple and black is enough for the people to distinguish us as royal soldiers. I sighed.

“Please calm down. I do not serve the king anymore, I serve my god now.”

The family seems to not believe me. I looked at the man, and he was looking at me with scorn. That look… I don’t know why, but it hurts.

“How can we trust you? You say you will lead us out of here for it is the will of your god, but I know you royal soldiers. Your god is your king!”

Distrust, hatred, and fear. I can sense them directed towards me, and my men. All my life, I’ve seen people that go against the king as heretics, so I’ve never cared about how they feel. Now, it’s different.

“I have broken free from the king’s control and deception.”

Why do I feel pain from their distrust? I’ve prepared myself for this, but it seems like I am not.

“I am sent here to gather people and lead them to a safe place to live, free from a tyrannical rule.”

I don’t get it. I was only doing what I was told, what I thought was right. It shouldn’t be my fault, is it?

“...”

But why do I feel guilt? Why do I feel sadness?

“But if you don’t want to go with us, it’s fine.”

They’ll be better off without us. I am just a terrible person in their eyes. Why did he choose me in this assignment? There’s no way these people would believe me. I should just tell my lord to choose another.

“Thank you for your consideration anyway.”

That’s it. I don’t want to do this anymore. I turned around to walk away, when something tugged me on my legs. It was the girl.

“Mister, don’t go. I know you are good, so please stay with us.”

She wasn’t looking at me with a scornful expression like her parents. She was worried. It was confusing, why would the girl be worried about me?

“Mister, don’t look so sad. It’s ok, I am not mad or afraid of you.”

Sad? I looked at the parents, and they were looking at me with pity, and they looked like they are in regret. Is there something wrong in my face? I don’t- ah. So that’s why my sight was blurry.

My tears dropped from my eyes, as I looked down at the girl, hugging my leg. I feel… relieved. All those thoughts from before have been seemingly washed away by this little girl. This girl would trust me when others won't. I feel truly grateful for the existence of innocence.

I looked at the parents. They were looking a each other, and then smiled at me. The parents then approached me.

“I’m sorry to have doubted you. I can see your guilt and regret from your eyes, and that’s all I need to know that you are honest and sincere.”

The man said as he held my shoulder. He gave me a reassuring smile. That was suppsoed to be my job.

“Thank you.”

I wiped off my tears from my face. The man patted me on the shoulder.

“You can go inside the carriage for escort.”

He nodded and took their daughter with them inside the carriage. The girl looked at me with a smile, before disappearing inside the carriage. Innocence of a child truly lifts my heart. Maybe I should start a family soon.

“Hey sir, you should really stop crying. You’re a grown man, yet you cry like a pansy."

Maybe I should, but it's not his concern. I punched my guard in the shoulder getting him to let out an ‘oof’ from the impact. I think I know now why my lord chose me, and frankly, I am starting to appreciate his decision.

"I survived more than thirty years being like this, so it shouldn't be a problem."

My guard just snickered at me. He said something under his breath, but I didn't mind it.

I went on with my mission. I ordered more of my men, 5 of them, to get out and escort on the sides. We then continued to search the streets for more people to recruit.

“By the way Khrus, do we have any rations for the three days mission?”

I walked to his side, and then he replied.

“There is. Under the seats, there should be boxes strapped in there. Inside those are our supplies to last us a week.”

“A week? That’s a tad bit longer than three days. Why would our lord give us a surplus?”

Khrus just shrugged. I see, so he doesn’t know, huh? It doesn’t matter. My lord gave me this mission, and I shall do it to the best of my ability, even though I almost dropped it.

Well, this unrest shouldn’t last for more than today, and things should start to settle down tomorrow, or the day after. Once that happens, there should be plenty of time for us to recruit.

I wonder why my lord needs to recruit more people? Well, I’ll just wait and see.