Episode 14: Of an Artillery

“Send my message to the Prince of Pinansey-angan territory.”

                      Dustin nodded his head upon receiving the sealed letter in a faded lavender envelope with Sinandaya’s archery logo stamped. I let out a deep sigh, sitting steadily on my chair, the entire room was filled with silence. Not until the door banged open, revealing Felipe’s confused face.

“Why so sudden, Gaia?” he asked as he marched towards me. I kept my composure and my nose rested on my hands entangled. I only gave him a blank stare, making his forehead crease in fluster.

“Gaia, Give me an explanation for this sudden action!”

“I have no words to say, Felipe. You are fully armed with complex intellectual capacity and you can easily infer what I am doing now. Don’t bother me with such questions,” I affirmed and decided to get off the chair. Discussing this matter with him will only spill the beans. Silence can be my best refuge.

“But—Gaia, talk to me!” he immediately grabbed my arm when he noticed I was heading to the exit. “What is going on with you? Are you still on your mind? You are rendering an attack at this brittle state of Sinandaya for Pete's sake, Gaia!”

“This is part of our plan. What is wrong with running a development under our plot?”

“I can’t believe you! You know how sluggish the recuperation was, yet you still insist this attack. Did that Lieutenant Samara completely intoxicated your mind?”

“I am allowing things to happen under our plot. Do not question me, Felipe.”

                      I shoved off his grip and tramped along the hallway. I know Felipe, he won’t stop me until he got the most reasonable answer to his questions. To that, I used my speed to outrun him. But then his sudden words glued me back to the ground.

“You have that kind of reason. You fell within that enemy’s trap. And now you are choosing him over the kingdom you yourself had sacrificed everything you can just to raise it back. You are not the General Gaia I have long known, seems like you have forgotten Sinandaya for the sake of that—”

“You do not know what you are talking about.” I couldn’t stop but to raise my voice and my palm unconsciously reached hitting his face. A thing I didn’t ask to do, even my eyes widened in disbelief. I quickly paced forward and touch his reddened cheeks, but his eyes raged in fury. “I-I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry.”

“You’ve changed, Gaia. He completely turned you to the opposite. Why? Have you forgotten how those filthy creatures killed our kind? Have you forgotten how ruthless they are? You are now blinded by that man!”

“And that is why I am proceeding with the war, Felipe,” I replied calmly but his eyes again flared, and stepped back away from me.

“Liar! I am not so dense as not knowing what the real situation is. You are doing this… waging the war to save his life! Then what? You are risking the entire population of Sinandaya!” he exclaimed and shifted his hands towards the open jalousie, pointing to the vast territory full of barriers and cries.

“I know you are not totally blind. If you still continue that battle, despite how critical these people are, Sinandaya will lose the population. Over thousands of civilians, you are choosing one man?”

                       Surging frustration and jittery, I tightly clasped the dress’ lining. “I am not! I could not afford to lose Sinandaya no matter what the price is. We will win this war, Felipe. And Sinandaya will rise again, nothing will change. If I have to nail myself to the kingdom’s oath, then I will!”

“Then assure it, Gaia. If the kingdom loses its coherence, and the people under our shelter die, I would not hesitate dividing what lies between us.”

                       He turned his back. I was left… Ditched agitated, crushed between two colossal rocks. My gaze focused on the kingdom still under the slow-paced recovery. Seems like I have to choose… If it will be him, or this realm. If it will be what I want… or for the kingdom’s sake again. Can I choose myself this time?

*****

“Colonel Serafina of Abatan state’s battalion, we brush and clash for freedom!”

“Colonel Austin Franco of Halsema state’s battalion, we serve and defend no matter what happens!”

“Colonel Dayanara of Ampusungan state’s battalion; our homeland, our pride, we will fight!”

“Colonel Tymir of Naguey state’s battalion; we show no mercy, we attack at the price of victory!”

                        My face retained the glacial look as I watch how the soldiers of each brigade under the four states keep their heads held fixated ahead of them amidst the cry of their children, wives, and mothers. Seeing this scene makes me want to block all the emotions even more. I have already geared up the entire artillery, and there is no turning back.

“Sinandaya regiment! We are on fire, to a war we will end, what becomes our greatest weapon?” I asked with my full authoritative voice.

“We are eager! We are tough! We will give nothing but the very best! To the kingdom of Sinandaya, and to the people it hosts!”

                        With a single gesture from me, the four colonels raised their signal to their battalions. Few minutes before the sun sinks in the west and the entire regiment will start the voyage. All were in their battle suits, aboard their stallions. Seeing myself in full metal armor and a bronze mask that only my eyes were visible, to a war I have long wanted and waited for. But today, that it is to be finally executed, the feeling is now different. I left a last glance on the high tower and spotted Felipe, still on his hostile look.

                        He disagrees with this. To yesterday’s confrontation, up today, he did not talk to me. This is the first time we had have arguments this profound. I do understand him, I know he is baffled by this situation. And it is all my fault still denying the reason he already knows. I just can’t… I do not have the courage to risk his life or even mine the moment I admit what lies between me and Diego.

“General Gaia,” Mayari uttered when I signaled her to gallop her horse closer to me. Her private squadron was also planted in between the four battalions in case of a possible negative outcome.

“How is the Abberant pack?”

“Too casual and they’re still at loose guard. Our force will successfully annihilate them in no time.” To her reply, a smile escaped to my lips. Right, if we attack them without any warning, the Senate is likely to believe that we do not have any connection.

“But General, is this what you really want?”

                         That smile gradually fades, I turned to her and let out a deep sigh. “I have no other choice, Mayari. What important is that we must win this battle. Do whatever it takes just to win. Because if we wouldn’t, both the artillery and the kingdom will crumble back to dust.”

                         I am to fight against him. Against my kind’s enemy… that is unexpectedly my mate. The scabbard at my side clicked, the moment darkness covered the sky completely and the entire artillery affixed in motion. Pinansey-angan’s squadron led ahead of our army that carries the cannons and spare weapons. Each soldier wears a mask of total bronze and is armed with a sword, five of ten sets of balaraw daggers hidden behind their back, a bow with a total of sixty-five arrows, and a spear on their hands.

“Wait for my signal, Mayari. Pinansey-angan’s squadron should be two kilometers away from us.”

                        She nodded and halt, calmly waiting and calculating the distance I have mentioned. This is a part of Felipe’s strategy that we have long plotted. Everything was all set, even the war has long been accomplished if it weren’t for the sudden infections. And Pinansey-angan kingdom was out of the plan. An alliance with another territory is way more unheralded, totally unplanned.

“They are now at the east valley, General. Quite a few more minutes and we’re set to go.”

                        I took a last glimpse of the civilians behind the sealed barriers. Their face, expressions, and emotions that dwell reflect great disapproval. Even if I do not ask, they’re despising me for this. All their swearing digits were darting at me. My eyes shut firmly, I diverted and confined my gaze back ahead of the dark dusty road.

“It’s still not late to back out, General,” Mayari drawled with a comforting stare from her eyes. She is wearing her typical silver mask covering half of her face. I flicked on the stallion’s lead line and dashed the way through.

“No, a war is a war. I’ll turn blind just to grab victory.”

                      Mayari paused and lifted her left arm, gesturing a go signal. And in a flip of a second, the entire artillery dashed. Making specks of dust float in the air and the ground rumble at the sound of a breaking earthquake.

“Then this army will be at your shadow, General.”