Chapter 4
Lufue Zue stepped out of his tent and breathed in a huge breath of fresh air. "I've really missed this country air. I should take a vacation sometime," he commented to no one in particular. A young man approached the Marshal with a salute. "Yes, ensign," Lufue Zue asked. "Sir, we have reports of some enemy troops still in the city of Maue," the ensign told him. "Understood, assemble the troops. That's our next stop," the Marshal commanded. The ensign nodded and quickly ran to get everyone together.
Lufue Zue knew that today would be a return of security for the cities of the west. However, the scars that would remain in the cities, he would not be able to heal alone, but he didn't quite know that yet. As the troops assembled, he began the march towards Maue. First, they would cross into East Maue. East Maue was a small town that normally was busy with life.
As they entered the town, it looked as if it had been abandoned for many years. The city was dark and quiet. There were no vendors selling products. Most of the city was torched in some fashion or another. The troops tried going through the wreckage trying to find something of life, but to no avail. The only thing they found was destruction and pieces of a former life. It looked as though the town has been vacated and condemned. The Marshal could feel goosebumps up and down his skin.
The troops then headed towards the city of Maue. As they entered the city, they heard enemy troops fleeing away to the west. Their time of plundering had come to an end in this city. They had what they wanted. The troops looked around for life here. Every once in a while, they would see a child rubbing around behind stuff. The Marshal very quietly walked up to a house and chased down a child.
The Marshal grabbed the kid's arm. "Who did this," the Marshal asked. The kid looked in fear at the man holding his arm. "who did this," he asked more insistently. "The animals," the kid said crying. Lufue Zue let the kid go and the kid ran away. He looked around and he could not find a single adult in the city. The troops knew where their next stop would be.
Marshal Zue led his troops into the city of West Maue. From the other side of the statue, they could hear the enemy troops. "In the name of New Fullerium, prepare to taste steel," General Anu yelled. The troops lept forward and pushed the enemies further and further away from the city. The enemy kept losing people left and right. Their attacks were over. Peace was back, but no one noticed that the Marshal didn't participate in the battle. No one noticed that he drifted into a web of memories.
Lufue Zue dropped to his knees and cried. The town where he was raised was devasted. He looked around and saw Jack Mui, his old chess buddy, dead. Every where he turned he saw the dead bodies of friends and family. He began to cry like he never had cried before. He looked to his left and saw the body of his old ex-girlfriend. He remembered all the good times they had together. He remembered the times they had walked around the town. He laughed and cried all at once. He remembered when he heard about her soon to be marriage that would never happen now. He remembered the joy of the news of the success of the town.
Now, the city sat in waste. Where was the mayor? Lufue drifted around and walked into what used to be his old office. He stared at the mayor covered in blood. He remembered how the new mayor was scared. He remembered how they had talked about how things were and how things could be. He remembered talking about how proud he was of him. He remembered how happy he was that he was able to be mayor.
He remembered how his sister and parents used to tell him to be careful. He wondered where they were. He started to walk in a daze to where his old house was. When he got there, he found his house torched and inside were three charred skeletons. It seemed that no one he knew got spared. He stared around the town going from house to house feeling his heart ache.
Memories flooded his mind left and right and he knew why. He loved this place and he seemed to be the last living thing from it. His town, his identity had been tried. But what could he do? The nation of New Fullerium was pierced like it had never been before. He didn't have a clue as to what he should do.
The world seemed to be spiralling down the drain. The only thing that remained in the old town was the priceless statue. Lufue Zue knelt in front of it and said, "I'm sorry I left you. I never meant for this to happen. I'm sorry." The statue seemed to stare into space. Lufue looked up at the banner and read it aloud. "Welcome to West Maue. Home of the Free and the Happy," he said. He looked around and commented, "only in memory."
[ Chapter 3 ] [ Bonfire, Part I, Chapter 1 ]
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