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Thou hast awakened me from min eternal slumber!

Warning: the following content contains spoilers!

Previous: Spoiler #63 – Palmo R1

Palmo R2: Year 3397 – Iron

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After 3 hours of traveling on the train, Plamo had finally reached the Captial of Lubiona. She had no time to relax, as she was nervous for being in an unfamiliar place. The Captial was filled with soldiers from neighboring countries, waiting to fight on the battlefront. Palmo jointed the messy formation of the military parade. She was standing far behind from the main stage, so she could barely see the young Queen.

It seems that the men around her were also recruited from small tribes around the border of the Kingdom, so the values and meanings they could make in this war were really questionable. Palmo was unsettled about her current situation, so Sylph was standing firmly next to her.

The men at the front of the parade were making a loud noise. Palmo was too short to see was happening. Scared, she hugged Sylph tightly.

***

After the end of the parade, they transited to a campsite near the city. Asura came and told the two of them that they were going to the battlefield very soon.

“Do we really need to fight? Must we kill?” Palmo asked the man who brought her there, as if she wished him to stay with her longer.

“Isn’t that exactly why you’re here? It’s a piece of cake when you have that beast, right?” Asura answered coldly.

“… I just can’t,” Palmo said. “It’s true that we could communicate telepathically, and he would help me when I’m chased by wildlife animals in the forest, but fighting soldiers with weapons is another story,”

“If you don’t fight, your village will be under attack. Think about your village,”

“But… Sylph and I are… ”

“You MUST go. Your power is needed,”

Palmo bit her lip. How could she order Sylph to kill other? The soldiers from the other side are humans after all. She couldn’t hold back the tears dropping from her eyes.

“This’s the reality, and you just can’t run away from this,” Asura concluded. She couldn’t rebut.

***

The battlefield was a completely new experience to Palmo. There were noises of metal pieces crashing against each other everywhere, and the warm air stank of dust and sweat. Palmo and Sylph were told to stay near the main base and defense against any possible enemy.

“You won’t be fighting someone all in a sudden, but at the same time, there’s nowhere to escape,” Asura told the girl. He then left for other business.

In Palmo’s confusion, the battle started with a blast of war corns. The men holding lances and swords roared and rushed forwards. Palmo came to the realization that all these men were killers, and there would be more of them around her. She lost all her cool and started to cry. Sylph stood still and extended its body, trying to give comfort to the weeping girl. It could smell the blood from afar.

***

“How come a little girl like you is staying here?” Someone finally spoke to Palmo after 2 hours. Palmo was shocked by the sudden question. She raised her head and found an old warrior raiding on a house, who was speaking to her.

“Em…” Palmo tried, but her mouth was too dry to speak – she had been crying for a good while.

The old warrior untied his water bottle from his waist and passed it to Palmo. “You seem to be thirsty. You may drink from this.”

Palmo stared at the old man and picked up the bottle. There was plain water inside, but Palmo found it delicious somehow. She finally realized how long she had been crying and how tired she was. She found herself finishing the whole bottle of water before she could stop herself.

“Ugh, I’m sorry…” Palmo handed back the bottle.

“It’s fine. I’d want to know why you are here? Or maybe, you’re that beast tamer…?”

“Erm, I… I am…” Palmo had a lot to say, but she could not organize her words in such a confused state.

“Don’t be afraid, our enemy hasn’t reached here. I’m Luka, tell me your name first?”

“My… my name is Palmo,”

“I see. Can you tell me what happened, Palmo?” The old warrior’s soothing voice calmed Palmo down. Haltingly, Palmo explained how she was forced to come here to fight.

“Well… If this is true, I’m really sorry. Asura is my subordinate,” Luka said. “Even if you really are powerful, we cannot make a little girl like you to fight in the war. I’ll make this clear to Asura.”

“Does this mean we can go home?”

“Sure! You can go together with your buddy,” Luka patted Palmo’s head, making she cry again – but this time, her tears were full of joy. It was the first time someone treated her with kindness since she left her home forest.

“Thank you very much, Master Luka.”

“Haha, miss me with that ‘Master’. Come here…” Luka helped the girl to stand up. Sylph understood that Luka was sincerely helping, so it didn’t stop him.

“Asura is a cold-blooded man – he is the only one who is willing to take up dirty missions that no other would accept,” Luka muttered to himself. No one, except Sylph, could hear what he said.

 

[TBC.]