Chapter 1: After the War.

Chapter 1: After the War.A week before the Crimson General was summoned.The five year war between the demons and humans has just ended, it was a bloody battle over a feud for land.After graduation at the military academy at eighteen, she was thrown immediately into the battlefield after getting a recommendation from the headmaster- she climbed through the ranks fast."Participating in battle is the highest honor anyone can be bestowed upon." She tells her thousands of soldiers being lined up, yelling with confidence and the aura of a true general.She places her prized silverith sword being gifted by her mentor and raises it in glory of the human race."We fight to our death, if we die we will die with honor! This is for the royal family and the kingdom!" It was a painful speech to send her comrades to death, but she had no choice. Everyone aborted in cheers for their leader and became brave to face the enemies head on.This was her duty.Five years of battle, many loses of friends and colleagues. Her hands have been stained with the blood of her enemies, she worked hard to get to where she was and then finally-Thud!

The sound of the demon lord's head falling onto the ground could be heard, the battle was taking place in the border territory of the demon lands where a sea of dead bodies could be seen, being trampled and ignored.

"Lower down your weapons! The demon lord has been slain!" One human soldier points at their general standing at a mountain of dead bodies as she presents the decapitated head to the demon soldiers who stood in place- shock, despair and fear came over them."The war is over." (Rowan) mutters, feeling tired and drained of the whole thing. It wasn't easy defeating the demon lord but she managed to persevere."T-The war is over?" One soldier couldn't believe what he just heard, finally, all of their pain would be over. He turned over to his buddy, giving him a high five. "YEAHHH!""Huzzah! Huzzah! Hail the general and her legacy!""Indeed we defeated the demon army once more!""Her tactics are unbeatable!"Every armed soldier raises their swords with laughter and smiles, finally the five years of war are finally over.The crimson general stood where the demon king's body laid.The head was on her bloodied hands, carrying it by pulling the end of the demon lord's hair with not much expression on her face. She was unbothered by the scene, her other companions covered their mouth and held their breakfast seeing a dead body like that starting to rot.But Rowan Bonheur..."Jonathan, this... will be my gift to the king." She turns to his right hand man, a soldier boy just right around her age and was in a family of talented blacksmiths.Jonathan Smithers, he was one of the many few that she trusted with his life. Studying with him in the private military academy, he was her best friend that defended and protected her when she needed it most.

No one believed a woman could continue with the path of military life.

Flies flew over the top of the demon lord's decapitated head, they surrounded her as she smelled of the battlefield. Both humans and demons suffered a great loss in the five year war."Aye, general." (Jonathan) has prepared a sack and managed to stop the decapitated head from bleeding any further. In order to be presentable and be gifted to the king, they must first put it in a luxurious chest."Good."Rowan Bonheur, a woman who defied all expectations was the young female soldier that was personally appointed to become the next general after the war.Her accomplishments were something to write home about."All hail the general!""We can finally go home!""I can't wait to see my wife and children!"The soldiers began packing, taking some of the demons that escaped to be interrogated and left for the council to decide on what to do with them. Such is the harsh reality of war. The army set up camp inside demon territory, they were finally allowed to go home after their expensive expedition."..."Rowan notices a lying dead body not too far away. It belonged to a demon, she does not know who it is but she noticed that it was clutching on into something important.It was a doll... tattered and its arm was almost broken.Rowan eyes the demon and realizes that she must've had a daughter. She walks over to the dry patch and picks a few wild flowers to be placed down by the chest. She closed the eyes of the deceased and prayed for forgiveness, Rowan understood the nature- kill or be killed."May your soul find a way to peace. Your daughter... and family may be able to mourn you properly. I am sorry." She pays respect to any other demon body she encounters.All of the soldiers under her understood what she was doing, which was mourning the dead, may they be friend or foe... Some who have not lost enough may not understand but demons are just a race. They have their own lives that were robbed from them due to this gruesome war."Is the general doing it again?""Mm she's leaving wild flowers again. It doesn't matter if it's a human or a demon, the treatment is the same." The soldiers watch in silence as their general prays quietly for their souls to pass on in peace."I don't... have the strength to even give these demons flowers after it killed one of my comrades. The general must have a forgiving and kind heart.""Mm, and that's a strong heart if she was able to make it this far but... many would see it to be weak."Rowan knows that they've had a life of their own, a family to come back to and friends to tell the tale of their adventures."Let us go, I have finished mourning, take all the bodies of our comrades. None will be left behind, they will each see their family- to be given proper burial." The general orders and the soldiers did as they were told.With them carrying stretchers, the medics placed the dead bodies in carts covered in blankets as the carts were being carried by horses."No-! Buddy! You told me we will drink after this fight! I can't believe you died!" A man kneels down to hug a corpse, moving anyone who tries dragging him up. He refused and swore to keep their promise on drinking together, believing that he was still alive. "We... sniff.. you're still good. We can still drink- I'll tell you stories about my embarrassing scars just please say something!""He's... already gone, comrade." One of his other friends tried helping him up but was only met with a shove so forceful it put him to the ground."No! Shut the fuck up he's not gone!" The amount of denial and trauma was so much that he refused to believe his friend had already passed. The soldier was about to pick up his sword but thankfully it was stopped by the general cutting in.

"What's going on?" Rowan saw the commotion and stood in front of the kneeling soldier who was still hugging the corpse, weeping his heart out. She takes a deep breath before walking over. "Brother... I know it hurts to let go of a loved comrade but he is gone."

"General...? No... not you too. He's alive just- he's just tired from all the battle and he's sleeping." The tears ran through his face.Rowan held his shoulder gently trying again."I do not want you to succumb to the pain. Your friend is gone but he is still in our hearts. He would have wanted you to keep moving forward, help your other brothers and make sure his body gets safely to his family." Her words managed to sting a bit of his heart, his friend has always told him stories of his single mother that was abused."...I- sniff... his mother... is a widow and there is no one else going to support her now." The soldier admits and Rowan feels sympathetic to that situation."I... see... I will take care of it. Please find me when you are ready, I will help you and his family any way I can." She assures the soldier who trusts her completely and hugged her unexpectedly, the soldiers cries out his thanks for being there and admitted that the toll of war was getting to him.

It just hurts to have one of your friends you share your dream with to pass- and it is understandable.

"T-Thank you, general.""Mm... now get him to safety. We will make sure to give our heroes a proper goodbye once we get home to our kingdom." The general offers a hand and the soldier takes it, standing up to wipe his tears.Rowan helped in carrying many of their fallen brothers and sisters, some bodies were lost but they had to go back soon before the demon army could think of regrouping and attacking them with a surprise."We'll... need more medics... this time check more of his mental health, get him separated from the body of his friend. It would not be wise to have him get attached to a corpse." She takes to one of the doctors on the field and nods, taking orders from the general they all followed smoothly.Jonathan carries the decapitated head with him, looking happy and asks his dear friend if they were ready to celebrate and get drunk once they get back into the kingdom."General Rowan, do you think we can celebrate now that the demon lord is dead? I bet I could drink my fill today because you are the hero of this epic tale!" He pats the back of her armor and Rowan shakes her head."Don't celebrate just yet. There are still the demon lord's loyal court still roaming around. I may have gotten their leader but... they will most likely be finding a new heir to the throne." (Rowan) fiddles with the handle of her sword, every demon will most likely know who she is and it will be troublesome to go back into duty yet. "My... identity is well known amongst the demons now."Jonathan chuckles, her friend isn't that excited to win something this amazing. "Isn't that great? You're going to be practically a legend after this! Oh- right that's not really what you're after huh."Rowan nods looking up in the sky, the memory of the princess' figure was still fleeting... Seven years have passed but she still remembers her kindness.The red hair that she once hated now she can't help but love and take care of it more."I still... I want to become a royal guard. I do not wish to continue being the crimson general." She told his right hand man and he stopped walking for a moment.

To have Rowan quit as the general they will be doomed! Out of all the generals she was the most active, intelligent, and she wasn't all words! When she says she'll do it- she'll follow through her words.

The most loyal, commendable and strong general!

The other high power ranking generals just sit in their office and drink expensive wine. When she's living in the tents with the other soldiers, volunteers to keep watch and fight in front of the battlefield to keep up morale.

"No-! Come on, don't say that! You are talented at being a general! I haven't seen anyone handle that position well and you're one of the few people who is actually dependable! If you leave I'm going with you, sister." (Jonathan) catches up with Rowan as she smiles at his brother, thanking him for the loyalty he has always given.

"We will see, first we need to go home."

...===Human Kingdom Kalista===

The news of the demon lord's death spread wide and far.

The king of the Kingdom Kalista was overjoyed by the general's feats. Even his most trusted generals were not ballsy enough to take the demon lord head on."The Crimson General is now headed home, your majesty. General Rowan Bonheur has asked in this letter to give her a week for her soldiers to be properly mourned and their bodies be delivered to their family with proper financial compensation." The messenger lowers his head after completing reading on the message."Hahaha! What a fine woman that is! Who would ever think that the youngest general would take his head?!" The King's laughter echoes through the halls. "If that's the case her request is accepted, tell her to come to my palace immediately to be given a good reward!"His sons were standing by his sides intrigued by the woman of the tall tale.They have heard stories of this one peculiar woman volunteering and fighting alongside the many soldiers in the front of the battle field. She is certainly nothing like the ladies the palace has."Father, perhaps marriage into royalty is the right reward." The crown princess opens her fan, hiding her smile. "I know my brothers are all curious to meet her. A fine woman like her would give a good heir with military prospects."The King looked at his daughter and clapped. What a genius idea!"Daughter of mine, you are a genius! The reward should be marriage into the family after all who wouldn't like being married into the royal family! Hahaha! I cannot wait to meet her!"