The last moments of joy

It has been a declaration of war. As Jäwell said loudly of his intentions, the leaders remained silent. Suddenly, the recent events were ringing a bell in their mind. Sitting around the table, the demoness stood up angrily, and then, she agreed.

"We will kill every one of them who dares to land on our territory again."

The undead added, "This is our home, the one we built together, for us!"

Zuline remained silent in a corner of the inn, she was observing from afar with a curious look at this new prince and his ideas. She was intrigued to where he would lead the people but she couldn't hide a certain worriedness about him. 

Jäwell opened a new bottle of rum that Robin brought him during his speech.

"Now tell me. Will you move and help me to make this world stable or will you wait to see your people being massacred without doing anything?", he asked while drinking directly from the bottle.

"This is war!" the demoness yelled, she was thirsty for revenge and Jäwell knew how to press the right buttons. The vampire was amused, laughing, she would always follow the master of the night, and the clans would be obedient to the prince. 

The war declaration was followed by another heavy party in the inn. People were celebrating their resolve, they also were mourning the peace. They enjoyed this time, keeping in mind that this may be their last moment. Soon enough, the whole world would drown in fire and blood. 

Jäwell seemed satisfied by the outcome of this discussion, however, he noticed the concerned expression on Zuline's face. She was the only one watching in silence with a sad look. In her point of view, it was like a giant shadow covering the world and devastating every part of the joy that could have been existing in the hearts of the creatures living here. She was devastated to observe the young ghost boy being prepared to go to the front, to kill or be killed a second time, when Zarkhaïm fought so hard to protect their innocence and their free will by giving them peace. 

Anger rose in her at the view of the prince celebrating something as abominable as war, but she waited for the end of the festivities when Jäwell decided to go back to the castle to follow him on the path. Once she was at his level, she caught his sleeve, anxious. 

"Jäwell, do you know what you are doing? After the war starts you will never be able to step back." 

But the prince pushed her with anger, "Don't you think I know what war is?!"

Zuline has been taken aback by his attitude. She noticed quickly that alcohol had an effect on him and he was more cocky and proud than usual. Her blood turned hot with anger. She raised her voice at him and she was the first one surprised to show such strong emotions. 

"You, yes! But them?! Did you think of them?! There are innocent souls there, civilians, children! Did you think about them? You will turn the world on fire!"

She was accusing him, and Jäwell couldn't stand it. He caught her by the neck. Zuline could see the true nature of the warrior in him, a merciless war dog. She had disgust in her eyes when she realized it. When Jäwell arrived, she allowed herself to believe in him as the logical ruler after Zarkhaïm, she believed in Zarkhaïm's choice. She always believed in Zarkhaïm for everything, but now, she had a broken heart to understand that maybe her beloved eternal friend had made a mistake. 

Jäwell should never have been Zarkhaïm's companion, Miroïr was the one he had chosen, and this prince in front of her was only a mistake. He was violent, bloodthirsty, impulsive, and narcissistic. Zuline was furious mostly at herself for she had trusted the prince. 

He threw her on the floor, and she immediately jumped on her hoofs before she charged him. Jäwell didn't avoid the impact, without seeing it coming, her horns impaled him in an incredible pain that made him sober instantaneously. The size of the Jessadians' horns attested to their position in the hierarchy, the bigger the horns, the more powerful they were. However, Zuline always had the littlest horns Jäwell saw between these people, but at that moment, he lowered his head to watch her charging him as if she was a ferocious angry bull and he noted with surprise that her horns were in reality much larger than he first had thought. 

Zuline was only hiding them, and it was her turn to throw him in the air. Jäwell was projected in the air like a paper doll, he spread his wings to land safely and avoid a crash before he used them to punch her face. Zuline charged again and this time she threw him on the floor, after this she used her powerful hoofs to step on him and pin him to the floor. He caught her leg and bit it strongly with his fangs out. Things started to be bloody, she shot his jaw with her other hoof, and he felt a bit dizzy before slicing her waist with his silver claws. Zuline was as furious at him that her eyes turned fully black, while his eyes were fully red in rage towards her. 

They exchanged a few more punches and blood spread on a large part of the path leading to the castle when they decided to stop before they tried to kill each other for real. 

"I will not let you act without a solid plan," she said, still panting from their fight. 

Jäwell watched her with rage, "I don't want to act without a solid plan!"

Zuline couldn't believe what he said, they were incredibly angry at each other.

"Because you do have a plan?!"

"No, I don't have one, yet. Soon enough!" he answered. 

"You just convinced the civilians to be a militia, they are not soldiers. They will be massacred."

She was still trembling as she said this, hoping he would realize the situation and he would change his mind. 

Jäwell answered with a terrifying detached voice, "The Gods are attacking civilians anyway. It is better if they fight for their land than just dying as worthless prey. They will die with honor!"

Their opinions could not be farther from each other. Anyway, Zuline took a very deep breath to calm herself. She had time to think of something while he was drinking with the other leaders. She clenched her fist, then took another deep breath to collect her thoughts, "We can hide them."

Jäwell seemed to listen, he didn't want to bring civilians into this war even if it looked like he couldn't care less. In reality, he was deeply affected that innocent people would suffer the situation and every other option was to be considered carefully

"I have a plan," she said, " I will help you to finish the awakening of the beast. Then, we will take all the civilians under its protection in one of the light worlds. The time for the war to be over."

He watched her with surprise, "You can shelter so many people?"

She looked up at him with an anxious smile but his concern about the safety of the civilians reassured her.

"There is no choice. I will succeed."