Chapter 55:Tail of how behind angels face, stained soul is hidden.

The rally started, and they set on the move. Slowly approaching the area, they will board a ship to travel up the river 'Targo' towards the mountain range called 'Toina valley'.

It took them a day to arrive at the bay where they could land on the ship to travel to the 'Toina valley'. When they arrived huge ship awaited them. It was much bigger than those that were used for trade.

Made of luxurious wood, 30 meters in length, with 2 floors below the deck. As soon as they arrive, they were met by several people that managed the ship.

Just by rough look, it could be said that this ship was nothing short of being one of their flagman that was made especially for the royal family. During this time, when it is still not too cold, the bay of the city was filled with ships, leaving no space for something as big as this.

Baldwin approached the man that looked like captain.

As soon as he did, the captain fell to a knee and greeted the prince. "Greetings to the prince"

Baldwin looked at the man and nodded his head, replying, "Stand up, let's get on the sail fast."

It took a bit of time to board all the soldiers and horses on the ship before they set on the sail and went in the direction of the 'Toina valley'.

August took a seat on the deck, looking around.

The wind was howling, blowing August's hair in all directions. August closed his eyes, enjoying the moment, totally ignoring everyone and everything around.

Then he suddenly heard someone speak behind him.

"August, right?" inquired a charming voice.

Slowly turning around, August looked at the woman in front of him, Francesca. She looked at him with a smile.

"Do you mind being a company for this lady?" inquired Francesca.

August shortly replied "Yes".

He already knew she was the one that wanted him out of the way for whatever the reason, so figuring out why she wanted that, won't be a bad thing.

Both of them moved to the bow of the ship, taking a seat on some barrels that were stationed all around.

"Do you want to talk about something, August?" inquired Francesca, putting a finger on her chin, looking at August through half-closed eyes.

Unexpected to Francesca, she didn't expect questions that would bring up bad memories.

"What it was like when Aelirenn rose against humans and how does it feel to serve work on them after the riot was defeated," inquired August, showing no care in his words.

A smile that was on her face almost instantly disappeared and was replaced with a grin full of sorrow. However, she was not the only one to live through experiences like this.

"How about you share with me, about the events called 'End of Witcher era' or 'Purge of witchers'? We will simply exchange some memories." asked Francesca with challenging eyes.

August, being a gentleman he is replied, "I don't mind, but ladies first"

With a small frustrated sigh, she said, "Are you sure? I don't mind giving you this opportunity"

August showed a forced smile and shook his head, denying her offer.

"It was a terrible and inspiring moment. I was still young at that time and witnessed how Elves gathered up together to show humans what is it like to create genocide and kill innocent souls that never did anything to any of the elves.

Aelirenn was a great elven woman that showed that there is only one way to solve the problem with such a species, such as humans and it is violence. But older-generation never accepted such a path. They were stubborn enough to believe that they can just outlive humans and therefore solve the problem.

Instead of all elves joining their hands together to fight off the human kingdoms that generation after generation were the ones that killed their children, raped their women and used us as scapegoats. Elders called Aelirenn's dreams and goals delusional, unrealistic and impossible.

Even after that, she didn't give up. She gathered around her all of those that got tired of the discrimination of the humans, most of the young elven generation that was eager to fight for their goals and ideals.

She rose the spirit and turned homeless and weak elves into the force that people should have to reckon with."

"So you joined her and destroyed the lives of those that had no part in anything that happened to the elven race, instead of choosing the path that will lead you to less death and violence you choose the path that will lead to the extinction?" inquired August, showing no fear of saying words that could spice up the dialogue.

"All of them are guilty!" said Francesca in high tones, standing up and looking towards August with eyes full of anger, but almost immediately everything disappeared and she regained her posture.

"I didn't take the lives of those that were innocent. I fought along with my brothers against oppressors, that generation after generation was leading my race to extinction. I fought against those that wished to fight for their hate towards us" explained Francesca denying taking part in something like the genocide of the entire villages of people that had little concern about life and ideals, but their food quantity and how to make it alive in next year.

"So what did you do?" inquired August.

"I fought along with others, against human armies that were targeting our kind, trying to exterminate all the remaining elves," explained Francesca

"I heard that Aelirenn targeted Temeria that never was hostile to those of your kind, therefore forcing them to fight back," said August

"There was no such a thing. They were the ones to attack us first." denied Francesca

August looked her right in the eyes, before closing his eyes, focusing on her story and her role in the story.

August's head turned heavy as he fell into a void of events

[Vision]

Opening his eyes, August saw forests all around. Everything seemed silent until a war cry resonated around the area.

Thousands of elves rose up from the bushes, on the trees and rushed towards the exit of the forest.

In the middle of everything, he saw a woman that didn't wear a green dress like when he met her, no she was dressed in something that looked like armour. Following behind, August saw how close to the forest was a big village with hundreds of houses.

Looked in the direction of the elves that were rushing in the direction of the village, with bloodshot eyes like a beast. In the middle one leading them was Francesca. She stood there with eyes focused and shouted in a strong voice.

"Leave nobody alive. They will pay for their sins with their blood. Have no mercy on either woman or children"

Elves rushed at the village, setting houses on fire, killing those that were able to escape from the raging fire, that enveloped the entire settlement.

Minute after minute, fewer and fewer people were left alive. The entire area got filled with crying shouts and pleading voices.

However, nobody was able to stop what was coming. Elves' attack was sudden and prepared and planned beforehand. To kill everyone, not letting them prepare for anything, giving no chance for an escape. The same way that once humans did to them.

Francesca calmly walked through the empty streets, enjoying the surrounding cries. With a magic amplified voice, she shouted, "That is what you deserve for those that died because your soldiers exterminated every single elf they saw on their path, no matter child or pregnant woman. That is what you deserve for those actions"

The massacre continued until nothing was left, no houses that could be used for living and no more screams of agony.

One of the elves arrived close to Francesca. She was a leader of this rally, which was responsible for exterminating villages, while other groups do the same around the world.

"Maam, can we make a pause? I know that this is important, but it is hard to handle killing all of those people. They were clueless about why they were killed. Their children that couldn't even walk or speak didn't do anything!" said an elf with his head pointed towards the ground.

Francesca looked toward the young elf and commanded "Rise your head"

The elf did as she said and looked in her eyes, which were devoid of any emotions.

*Slap*

She slapped him, shocking others that were around.

"Do you want to see your friends will be set on fire?" inquired Francesca in high tones with some anger.

"No" silently replied the elf.

"Do you want to see your mother being raped in front of you and then burn alive?" inquired Francesca in an even more powerful voice.

"no" silently replied the elf

*Slap*

"I DON'T HEAR YOU. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE ALL HUMILIATION? DO YOU WANT TO SEE EVERYONE AROUND YOU DIE? DO YOU WANT TO BE A SLAVE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? LIFE IN THE SEWERS IN THE CITIES OF THOSE THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ENTIRE RACE DEMISE? DO YOU WANT TO LIVE LIKE A BEGGAR AND DIE LIKE A COWARD?" shouted Francesca

Raising with head with tears in his eyes elf shouted "NO"

"I don't hear you," said Francesca

Hundreds of voices joined together and created a powerful shout "NO"

"Will you fight and kill those that oppressed us for centuries?" inquired Francesca, looking around

Even more, voices joined together, creating a magnificent picture of thousands of elves shouting "YES" "YES" "YES"

Raising her hand in the air, everyone became silent

"Then get yourself together and let's show them what the price for their past actions is!" announced Francesca.

[End of Vision]

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Explanations of the August ability will be in the next chapter.

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