Chapter 20: Report Diary

This is a diary report from the garrison commander of the besieged fort, it reads the following.

"Day 5 of the siege, when we saw the army of Spehenicos we immedietly harvested all crops that were growing, even those who were not yet mature, we brought all animals inside, we filled the wells in the villages close by. We can't afford to let the enemy have any easy supplies or we would starve before the first enemy supply cart came.

Day 10 of the siege, we have been living in tight rations, the situation with food wouldn't be a problem for another two weeks or so. But the people are growing ever more nervous, this unrest won't do us any good. I really hope they don't start to mutiny, but I feel we will be safe for now.

Day 14 of the siege, the constant beating and shouting at night is making me so tired, everynight they would beat pans and shout and make noise that even the demons would hate, I have to keep it together.

Day 17 of the siege, I received some reports of scratching close by the river that flows by the fort. We have tight bars on both ends but I'm afraid that they might be trying to flood the city.

Day 19 of the siege, The Sun favored us today! Those bastards of Spehenicos tried to flood the city only to flood their own camp instead! I hope this luck continue.

Day 23 of the siege, the enemy army tried to break in today again, today's attack was stronger than normal, we lost quite a bit of men, I'm afraid we will have to recruit the common people for defence.

Day 26 of the siege, the food reserves are empty and those bastards are throwing their shit on the river, the water runs brown, there are various outbreaks of disease. The most dangerous is one that gives one a great amount of diarrhea, after a day or so they are dead, when you look at their wounds you can see the blood all dry.

Day 34 of the siege, where, in the name of all that's good, is the reinforcements?! Will they abandon the fort? We have been drinking the blood of donkeys, and I heard that some people are calling cats "roof rabbits".

Day 38 of the siege, the commoners started a mutiny, while we were able to supress it the morale couldn't be lower. I'm afraid that we will have to surrender soon.

Day 47 of the siege, finally we have notice of the reinforcements, it seems that in some weeks forces will come to relive the fort.

Day 54 of the siege, I want to go home already! I can't do this anymore! Half of the troops are so week that they can't even run straight. I don't know what to do!

Day 58 of the siege, the reinforcements finally arrived! We got information that the army is within a day time to arrive at the fort! Finally, finally.

Day 61 of the siege, where are this fucking army!? They should have arrived 3 days ago! Have we really been forsaken?

Day 62 of the siege, finally! The army arrived, they attacked the back of the enemy in a surprise attack, hopefully this will end soon."

Slowly through the pages the letters become more aggressive in form and the final pages are wet from tears, both from despair and hope.

The garrison commander of this fort during this siege has had many mental breakdowns and panic attacks. The lack of sleep, the attack after attack from the enemy, the constant fear of an uprising and the lack of food and water together with the sight of death from disease, battle and suicide, it felt like a living hell.

Over the days the commander would not let go of the diary, it was the only thing giving him solace in this chaotic situation.

In greek mythology there is the story of pandora's box, the first woman, created by the gods to punish menkind for stealing the fire of the sun. Pandora was then married to Epimitheus, afterthought, and was given a box by the gods, who said never to open it. Year after year passed, and the box wasn't open, but curiosity plagued Pandora and one day she opened it. From it came hate, jealousy, envy, grudge and all the sorrows that plague the lives of mortals, but after all the sorrows left the box one thing remained ,hope, the greatest blessing or the greatest sorrow, for it's hope that let's humankind endure all other sorrows.

War is the way society is created, if you go back, way back, to when humans used stone tools had just started to build permanent homes, what united those various tribes? One that was stronger and made the others their subject. War united the various cummunities and with time merged one with another. That's how the tiny city states that existed in the early cooper age became the giants society of the bronze age when great monuments were built like the pyramids, when kings were divine and absolute and when in the east of the mediterranean there were societies that couldn't survive if there was no trade.

Yet, war is also a curse, something that destroys the land, kills fathers, sons, friends and family and brings the worse instincts of those with sapience to the surfice, in war the men rape, pillage and plunder, torture and steal, they raise homes to the ground and when the flames of war have passed through a location one can go there and see families broken on one's feet.

And this is the world that this story will live in.