History

Some may argue that history is something deep beneath us, beyond the reach of the human hand. By definition, the concept of history is one that can be associated with people, cities, events... in other words, an infinite number of things.

From legendary battles in which both parties fought to the death in the most honorable of ways, to even the most common folktales told across the land, they all have one thing in common: they all etched their identities in fate—in other words, they are the steps that humanity left on the mud of history.

Don't you find it fascinating that anything and everything you see has the potential to become something much bigger than us?

Unlike many, I have a bit of fondness towards these themes.

Put yourself in the shoes of a hundred years ago's mighty emperor, who was struggling to keep his empire afloat. When word of this spreads and reaches the ears of neighbors, they see it as an ideal opportunity to expand their domain and strike while the iron is hot.

The secrets we want to keep the most are every so often the first to be revealed, after all.

As if it were any other day, the Emperor sits in his office, immersed in his quest for a means to escape the difficulty that stood in the path of his light, when one of the servants gives him something.

This couldn't get any worse, could it now?

The hardships were immense, the trouble seemingly endless.

There was an envelope in front of this Emperor with a peculiar emblem on its wax seal. It didn't appear to be engraved the same manner as the one in his Empire.

Even so, it may be something quite significant. In moments of despair, even the smallest of hopes may be used as weapons to combat what is in front of you.

But little did he realize that once he opened it, he'd be confronted with the worst of his worries.

"…We hereby declare the overtaking of (…) as a fraction to be added to the Empire of (…). Resistance will be met with bloodshed, and mercy shall not exist within the steel of our swords."

An ultimatum.

"Aah!"

Before he had even finished reading the letter's contents, his rage, triggered by nothing more than a sheet of paper, ripped it apart in an instant.

"…So much for a piece of paper, eh?"

Hope—A solution to everything, perhaps?

…Good joke.

He only dug a deeper pit of anguish for himself. Were the gods laughing at him as terror seeped into the Emperor's empty veins? There has to be a way out of this... or so he reasoned.

"Is the army ready to defend the Empire from a possible invasion?"

"I'm afraid not, your highness… Our resources have been very limited since last year due to the crisis. We are dramatically outnumbered from a complete and proficient army. We cannot afford a war of such a scale."

"…"

The hush that permeated the room did not sound appealing to the servant who found himself close to his lord.

"What chances do we have to win against them?"

He was terrified. He didn't want to say anything.

The servant's inner self did not want to answer this question. It felt as if the instant he said a single syllable, his heart would plunge into the lowest pit of darkness—

But he had to do it for his lord—his rescuer.

He had to endure the agony of those words.

"…Little to none, sir."

The answer, as predicted, was terrifying enough to send chills down the Emperor's spine. He hadn't embraced the fact yet. Everything he was presently viewing appeared to be a nightmare.

But in fact, no dream lasts that long.

Your eyes will eventually be opened to the unpleasant realities of reality.

There were only two ways out of the inferno he was gently putting his foot on. Give in to the enemy's demands and bring your heinous tyranny to a peaceful, but terrible conclusion, or...

No. That's a lie. The biggest of all lies.

There was but one path, one option. All others were only manifestations of our weakness and cowardice—a delusion.

It didn't exist.

"We shall face them. As long as I see no circle in our odds, I will not give into them! The enemy's ultimatum was written precisely to lower our hopes of victory! The future hasn't been decided, but if we don't act quick enough, it will without a doubt turn a blind eye to us!"

"Your highness…!"

"Inform all citizens to take shelter immediately! And to those who can fight, have them report to the Army's Headquarters without a moment's notice!"

"Y-Yes, your highness!"

"Our nation shall not fall today!"

He cares, he understands, he guides. But most importantly…

—He rules.

It is the duty of an Emperor to rule and aid his nation, no matter the situation they find themselves in.

Now, to speak of the result… Well, I'm pretty sure you have already guessed it.

They battled with great tenacity. They temporarily halted the edge on their side, but it was all for naught in the end.

A crushing defeat, as described by the people of that time. Everyone was killed, and the Emperor met his unfortunate end as he swallowed the words of promise he so mightly spouted.

Then, what made this "event" become one with history? Was it the fact that the enemy empire won the war… or perhaps just the war itself?

I don't believe that is the case—none of it really matters. Weren't there already many wars that ended with one or another winning? The question is, do they even stand to gain anything from that?

Of course not. Out of war only come ashes. It has been evidenced over and over again. We just pretend that we don't understand the bigger picture.

Then what is the correct answer to the question, that will lead us on a better path?

"Evolution."

That's my answer—Nagano Kitaro's answer.

Before I go any further, I must state that this is only my opinion on the subject. You may have a different point of view, which I completely understand.

If you look at the lines of evolution and history at the same time, you'd be surprised how often they both match up on different examples.

The Emperor realized it was all for naught in the end. So why did he even try to fight back? In the letter, hadn't the enemy warned against any resistance?

It's hilarious. Truly.

You see, those who think beyond what is normal leave a mark on the path of history, not those who are smart or strong.

These people were undoubtedly referred to as "madmen" at least once or twice during their lives.

He lived on to become a legend precisely because he made a decision that was deemed "suicide." For that, he was deemed a madman.

In that history of that country, the Emperor was remembered as the one who fought until the inevitable bitter end—Until the last drop of his blood was spilled.

He failed to deliver on his promises. But he accomplished something more... something bigger that he didn't realize at the time.

...

Wouldn't it be nice if everything we left to future generations had such noble intentions?

Too convenient.

The truth is painful to hear, but it must be spoken. Without it, we are nothing more than pawns in the hands of a larger deception.

There was a never-ending conflict a long, long time ago. Many were slain, many were lost, and many were left with nothing. But that paled in comparison to what it created.

This conflict would later be recognized as the "Ultimate War of the End".

The ultimate reason—to why our world was lost, never to be restored. History is marked not only by wonderful things, but also by things like these.

Where fears become facts. Where nightmares become truth.

In a world that is grey, become the cause for its color.

Paint the world with the vitality that once oozed from its surface.