This story is part of the Wanderer series.
The two men raised their heads as the curtain moved aside. The brown-haired colonel stepped into the tent, his face dark and grim.
“Welcome back.”
Ueki, standing at the head of the small war table, uncrossed his arms. Tullius did not respond, walking silently over to his seat. Sitting down, he propped his elbows on the table and looked over the laid-out map.
“Well?” Ueki said after a moment. “Any luck?”
Tullius did not move, remaining in his posture. “Nothing.”
With a breath out, Ueki leaned back and sat down in his own chair. “It was to be expected, I suppose.”
Katsuo, too, leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. Brows seemingly furrowed, he looked uninterested in the conversation.
“Truthfully, I held the belief there would be some survivors. But, I suppose the stone buildings do no favors.”
“There were survivors,” Tullius clarified. “Though they may as well be breathing corpses.”
Ueki stared at him long and hard, scanning his blank face. “You have my condolences. Truly.”
Tullius continued to gaze silently forward. “They were not my countrymen. But we do share a heritage.”
Sighing, he finally sat back.
“Perchance there was something more I could have done for them.”
Seeing the colonel open his face back to the room, Ueki straightened his head to meet him. “Unlikely. The princess has not been herself lately.”
In the corner, there was a loud crackle as the fuel in the small brazier collapsed and settled.
“Unless you could get them to agree to her terms. She has been… unforgiving.”
Ueki gazed over to the curtained entrance of the tent.
“I remember the first time I witnessed her execute such a devastating strike.”
He shook his head.
“This is war. This is what Wanderers are. Avatars of destruction.”
Abruptly, Katsuo, eyes still closed, ejects a short laugh. Ueki, slightly surprised, flicked his eyes over to the bright haired man.
“I do not mean to slight you, Colonel.”
“I don’t care.” Sitting forward, but keeping his arms crossed, he dipped his chin, wiping the brief smile off his face. “As long as the mission is achieved and we can move on with our lives, I will be an avatar of anything.”
Finally, he opened his eyes and gazed straight forward at the foreign man sitting across from him.
“The True Shattered Star is just a means to an end.”
Tullius returned his gaze with no emotion, keeping his face behind his cross fingers.
Ueki too stared at the mage colonel, forehead slightly furrowing. “Are we truly going to destroy every city we come across this way? Regardless of the conditions of their resistance?”
Katsuo did not answer him. Instead, he closed his eyes again, indicating his disinterest.
“How many times has it been now?”
“I don’t question the witch,” Katsuo finally growled. “Nor do I stand in her way.”
Seeing his angst, Ueki held back from challenging him further.
“It is as you said. She has changed since those bastards killed her uncle.”
The tent went silent again.
“There is a heart under there still.”
Hearing him murmur, Ueki glanced at the brown haired colonel.
“Her Highness can still spare some heart,” Tullius said, louder this time. Recalling the night before, he was sure of himself. “She simply needs someone to help relinquish her of her anguish.”