With the head guard joining the war, the direction of the wind reversed. Realizing the situation, the gang leader dodged among the warriors with vague movements and quickly ran away into the forest and disappeared.
When the archers in the tree saw the gang leader running away, they abandoned their positions and followed the gang leader. The ones who remained behind had no chance. After a while, they all fell where they stood like cut trees.
When everything finally calmed down, the head guard gathered his subordinates together and checked their conditions. They had nothing but minor injuries. After everyone took their pills to stop bleeding for first aid, the head guard turned towards the dead gang members. He couldn't help but grumble at the dead bodies he saw.
- Death is an inevitable end in war. What matters is what you die for. Is it better to die while greedily pursuing things that do not belong to you, or to die while protecting things you value?
It's just a matter of choice. For a warrior, an honorable death should be more valuable than anything else...
Then he took two of his subordinates with him and went into the forest and checked the battlefield. As he passed through the dead, he looked at the gang members with disgust. When he looked at his own men, his eyes were filled with sadness.
The head guard passed through the dead gang members and stood in front of his subordinate who died heroically. He bowed. He closed the eyes of his subordinate who had his eyes open.
- You lived an honorable death. Puff out your chest and hold your head high. Walk with pride. Don't forget that you take honor with you wherever you go. May your path be clear, my friend. May honorable warriors be your companions... Goodbye.
Then he picked him up and carried him in his arms to the provisions carriage. Now all his subordinates who died were side by side. Five of his six subordinates died with honor, but Neil was different. He wanted to put him where the gang members were, but for the sake of the time they spent together, he did not separate him from the group.
More than half of his subordinates had died in this battle. The head guard turned his head and looked at the dead gang members. While he was counting them, his subordinates brought three more gang members, one living and two dead. His sharp and deadly gaze caught the living gang member instantly. Just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly stopped and regained his composure.
- Tie him up tightly and don't let him escape. He will be our prisoner until the capital. Make sure he doesn't die. I want him to be alive when we hand him over to the authorities.
While the guards were taking away the gang member they found at the top of the tree, the guard chief was looking at the corpses of the gang members. Two large gang members caught his attention. These were the members who blocked the road. While thinking that his men were doing a good job, he noticed that there were no sword wounds on them.
All of his men had swords. Then this… To make sure, he turned the men over and looked at his back. He thought there might be a few sword wounds there, but instead of a sword wound, he found a deep stab wound on the back of their necks. Neil had the same wound. It was obvious that Han did this. His eyes immediately looked for Han, but Han was far away, where the servants were.
This battle revealed the young man's talent. Memory loss cannot prevent talent. This boy knows how to fight. Maybe this battle will restore his memory. Who knows? He had placed Han in the front carriage to die, but it seemed that Han had been the greatest help to the caravan.
While the head guard was dealing with the dead, the guards who had been searching the battlefield for the dead returned and reported that there were no more dead around. The Chief searched all the dead and collected everything they had on them. He took all the potentially valuable information and loot with him to examine later.
…
There was an extra hatch on the back of the provisions carriage. They laid it down and secured it to the food wagon to create a flat surface. This hatch was for the extra items they would take from the capital, but now they would use it to carry the dead. They piled all the dead on top of the hatch they laid down and covered them with a tent so that no one could see them.
Nine of the seventeen horses were dead and three were injured. On Turgay Heriston's instructions, all the dead horses were dragged into the forest and left far enough away from the road to be food for wild animals.
The injured horses were separated and the healthy horses were all hitched to pull the carriages. Injured horses were treated first, but no one rode them. When the caravan set off again, the three injured horses were tied to the back of the servant's carriage.
The caravan moved again and headed towards the capital. When they left the forest and reached the entrance to the capital, the sun had already set. The gates of the capital were only open from sunrise to sunset. Therefore, they could not enter the capital.
A three-hour delay due to the ambush cost them a day. But it was okay. Tonight is a full moon. It is a good night to remember their fallen friends but a very sad one too. The head guard led the caravan and they set up camp in the large area outside the entrance gate.
With the head guard's instructions, Han and a few guards scattered around to collect dry wood. They came back with wood a little later, but it was not enough. After a few trips, all the wood collected was gathered together and arranged in the shape of a cone in the middle of the camp.
In the meantime, the meal was prepared. After everyone ate their meal in silence, Turgay Heriston stood up. He approached the wood pile with a glass of wine in his hand. At this time, the head guard ignited the collected wood. When the flame grew strong enough, Turgay Heriston began to speak.
- This fire was lit in the name of our heroes who died while protecting us. The fire of heroes... Let it be a light for them wherever they go and illuminate their path.
We will not forget them and we will remember and commemorate our heroes again with every fire that is lit.
They gave us a valuable life. We will not this live it as if we did not care about it. We will know that this life is a gift left to us by them. How can we forget? The payment for this gift was made with blood.
In return for the gift, we will take care of what they left behind. Just as we were protected, we will protect them and never leave them alone. Because they have now become our family and dear friends.
Your trust is with us. We will look after them like our eyes. (Turgay Heriston took a sip from his glass and sprinkled the rest on the fire.) You go in peace. May your path be clear. Our prayers are always with you...
As Turgay Heriston sat down, everyone took a sip from their glasses and sprinkled the rest on the fire. The flames from the wood fire increased and rose scattering sparks into the sky. While the fire of the dead illuminated the night, the eyes of those who survived the war were filled with sorrow...
…
It was a ritual among soldiers to light a fire after the dead. But soldiers never poured wine on the fire. The custom of pouring wine was practiced among adventurers. They would take a sip of their drink after their fallen comrades and pour the rest on the ground.
The head guard, two generations before John, had a military background. He was the one who lit the first fire for his dead comrades. But, his subordinates followed the adventurer traditions. They took a sip of their drink in front of the fire and sprinkled the rest on the fire. Since that day, lighting a fire and pouring wine on it in memory of the dead has become a tradition.
...
When the fire lost its splendor and began to shrink, Turgay Heriston came to the head guard who was absently looking at the fire.
- John, thank you for everything. Without you and your men, we definitely would not have survived the ambush. I cannot fully repay you for your dedication and efforts, but I want you to know that I will support you financially at least.
I am not an ungrateful man. Tell your men that I thank you too. When we return, I will fulfill this promise.
- Thank you, sir. After all, this is our duty.
- No, that is not true. I saw how your men fought while I was shivering in the carriage. Don't consider it as a duty. This was something superior.
- (The head guar turned to Turgay Heriston.) Actually, you observed correctly. We have been together for years and now this clan has become our family. And protecting the family is the responsibility of every member of the family. Isn't it? They were just protecting their families. And they succeeded it.
- Yes, they did. As you said, even though our positions were different, we grew up together in the same family. I never saw you and your men as outsiders. I want you to know that you and your men are very important to this family. I will never leave your efforts unrewarded.
The two of them watched the fire silently for a while. And they did not speak until the fire had grown smaller. As the fire was about to go out, Turgay Heriston started talking about the uncertainty in his mind.
- John, what are we going to do about Han? I know that his responsibility is entirely mine, but when we enter the capital tomorrow, I cannot take him with me. It is not right for me to introduce a stranger to high-level environments. I cannot leave him behind, alone…
- Yes, you are right. I thought about that too. Han cannot come to the meetings with us, so I will give him to Eren. As you know, one of Eren's relatives lives in the capital.
- You thought well. You saved me from a great burden. Thank you…
- ... ... ...
Finally, the fire lit for those who died with honor went out and the camp was plunged into the darkness of night. After a hard day, even if they never want to, everyone surrendered themselves to the night and the sadness it brought...