Days turned to weeks as the bloody war raged on. On the blood-soaked battlefield, the air was thick with the metallic scent of the fresh corpses.
The magical beasts lay cold on the ground, their bodies mangled and torn. The same was true for the Magi who had perished as well. After all, no matter how many spells or techniques they had in their arsenal, there would always be casualties.
Some of these corpses were twisted into unnatural shapes, their limbs splayed into impossible angels. It was hideous to look at, to say the least. While others', nothing was left of them. The beasts had already had their fill.
Claw marks gouged deep into the earth along with the footprints of the Magi that had fought tooth and nail to defend the City of Stardale. Here and there, one could see the shattered remnants of the weapons used by the deceased Magi.
Amidst this bloody chaos, the survivors dragged their bodies back inside the city walls with grim determination. Their faces were marred with dirt and blood, their eyes hollow from exhaustion and loss.
They searched for the bodies of their comrades amidst the pile of corpses. Some found them, some didn't. The ones that didn't, broke down completely and mourned their losses.
In a certain part of the battlefield, atop a throne made of corpses, Adam sat down with his eyes closed and his chest heaving up and down. His consciousness was currently inside the mysterious space of the white lotus.
As he glanced at the orbs of light popping up at the boundary, he couldn't help but clench his fists tightly, his eyes flashing with complicated emotions.
The majority of these bright orbs were the souls of the magical beasts. However, every now and then, the soul of a deceased Magi would also appear.
Adam tried his best to control the lotus to not devour the souls of these Magi that he had fought shoulder to shoulder with. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't bend this legendary artifact to his will.
In the end, he could only glance at the souls of these Magi and mutter with sorrow and helplessness, "Please… forgive me."
This thought had never crossed his mind, but after witnessing the scene of the souls of these Magi getting sucked into the mysterious space, he couldn't help but wonder, What if someone dear to me dies around me? Will the lotus still…
He didn't dare to think further.
Adam opened his eyes and glanced at the brutal bloodbath all around him. To say that all this gore and violence wasn't taking a toll on him would be a lie. But what could he do? This was a war he couldn't avoid.
Technically, he could still escape from here. However, the punishment for a deserter was death. He would much rather die fighting the enemy, than by one of his own.
He raised his head and glanced at the gray sky that also seemed to be mourning the senseless violence that had played out below.
The youth's lips parted and he recited a poem.
"In the ravages of war, no victor's song is sung,
"Only tears of loss, from old to young,
"In its cruel grip, all are left to mourn,
"For in the wake of war, only scars are born."
Farald, who happened to be just beneath the mound of corpses that Adam was sitting on, heard his poem and was sent into a daze.
Perhaps, for the rest of his life, this scene of Adam sitting atop a throne of corpses and mourning the loss of his comrades would forever be ingrained in his memory.
It was sad. It was desolate. It was beautiful.
He glanced at the youth and asked softly, "You okay, Adam?"
Adam lowered his head and glanced at the dwarf who was drenched in blood, his body littered with scars big and small. The youth faintly smiled as he got up from his throne.
He walked toward Farald and patted his shoulder, "How are you? Did someone trip over you yet?"
"Hmph, ugly bastard." The dwarf swatted Adam's hand and walked away. "I was a fool to worry about you."
Adam only chuckled in response. He glanced around at the battlefield and finally, his gaze landed on Edward who was kneeling on the ground, surrounded by corpses, and gazing at the setting sun with a listless expression.
Seeing that, Adam couldn't help but sigh as he started to walk toward him. He knew that Edward had been deeply affected by this war. Not physically, but mentally.
Although a Rank 1 Neural Stage Magus' nervous system had been strengthened, their minds hadn't. That was something that only happened at Rank 2 when a Magus formed their spirit sea, resulting in a qualitative change.
Lisa had been very concerned about Edward's mental state. She had even come to Adam to consult about it. From her, the youth learned that Edward would be haunted by nightmares in his moments of rest.
This was a concerning matter. After all, if a person's state of mind wasn't in the best shape, especially during a war, then it could lead to disastrous consequences.
Adam arrived before him and stretched his hand out. "Let's go, fatty."
Edward lowered his head in a mechanical manner. He first glanced at Adam's hand and then finally at him. His lips parted and he muttered weakly, "Adam… how long must we fight?"
Adam was silent, thinking of the right words to say. He took a deep breath and answered, "The war will continue for as long as we resist the natural course of events. Until one side embraces non-resistance, the war will forever go on. But that's not happening now, is it?"
Edward was silent, unable to answer.
"Only when we align our actions with the flow of the Way will the battle cease," Adam continued, his eyes flashing with profound wisdom. "Flowing like water around obstacles and finding peace within the ebb and flow of life's eternal cycles. This is the Way."
The youth paused before chuckling, "But that's easier said than done. Come now, my legs are about to give up."
Edward clasped Adam's hand and got to his feet. As the two slowly made their way into the city, the former asked hopefully, "You still have some of that wine, right?"