Pheirdhu

Huuirr

"We did good today, men. The Dathu and Amigon will be pleased."

"Where's our next destination, Commandier?"

"We'll wait for orders, until then repose."

Mellyn returned after a successful transaction with Dathu Quarud. She knows that within minutes, their plan would kick in.  The Mana Coders Kraeinirr built will no doubt usher in a new era. For now, they must wait.

"Commandier! Commandier!"

"What is it?!"

"It's the Engineer, he's not in his hut!"

"What?! Search the area. He must not reach the Commune!"

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"Finally, I got away from those guys. They're beginning to get clingy."

Amidst the chaos, Kraeinirr managed to sneak past the warriors guarding him. He simply must know what good his machines will do. He bought Clan, a bulky, life - size mecha he built for transportation, and defense. The area surrounding Beret was a marsh. Large mangroves with vines clinging, the waters were murky and green, the clime hot and humid and almost no light enters the place. It was hard to believe that a marvelous place like Beret would be built upon a ravaged field.

Within minutes, he reached the walls of the Commune, but something was wrong.  He could see lights flickering, Sapirs  screaming and sounds of machines. 

"Something's not right here...."

Kraeinnir knew those screams and lights were not good signs. As he went closer, he knew that what he will abouts to see would change him forever. It would open paths to the truth as he knew it.

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"Ma'am, I have just recieved word that Valkyrie is oficially a-go on Beret."

"Good, but what about him?"

"Still no sign of him Ma'am. Although we did find out that he took his Trekker with him."

".........Gather all troops near Beret. I have a feeling curiosity got the best of him. Remember, bring him back alive and......he must NOT see Valkyrie!"

"Yes, Commandier!"

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"Slaughter, Slaughter, Slaughter, leave no one ALIVE!!!!"

Blood littered everywhere. What was once a beautiful Commune turned to a bloodshed. Bodies were mutilated, children were burnt, buildings were devastated. Quarud has ordered his men to retire anyone with a high proliferation of Mana, the source of all. His warriors used the Mana Coders given to them to sleuth anyong who was a Manaphyte. Anyone who wasn't was killed regardless, as ordered. Manaphytes were killed differently. They would suck out the entire Mana in them, leaving them void and lifeless.

"Dathu, why are you doing this?!"

"Why hello little girl, what's your name?"

"Jole..."

"Hello Jole, oyu see, everyone who died was bad. They need to die because bad people will do bad things."

"......."

"Come closer, Jole."

The Mana Coder beeped. Quarud grinned. Without warning, he jabbed a long needle atached to the device on Jole. The girl screeched. Crystal-clear energy poured out of the pour little girl. The extraction was just as painful, if not more, as physical torture. In minutes, Jole was nothing but a wrinkled, disfigured and grotesque corpse. Quarud laughed. Flames engulfed Beret. He did not mind. Losing these worthless people and his Commune was nothing compared to having fun like this.

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"I-it  can't be..."

Kraeinirr saw everything. He saw how Beret fell at the hands of her own Dathu. Every detail was registered in his mind. He saw the warriors using his device in this bloody massacre. Men, women, elderly and young, no one was spared from this Holocaust. 

"What the hell are they doing...."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING?!"

Kareinirr saw Quarud killing a little girl. He saw the soldiers left and right mutilating and decapitating anyone in their path. They all did it with a calm face, like their hunting a common animal save Quarud, who thinks this is nothing but a game.

"Stop."

He couldn't do anything. The devices he was proud of. The very things he built, were being used as tools of destruction, and he didn't even stop. In fact, he was happy while doing it. He thought is was for creating stronger bonds with the Communes. Here he was, hiding behind brambles, away from sight whilst Beretians were dying. He wanted to help, to smash the skull of that demon Quarud. To ram anyone holding a sword. but he just sat there. 

"Quarud!!!"

"Mellyn, my my, I thought you've departed."

"And miss these incredible paly? No. Those screams, these blood.... What grandeur!"

"Is that all you've come for?"

"Have you seen a young boy with orange-red hair, probably wandering aroung with a tank-like contraption?"

"Why no I haven't."

"If you do, tame your sword. The Mana Coders you use were created by him. He's needed."

"You have my word."

Kraeinirr could not believe it. Mellyn was just like Quarud. A psychopath. He believed him, and grew fond of her, to just find out a deranged beast hidden behind a soft exterior. He had enough, He couldn't and can't do anything now. If he confronted them, he'll just lose and be forced to make more Mana Coders. Once they're through with him, they'll just kill him off. It'll just be easy for them.

He climbed onto Clan, and ran away. Ran away from the chaos, from the blood shed, from everything. Tears in his eyes, he ran past the marsh. He just wanted to get away from there. As he went on, he thought, will there be a place for him, after inavertedly claiming innocent lives?

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"Alch, Alch you there?"

"Ancisca, what's up?"

"It's Beret, it's gone..."

"Huh?!"

"Beret's been destroyed, no one survived. Officials from the High Treaty are already discussing about it."

"How'd you know 'bout this?"

"Open you Visional!"

"Got it. Mom, Dad, Beret's------"

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"Yourhia!!!"

"Deararie!!!!"

"Quair, Hagel, what's all the screaming about?"

"Where have you been?"

"I was over at the Cellyard. The poor Elven's Taming is about to start in 20 minutes. What's wrong? I have to stop them from abusing him....."

"It's Beret."

"What about it Hagel?"

"A massive genocide happened there. Everything was destroyed, the High Treaty announced there's a high chance no one survived."

"What?! That is were my Father and Mother live, you would not think------"

"Don't be negative Yourhia, let us hear from the Dathu."

"But the Elven..."

"It can wait, come now."

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Everyone from the West Border has already caught wind of the Beret Genocide.