Loved by Fate ? - Adventures of Sinbad [Sinbad x OC]

6 - Military Service

Yunan and Reana, having just arrived at the scene, were taken aback by the sight before them. Unable to comprehend the situation fully, Yunan turned to the villagers for answers, seeking understanding in the midst of chaos. "This... What exactly is going on?"

"Sinbad received the notice to enlist in the military..." a woman began, her voice filled with anger. "But when Sin refused... those soldiers started to get violent!" another villager chimed in, her voice quivering with a mixture of fear and frustration.

"What are you doing to big brother Sin?" a young child cried out, his innocence unable to comprehend the cruelty unfolding before him.

The soldiers, irked by the villagers' defiance and hostility, barked at them.

"Shut up! Be quiet!! What are you looking at!?"
"Get back to your own work!!"

 Being met with the hostile stares, they no longer pointed their weapons at Sinbad, so they could be ready in case of revolt. But the villagers stood their ground, their gazes filled with righteous anger and solidarity.

"Hmph... This village is nothing but women and children, huh... There isn't much workforce left in this village that we can use. We should report this to the higher-ups," Dragul remarked, his voice filled with contempt for the villagers.

"Yes, sir!" the soldiers replied in unison, their loyalty unwavering.

Sinbad, his face stained with dirt and blood, mustered the strength to call out to them. "...Hey... Wait...". He slowly got up and stared firmly at them.  "Just women and children...? Not much workforce...? Just what do you take us for...?" Sinbad's voice quivered with a mix of anger and determination.

The villagers were beaming at him, hope filling their eyes."Exactly as I said...?" Dragul said. "For a country, its citizens are a valuable workforce. Isn't it only natural for everyone to work blood, sweat, and tears for the war? You too, should learn what a real workforce is from observing other citizens... Which means military service!!"

Clenching his fists, Sinbad growled "The real workforce is... military service, you say?" Then higher "That's... not a workforce at all! My father was deployed and never came back... Along with all the other men in the village. We aren't just some tools for this war! I... There's no way I'll ever enlist!!"

The villagers were standing tall beside Sinbad, united in their resistance. They had been silent for too long, and now their voices rose as one.

"That's right..."
"Just what Sin said!"
"We've always felt this way!!"
"We aren't just tools for this war!!"
"This war just causes suffering for us!!"

Sinbad's words had ignited a spark within them, empowering them to challenge the oppressive system that sought to claim their lives. Their voices echoed through the village square, drowning out the arrogance of the soldiers.

The soldiers floundered in the face of the villagers' fervor. They exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of how to quell the rising tide of defiance.

"What's with them?" one soldier stammered, his confidence wavering. "The other villages obeyed quietly... Why are they putting up such a fight?" the other soldier questioned, his voice laced with uncertainty. "What should we do, commander Dragul!?"

But Dragul remained unfazed, smirking at Sinbad with a calculated superiority. "You can fuss all you want, but you can't escape drafting orders when they come... Right, Sinbad?" he taunted, rendering the villagers speechless and wide-eyed.

The commander continued, his tone smug and self-assured, "Understand? Partevia requires your services. You all should know already, the existence of 'the dungeon'. This country's magicians say there is a power residing there that far surpasses that of human intelligence. It is a power that can greatly influence the direction of this war. We must get our hands on that power, no matter what!! That is an imperial order from His Majesty!!"

"Sinbad..." he pointed a finger at the purple haired young an. "In the end... your father was deployed after all, right?" he taunted, his words a final blow to Sinbad's already fragile composure.

"In the end, that's how it is. You should know this," the commander added, his smug tone slicing through the air. With a smirk, he turned away and left, leaving behind a trail of despair and uncertainty.

As the weight of Dragul's words settled upon them, a sense of resignation washed over the villagers. They knew the harsh reality of their situation, the impossibility of evading the war machine that sought to consume them.

"... No way... No matter what we do, we can't escape the war," an elderly woman sobbed, her grief palpable.

"Even after everything Badr taught us..." a younger woman whispered, her voice filled with a mix of sorrow and anger.

Amidst the chaos of emotions, a young boy screamed, clinging desperately to Sinbad. "I don't want you to go, big brother Sin!!", his tiny hands gripping Sinbad's clothes.

A/N: Hello ! Another quick one with few changes. Enjoy :)