Slavery. That’s why you were kept alive in Golyn Niis when so many other men and women had died. They had assaulted you for days, and you would black out and wake up to find a new man—or the same—in you. They would call you public toilets. Women were tortured, assaulted , forced to bear pain. There were bloody messes and you were forced to mop it up.

When Golyn Niis was burned to the ground, you were put in a relaxation house to heal. But no amount of time or energy or effort could heal all that you saw. Still, people tried for you and for other people that were healing. Everyone got their own rooms for privacy and relaxation, but the house was anything but. It wouldn’t erase the images engraved into the minds of those young and healthy and those old and frail.

Three months later and Nezha had his own army with the help of Jinza, his older brother, and Vaisra, his father. The Cike, formerly, and other soldiers scientists, and doctors who all contributed into helping take down the empress, Su Daji. She had given the Nikara people to the Mungese, betraying the trust of the nation.

Nezha worked with his army to formulate a carefully thought out plan to bring Su Daji down.

Three fleets were preparing to sail out from the Red Cliffs. The first, commanded by Jinzha, would go up the Murui through the center of Hare Province, the agricultural heartland of the north. The second fleet, led by Tsolin and General Hu, would race up the rugged coastline around Snake Province to destroy Tiger Province ships before they could be deployed inland to fend off the main vanguard.

Combined, they were to squeeze the northeastern provinces between the inland attack and the coast. Daji would be forced to fight an enemy on two fronts, and both over water. In terms of sheer manpower, the Republic was still outnumbered. The Militia had tens of thousands of men on the Republican Army. But if Vaisra’s fleet did its job, and if the Hesperians kept their word, there was a good chance they might win this war.

Nezha and his army were about to leave when he heard your familiar voice calling out to him. He turned and saw you running barefoot down the pier with a crossbow clutched to your chest. He knew you wanted to go with him. To fight like you used to before Golyn Niis, but he didn’t think it was in your best interest to exert yourself. He couldn’t protect you out there if he couldn’t see you at all times.

He was concerned for you. You weren’t even wearing a uniform, and he didn’t consider you a soldier. “No,” he says before you can even talk. “You’re not fighting with us. You can’t even lift your left arm up completely. Go back or i’ll have someone drag you back. Come on, meimei.” he pleaded, not wanting things to take a turn. Meimei. Little sister. Not by blood, but by virtue of the closeness of their families.