Swords were raised and shields were held tight. Every soldier knew the reason they were there and exactly what they were fighting for. It was now or never. Today was the day that would determine the fate of their race. Their faces were painted, not with fear but with pride as they held their national flag high towards the sky. The battlefield was set, the China’s forces would attack the enemy from two directions, forcing the enemy to split their man power; it was all well planned. From the north, an infantry army of ten thousand built men of all shapes and sizes stood in three even squares on top of the hill overlooking their beloved capital city – Beijing, which was captured by their enemy – the Great Britain army. While another army of ten thousand men would attack from the south with heavy machinery from the woods behind the capital. It wouldn’t be an easy task, as the capital fortress had the strongest wall and had plenty of shooting holes for archers to prevent trespassers from nearing, but it was their home and they were determined to get her back. With every breath they took, the flame within their hearts burned brighter; morale rising to its peak, they were ready.
Two countries that were once friends had now become sworn enemies. The people were too foolish to differentiate themselves from the westerners and many decided that integrating was the nobler choice. Traditional Chinese hawker stores became western burger stalls as people laid down their chopsticks to pick up a fork and a knife, which slit a line right through our culture and heritage. Little did they all know the consequences that awaited them at the finish line.
“Charge the enemy!”
Running down the hill increased our momentum. It wasn’t long before we came within range of the enemy’s archers. I held my shield high above the ground to shield my face from the incoming shower of arrows. I cautiously made my way forward; with my shield blocking my vision, my only hope was to navigate using the ground beneath me. Every “swish” that passed above me was followed by a soft “urgh”. I knew there was no turning back now; it was either do or die. Every patriotic soldier we lost was fuel to our cause, every friend that fell was a message for us to continue. I could hear our army roar as we charged forward to meet the enemy’s infantry unit.
When the westerners came, they brought their food, their culture and their heritage which did bring the people prosperity; they invited the gods - the gods of the demons. The Westerners food changed the people’s taste, and their culture corrupted the people’s morals and values, while their heritage stripped the people of their authentic identity.
Both armies collided. Swords clashed and blood was shred. I charged towards my target. He was a tall and solid European man, but for the sake of our dreams he had to be sacrificed. I clenched my fist around my sword, bracing the moment for it might as well be my last. Ten feet, 5 feet, 3 feet, I was in front of him and delivered a fatal slash to his unprotected right shoulder. He fell to the ground hard on his right side with his left hand on his bleeding shoulder. He was helpless as I closed in for the kill.
The people were propagated into becoming something that they weren’t. It happened so fast that it all seemed to happen within one night. They woke up to find their daughters puffing themselves with mascara, while their boys no longer went to work in the fields but stayed at home drinking liquor from round barrels. The westerners then introduced opium, an addictive drug to the adult men as a gift - a demon’s gift. From then onwards, the people’s god left them. They had lost their blessings for they had lost themselves, not to their enemies but to themselves.
We fought brave and hard, allowing the enemy no chance. Many of our men were hurt and killed, but we still moved forward. The fortress stood tall before me as I finally reached the main gates leading into fortress to aid my team in breaking through its solid wooden gates. The wooden swing was already in place. The team of 10 soldiers moved in sync to swing the humongous wooden trunk into the solid fortress door.
“Heave!” “Release!”
“Heave!” “Release!”
This battle was no coincidence. The people had lost every last drop of their authentic self among the waters of want. Before they knew it, their capital was taken away from them by the deceptive General Overture who deluded their Emperor into handing over his majesty’s capital in order to save his people from their treachery. Their majesty’s decision cost him his throne, leaving him to live as a normal citizen to join them all as commoners. It was then that they finally realized that they had changed, no, we all had changed.
“Bam!”
Finally the great wooden doors gave way. The army was in full charge at this moment. Our archers from the rear had begun firing arrows of fire into the archer holes of the wall, forcing the enemy archers to retreat out from its stronghold and into the battlefield. The fortress was completely surrounded by our overwhelming forces. My team and I slashed and stabbed our way through the enemy lines, clearing the path for the entrance of our cavalry.
We weren’t afraid of death for we were already dead within our souls the moment our capital was stolen away from us before our eyes, but right now those days were behind us. We were all in this together. Through fame and through shame, we were destined to fall down to our lowest in order for us to rise above all and recover our true sense of identity and belonging. Our people lacked the security within them for their race, we all lacked the sense of belonging with our own kind, that’s why we fell apart. Nonetheless, we have since evolved and learned from our mistakes, as when we were divided among us we fell, but today we stand here united as one group, one race and one nation.
“Charge my warriors! And together, we are invisible! For glory!”
“Yes! Your Majesty!”
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