July 08th, 1799

Anjou no longer existed. All that remained from it were ruins, and charred bodies. Nothing more. It looked worse than Alverne had, after the Ruhmnian attack. And that was telling of how horrible the situation truly was.

Francis decided to lead the expedition to retrieve the corpses himself. Laupin joined him, out of remorse for what he had been forced to do.

Together, and with the help of around 250 cadets, they dug through the smoking debris and tried to locate all of the fallen royalists, despite how unrecognizable and unhuman they looked.

Then, buried them all in yet another mass grave, on the northern side of the giant mountains of rubble.

—This land will be forever cursed, and bathed in the blood of the innocent —the general whispered to Francis, as they admired the macabre scenery in front of them—. I do not like the royalists, and never will, but... children? Why did we have to?... —a few tears slid down his cheeks. He wiped them off and sighed—. This wasn't fair. This wasn't right.

—But it was our duty.

—Yes —Laupin swallowed a bit of saliva, as well as his bitterness—. It was. But when will it stop? This war?... Isn't the republic already a reality? Isn't our country already ours? Our King has been dead for over a year! The Ruhm Empire gave up on fighting against us, soon the Staeltorn Kingdom will too, and... and... here we are —he gestured to the open pit, where a thousand blackened and twisted bodies would rest forever—. When will this end?

—I don't know —Francis put his hand on top of the general's shoulder, and squeezed it—. But I promise you, Camille... I'll stand beside you until it does.

Laupin then turned his head towards the commander, and before his sobs fully took over him, wrapped the devastated man in a hug.

—You're the brother I always wanted to have, Francis... I just wish we hadn't met in a time like this... In such a terrible age as our own.

The commander shed a few tears as well, and patted him on the back.

—But it still isn't over, my friend... We still can build a better tomorrow.

—I hope you're right —Laupin said, as they parted—. I really hope you are.

--------------

AN: Look. here's yet another SUPER old drawing of Francis and Laupin: