Justice>mercy

Where all my original stories are created

[miserablemisery]

1

The sand was burning my feet as I walked on. Out, somewhere far from the gates, I was hurrying along to a place as far as possible. I had nothing with me except some clothes. My throat was as dry as the ground I was on- completely scorched till there was no more. According to the plan, I should not have had escaped alone, my parents would also have been here with me. The shouts and screams of their voices echoed in my head begging them to stop and at least let me go. As I was beginning to think that this was the end, that I would die right here out of dehydration or blood loss and that they would find my rotting and withered corpse, I saw a little hut far in the distance. I trudged on. If I was to die I would rather have someone do my last rites rather than some animal eat me. I shouted for help. At some point, on the way to that hut all went dark and my almost limp body crashed into the ground.

[miserablemisery]

Inglorious glory

The air was cold. Spectators filled the entire three storeyed ring. The North wind was blowing with all its might carrying the cheers of the crowd away from the victor. The skies were clearing just moments after a heavy downpour, just after victory was declared. The ground was moist. The victor looked at his hands covered in a purplish red. His silver plating was smothered in that same liquid as he wiped off the sweat and tears from his face. He looked down to see a bloodied corpse that was once the victor's best friend. The victor questioned his sanity, his morals, the cruel heart of the Emperor. Alas, it was too late for anything to be done for the light had already left the man's eyes.

Out in the fields of Germania, legions were marching in the hunt of tribes that had escaped battle. Under the latest Emperor's orders, they were to expand Roman borders by at least a hundred square kilometres. Titus was marching along his battalion mate Magnus. After hours of chatting, camping, and eating together, they became quite close mates. They both shared a common dream to return to their families in the land they were promised to receive after retirement. They were going to continue serving the Empire as humble farmers providing grain for future farmers. During the night march, a fireball suddenly came out of the woods partially blinding the best friends. Battle had been declared.

Commanders immediately gave orders for archers to shoot the legion's very own Greek fire. The forest was now ablaze. In the haze of the fires, a group of people were appearing. The group turned into a squad, then a battalion and then an army of the remaining tribes. They had come back for revenge. Legate Maximus had shouted his direct command to the legion to hunt down these barbarians. Legionnaires screamed their battle cry and attacked. Swords were clanking, men were screaming, blood was everywhere. Amid battle, Titus and Magnus had sought refuge at the very back pretending to not be there. Maximus had seen them. He went to the back searching for the cowardly legionnaires who dared defy his orders, who dared not fight for Rome.

He found the cowards who chickened out from the one thing they were supposed to die for. Using his executive powers, the Legate had given them a fate worse than dying to the barbarians. They were to become gladiators, to fight to death in the Colosseum. They would kill each other as the remaining citizens watched on.

And so, it was. Three days later, they were moved back to the capital in their gear. If they refused, they would get tortured- but the public did not need to know that. It was treated as a friendly game and the Emperor even made bets with the upperclassmen. The two friends had promised each other that they would not attack. If they were tortured, at least they would see each other and their families in Elysium. Magnus, however, became the bigger coward and took a lunge to Titus. His gladius impaled deep into Titus. He watched as the light leave his companions. He fell on his knees and sobbed. The crowd was cheering but Magnus felt weak, puny, stupid. An inglorious glory.

[miserablemisery]

regret nothing

I sometimes do not know what to do. We all do I suppose. From the very beginning as a child to our deaths we know not some things. We make mistakes. What defines you however, is what you do with those blunders. Do you, like me, sit back and downright quit or find out why you did it and how you don't do it again? I don't wanna sound like some stupid Ted-Talk guy so I don't wanna bore you with this nonsense. Be okay with yourself. It's okay to make mistakes when you are oblivious to everything. Regret nothing.