1-018, '. . . The Army's "Lord Dictator". '

She had been field marshal for too long.  For over a thousand years, she ruled the army as ‘lord dictator’.  Her decisions were final.  The greater the slaughter, the more willing the people were to follow her.  They had obeyed her commands without hesitation…never once a complaint.  The long war never really ended.  The armistices only gave pause to it, allowing the enemy time to rebuild his forces.  And what of the last war, the Great War?  What had it accomplished?

Stargaton…twenty thousand lost in one hour…

friends and lovers.  And what had they achieved?  A miserable little rock floating in a forgotten part of the galaxy!  Memphis…two corps destroyed because she had calculated the enemy incorrectly.  Through four years of bloody conflict, she had sentenced over three million of her people to pour out their blood for this holy war.  How much closer to the end were they now?  Had the price been worth it?

Those battles were over fifty years ago and the dying was still going on.  Oh yes, there was an armistice, but the enemy still found excuse for the occasional bloodletting.  How much longer would death keep devouring those she loved so much?  How many more would be butchered because she thought it necessary?  Mihai closed her eyes and shook her head in despair.

What else could have been done?  They followed her because she was their leader.  Her people would have fought without one.  At least they didn’t die for her or some imagined reward.  Everyone was aware of what was at stake.  Billions of innocent lives depended upon their success.  The destiny of generations gone, present, and even those coming hinged upon the outcome of events.

But had the people not already paid the ultimate price?  Was death really the supreme sacrifice?  She thought not.  The age of innocence was gone for them, destroyed forever on the fields of blood and betrayal.  It mattered little the outcome.  Her people would never be able to completely forget the death and suffering.  ‘Like a maiden violated by her guardian and protector…’ Mihai nodded her head.  ‘except he has raped both the flesh and spirit.’

Mihai no longer feared her own death.  In fact, there were times when death appealed, ending the guilt plaguing her mind.  She could manage the daylight hours, but…but in the quiet of the night, when the rest of the world slept, accusing voices of all the slain would sing out in her head, their scolding faces passing in visions before her eyes.  No matter how she made excuse or sought absolution, she could still see their blood dripping off her hands.

Enjoy other posts: 

Prologue,

Destiny's Road 1-001, 1-002, 1-003, 1-004, 1-005, 1-006, 1-007, 1-008, 1-009,

1-010, 1-011, 1-012, 1-013, 1-014, 1-015, 1-016, 1-017, 1-018, 1-019, 1-020,

1-021, 1-022, 1-023, 1-024 & 1-025 

Of Councils Great and Small 2-026, 2-027, 2-028, 2-029, 2-030, 2-031, 

2-032, 2-033, 2-034, 2-035, 2-036, 2-037, 2-038, 2-039, 2-040, 2-041, 2-042, 
2-043, 2-044, 2-045, 2-046, 2-047, 2-048, 2-049 & 2-050 

Legend's Heroes 3-051, 3-052, 3-053, 3-054, 3-055, 3-056, 3-057, 3-058,

3-059, 3-060, 3-061, 3-062, 3-063, 3-064, 3-065, 3-066, 3-067, 3-068, 3-069,

3-070, 3-071, 3-072, 3-073, 3-074 & 3-075

Forges of Hell 4-076, 4-077, 4-078, 4-079, 4-080, 4-081, 4-082, 4-083, 4-084,
4-085, 4-086, 4-087, 4-088, 4-089, 4-090, 4-091, 4-092, 4-093, 4-094, 4-095,
4-096, 4-097, 4-098, 4-099 & 4-100

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