My Kingdom Building Done Right!

Chapter 117: Wars Don’t Prove Who Is Right Or Wrong, It Only Shows Who Is Left

The grand funeral pyre was finished an hour before sunset.

After making sure it was big enough to house all the warriors who had died, including those who didn’t belong to the Bloodtusk Tribe, Leone asked everyone to return to the base of the mountain, where they would eat before the rite of passing began.

Earlier, when the grand funeral pyre was still being built, Gundar had asked Leone to assign him a private room where he could cleanse himself and make proper arrangements for the ritual.

Leone also didn’t stand idly. He took some of his people deep inside the cavern and asked them to perform a barbarian chant, which Daedalus wished to pass onto them.

The grimoire went as far as to temporarily cast a soundproof barrier that prevented anyone from hearing their practice performance.

They were to use drums, horns, and other musical instruments to help with the ritual as their way of honoring the dead.

When Ulric, Kael, and Jason heard the song Daedalus had described as a lost chant meant to honor the Old Gods, the three decided to join the Aslanians to practice.

Kael even stated that this should become the battle chant of the Aslan Tribe due to how impactful it was.

Leone agreed and said they would use this chant whenever they were about to defend their lands... or when they were about to go to war.

As the sun slowly dipped under the horizon, the warriors of the Bloodtusk Tribe, as well as the representatives of the high-ranking tribes, held a torch in their hands.

Even Vlad held a torch of his own as he stood in attention.

Gundar stood at the very front. The moment he took a step forward, the procession of warriors holding torches followed behind him.

Leone watched this from the top of the ramparts with arms crossed over his chest.

He also wanted to go there and join the procession. But, for his own safety, his vassals asked him to stay.

Yuni stayed by his side as his personal guard, alongside Max, Arion, and Blitz.

When they arrived at the funeral pyre, they were surprised to see that the bodies of the dead were all neatly arranged on top of it.

Ross and Harold lay at the center of the funeral pyre, their heads reattached to their bodies thanks to Daedalus’ magic.

Gundar then walked toward the funeral pyre and knelt before it, chanting the ancient rites to send off these warriors back to the womb of the Earth Mother.

When it was finished, he then faced the warriors of the Bloodtusk Tribe.

"It’s time to send them off," Gundar said in a solemn tone. "Light the pyre."

Malcolm nodded. He took the lead and walked toward the altar. Using his torch, he lit the dried branches meant to be used as kindling for the funeral pyre.

The other warriors did the same, lighting the other places that needed to be lit.

Vlad and Zed, as well as the representatives of the other high-ranking tribes, moved into position to do the same. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

It was then that they heard the booming of drums, making them look in the direction where the warriors of the Aslan Tribe had gathered.

(Disclaimer: For the ultimate experience, play the song "Battle Brothers OST - Warriors of the North - Chant for the Old Gods" in the background. Trust me, this will make the scene more impactful.)

The warriors of the Aslan Tribe then started to chant, with Ulric and Kael leading them.

Their chant was then accompanied by the sound of drums and horns.

High above the ramparts of the fortress, Leone and the other Aslanians joined in on the chanting to help guide the warriors on their journey to the afterlife.

As the funeral pyre was engulfed by flames, small embers started to rise up in the air.

The chant of the Aslan Tribe also became stronger, resounding in the quiet of the night.

Gundar smiled faintly as he joined in on the chanting.

He knew the lyrics of this ancient song, which he thought had already disappeared due to the passage of time. But after hearing it once more, he couldn’t help but be surprised that the Aslan Tribe knew the chant for the Old Gods.

As the chanting continued, the Bloodtusk Tribe placed their closed fist over their chest as they stared at the burning funeral pyre.

Some of those who had died were their friends, sworn brothers, or neighbors. They were no longer with them, but they still needed to stay alive for the sake of those who were waiting for them back home.

Suddenly, someone among them started to sob. They were all battle-hardened men, for all the barbarians were trained to be one since they were young.

However, that didn’t mean they didn’t have feelings.

Some wept silently, some covered their faces, while there were others who openly showed their grief over the loss of those who were important to them.

When the chant finally ended, the sound of those who were grieving finally reached everyone’s ears.

High above the ramparts, Leone looked at the burning pyre in the distance.

"Wars don’t prove who is right or wrong," Leone muttered. "It only shows who is left."

This was something his father often told his children whenever they talked about the wars that had gone down in the history of the Kingdom of Britannia.

He could still remember that time vividly as if it just happened yesterday.

————

"The one who declares war on others are usually the people who don’t participate in the war itself," Marco Frontera, Leone’s father, said softly. "They can do such things because they are not the ones who will lose their father, mother, brother, sister, and children in the war.

"That’s why, if ever any of you rise to a position with power, remember this. Wars don’t prove who is right or wrong. It only shows who is left."

————

’Father, it seems that I am now learning the lessons you and mother told us back then.’ Leone sighed in his heart. ’If I only knew this would happen to me, I would have studied a bit harder when it came to managing our viscounty.’

Leone stared long and hard as the pyre burned brightly, illuminating the darkness.

When the pyre finally dimmed down to where only embers were left, Leone waited for the return of his people.

If there was an end, there was also a beginning.

With that said, it was now time for Otto to become one of Leone’s vassals and pledge his loyalty to his Great Chieftain until the end of time.