Hounds of War [Yandere Generals x Female General Reader]

59. The War's End.

Screams, wails, cries, and groans seemed to echo permanently in the ears of the Luccian soldiers as hour after grueling hour they were ordered to hunt down, capture, and execute every last Vascinian. The piles of lifeless bodies grew higher and higher and the roads around the abolished castle were sticky with blood, but none of it was enough to satisfy General Denlleonis.

No matter how many people were killed before her, or how deep the rivers of blood ran, it was never enough for Y/N. She continued to demand that more Vascinians be found and killed. The Army realized with dread that she would never be satisfied.

Only near dawn, did the lack of any more civilians to be found within the rubble, at last, bring an end to the brutal slaughter. As the rays of the sun finally shone over the mountains and broke through the smoke still shrouding the city in a haze it luminated a truly mournful sight.

Where once there had been a beautiful and pristine mountain city, bustling with life, laughter, and brimming with music there was now nothing more than a burning mess of indistinguishable rubble. The parks, the buildings, the art, the history, the very soul of the nation had gone up in flames in a single night.

And as the sun rose further into the sky, it beamed down on a world without Vascini. For all intents and purposes, Vascini no longer existed. Without a fraction of a doubt, Luccia had won the war.

The army should have been overjoyed, but instead, a subdued hush blanketed the troops. The victory was theirs, but it had come at such a savagely steep price that it felt wrong to celebrate after all the atrocities that they had committed.

The three Luccian generals were starting to fall into agreement with their men as they took in the extent of the damage that had been done in the night. Was it worth it? Vanbinicci asked himself as he looked around the dilapidated square where the army was reuniting, bits of ash floating in the air like strange snow. Was killing Eslinn really worth all this extra destruction? I wanted him gone to keep Y/N from becoming any more brutal than she already was, but it had the reverse effect.

The other generals were also experiencing similar misgivings for Y/N's further laps into bloodlust, but were less willing to admit it. They all watched as Y/N rode back and forth in the square, seeing that the regiments were organized properly. She had not bothered to wipe the blood from her face which only added to her appearance of increased volatility.

The four men were distracted as cold droplets began to wet their exposed skin. Rain clouds had formed over the city even though the sun was still visible to the east making its ascension above the mountains.

The water from the heavens slowly soaked the earth, gradually putting out all the fires that were still burning in the ruins. The shower was soft and gentle, washing away the frenzy of war that had gripped them for so long.

It washed away the ash and blood from the streets as well, cleansing the land from all of the pain and sorrow that had befallen its people. Some of the soldiers made half-hearted attempts to protect themselves from the rain, but most were too pensive and contemplative to even notice or care.

Y/N tilted her head up towards the sky, stopping for a moment to just take it in. The sun shone warmly in the sky, lighting both the mountains and the clouds presently releasing the showers onto the razed city. She did not try and shield herself from it, but instead tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she let the rain droplets caress her face hiding the tears that poured from her eyes as the blood was washed from her face. She released her anger, and accepted the grief she felt at the loss of Eslinn.

Esclave, Meccio, Baccoso, and Vanbinicci watched her from a distance. They were overwhelmed by her serene appearance as she let the rain cascade from her expressionless countenance. They each felt joy for a different reason that Y/N had returned to her old self, or at least could return to her old self, but they were all elated to see that Eslinn's death wouldn't have any lasting effect on the woman that each of the men longed to make theirs. Or so they thought.

. . .

The rain continued to soak the countryside for days as the army returned to their camp outside the city, restocking provisions and treating wounds before they would strike camp and march back to Luccia's capital city Bocio as heroes. As dreary as the weather was, it expressed one individual's emotions perfectly.

While the rest of the army celebrated their victory, the sole person who created the possibility of that victory was nowhere to be found. Y/N had scarcely even been seen outside of her tent since the battle. She barely had the will the write a brief letter to the king of Luccia, informing him that the war was over and that they had won.

After that, she had spent the last several days in her tent, refusing to eat or speak to anyone. The four remaining generals tried desperately to comfort Y/N and return her to her spirited self, but she was inconsolable.

One rainy afternoon five days after the fall of Vascini Esclave decided that he would attempt to get Y/N to talk again, the other generals had given up hope and fallen into similar depressed states, but Esclave wasn't going to give up on Y/N, not ever. "General Denlleonis?" He called through the tent flap, clutching the bowl of soup he had brought for her tightly. "May I come in."

After a moment of silence he slowly pulled the tent flap aside and entered, the sight inside broke his heart. Y/N lay on her cot in the darkened tent with her back facing him, several untouched meals sitting on the floor.

"General Denlleonis... Why won't you look at me?" He asked as she flinched away from the sound of his voice. She had refused to set her eyes on him ever since the end of the war. "Am I... Am I that hideous to you...?" He asked in little more than a whisper.

"Because you... You look too much like your brother," Y/N replied after a minute, her voice hoarse and uneven from lack of use.

I never got to tell him, she thought as she remembered Eslinn's smiling face and his deep rumble of a laugh. I never gave voice to the way I felt about him... And now I never will. More tears slid from her eyes as she curled herself into a ball.

Suddenly in the depths of her despair, her eyes snapped open as her tears suddenly stopped. What am I doing grieving like some heartbroken lover?! She scorned herself mockingly as she forced herself to stand up. I am not some lovesick sweetheart! I am the Esedict General Y/N Denlleonis, a descendant of the goddess Estain, and Eslinn would want me to remember that about anything else! She knit her eyebrows together as a scowl found its way to her lips. She bared her teeth and as her E/C eyes glared, brimming with nothing but frigid cruelty. I will stay true to my duty, I swear, no matter what.

The End.

A/N

It's hard to believe that this book has come to an end already, it's got to be one of my favorites so far.

Thank you so much for sticking with this book until the end. It's thanks to your support that I have the motivation to create the stories that I do so thank you, without you, this book wouldn't have been possible.

I hope that you all enjoyed it (don't worry, there's still an epilogue to go,) and I am also considering writing a sequel for this book sometime in the future.

But for now,

Until next time I'll see you on the other side

~J. C. Coltt.~