The commander stepped forward, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "We all knew—before the invasion—humanity was trapped in an endless war, fighting among ourselves for greed and power. But now... everything has changed."
A wave of tension swept across the assembled soldiers. Thousands stood in formation, eyes locked on the man who now addressed them.
"We have a new enemy. A new goal. We must protect our land from the invaders who descend from the stars. Yes, we starved. Yes, we suffered. We lost our homes, our loved ones, our hope... but it all happened on soil that belongs to us. And now, some beings from a distant planet dare to claim it? Will we hand it over to them?!"
"NO!" the crowd roared.
"That's right! We will not surrender! We will protect what's ours! Up until now, each of you were soldiers under the banner of one of the Six Houses. But look at this stage. See how the representatives of all Six Families sit side by side. Humanity is united!"
He raised his fist into the air. "Now tell me, is there anyone who can stop us?!"
"NO!" thundered the response.
"Then let us forge an army that represents this new unity. An army that will defend our world. An army that will uphold what it means to be human! From this day forth, we are 'The Dawn of the Unity'—a force that stands at the beginning of a united humanity!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, chanting, "Dawn of the Unity! Dawn of the Unity!"
As the cheers echoed across the camp, Judas stood motionless, watching the performance unfold. Something about it felt wrong. Hollow.
"What is this farce?" he muttered under his breath.
That night, Judas lay in bed, restless. The excitement of the day had not lulled him into sleep but stirred his suspicions. Eventually, he rose and wandered the camp under the cover of darkness.
While walking near the perimeter, he noticed a small group gathered at the camp's edge. Curious, he crept closer and hid behind a tree.
"This is getting exhausting," said an unfamiliar voice.
Judas' eyes widened. It was the representative from the Williams Family. And he was speaking casually to the commander who had roused the troops only hours earlier.
"Yeah, yeah," the commander replied. "This is the last time. Let's just keep them believing in this little fairytale."
Judas' heart pounded. More representatives joined them, all riding together in a single cart, laughing and talking like old friends.
"Looks like we've got a little bug sneaking around," said the Williams representative.
Before Judas could react, the commander appeared behind him, seizing him by the collar and dragging him into the open.
"No resistance? Smart boy," the commander said, dragging him to the representatives.
The Williams representative leaned forward, eyeing him. "You look young to be a soldier. What's your age, boy?"
"Fifteen, sir."
"Fifteen," he mused. "Impressive. I expect great things from you. Now, you seem like you have a question. Go ahead."
Judas hesitated, then asked, "How? How are you all so friendly now when you,families were at war just a year ago?"
The representatives burst into laughter.
"Boy," said the Williams representative between chuckles, "have you ever heard of a single member of the families dying in those wars?"
Their cart began to move as their laughter faded into the distance. The commander turned and walked away without another word.
Judas stood there, alone, trembling.
"So that's it," he whispered. "The Six Families were never truly at war. It was all a game to them. And we... we were just pieces on their board."
A fire ignited in his eyes.
"They played with our lives. They treated us like toys. They made us bleed and die for their entertainment."
His breath grew heavy, his fists clenched.
"I won't let this go. No. I am... I am going to destroy them."
Judas began to laugh, low at first, then rising into a manic cackle that echoed through the quiet night.
"Yes... To bring peace to this cursed world, I must first destroy the one built on lies. I will shatter this false era and build a new one from its ashes!"
And under the pale moon light,Judas continued to laugh.
And under the pale moonlight, Judas laughed on.