[*]
His eyes, dark as lacquer, flickered with firelight, deep and grim.
The young man's eyes were usually exceedingly clear, but now they seemed shrouded in a black mist.
After a long moment, he said in a low voice, "So it's a dead end."
A silence fell, leaving only the crackling of sparks from the fire.
"Little General," Amy clapped her hands lightly and smiled at him. "Weren't you just talking about serving the nation with utmost loyalty and swearing to die for it? Why so scared now?"
"If I were born in a chaotic era, alone in this world with nothing but my own flesh and blood, my death would mean nothing. But now, with my family and country adrift, even if I'm willing to give my life, I fear it won't be enough to save this collapsing dynasty."
