[Sarah54321]

We would fight for Oniga's glory. We had divine providence, our warrior's spirit and ability. We didn't fight like the savage Imperials, we had a grace, a finesse they could only dream to match. Sublime swordsmanship, a keen mind as sharp as our glorified katana and most importantly, the zeal for our land.

Amazing propaganda that was, a moral inspire meant to be the driving force behind conscripts--conscripts like me and the others who signed up thinking we'd bring Gold glory, that we'd gain honor and prestige from the valorous act of war.

We were all emboldened by it, we threw ourselves into our training, no matter how grueling, we spent hours meditating to reach a state of oneness with our blades, every single hurdle, most of us overcame, excelled. We were ready, we would drive back the Empire, fight and die for our land with glory and honor!

What an utter lie that all was, realizing it. Nothing, nothing that could be said would ever prepare us for this, not our training, not meditation to keep our spirits in harmony--nothing!!

I. Hate. War. Hate in only the way the fortunate few who manage to remain alive until the end do. Men lost, wills broken and shattered just as badly as our bodies. Honor? What did the mean in the face of the sneak attacks, the loss of supplies, the tactics? For the Tennou's sake, they...Our friends' bodies...desecrated... There is no honor to be found in war. No glory to be found in what is nothing more than indiscriminate murder.

Memoirs of a Swordsman on the front lines. Introduction

-- Written by Shou