Chapter 50: The cruelty of the new world (II)
"There is no reason to waste our time with those procedures. Wake up everybody and meet me in the central plaza near the tree with large ropes. You two help me carry these men."
The soldiers accompanying Lieutenant Mitchel were surprised by Vlad’s words, as this was the first time the young man had dictated orders to them. The duo was smart enough to understand what type of people these men were, and there was disgust in their eyes. Still, they couldn’t help but glance at the lieutenant, wondering what their next step would be.
Lieutenant Mitchel clenched his teeth as his military training told him one thing, and his instincts told him another. The decision tore him apart until he glanced at the terrified faces of the children and imagined what would have happened if Vlad and Jormungandr had not been present.
"Do as he says."
As soon as the two soldiers heard that, they nodded, and each grabbed two of the men while Vlad took three.
"Make sure everybody is present, even the children."
Lieutenant Mitchel was surprised by those words. He knew what Vlad would do, and he came to accept it, but exposing the children to it was going too far.
"The world is too cruel; unfortunately, there is no time for innocence. These children must see what will happen and harden their hearts to survive in this new world."
Vlad saw the hesitation in Lieutenant Mitchel’s face and spoke with a somber voice. He did not want to do it and initially planned to keep the children away from the darkness, but this experience showed him that there were monsters in human flesh, and he would not always be present to protect them, so they needed to grow up and do it fast.