The snitch is revealed

Rufus was marching along with his army. The army was around two days march away from the capital.

The army stopped marching when they saw a flock of crows flying in the air a few hundred meters ahead of them. All of them looked as to what was ahead of them.

They finally saw what had lured all the crows. They saw a field full of crucifixes. Hundreds of them. Rufus and all his friends looked terrified at the field of death.

The soldiers stared at the horrors and the smell was unimaginable. The grey skin also looked at the horror and wondered what the hell was going on. Even they never wanted anything like that for the humans.

"This goes even too far for the nobles," Haley said looking at the field.

"August said they started to crucify prisoners and criminals, but it can't be they all are prisoners and criminals. There are simply too many," Doreen said with shocked eyes.

They walked through the field looking at the bodies that were hanging on the crosses by nails that had been nailed through the biceps, hands, and thighs. Crows had already started to peck the bodies and gouge off the eyeballs. Some had been in the sun for very long and already had started to rot away.

"Look anyone who is alive still!" Rufus yelled to all the soldiers and grey skins.

The army scattered and started to take down all the bodies. The executions and crucifixions had started around a few months ago so some bodies had turned completely unrecognizable. They started to burn all the bodies and break all the crosses.

Almost no one was alive who was crucified.

"Rufus? Is that you?" said a weeping voice.

Rufus turned around and looked where the voice came from. A man who was crucified looked at him with tear-jerking eyes. The man was skinny and you could see his bones. He had a long hair and and long beard.

Rufus went close to him trying to see who it was. He looked at the man and couldn't recognize him until he looked the man in the eyes. He then realized it was Leif. Rufus's eyes widened and he started immediately took him down from the cross.

"Please don't," Leif said.

"What are you saying? You will die otherwise," Rufus answered.

"Please. I beg you. I am already beyond saving. Physically and mentally," Leif said with a depressing voice.

Rufus looked confused. He knew that Leif had extremely serious injuries, but Leif looked like he felt guilty about something. Like Leif couldn't look Rufus in his face.

"I am so sorry," Leif said and started to cry.

Rufus looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" Rufus asked.

"I was the one who told about you to the nobles and the duke. I was the one who outed the black rat gang. I was the snitch," Leif screamed and cried.

Rufus looked muddled. He felt like he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Word had reached some noble who told the duke about us. The duke then needed to know who was the leader of our gang. He heard my name so he took my family as hostage. They made me tell all about you, your divine power, you working with the prince, you being our boss. They made me tell everything. I had no choice. I am so sorry," Leif cried and begged Rufus.

Rufus looked heartbroken. The always friendly and hardworking Rufus had completely broken down mentally and physically. Rufus wasn't mad at all.

"How is your family now? Tell me where they are. I will help your family. Don't worry," Rufus explained trying to relieve Leif.

Leif looked like he felt even more guilty now.

"Oh, Rufus. You really haven't changed," Leif said and cried.

"Just tell me where they are," Rufus asked.

Leif looked heartbroken like he couldn't say a word. He bit his lip.

"They are dead...." Leif explained.

Rufus had an expressionless face.

"When the king heard from the duke where the intel had come from, he decided that keeping the family alive was not longer useful to him or the nobles. Something about giving your word to a commoner isn't worth anything. He then ordered me to go into the dungeons where I rotted away in my own guilt and stupidity in trusting them. Soon I realized I was here with all the other people who had been caught and were hoping for the downfall of the nobles and royal," Leif said and closed his eyes.

Rufus clenched his fist and held Leif in his arm.

"Please, Rufus. Kill them. Kill them all…..." Leif said and his eyes went white and his body turned cold.

Leif died in the arms of Rufus. Doreen was standing behind him.

"We should start going now. We will leave a small detachment here to burn all the victims so they will get a proper send off.

"We should get to the capital. The earliest the better. I know it is hard, but we have to end this war now more than ever," Doreen explained.

Rufus was silent.

"Will we arrive to the capital soon?" Rufus asked with his fist clenched.

"We should arrive to the capital in around two days," Doreen answered.

"Good.....I have a promise to keep," Rufus said with eyes burning with hatred.