Edgar felt an indescribable awe as he faced thousands of copies of the same face, all looking at him with a unified, angry gaze across hundreds of bodies. He swallowed a dryness in his throat and heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching from the midst of the crowd. The warriors were making way for a different figure, each one standing two meters tall with a build as strong as mountains.
The primary copy stepped forward, standing proudly before Edgar. The warrior held his sword in the manner of ancient fighters, his eyes holding the depth of centuries of suffering. He said in a hoarse voice: "What are you doing here, boy? This is a place of war, not child's play."
Edgar said confusedly, trying to hide the tremble in his hands: "What war are you talking about?"
The man replied, his eyes gleaming with bitterness: "The war of regret. You don't know it because you're still at the beginning of your life, boy. Leave it and leave me with myself."
Edgar said, trying to show confidence: "No, I won't."
The entire army took one step closer to Edgar, shaking the ground so much it unsettled the entire mountain. The main warrior said: "What do you mean, boy?"
Edgar said, his voice rising despite his fear: "Your war is useless! You've already lost and there's no room for correction!"
The warrior approached until Edgar's sword touched his metal armor, and said in a roaring voice: "What do you know about loss, you?"
Edgar replied, trying to control his rapid breathing: "Nothing, perhaps. But you know more than me, and that's what blinds you! Because you've seen the worst and your eyes have become afraid to see it again. As for me... I don't have that!"
The warrior looked at the glowing red sky, as if seeing all his painful memories in it. He said in a broken voice: "Perhaps... perhaps you're right."
Suddenly, the army began to disappear. The warriors evaporated one after another, while the main warrior slowly transformed into a frail old man. The coarse voice turned into a damaged voice full of pain, and he said as he collapsed to the ground: "You're right... I was wrong and there's no way to correct it."
He looked at his trembling hands as if seeing the blood still stuck to them: "I participated in the Crusades... killing everyone in my path. I remember once... a child... I killed him just because of my arrogance in the power I possessed and my ignorance of humanity."
Tears flowed from his tired eyes: "Now it's too late for regret. And the blood stained on my hands will only be washed away by accepting punishment, not by escaping from it."
The old man rose with difficulty, staggering like an autumn leaf towards the bloody sunset. Duncan watched from atop the mountain, astonished, while Edgar looked at him with a mix of pride and pity.
And suddenly... the sunset light turned into sudden darkness. Thousands of ghosts began to appear from nowhere, uniting to form a colossal giant. The entire army was transforming into one massive entity. The head formed from thousands of intertwined helmets, the feet from countless armors, the body from interwoven warriors' bodies, and the hands from endless swords.
The controlling mind was below. That poor old man, standing with his hand raised forward as the giant moved. The giant's size was equal to that of Big Ben, and every step caused minor earthquakes. The sound of footsteps was like continuous thunder.
Duncan commented from atop the mountain: "Perhaps this spot isn't so good after all! Maybe we should come back another time!"
As for Edgar, he gripped his glowing red sword tightly and began jumping repeatedly in place. He was testing his new ability, "Destructive Leap," feeling the energy flowing through his body. He said in a determined voice as he prepared for the confrontation: "I'll make you truly regret, old man!"
The giant moved slowly but steadily, each step bringing it closer to Edgar. The old man below stood moving his hands as if conducting an orchestra of death, his eyes closed as if surrendering to his fate. Edgar was calculating the distance, breathing deeply, and preparing for the greatest leap of his life.
The wind blew fiercely, carrying with it the screams of the souls trapped within the giant. The red sword glowed more strongly than ever, as if sensing the coming danger. Edgar closed his eyes for a moment, remembering all his past failures, all the times he was called "Jinxed Edgar," then opened them with solid determination.
"This time I won't be an easy meal inside the beast's belly!"