Page 70 of A Rising Hope

My ears deaf, ringing, disorienting me. I just wanted the loud screeching to stop.

But there were so many monsters. So,somany.

I watched as another dragonfly went down. Yanush jumped just in time, sending her last arrows flying, before grabbing her short sword as she charged towards the blackened death ahead. Cori and Tori, bloodied and almost unrecognizable except for a smudge of their bright color braids, rushed into the darkness. Ashe raced ahead, leading the group of young, scared soldiers towards the center. Motra swung her spiked mace in the air, not holding back the hatred coursing through her veins. I tried to find the rest of the Ten but couldn’t. My heart whispered their names in a silent prayer to whatever gods that listened.

The last dragonfly went down, plunging straight into a death spiral.

“The left flank is falling!” Gia shouted as she made her way to me through the battlefield, where we no longer fought Destroyers or humans, but true monsters instead. Gia’s brow was deeply sliced, and the wound was covered in the creatures’ black sticky blood. Her sleeve was torn to shreds; her right arm was broken, so she swung her sword with her left arm at the approaching creature, beheading it in one stroke.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” I yelled, no longer wasting energy to hide the frustration masquerading as panic. Her eyes met mine. Both of us acknowledged but refused to say our goodbye, even as imminent death loomed on the horizon.

Our strategies and plans had all disintegrated. Like a castle made out of dry sand, our armies slowly crumbled into the abyss drop by drop until the wind scattered our bones like dust.

I turned to find Orest, but before I could say another word, another messenger raced towards us.

“Lachlan’s armies are abandoning us! He is leaving. They are all retreating and running, some are surrendering to the enemy.”

“Right flank has fallen too,” Broderick shouted through his shields as he gutted another creature.

“Fucking bastard!” Orest snarled.

“Go!” I shouted at him. “I’ll handle the left; you handle the right,” I barked through the soul-scarring screeching.

“No.” Orest’s reply was harsh. It left no room for negotiation.

“Dammit, Orest, if Lachlan’s armies leave, we might as well all bury ourselves now,” I yelled.

I could see the hesitation on his face, torn with an impossible choice.

“Gia is with me, Orest. I’ll be fine,” I roared, fighting the devastation within me, knowing that for the first time, he wouldn’t be within range of sight of me. “Go!” I fought the desperation in my voice.

“Protect her with your life, Gia,” he ordered to my Second, before giving me another glare, assessing, contemplating.

Gia smiled, her ripped lip gushed blood at the gesture.

“With my life and honor, Orest,” she assured him.

“Go, Orest. Now!” I rushed him. He had to go now, before I’d break, before the hateful words of farewells and begging, of last wishes and regrets would treacherously spill from my mouth.

“Stay alive, Zora.” His powerful voice settled deep into my soul, his stark gaze linking my soul with his. He sprinted, jumping on a running mare, swinging his sword and fire in his wake as he burned his way through the darkness towards the fallen flank.

I sent a silent prayer in his direction, begging whatever gods that listened to keep him safe, to let him live. Not daring to look at his quickly departing figure as I turned towards the left line. Gia a step behind.

My muscles burned; a rib was broken as air wheezed out of me. I clenched my teeth tighter. I’d hold on. I’d fucking hold on longer.

I still had words, unspoken words I had to say.

He would live. And so would I.

I let my thoughts focus only on that single thought. Survival. My blades spun, making their marks again and again.

The left flank had fallen. Soldiers no longer held their ground. Their lines scattered and broken. Their round shields buried deep in the ground.

“Forward!” I shouted. The black, sticky blood of the creatures spattered on my face, stinging my eyes and leaving a bitter taste on my tongue. I pushed through the carnage of monsters, of the bodies buried underneath them.

“He is dead . . . ” A soldier kneeled with the beheaded body of his brother. “He is dead,” he cried. “He is dead!” His body shook, as tears covered his face and he sobbed, from shock, panic, fear. All of it coming together.

“You can’t bring him back from the dead, but you can live, and you can kill them for it! Make it to the forest and kill all the fuckers that did this.” I yanked him by his shoulders, shaking his face. “Understand me? Those trees. Go there!” I pointed to the side. “Make those bastards fucking pay!” I shoved his sword into his arms. “Go!” I barked. He nodded, swallowing his sobs.

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