Page 76 of A Rising Hope

A new battalion. Fucking calvary. Their horses gained speed. Swords were out ready to harvest the few lives that were left of Gideon’s army.

There would be no survivors here today.

Their banners high in the air were like poison, killing the flicker of hope that shone radiantly only moments ago, extinguishing the light in every single soldier still standing. Because at that moment, we all knew that there was no winning this now.

Our strength wouldn’t matter because no matter how hard we fought, how many we might kill, there were more. More of the enemy steadily marching towards our depleted, exhausted army, eager to destroy us, to wipe us from the face of this earth. Like vultures, they would pick us off one by one, surrounding us, fighting from multiple sides until the very last of us would fall.

I stared at the calvary carving through the bodies making their way towards us.

A soldier crashed into me, and I stumbled a step back before spearing him with my sword.

“Keep moving forward!” Zora’s voice pulled me out of a trance. She shouted commands to the soldiers lost for direction as the two armies closed on us.

For a moment, I felt Zora’s gaze fall upon me. I turned to see her. I was standing too far away and yet close enough to see the hopelessness imprinted in her breathtaking eyes.

She gave me a curt nod—a silent goodbye I did not want to acknowledge.

I gripped the bloodied hilt of my sword tighter, carving my path forward towards her, ignoring the suffocating truth that gnawed at me. Truth and defeat.

Perhaps we were all destined to die in the end.

50

ZORA

Ididn’t dare look behind me. Only forward. My muscles burned, knees shook and I no longer knew if the blood running down my face was mine or someone else’s.

“This is going to be a hell of a story to tell one day,” Gia mumbled near me, even now optimistic. She slashed through the legs of the enemy soldier in front of her. He buckled, and she dashed just in time to avoid his convulsing body slamming into the ground, before stabbing his back with her sword. “Surrounded, but never defeated.” She gave me a sheepish smile, simply yanking away the shield from the soldier advancing at her with her bare hands.

“The moment we break through their end line, we run,” I yelled to her. She nodded. No matter how many scenarios ran through my mind, scattering through the forest was our only chance to survive. We’d push forward, making a passage and then we’d run. Our only chance.

Like a spear, we pierced the enemy army, breaking their formations, tearing through their defenses as we pushed deeper into the forest.

My crescent blade tore open the neck of another soldier. I pulled and his neck twisted, his head attached by sheer bone alone as warm blood sprayed from his arteries, drenching his silver armor. Smoke from the burning trees made my eyes water, tall smoldering peaks creaking in the flames.

My body shouted in protest, muscles screamed, reflexes slowed, and exhaustion weighed heavy on my limbs. Just a little more, I told myself each second. A few more inches, a few more soldiers. Just keep going, I whispered to myself as I swung my chain again and again, dashing and darting from the rain of spears, arrows, and swords.

“Zora!” Orest shouted across from me. The panic in his voice ricocheted through my body like lightning. I sharply turned to find him. But instead of finding his familiar figure, a large body slammed into me with such force that I flew across the ground, painfully crashing into the metal armor of the bloodied corpses nearby.

My eyes rolled and my consciousness slipped in and out. My vision was in a haze, even as I tried to rub my face. Loud ringing in my ears disoriented me as I attempted to stand up. I needed to stand.I have to stand up. I told myself even as I swayed in my step. I coughed some blood, air wheezed in my lungs. Pain zinged through my body at my meager attempt to breathe. My hand lowered to my stomach, feeling the tender flesh as I realized most of the ribs on my left side were broken.

“Fuck.” I hissed through my clenched teeth, ignoring the shooting pain from the broken ribs on my side. I groaned, picking up a sword near me, letting it steady me as I struck it into the ground. I spit a few broken teeth, swallowing the rest of the blood mixed with saliva.

I had to stay awake. I had to move; I reminded myself. If I didn’t, I would be no better than the dead bodies the last few remaining creatures feasted on in the meadows behind us.

My hands were too light, missing the chains and the blades attached to them.

Right, weapons.

I winced, pulling a long dagger from my boot. My eyes skimmed the surroundings in search of my righteous weapons. I turned back to where my body stood only moments ago. Looking for the fucker responsible for my broken ribs.

I had been in battles before.

I had learned.

I had known the truth and the cruelty that they carried.

And yet nothing could have prepared me for this.

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