"I love you..."
...Where did I first hear this...
...I can't remember...
...my heart aches...it hurts...
...where did you go...
...who?...
...where am I?...
"My love...don't leave me..."
...who are you...?
"...Wait for me..."
*BAAM! Splash!*
"Wake up you bastards! It's time for you to fight on the battlefield! Don't make me take even more of your food!" I blinked my eyes open while trying to get the water out of them and quickly sat up. I was laying in the outer edge of a large group of people huddled together. They, like me, were covered in dirt and injuries with somewhat small but muscular figures that had seen better times. They all wore different types of armour some wore bent and worn metal chest plates, there were the tanks, and the rogues with their fragile leather armour. Everyone was scurrying to stand up as someone continued yelling.
Standing next to the group was a tall flabby man in vibrant robes holding a staff in his hands and yelling at anyone being too slow. 'He's new...he somewhat looks like a pig...'
We hurried towards the only weapons we were allowed; blunt swords and worn out shields. I hurried as fast as I could to my weapons and grabbed them, for if I was to slow it would be permission for them to punish me...some had died from it...
I armed myself as adequately as I was able, and hurried to the only food I would have today; some stale mouldy bread and water.
"Hurry up! You have to be in formation and on the battlefield in the next hour and I don't want to get punished for your slowness! Because I will punish you all if I am!" I heard someone scream in pain and hurriedly finished eating my food and water.
There was clanging and rustling as everyone ran into formation while the smell of freshly spilled blood was in the air. I could see some of the newer slaves wincing, but I couldn't understand it. The older slaves just looked on with dull eyes, which I couldn't understand either. I had grown up with this it was nothing new to me.
"MARCH!!!" I heard the pig man yell and everyone jostled foreword at a steady pace. I snuck glances to the side of the formation and could see that like last time the GUARDS where still there.
They made sure that no one escaped. Once one of the other slaves had said "I can't handle this I can't!" And had tried to run into the forest...they didn't get more then a step into the forest before their head had separated from their body. The only time the guardians weren't there was when we where in actual battle. It didn't matter to them if we died.
I continued to march along with everyone. I had been in the army as a slave ever since I could remember. There had been no other life for me other then it. I lived in these conditions from my first memory where I had to take care of the horses, until I was able to hold a sword and shield. A soldier that had given me bread had once told me that meant that I was 5, and able to fight for my country...he didn't last long. Killed by an arrow through the neck. I had learned how to read and write from watching some of the knights write quick notes which they then gave to messengers in the stables while I was caring for their rides. However as soon as I became a 'battle slave' as that nice soldier said I would watch the soldiers spar. I soon picked up some styles, and tried practising them when the soldiers where asleep. I never used them in battle though. If a nobleman saw me and thought I fought better then him it was instant death for me. So I didn't use them unless there was no noblemen around, or it was a life or death situation for me.
"HALT!!! Battle stations!" I looked up. Infront of me was a large wasteland that only had stones and boulders here and there. On the other side of the wasteland was the enemy. At the forefront stood highly equipped soldiers with good basics of martial arts, which I saw from their stances.
"It's going to be a massacre...we're going to die...have to escape...have to..." As everyone was starting to panic, and started to run around in circles, in the middle of the wasteland I saw it.
A Sword. A Black slim sword with a red tassel stuck in between two flat boulders. As I stared at it I felt like my soul was urging me towards it. 'Beautiful...must get...'
As I tried to get a closer look, the battle horn sounded, and the enemy started running towards us.
"Shit!" Everyone started to panic even more pushing and shoving people out of the way. I dodged someone that nearly knocked me over and frowned. I looked around quickly for our carer or his bodyguards but saw them running off. I grinded my teeth together, and decided to do something to have even some of us survive if they weren't.
"Get into formation unless you want to die! They are unorganised and we will take that advantage! Pair up and attack!" As I shouted everyone quickly stopped running around and got into pairs, preparing their weapons and shields.
"ATTACK!"
As I shouted they ran forward. I ran quickly with them, raised my sword and struck at a distracted enemy. Their head fell to the ground with a disbelieving face, while blood splattered on me from their body. I looked up with blood dripping down my muddy and wet blood filled hair and looked around. I ran towards a pair that was being over powered by the enemy and attacked, stabbing them through the heart. The pair nodded towards me and ran to help another pair.
I looked around me. The enemies seemed to be engaged with everyone else. As I looked towards the sword that was in the rock I saw the enemy general approaching it. My mind stopped. 'He...wants the sword...? NO!'
I ran towards him picking up one of the dead enemies swords on the way in my other hand and attacked him from behind. He noticed and barely brought his sword up in time to stop mine, and pushed me back while giving me his full attention. He had a scar across his right cheek that went across his nose bridge and his left eyebrow. He looked old but in strong shape with grey hair, and a moustache and beard to match. He grinned menacingly.
"Well, well, well! What do we have here! A little mud rat battle child! Tell me what did you do to become a slave hmmm? Must have been something heinous for your age!" He laughed while getting into a battle posture. I tilted my head. A heinous act? As the general attacked me I dodged and asked a question that was prevalent in my mind.
"You have to do a heinous act to be a battle slave...?" He stopped and stared while still being in his battle mode. He looked at me closely.
"...child how long have you been a slave?" I stared at him while tilting my head again.
"I have always been a slave. It is all I have known." I pounced towards him raising my sword again which he parried to the side and grabbed yanking it out of my hands. I back stepped quickly away from him and looked around for another weapon while keeping a eye on him.
He looked even closer at me. As he was continuing to stare at me I saw from the corner of my eye the black tassel sword. Someone else was approaching it and about to touch it! Rage filled me!
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" I yelled and ran for him. The person jerked back while looking wide eyed at me and as soon as I reached the rock I kicked them away. I panted and looked around fiercely warning with my eyes for everyone to back off. The enemy force started to walk towards me when there was a loud shout.
"STOP!" I looked towards the enemy general with wide eyes, when all of a sudden I heard a whistling sound, and then a thud and pain across my chest. I looked down and felt my eyes widen with shock. There in my chest was an arrow. I felt around my back and felt the tip of the arrow. I dropped my hand and started falling backwards, landing against the stuck sword. My eye sight started to go black, as I felt a warmth from the sword against my back.
"Find whowever let loose that arrow NOW!" The general yelled as he ran towards me, and as my eyes started to close I thought why does he look worried...?