"They took my sister, Commander! They took her." Audemar's tears started pouring out from his eyes.
Upon the statement of Audemar, the Commander's eyebrows snapped together. He frowned. Commander Eldwin immediately withdrew his hand that was holding Audemar Cirillo's arm. He glanced over his shoulder.
"We must bring you to safety first," muttered Commander Eldwin.
"What?" Rage hinted within the tone of Audemar, "Do you mean to leave Andraste? My sister?"
"No, My Lord. However given this situation, I must bring you to safety. Now, come!" in a monotone, Commander Eldwin disclosed, as he held Audemar by his waist before shifting him up.
"No! I am not coming with you!" disagreed Audemar, trying to break free from Commander Eldwin, "Let go! Let go! I said let me go!" he bawled.
"Forgive me Audemar, but I have to do this— " unable to finish his sentence when another assailant charged towards him with its sword.
Commander Eldwin— with his quick reflex, took a step on his side, dodging the weapon of the assailant. Eldwin Madris took a quick turn facing the back of his opponent, enabling him to plunge his sword from the opponent's back.
"AAAARRRGGHHHHH!!" he grunted as he sliced southeasterly through the body of the assailant. Gaining back his steady breathing, there comes the third assailant.
CLANG!
Commander Eldwin blocked the sword of the third assailant, creating a clanging sound. However, with Audemar held by his left arm, he cannot exert his full strength to throw away the man in front of him. He grunted once again, sweat trailing down from his temple down to his chin. When something caught his peripheral vision. Another assailant with his broken sword was rushing towards them.
"Aaarrgghhh! God damn you all!" roared Commander Eldwin, taking a step towards his opponent, pushing him back. Step, by step, Commander Eldwin gained enough force for him to push the man. "God damn you all!" roared the Commander once again. Wrathful. That was the very word that could only explain Eldwin Madris's feeling.
Upon pushing off his opponent, the man came stumbling on the ground, and without any hesitation, Commander Eldwin ended his life. He thwacked his sword onto the man's neck. Like a fountain, blood erupted out of it. However, Commander Eldwin wasn't contented with this. He twisted the sword that was still in the neck of the assailant— robbing him of his last breath.
"Audemar..." whispered the Commander, "As soon as your foot met the ground, you must... you really must... run so fast, so fast that no one would catch up to you. Do you understand?" asked Commander Eldwin, in between his pantings.
"I'm scared..." Audemar's voice shook. Overwhelmed with the fear that he was feeling. he clutched tightly onto Commander Eldwin's shoulder, "I'm scareeeed," he repeated, burying his face onto Commander Eldwin's neck, hugging him tightly.
"Don't you want to save your sister, Audemar?" questioned Commander Eldwin.
Shot by this question, Audemar took a quick glance at the face of the Commander. His eyes drew a line in between each other.
"You do, don't you?" Commander Eldwin tempted, "Then if you do want to save your sister, I need you to man up and flee towards that direction, Audemar." added Commander Eldwin, as he started bending over.
"At the count of three. Are you ready My Lord?" he asked.
"Clearly, I am not!" Audemar Cirillo replied, exclaiming towards the Commander.
"I'll take that as a yes." Commander Eldwin chuckled a little. A smug smile plastered on his face.
Audemar's eyes went round, not expecting the words that came out from the honorable man that was holding him tightly, "Are you insane?!"
"No man is sane in the middle of a battle, young lad! Keep that in mind Audemar." Commander Eldwin told him. Staring deeply into his eyes, before looking back to the rushing assailants towards them, "Fear, and anger, greed, and envy, madness alongside its longing for vengeance— even the purest among the pure could not withstand these emotions when you are in a battlefield."
SSWWWSHHKKK!!
After ending his sentence, an assailant appeared right in front of him, his sword held tightly with both hands on his chest. His goal was clear, and it is to thrust the sword deep into the Commander's heart. Eldwin Madris quickly evaded the attack, quickly lifted his arm, swinging his sword diagonally aiming for its neck. But the assailant took a step backward, avoiding the deadly cut of the Commander. However, Eldwin Madris, eager to kill the man—steps forward and chased the man with a thrust.
KUUURRRGHHH!!
He vomited blood. Commander Eldwin thrust his sword even deeper, before stepping onto its shoulder and pulling his sword from its body when another man came to him. This time the assailant made a diagonal attack, aiming at Commander Eldwin's neck. Seeing this, the Commander quickly drawback, but again, the man went chasing the Commander Eldwin with a combination of diagonal cut and a thrust.
'He's all offensive.' Commander Eldwin thought to himself, analyzing his opponent's movements, with a frown on his face, 'If only... I... could... disarm him...'
After multiple times of evading the attack of his opponent, his eye went round coming into realization.
Waiting for the next attack of his opponent, he stood up quickly.
'Here it goes.' Taking a deep breath in, he watched the blade of his opponent, 'As expected, it is a diagonal cut again.'
Commander Eldwin swiftly raised his sword, blocking the attack of the man, one-handed. The blow was as powerful as expected. Using the momentum, Commander Eldwin lets his sword be pushed out of his way, countering the attack directly. Until his blade reaches the neck of his opponent.
SWWWSSSHHHKK!!!
Eyes focused once again on Audemar Cirillo's, blood splattered onto his face. He squinted his eyes fast. The young lad gasped.
"Brother! The Gunners! The Gunners are coming!" out of the Commander's sight, he knew that it was Favran Madris, who shouted, "We're going to hold this off! Bring the young master to safety!"
"It's not safe here for you anymore." Commander Eldwin bent and puts Audemar down, "Into the woods! Now! Go!" He shouted.
"I can't! I'm scared—"
"Do not cower, Audemar! You are a son of the Duke of Arvendon! You are a man! Gather yourself, and when I tell you to run, run as fast as you can!" shouted Commander Eldwin towards Audemar.
"Brother! NOW!" yelled Favran once again.
"I caaaan't!! Commander, please!" pleaded Audemar, grabbing Commander Eldwin's arm.
Eldwin Madris's face turned grim, unhappy of the situation when out of nowhere, Favran was next to them already. Holding his sword with both hands. "Brother! What are you waiting for?!" He frustratedly questioned.
"Shut up, Favran! And give me a moment!" Commander Eldwin Madris yelled.
"The moment that you are asking, will be the death of us all!" Favran yelled back.
"Audemar I need you to understand—"
"Damn it!" Favran cussed under his breath, as he lowered his sword. When suddenly, Audemar got lifted from the ground once again, "Where shall we meet?" Asked Favran in a shouting manner.
Commander Eldwin—his brother, stared at him with a frown on his face but faded away immediately. He took a quick glance at his men, fighting for their lives, injured and covered with their own blood. He took a deep breath before looking back at Favran.
"Bid us hello at Gafidad City, my brother." Commander Eldwin Madris said, his tone enveloped with sadness. A faint smile forming on his lips.
"May the blessing of the above be yours, brother." Favran with lonely eyes patted his brother's shoulder before turning his back running to the direction Commander Eldwin told Audemar to go to.
Commander Eldwin—watching the frame of his younger brother enter the forest, clutched his sword tightly. Trees stretching deeper towards the shadow. As soon as Favran did, he uttered;
"Be safe."