Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The steady drumbeat sounded out, as yet another regiment received the orders to advance to the front lines. Pavitra looked up, behind her as the flag, flapped and cracked in the fierce wind. Before her, was the ninth regiment. Her regiment. Each soldier was ready to advance on the northern alliance, they were all just waiting for the messenger to come and give their orders.
They were all currently within the base camp, which lied behind a tall hill, shielding them from the battle itself. Occansally they would hear a trumpet, though this did nothing to tell them how the battle itself was going.
She rubbed the hand over the pommel of her sword. In truth, she was nervous. This was her first actual battle. She had not even had that much training, just the basics of command and how to fight. It was also the regiment's first battle, well that was minus the veterans of course. Then she saw him, riding over rapidly. It was the messenger.
He pulled on the reigns, bringing the horse that he was riding to a sharp stop in front of her.
"Captain, your orders." He threw her a small piece of parchment, which she caught easily. As she looked back up to thank the messenger he was long gone. Riding off into the distance.
She then quickly looked back to the parchment. It didn't say much but the exact order.
'Advance over the hill, relive the fourth regiment on the left flank'
They were simple. Pavitra then quickly looked up. Before yelling out, "Our orders are to relive the fourth in the left flank. Advance!"
Then there own drums began to beat out the steady, marching tune.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
As she walked in front of her soldiers, she felt more and more nervous. Though she didn't want to show it in front of her soldiers and stayed looking forward. Eager to see the battle just beyond the rise of the hill.
As they began to crest the hill, she finally got her first sight of war. It was messy, at least it looked so from here. The red uniforms of the army clashed all over with the black and blue of the enemy. The sudden declaration of war that had come from the northern alliance had shocked everyone. Most had assumed the duchies would never do such a thing.
Still, they were so far away that they could not hear anything at all.
Her eyes, then drifted to the left flank, searching through the banners for the fourth regiment. Soon enough she caught sight of the distinctive banner. The unit itself at least from here was one of the thinnest lines of red that she could see.
This urged her on to move even quicker than she was seconds before.
"Come on, we have to hurry!" She yelled out to the soldiers which were only just behind her. She herself then withdraw her shining red sword, chucking its sheath to the side, then she ran off down the hill, her soldiers trailing behind her as they all struggled to keep up.
All she wanted to do now, was prove to her father that she deserved this and was meant to be here. She was not weak!
As she got closer to the true sounds of battle greeted her. Screaming. Cries. Death.
There was just so much death. The closer than she got, the more she slowed down until she was barely moving at a crawl. It was about this time that the soldiers which were trailing behind her finally caught up and then overtook her, rushing into the battle.
She just stood there. Watching as people lost their arms and other body parts. It was so bloody. Never had she thought that it would be like this?
Then someone touched her should. She flinched and jumped back, swinging her sword as she did. Luckily for the captain which had touched her, he was far enough out of the way.
He asked slowly, "Are you alright? You are really paleโฆ" His concerns were soon waved away as she slowly began to walk forwards, her body and mind coming to their senses.
Soon enough she was passing through the rear lines of her soldiers. Each one made way for her as she walked past. No one said anything at the rear lines though, they were all just all breathing heavily.
Then as she got closer she finally smelt it. Blood. Iron. Steel. It was all melded together in the smell of death...It was the smell of death.
Then she saw a man, who was only a few steps away. Be cut down. His lifeless body, falling to the ground. Only to land on dozens of other bodies. There was no green patch of grass, only red batches of blood or pale lifeless bodies.
Then the enemy soldier who had cut down someone only seconds ago charged forwards at her. She did nothing. Her body would not move. All she could do was watch as the sabre's edge came crashing down before her.
Squelch!
She had closed her eyes fearing for the end. But all she felt was a warm liquid cover her face. Not feeling any pain, she slowly opened her eyes only to see that a soldier had taken the blow for her.
It hit her hard. He had saved her. Then the lifeless body of her unknown saviour fell to the floor. Finally, some warmth returned to her body and she looked up at the enemy soldier in front of her who was raising the sabre again to cut her down.
Instead, Pavitra thrust her red blade straight through his throat. The man looked down in shock at the blade. Then he coughed up a load of blood as he leaned backwards, slipping off of the blade.
Pavitra herself though felt a sudden pain. She had taken a life...She had killed someone.
It was so easy and it just felt...
Then she looked around. More were dying. Each one, each soldier, was dying for another.
Seeing this a rage began to fill up inside of her. Why did they all have to die? Why?!
Then she dropped her swordโฆ
It smashed around on the floor, as it crashed over pieces of armour and discarded weapons.
Then with her hands raised, she began to chant. Her emotions forcing and urging the mana to obey.
She felt the mana around her as well as inside of herself. Calling upon it all.
Her hands then began to move in tandem, It took minutes for all of the spell circles and runes to form, as she finally finished. The massive spell lit up and fire began to spew out.
First, it circled around her. Then like a massive red wave. It soon engulfed the surrounding area first. The screen of those caught in the flame was horrifying as well the burning smell that soon followed.
Then the flame spread further and further. Carpeting the whole battlefield.
The roar of the flame soon drowned out all other noise.
Then as it died away, Pavitra fell to her knees, on the blackened and burnt earth.
Her tears were all that she could now feel.