As I was about to flee, a familiar voice rang in my head. "Aiko, don't go!"
I turned around abruptly, hoping to see Sheng Xing, but he was nowhere to be seen.
-Sheng Xing! Where are you?
But there was no response. Only the din of the battlefield around me.
Eventually I fled as fast as I could, the reins of my horse tight in my trembling hands. I galloped as fast as I could through the chaos of the battlefield, trying to get away from the horror that was unfolding behind me. The sound of swords, arrows, and screams gradually faded, but my heart was still pounding furiously in my chest.
-Your Highness! Hurry up! They're on your heels!, one of the soldiers behind me yelled, his voice tearing through the air.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw a group of mounted enemies chasing me. Their dark armor gleamed in the dim light, their faces hidden beneath menacing helmets. A wave of panic rose within me.
-No… no, no… I have to lose them!, I muttered through clenched teeth, slapping my horse's flanks to urge it to go faster. I could feel the fear in its panting breath, just as I could in my own body.
But despite my escape, a heavy guilt weighed on my shoulders. My soldiers, those who had stayed to protect me… I had abandoned them.
-What do I do? I can't leave them!, I muttered, feeling a ball of guilt form in my stomach. My heart was pounding.
-Your Highness, keep going! Don't look back!, another voice shouted, desperate. A loyal soldier was still fighting behind, trying to slow down the enemies.
-But I can't abandon them!, I shouted back, my heart heavy with remorse.
-You must survive! If you are captured, all is lost!, the captain replied, galloping alongside me for a brief moment before heading back to the front to try to hold off the enemy.
I could hear the heavy footsteps of the horses behind me, getting dangerously close. Each hoofbeat seemed closer than the last. My horse was panting, tired from the frantic race.
-Your Highness, turn right!, another soldier shouted.
I jerked on the reins, swerving my horse into a dense forest. The path grew narrower, branches scratching at my arms, but I kept going, desperate to escape.
Suddenly, an arrow whistled past my ears and embedded itself in a tree inches from my head. My heart stopped for a split second, and I pulled even harder on the reins to speed up.
-No… No, I have to get out of this, I whispered, my throat tight.
But the fear was becoming more and more overwhelming. I could feel their presence behind me, their horses were getting closer, and despite all my determination, a desperate cry escaped my lips.
-SHIT! Sheng Xing… Where are you?
My cry was lost in the wind, drowned out by the din of the pursuit. Panic rose in me like a devastating wave, and I felt my hands begin to shake.
Suddenly, one of the enemy soldiers appeared on my right, ready to unseat me. He reached out to grab my horse's reins, but I pulled them abruptly, changing direction.
-Catch him!, the enemy shouted hoarsely. "He must not escape us!"
I did my best to zigzag through the forest, hoping that the trees would protect me, but I knew that I could not keep up for long at this pace.
A feeling of helplessness descended upon me. The sound of hooves sounded like a death knell, and I felt more vulnerable than ever.
-Your Highness, there is an exit further, just behind the hill! You must hold on a little longer!, the captain shouted, distant but still present.
-I will try..., I whispered, my voice cracking with fear.
The trees rushed past as I struggled not to lose my balance. But the further away I got, the closer I felt the danger was getting.
-Sheng Xing, I whispered again, hoping for an intervention, a miracle, something that would save me.
But at that moment, there was only me, alone on that horse, with the enemy on my heels.