Chereads / Hardfall and the Hero / Chapter 13 - Rescue

Chapter 13 - Rescue

They approached the city under the cover of night. The city was decimated and the enemy had set up camp. Before they turned to leave Berry spotted Benjamin. He was being led with a few others in chains. "We have to rescue them." Berry said, the girls nodded in agreement. "I'll sneak down there and take a closer look." Berry said. "OK we'll make a distraction." Said Casey and Jessica agreed. "OK but don't do anything reckless and don't get caught." The girls made there way to a spot were they could see everything easly. Berry moved quickly from shadow to shadow like a trained assassin. He spotted the tent where the prisoners were being held. Before he could reach it he was spotted. With a thought his dagger was in his hand then with the flight oh his wrist it sailed trough the air and into his neck. It was back in his hand before the body hit the floor. Berry was on the next man just as quickly, dispatching him just as silently. Moving into the tent he quickly dropped two more men in the same manner. He held a finger to his mouth signaling for everyone to keep quiet. After tossing the keys to one of the captives he dragged the other two body's inside. "Is there anyone else?" He asked. One of the men replied "there is another group in the other tent but the commander and Graves are being held somewhere else." Berry nodded and told them to head to the hills. He removed a uniform from one of the body's that looked about his size, a chainmail shirt covered with a tunic in the enemy colors. He grabbed a piece of paper and rolled it up. He walked with confidence up to the next tent holding up the paper in his left hand. "I need to see one of the prisoners." He said walking into the tent unhindered. There were three men standing guard inside the tent and one outside. Before he was able to get into position to strike he was interrupted. "You bastered" it was Benjamin, he was furious. Everyone turned to see who was talking and Berry struck. In the blink of the eye he threw his dagger at the man standing farthest away. In the same movement he swung his arm, his sword appearing just in time to strike both the men down. The man outside stepped in as the sword in Berry's hand was replaced with the dagger and sent right into the man's eye. "I'm here to rescue everyone." A look of confusion on his face Benjamin ask "your not with them?" Berry tossed him the keys and asked "do you know where the commander is?" Already getting in disguise Benjamin replied "I'll show you." They sent them to join the others and told them to set the tents on fire along the way. "Thats the signal" Jessica said as she started firing ice up into the air. Casey had eventually learned how to use her skill at will. It took many days and many rocks to the face before she understood it properly. As the ice shards rained down Casey manipulated them stricking down large groups of enemy troops on their way to put out the fires. This continued for a short time until Jessica ran out of mana.

With all the commotion they were able to get across the camp easly. Benjamin had told Berry they were being held in a special cage designed to stop magic use. "We need to find a officer" Benjamin said. It didn't take them long before they spotted a man in a officer uniform. The plan was for Benjamin to approach from behind well Berry Distracted him. The man watched Berry as he drew closer, he held a bow and had an arrow nocked. When Berry was close enough to get a good look at the man he suddenly lowered his bow. "Berry is that you? Your alive?" He said running up to Berry. When he saw the look of confusion on his face he continued "It's me Jameson." But the man was abruptly cut off as a spear was trust through his neck. The man fell dead before Berry could do anything "he knew me! Why did he know me?" Berry asked completely lost. They hadn't told him he was wearing a Frostharrow uniform when they found him. "We have to go!" Benjamin said taking the key. Berry reluctantly followed, with so many questions running through his head. He needed to know the man didn't look mean but he was the enemy. "I think he was my friend and you killed him before I could find out." Benjamin focused on opening the lock but replied to him "look he may have been your friend and I killed him, but he and his people killed my friends, family and neighbors. Neither side is right we are both the bad guys in someone's eyes." The door opened and the Vincent and Graves walked out to stand next to Benjamin. "Now you need to ask yourself which side your on. So which is Hardfall."

Berry was shaken he didn't know what to do. The only thing that made sense was to get out of there and figure it all out later. Somehow everyone made it to the hill safely. Casey ran and hugged her brother "Thank you for bringing him back to me" she said looking at Berry well smiling and crying at the same time. They made there way to the entrance to the hidden bunker most of the townspeople had evacuated here when the barrier went up. Only the city guard and a few of the men stayed behind to fight. "What happened after we left" Jessica asked. Mr Graves answered his voice raspie and low "we had the upper hand. The barrier was up and Vincent was working them over pretty good." He stopped and took a drink of water from a cup someone had handed him. "Until that bastered showed up. With a single swing of his scythe he cut through my barrier and leveled the town. Anyone in its path died instantly. We like ants under his boot. Shortly after he left with the main army I don't know where they went but I'm sure the king is already dead. The war is over, we lost."

Berry had gone off on his own after Graves had finished. He had removed the soldiers tunic and put his own green one back on. Deciding to keep the chainmail armor. Casey and Jessica joined him after a while. "You ok" Casey asked. "I don't think so" he responded and told them about what happened. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you " Casey said softly touching his shoulder. "I'm leaving" Berry said sadly. "We'll get are things" Jessica said but before they could turn to leave he shook his head. "I'm going alone" he said turning away from them. "You can't just leave us we're a team, and I" Casey's voice trailed off. "I need to be alone and figure out who I am not who you tell me I am." He said his voice starting to rise. A few over the others were looking in their direction. Benjamin got up from where he was sitting with Vincent and Graves. He started to walk towards them but Jessica motioned for him to sit down. "I can't trust them they lied to me. I can't trust myself." Casey moved closer again "what about us?" Berry turned and looked her in the eyes "you lied to me too." He said picking up his bag. As he turned and began walking away Casey stared to go after him but Jessica stopped her "let him go. Nothing we say will change his mind. Not right now." Jessica held Casey as she cried uncontrollably doing her best to hold back her own tears.

The night gave way to dawn and as the sun rose Berry sat looking out to sea. A small island could be seen just under the sun as it peeked over the horizon. "It would be nice to be on a island. Far away from war , death and people." He said to himself. He ran his hand over his eye feeling the scar that was there. He didn't know were it came from or any of the others that covered his body. He needed to be somewhere new somewhere no one knew Berry or Hardfall. He needed time understand himself and decide what kind of person he wanted to be. The only thing he knew for sure was he didn't want to fight in someone else war. To kill strangers for reasons no one knew. He stood to his feet and began to walk. He pulled out a little map from one of his pouches and took a drink from his endless flask. He immediately spit it out and cast his purifying light spell. When he took another drink it was cool and refreshing. "Thats probably why he was never able to sell it." Berry said looking at the map his fingers drawing a line from Mistrun to his next destination.