Chapter 4

The desert wind howls in the night, Sand drifts through the air. I watch the dark horizon but become distracted by the stars. They twinkle in the sky, like guardian angles watching over the silent camp. My gaze begins to shift toward the moon as it lights up the small encampment. I smile happily at the glowing celestial, knowing there is more to the glowing orb in the sky than meets the eye. It feels alive and radiant, powerful. I am unsure of what may be beyond it. It must be something vast unventured and even more beautiful. My gaze fixed back to the horizon. I begin seeing shadows move about in the darkness. From behind me I hear footsteps approaching me from the camp.

“Do you see something out there Grimm?”

“I see a beautiful sky…”

“Look to the horizon” I tell him.

He looks for a moment seeing the moving shadows.

“Sound the horn!”

Grimm reaches for the horn strapped to his belt.

Fire erupts on the horizon then gives birth to smaller flames. I hear a voice from the distance.

“Fire!”

A volley of fire arrows begins to rain onto the camp. I hear screams of my soldiers as smoke rises into the night sky.

Grimm sounds his horn. My men begin to flee for their lives. Another volley targets my fleeing men, sending them crashing onto the ground. Flames begin to spread engulfing the shriveled dry grass. I watch in horror, unsure of what to do.

Grimm grabs the shoulder of the closest soldier running past.

“Gather the men on the far side of the camp” He barks.

The young man gives him a salute.

“Snap out of it boy! He yells.

He grips my shoulder. I snap back to my senses.

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“Follow me “he says. I do as he says. We rush to the edge of the camp. I notice some of my men waiting.

“Gather all the arrows you can and return fire, rip them from your fallen comrades if you must “Grimm orders.

The men salute and get to work. They get into formation, release arrows, and pepper the enemy. They keep firing.

I begin to come out of my daze.

“Where’s Constantine!” I yell.

Grimm begins to look around in a worried gaze. I looked towards where his tent had been erect noticing flames sprawling around turning from dry grass to ash. I begin yelling his name.

“Constantine! “

I hear no voice answering his name. I see the shadows of the enemy begin to pull back, knowing the attack has finally ended.

“Cowards!” I yell.

I yell again as tears well up in my eyes, the shadows fade into the distance.

As daybreak begins to show itself. I walked up to the scorched tent where my friend had slept. A charred corpse rests on the ground in front. I looked on at the cooked flesh burnt to a blackened crisp knowing it was my one and only trusted friend, ally, and comrade. Other corpses of my men are spread out on the ground and anger fills my heart as I realize the amount of men that lay dead around me. I roar into the clouds, loud enough for the neglectful gods to hear and it feels as if the earth shakes.

“Pull yourself together this is what war is!” I hear the ferocious voice of Grimm from behind.” As a captain you need to restrain yourself from tantrums.” “You’re making a fool of yourself!” He yells. “Show some restraint.”

He grips the color of my breast plate. His angry eyes stared into mine, silently ripping my soul to ribbons. He back hands me. I fell to the ground. Flashbacks to my father form in my mind. I get to my feet and swing at his face, he dodges gripping my arm and throwing me to my back. My armor clatters as I contact the ground, and it knocks the breath out of me. I go in for a grapple and he throws me to the hard ground. I draw my sword and go in for a wild swing. He blocks it with his metal bracers, and he takes me down with a hard right punch. My eyes water as my nose begins to bleed.

“Pick him up! “He commands the remaining troops. They do as he says without question. “You are no captain.” He says. “You are nothing more than a mere boy.”

He rips my cape and throws it to the ground.

“I’m taking command!” He exclaims angrily.

He begins to lead the fatigued troops in the darkness with nothing but a couple of torches lighting the path. I walk silently at the back of the pack. As dawn begins to break many of the men have started taking swift breaks as their tired legs begin to give, but Grimm continues pushing forward. He looks stern faced ahead as he walks. The silence breaks as the men see the silhouette of the fortress of Grand Lake. The marching begins to hasten as the fort grows larger in the Horizon. They begin to celebrate as we continue getting closer. I walk sulking in my shame. I failed as a leader, and it caused the death of my best friend.

Grimm looks toward the back of the pack with a cold glare. He’s looking directly at me; his stare makes me feel isolated. We slowly approach Grand Lake Fort. One of the men sound a trumpet announcing our presence. The large gate begins open and the rusty hinges creek as it swings wide. A man in in shiny gold gilded armor awaits us at the for front of a large mass of soldiers.