The War Against Aberon (Rough Draft #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

    Befuddlement wasn't a good enough word to describe the pure disbelief and confusion Zaffre felt as she stood surveying the war. The man who'd disappeared no longer plaguing her mind as she was watching hundreds of faces just disappearing. Her brain couldn't wrap around what was happening as her eyes drank in the sight of soldier after soldier being sucked under the sand. One moment they were there, the next they slipped beneath the tan like water. The sight had frozen her until a scream for help tore through the air.

    "Help me! Please!," Badger barked out desperately. His body was half-consumed already, the sand up to his waist. He was being dragged down quickly and in less than a minute he'd be gone like the rest of the Vale Havon fighters who'd already followed the same fate. His only saving grace was his sword that he'd stuck into the ground to keep him above ground.

    Zaffre sprinted over and grabbed onto his outstretched hand as fast as she could. The sand was at his chest and he'd lost his grip on his weapon. She pulled with all her might, but it was like the planet was trying to draw him inside. A guttural shout left her body as she tried to get him free, the look of pain on Badger's face pushing her further. Yet her work did nothing and he was neck-deep in the sand. Fear filled his eyes like a child alone in a thunderstorm, he was terrified. Zaffre was staring into the face of a man who was extremely scared of death. She didn't even know his name.

    It was her last thought before he was pulled under, his hands slipping from hers as he disappeared like everyone else. Zaffre stared at where he'd been in shock. It was like every part of her was stuck. She couldn't comprehend what was happening, even as she looked back around at the now extremely empty battlefield. More and more Vale Havon soldiers were being sucked under and those that remained were being slain by the still numerous Aberonian fighters.

    A soldier came running at Zaffre with a speed she wouldn't expect for a man of his size. She had almost no time to prepare and simply grabbed Badger's sword from the ground and blocked the blow that came for her head. The metal was unfamiliar in her palms and she missed her own sword that was very close behind her. She rose quickly trying to find a way to try and gain ground with the behemoth of a man in front of her. He seemed like a mountain with wide shoulders and a thick head. Or maybe an ogre as Zaffre saw the look on his face.

    Another two soldiers were on their way and Zaffre knew she needed to think fast to get out of this alive. Panic was setting in as she feared getting sucked down under the sand or dying at the hands of these fighters. She took a step back as her sword once again collided with the mountains. Her booted foot came into contact with her father's sword. She sent a thank you to her father as she parried the next blow and the man in front of her began to swing his sword out for a slash. With as much speed as she could muster, Zaffre dropped down into a deep squat as the sharp metal flashed right over where her body had been. She gripped the handle of Cylis' sword and drew it up and stood with a spinning motion, the blade out.

    On her feet, she could see what she'd accomplished the ogre man fell to the ground, deep wounds on his legs. Zaffre took a step forward and stuck Badger's shortsword into the man's skull, the crunch making Zaffre nauseous. She was just in time for the next two fighters to arrive and soon enough she was in another flurry of movement, but she was extremely tired. Two opponents at once were almost too much. Her distress was building as time went on and she couldn't fend off her attackers completely. She was struck by the thought that this was how Lenny had felt.

    Remembering her friend now was not her best action, however, as the distraction proved to give an advantage to her two adversaries. The pain was felt this time as a dagger was lodged into her shoulder. A cry of agony fell from her lips as the blade dug in. She drew up her good arm with her sword to protect herself and the injury, but she was severely disadvantaged now. Her breaths increased with her fear as she noticed her opponents also seemed to realize she was greatly weakened.