Clash of Captains

Chapter 25

Aneira could feel Devyn quivering, her hand practically vibrating, as they returned to the trail and began their descent. She held the other girl's hand tight, almost attempting to keep it still, but remained quiet, not wanting to disrupt the tense silence that had overtaken them. The dry dirt and rocks crunched beneath their boots. For a while as they walked, their steps were perfectly in sync, one resounding pair of feet marching down the mountain. But Devyn was slightly taller, therefore having longer legs, and so they eventually were knocked out of their synchronicity again.

The hike down the mountain seemed so different from their ascent. Part of Aneira was incredibly relieved: they'd survived Mount Nyswell, the cursed peak of legends, even after running into one of the shadow god's infamous beasts. Another part of the girl was unsure. There would be so much on the line once they returned, so much that Aneira didn't know of. What's going to be there waiting for us when we get back? I'll be imprisoned again; that much I know is true. I'm still a captured Ledian captain, after all. The thoughts only added to the tension fogging her mind.

"For the love of the shadow god himself," Devyn suddenly snapped bitterly, her hand wrenching from Aneira's grip. The sharpness of her tone and the sudden coldness of her hand tugged Aneira out of her thoughts. "That hurts." The blonde girl must have subconsciously tightened her hold on Devyn's hand. She offered her a sheepish shrug.

Devyn sighed, and for a while they walked on in silence, the dark-haired girl rubbing at her hand in a way that Aneira assumed was mostly for show. Aneira could feel the tension between them again, especially now that they weren't holding onto each other. She could practically feel it in the air, palpable and choking.

Devyn seemed to sense this as well, because she sighed again. "It's not that easy being a captain in Dreg, y'know." The words were so sudden that both girls seemed surprised by the outburst. But the dark-haired girl shot her a pointed look, giving her the inclination that she wanted to say this, and so Aneira remained silent to listen.

"I was still fairly young when I was recruited to be a soldier for the Dregian army. The war had only started a couple of years before that, and we were so lacking in arms that they lowered the drafting age. Since I was a girl I wasn't technically required to join, but I wanted to, for the good of the nation. From the way Dreg saw the war... They had laid most of the blame on Ledah, making us sound like the victims. And so, obviously, I wanted to help out as best I could." Devyn let out a derisive laugh that seemed like more of a barking cough. "Anyway. You remember my friend Rhona, the one I told you about earlier?" Aneira nodded. "Well, they managed to sneak their way out of being a soldier. And I'll tell you honestly: they wouldn't have lasted a second." Aneira wasn't sure whether the statement was meant to be amusing or not until Devyn chuckled quietly.

"I don't know how they managed that, but they weaseled their way into working with the other healers. They joined the healers' crew at about the same time I was called into real action. Unfortunately, that meant that I had to say goodbye. It was... tough. We'd never been apart much before that, so it was a big adjustment." Aneira watched as Devyn gulped, her throat bobbing a little. "It was really hard on me. I've never been 'dependent' on anyone, per say, but not having a friend there with me... I had to learn to rely only on myself. My first battle wasn't the greatest; that was one that Dreg lost miserably, and we had to retreat. A lot of lives — and limbs, for that matter — were lost that day, and I somehow survived unscathed. Which only made it all harder, actually."

Devyn quieted for a moment, and Aneira glanced worriedly over, about to murmur that she didn't have to say any more. But the dark-haired girl spoke again before she could utter a word. "Anyway. That battle passed by and they started actually drilling and training us soldiers. We got better, for the most part, and in the next battle, we were more prepared for what awaited us. So, we did alright, and we managed to get Dreg a victory." She shrugged, trailing off with a distant gaze as she considered the next part of her story. "A few more battles — all more minor skirmishes — passed by. For the most part, we won those, or barely lost. I think it was my seventh battle where it all changed. For the better or worse, depending on your view.