Withering

Chapter 0: The Great War

"Alan!" Yelled a man, I couldn't see properly as everything was blurry. In fact, I feel as if my ears are muffled as well. I cannot hear well.
"Alan, get up!" Again, someone was yelling for me, who? Why? What is happening? I do not understand. As I was trying to understand the situation, I was forcibly dragged up and was on my feet in a matter of seconds.

"Look at me!" What? Strange, no matter how much I look I cannot recognize this man, my vision is too blurry to make out his face.
*SLAP* I stood there after what felt like a sharp pain struck me on my cheek. It hit me, I began recollecting what occurred as I was looking around, for my vision was no longer blurry. Thousands of men, every single one of them wearing some form of armor, most of them with spears and others with shields deflecting arrows raining from the sky.

Before I realized it, someone grabbed my shoulders and spun me to face them, "Alan, Pay attention for god's sake!" The one who was yelling at me was a friend I made during our military training. Why was he- that's right, I'm in the middle of a war.
"Grif?" I ask, as if I'm trying to make sure it was actually him.
"Alan, we need to move, from the looks of it-they're planning on dropping flaming boulders! We need to take cover, come on!" Before I could respond he grabbed my wrist and forcibly dragged me to a man made ditch.

Screams and cries of pain echo among the battlefield, the ground rumbling constantly from the strikes of the boulders smashing onto the ground. Flames engulfing the corpses, land and everything else it can lay its heat upon.

Finally, after what seemed for hours, the ground stopped shaking. As I got up from the ditch; my heart dropped. Many boulders surround the area, flame that seem to stretch for miles, and the countless bodies that lay, just from the heat alone, the blood dried up. As I walked forward towards the mass genocide I witnessed; I heard a cry.

I turn around to see what was a man in flames, crawling towards me. Begging me to, "help" him. How? What could I possibly do that will relieve you of your pain? He kept begging for death, as if he knew that was his only option. Horrified at the sight, I felt as if I was about to vomit. I held it in, lifted my shaking hand onto the hilt of my sword, and unsheathed it.

I stare him into his eyes, his bleeding red eyes that beg for death, and I abide. I pointed the sword to his head, closed my eyes and forced the blade into his skull.
I began to slowly open my eyes, my first instinct-Throw up. I vomited so much, I couldn't breathe. I was tearing up from asphyxiation.

After I finished, I quickly turned around and dropped to my knees. I took deep breaths to recuperate. I was feeling better. I look around and see Grif walking to
me, he put his hand on my shoulder, "you did a good thing." He said. I felt like crying, I didn't want to be here, I was only a farmer before this stupid war came to be!

I wipe my tears and stood with the help of Grif. We decided to quickly search for others as there was more than one ditch. We split up, Grif would take the East while I took the West.

After a couple of minutes of walking I couldn't find anyone, most likely, they've been killed by the boulders or flames. Damn. This is unforgivable. I cannot let this continue. I decided to head back and meet up with Grif, even if we were the last survivors, we need to fight now. There's no going back, even if I retreated, I'd be treated like a criminal, and my family would suffer.

While walking I heard voices, it sounded like a group of men, I need to be cautious. Could be the enemy. I hid behind a Boulder and peeked the side, they're wearing armor with the crest of a lion. They're enemies. There's five of them, no way I can take them on. Before I decided to head off in order to avoid them, I heard Grif's voice. "Fuck off you bastards!" The sounds of swords colliding can be heard.

He's fighting the enemy! I quickly ran towards the sound of the fighting in order to be met with Grif standing as a sword pierced him from behind. Without even thinking, I ran at the enemy striking him down, looking to my right, there was only one more. Quickly, to catch him off guard, I ran at him and begun striking my sword violently. I pretended to swing in order to bait the enemy into defending allowing me to sweep his legs. He fell.

I walked up to him and stabbed him through the chest. Heavy breathing. Heavy. Breathing. Honestly, I couldn't think well. The fuel of hatred consumed me and I couldn't disobey it. I turned around hoping Grif would still be breathing, he wasn't. Instead, he stood on his knees while staring at me. As if he saw how much I've grown.

He was smiling til' the very end. As I look around, all I can see is five other bodies before the two I ended. He didn't go down without a fight. But now that only leaves me. If I am truly the last one alive, I will make sure that these deaths were not in vain. I will continue to fight until my last breath.

I marched towards the walls of the castle, sword in one hand and a shield I picked up just now in the other, I will fight. For my country and my people.