When Given a Lemon

Part 40

Is that what that thing is?!

She is the ugliest monarch I have ever seen or heard! …And one of the deadliest from what I can tell by all that surrounds us!

Is it too late to turn back?

She roars; a guttural, shuddering sound that I feel vibrating up through my limbs. Swarms of bugs are enlisted as her guard, flanking her every side and it's no wonder we have lost so many. I devote my eyes to focus solely on her in order to avoid the carnage.

“Wouldn't it be ironic if that thing is actually the king and the queen is even bigger and meaner?” Lem whispers, wide eyed. I nearly end them for the blasphemy they speak, but luckily for them another soldier passes between us just in time. I can't stop my growl though and the innocent soldier glances uncertainty at me while shuffling further away.

Without any preamble the beast and its hordes lurch forward toward the foremost troupes. There aren't very many of us and I find myself frantically scanning for the other members of my squad as the creatures engage with the battalion. Kipol is still near us, and Merryl’s form is seen dipping in and out of view amongst the foliage. Denyel is nowhere to be found in the fray.

Lemon has the audacity to smirk at me amidst all the chaos, unsheathing their weapon.

“Let's go squish some bugs!”

-±-

Hours later my whole body is shaking with fatigue but my mind is a thousand leagues from sleep. By some sheer miracle Lemon had managed to stay by me throughout the whole onslaught and I honestly can't say that I would be standing here now if that hadn't been the case.

Several around us had incurred severe injuries, though very few were lost beyond those already fallen before we had arrived. This was owed to Merryl and the other gifted that had arrived with him. Together they had created a mighty flame blown into the queen with a gigantic force of wind.

It was horrible to watch, even if she was the enemy. She had screamed out with such force that I had lost my footing. It wasn't enough to put an end to her, but enough to force her to retreat.

Backing into the woven cavern behind where she had been perched she had screamed out defiantly a final time before disappearing in a cloud of angry smoke and shadow. When all had cleared what was left was a ruined, half collapsed entrance to a den that still sputtered tendrils of black clouds from deep within.

We were going to have to go after her. I shook my head at the disparaging thought, thinking of all the bugs hiding in the darkness there. It would be suicide for me to go inside it! As it was, with the many bugs that had swarmed us while those up front battled it out with the queen and the forces closest to her, I was practically dead on my feet!

I doubt that my body could endure anymore torture! Can't we at least take a break first?!

The gods must be listening to my plight though because the next order we are given is to surround the opening and erect stakes around it to protect from any surprise flying attacks while the damage we incurred is assessed and give time for the lieutenants to send word back to camp. No doubt the captain would want in on all of this. The bloodthirsty monster.

Not that I had any complaints about guarding the nest instead of entering it. Even when they put me to work helping to pull the dead back off from the sloping field I couldn't complain. Anything was better than going into the darkness!

I say that, but having to lift –and therefore see– dead and often mangled bodies that smelt of blood and shit and fear was not something that I hoped to ever have to encounter again after today. Their eyes are the worst. Vacant. By the second or third body I couldn't hold back my stomach any longer and I spewed my turmoil all over the angry, muddled soil. Warfare is a disgusting thing. Disgusting, and smelly, and horrifically grotesque. When I die, I hope it's in my sleep after spending the rest of my life in the most boring ways possible.

“Look, Keenah!” Lemon holds up a hand that is bright red, caked in blood. “I found a gold coin!”

Are they serious right now?!

My stomach turns and I amend my wish to a boring life, far away from Lemon.

More hours passed by and the field went from a wet bath of carnage to a field of flies. Gross that our enemies changed from horrific monsters to tiny, countless hordes that I find almost worse.

Before long the captain had arrived along with most of our remaining company. With them was all the gear necessary for erecting a quick field camp. Complete with a medic tent that Merryl's roommate was busy buzzing around inside of. I shook my head, wanting to clear the image of Obert physically buzzing around inside the tent. Why was I thinking of buzzing?

It was only then that I realized that I was hearing a thrumming buzz. One that was growing in force. Soon the ground around me was thrumming and my poor heart quavered.

If Lemon was right and the real queen had yet to show itself, I am going to kill them. Lemon, that is. I am not delusional enough to think I could ever hope to take on any queen, or king, or even a prince for that matter!

By now our whole camp is quavering and I along with it. The captain couldn't be more excited. I silently want him, and the bugs, dead. Somehow I felt like if it wasn't for him we wouldn't be here in this mess.

I'd likely still be back at the flooded, mostly abandoned field training camp down in the lowlands. What I wouldn't give to return to those easy, boring days!

Others grab their weapons and skirt the entrance to the darkness while I scurry backwards until I reach the medic tent. For protection. Because that's where I think I will be the most help; far from the front lines, guarding the injured. My squad has been scattered anyway. If our lieutenant knew that we were in such bad formation they would have our necks, but everyone seems too preoccupied with the vibrating landscape to notice a few soldiers out of place.

Speaking of which, where did Lemon go?

I scan one end of the field to the other but don't see them anywhere.

“Oh no, please don't tell me they went inside there,” I beg no one. I have a sinking feeling they will be exactly where I don't want them to be. They rarely seem to do or go where I want so I really shouldn't be surprised by this.

Finding myself shuffling forward back to the dark entrance of the broken entrance I let a whimper escape. If they're in there, I'm going to kill them!

If I were rationally thinking, I would stay back at the medic tent, but that doesn't seem to be a possibility when I am worried about that stupid Lemon. The thrum is so loud now that I felt my brain start to ache, as if it threatens to break apart if it has to endure much more of this. Those around me don't appear to be doing any better.

Out of nowhere, Denyel appears by my side, a heavy hand on my shoulder nearly making me jump out of my skin before I realize who it belongs to. I'm relieved that I won't be alone. Kipol arrives on my other side and my confidence is further boosted. We may yet get through this!

Or die horribly together, my mind whimpers.