Second Chance

Prologue

        The enemy forces stamped their feet and roared. I stopped my desperate climb for a moment to look out at them. From my vantage point clinging onto the side of a cliff, their forces stretched out until they were lost among the heavy piles of dirt that filled the previously barren plains. Even as I watched more of the horde clambered up from their underground tunnels, swarming up the little hills and even over each other as they scrambled for space. Occasionally, one of the creatures would fall and its fellows would swarm onto them. When the swarm left, there were no remains to show where the fallen beast had been. I turned my view from them, sick, and looked out at the adventurers who challenged them. My people. My allies. My friends. Their forces were pitiful in comparison. A mere couple thousand to the hundreds of thousands of beasts they would fight, but their mood was bright.

          As well it should be. They were immortal. Their enemy was not. Victory was assured.

          The enemy forces began stamping their feet. Millions of hooves, all beating out a discordant rhythm as the creatures snorted and clicked amongst themselves. Interspersed amongst them, some of the larger beasts raised their horns in the air and bugled out a war cry that needed no translation. I could feel the rock face beneath my fingers vibrating with the force of their bellows. The adventurers cried out in return, not to be outdone, raising their weapons high and shouting with one voice. The wordless shouting on both sides continued even as some of the beasts began to break ranks and surge towards their enemy. The adventurers at the front planted their feet and readied themselves to withstand the charge.

           I turned away from the battle already begun and continued climbing away from the fray. I didn't look back.