Flames

Chapter Seven

It was the middle of summer when the battle occurred.

Cedric grinned as he looked over the battlefield through the small holes in his helmet. It would be one of the largest they had ever fought on. "Luxtene will pay today." He said to his king, who merely nodded.

"Are your men ready?" King Roman, an older man who was nearing his fifties in several years, spared a glance.

"Ready as always." He looked into the distance, barely able to make out the Luxtene soldiers' flags as they came across the hill. "I think this battle has the chance of turning the tides for us." After so many years of doing nothing but fighting, surely one side had to give out. He knew from experience that Phaepyr wouldn't be the one to back out. They had enough resources and soldiers to keep them going for years to come.

This was Cedric's fifteenth battle, and he hoped it wasn't his last. He loved the thrill of the fight. Without any family to his name, what was there to risk? Fighting for his kingdom seemed like the best option. If he survived, that meant another day to fight and bring down Luxtene. If he died, he would die defending the name of Phaepyr. It was an honor to pass on the battlefield, which was what he long hoped for himself. While soldiers always wanted to return home, they all hoped they would die a hero's death. That was what Cedric saw for his future.

Waiting like this was the hardest part. He was staring down the men on the front lines of Luxtene, highly awaiting each step they took. He sat straight upon his horse, reaching back and motioning for their youngest soldier to come forward. He wasn't entirely of age, maybe eight years old. He carried a horn with him, one that would signal that Phaepyr was ready to fight. "Get ready, young one."

When Luxtene came to a halt, their soldiers stretching far back over the hill, they began to raise their flags higher, the symbol of the blue and silver bird flapping in the wind. Even from a distance, Cedric could see their young boy step forward with his own horn.

"Now." He said to the child, listening with chills as the horns blew together in unison. That sound never passed Cedric without the chills. It always signaled that his time to fight was near. He lived for this. "Ready men!" Luxtene started to charge. A wicked grin crossed his face. "Charge!" He pulled his sword from his hilt, pointing it to the sky at an angle. Horses among men running flew past him, each trying to be the first to strike down a Luxtene soldier.

Cedric waited for most of his men to pass him, as Roman told him a good commander waited, then led his horse straight into the fierce battle.

It wasn't out of the ordinary. Clouds were filling the sky, the blue disappearing behind them. He didn't mind. Cedric felt as though he worked best in the dark like this. Once on the battlefield, he rode straight past most of his men and directly into the fight. From his horse, he was able to strike down many soldiers with his sword at his position. His black-coated armor deflected most blows and any arrows that came his way. On the battlefield, he had no fear. There was nothing to lose.

That was what made him a better soldier. Without any family at home, there was no care. It didn't matter if he was reckless with his life. The only one that would mourn him would be his king. Maybe. Roman had been known for his cold and harsh demeanor. He took much after his mother in that area.

Beneath his helmet, Cedric couldn't fight the grin that came to his face with every man he cut down. Each death felt like a victory to Phaepyr. At the start of each battle, he had always tried to keep count. On days like today, he would forget how many he had cut down within the hour.

Blood was being spilled on both sides. In several spots, the number of bodies that laid upon the ground was overwhelming. There wasn't a way to step around them. Even if you did, you would find your foot sinking into the ground from how soft the amount of blood had made it. It was a gruesome scene.