Makeshift tents and campfires were erected over the course of an hour, refugees huddled together mourning the loss of their homes and the lives lost on this fateful night. It was a woeful sight to see soldiers weeping and children silent with haunted expressions on their youthful faces, so many people displaced on this most horrific of nights. On this night the cold wind carried the voices of the despaired, a symposium of melancholy that reached the ears of all within miles as it was a grim reminder of this most tragic of nights. Jared watched the people as they wandered aimlessly, fury and guilt in his heart 'These people never deserved this,' the knight slumped against the wall of a building overlooking the impromptu refugee camp, Jared put his head in the palms of his hands 'They had lives, families and homes to return to but now...' lifting his face from his hands Jared once again looked down at the people in the camp, his eyes were full of tears 'These people have nothing, no hope in this cursed world.'
'Jared.'
Jared was startled by the sudden return of the Revenant's voice, it had gone silent since the confrontation with that goblin Chatak. He wanted to respond but his voice was lost as the other's filled his mind for all but a moment 'Jared can give hope, Jared give people hope.' hearing these words from the voice of a monster was strange, to him there was a suspicion welling up within his heart yet even if the monster had a motive nothing about the words were false. Jared would lay down his life to protect those who are unable to protect themselves, and something told him maybe that was his reason for being here.
A burning determination filled his heart that replaced the despair clouding his mind, a flame of hope to beat back the darkness. Jared was that fire, a white hot flame that would never die as long as the knight still breathed.
It was on this most fateful of nights the huddled masses would mourn no longer, the winds would no longer carry the cold touch of hopelessness and despair, no this night was not the end of hope but the beginning of it. "Listen to my words, and listen well." the knight stepped from the shadows his voice silencing the cries of the crestfallen "Look at me and see who I am!" his glowing eyes flashed in the flickering firelight "Am I still standing?" now Jared's voice boomed echoing off the small cottages that dotted the village "Do I look like I have given up?" some voices cried back from the darkness "NO" "Do I look like I'm ready to lie down defeated?" then more voices arose in answer "NO"
Jared pulled his broadsword from it's sheathe with a metallic hiss and a flash of light, his jaw was hard set and his eyes burning with a fiery rage fueled by a determination to do justice for these victims of a conflict much larger than them. "THIS BLADE I WIELD, IS IT TO FIGHT WITH?" now the cries became a symphony that rolled across the hills thundering a reply.
"YES"
"THIS SHIELD IS IT TO PROTECT WITH?" he banged his sword against the old faded steel of the antiquated shield
"YES"
"I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I WILL END THIS SUFFERING" Jared's voice was getting hoarse but he continued and raised his blade high "I WILL RISE UP TO FIGHT. NOW WILL YOU?" the question hung in the air.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"
Jared whipped the people into a patriotic frenzy. Men and women, young and old, healthy and infirm, everyone burned within their hearts for vengeance against the vile witch who displaced them. With his speech concluded the knight was approached by Yakeru whom proposed Jared join him and the others for a drink.
As much as Jared would have loved to rest his sore body the knight knew he now had a duty to lead these people. So he shook his head
"I'll join you later if I can, for now I have a duty to fulfil." with that Jared gave the young man a hearty slap on the shoulder and walked away.
Passing between campfires Jared was greeted with cheers by those warming by dim firelight. On his way the knight was hailed over by a group of what looked like men-at-arms, soldiers and knights who failed in the defense of their city. They did not look nearly as enthusiastic as the others. These men were battered, broken, defeated. Courage died between their pursed lips.
Their commander, unofficially promoted due to the death of their previous commander, looked at Jared with particular irritation. "How can we fight back How can
anyone fight back?" he protested. "Even when we were at full strength, we were slaughtered like animals! What are we supposed to accomplish now that almost our whole force was decimated? Are you insane?" it was an understandable reaction to which in response Jared shook his head
"No I'm very much sane, I don't expect us to march back and fight right now." Jared replied gesturing to their surroundings.
"I don't expect these people to march to their deaths, look at the fucking poor state these people were in. Now they have hope, that will give them a reason to push forward." the knight sat by the the fire, throwing a bit of tinder from the ground into the pit causing it to rumble and crack loudly.
"We need to get these people to safety, then we fight the people's war. I have heard that wretched woman herself and her plans of conquest." then over the fire Jared's piercing gaze bore into the commander with no humor
"A bloody conquest, where innocents will be slaughtered. I want to make sure that doesn't happen." punctuating the seriousness of his remark Jared put more fuel to the fire that rained glittering sparks, popping and crackling loudly.
There was a scraping of dirt as the commander sat down beside him. "So, what do you plan to do then? Go in there and fight all by yourself? I mean no disrespect, but it's a little tough to believe you alone could handle what five of you could not."
"But we were surrounded back then," said a soldier who sat down beside the commander. "We were decimated and needed to retreat. Now that we've regrouped, we'll have a new set of advantages we didn't have previously."
"Such as?"
"Surprise, for one. I don't think the Witch will be suspecting 2000 soldiers to turn and head back to Ormouth, or that our Knight is going with us. And she won't know from which direction we'll attack."
"That's true. Hey, you've got a good head for this. Maybe you should be commander."
The soldier waved his hands. "Oh, no, I couldn't possibly! I'm much too young!"
The commander gave a wry smile. "You're never too young to lead. It's experience, not age, that qualifies a man. Anyway, is it possible for us to sneak into Ormouth and assassinate the Witch?"
The soldier gave Jared a once-over. "The man is dark and goth as hell. I bet he could sneak past the Devil himself in the dead of night." Jared laughed
"Unfortunately my armor is not good for stealth soldier, and we have another problem." he thought back to when the Revenant confronted the masked woman, remembering the pointy-earred warrior with a grimace
"Her right-hand is that elf," Jared glanced around noting a few nods from the men near the fire.
"Our priority is to get as far away from here as possible, I won't see you get decimated even if we have the element of surprise. Sometimes damage can be dealt in different ways, first we must destroy her reputation." before anyone could scoff the knight raised a hand cutting them off
"People are afraid of her, if they didn't she would face fiercer opposition. A full blown rebellion would be brought upon her, but now I must ask you something."Jared stood from the ground, dusting off his knees before looking around at the men and women gathered around the campfire
"Are you willing to rise from the ashes of your burning city, are you not a testament to survival? Are you not the last remnants of Ormouth?" the question was met by the silence broken only by the low rumble of the hot fire as it snapped and hissed, once in awhile popping
"You are the Last Remnant, the survivors of Ormouth."The command leaned forward. "So what you're saying is, we're not going to fight her directly, but use subterfuge and undermine her politically?"
"At first yes, we can't afford for her to be aware of our efforts. Bit by bit we will grow then we will strike.""I think we can manage that. What will you do?"
"I'm already doing my part, leading your sorry ass's out of this mess." Jared laughed giving the commander a pat on the back
"I'll make sure you don't fuck up along the way."
Lord Zee
BellBottomBlues
Lewascan2