"Pitter-patter".

"Pitter-patter"

The rain had just started to drizzle, bouncing off the laid-out tents that stood behind us. Looking up, I saw how the sky was rapidly getting covered by dark clouds. It was as if Tapio was watching from above; to observe what would happen, to see who would win.

It was unexpected for all of us. It was the first rain to welcome us in two years. Some saw it as a sign that we would win. Others saw it as a warning of death to come. Some cried and some stood in a daze. I couldn't think anything of it for I was too busy clenching the hilt of my sword glancing at what seemed to be a wave of black dots appearing on the horizon.

"ATTENTION", a stern voice could be heard shouting. It was our Commander. "EVERYONE GET INTO FORMATION!". My squamates and I quickly grouped up with the rest of the battalion forming a basic shield wall in preparation for what was to come.

"DOOM---DOOM---DOOM---DOOM" could be heard ringing out from the drums into the silent field signaling the distance of the enemy.

After a few minutes had passed in silence, I heard someone asking, "You scared?" A soldier from my right had spoken up all of a sudden. Glancing over, I saw that the voice that had spoken to me belonged to a tall but skinny man in his early 20s. One could tell that he saw scared from how he shivered in the rain with a pale face as if the rain would wash him away. I shooked my head replying,

"Of course not. This is our duty; to serve Duke Fernald and to protect our people from those dirty barbarians. You sho-"

"DOOM---DOOM---DOOM". The barbarians were approaching.

"How long have you served?" the soldier asked as the drum's loud banging stopped.

"This shall be my fifth winter, you?" I asked.

"...This will be my first" he hesitantly replied. Made sense I thought; the war with the barbarians had begun to escalate since last winter. The drought had not only affected us but the barbarians as well. Our Kingdom was barely hanging at this time due to food imports from the Gaul Republic down south. The barbarians were probably forced into attacking us for survival. The Duke, faced with this sudden aggression must have needed more men. The barbarians were fierce opponents to fight against. Their large bodies with their gift of cultivation made them hard to wipe out.

"Names Robert, you're?" I asked.

"Ah, I'm Jack." He replied.

"So, Jack, you got family?"

"Yeah, my mum and a little sister." He replied, seeming to be reminiscent of the past.

"By the way, have you heard? The Duke will personally lead this battle!" Jack exclaimed switching the topic, eyes twinkling as some vitality had seemingly returned to his face.

"Aye, I have, but rumors are rumors for a reason. I wouldn't get my hope up" I replied, trying to calm down his enthusiasm a bit.

"Oh... I guess you're right but do you know how strong the Duke is? I heard that he could wipe out a ten-thousand strong army with a wave of his hand!"

"Maybe he can, maybe he can't. I don't personally believe that a single person could do that but who knows? I've never seen a person reach past the -"

"DOOM-DOOM", the drummers had rung with a tinge of anxiety. They were here.

"ARCHERS, GET READY. ON MY COMMAND." screamed out the same voice from before.

"....NOW", and along with his screaming, the sound of arrows being whooshed away could be heard with the occasional foreign screams.

"Ready?" I asked Jack unable to hold my excitement. Fighting was what made me feel alive. To feel my blood pumping, was a thrill I could never forget.

"...Yeah?" he replied weakly showing a weak smile.

"CHARGE! FIGHT FOR OUR KINGDOM!!" shouted the Commander, signaling the start of the battle as soon as the barbarians were close enough.

Our battalion started to run at the barbarians whose faces I could now see clearly. Clenching my sword, I did the only thing I was good at - killing. I would Slash, Slash, Thrust, and repeat. Falling into a frenzied daze, I stopped caring for defense, completely going on the offense. I wouldn't wake up until I heard a humongous BOOM echoing in the field behind me, silencing the cries from both sides. Glancing up into the sky, at that time I saw what could only be described as a God.

In the air, 10 meters up stood a 2-meter-long man with his long blond hair fluttering in the air. He looked completely dry as a tangible Aura could be seen surrounding him. His crimson eyes were devoid of any emotion as if nothing could faze him. Slowly raising his hand, I started to see fog appear around his arm slowly covering his whole body. Then I started hearing a hissing sound; looking around I saw fog appearing all across the battlefield as the rain around us had started to heat up into smoke. The sound of rain couldn't be heard anymore for any liquid near us was boiled at that moment. The man then swiped his hand, erupting the barbarians into a sea of fire. Looking at thousands of bodies burning alive as they screamed and wept for mercy is something I still remember vividly to this day. The fog kept increasing around us, soon none could see even three feet ahead. None dared to move in fear of being burned alive. After a tense minute of absolute screams of agony, we all heard a quiet but commanding voice saying,

"It's done." Immediately after, the fog disappeared as if it never existed, revealing nothing. The fire was gone and with it the barbarians. All that remained to prove there was a battle here were the burnt soil and the smell of burnt corpses. The rain had resumed drizzling in the background as if it had gotten permission to continue. The battle was over.

"Pitter-Patter".

"Pitter-Patter".