As Alex was saddling up his horse, Alice came up behind him.

Turning around he stared into her soft brown eyes.

“I want to join you,” she said, eyes focused.

Smiling softly he asked.

“Do you have combat experience?”

“I do.”

“What was it?” he asked.

“My father had me deal with a skirmish on our border.”

Considering this he responded.

“It's going to be a bloody battle, most of us won't make it back alive.”

“I know,” she said, eyes resolute as she stared at him firmly.

Sighing at her resolution he decided.

“I want you to command the army while I lead it.”

“I want to be in the cavalry,” she responded.

“No,” he said firmly.

“Why not?”

“Do you think I can't hold my own?” she asked haughtily.

“It's not that,” he said.

“Then what is it?”

“I don't expect anyone in the cavalry to make it back alive,” he said grimly.

“But you're leading the cavalry!” she said angrily.

“I have enough experience to keep me alive,” he said.

“Oho, and pray tell where did this so-called experience come from?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

‘She baited me into that one and I didn't even realize,’ he thought while wondering how to respond.

Taking his lack of response as a refusal to answer she said.

“Fine, I will command the army.”

Turning around to leave she walked a few feet before turning around to gaze at him sharply.

“Are you scared?” she asked him.

Surprised at her question, he thought about it for a bit before responding.

“Yes, I am.”

Nodding her head she said.

“Come back alive.” before turning around and leaving.

***

The army stood proudly in the glaring sun that sat high above in the sky.

4000 cavalry led by Alex waited quietly as the enemy approached on the horizon.

As the enemy drew ever nearer they spotted Alex’s small army and marched onwards to about 500 meters in front of Alex before stopping.

Their army was so perfectly wedged in the valley that they didn't notice Alex’s foot soldiers hiding in the forest.

Quickly an envoy emerged from their ranks.

Dashing over on horseback he approached Alex.

Upon coming up to Alex he said.

“In the name of the Toryn kingdom, surrender!” he said arrogantly, his gaze stretching over their small army.

“May I approach with a request?” asked Alex.

“You may.,” he said haughtily as if Alex was beneath him.

Alex quickly approached and before anyone was the wiser, the envoy’s head was cut from his neck.

The head fell to the ground still looking at Alex shocked.

Turning to look back at his army, all their gazes focused on him.

“Glory lies beyond the horizon, men!”

“Fear not, for if you fail to grasp it, I will grasp it for you!”

“This is where we fight!”

“This is where they die!”

Turning around he shouted.

“CHARGE!!!”

Along with the roars of his men he spurred his horse as he began galloping towards the enemy who had begun charging as well.

Behind him, he heard a man shout “Archers!” as the sky was suddenly covered in a wave of black from both sides.

“SHIELDS!” he shouted as he raised his own.

Quickly the sound of clattering on metal could be heard as the arrows rained down from the sky.

Left and right men who hadn't managed to raise their shields in time or quite simply were unlucky fell down as the arrows pierced them.

Nevertheless, they relentlessly kept charging to avenge their fallen comrades.

As they were about to impact the enemy he shouted.

“BRACE!”

Clang!

Men and horses collided as many were knocked off their horses and thrown onto the ground only to get trampled.

Screams rose up all over the field.

Alex’s horse trampled over a fallen enemy as he swung his sword at an approaching rider.

The rider's eyes flashed as he raised his own sword preparing for impact.

However, Alex suddenly swung his sword downwards, cutting the neck of his opponent's horse.

The opponent's panicked eyes were the last thing he saw before the man’s horse fell, knocking him into the oncoming horses only for his head to quickly get hit by another horse quickly killing him.

As Alex’s horse continued galloping through the bodies he came upon another horse, the opponent on it was already prepared and had his mace raised for a swing.

Quickly lifting up his shield Alex blocked it and was nearly knocked off his horse from the impact.

Shifting the mace sideways with his shield Alex bashed his shield into the head of the rider sending him tumbling off his horse.

Suddenly Alex felt an impact as his body was sent flying.

Alex hit the ground hard as he was sent rolling through the dirt.

Shaking off the impact he quickly got up and noticed his horse had collided with another horse.

The owner of said horse had also noticed him and began charging at him.

Raising his sword high the man charged at Alex shouting a battle cry.

Alex quickly raised his shield but there was no need.

The man was suddenly sent flying as a horse collided with him, sending the rider spilling onto the ground.

Quickly dashing over Alex stabbed his sword through the rider's throat.

Raising his head quickly, he noticed a horse charging at him and the rider’s poleaxe swung at him.

Sidestepping and raising his shield Alex felt his hands go numb as he was sent flying into another horse from the impact.

The horse letting out a cry of pain collapsed sending its rider tumbling in the dirt.

The man quickly tried to get up but Alex jumped on him.

Alex began bashing his shield mercilessly into the man's neck until the man finally stopped struggling.

Suddenly Alex felt a pain in his side, as his shield was knocked from his hand.

Quickly spinning around he saw a hulking man looming over him with a shield.

It seemed he had lost his weapon as he had used his shield to make Alex lose his.

Alex realized his sword wouldn't be enough so he quickly dropped it.

“Oho, what are you gonna do without a weapon?” smirked the man.

Alex quickly dropped and rolled between the man's legs, before springing up and jumping onto his back.

Pulling out a dagger from his waist Alex furiously stabbed it into the gap in the man's gorget.

The man quickly lost his balance as he collapsed to the ground, blood spilling out of his gorget.

Raising his head Alex saw a soldier with his sword raised as if he was about to charge over.

The man's eyes widened with fear at the sight of Alex.

The man quickly dropped his sword and began running in the other direction.

“If you must run, at least be aware of your surroundings, fool,” Alex muttered as he watched the man get hit by a horse that was running towards him.

The man who took a spill was quickly stabbed by the rider with his spear.

The rider then looked to Alex with bloodthirsty eyes.

Spurring his horse he charged at Alex spear raised.

Alex quickly sidestepped and grabbed onto the horse's reins hoisting himself up behind the rider who was shocked at his move.

Not leaving him anytime to recover from his shock Alex put his arms around the man's neck, his helmet having been lost in the fray.

Beginning to choke him Alex leaned back and pushed them off the horse sending them sprawling in the dirt.

Quickly wrapping his legs around the man he kept him in a chokehold as he squeezed his neck blocking the airflow.

The man's eyes bugged out as he began thrashing around trying to get up.

After a few minutes of struggling the man finally lost consciousness.

Alex quickly got up and stabbed him in the neck before weaving between the battling men.

‘It should be about now’ he thought just as he heard a horn blow.

Everyone paused their battles as they heard the horn and saw the army charging out of the forest.

However, Alex quickly stabbed his dagger into the gorget of another man and raised him as a body shield.

Quickly the sound of arrows could be heard as they covered the sky.

Alex knew that before his armies were to reach the fighting, another volley of arrows would be fired from both sides, and having lost his shield he hoisted the man up and lay down letting the arrows pierce the corpse instead of him.

Cries of agony could be heard as arrows rained down penetrating the chinks in armor or in unlucky cases those who had no armor.

Pushing the corpse off him Alex got up in time to block an incoming mace from bashing his back in.

Raising his fist up Alex prepared to stab the man, however, he realized his dagger had been left under the corpse when he lifted him.

The man, seeing Alex’s hesitation, swung his mace in an arc for a direct collision with his head.

Alex quickly ducked and uppercut with his fist.

The man stumbled backward and tripped over a body.

Alex pounced on top of the man grabbing him by the neck and began pounding his fists into the man's head.

The man's grip on his mace loosened as his head became fuzzy from the repeated pounding.

Seeing this Alex grabbed the mace and swung it bashing in the man's helmet and instantly killing him.

Hoo…’ Alex sighed as he stood up to face the next opponent.

***

"Archers!" she shouted.

Alice watched the battle unfold from the safety of the command tent along with the other generals.

Lowering her spyglass she asked.

“Is this how war usually goes?”

“More or less,” responded Rodrick tightly.

“What do you mean?” she asked curiously.

Sighing he said.

“Well usually it's a lot less bloody and a decent portion of the army comes back.”

“However this time we are at a clear disadvantage.”

“And I must say I don't like that our archers are firing when they could hit our men as well.”

“It would be a miracle if any of them return,” he lamented.

“Then why did Alex lead the charge?” she asked worriedly.

“Well, the cavalry would have had much less morale knowing they were charging to their deaths, and morale is the single greatest factor in war.”

“That doesn't explain why he had to lead them,” she said, annoyed at his vague response.

Turning around to face her he stared at her sternly before saying.

“Lady Alice.”

“Yes?” she responded timidly in the face of his stern expression.

“If you were my soldier and I ordered you to go to your death, would you?”

“How would you feel?”

“Well I suppose I wouldn't, I'd be feeling betrayed and upset,” she answered after deliberating about it for a minute.

“Correct, now tell me what did Alex do?” he asked.

Thinking about it, it seemed she came to a realization.

“He inspired them!” she said excitedly.

Nodding his head he stayed silent as if waiting for more.

Realizing she hadn't gotten the full answer she concentrated and tried to remember what happened.

After several minutes of silence, Rodrick sighed.

“Lady Alice.”

“Yes?”

“He did not just inspire them,” Rodrick said.

“But then what else did he do?” she asked, confused.

“He said he would die with them.”

“Not only that, he gave them something to believe in.”

“In that brief moment when they enter their darkest despair, when one of them is about to die, they will remember his words.”

“Survive.”

***

‘Survive, must survive.’

Those were the only words replaying over and over in Alex’s head.

Climbing off the corpse of the enemy he had just killed, Alex rushed over to another pair of battling soldiers.

Alex snuck up behind the one wearing the enemy's insignia.

The soldier wearing the marquess’s insignia noticed him and remained silent as he parried the enemy's attack.

Quickly slashing his daggers he tore through the enemy's throat.

The enemy raised his hand to grab his bleeding throat but collapsed to his knees and fell in the dirt, dead.

“Thank you, your grace!” said the man earnestly.

Upon looking at him Alex realized the man couldn't be more than 18 and must be a new recruit.

Noticing his slightly scared eyes and panicked movements Alex stopped and put his hand on the man's shoulder.

“Are you okay soldier?” he asked.

“Yes sir!” the man said quickly.

“Do you have a family waiting for you at home?” Alex asked.

“Yes sir! I've got me mum, me dad, and me wife.” said the man with a lowborn accent.

Alex not caring one bit for where this man was born said.

“You better survive, you understand me? Once we're done here I want you to show me your wife, she's a beauty isn't she?” he said breathlessly as he noticed a pair of knights approaching.

“Yes sir, she is!” he said excitedly as hope-filled his gaze once more.

“Alright then, survive!” Alex said, patting the man’s cheek before rushing off to save another soldier.

Rushing up and pouncing on the knight attacking one of his men, Alex began stabbing his dagger into the man’s armpit.

The man struggled momentarily but his body soon relaxed.

Alex got off the man and when he tried to stand up and turn around his head was suddenly hit and the next thing he knew he was sprawled on the ground.

Looking up his vision was blurry but he managed to make out the face of an enemy knight.

‘Is this it?’

Alex closed his eyes in anticipation of the end.

However, the blow never came.

Opening his eyes he saw a hand extended towards him.

“Your grace, are you okay?” asked a blonde-haired man covered in blood.

Grasping his hand Alex got up and looked at the dead body of the man who would've killed him.

“Thank you, for the assistance soldier, may I ask your name?” Alex asked him.

“Brandon, your grace!” saluted the man.

“No need for the salute, and you may call me Alex, you saved my life after all,” Alex said, beaming at him.

“Of course, Er... Alex.” said the soldier testing the name.

“That's more like it, now we must assist the others,” Alex said, pointing at a pair of enemies ganging up on one of Alex’s soldiers.

Nodding his head, they both rushed towards the fighting trio and pounced on the pair, killing them.

They repeated this action over and over as the enemies started thinning.

Eventually, Alex didn't know how long it had been but the fighting had stopped.

Looking around him, all Alex could see was a field of corpses stretching for hundreds of meters.

‘Around a hundred or so?’

‘So little.’ Alex sighed heavily in his heart.

Calling to the hundred or so soldiers all covered head to toe in blood much like himself, they began sorting through their allies' corpses, closing the opened eyes of their allies in a show of respect.

Alex must have gone through a hundred corpses before he came across a corpse that looked vaguely familiar.

‘No, please no.’

Flipping the corpse over Alex sighed and shut his eyes tightly.

A few tears leaked from his eyes, dripping down onto the corpse.

‘Not again!’

‘You promised to show me your wife, didn’t you?’

Alex sobbed silently as he gazed at the corpse of the man he had saved.

‘I never even asked you for your name…’

“FUCK!!!” Alex screamed, pounding his fist into the ground.

Sitting there for another few minutes until he calmed down Alex was tapped on the shoulder by another soldier.

The soldier gazed at him with respect and admiration before saying that they were finished.

Alex nodded before getting up.

Bending down he picked up the man's corpse.

“Your grace, you need not carry that, I will do it for you.” offered the man.

However, Alex rejected him and continued walking.

At the edge of the field, at the bottom of the hill, Alex stopped.

Placing the body gently on the ground, Alex shoved his hands into the dirt and began digging.

After who knows how long, Alex finally stopped digging and gazed at the hole he'd made.

‘This should be big enough.’

Picking the man up, he placed him into the hole that he had dug.

Alex gently closed the man's eyes before burying him.

Grabbing a bunch of stones, Alex surrounded the grave he had dug with them before standing up.

Closing his eyes he thought of all the men he had looked at before the battle.

"Are you done?" asked a voice behind him.

Turning around he saw Alice watching him.

Not having an answer for her he simply remained silent.

"You know you could have had help." she said, pursing her lips.

"I know." he replied, voice hollow.

Alice seemed to sense he didn't want to talk so she simply walked up to him and pulled him into an embrace.

Alex surprised by her hug, looked down at her piercing brown eyes.

"Are you ready now?" she asked, pulling away from him.

Alex nodded mutely.

"Then go address the men, they fought hard and survived yet they simply look like lost souls." she said before beginning to ascend the hill

Alex took one last look at the makeshift grave before following her up the hill.