Chapter 18

"Hi Lyus, why don't you join us?" a young girl softly asks. I pause my steps…the wind blows ruffling my fur cloak… snowflakes flutter about. I glance over.. my gaze pierces through the snowing winds.. "Sure.." I casually reply. My friends seems ecstatic "That's it man.. I knew you would come round! Can't stay reading books forever you know?.." he over enthusiastically declares.

I slowly walk over as the young girl awkwardly smiles… she has medium-length black hair that falls just above her shoulders… from what I can tell she looks perhaps of an Asia descent. "Hi Lyus, it's been awhile.." "Ahh... here we go.." I groan inwardly. It's obvious she knows me already… she has probably introduced herself to me before. I try to recall her name but no luck.. She pouts at me.. "Did you perhaps forget me…?" "Uh… " I pretend to look up at the sky… "mm well I'll let it go.. my name is Bing. Please remember it this time" her eyes soften.

"Lyus.. It's so good to see you bro" my friend places a hand on my shoulder while gazing at me solemnly "but this time it is serious.. you better mentally prepare yourself… we are about to enter battle!"

***

A few minutes later… "So to get it right, we are just playing a game of capture flag" "Whaa-t do youu mean Lyus…!? It is not as you put it "just a game"... this is war! "Yes he is right!" Bing chimes in. "This will be very beneficial to our growth as Hero's! We will be able to gain a deeper understanding of our own skills. It will also help us adapt as a team knowing each others strengths and weaknesses… and ultimately preparing us to defeat the Demon King. Please join in Lyus!" Bing's face seemingly red from speaking so many words at once.

"I will join… but why me?" My friend gives me a knowing look.. He lowers his voice "Listen.. We probably won't win this.. It's better to be beaten with friends right?" I glare at him before giving him a solid kick. "Yelp!"

"Vhooooom!" A horn is sounded. "Form up young ones. We will begin soon." The commander declares.

***

"This is just ridiculous!" your friend cries. He holds a wooden longbow while gazing at the tall walls and defensive battlements before them. Our arch-enemy 'Blue team' patrols along the walls keeping a look out for the opposing team. A flag with the symbol of the Blue Dragon Alazar flutters in the wind upon the battlements.

"Command did not say we would attack such a heavily fortified fortress! Did we receive the wrong intel? Impossible! Perhaps... a traitor in our midst... hmmm? He gazes over at our group locking eyes with each one of us. He looks at me in particular. I ignore him as I glance around... other young hero's stand nearby... red badanna's tied to their arms or over their foreheads.. some time passes as the wind blows through, the leaves rustle... we are hidden within the tall trees while the fortress stands tall in the distance.

Both the Blue and Red teams were given bandanna's respectively. My team however has taken it upon themselves to go hard or go home. They solemnly gaze at one another while marking each other with red war paint. "You have been initiated into our brotherhood young one. We expect great things from you" Your friend solemnly declares while marking me with tribal-like patterns. "Thanks…" I dryly reply. "And so it begins…" your friend mutters… "How many will we lose this time.." I watch on expressionlessly.

"Sigh.. brothers listen up.. Command has ordered us to take this fortress by nightfall! I trust everyone will give it there all!" "Sir Yes Sir!" they cry. "Number 4 how does it look? How are their defenses? Anything we can exploit…" A young man nimbly drops down from the trees above. With a salute.. "It looks pretty air tight Sir!.. However there are siege equipment and scaling ladders scattered about close to the walls.. Perhaps left behind by a retreating army."

Your friend strokes his non-existent beard.. "Interesting… yes Command did say they sent out a strike force beforehand. However they failed... I hear they now have to eat dried bread and rice porridge for the next month.." "We don't want to end up like them, right boys!?" "No Sir" they cry.

"Very good.. Okay form up into teams of five.. Each squad having at least one archer and magician. Now Squad A and B will attack from the east… Squad C and D will engage from the south and squ-""How about we all just attack together..?" I casually interject. "Pssstttt" the other members take in a sharp breath as they gaze at me in shock before then nervously gazing back at the commander. One team member whispers to me "Dude you shouldn't interrupt the Commander like that.." Speechless I gaze back at my friend. He gazes at me solemnly.. he ponders for a moment "Your idea.. Hmm yes, quite splendid.. We will do as you say.. What is your name recruit?" "uh.. You know my na-" "I asked for your name, not your life story Recruit!" "It is Lyus Sir" he nods approvingly. "Well Lyus, Command will be sure to hear of your contribution" "Now men time to move out.."

And so… our team of rookie hero's charge forward with next to no real plan in mind. The arrows although blunted nonetheless are extremely painful if a person is hit by one. Arrows pierce forward as we do our best to dodge. Despite our valiant effort, ten hero's are already down moaning in pain while some are outright crying at the top of the lungs. At this point it becomes a complete mess. While the boulders and ruined wagons provide us with cover it's really every man for himself at this point.

Some time passes… nobody seems to have the heart to keep charging so our team is mostly just shooting from a far. "Sigh…" At this rate, we'll be here all night. I don't feel like doing anything spectacular so I'll just chill here behind this boulder. "mmmh..!?" I gaze over at the tall battlements… shadow humanoid-like figures slowly start to form out of nothingness on the wall… a bloodthirstiness glint appears in their gazes that sends a chill down my spine… glancing around, it seems no one else can see them… "Of course.. just my luck.. I'm really done with this aye.." "It's okay I didn't see nothing" I mumble to myself. I gaze up at the sky for a moment… "Dammitttt…arghhh alright Everyone listen up!" We are moving up right now! Your either charging right now with me or you don't deserve to be called Hero's. If you can't step up now how do you expect to save a whole Empire!…" With one deep breath "ROAARRRRRRRR!!!" Both myself and the shadows seemingly in sync roar at the same time as I release my pent up emotions…

My body starts to move on its own accord.. my thoughts fade away as my mind sharpens [+1 Willpower]. I keep my body low as I dash forward… my left foot hits the floor and with a pivot my body moves evasively to the side. Arrows pierce down where I just was.

Sprinting in a bizarre pattern… fragmented memories start to align themselves along with my movements.. With the twist of my wrist an arrow is deflected… a rapid couple of steps to the right.. two steps back… my body phases away… almost illusion-like. Arrows fly by but my figure moves about freely along a certain rhythm.

Before I know it I'm close to the fortress wall… wooden scaling ladders can be seen lying about but I have no time for that… I pick up a spear off the ground. My foot slams into the ground.. As my body arches back "Psssvvvtt" "Boom!" The spear slams into the wall. My body starts to feel lighter as my speed increases… with my foot lightly bouncing off the wall.. I flicker upwards… my foots lands on the embedded spear before leap up once more… appearing on the battlement wall…

My gazes sweeps over the wall like lightning… my sword at the ready… as for the Shadows they are nowhere insight.. as if mocking my reckless actions… my movements slow as I glance over once more in an attempt to find the enemy… a solid kick lands on my chest as a warrior sends me flying off the battlements… Boom!.. Coughing a bit, I lie on the ground below the battlements… cries can be heard in the distance "For Lyus! A True Hero! His sacrifice shall not be in vain…" and then I fade into black…

To be continued