Dragon Banner: Rebirth

Chapter 11

"Ahhhh!"

A loud scream woke me up from my dream. When I looked around, all I could see were the others with who I had set camp. The man I guard just glanced back at me. In his eyes, I saw nothing. There was no spark, they were just empty and cold.

'Will I end up like this? Is this what surviving means? To become detached from the world..is this what I want?'

"It is rude to stare at people you know."

I looked away, to the floor as I heard him. Then, still feeling embarrassed, I began to brush the dust around that was on the floor.

"Dude, if you are just going to do that. Take guard duty and let me sleep." As he mumbled this, he got up and walked over to where I was.

As he stood, next to me. I could see the dried blood that adorned the leather armor that he had on. Alongside that, a sharp almost painful smell assaulted by noise.

My hand raced to my nose, to cover it up. That smell is just downright awful. Even with my hand there though, I could still smell it. As I thought, it has always been there. I just never noticed it before...

'Still, I'd rather be away from him though,' with this thought in mind, I hoped to my feet and moved towards where he had been sitting. As I sat down, I could still smell the old blood but it wasn't as bad as being right next to him.

That stench is just...even to myself I couldn't describe what it was like. I looked down, both hallways quickly. There was nothing but darkness after about a meter. Wait, what is that?

Peering into the darkness some more, I thought that I could make out a figure. It looked like....no wait, it can't be...that's Lance!

Seeing him, all the hairs on my body stood on end.

The figure began to get closer. I couldn't even break my eyes from it.

"How is this possible? I saw you die...Lance," I began to call out to him.

"Come on, one more step Lance."

The figure took one more step forward, then it was gone. The darkness stilled, it was like he was never there.

I sat there, looking at the shadows for what most have been hours. Even as the first forms of light could be faintly made out among the darkness, I still sat there watching. Hoping for him to come out.

Deep down though, I know he's not coming. He is dead. I felt his body. Whatever I saw...I am probably imagining it.

With the light getting stronger, I nudged the others awake. They all looked at me with weary eyes, then got up and headed back down the path to the big hall.

It only took a few seconds then I was all alone again.

I let out a small sigh, as I looked back up the pathway to the surface.

'I hope that horn sounds soon...'

With that thought in mind, I began to walk down the same path as the others.

I quickly reached the big hallway. Inside, everyone else had already moved on. All that was left, were bodies. I could tell from one glance that they had all been looted. Some were missing clothes and amour, others weapons. Or some just looked like their pockets and were spilled all over the floor. As I looked, I noticed some of the bodies had not yet been touched. Some of their faces I recognized. They were slaves like me, it just felt weird. We were supposed to be the same and yet I didn't know a thing about them.

Just before making the step into the next pathway. I looked back and I looked at them all. Taking in all of their faces. I felt a small tear go down my face as I imagined Lance, all of their faces morphed into his. They all did.