Dragon Banner: Rebirth

Chapter 14

Then I bounced up again as the wagon I was on went another bump, with that bump though, the screaming had stopped. As I looked around to try and see what the sudden screaming was about. I heard someone who was at the back of the wagon throw up.

I looked other confused as to why they would so suddenly throw up. By the time that they had gotten ahold of themselves and were ready to talk we had already moved on a bit, and the putrid smell of their vomit had started to waft around. The smell of that was disgusting, and I suddenly found myself not wanting to know what had caused it, though I still listened in as they spoke.

"Someone had...fallen off a wagon...I guess their legs were run over so they were screaming but... their head was.."

He stopped at that moment and looked like he was about to throw up again, the soldier that was virtually right next to him, moved a little away. Then pointed a dagger at the nauseous man threateningly. He then just bent outside of the wagon where he threw up for a second time, staining the brown ground with a vile shade of yellow.

Then with that communication being over, I sighed a little as I leaned back against the wagon. Trying to get some kind of rest. Though as I attempted it, I heard all of the others talking and discussing where we were. It was like it was some kind of contest. There were some outlandish suggestions such as, We were in a trial for godhood. The more responsible suggestions all per took to us being summoned to this world and were all linked to the grey stones facilitating our transportation. It was just that no one had yet worked out or had any real idea of why?

They were like this for the whole journey. To be honest I was rather happy, that I wasn't walking and instead was riding a wagon. As I rested I couldn't help but run one of my hands over the tattoo that I now had. It was so smooth. It was like there was nothing there at all, yet I could see it was there. However they had done it, I was curious to know if I could do the same. I was so sure it was kind of magic. And well, who didn't want to be able to use magic?

Then the wagon's all came to a stop. The soldiers all looked confused and one walked off, to see if they could find out what was going on. When he came back he had a calm look on his face. I had the other three soldiers help him get us off the wagon. Then we were all sent to the front of the column.

When I arrived I saw that five men were standing in the middle of the road ahead of the column. They all had black robes on with red trim. To be honest, they kind of looked a little funny, but their robes reminded me of the ones that those who had done the tattoo had worn. Around me, more and more of the other survivors were being gathered. Until there were at least around three hundred of us. Then we were simply told to charge and get rid of the obstacles which I assumed to be the men in front of us.

I drew my sword and many others did a similar thing with whatever weapon that they were holding. Then without a word we all ran forward yelling and screaming out war cries. As we got closer though I noticed the lips of each of the figures were moving, I couldn't hear what they were saying but I had suddenly developed a very bad premotion at what was to come. I slowly began to slow down, and soon fell to the back of the charging group. As I carried on moving forwards I noticed although barely, some red circles began to form in the space in front of the men. Then something which would always haunt my dreams happened.

Fire bellowed out of the red circles. I instantly dropped to the floor hoping that I would be able to avoid the fire.

I could hear screaming and the sound of wind rushing towards me, then I felt a searing pain on my pack as the fire passed over me for a second. Then it ended as I looked up, only a hellscape awaited my vision.

There was ash everywhere. I could almost see where the other shade been standing, their shoes and boots were steaming. The past figures which had worn them could no longer be seen. Just ash floating through the air. I could barely breathe and soon found that my eyes were watering as the heat and ash began to cause my eyes to sting. I reached up with one of my hands, which I had been under me luckily, and wiped away what was there. Then as I looked, I saw the five figures still standing there.

To my horror there were, what I now was going to call magic circles, beginning to form. I cursed loudly as I smashed back into the ground for some cover.

Then yet again some more fire bellowed over me causing me to cry out in pain as it began to burn my back. I could also faintly hear over cries over pain, but it was so hard to place where they were over the sound of the fire as it rushed over. Then the pain stopped yet again. I could barely look up this time. The five figures were still standing there, like gods. Just looking down at us. I could have sworn that they were laughing. Though I had no such proof.

Then I heard some more war cries, and the yelling of people as the soldiers sent in another wave.

Those poor souls probably have no idea what is about to happen, though what I expected to happen never did. The fire mages seemed to have had enough and instead of sending out a wave of that infernal fire, they instead turned around and ran.

The other survivors chased them off, I tried to watch them see what would happen. Instead, they all just ran and ran until they were gone from my vision. Then I collapsed back into the ground, exhausted. My back was screaming out at me in pain. I could barely move if I was honest. Then I heard the crunching of the ash, nearby where I was standing.

Slowly, but surely I looked over and saw one of the soldiers standing over me. I didn't say anything but just looked up at him from the ground. He saw this and yelled out to what I assumed to be one of his friends. Who came over, together they both lifted me to feet and dragged me across to where the wagons were.

A doctor, or well he liked like a doctor came over and looked at me. Circling round to my back, he prodded it a few times, leading me to scream out. I also made sure to curse him a few times, which to my surprise was ignored by the soldiers. I guess that they understood given the circumstance.

I didn't see what the doctor did, but soon I felt and cool refreshing feeling falls across my back. Then I was half carried, half dragged over to one of the wagons, where a few more soldiers helped me up and placed me down onto one of the seats. A few of them looked at me with pity and yet surprise.

One even quietly mentioned, "You are dam well lucky. Not many survive doing something like that."

Then they walked off leaving me alone. Around what I assumed to be ten minutes later, the other survivors came back. Some had some minor burn marks on them, but five of them were carrying some heads. As I looked I saw that it was the heads of those mages. They threw them to the ground in front of the commander of the soldier. Before walking off to get back into whatever wagon, that they had previously been on. As some passed by me, they looked up and mentioned. "We did it, you can rest easy now."

Then once everyone was all loaded up onto the various wagons. A crack of a whip, sent the wagons rolling forward once more. In what felt like only a few hours to me, we soon found ourselves in what appeared to be some kind of military fort. It seemed quite impressive, though I didn't get to see much of it as I was carried into an infirmary for my back to be looked at once more by another doctor. I wasn't sure he was more competent or not but as I laid in the hospital bed. I could hear him mumbling to himself. Then he reapplied whatever was on my back before and sent me out and away to where the over survivors were being kept.