Corruption

Lion's Peak

I looked down at the ravine before me from upon my trusted steed. Today there was a battle raging under the hoof. You could hear the screams of men, bows letting loose, and steel matching steel. I stood observing them for a while. It was as if watching rats scrap over a last bit of cheese. I watched them run in all directions, including two men from opposing sides who ran away from the battle and into the safety of the luscious green-leaved trees. 'Stupid' I thought, the king will have their heads.

After observing for some time and eventually getting bored of the repetitive scene of patriotic, stupid men dying in my eye-line, I went on my way. 'It's not my kingdom's issue, hell I don't belong to any at all'. A small hummed laugh left my nose while I turned Duke to the forest, to get some food for the night. 

............

My armor is painted with the blood of people who are just like me. Men, fighting for a king they believe in. It's for honor and the greater good though right? My thoughts become louder over the screams of pain in the air as I try desperately to not focus on the swords and screams. The flows that once blossomed here and now battered under a battlefield stained red blue, and white.

Ironic that. I'm sure if I could fly, I could see the unity in this flag. But from down here, all is seen is the blood and the bags they come from. These blood bags have families and lives, well they did before all this happened, just makes me think. Is it worth it anymore? What peace will we gain from a kingdom of corpses? 

We're losing, and I know that's all I should be focusing on right now, but the questions running around my mind make my eyes wander to the lion's peak. When I look to the peak I realize how much I want to run away, run from my duties and the killing, then all of a sudden my eye is caught by a strange wondering man. Past the vast amounts of lush trees surrounding us, he stares down at us while we die. I wonder if he cares what we're doing for this kingdom, does he know we're losing? Can he tell from all the way over there? I bet he is mocking us for fighting for such a controversial topic, peace between kingdoms that have always had strained relations. 

"Shit" I mumbled as another of our soldiers hitting the grass tackles me out of my head and back onto the field. I tracked the one who murdered him, knowing how hypocritical I was using that word as if I hadn't myself slaughtered many of his fellow soldiers, and continued to do so as he left the scene, fleeing to the woods. Without thinking I killed my way through the crowd and ran after him following him as if he were a deer. He's fast. Very fast. I just hope I'm faster.

"You can't run forever" I shout, secretly hoping for some miraculous comedic timing. However, instead, all he did was speed up, running faster and faster amongst the trees. the further we got into the forest the more dense everything seemed to get as we played this cat-and-mouse chase. It became more and more dangerous as we passed more roots penetrating through the soil beneath our feet, the brown and dead leaves stuck to the ground as we ran through the occasional puddle. For what felt like hours he was speeding up and slowing down, trying to stay in the lead, fuck he had a good set of lungs on him and his stamina must be off the charts, my lungs were burning and begging me to take a break. To my luck, he tripped over one of the roots finally giving me the massive advantage I'd been praying for!

I catch up, my lungs burning for as much air as they can manage to hold while I slow myself down. Not really paying attention to the fact this mysterious soldier hadn't tried to run again.

When I clocked on to the silence I stopped and watched for a moment. He didn't move, didn't make a sound, not even the sound of heavy breaths, no attempts to get up. How was it that my heart beating in my chest and heavy breathing was the only sound around me? Was this him surrendering? Maybe he's just catching his breath, or... No, I started running once more, "He can't be" I breathed when I got closer. Fuck, don't be, wait why would I care? because he's human? maybe? aa fuck it all, I need to make sure he's o...

My train of thought came to an abrupt stop when I reached his lifeless corpse. I stood over him immediately recognizing that he must have gone head first when falling, horrifically snapping his neck on impact. I hoped it was as quick and painless as it looked like it was, as I stared down at his awful abnormality. It then engrained itself into my memory, daring to haunt me in nights to come. I grabbed his cloak of blue and draped it over the now-deceased man. "I'm sorry" I whispered. 

'Snap' 

My head shot toward the sound whilst my right hand slowly slithered down to my belt to reach for my steel sword. My eyes darted around the trees that surrounded me and stayed silent, listening and waiting for whatever or whoever it was to reveal itself. My hand was firmly on my sword handle when a stag ran from the trees, I instantly let go of my weapon and let out a sigh of relief, Giving one last check I started to relax slightly. Bad move "Fu-"