Blood of Water and Light

𝕋𝕨𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕪-𝔼𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥: ℂ𝕪𝕣𝕒

It only took two days before the armies all had camped out and were preparing for battle. Achelios, Sam and Abby were now waiting for the battle while I sat alone in the castle. I had gotten armor that was made of thick black leather. They said it was specially made to block the sharpest swords.

I wore it now and walked down to the stables where Winston was waiting for me. Two horses had been armed with weapons and armor. Our plan was to blow up the camp and their supplies.

We headed off and from a distance on the high ground I saw the two armies in lineups. Shadow creatures in the mix. I saw them there, my crew. Achelios, Sam and Abby in the front middle. The chance of Sam surviving with so little preparation was gnawing at me, but we kept moving.

The camp was only about a mile behind the army lines. It seemed almost deserted other then a few people. Nurses and other men guarding the camp. They had spare weapons hung on makeshift racks. A few horses tied against the trees on the edge of the clearing. Amongst the group were a few shadows. I could sense every person here had been taken by shadows. I looked at Winston as we both lit our bombs and made a run through the camp.

We tossed them everywhere and listened as one by one they exploded. Most of the shadow people exploded on impact. Before long the whole camp was in a blaze. We dashed for the woods as arrows whooshed past us. I turned to see some of the shadows had survived. They were snakes this time. Some had bits of flesh dangling off of them which made bile rise into my throat.

Once in the woods we took off heading back towards the palace as the snakes charged at us. They plowed through trees like they were just mild obstacles in their way. I grabbed hold of my sword as they charged for us. They were gaining on us. I felt their breath as I turned and stabbed hold of the snake. It lifted me upward and my horse and Winston kept going. The other one came towards me and just looked at me as the other one crumpled into nothing and I fell down ten feet at least to the ground. My body ached and throbbed at the impact.

The snake changed into a ghostly human form and it grabbed me. I tried to reach for my sword, but I was pulled away before I could reach it.

Moments later more horses arrived and I recognized the lion helmet from anywhere. The general of Nigra had captured me.

"Maids make great spies don't you think? Honestly wish I'd thought of that, but that was inspired by dear Achelios, you look lovely as ever Cyra" he said jumping down from his horse.

His two guards also jumped down and walked foreward with a piece of wood that had two shackles around it. I squirmed against the shadow, but he didn't budge. The guards placed the odd thing around my wrists tightly. I could not move at all.

"bring her back to the tent the one that's left standing" Cameron said.

The shadow moved forward pushing me along and eventually after fighting for a long time I gave up and walked willingly. I wanted to kick both Winston and Achelios for this.

The camp was still on fire except for one big tent in the middle. In the inside there were cells lined up. There were a few men and women hanging from the same shackles as me. They looked nearly dead most of them. One man was whimpering the same phrase over and over again.

They hung me up in my own little box and I watched them put my sword on a table. I looked down and all around for a way out.

"So this is what you do to the girls you meet?" I asked.

Cameron laughed in a way that froze every part of my body.

"You think this was the king don't you? he never had a part in this" he said raising his hands and the light faded away.

"When we get back to Nigra I'll make sure you say hi to someone you know" he said.

"What?" I asked feeling sick and dizzy at the mention of someone I know.

I didn't know anybody from here. Other then my crew and they were busy fighting.

"I want her outside in the sun and when this war is over you will have her walk back to Nigra bare foot" He said before leaving the tent and the light was brought back.

The shadow man picked up the cell with ease and set me outside in the blinding warm sun. It was fine for about twenty minutes and then I started to feel it.

I thought about them and how they could all be dead and then I'd be abandoned and likely die. Though at this point death seemed to be the least of my worries.

Did he have the crew? Or did he have my family? Had he made the whole thing up?

Thinking about these questions was only wearing me down so I tried to imagine how I might break out of here. If I could break the wood or reach the knife still in my boot. Right now though they watched me like hawks. I had to wait and hope for a distraction.

Hours went by and the sounds of fighting could be heard from this far away. I'd become exhausted from the hot sun. My lips were chapped and my arms sore and tingling. Blood was dripping from my hands where I hung.

A bomb blew up by the horses far across the field. The human guards were the only ones around. The shadow man had left awhile ago. The men walked over to go investigate leaving one behind to watch me.

I heard the men grunt and swords clang. A moment later there was silence and the guard stayed looking towards the place where his fellow men had been. He glanced at me and I managed a shrug.

A moment later an arrow pierced through his skull and the guard fell limply to the ground. A group of footsteps walked towards me and there they were all four of them. They were all coated in blood and dirt.

"We have a battle to win" Achelios said as he limped over and broke the lock.

He picked at the shackles and I dropped into his arms. He smelled like sweat and blood and never in my life was it so comforting.

"He said they have my family or someone" I said.

"We will get to them once we deal with them the battle is still in the middle, Winston let go the emergency signal and we all left, but it's not over" Achelios said.