Jess Zaza

A painful memory

Hills of black awaited, luring me to the distant battleground, taking me back to that dreadful night that forever changed the history of Zaza. From afar, I could see their spears and sword.

 Ghosts of the past fought on the grounds, digging their heel into sodden soil as metal clashed against metal.

The brave warriors of Zaza, led by Army General Cyril and Crown Prince Brock Zaza, fought bravely at the hill of Omen to stop the invaders from gaining entry into the city.

The king and his family fled the capital of Zaza when their lives were at stake and had taken refuge in the mountains of Omen. Brock had sent a handful of soldiers along with them to protect the Royal family.

Paul, the Chief adviser to the king, was left behind to tend to the palace and maintain order. He was an excellent fighter, skilled in both swords and martial arts.

He was the perfect candidate to maintain order in Zaza and lead the Royal Battalion left behind to protect the subjects when the need arose.

Brock, I have received a letter from your father that you should take the royal battalion and head west to fortify the city, Cyril said as he mounted his horse, sword in his hands as he rode off with his men to continue the battle.

Brock was already in the city when he noticed they had fallen into the trap of the invaders. He quickly turned his horse back, and with full speed, he and his men rode back towards the mountain where his family were.

And just like he suspected, several masked men were surrounding the mountains with fire in their hands, intending to burn it to the ground.

How did they know the royal family's hideout? It meant that they had a mole working for the invaders in their midst, thought Brock to himself.

Kill the royal household and burn the place down. We must find the treasure for our king, or we will die.

A man which Brock suspected to be their leader shouted while the rest echoed the chat-

Kill them and find the treasure.

Brock fell back, settling himself into a defensive stance as he took in the faces of the invaders. Brock was wounded, and his men were tired from riding all night without food or water, but they were determined to fight till their last drop of blood.

With the rage in his heart and the will to protect his family. He shouted-

Protect the king's household. We will not retreat for the sake of Zaza. We must fight and conquer.

And they did fight like a wounded lion, defeating the invaders that had come to kill his family.

He had secured the lives of all those taking refuge within the mountain. He quickly went inside to see if no one was hurt, but what he saw sent shockwaves down his spine.

He saw Daniel holding his twin sister, Daniella, shaking her violently and asking her to wake up.

Please stop joking and wake up already, Daniel said as he held her in his arms.

You are making me scared, Daniella. Daniel continued to shake his twin, but she lay there in her blood, unmoving.

"NO......." Daniel cried in anguish.

Brock froze as he watched his brother crying.

He felt the guilt stabbing at his heart. He should have been here sooner rather than heading towards the city. He could have saved his sister if he had arrived on time, but now it was too late.

Brock went to where Daniella was and knelt beside her as tears breamed down his eyes, betraying the very lesson he learned in the military.

His instructor would have been mad at him for crying like a child. Death was inevitable and was part of the war, as Maddok, his instructor, would usually say.