The Last Strike Force

Prologue

Helen stepped out of her igloo with her brother, swords in hand. The entire village was preparing for a full on battle with a battalion from the Southern Kingdom. Their village was one of the last villages standing in the way of the northern palace; all the others had been brutally destroyed. The village was setting up its last defenses when she heard the horn, announcing that the battle had begun. Helen took her post at the head of her half of the army; her brother took the other half.

"Archers, take your mark," she yelled.

The archers pulled the string back. When she felt that the battalion had come close enough she yelled,

"Fire!"

She saw the rain of arrows go into the army's force, but it wasn't enough. "Again!"

But before they could draw another arrow, a catapult destroyed the wall they were standing on. The wall and everyone on it disappeared. It was time for the foot soldiers to engage.

"Charge!"

She ran forward, both of her swords drawn. When she reached her first victim another hail of catapults rained down on her and her brothers squadrons. The first enemy that she ran into didn't even raise his spear before she ran him through. By the time that both she and her brother had both taken out ten people, their armies had lost so much more. While she was noticing what was happening someone came up behind her and tried to stab her, but only succeeding in hurting her arm. As she lay writhing on the ground she threw one of her swords at the one who stabbed her. The person immediately crumpled to the ground. Helen slowly got back up and continued to fight, but her strokes were weaker, and the more she had to block, the worse she felt. She tried to call out for her brother but her voice was just a croak so he couldn't hear her. After fighting several more people, she dragged herself to the healers of the village. There they treated her wounds and told her not to fight. She climbed the wall so she could see the fight going on.

"Brother!" She yelled

Helen's brother just barely missed a spinning ax coming straight for his head.

That was the last straw for Helen. She yelled as she ran to the enemy lines.

"Helen, come back!"

"Please!"

"You're not fully healed!" People yelled. She didn't care. She continued to run on despite the pleas for her to come back.

"Brother, you have to be more careful," she said as she ran up to her brother.

"I know I should, but I won't," Bryan said.

"But..." she started

"You can't even talk. You're not even fully healed, and you still came out here!"

As Helen was about to snap back at him, a spinning hammer whipped between them.

"Whatever," Bryan sighed.

"Shall we," Helen said, silencing him

"We shall!"

They both yelled as they charged into the enemy lines, each one limping slightly from wounds. They met their first people together and immediately cut them down. They fought beside each other. Even though it was a great combo, more and more of their people fell to the battalion's forces. She watched the enemies slowly get closer to the village.

"We can't let them get to the village!" Helen yelled.

Bryan looked back and saw that the battalion was getting much closer to the village than they should have.

"Brother, the village!" She called.

My brother looked back at the struggling village.

He called to Helen, "Let's go!"

We ran back to the village as fast as we could, slicing down a few people on the way back. By the time they got back their village had already taken a lot of damage. The Healers were even bravely fighting, even though they had never picked up a weapon in their life. It still wasn't enough though. Helen noticed that more of their people were dying. While she wasn't paying attention, a person came up behind her and stabbed her.

They didn't miss this time.

Helen crumpled to the ground. Her brother ran over to her side after quickly getting rid of her attacker.

"Helen! Helen! Don't leave me. Please not you too," Bryan cried.

Bryan hugged her to his chest as she lay there, dying.

"Please don't let anyone else die. Lead them to victory without me," Helen croaked.

Bryan managed through his tears, "Yes. I promise."

Helen sat back and relief washed across her face.

"Now I can rest peacefully," she managed.

She closed her eyes for one last time and fell, lifeless to the ground. After a minute Bryan stood up and ran back into the battle with a tear streaked face. As he continued to fight all he could think about was how he shouldn't have made that promise.