Fleeting Memories

Chapter 33: What she last told me...

It was in the aftermath of a war that ended up going for the worst... The front lines fell almost immediately and the rear followed behind shortly after. As if things couldn't get worse, the supporting armies that were supposed to arrive an hour ago were delayed...

They were ambushed abruptly and without warning. It was as if the plans following the battle with the rival kingdom were leaked and now we were taking in every bit of that consequence.

But with everything at stake, I didn't back down then. I ordered my men not to falter and continue fighting and soon enough, we managed to win after outwitting our opponents... But that wasn't to say it was anything akin to a victory.

Hundreds had lost their lives under my command and although much more would've perished if I had done nothing, it was a defeat in my very eyes...

Standing in place and hardly able to move another muscle further, I breathed heavily under a small evening drizzle; the opened sky beaming an orange ray down to the war-torn battlefield that once was a rich green field full of wild and beautiful flowers.

I wanted to rest right then and there but the moment I caught wind of news from the supposed backup, I bolted off to them without even as much as report to the general of my departure. Minutes later, I arrived at the aftermath of a battle.

Hundreds of allies lay dead on the ground; their corpses piling high amongst the bodies belonging to the enemy forces. Yet I spared no time to mourn for their death and continued looking for someone in the far and wide battlefield that reached all the way to the horizon.

It wasn't long before I found her. The priestess was seen lying on the ground with a pool of blood forming under her heavily stained white cloak. I immediately rushed to her side, picking her up and allowing her to rest on my lap...

"Erica... I'm glad you're alright..." She said back then as if she didn't care about the dire state she was in as the colors of her face slowly but surely drained away from her blood loss.

"Stop talking already... Of course, I'm fine, I'm going to get a healer right now... Just keep talking to me and hang on for a bit longer... Please..." I said, unable to fully take in the gravity of the situation while seeing the person I cared for the most like this.

"Hehehe... ouch... You've always been so persistent and stubborn, there's no point asking for a healer to come, I won't be here for much longer..." Tina laughed despite feeling the pain setting in as the adrenaline that coursed through her body began to fade away.

"Stop saying that... You're going to be fine... We'll go back together and I'll treat you to that meal that I promised you... So just stay with me... Please..." I said once again, begging her to stay alive as the desperation in my voice began to grow more obvious.

"I'm sorry Erica, you'll just have to continue living on my behalf... Keep living while this foolish friend of yours goes on to the afterlife without you... I'm sure you'll at least do something like this for me, right?" She replied as her hand that was touching my cheek began to falter.

Noticing this, I grabbed her hand, trying to stop her from getting weaker and weaker. Tears flooded my eyes as I held onto Tina closer; my arms enveloping around her body.

"There's no need to mourn for me like this you know... It's getting kinda clingy... Sorry about this but, I think I'll just wait for you on the other side... Until then, please live on..." She said and at last, the last bit of warmth from her body turned cold.

Her mouth still smiling, her eyes staring blankly toward me... If I was none the wiser, she was happy to see me... Yet the light from her eyes had already disappeared.