Banished

Prologue

               I stretch my arm reaching for my sword. I glance up and see a boulder flying my way with arrows wedged in its crevices. It hit the ground beside launching me into the air along with a large cloud of dust. I stretch my neck looking over my right shoulder to see my sword spiraling through the air. My sword flashes the reflection of the sun in my eyes. I hit the ground on my left shoulder crushing my arm. the force from the landing made me roll and tumble to my right. I looked at my sword and stretched my arm out towards my sword. The tips of m fingers hit y sword. I felt the rough leather as I ran my fingers across it and an arrow burrowed through my arm into the ground. My arm tensed up and I winced. I yanked on my arm causing the arrow to rip through my arm. Blood ran across the ground. I felt a liquid running across my eyes. I wiped my eyes and saw blood dripping off my hand. A knight stood over me his blade over his head his armor shining in the sunlight. He had chainmail hanging on by a single chain on his arm. The loose chains like windchimes constantly knocking against each other swaying in the gusts of wind and dust from the devastating boulders of the catapults. The knight thrusted downwards his gleaming blade flying towards me. I closed my eyes ready for death and felt a blunt pain in my side. I rolled across the ground cutting myself on the rocks and boulder shards. I opened my eyes again and looked in at the knight who was pulling his sword out of a horse. It's rider still lye dead on the saddle. His body was limp and arrow sticking through his neck blood soaked into his cloths. I looked to the wall and saw a man who reached over its edge. His arm randomly combusted into flames. He shook his arm violently putting the flame out and stumbling over the edge and his entire body caught on fire.

               I felt an arm on my shoulder and opened my eyes. I felt kind of dazed, I could barely see out of my eyes. I was on some sort of soft surface.  I heard a mumbled voice and thrusted myself upright in my bed dripping my sword. I felt the rip on it's handle pinching my hand. I saw a dark figure and propelled myself forwards at him. I shoved my sword into his body and heard his scream. A door flew open and a light shined into my room. two men with torches and swords came in lighting the room. I looked at the man who I had killed and recognised him as my king. The men were his guards. "Get him!" one of the guards yelled "Light the signal fire!" shouted another. The two guards ran towards me I looked over my shoulder to the window. The guards were almost on top of me. I swept my sword right above the ground knocking the soldiers to the ground. I turned around running towards the window. I heard a string whistle through the air and felt the breeze from an arrow pass right beside my head. I jumped out of the window, we were on the first floor only a few feet off the ground. I looked back and read the sign. It was the loony bin, I couldn't quite remember why I was in there. Then again I was still half awake and couldn't remember much of anything. There were soldiers walking the streets everywhere, I dashed across the street the first chance I got. My legs were weak and trembling. i ran through some bushes and crouched down behind them. I went to stand up and slipped down. I could feel the cold wet mud as I slid down a slope. I slid straight into a body of water, I was finally awake and I looked around. I swam to the edge and shoved my fingers into the mud trying to get a grip to climb to the top of the hill but it was to slick. I looked around and saw that the slope on the other side wasn't as steep, I swam across once more and struggled to climb up to the top of the hill. I dug my fingers into the mud and slowly progressed to the top of the hill. When I got up I stood, my legs were shaking. It was cold, I could see my breath. I looked back at the body of water. I think it's a lake but it might be a pond. There were trees and bushes around me but I couldn't find any familiar landmarks. I walked back to the road reading signs and I saw the butcher shop. A guard was walking my way "Hey you!" He yelled. I ran towards him my sword drawn. He drew his sword and prepared to chop me in half. He swung his sword around starting from his shoulder moving towards waist level. I dropped to my knees barely passing under his sword. I felt cool spots on my head. I threw myself back onto my feet and continued running. I reached up to feel the cool spots on my head to find a streak of hair missing on my head in several spots. I took a left at the corner of the street by the butcher shop. My destination, home. I had been working on proving flight possible.I had an invention in my shop, I haven't tested yet. That was my first goal for when I got home from battle. I saw my house and ran up the stone pathway my wife had asked me to put in, that was my last task before leaving for war. I had lost the soldier but I am sure they will be at my house sooner than later. I stopped at my wifes bed, and looked at her. I was now enemies with my own kingdom and with it's enemy, I had no choice but to try to cross the wall. I might be able to fly over it but I only of one prototype and that meant leaving my wife behind. I kneeled by the bed and kissed her on the forehead. I could feel the warm tears running down my face, trickling onto my soaked shirt, it was really cold. I sat down in a chair by the bed, i softly ran my hand down the side of her face. A tear dripped from my chin onto her face and she woke up. "Issita?" she questioned wrapping her arms around me. "Whats wrong?" She asked "I love you" I said trying to act calm. "I love you to, please don't do anything stupid" she said as if she could sense the fear in me. "It's not what I will do but what I have done, i accidentally killed the king and now I'm wanted dead in both countries. My only choice is to attempt to cross the wall." I said sobbing "Take me with you" she cried "We have to fly over and, I only have one set of wings" "We can figure something out" she said. Soldiers knocked on the door, i kissed her behind. Her lips were sweet like candy, she was warm. "I love you, don't forget" I whispered as I heard the door bust open. I ran out the back door and into the shed, I grabbed my contraptions and started to head for the cliffs where their performance would determine life or death. I looked back at my wife and heard a soldier yelling at her, he drew his sword. I gripped my sword in my hand and sprinted for the house, I ran my blade clean through one and ripped it through his side into the other. "Maggs, are you okay?" I asked cradling her in my arms tears still running down my face. I could see she was crying to as the tears were gleaming in the light of the torches. I turned around and saw the torches resting on the floor, the carpet had now caught. I could now smell the smoke. I picked up Maggs and ran back out the door. I sat outside with her for a little bit and kissed her goodbye once more, I grabbed my wings and headed for the cliffs. All the guards were running towards or at the house leaving the roads clear. I had an easy journey to the cliff. I strapped the wings to my back and gripped the handles tightly. I fixated my eyes on what once was my home then glanced sharply at those who wage war at my homeland. I stared off into the vast forest where no man dare go, not even the bravest of hunters step foot after that Johnson incident. We know not what lays inside, but we hear the screams and shouts of bewildered animals at night. I slowly avert my gaze downwards over the bright green trees and eventually to the grey solid wall, we found it before building our kingdoms here, not built of stone or brick but instead of a solid formation as if it were one giant stone. I looked at my back, the wooden wings. The concept of flight thought to be impossible. Yet tales remain passed down from our ancestors of great winged beasts. I looked before my feet at the ledge and the river at the bottom. I bent my determine my fate.