All Adventure Begins with Tragedy

Chapter V: on the road again

"Remember that thing you said two days ago? The thing with the thing? The thing about- you know- getting off light? And her not being a monster? WELL THEN WHY THE HARR HAVE WE BEEN STUCK HERE FOR TWO DAYS??!?" I raged to Drew's sad crumbled form.

"Go away... i'm trying to sleep.." he mumbled.

I rattled off a few dozen more curse words in my native tong. Then I crumbled into a heep again. It wasn't the lack of food that was getting us into trouble. It was the lack of water. We had been stuck in the cellar for two whole days. About midway through our first day, the window got covered, and we were plunged into complete darkness. Sounds of shouting could be heard in the distance- then there was silence. And then we sat for a whole day. I think. I am not sure how long we sat there. We would exchange some words, then we would laps into silence for who knows how long.

It was what we gauged to be afternoon of the third day.

"Mmmmm... gods my back is sore!" I groaned.

"Gods?" Drew muttered back from his corner.

"Are we going to argue this now?" I asked.

"Sure! I'm heck'o board!" Was Drew's response as he sat upright.

"Nope! We are not! Go back to bed," I said trying to avoid talking. Talking is fine, but not when i'm that tired. I suddenly got mad. "GAHHH!!! Why?!? Why do we have to be stuck here?!? Are we doomed to die like this??!?" I yelled to no one in particular. I gave a short laugh thinking my mind had finally snapped. "'Bout time," I muttered. Then I grabbed my sword that had been resting in the corner and began attacking the door. Hack after hack, wearing it down bit by bit. Splinters flew everywhere. Drew looked at me strangely then went back to sleep.

Rest, hack, repeat. I didn't know why I decided to do it. Maybe I wanted to die quicker. I was defiantly wearing down my energy with the wood. An hour, two, three? I don't know how much time passed. Finally, finally, a small hole appeared. I reached through to unlock the door, to find it already unlocked. I stared in confusion down at my arm in confusion. Then I started laughing for a good ten minutes I laughed, then I turned violent. Grabbing my sword, I attempted to stab my self. Suddenly Drew's hand was in the way. It grabbed the blade and pulled it out of my grasp. I stared in amazement at it. Then I saw the blood.

"No," he said simply." You have so much to live for, Clare for example."

"How did you know about- never mind," I said, taking my sword back, then gearing up. Drew did the same.

Fully prepared we hesitantly moved out the door. Drew had an arrow knocked, I had both my blades at the ready. We walked up the narrow staircase leading into the house. It was Eliza's house. It was completely empty. It looked undisturbed since we had last seen it. We moved to the front door. I opened it very slowly, then looked out. I motioned for drew to step out. Monsters' bodies littered the streets. But so did soldiers, I looked closely at the nearest. Something was familiar. Then I saw it.

A hammer over a mountain. Drew saw it to. He sucked in his breath. None of the soldiers had claw or teeth marks. They had all died from neat slashes and stabs. Human claws. The mark of men. Our weapons.

"Those soldiers- they are very dangerous. We call them Hammerites. It is uncreative- but accurate. They "hammer" every thing they come across. They kill every thing in their path. Originally we think they were a bandit union. But they control a lot of territory now. Little more is known about them," Drew explained.

I nodded. We continued, finding bodies everywhere. Although most of them were soldiers, there were quite a few civilian bodies. Still, it seemed many escaped due to the soldiers defending. Then we came across the worst sight of all. We were close to the village center. Laying propped up against the wall, was the slim form of Eliza. Drew let out the most heart wrenching sob I have ever heard. He rushed over to her still form.