"Prepare yourself for battle!" Rung the war cry.
I was at the front of the battle lines and from where I was, I could see the number of troops that we were about to face. It was a very cold morning and the early morning fog had not yet settled within the valley, but we could see and hear the enemy as they were quickly advancing. I turned to face my troops.
"Listen! Today is a day that we must be victorious! King Lozi sent us out here as representatives to his cause, and as trained men of battle, we are to defend it at all costs!"
"Hear, hear!"
"Today we face our destinies in the face of battle! What must we do then, should we cower in fear or should we face the enemy with courage? I don't know about you but I say we face the enemy!"
"Hear, hear!"
"Then let us raise our shields and swords, bows and arrows, spears and lancers and face them together!"
"Hear, hear!"
"May the gods be with us today and grant us victory!"
The responding roar was very deafening that I was sure that the gods had heard that. As we all readied to charge at the enemy, Othera came over to me.
"So, Malique, today is the day, right?"
"So you say. I'm still trying to get over the fact that I am leading all these people into battle."
"Then get over it quickly before the enemy is onto us." He said and pushed me.
As we faced the enemy coming ever closer, I prepared our archers to fire at command.
"You don't seem too happy about it. You looked disturbed. What is the matter?"
"This may sound a little odd, but I somehow feel that what we are going through right now is all wrong. I feel very uneasy and a little frightened, and I have this terrible dread that I have just walked straight into a trap."
"You what?"
I never had the time to answer his question because suddenly the war had begun.
"Fire the arrows!" I ordered the archers.
Dozens of arrows covered the sky like a dark cloud and rained on the advancing enemy, striking down as many as they could.
"Again!"
More arrows were readied and released to the enemy, and many more fell to their doom. I turned to face my troop captain and gave him the go-ahead signal to charge into battle.
"Charge! For victory and honour!"
