Amarth

Chapter 4

I never knew whether it was truly my fault for what happened.

Had killing those men been what brought all this destruction?

Or had they been planning this all along and it had nothing to do with the men I killed?

As I said before I will let you decide, because whether or not it was my actions that brought all this doom upon us....

I still had blood on my hands.

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My heart is pounding as I race towards the village, but by the sounds of screaming elves I know that I am already too late.

I skid to a stop as I see at least thirty men on horses setting the houses and buildings on fire, they are all riding horses and are armed with bows and spears.

What fills me with more terror is that there are more men coming from behind me. We are outnumbered and they took us by surprise.

I watch as some elves try to help others escape while some stand and fight. Suddenly I remember Elwin, Rilien, and Anna. Terror siezes me as I run blindly into the chaos.

I have to find them, that's the only thought in my mind. Find them and get them out of the village and somewhere safe.

By the time I reach the buildings they are all on fire. Elves stumble by me as they cough on the thick smoke but I don't have time to worry about them now.

"Elwin!"
I call desperately, hoping for an answer.
"Anna! Elwin! Where are you?!"
I hear an angry shout and spin around. A man is charging towards me on his horse, waving a spear in the air like a madman.

I grip my axe and run towards him, I bring my axe down on the horse's side and watch as it and its rider crash onto the earth.

I leap over the fallen horse's body and notice with grim satisfaction that its rider was crushed beneath it.

I keep running and searching for Elwin, Rilien, and Anna. More men rush towards me, one of them on horseback and the other two on foot.

I wait for them to come to me and throw my axe at the horse. It becomes embeded in its chest and it falls taking the rider with it.

I race towards them and deliver a hard kick to the man's face. He lays unmoving on the ground as I retrieve my axe. The other two men are about to attack, one has a spear and the other one has a scimitar.

Fire blazes around us and the sky is filled with dark smoke, I block out the frightened screams of the others and focus on the two men in front of me.

I attack the one with the spear first, I run towards him and spin out of the way as he thrusts his spear at me. His eyes widen in bewilderment as I bring my axe down on his spear, cutting it in half.

Before he can react I swing my axe across his body and he falls. I drop onto the ground and roll just before I am struck by the man's scimitar.

I leap back to my feet and throw my axe, which knocks the scimitar out of the man's hand. He smirks at me.
"Now you don't have a weapon elf."
He sneers.

"Neither do you."
I comment with a sly smirk.
Which quickly vanishes as he pulls out a knife.
"Alright you do."
I begin to back away as the man runs towards me.

I grin as his expression becomes confused as I run towards him as well. He raises his knife, ready to stab me, but I have other plans.

I instantly drop onto my back and kick out with both legs at the man's knees. He cries out as he heads for the ground.
He drops his knife as his body collides with the hard earth and I retrieve it.