Finding Home - The Light

Chapter Fifteen - The Brief Battle

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Brief Battle

Alexander crept silently along in front of Sara, his long strides impossible to match without her jogging to keep up. They were headed through the thick trees to a small village less than three miles from their camp. A farmer from the village had died at the castle after reporting a violent attack. Over an early breakfast, she had listened to the veteran soldiers tell frightening stories of the powerful demons she was about to meet.

She ran into Alexander’s hard back when he stopped abruptly in front of her. Sara shrugged when he turned to her with his eyebrows raised. His silver skin was glowing brightly in the dark forest. Sara wondered how he managed to sneak up on anyone like that.

“We’re here. Are you ready?”

Sara nodded silently, afraid if she tried to talk she would throw up her breakfast. Alexander nodded to the man standing behind her. Suddenly, the army around her burst through the trees into a small village. She rushed forward, drawing her sword, with Alexander next to her.

Her eyes widened when the group of men dressed in black armor turn around to face them. They looked at her with red snake-like eyes peering from faces covered in shiny black scales. Sara didn’t let her shock phase her as she attacked. She had to dodge two blows immediately as she reached the group. Jumping to avoid a low swing, she brought her sword down with all of her strength and weight behind it. The demon howled in pain as it’s arm fell to the ground.

She had no time to feel joy or regret as she blocked an axe coming for her head. She was grabbed from behind as the troll raised the axe again. Sara turned her sword and stabbed the demon behind her. He released her and she dropped, just as the troll swung again. She turned and saw a headless body dressed in black armor fall to the ground, it‘s decapitated head rolling a few feet away.

Sara had to roll to avoid the troll as it swung again. She stood and barely managed to block its next attack. With her arms shaking from every blow, she began to assault the troll mercilessly. Her blows were too fast for him to block them all. Again and again she made her way past his defenses, until he was bleeding from dozens of deep cuts. His blood was pooling around his feet as he stumbled, then fell.

Sara stared at the carnage around her she had been unaware of while she was lost in battle. The enemy was taking down man after man, slaughtering her new friends mercilessly. Blood stained the streets red around the bodies that littered the ground. She saw Belle, a sweet shy girl her own age that she had met last night, fall to the ground with a deadly looking wound bleeding from her stomach. Monty was being pulled to the ground by a large group of soldiers, struggling to fight them off. Her eyes widened when she saw Alexander get hit by a black ball of magic directly in the chest. Time seemed to slow down as his body fell to the ground.

Sara felt her anger boiling over, knowing she was about to lose control when she felt her palms burning with energy. She looked down, somehow not surprised to see her hands glowing bright white. She raised them in front of her, feeling the energy flowing from the ground beneath her through her body. Before she could think of what she was doing, she pushed the energy out.

Time still seemed to be running slow while she watched in fascination as the blinding light engulfed those closest to her, spreading as far as she could see. The demons were burning alive in the light, their scaly skin peeling from their faces as they smoldered beneath their armor. Her new friends were staring around in disbelief as the enemy turned to ash before their eyes. The light slowly faded, revealing a bright clean town, free of any sign of the battle.

Sara rushed to Alexander when she saw that he was trying to sit up. He had a large black scorch-mark on his chest, but appeared to be unharmed. She helped him stand up slowly, never taking her eyes from the black mark on his chest. When he was standing on his own, she slowly reached out to touch the mark, surprised when the black rubbed off onto her hand.