Stick War: Inamorta and beyond

Chapter 18: Aoks City part 1

3rd February 1074, 3.53pm

Recon team has been traveling for 4 days straight without any obstacles. The trip has been smooth except for Mark complaining every 5 minutes.

"Are we there yet?" Mark grumbled once more.

"Oh my god. Mark will you shut up?" Elizabeth scolded with annoyance.

"Come on! Don't you guys ever get tired?" Mark complained.

"Don't you ever get energized?" Ace scolded.

"Shut up Ace. My feet is sore, I feel hungry, I am thirsty, I am tired and I want my bed!" Mark shouted.

"Grace, how far to Aoks city?" Kim asked, ignoring Mark's annoying complains.

"Very soon, we can make it by evening." Grace replied while looking at a map with a compass.

"Really?! We're almost there!?" Mark asked in excitement.

"Yes Mark Banks, we're almost there. Now if we can keep moving and reach the city?" Kim said.

"YES! AOKS CITY, HERE I COME!" Mark exclaimed and sprinted.

"Hey! Slow down!" Elizabeth shouted and chased after him.

"He does have energy after all." Ace sighed.

Kim laughed and followed them.

4.58pm

"Hey, I thought we are almost there. Why are we climbing this hill?" Mark asked.

"After this hill, we will be able to see the city." Grace answered.

"Alright, recon team let's go. This is the final lap." Kim encouraged.

Recon team nodded and proceeded to climb the hill. After a few minutes, they finally reached the top of the hill. What they saw was heart stopping. Aoks City is under siege by the Swordwrath. There are legions of Swordwrath, waiting for their turn to storm into the city. There were ladders placed on the walls, rams banging the castle gates and mass amount of Swordwrath soldiers. Swordwrath flags were flying in the wind along side the soldiers. Screams and shouting could be heard. The smell of blood and fire filled the air. Archidon soldiers firing as many arrows as humanly possible. Large amounts of arrows, enough to blot out the sun showered upon the Swordwrath, killing some instantly. It looked like straight out of a hell. Luckily, recon team was quite far away from the scene. They stood on the top of the hill, shocked and could  not move.

"What the hell." Mark said.

"Yeah this is madness." Ace replied.

Grace sprung into action and wanted to join the front lines. Kim caught her hand in the nick of time.

"Let me go! I have to help them!" Grace shputed and desperately tried to shake his hand off.

"No! That's suicide!" Kim shouted.

"Let me go! My people are risking their lives to protect the city!" Grace shouted again.

"SNAP OUT OF IT GRACE!" Kim snapped.

Grace stopped moving and stared at Kim. She was crying.

"Grace, I know you wanted to help your people, but charging into those legions of Swordwrath will be suicide, we are no match against that force." Kim explained to Grace.

Grace fell to her knees and started to cry her lungs out.

"Recon team, set up camp here. And don't make our fire too big to be noticed by the Swordwrath. I will stay here with Grace." Kim commanded.

Recon team understood and went on with their duties. Kim sat beside Grace and stared at the battlefield. There were killings everywhere. Arrows raining down onto the Swordwrath. But amongst that chaos, he can see that the Archidons are winning the fight. The Swordwrath are getting pushed back by the mass amount of Archidons shooting at them.

"You know, I wanted to charge into battle just like you, sacrificing my life to kill as many as possible." Kim said.

"Then why didn't you join in with me?" Grace asked.

"It was because I cannot afford to die. I still have many things to do." Kim replied.

"Nonsense, there is no such thing as that in war. You sacrifice yourself for your nation." Grace said.

"Do all Archidons think that way?" Kim asked.

"Yes, we are loyal against our nation. We fight for our nation, nothing more nothing less." Grace replied.

"Well then I feel sad for your people and soldiers." Kim said.

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you mocking us?" Grace asked in an angry tone and readied her bow at Kim.

Instead of calming her down or trying to stay alive, Kim continued to talk.

"No, I'm not mocking you. I just feel that people should be fighting for their own reasons. Not only for their nation." Kim said.

"There are many things that people are fighting for now. It may be for peace, money, fame or women. Instead of fighting for your nation, you should fight for your own reasons. It may sound selfish but it's true, it is pointless fighting for just your nation, you should be fighting for your own personal reason." Kim continued.

Grace lowered her bow.

"What made you thought of that?" Grace asked.

"In life, people are fighting against many things. May it be physical or figuratively. What you are fighting could be an army or an enemy or maybe yourself. But like all humans, we fight to survive, they fight for freedom and they fight for their loved ones. If you fall down, you pick yourself up. If you are in pain, you fight through it. If you are crying, fight against it. If you have nowhere to go, just keep walking. That's how I have lived my life." Kim said.

"What's your reason to fight then?" Grace asked.

"I fight for myself. I have no one to fight for and nothing to fight for. That's my reason." Kim replied.

"Now that's wrong." Grace said.

"How so?" Kim asked.

"You have a reason now, to fight and protect recon team." Grace replied.

Kim laughed.

"That may be right." Kim replied.

"Look! The Swordwrath are withdrawing!" Grace shouted and pointed at the battlefield.

Kim looked and she was right, the legions of Swordwrath are falling back, fleeing from the Archidon stronghold.

"I hope you feel better, come on let's go back to camp and inform them." Kim said and extended his hand for Grace.

Grace grabbed his hand and they both when back to camp.