Liridia

Chapter 9: Ayala

Liridia
________________
It was a gloomy and overcast day when we went into battle.

People unsheathing swords and striking their shields against the dirt menacingly.

War drums were playing loudly, fighting over the noise of the people of Idami.
They have waited long for this moment, waiting in the shadows until the knights crested the hill. Ridgemont has held his reign of tyranny long enough against these people. Blood shall be spilt today.

King Ridgemont rode in front, leading his army of knights, foot soldiers and trebuchets into the flattened plain. The stomping of the foot soldiers and dull thuds of hooves together make a cacophony of noise, like a wall.

I turn to my side to see Ayala on a horse just abreast of my own, her knot of brown hair is particularly messy today and her blue eyes say it all. Revenge shall be delivered. She pulls her war mask off her face and turns to me with her blue eyes softening.

"Are you ready?"  She asks looking away.

"Always. You?" I answer nearly smiling, she snorts.

"Of course. If today is our last, we shall go down fighting."
I nod in solemn reply.

"And I shall see to it that Ridgemont's head is removed from his neck." She pulls her mask back on with a grim frown.

I don't reply because I don't want Ayala to be like me. I might have trained her, but that was because she wanted me to. Every night I promised myself to teach her to be better than I could be. I failed.

A loud blast of a war horn pierces the already tense air, I take a deep breath and shout the order to attack. Hundreds of people spring up from the thick underbrush and grass soon after the first wave sprints to their foe. Arrows fly and giant rocks soar through the air to land and squash the few unlucky soldiers who happen to be in their path. The king's horses charge in a straight line, the knights lowering their pikes.

The battle wages on in earnest, more soldiers from both sides come to help, but it doesn't seem like we have enough people to win. Even the soothsayers are having at it today as I catch the familiar swish of Ayala's leathers, and she fights her way through the onslaught of soldiers. We are together wearing them down, their dwindling numbers a miracle sent from the heavens. I search through the sea of dead or just about dead people, and I nearly get stabbed in the side because of it.

I pick off the few soldiers coming my way and I turn to the west. I see Ayala run towards her ultimate goal, Ridgemont. I scream at her to stop as I notice Ridgemont raise his sword over his head with both hands. I race to try to save her, but I'm kidding myself. He has the high ground on his horse, and she's not attacking him yet because she's busy with a foot soldier who's quick jabs make him a difficult fight.

I scream until my throat is hoarse at her to stop, retreat and get away from him. She refuses to listen as she is blinded by her lust for revenge, she was always a stubborn person, it was in her nature.

The sword flies from Ridgemont's hands towards Ayala, I make one last attempt to save her and sprint over the hundreds, maybe thousands of deceased. I grab a dead archer's bow and one arrow and let it fly. But not fast enough. Ayala finished off the soldier and my arrow was still soaring as the sword pierced her back and went through her chest. The sword went down to the hilt. Her leathers torn apart, her exposed tunic awash in her own blood.

I screamed. The arrow hit the king's shoulder and knocked him off balance. I fell to my knees, mouth wide open in horror. She was my friend. And he killed her.

'If today is our last, we shall go down fighting.' That's what she had said.

In the few breaths I took, I called the retreat. The few who were left ran to the woods, to hide and wait for me. They would have to wait a while.

I glare at Ridgemont, and I scream at him. A whole string of curse words flow out of my mouth like a whole ocean of hurt and rage pouring out onto the ground. I rush to a quiver of arrows and let them fly, against the soldiers metal plate armour, it hardly affects them. I run out of arrows when Ridgemont pushes his way to the front, still on his horse. He stares at me with an expression of disgust then rides back to lead them to the castle. I stumble my way to Ayala's lifeless body.

The air around her is cold, it sends a shiver snaking down my spine. The absence of her magic haunts me to the core and I kneel before her, her blue eyes staring into the clouds. I stroke her loose strands of hair and a tear slides down my flushed face. I close her eyes after I take her remaining knives and spear. I lay them down on the ground next to her but leave one in my shaky hand. I prick my finger and the blood drops onto the ground. I drag my finger in a straight line on her forehead and whisper the words that complete the ritual.

"Quoniam corruisti induxero vos vindictam." I bow my head over hers and a tear falls onto her face.

'I shall bring you the revenge you fell for.'

-------------------------------------------------

Hey guys, I haven't posted for a couple days, I'm not made of creative ideas.
But how y'all doing? Just chillin? Yeah. Me too.
This one is for Ashleigh is a pillow, I know you love back stories and flashbacks, so I thought this would be a good idea for a flashback. Some comments were made about who Ayala was, and this chapter is kind of an explanation.

Love you guys, love your comments.
Until next time, au revoir.
:)