Rise From The Ashes

Epilogue

"Queen Earla of Claigend, you have shown unflinching bravery and skill in face of darkness and adversity and have proven yourself beyond all measures. The sacred blade is forever bound to your soul, as we pray for your protection and we hope that you and the sword will grow stronger together as one."

The High Priestess enclosed the sword into Earla's hand. She closed her eyes and traced the edges of the blade, as time pulled her back.

The starless sky was black and brooding. Earla stared up at the darkened sky, as she felt like a veil had been wrapped around the world, choking out all the light that was left. The cold, north wind mewled through the valley, as the souls of the lifeless people laid upon the ground.

Her weak legs managed to drag her forward, despite her body's command to collapse to the ground and lay there like all the other soldiers, families and innocents... But she knew she had to keep moving; she had no choice.

Earla kept her head forward, as she tried her best not to look into the innocent faces of the people who got caught in a battle that wasn't theirs to fight. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to erase the visions and noises of the arrows hissing through the air, soldiers sobbing with fear, children screaming for their mothers and mothers screaming for their children's names; their voices full of desperation, but none of them went away.

She didn't want to look at what humanity had created.

A hard hand lazily gripped her shoulder. Earla turned around, her neck screaming with pain. She looked up at the face and gasped with horror. She let his features sink into her eyes, as she stared at his torn clothes; a few scraps managed to cling onto him. His shirt was torn down the middle, revealing his blistered chest, burnt swollen and fuming with pink flesh. She looked into the man's hazel eyes that were swollen and bruised, fighting to stay open. The realization hit her. Tears managed to roll down her cheeks as she looked back up at him. His mouth stayed closed, but his facial expression changed when he realized she knew it was him.

Him, her brother.

"Run," He managed to cough out. "Earla, you need to get out of here."

His breath grew more rapid. She gripped onto his arms, holding him steady, as she watched and felt his legs shaking.

"Run Earla..." He repeated to her. She grabbed a hold of his arms, as his legs wobbled and forced his knees to hit the ground. She tried to pull him up, but her bones were too weak.

"Will... get up now." She whispered, not being able to let out more words.

"Earla, I need you to listen to me very carefully." He whispered, ignoring her remark. "Run and leave. What's done is done and you can't change anything. Use the pain you are feeling now as a weapon. Promise me you won't seek revenge on what happened but seek for what matters most. To save your people and claim the throne that is rightfully yours."

He drew the words from his lips before his shaking hand stopped and slipped out of hers, as his body fell to the ground.

"William, please..." she begged sobbing. Tears rushed down her cheeks, her vision blurred as she watched his green eyes close. She collapsed to the ground next to his body, as her hand clutched at his shirt.

She looked up at the dark sky, as she felt and watched the ash spread across boarder and spread darkness over the battlefield. She let go of his shirt and laid her head on his chest, feeling the absence of his heartbeat.

He was dead.

Tears crawled out of her tired eyes, leaving the water marks to stain on her cheeks. A burning desire within her struck as the adrenaline inside her awakened. Her blood boiled with anger, confusion and grief.

She let out a piercing scream that silenced the battlefield.

She gazed across the ruined grounds, as she glimpsed at a sword that laid a few feet away from her brothers' body. Slowly she reached for it, ignoring the painful protests of her body, and grasped the sword into her hand. She looked back up at the sky and made a promise to herself, and to her brother. To all the innocent who shed their blood.

She would claim her throne back, and she would save her people. She would do what mattered most.

She stood up and plunged the sword into the ground, sealing her promise.

Earla opened her eyes and held the sword tightly in her hand, as she watched the crowd erupt into applause.