Beyond the Winter Sea

chapter II: To West Knight Town

From the hills that drew borders of Kingsville, we looked back and watched as our homes were swallowed by a gust smoke seeking the lives of those who breath it. We watched our Kingsville burning down to ruin, as the sunset would symbol the end fate Kingsville.

Although we were so far out, we could still hear the roars of warriors battling for an honorable death, their swords clashing like thunderstorms. Surely the gods of war were delighted by these fearless man and those who had lost their lives honorably had won path to Valhalla the afterlife world of warriors.

We went a little further ahead before we'd rest. Finn and I along with his brothers had managed to rescue 16 young civilians. The night would soon catch us, without shelter and zero chances of building a fire. The night along side the cruel winter would assassinate some of us, if not all of us at our sleep. I suggest we huddle together to get some warmth, even so I could still here some shivering and their teeth wrestling with each other.

We were not prepared for this night, surviving it would mean the gods haven't forsaken us. There are only eight of us who are trained warriors but not experienced in battlefield.

As sleep was trying to get the better of us. We decided to take shifts as so to warn the others when one had spotted a wild animal or any person coming toward our direction.

I take the first watch along with Frazier an archer, with his sharp eye nothing would go by unnoticed. After some time we too felt at easy and sleep would call to us with a lullaby, as sleep's sweet charms were irresistable, we slept without waking the others to take the next shift.

I suddenly feel pulled, as I open my eyes. There he was on his knee, with his body showing signs of unrest and endless torture, "father!..." I shout. He looked up at me, his eyes have no life, his hair covers his face like a hobo, he's a bloody mess, literally.

I try to move and reach out to him but my body would not allow me. I stand there shouting and crying out for father, it's as if no one hears me, instead everyone chants for an order to behead father. An ogre of a man with a double edged sword and the grin of the devil. With intent to kill he goes for father's back of the neck with his sword. Before I could scream "father!", I get a familiar feeling I'm being pulled once more.

This time I open my eyes to a crowd of sobbing faces. "You're finally awake" says Reginald our spearman one of us eight warriors. He tells me Duncan, Finn's little brother and three others could not survive the night. I had expected this, but at the moment I wasn't bothered by it. Yes it's harsh my best friend lost his brother and I show no remorse but we had all lost people we held dear the day before. At that moment what was bothering me was the dream, it felt so real I started to worry about father.

I keep myself busy, trying my best not to think of father. Thinking of a solution to survive the next night without a single death. We had to walk whist the weather was still calm, but we were all starving and having children with us on this journey it made things too difficult. Stopping for a hunt is an option at this point, but it worries me to because this would delay us and we'd spend more nights in these woods.

"We can't go any further like this, we must seek for food" the oldest of us Ornalf says. No body argues with him it's as if everyone was waiting for someone to speak up, as they laid on their comfortably on the snow.

We set out to hunt, four remained with the group, whilst Finn, Frazier, Ornalf and I set out for the hunt. I haven't said nothing to Finn all morning but he seemed okay expect for that he seemed to be a lot more than his usual self.

Our hunt is successful thanks to Frazier unbelievable skill at archery. We gathered fire wood and went back to the rest of the team. Before heading back I had already shared my thoughts with my hunt mates about this delay, they agreed with me and to the point that we should eat when we had found a cave.

When we reach the rest, we shared our thoughts with them. Reginald is familiar with the terrain and assures that there's a cave nearby but also warns us that there maybe wild animals in it.

We head to the cave and reach to it in time just a little after sunset. We set camp the cave and prepare the food in fire. As we were at easy stuffing our mouths, a four legged furry beast that stood higher than any man I know, it roars to awaken our fears.

It's claws are sharp enough to kill a man with a single slash to the throat, it's paw can knockout the fierce wolf. We could flee and battle the winter outside or remain to battle this savage beast. We draw our weapons and surround this beast. Frazier attempts to take down the beast with his arrows and to his unfortunate luck he's the first to fall victim to the beast. It had demonstrated its power and left us in shock, "is this our end?" A question that remains in our minds.

The beast chooses me as it's next victim. I stand firm awaiting this beast to make it's first move. It raises it's paws aiming for my throat, I'd soon be surprised by my blades sharpness. The beast would strike at me, and out of pure instinct my sword had meet the paw and had cut through it, whilst the beast's attention was fixed on me. Finn would attack it from the back with his blade, I'd attack its wounded forearm. Reginald's spear would cause the finishing blow through the beast heart.

We are victorious, Frazier injury wasn't deadly as the beast only pierced his arm. We took shifts again this time we didn't sleep during watch hours. The next day dawns and we continue with our journey to West Knight Town.

This journey was long and hard, we had lost friends and Frazier had been injured. We had finally reached our destination.

_________________To be Continued______________

How's the story so far I'm excited to hear your thoughts.