Survivors Of War

It was a cold windy morning as Mathias and his men were heading out on horse back on the cold tundra ahead of them. They were all dressed up in their heavy iron armor for protection, the wind was cold but they braced it with caution.

"We should be approaching a forest soon!" Mathias called out to his men, voice buffering in the cold air He could see his breath at the slightest glance of his eyes. A few hours had passed now, and the party was stopping for a short break near a small but steady going stream to let their horses rest up and get a drink of water.

Mathias leaped down from his horse, his leather boots making a loud thud on the ground, the other men did so as well taking a few minutes to stretch out their legs. After what seemed to be fifteen minutes they got back on, and seat out for their destination once again.

"We should be to Auriga by night fall!" Shouted one of the soldiers as he observed the skyline carefully as the others murmured in agreement.

"We will have to stay hidden from their people as best as possible though, I'm planing the first raid for tomorrow on the inside of the first wall. From there we will advance to the main castle." Mathias spoke in a loud voice.

One of the soldiers now pointed out the visible castle, and small town around its dwindling towers of stone. "I hope you plan to stop at the forest Mathias, I think that would be the best place for us to stay night so we don't get spotted by any night patrols that could possible be near by." "Ah, yes I almost forgot about stopping for the night!" Mathias now stretched out his arm pointing south of the kingdom of Auriga. The tall bare skeletons of the trees were barely visible but he could see them clearly enough.

The sun was now setting as they were at the edge of the woodland, the party slowly entered with caution not knowing what might be lingering in the darkness around them. Mathias could see a fairly big enough clearing as they were walking with their horses for at least ten minutes. "this space here looks like a good spot." He said as he gestured his hand in a swaying motion towards the small clearing. He dismounted from his horse as well as the others and tied them to near by trees.

"What a long tiring day!" Mathias sad as he stretched out his aching limbs. "We will wake early in the night men so get as much sleep as you can now." They all nodded in agreement as they looked at Mathias with weary tired eyes. Soon after they all started to untie the bed rolls from the backs of their horses to sleep on for the night. They rolled them out on soft patches of now dried grass on the ground. Mathias did as well tucking him self now in the heavy warm wool, slowly but surely he finally scummed into a dark but yet peaceful sleep with the scents of earthy tones around him.

Only a few hours later Mathias awoke feeling something cold prick at his face slightly. "Snow." He whispered on his breath. His blue eyes stared up into the endless night sky, blocking his view slightly with the lifeless cold crystals falling ever so gracefully.

Mathias climbed from his bed roll and called out to his men to wake, as they did so they packed up their bed rolls. The kingdom of Auriga had already seemed to be weak, Mathias had though to him self. He would be searching for any survivors from the last raid that happened a few weeks ago by a different settlement near by.

"Hear me out men!" Mathias called out suddenly, "we will go for the back gates just in case there's some possible guards still left, if we can sneak in with out pulling our swords that would be better. He said with a straight forward voice. "But if all fails bloodshed will be necessary if we are attacked." Mathias cracked his rains quickly and they were off again. A large grin was also plastered against his face showing that his confidence was indeed strong.

They neared the gates of the back entrance when suddenly two guards spotted them from the outposts above. Mathias drew his sword from its sheath readying himself for battle as well as the others. Suddenly jumping from his horse he finally meat combat with the first guard, sword on sword clashing with fear and vexation.

Mathias turned slightly and caught his opponent off guard and cut deep into his lower hip with his sword. The man gave out a cry of anguish and pain as his crimson blood now painted the snow around them. Mathias finished him off with a final blow to the back of his neck, causing it to break and crack at his swords brutal touch. His body went limp soon after.

Suddenly there was a silence around them as the gathered in a group once again. Horses were long gone by now. As they walked in the main walls entrance Mathias was astonished to find what his eyes were looking at. Body's of people littered the streets covered with mud and ash, the smell was horrendous. "Scout the area!" Mathias called out to his men quickly as he looked around the area as well. His men quickly separated into groups of two and went about to look around for anything suspicious. They came back about five minutes later bearing no information for their leader.

"I wonder why this place got so overthrown." Mathias spoke in a questioning tone of voice. "Who knows? Maybe it was more than one settlement that attacked here?" Mathias shrugged. "Lets carry on this mission and head up to the main castle."

All five of them climbed the stairwell of the castle up to the top, ans up there was something that made Mathias even more frightened when he opened those large wooden doors leading to the main room. Over thrown tables and chairs, papers scattering the floor. There was also a faint trail of blood leading to a near by room, it looked like a study or even a small library from the looks of it. He told his men cautiously to stay behind for a few minutes.

Mathias looked through the doorway to see a small figure on the floor with blood pooling at his side. He stepped in the room more to get a better look at who this person was. It seemed to be a male at his guessing, maybe in his late teens? He had pale blond hair matted with blood and ash. Mathias could also see that he was slightly still breathing as he put his hand to his small fragile wrist to check for a pulse.

Mathias tore some the material from his shirt under his chest plate. Softly and tenderly he pulled away the singed shirt that the male was wearing and wrapped his wound tightly around his chest a few times before ending it with a secure knot.

Mathias now lifted the slim body from the now cold and crusted pool of blood. "What a pity for something like this to happen to such a young man." His face turned rather grim at the thought.

"I'll take care of you though." He murmured.

"Until you're better."

Now returning to the main room of the castle with the almost lifeless body in his arms. "I think its about time we head back home men." They looked at him with a worried expression nodding with agreements of yes. And again the sound of foot steps was louder going down the stairwell. Or was is just his thoughts all along?