I stopped doing my regular chores. Keeping track of the shop, watching my baby sister to make sure she stays safe, barring the windows to keep out the monstrous beast that attack us every night, my everyday jobs.
I looked around, wondering exactly why I was forced to do the same thing every day. Dreaming of freedom, wondering what lay out of the gates of my home Viginor. Wishing for a greater life. I was seemingly the only person with these fantasies. Everyone else was just regular, I was the only one who truly tried to stand out.
My town, Viginor, was small. Despite it's size it's military strength was grand. The walls were fourteen meters high and made of a white polished stone. From outside the city it looked grand, the walls were the town's pride and joy. Inside was another story. Inside the grand polished stone walls stood a town, a town that without constant care would fall to the ground. The buildings were made entirely of wood, which was now green and black from moss and rotting. Only two buildings stood more then one story tall and they both belonged to the Kiman, or the leader of this 'Great' city.
Why did the walls stand so tall and well built? Why was our military so more important then the actual population of our town? We are at a constant war with the mythical creatures from the east. There were ogres, goblins, golems, and demons. Few demons attacked us, and when they did they flew or scaled our walls and killed many people. Death was a constant reality here.
Maybe that is why I wanted to leave, the death and suffering that was caused here wouldn't be missed at all. I always thought of escape when a war was about to happen, and that was expected to happen later this night. The goblins were a mile away from our walls setting up camp, their leader Ig'knoc Vel'ien was the greatest threat to any city, his armies had trampled many towns before ours, but ours was the most protected. We were safe, weren't we?
The store was empty, we were well stocked I mean, just no customers. We were forced to pay large amount of money as taxes to our Kiman, he was nice when it got down to it, but awfully greedy.
I am young seventeen year old girl named Zejre'l. My hair is long, straight, and black. My eyes are a dark green color that sparkled when the sun hit them correctly. I was short, only five foot seven. My skin was smooth and felt like silk, very weak skin so says my father. It was tan, people questioned me if I were a vampire, but I wasn't as I paid no head or even noticed the holy icons they were wearing while they questioned me. They took protection very seriously and questioned every threat.
I leaned against the small counter. There were few real stores anywhere in the whole nation. Most were consisted of market stalls. It was odd that a city like this should have such a luxury, even if it were only a store. It was getting boring here.
Suddenly a man walked in. He was tall and very handsome, his face reminded me of stories my uncle told me about the statues in the capital. The unmistaken beauty and structure of his face dazzled me. He wore a fine cloak, and that made me realize that it was the Kiman's son. He wore red, a royal color in our city. He finely chiseled arms and body figure dazzled me more. He walked over to me.
"Hello, would you happen to have any salt in your storage?" He asked me calmly. His voice reminded me of more stories my uncle told me about, of the fine musicians that played for the king at his capital. My uncle was once a grand council member, until, one day when he visited me. We were attacked and he was killed.
Salt was a very uncommon material, used by only the most royal of families. We always had some, for the reason it was so rare we knew we would make money from it, if some one ever bought it.
"Yes," I gulped, his presence made me uncomfortable for some reason, "Let me go get it." He had a smile on his face as if he didn't know a war was going to happen. Which was odd.
I walked into the back of the store where we kept everything. I grabbed a hand full of salt and put it into a leather bag. I grabbed another and another until the bag was full and our storage of salt was half empty. I felt weird being in the actual presence of such a rare mineral.
I walked back to the front and he was in the exact same position, doing absolutely nothing. I put the bag on the counter and he put another bag on the counter. I didn't quite know what it was "I do believe this will cover it, correct?" He said, same amazing voice that made me have to quietly catch my breathe. I realized what was in it, gold. It was a large bag, I was certain he made a mistake on the cost, but then it was a rare mineral and I really had no idea on the correct price.
"Yes, thank you." I took the bag, this would pay the taxes for many months to come! He grabbed the bag of salt and walked away. I watched him walk away, it was weird. He was different, and if it was a good or bad different I wasn't sure.
The day was boring, other then the young prince of our town stopping for a bag of salt I had no customers. My dad cut wood or mined during the day for some minor money, and my mother did some farming. My baby sister was, just that, a baby, and did nothing at all.
Once my dad and mother got home I locked the door, barricaded even. It was my job to make sure no one in my family got hurt during a war. I barred my windows. The only real threat now was the army crashing through the walls which was a very likely possibility. My dad took his sword, happily he never had to use it, from under the floor boards. It was rusty and looked now more wooden then steel, but it would do in the arms of a skilled swordsmen like my father.
We waited. None of us spoke, there was tension in the air. Then we heard the shout of our fine general. "Fire at will!" And soon enough we heard the launching of the arrows and the war cries of our enemies. Then I heard a unfamiliar sound, the launching of some thing heavy. Sounded like the launching of a arrow but much larger, much more explosive sounding.
Then, I heard the incoming of some thing. Like some thing large falling out of the sky, then the explosion. The blood curdling screams of men dying. Being flung off the wall. I realized this enemy had a catapult. The wall must of shattered under the might of it, and then I heard another rock coming. Men yelled ' run for cover! ' but each time I heard the explosion of it's impact it was too late. The screams erupted once again. Then I heard a horse walk down the street, and after that the main army. The sounds of the men marching went on for five minutes, and the same screams erupted from the wall.
The general of our fine army shouted. "Men! Though the wall that has kept our fine city safe for years is coming crashing down, We! The true soldiers of our nation will triumph! We are unbeatable! Our force will as always win the day!" The roar of the men excited me. War, in my opinion, was interesting. Also, the point we never lost excited me more.
Then I heard the wall General. "Off the walls! To the ground to help Jeferin!" And I heard men running off to the ground.
Then there was silence, the only sound that was to be heard was the breathing of the men who were on the walls that ran down to help the ground men. I waited, then I heard a loud thud. Then another, and another. Until I finally came to the realization it was foot steps. It was Ig'knoc Vel'ien. I heard of his size, but hearing the tremendous thud of his footsteps gave me the realization that this was no normal goblin.
He was said to be nine feet tall and weighed at least two tons. Wore very strong armor that increased his weight even more. His weapon of choice was a four meter long battle axe, he wore no shield for this was a two handed weapon. No way he could wield it with only one hand. No one who tried could ever kill him, he was said to be the creation of the war god 'Demigious' and there for unbeatable. Let's hope he is beatable.
After the sound of his foot steps I heard many more, smaller and less loud. But the number of goblins there were made it a sound that shook the earth and erupted louder then thunder. Then it stopped, and Ig'knoc Vel'ien spoke.
"Today, Viginor will fall! It will be destroyed brick by brick, soul by soul. All will die." His voice frightened me. It was deep, dark. As if he were forcing himself to talk like that. It was a demonic voice. The next thing I heard was the swing of his axe, and the thudding of men falling against the ground. Then the clanging of swords and the clash of steel.
Then, there was a knock at our door. "The District has been over run! Get out while you ca." Then came a bloodcurdling noise, and the man who was trying to help us died. Then there was banging against the door. And, then against the windows. They brought in the fire then. They began to burn buildings, I could smell the smoke and tell it was getting closer to my own home. Then a goblin bashed through the wall right next to the doorway.
Goblins, though in great numbers can be a hassle, were small, thin, weak creatures. All except for the monstrous Ig'knoc Vel'ien. He snarled at us, and my dad drew his sword. He quickly dealt with the small creature. I never thought that blood would be spilt in the house I lived at.
Then, four goblins came charging in. They were equipped with axes and swords. Shields and daggers. They saw my dad, he being the only one with a weapon, as a threat. My dad charged at them, willing to give his life for his family. Some one I had grown to honor. He sliced through two of them with his sword, then he was knocked back by one of their shields. He got the last two then, in an uncontrollable rage, ran outside to help with the fight.
I looked out the hole that the goblins had made to watch my father. He was equipped with no armor and he moved gracefully. Slicing though his enemies with the rusty sword that still retained it's strength through the years. Then, one of them snuck behind him while he was fighting.
"Dad! Look out!" I shouted, tears running down my cheeks, my dad spun, but it was too late. The goblin plunged his sword into his stomach. My dad, not dead yet, decapitated the goblin. Then he fell to his knees.
I ran out to him, crying immensely. The war was going on around me, twelve yards away I could even see the general taking on several of our best men. Fires erupted from every building now. I fell beside my father. "Dad." I let my voice trail.
He looked at me, blood leaking from his mouth now. I shook my head and looked down at the ground. I held his hand, time stood still. Around me the whole fight was going on, but in slow motion. He was still plenty alive, his grasp was strong in my palm. But then, it weakened. I looked at my father, and he was looking at me. Blank look in his eyes, that's when I realized, he was dead.
Then I heard crying. My head darted up and everything came into full speed. My baby sister was crying, why would she be crying? I looked around and saw my mother, dead on the ground. The crying stopped. I out of instinct grabbed my fathers sword and ran into my house. In there I saw my baby sister dead and bleeding on the ground. I looked up and saw the goblin that did this, I slashed into his upper neck, the sword went into his neck, and almost decapitated him.
I ran out of my house, no longer was I crying. No longer did I feel insignificant. I saw a goblin charging at me. He stabbed at my lower chest, I jumped back, and returned with a stab of my own. But mine went into his eye socket. I looked up, and saw in the distance, Ig'knoc Vel'ien.
He was the true reason for my pain, he was the one who called his men to arms and attacked us. I wasn't going to let him live. Then I noticed, he was looking at me. His eyes were blood red and glowing in the light of the fire. He walked towards me.
I took a deep breathe in, he was huge. Twice as tall as me, three times as large, and his weapon was even bigger. He swung the blade at my neck, and I ducked. He then tried to step on me, I was forced to roll to the side. I was now next to his side. I stabbed at his abdominal, and my sword broke against the steel of his plate body. I gulped. He laughed at me and my effort.
I still held tight to the now broken sword. He lifted the axe above his head and brought it crashing down. I jumped, barely getting away from the mighty blow. His axe was now stuck in the ground. I took the opportunity.
With all his concentration on getting his weapon out of the soft soil which engulfed it he didn't notice me get near his hand. I stabbed the unprotected wrist of the goliath. He let go of the handle of his axe and grabbed his wrist which was now bleeding majorly. I had done some thing no man had, I had injured him.
I jumped at him at his frenzy to the new feeling of pain. I gripped his shoulder and climbed on to him. He reached for me, but was unable to get me for his armor didn't allow. I stabbed his neck, leaving the blade in it.
He fell down onto his back and I was forced to jump off and I hit the ground with a thud, then I heard a large explosion like sound and looked over my shoulder at him. He laid on the ground, dead or dying, I wasn't sure.
I climbed onto my feet, gripping my now dislocated shoulder. I walked over to the now weak beast. Both armies stopped fighting and were now watching me. I relocated my shoulder, and the snap sound it made surprised everyone. I got to the creature's head and said, "Why?"
He, plain as day, replied. "Hired."
"By who?" I asked, I was surprised, who would hire him too kill a city!
"Elf creatures." He replied, then he died. I heard a goblin yell to retreat, or fall back, or some thing. I stood there, in disbelief. Our friendly elf leaders were trying to kill us? Why though?
I took only seconds to realize why, they were scared. We had the greatest military power in the kingdom. This was there way to make sure we didn't take control. I couldn't believe it. It wasn't Ig'knoc Vel'ien's fault, it was our own leaders. My mom, my dad, my baby sister, all dead because of a fear!
A cheer roared from the men around me. We had won. The unbeatable army won by the unbeatable city. I suddenly realized what I had done. I killed the son of a war god. I was scared now, a god's power could kill me in seconds. I thought I was going to be smitten down right there in front of everyone.
I wasn't though, I was safe. The prince came out on a horse now, he was the ground army general! "Zejre'l has saved us all! But it cost her her family, her mother, her father, her baby sister are all dead." He began, everyone quieted and I began to cry at the knowledge of my family dead. "Whether it was rage or great courage that drove her to defend her homeland she should be honored! May a feast be thrown in her honor! And may the axe that was this monster's weapon stay in the ground forever as a reminder of what she has done!" A large cheer erupted from everyone. People in buildings, the soldiers themselves, everyone. The prince even started clapping.
He got off his horse and came to me. "Is there anything you wish to say?" I looked at him, gulped, and nodded.
"It is the elves who brought this plague of enemies upon us! The last words emitted from this beast proves his, he told me the elves hired him. The Elves, our leaders, were scared that we would over power them!" There was an edge on my voice, everyone was silent. " It's their fault our families are dead, It's their fault we must suffer!" I stopped, no one would believe me. What was I thinking? "The line has been drawn for me and the elves, and it should be for all of you."
The prince looked at me, "Are you serious? Is this all the fault of our leaders the elves?"
I nodded back. "Yes."
"This can not go unpunished then, we shall go fight them!" The men seemed absorbed in his words and not in mine, they cheered for him.
"I'm coming with." I said. The prince, who was now looking over his men looked back at me again.
"Of course, how could we forget the slayer of Ig'knoc Vel'ien?"
"When will we go?" I inquired.
"Tomorrow." He responded....
