Stahl moved faster than I thought was allowed. A sharp whistle and Happy was running towards us at full speed. Without hesitation, Stahl sprinted at the galloping horse, pulled alongside, and vaulted on its back. I vaguely remember asking why Happy wasn't tied to anything; now I know. In any other situation, I would have been flipping out over how cool that was, but I was too busy hyperventilating about the actual real live bandits in front of me to really have it register.

However, this display of acrobatics gave the bandits pause. They looked at each other, unsure of how to deal with this new turn of events. This wasn't going the way that they planned.

Donnel, on the other hand, was probably about as scared shitless as me, and kept running.

Tears carved clean tracks into the dirt on his face. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I don't remember this.

He collapsed into the dirt next to me, gasping for breath. Next to me, armed only with my silly wooden practice sword. Fuck. I suddenly wished that I kept my actual sword on me at all times like Stahl did.

Up ahead, Stahl faced down both bandits, who were backing away slowly. I didn't blame them. If I didn't know Stahl and Happy, I would be backing away too.

"What's going on here?" Stahl spoke calmly, reasonably, like he was asking about the weather. But his sword was drawn and Happy pawed the ground impatiently.

"I'm the only one who got away, and even then just barely. They were roundin' up the others to haul 'em off to a bandit camp... Please, sir! You gots to save them folks! My ma's one of 'em, and... She's all I got in this world!"

After Donnel's outburst, Stahl looked like he was politely waiting for a rebuttal. However, I could see that his sword dropped a little and I could tell his grip tightened. He was ready to attack.

The bandits sneered, showing broken, yellowing teeth. Come to think of it, more people should have poor dental heal-

No. Not the time. I can't afford to distract myself now.

"Yeh? An' whatchu gon' do 'bout it?" The one with the fur cape spat derisively, while the one with a deer skull on his head flexed, making himself look bigger.

They were slowly separating. Trying to flank.

Stahl can easily take one of them. Happy is a warhorse, and I'll assume he is trained for this and can take care of both his rider and himself. But from the back... It's hard to dodge something you can't see. One of them might get hurt.

Skullface had his back to me now.

I gripped my wooden sword tightly.

"My name is Stahl. As representative of the Shepherds in this area, I suggest you surrender yourselves. Drop your weapons now and your sentence will be lighter."

I recognized the expression on Furcape's face.

It was pure, unadulterated fear. I probably had the same look.

"GIT 'IM!"

Everyone charged.

Nothing existed except for Skullface's back. I suddenly took notice of every shift in his muscles, the textures in his rough tunic. The blood pounding in my ears. Dimly, I was aware that someone, or something was screaming. The small part of me that cared hoped to god it wasn't me.

Shoulder muscles have tensed. The distance between me and that back seemed to stretch for miles. My target moved, ducking under Happy's iron shod hooves that kicked his way.

Backswing is beginning. Why is everything so slow? There was an ache in my chest that shuddered with every thud of my footsteps.

Now. I can't stop. I push the sword forward with every ounce of strength I have in my arms. The tip connects, eliciting a shout that I can barely hear over the roar of my own blood, but I keep going. He's not off balance yet. I'm too light. My legs leave the ground. I can't hold on to this useless piece of wood.

My shoulder collides with his. I can feel the impact reverberate through me, and then again as I slam into the ground.

Skullface straightened up. I just winded him.

Wasn't strong enough.

He turned towards me, axe ready. We locked eyes, and I immediately wished that I hadn't. If I wasn't already paralyzed from the deadening passage of time, I would have keeled over from the overwhelming murderous intent radiating at me.

Now you fucked up.

I would have laughed if the world wasn't made of molasses. How fitting that my last thoughts would be of some stupid Skyrim mod.

I wanted to close my eyes as his ax went up, but I couldn't force myself to look away from the last moments of my life.

The axe fell.

I'm still alive.

My executor's expression changed. His eyes went wide in confusion. He looked down at the metal point protruding from the left side of his chest. A thin trickle of red dribbled out of the corner of his mouth.

As if a puppeteer suddenly cut his strings, Skullface slumped forward and collapsed.

"Rei, are you ok?" Stahl stood in front of me, sword still covered with blood.

Time flowed normally once more and I belatedly realized that there was a corpse on top of me.

I regret to inform you that, this time, it was definitely me screaming.

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

I heave again. I don't have anything left to throw up, but damn it, my stomach doesn't seem to get the memo.

I can't- I don't- I-

Dark eyes staring at nothing. Warm liquid seeping slowly into my shirt.

Fuck.

I double over and retch again.

"Was that the first time you've seen someone die?"

I looked up. Stahl was standing there in front of me. As I was in the middle of actually rocking back and forth in a corner, I must have looked absurd.

"How could you tell? Was it the screaming or the throwing up?" Good. The sarcasm is back. At least I'm not totally broken.

He sat down next to me.

"I won't tell you that it gets easier, because it doesn't."

For some forsaken reason, I laughed, but immediately regret it. With my acid burned throat, it ended up sounding more like a raspy cough, which sent spikes of pain with each muscle spasm.

"Well, at least you don't faint anymore."

He let out a sad little chuckle of his own and leaned back.

"You know, Rei, you're kind of lucky. Ten years ago, I was just a page, but with the war going the way that it was, everyone was sent out to the battlefield."

Wait, what?

Oh. Oh.

The stars glinted coldly in the night sky, casting their light towards us from light years away, but Stahl was staring past them. "The veterans called it "seeing the kraken." Some of them had been fighting for so long that it seemed like the kraken was the only thing they saw anymore."

I bury my head in my arms. Here I am, wallowing, when everyone here has been living with this- this shit for their entire lives.

"I-"

I gulped, words dying in my still burning throat. Nothing I could say would follow that. I'm sorry? What right do I have to say that?

"How… how do you deal with it now?"

Stahl looked me square in the eye. I almost flinched.

"I swore that I would never forget who and what it's all for." He sighed. "Some times are easier than other times. But, if I have to wade through a sea of blood to make sure that no one else has to, I will."

I took a deep breath.

"What's the situation with the village?"

What the am I doing? This is insane.

He started, probably a little surprised by my sudden change of topic. "Not good. According to Donnel, the villagers have been rounded up and the bandits plan to sell them as slaves."

I should just go home.

"How much time do we have?"

There was a pained look on Stahl's face. "Rei, you don't have to-"

"Stahl, I appreciate it, but yes I do. I haven't known you for that long, but I know that you're going in no matter what the odds are of success."

What did I just say? Oh god, this is a bad idea. I'm not qualified for this.

Shut the fuck up. I internally flipped the bird at myself.

"I won't let you die alone, at the very least."

"Rei." Stahl clapped me on the shoulder. "Don't die."

I pull myself to my feet and crack my knuckles.

"Ok. Let's rescue a village."

AN: Oh my. This was much, much shorter than I thought it was. It certainly was the hardest one to write so far, though. Still does not quite excuse my long ass absence, sorry about that. I've been planning out future chapters though, so hopefully the next one won't take as long. Though considering that it's the village defense chapter, it maaaay take me a bit. Fight scenes are exhausting.

As always, thank you for reading, and I welcome all reviews. See you next time!