"In a battle all you need to make you fight is a little hot blood and the knowledge that it's more dangerous to lose than to win." George Bernard Shaw
I looked down at the dirt, at my bare feet touching the soil pounded by a thousand feet before mine. I swept my feet over the soil and made designs with my big toe only to be interrupted by Conner placing his hand on my shoulder. His face was lowered and his blue robe brushed against his fingers. A grave look was gracing his face while his bright red hair tried to hide his eyes.
"It's time to get ready." He said and raised his eyes to meet mine, there was a pain in them that we shared, a pain of about to do something we'd forever regret. I placed my hand onto his for a moment before nodding and looking away. My eyes soon found my armor but my fingers didn't want to reach for them, I was no longer having the itch to feel a blade underneath my hands.
"I know." Was the only words I uttered as I stood up and started placing the dragon scale armor upon my body. Some part of me felt bad the I felt better with the weight of it pressing against me, protecting me. But I knew that this armor would only protect by body from sustaining injury but not protect my emotions, my beliefs that were getting squashed by something I had no control over. I secured my blade upon my back and kept the dull red hood away from my face, I didn't need it covering me yet.
A shrill sound come from someone from a distance and my teeth soon found my lip; it was time to go into battle formation. I turned quickly to Conner and pulled him into a tight embrace that could bruise bones. His arms came around me and held me equally tightly, I pressed my face into his collar bone and took a deep breath.
"You better not die on me." I said pulling away and whatever his answer was died with the distance I was putting between us. My hand went to the necklace that surprisingly was still not found out by someone. My fingers traced over the thin rope and even though I was not worthy of it I prayed to the gods.
"Mythal the Great Protector guide me to safety,
Falon'Din if I do parish guide my soul to the Beyond,
Vir Bor'assan, the way of the bow, thy bend but never break." I whispered as my feet found the place I was to be and pulled my hood up and hid my face. My heart was beating quickly as we started to march, my hands were clammy and I fiddled with the edge of the cloak to try and take the edge off my nerves. Never before I felt this way, my stomach was sinking and I knew that this time I wasn't going to fight against starved Elven but against strong warriors. I could die today and no one would be able to stop it, my blood would spill with those of my kin but also my enemies. My breath stuck in my throat and I quickly blinked, I never wanted this, I didn't want to be pitted against my kin...
My head snapped up when everyone stopped and almost went face first into the person in front of me. I tried taking calm breaths as my eyes scanned the landscape and soon found who we were to fight against. It warmed my heart to see my people standing side by side with humans and dwarfs, to see them all united against something. Just too bad that I was bound onto the wrong side, too bad that these peoples blood was going to be on my hands just so I could keep on surviving.
A loud sound erupted over the land and battle cries were sounded. Masses of people moved forward and I with them, my heart was beating like a cadged bird against my ribs and soon someone who was not one of my- no theirs broke though the ranks. Many others soon broke apart the ranks and my sword was swinging and clashing against another. Blood was everywhere around me, war drums were being pounded. I couldn't help the way my sword slashed and the poor soul in front of me faded away. That rage thrummed against my head, my heart and I didn't fight against it but embraced it, I did not want to see what I was about to do.