Hello! Here is the next chapter! I appologize if it kinda skipped around, but I was at a lose on how to start it. Things are starting to heat up. I hope you all enjoy!
Ember looked on with horror in her eyes, mouth open in disbelief at the image of brutality and slaughter before her. Beside her stood Silas, the man emotionless as his steel eyes matched the color of the thick smoke that plagued the air, and heavy scent of blood and decay hitting his nostrils. The pair stood at the edge of a field, or what looks like was a farm. The land was now stained with blood, and the bodies that littered the ground seemed to reach thousands.
"How could anyone do such horrible things?" Ember asked, her scale color paling as she began to wobble back and forth, as if she were going to faint.
"I told you not to come here." Silas spoke, voice monotone as he looked at the dragoness. She obviously wasn't used to death. At least mass amounts of it.
"I...didn't know..." Ember forced out, laying down, unable to take the death.
"I told you not to come. This is not your plight." Silas commented, but refused to look at Ember.
Smoothly, a bit numbly, Silas moved to the scene of the battle, carefully turning over the dead men. Each one he knew. Each face he knew. Some, however, he didn't, and he could only guess that they were from another region in Germany.
It was almost impossible to avoid stepping on a body, and many times Silas had slipped on the blood drenched ground. Silas took his time to inspect every body he found, closing their eyes, praying, or even comforting them in their passing. The men that were alive were too far gone to be saved, and Silas had no interest on asking who had won the battle when they were about to cross.
Pausing, Silas turned to look for Ember, and saw a pink blob in the distance. He didn't mind if she stayed there all day. She was better off.
"This is odd. Why do I feel nothing?" Silas asked himself, the man looking at another body, remembering his face. It was true. He felt nothing for these men. No rage, sadness, mercy. Nothing. Perhaps all his emotional energy was drained?
Silas shook his head, releasing a soft chuckle. It was horrible, he knew, but he was actually beginning to feel like his old self. He wasn't doing this-looking at the faces of dead and dying men that would haunt him out of any emotional satisfaction or pity. He was doing it because it was the right thing to do. He did it because of duty, of honor. These men were his kin, his brother, his countrymen. It didn't matter that they died for William or Eamon. They were all brothers in arms, and each one deserved his respect.
Silas didn't bother to count the hours as the early morning rays turned to dusk. He took no break from his grave task either, his hands torn, cut and stained red with blood as well as his feet and knees. He did hear the soft groans of disgust from Ember as the dragoness tried to maneuver towards him, but she was rather slow in reaching him. Pausing to look around, it appeared that Silas almost done, the knight flexing his hands as dried blood made them uncomfortable.
Upon seeing Ember approach, Silas waited until she reached him, and still continued to tend to some of the bodies. The dragoness stopped as she neared him, her eyes rimmed with sorrow.
"Silas, you don't have to do this. You've done enough for today." Ember stated, uncomfortable with the smells and blood. She was still squeamish.
"A task does not end up because the sun goes down." Silas reasoned, Ember tooling at the human with sadness.
"Why do you do this to yourself? I'm sure your God is happy with you."
"This has nothing to do with God, Ember. This is something I must do." Silas spoke, the slight annoyance in his voice causing Ember to back away.
"You can leave if you wish." Silas spoke, Ember glancing at him, as if offended.
"I won't leave you, Silas. You're my friend." Ember replied, smiling sullenly, completely frowning as Silas just sighed.
"Bastard was right."
"Excuse me?" Ember asked, an eye crest rising as she looked at the knight, stunned that he had used such language. It was then that she realized his hands were clenched into firsts, and his arms were shaking.
"The Necromancer was correct." Silas stated, sighing to calm himself, though Ember wasn't sure if it was working.
"Right about what?" Ember asked, slight concern in her voice. She didn't understand why the knight seemed so...angery all of a sudden. And when he would normally respond with some sort of emotion, he barely responded.
"The war. Ember, I'm going to join, and I don't want you to follow me." Silas suddenly spoke after a slight pause, Ember completely freezing.
"Go? W...What? Why?"
"You need not worry. This does not concern you nor Spyro." Silas spoke, Ember's mouth agape as sadness shown in her eyes.
"Silas, this does concern me! You're my friend!" Ember responded, hurt as Silas shook his head.
"No, it does not. This concerns Rorek and myself, and we have spoken about this. The Duke needs us."
"Spyro and I need you! No! You two can't go! You don't have to fight in this stupid human war-"
"Then what would you have me do?! I understand that you do not understand our culture or reasons for fighting, and I respect that, but please respect mine and allow me to serve as a man. I cannot just ignore this, Ember! These men are my brothers, my kin! I value your friendship, I truly do, but...I must do this! I refuse to stand by twiddling my thumbs while my country bleeds and dies!" Silas cried, Ember deeply hurt by his words, yet couldn't help but admire his passion.
"I...see...I'm sorry." Ember replied sadly, Silas softening as he sighed, shoulders slumping.
"I appologize for my actions, but I have had a lot on my mind as of late. I failed for before for not taking action, so now I am taking action."
"You still don't have to go alone." Ember replied, Silas looking at her, but then swiftly look away.
"Oh, Ember, no. Too many innocents have died by my account, and I refuse to allow any more be a part of those numbers."
"Oh. Can I ask who?"
"I feel like they are best not spoken of." Silas muttered softly, looking on at the field of bodies.
"Why is there a war?" Ember asked, looking in at all the bodies. She couldn't help but sorrow at the fact that her friend may very well become one of the dead.
"A disagreement of power within the royal family." Silas lied slightly. Yes, it was a power struggle, but there was more too it.
"And who would you fight for?"
"The Grand Duke." Silas replied after a pause, licking his lips slightly before continuing.
"He saved my life, and my loyalty is the very least I can offer him."
"Is he winning?" Ember prodded once more, her heart beating in terror. Why were humans such weak creatures?
"Truthfully? No." Silas avoided looking at the dragoness. He could feel her anger rise.
"No? Then why even go and fight when you will die?! There's no point!" Ember roared, Silas flinching at the shrillness of her voice.
"If no one tried we would still be primitive creatures. And who would care were I to die? In time, no one shall remember us at all, not me, not Anaya, not Rorek. Not even you. Our names, our actions, our memories? That shall all be lost to history. The ones that future generations shall remember? Those are the ones who were the victors of history. If I die then so be it. I died damn well fighting for what I believed in, and once more I know it is right! Right now, there is an evil man trying to erase us, but we cannot allow that to happen! If we fail, all those innocents, all those people-every man, woman and child who died in this war shall cease to matter-cease to exist! I don't...fear death, dying. But I fear dying in vain. If I could save just one person, I would be happy. But this is why I want to go to war as horrible as it sounds. I want to change history, change what has already been written." Silas went off on a rant, and reddened slightly in embarrassment.
"Sorry." Silas muttered softly, and noticed Ember had tears in her eyes.
"I never thought a human could be so passionate." Ember spoke softly, and smiled sadly.
"I know this means a lot to you, now. I can't stop you from going can I?" Ember asked gently as Silas shook his head.
"I fear not. Rorek and I shall leave first thing tomorrow." Silas informed, Ember's eyes widening in shock.
"T-Tomorrow? So soon!" Ember cried in dismay. Silas couldn't help but feel bad.
"Yes, but do not worry. Spyro and the babies shall be with you. I never got to thank you for naming the female after my mother, so I thank you." Silas smiled gently.
"Oh, don't...don't bother. She had a pretty name. When will you return?" Silas fell silent at that question.
"I am not sure. There is always a chance of one not returning." Silas spoke, Ember looking crestfallen.
"Come, let us return to the nest. I have a feeling I will have nightmares for weeks to come." Silas suggested, Ember nodding in response as they walked through the bloody field.
Ember released a deep sigh, the dragoness remaining quiet as she followed the knight. She couldn't imagine what she would do if more if her friends died. Flame's death had hit her the hardest, and it felt like her heart would just stop beating.
Silas continued to walk, feeling a jumble of emotions. Rage. Guilt. Sadness. Shame. Mainly rage at himself. He began to think back to his past, and how simple it used to be. And then he ended up here. He could only wonder how the hell he even ended up here, and mused that he had become friends with a dragon. Berend would be excited of this prospect. He was slow to admitt it, but Silas actually missed having his cousin follow him around constantly.
Silas was broke out of his thoughts by a warm muzzle resting in his shoulder. He could feel his heart sink at that. He may have devastated poor Ember. She didn't say a word, and just rested her head on his shoulder as they walked.
Sighing, Silas began to pet her snout in a calming manner, as if Ember were a horse. Ember would most likely be offended if she knew, but she reminded Silas of Brago. Poor thing. Silas missed that horse.
Poor Ember and Silas. Mainly Ember I think. It's it just me, or does Silas seem to becoming emotionally closed off? I'm not sure if that's a good or bad development. I appologize for the short chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed Silas' rant. Thank you to all who support this story and please review! :)