Hi, sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. Reviews are very much
appreciated!
Chapter 5: Death Toll
Smoke filled air and bloodied battle grounds filled their eyes as they arrived right in the middle of the clash between fairies and elves and the now arriving goblins against the dark sprites and trolls. Bodies were piled everywhere, and many ugly looking beings were pushing through the ranks of the once peaceful and majestic fairies. The elves were a bit more skilled in the art of war, however, and were able to push back the trolls. Goblins were everywhere, attacking everything that moved and creating an atmosphere of chaos. Death was floating through the air like some sickly bird looking for its next victim.
Yetzel was the first one to run to help some of the dying soldiers lying on the ground. Jareth handed a dazed and nauseated Sarah a sword. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this for?" Jareth gave her a mocking grin while walking towards the enemy just a few feet away. "Use it if you want to stay alive," he said. Grabbing her stomach, Sarah vomited most of what she had eaten that day. The stench was almost unbearable. Clutching the sword, she walked over by Yetzel and asked what to do to help. Without speaking Yetzel gestured to a man beside her leg as she kneeled over another wounded soldier.
At first Sarah was a little apprehensive at helping because of the sight of all the blood, but then she got the hang of it, and got used to the blood and was healing the fallen right along side Yetzel. Every once in a while though, one of the evil sprites would see what they were doing, and try to attack her or Yetzel, but Sarah could always see them coming out of a watchful eye. She was on her feet and impaling them with the sword that Jareth had given her faster than they could comprehend what was happening. Sarah almost liked the look of surprise on their horribly grotesque faces. They hadn't expected a woman, a mortal woman at that, to fight back.
Covered in blood that wasn't his own and looking quite weary, Jareth approached Sarah and Yetzel on the now calm battleground. The sound of clashing swords no longer battered on their eardrums. Bodies were scattered for as far as the eye could see, and the sense of fatality hung heavily in the air about them. Sarah turned her head and dry heaved at the sight around her. All in all, they were able to save a few fairies and elves, and of course they were still alive, and the fairy and elven king, who stood in front of them now, returning from his side of the battlefield. "King Jareth, I thank you most gratefully in assisting us in this war. If not for your help, I fear the few soldiers alive, including myself, would be dead," the dark haired king said.
"Nonsense, I hear you are a great warrior, Ishtar. Besides, if I hadn't helped you today, the trolls and sprites could be attacking my castle tomorrow," Jareth replied humbly. Sarah was surprised to see Jareth acting so cordially, but then she realized that he was talking to someone whom he considered an equal, and she guessed there weren't many people in that category. Yetzel spoke up, "I don't know about you, but this place is giving me the creeps." "Nicely put, Yetzel," Ishtar joked, but as he did, he whistled and a group of ten horses came running from the distance. "As you can see, you will each be given a horse, except one of you is going to have to share with someone else, as I have seven soldiers and only ten horses. We will ride until nightfall to higher ground to set up camp."
It was just Sarah's luck to be riding with Jareth. Yetzel had her own horse, why couldn't she have ridden with Jareth? Sure Yetzel knew how to ride a horse and she didn't, but that was beside the point. Sitting behind him in the saddle of the dark horse, Yetzel was to the right of her, and Ishtar was riding at the front, all of his soldiers guarding the flanks. Sarah had a sneaking suspicion that Jareth had rigged it on purpose that she would have to ride with him. Not that she minded sitting this close to him, and she had to admit he was incredibly handsome, but she would never say that aloud.
Jareth raised a finely arched eyebrow at the girl, almost a woman, behind him. "You're awfully quiet back there, Sarah. What are you brooding about? Oh, I know, you're planning to push me off this horse and ride back to earth where you can be rid of me, is that right?" he said haughtily. Sarah shook her head no, but then realized he hadn't seen her. "No, I'm just a bit queasy right now, that's all. Why would I want to push you off the horse anyway, you're the one who knows how to ride the damn thing," she said cynically. Jareth chuckled, and shook his head. Ishtar turned his head to look behind him and said, "I think we've traveled far enough don't you?"
The sun was sinking well below the horizon as they all set up camp for the night. Yetzel and Sarah shared a tent, Jareth and Ishtar shared one as well, and the soldiers paired up, except one tent had to have three occupants. The horses were tied to trees or stakes embedded in the ground to keep them from running off. Tonight, Sarah couldn't sleep. Her eyes were wide-awake as she stared at the tent above her head. The sound of the earth's equivalent to crickets and Yetzel's soft snoring let her know that right now she should be sleeping. But, her thoughts lingered on the horrific and bone chilling scenes that she had witnessed not too long ago that day. She knew she had to return to earth eventually. She couldn't just stay underground no matter how much easier it would be just to forget about all the hurtful things that awaited her like hungry vultures on earth. Perhaps once she returned, she would just leave home.
All these ideas and thoughts raced around in her skull until thinking about them exhausted her so much that she drifted peacefully into a deep, troubled slumber.
~*~
Please review! Thanks for reading peeps!
Chapter 5: Death Toll
Smoke filled air and bloodied battle grounds filled their eyes as they arrived right in the middle of the clash between fairies and elves and the now arriving goblins against the dark sprites and trolls. Bodies were piled everywhere, and many ugly looking beings were pushing through the ranks of the once peaceful and majestic fairies. The elves were a bit more skilled in the art of war, however, and were able to push back the trolls. Goblins were everywhere, attacking everything that moved and creating an atmosphere of chaos. Death was floating through the air like some sickly bird looking for its next victim.
Yetzel was the first one to run to help some of the dying soldiers lying on the ground. Jareth handed a dazed and nauseated Sarah a sword. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's this for?" Jareth gave her a mocking grin while walking towards the enemy just a few feet away. "Use it if you want to stay alive," he said. Grabbing her stomach, Sarah vomited most of what she had eaten that day. The stench was almost unbearable. Clutching the sword, she walked over by Yetzel and asked what to do to help. Without speaking Yetzel gestured to a man beside her leg as she kneeled over another wounded soldier.
At first Sarah was a little apprehensive at helping because of the sight of all the blood, but then she got the hang of it, and got used to the blood and was healing the fallen right along side Yetzel. Every once in a while though, one of the evil sprites would see what they were doing, and try to attack her or Yetzel, but Sarah could always see them coming out of a watchful eye. She was on her feet and impaling them with the sword that Jareth had given her faster than they could comprehend what was happening. Sarah almost liked the look of surprise on their horribly grotesque faces. They hadn't expected a woman, a mortal woman at that, to fight back.
Covered in blood that wasn't his own and looking quite weary, Jareth approached Sarah and Yetzel on the now calm battleground. The sound of clashing swords no longer battered on their eardrums. Bodies were scattered for as far as the eye could see, and the sense of fatality hung heavily in the air about them. Sarah turned her head and dry heaved at the sight around her. All in all, they were able to save a few fairies and elves, and of course they were still alive, and the fairy and elven king, who stood in front of them now, returning from his side of the battlefield. "King Jareth, I thank you most gratefully in assisting us in this war. If not for your help, I fear the few soldiers alive, including myself, would be dead," the dark haired king said.
"Nonsense, I hear you are a great warrior, Ishtar. Besides, if I hadn't helped you today, the trolls and sprites could be attacking my castle tomorrow," Jareth replied humbly. Sarah was surprised to see Jareth acting so cordially, but then she realized that he was talking to someone whom he considered an equal, and she guessed there weren't many people in that category. Yetzel spoke up, "I don't know about you, but this place is giving me the creeps." "Nicely put, Yetzel," Ishtar joked, but as he did, he whistled and a group of ten horses came running from the distance. "As you can see, you will each be given a horse, except one of you is going to have to share with someone else, as I have seven soldiers and only ten horses. We will ride until nightfall to higher ground to set up camp."
It was just Sarah's luck to be riding with Jareth. Yetzel had her own horse, why couldn't she have ridden with Jareth? Sure Yetzel knew how to ride a horse and she didn't, but that was beside the point. Sitting behind him in the saddle of the dark horse, Yetzel was to the right of her, and Ishtar was riding at the front, all of his soldiers guarding the flanks. Sarah had a sneaking suspicion that Jareth had rigged it on purpose that she would have to ride with him. Not that she minded sitting this close to him, and she had to admit he was incredibly handsome, but she would never say that aloud.
Jareth raised a finely arched eyebrow at the girl, almost a woman, behind him. "You're awfully quiet back there, Sarah. What are you brooding about? Oh, I know, you're planning to push me off this horse and ride back to earth where you can be rid of me, is that right?" he said haughtily. Sarah shook her head no, but then realized he hadn't seen her. "No, I'm just a bit queasy right now, that's all. Why would I want to push you off the horse anyway, you're the one who knows how to ride the damn thing," she said cynically. Jareth chuckled, and shook his head. Ishtar turned his head to look behind him and said, "I think we've traveled far enough don't you?"
The sun was sinking well below the horizon as they all set up camp for the night. Yetzel and Sarah shared a tent, Jareth and Ishtar shared one as well, and the soldiers paired up, except one tent had to have three occupants. The horses were tied to trees or stakes embedded in the ground to keep them from running off. Tonight, Sarah couldn't sleep. Her eyes were wide-awake as she stared at the tent above her head. The sound of the earth's equivalent to crickets and Yetzel's soft snoring let her know that right now she should be sleeping. But, her thoughts lingered on the horrific and bone chilling scenes that she had witnessed not too long ago that day. She knew she had to return to earth eventually. She couldn't just stay underground no matter how much easier it would be just to forget about all the hurtful things that awaited her like hungry vultures on earth. Perhaps once she returned, she would just leave home.
All these ideas and thoughts raced around in her skull until thinking about them exhausted her so much that she drifted peacefully into a deep, troubled slumber.
~*~
Please review! Thanks for reading peeps!