Chapter 13 - A long six months
Ellie POV
I practiced swordsmanship against Ben. Chelsee, Dennis, Hayley and Brandon watched. We were all being tested. Jade stood talking to Swift, the two of them were going over something.
"Pay attention!" Ben demanded, I sighed.
"you're the worst teacher ever!" I told him
"Want to take his place Walter?" Jade smirked, still looking down at the papers in her hand. The old soldier stood, Ben sat down.
"I'm a marksman, not a swordsman." Ben grumbled
"We know Ben." Chels told him, Walter drew his blade, I readied myself. And it began, the strength of his attacks shocked me.
"concentrate Ellie!" Dennis called. "You can do it!"
"Do you think she can?" Hayley asked
"No idea." Dennis admitted. I gasped as my blade was torn from my grasp.
"I'm not a hero! Why are you making me do this!" I cried at Jade. Who had picked up my sword.
"Because, if people show potential, they can be taught." Jade held the sword out for me.
"Prove it!" I said
"Ben." Jade finally looked up from the papers. "Not a drop of heroic blood, yet her could easily go up against Reaver."
"Thanks. I think…" Ben muttered. I looked at her.
"Why do you train?" I asked
"I don, just not with everyone else. I'm still worrying over what needs to be done for the revolution…" Jade looked back at her papers with a frown, I took my sword and faced Walter again. "Ignore everyone, concentrate on your task. Believe in yourself." Jade re-joined Swift.
"10 gold says she trains with Swift." Dennis whispered to Brandon, who smirked.
"Yeah, Whoa!" I barely blocked Walter's Blade. I pushed back. I can do this! I thought gritting my teeth, I know his blade away. Walter smiled and attacked again. I was able to block them.
"That's enough." Walter said after a while. "you've improved."
"Yeah." I sat down, as Dennis got up to face his chances
Hayley POV
I sat eating lunch with my friends and the soldiers. Swift was watching Jade as she sat on the top of the fort writing rapidly.
"I don't get what's" I muttered.
"What do you mean?" Brandon asked
"Well, what had Jade so worried? What's so big that she needs to waste time doing…that?" I looked at my friends
"Well, I guess the timeline is unlike the game." Dennis said taking a bite of his ration.
"What do you mean by that?" Chelsee asked
"Well, in the game, the day you get to the fort, you battle Hollow men and fight a giant Hollow man that was someone named Simmons." Dennis replied.
"We haven't fought any giant Hollow men." I stated
"I know, that's what must be worrying Jade, after all, Theresa said following everything. She must want to make sure we have done every possible quest." Dennis explained
"So, what happens after the giant Hollow man?" Ellie asked.
"You'll find out." Dennis smiled, I laughed as Ellie tried to get Dennis to tell us "But explains why she is trying to make sure we are all good fighters."
Dennis POV
Ben was helping me with my shooting skills.
"Why don't we try using the mortar?" Ben suggested "Jammy should have set up the scarecrows by now."
"Okay." I nodded, as I passed Chels, I whispered something to her. I heard her get up and rush off.
"Hey Jammy, did you set up those Scarecrows?" Ben asked
"Yep. The injured soldier nodded.
"Then, Go on Dennis. You know what to do." Ben smiled, I got the first two with ease. I aimed the mortar at the third one.
"I don't remember setting that one up." Jammy muttered. I watched as the scarecrow became a Hollow man.
"Get ready." Jade was next to me. She smiled "Be careful."
"You okay?" Chelsee appeared next to me as Jade went somewhere else along the fort wall. Chels froze a group of Hollow man and I blasted them apart.
"Just need to survive the night." I told her.
"Agreed, we'll be fine." Chelsee said, we fought off the Hollow man, but they soon vanished.
"Get your sword out." I looked at Chelsee.
"They're trying to get in!" Swift shouted.
"We need to get down there!" Ben jumped down, Chelsee and I followed.
Chelsee POV
Ben helped me stand, he had his rifle in a tight grip.
"After this, I am taking you on a date." He told me.
"Don't let Jade hear you say that." I smiled. The gates suddenly shook, I gasped.
"Be careful." Ben said and went to the front line.
"This is it, isn't it?" Hayley stood next to me.
"I guess so." I nodded "Just be careful, okay?"
"Jade's already said that, and Dennis, and Elliot…" Hayley began.
"I get it." I chuckled, we gasped as the gates collapsed and Hollow men swarmed the fort.
Everything was muddled by the fight, I had no idea how much time passed, but I remembered freezing Hollow man, then smashing them. It may have seemed pretty easy, but it was draining. I grew extremely tired during the fight. Almost as if they could sense it, the Hollow men swarmed me. Luckily, Ben was there to help. He stayed at my side for the rest of the fight.
"JAMMY!" I heard Jade cry. I looked around, the luckiest soldier in the whole fort, fell lifeless. I saw Ben became enraged, he turned and drew his sword then began hacking down Hollow men. When I looked over at Jade, she was taking out her feelings on the beasts too. I was thankful when the Hollow men left.
"We won! Now, who's for a point?" Swift cheered
"Don't relax." I jumped as Jade came up behind me.
"Why?" I asked
"It's not over." She said, I followed her gaze. A single wisp dove into the grave of Simmons. The giant Hollow man rose from his grave, the cause of his death became clear. He had a giant hole in his chest, I flinched, it was a horrifying sight.
"I specifically instructed you to remain buried!" Swift yelled.
"Doesn't anyone listen to orders anymore?" Ben joked, but the Simmons Hollow man roared and all non-heroes fell unconscious.
"Let's do this!" Jades said, as the Hollow man ran towards us.
Jade POV
"Get in a square, we need to make sure we can all attack at a distance." I yelled as we ran from it. "If it gets close, the person who is directly across from the person who has its attention must try and advert its attention away…Does that make sense?"
"Are you sure?" Hayley asked
"Well, I don't' have time to make another plan!" I admitted, we split up. We worked together and took the Hollow man down.
"Is it over now?" Chelsee asked
"Yep, we're done here." I nodded, I turned and walked away. A few men had fallen, but Jammy…I had stuck by him in hopes of saving him, but I failed. I went to my map room and sat on a chair, my notes lay on the map. I crossed Simmons off the list. I frowned, we would be going to the rebel base next. I wasn't happy with the idea, but we had too. But this time, I was determined to save a life, even if Theresa would shout at me later – I had to save Swift.
