The Battle of Zenan Bridge

The enemy was over the bridge and the Guardians leapt into the fray, Chrono with them. He let out a passionate primal screech and began swinging his sword. Bam! One mystic down. Whack! Two. Whack Whack. Four. Almost like clockwork… By the fifteenth body, though, he noticed that a lot of his attackers looked exactly the same, down to their skin markings. These were the first armored foes he'd matched, and he was still picking up on the idea that the sword should go into the places without the armor.

He tried that technique on the next goblin – slash! The sword went into the neck… and out the other side. Chrono jumped a bit at the sight, and he was sure he would have gone into a fit of shakes had he not been interrupted by another mystic smashing his ribs.

Suddenly his face was in the dirt and he slid a few feet. Then there was no more dirt. There were rocks. Then sky. Then rocks. Then sky. Then a great rock which broke his fall (if not all of his bones). Of course the pain barey registered. He knew he'd feel it when the battle was over, but now he had to push it aside and fight or… well, he didn't want to think about or.

As if he had the time. The next moment five imps came charging down the ravine after him. A few of them fell and slid along the way, stirring up dust and knocking pebbles into his armor. Now he couldn't see a thing, but he heard mystic screams.

With a shout he swung his sword in the general direction of the sounds. Nothing. He took a few more swings until he hit something hard, which then fell the rest of the way down to the water. Four more. The next swing caught another one. Three. Before he could swing again, he felt a blow to his back. He clenched his eyes shut as he tumbled into the water.

All the sounds were instantly muted – a rare peaceful moment in battle – and Chrono could finally hear himself think. He opened his eyes… then wished he hadn't. The water wasn't blue… or clear… or green. It was brownish black – and almost directly in front of him was a freshly slain goblin, and arrow lodged somewhere Chrono didn't care to find out.

Almost in defiance of physics, he leapt out of the water and threw himself onto the sandy slope… where another corpse lay, mangled and broken from a fall off the bridge. Strangely, Chrono felt no fear or shock… he felt a surge of adrenaline. His first move was to kick the corpse into the water. Then he would kill him some mystics.

Only one mystic was still standing nearby. An easy kill, Chrono thought. He brought his sword high to slice but was kicked in the stomach. Before he could react, the imp dove at his legs, knocking him to the ground. Chrono thrust his hands up just in time to catch the thing's club as it swung toward his head. He had to drop his sword to keep the imp's weapon away, and now he could do nothing but try to push the mystic off. Being twice the thing's size, he found the struggle almost easy, until the imp let go with one hand and pressed it over the boy's face, trying to stick its fingers into his eyes. Chrono couldn't help but scream and kick at the thing. Clang!

Wait… it's wearing metal.

Chrono concentrated until he could feel the electricity flowing out of his hands, his feet, his face even. For a brief second the mystic clawed at his face and then it was off – not dead but certainly injured. Chrono didn't think twice and kicked the imp right into the water. He still felt the power of the electricity in his veins as he stepped into the murk. There was a sharp crack! and the imp was dead. I'd almost forgotten I could do that.

His thoughts were interrupted by an arrow lodging itself in the sand between his feet. Chrono dove behind the nearest boulder and looked toward the other side of the bridge. He couldn't see anything – but that didn't mean there wasn't something over there keeping an eye on him.

Then he noticed something strange in the sky… a dark cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky. Great. The only thing worse than a war is a war in the rain. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

A cry brought his attention to the bridge above him. "On the water! On the water!" Of course… the next part of the battle plan. By now the mystics must have realized they could never cross the bridge itself. It was too narrow a battle line. Now the real offensive began.

Chrono dared a peek around the edge of his boulder. True enough… the mystics were braving a run for the water. They ran in groups of four, each group carrying a small raft. The raft was an ordinary wood plank except for a firm metal sheet attached on three sides… protection. Apparently the mystics also realized where all the arrows were coming from.

But it wasn't arrows they needed to worry about. Chrono snapped his fingers until he produced a spark. Maybe this magic stuff could be fun.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Roland darted out of the cabin and to the bridge. Perhaps the imp was lying, but if it wasn't, then at any moment the battle could be lost. But he could see that the battle was still being fought on his side of the bridge, so nobody had called for any retreat. There was still time to change the plans…

The general blazed his way through the thick of the fighting, only using his sword to push mystics out of his path. Whatever they did now, they could not push across the bridge. They'd have to find another way across.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chrono managed to hold his nerves steady until the rafts reached the shore. He could hardly restrain the magic flowing through him. He reached his hand toward the water… but he was just a little bit too far up the bank. Either that or the bank had suddenly moved farther away from his hand. He leaned closer, but it was still no use. Finally he put everything he had into it, and he felt the difference:

Though he still had a dry hand, he'd found another way to reach the water. He almost gasped… there was real lightning coming out of his hand! If he'd seen it anywhere else, he would have doubted it immediately, but he could actually feel the electricity leaving his body. It came out as incredibly bright blue beams (so bright they were almost white) that sounded not unlike the warning cry of a dangerously poisonous snake. Not a terribly intimidating sound – almost like a balloon losing its air – but every once in a while there was a sharp crack and some sparks would fly out of his bright blue hand.

Chrono looked over to the first of the rafts to reach the shore. From where he squatted, he couldn't see that his magic had done anything like he had planned. But then, the first mystic hadn't stepped into the water yet.

Crack!

The first brown imp leapt over the metal sheet and into knee-deep murk, whereupon it instantly straightened up and fell over dead. Apparently nobody else had heard or seen this, because several more mystics threw themselves out of their rafts and into the water.

Crack!

Chrono almost jumped at the sound – it was a little sharper and stronger considering the amount of damage he had caused. But also the mystics were a lot closer. Crack! One of the goblins fell almost right in front of him, its lifeless eyes staring into his. Chrono didn't bother to look long enough to invent some sort of symbolism. He just kept pumping the electricity out of his arm. That is, if pumping was the right word. He still wasn't sure what part of the body was pulling that out, but whatever it was, it was beginning to get tired. And he was beginning to get nervous. All his energy was focused on his magic. He'd hardly noticed that he couldn't hear anymore mystics getting fried.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"There's a problem on the east shore…"

Flea pointed across the water for the general. "None of the troops are leaving the 'boats.'"

"Then get them to leave. The next move is ours. Get three soldiers under the bridge and have them wait for my command." With that the general ran back to the bridge.

"Odd…" Flea mused. Something strange was happening down by the shore. Too far away for any normal eye to detect, but her black eyes saw beyond any normal eye. "Ozzie, do you notice that – down there, by that boulder?"

"I see nothing but… wait… impossible."

"Truly. At least, it will be."

Ozzie stammered, looking for some intelligent words. "But… but we are the only mages left! Surely that is a trick! It must be!"

"Quiet. You're ruining my concentration."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chrono couldn't hold his arm up much longer. His muscles were burning, begging him to please, please give his arm a rest. Very well – he could just as well use the other one.

As soon as he dropped his hand, he felt his arm pinned back into the dirt. An arrow protruded from a fresh hole in sleeve of his armor. Chrono could only stare, both amazed and grateful that the arrow had only pierced armor. Could it be any closer? He'd hardly comprehended this when another arrow struck, this time successful.

"Aah!" Chrono's forearm now had a bloodied arrow sticking out. Thank goodness the thing hadn't gone all the way through… but even then the wound was severe. Now he sprang into action and threw himself completely behind his boulder.

Oh oh oh ow ow! Do I pull this thing out? He grabbed the shaft and gave it a good yank. "Awk!" No. That's not working. It's caught in my armor... or my arm! I can't just take that off! What if I try… he focused again and felt the electricity flowing – he especially felt it around the wound. Slowly the arrow began to vibrate and pull itself out of the hole… but only partially. Now it's far enough out to pull…

"Aaagh!" That wasn't so smart. Now he was holding a bloodied, twisted, sinister arrow in one hand… and his other hand was empty and covered with more blood. So Chrono did what any normal man would have done in his place. He fainted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Roland was almost to the bridge.

"Brother!" The cook stumbled up to him.

"You!" was all Roland could think of to say in that moment.

"We're pushing them back, brother," Rowan shouted. "Across the bridge." His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Just as we…" Roland stopped. Wait… if they were already pushing across the bridge, and the enemy had planned… "The enemy is retreating? We must get off the bridge!"

"Brother?" Rowan began, but the general could hardly hear as he rushed to the fray.

It seemed the cook had slightly exaggerated their push. The Guardians were only about halfway across, if that. And the mystics were certainly going down, though slower than expected. Roland pushed his way to the front of the line. "Fall b – "

Before he could finish the order he was hit in the side by something, and he tumbled into the railing of the bridge. In an instant he was on his feet, sword at the ready. Ah, now is the time.

Across from him was the mystic general. Slash had his own sword ready, though his was stained with blood. The thought that any mystic could slay a man angered Roland, and he swore inwardly to stain his own sword with that devil's blood. He cried out and swung his weapon hard into the general's side.

Clang! Slash easily parried the blow and brought his wicked sword in a long arc toward Roland's middle. Clash! The blow was quickly blocked. This time Roland held his sword strong against the general's as they fought for control. The mystic's strength surprised him – most of the devils had the strength of little children. So Roland tried a new technique. He lifted his foot and planted his heel firmly in the other general's stomach, knocking the foe back.

Slash didn't stumble at all. He seemed to glide a few inches above the bridge. Roland watched in amazement but then realized that was probably what the other general wanted. He snapped out of it as Slash was running at him again.

Roland pointed his sword straight out, set to impale the mystic general. Slash kept on running, though, as if he didn't notice anything unusual at all. But at the last moment, he leapt into the air and twisted himself sideways, just narrowly missing the blade. At this point, Roland could do nothing but watch the general's heels slam into his chest. He staggered back a bit before diving and rolling away from Slash.

Now was his opportunity. "Back! Back!" he began to cry to his soldiers. "We must get off – "

Once again he was interrupted. Slash thrust his sword out to him, and he barely avoided the jab. Instantly he spun around to bring his sword into the mystic's neck. Only there was no neck there once he had spun around – Slash was standing a few feet back, smirking as Roland's sword whizzed by harmlessly, opening up his body to another blow. The mystic brought up his boot and kicked Roland first in the jaw, then in the stomach. He staggered back until he hit the railing of the bridge.

I must train more when this is over. Who knew that mystics could fight like that?

Slash gave him no more time to think before running at him for another blow. But Roland was ready. As Slash jumped into the air, Roland expertly dodged the general's foot. Now most mystics would continue flying over the railing and into the water below… but somehow Slash gripped the wooden beam with one hand as he was sailing over it and used his momentum to change course. Roland jerked back just in time to avoid a kick to the face.

But he couldn't dodge the next few blows. Almost faster than his eye could see, Slash landed three or four punches to his chest. The blows did nothing but knock the wind out of Roland, who leaned against the railing for support now. As Slash came in for another blow, Roland brought up a foot and easily knocked the general back.

"Quick, men! Fall – "

Suddenly the general was up again with his sword aimed directly for Roland's head. For some reason, the blow was harder to dodge… and he was finding it harder to breathe. He looked down to his chest and saw four neat holes in his armor… where the four punches had landed. The general must have been holding a knife of some kind – no mystic was strong enough to punch through metal.

Roland began to stumble until he grabbed hold of the railing again. Slash just stood from a distance and watched him gasping for breath. Then, the mystic thrust one more time… and Roland swiftly deflected the thrust.

But quicker than it seemed possible, Slash had Roland's hand in his. A twist of the mystic's wrist… and Roland's sword was in the air, flying over the railing toward the shore below.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chrono woke with a start. He'd been sleeping on the battlefield? No… I couldn't have fainted… I must have passed out from shock. That's it. Shock. My wound's not that bad. He brought his arm up again. See, there's just a lot of blood. A lot. Wow. A lot of blood.

His attention was broken when a sword fell out of the cloudy sky and landed not two feet from his body. Instantly he jumped up and looked to the bridge above him. What? That figure against the railing was unmistakably the general – why is he in the front lines? – but there was something very wrong with the man. Chrono could tell even from where he stood.

The general either had a strange growth on his back… or a sword piercing all the way through his body. That's it. We lose. The sword disappeared and the general's body tumbled over the railing. It seemed to hang in midair for a few seconds, cape flapping in the air, before falling into the water. Chrono didn't accept it at first, as if any moment the general would rise to the surface and cry "can you believe it, he nearly killed me!" Instead he heard a different kind of cry.

"BROTHER!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On the bridge, Slash had silently thrown Roland's body over the edge. Now that this distraction was done with, it was time for the best part of his plan.

"Retreat! Retreat! Back to the camp!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chrono hardly heard the call of "Retreat!" But he noticed the mystic army suddenly pull from the bridge – as if they had planned the maneuver all along. The Guardians seized their opportunity and surged across. Some of them were already on the other side when the whole thing burst in a cloud of fire and a crack echoed through the ravine.

The soldiers on the bridge stopped for a moment (apparently not even singed by the flame), as if paralyzed. For the bridge was now torn loose from its supports and split in half, as though cut with a clean knife. Slowly, even tentatively, the two halves began to tilt inward, and then they both suddenly collapsed toward the water below.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not much to say. No, the battle isn't over yet. Please review and let me know what you think. The familiar part (as in, the part from the game) of the battle is coming up. Really.