Alright, now that we've got that out of the way, can I continue?
Good. Now, where was I? Right.
After spending two weeks of training I found myself in a crummy trench outside of the walls, I wasn’t sure what I was really going to face, but from what I heard from the locals and Vick, they seemed to really hate and have a deep fear of these things called ‘the restless’; Though if I had any idea what they looked like, it would be from the training area, so my hopes were some sort of zombie, “oh, it’ll fine, just shoot them in the head like normal it’ll be easy” I told myself then…
I’ll explain why later; right now, I was squished like a sardine in the trench as each man was shoulder to shoulder with enough room for all of us to fire and aim our rifles at the proverbial no man's land and adjust accordingly. Granted, it wasn’t a desolate wasteland with little life, but quite the opposite; it was lush and full of life with dark strary grass and little to no trees, just quiet plains, for a moment, I thought we were all on guard and this would just be something I’d have to do for a couple years.
And then I heard the groaning.
What followed next was an endless light show of magic beams. I couldn’t see what we were fighting as everyone just started to fire desperately into the void of the unknown, and all I could do then was squint at the dark, as I’m fairly sure everyone was hitting something, as I just had my rifle ready, only to see what exactly we were fighting.
It was a corpse, a walking one. Still, it didn’t really look like the ones I’d seen in movies or any media, too well preserved, yet somehow wrong in every sense of the word as it stared at me with sickly glowing eyes and drool just radiating all kinds of wrong, if I didn’t know it was magic I’d thought it would be radioactive as it made the most inhuman howl before charging at me like a marathoner.
I felt my body freeze as it made its way across to me, shrugging concentrated blasts of magic like it was just a flashlight. I felt afraid, like my body was paused despite everything in my mind to just…run, only to feel something smack the back of my head.
“Shoot, you forsaken pale drider before you get us all killed!” I didn’t know who it was, but it did the trick as it snapped out and desperately fired at the thing, each one just missing by an inch or just hitting something that didn’t slow the thing down while it grew closer to me.
“Shit shit shit shit!” I panicked in my attempts until it was just an inch away, and I finally hit the head with a lucky shot. Watching it stagger before everyone else shot two more beams of concentrated magic to its head before collapsing to the ground just mere moments before it would jump down.
My breath was heavy and my eyes wide as I saw this corpse of a thing lie in front of me, but it wasn’t the only thing that made me worry, as I heard some rude comments, something about not saving me if this happens again or they’d ditch me if I don’t pull my weight, I’m not sure which but its either one, and honestly, I am not going to let this slide one bit.
I know I’ve been drilled on the oath of Elsvin and all, and honestly, I didn’t like it one bit, so in a moment, and as much as I am not really an army man, nor am I someone who’d come back to save a person if my life also spells danger, but even I know that’s the biggest bull I’ve heard, so with a grumpy look I snapped back with-
“Sure, I get the whole “Earn your survival for none will save you” crap, but if you were in my position, I doubt that oath will mean much” and I watched as the group around me were stunned in silence. The only reply I got from it was a tense sneer and a terse “Just get back to shooting.” and I did, firing into the void of the night only illuminated by the flashes of rune rack fire hitting the undead until dawn
And that was all I’ve had been doing for the past few days then, go in, shoot into the unknown, get out, and then be meagerly paid for my half assed service. And that’s all I did since I got in the isles, day and night, rain or shine and it SUCKED ASS CHEEKS!
Army stuff is not all that cracked up to be, duty and service my ass! I’d honestly ditch this for some other job and be a smith with Vick, at least then I won’t get atacked by some fucking stupid-
Sorry…sorry, I got carried away, it’s just…okay, I’m good, where were we?
(You were going to tell us what happened?)
Right…thaks, okay, let’s see, I was complaining how being in the Elsvin military was boring and sucked, I was always cold and tired and afraid of the undead making mad dashes towards the first line of the trench…oh yeah, the interesting part.
It was just what I thought I’d assume is another night of blasting the undead, I had been in the trench for what I think is a month in, and no friends in sight, just some acquaintances that I just have to tolerate, and honestly, they probably are the same when it comes to me.
So it was just the usual: get in the trench, shoot at the horde, and what I assume is to get out, but it felt odd. The Restless were going down like they usually do, sure, but there were more of them, but I didn’t think about it then and kept firing, but I’m fairly sure those next to me looked worried, but I’m not sure, as I kept firing into the horde like routine.
And then I heard the screams followed by explosions.
I assumed it was just some grenades going off, only for the realization to sink in; Elsvin doesn’t have grenades. In fact, the only explosives I’ve seen were the breastplates every soldier is given, and with that, I slowly looked to my side and saw horror.
The restless closed the gap, as some undead began to overwhelm and enter into parts of the trench, biting and tearing the people while fighting, only to see an inferno go off, sometimes killing anyone nearby with how bunched up we all are.
And like any normal person, I metaphorically shit my pants.
But as I was going to do anything, I saw someone speak up…they were someone I saw while I was still on the ship, not sure what they said exactly, but I think it was about to stand up and fight, to rally and defend not only each other, but to fight for the people of Elsvin to our last, and watched as they took a step over the trench…and Immedietly be dogpiled by the undead hordes and their breastplate exploding the poor dude, killing him instanly.
This is why you shouldn’t be a hero: you’ll just get killed in the worst ways possible.
Don’t give me that look, it’s true!
(Eric…are you telling us the truth?)
[...Eric, we want to know what really happened.]
…fine, it happened like I mentioned, but instead, a restless tackled the poor lad back into the trench and began biting at them, only to immediately be killed. They survived, but the resltess took a good deal on their leg, not as bad as dying, but I’m sure that’s being cut off, happy?
Good, so after that mess of an attempt to be a hero, I did the better option and climbed over the trench and took the opposite of the direction of the undead fight, the yells of everyone calling me to come back be damned, no use in helping asses.
Fear filled every part of my body as I made a mad dash out of there, I’m fairly sure my lungs were being worn out from who know’s how long I ran, I don’t even know how long it was since I ran from the trench. But all I knew then was to get out of there as far and fast as possible.
As I saw more people, I finally slowed down, only to be met quickly by the officer, whose focus barrel was aim straight at my forehead as they scrutinized me.
“Cowardice on my section of the trench, are we?” they glanced at my tired body, I could barely speak up and say anything, especially with a gun aimed at my head, but they went on “unless you have something important to relay enclavian, I suggest you run back before I punish you myself”.
I was stuck in a hard spot as I tried to get my breath. I was tired, and the officer didn’t have any patience with me before opting to fry my head with concentrated magic, as I just desperately tried to force my mouth to say something, anything, despite how fatigued I was.
My only saving grace was that the groans of the restless grew loud behind me, forcing me to flinch, and the other soldiers seemed to look at me, then at the officer, who gave a dismissive hum before holstering the gun.
“I suppose you were a runner to relay a message to us for reinforcement…hm?” They looked at me for an answer with narrow eyes, to which I quickly nodded. That was the biggest lie I’ve ever told, but if that was to save my skin, I’d roll with it.
With the answer I got, the officer just sighed before nodding, charisma and authority to rile everyone with a single yell, “Men, to the front trench now!” and slowly, they moved up, but the officer looked at me one more time before leading their team.
“As much as my assumptions prior, runner, you played your part well, you played your part well…even if it wasn’t to anyone’s…satisfaction, go rest in the garrison, you earned it for keeping Elsvin standing for another night.”
After that mess of a night, I just walked back to the barracks, my mind just stuck in a rut of going back out there to repeat the cycle of going in those trenches and fighting the restless, with my only solace being I’m getting closer to home, one meager weekly pay at a time.
I’m fairly sure I was going to break my vow on the ship to at least dull the monotony, but that was very short-lived.
I felt someone grab me and pull me aside, their grip felt like a vice on my shoulder, as I was slammed onto a wall, with the light barely letting me make out who I was looking at as I felt my spine crawl.
He was a man twice my height, wearing dark armor made from what I can guess is some magic draconic scales with iconography to boot. What’s more odd was that it looked old, ancient almost, as he slowly crushed my shoulder.
I struggled and winced to at least try and free myself, with any attempt of mine to yell for help being cut off by just crushing my shoulder further, forcing me to just groan.
“You will do…” I heard him talk, it was deep and foreboding, making me flinch unintentionally, with the only thing I could see from his face was a tense gaze from his crimson eyes, yet I think he was short on time. I barely made out what he was about to do next as he raised his arm, and in his hand was an axe.
“NO WAI-” was the only thing I could say before I felt it slam on my head, I felt my strength leave me as I felt something warm trail down my head followed by a cold sensation where it shouldn’t belong.
I was scared, I didn’t want to die, I had a future ahead of me, I wanted to go home and see you again, I promised our parent that I’d take care of you and all those other thoughts as despair ran through my mind, with apologies, noone that matter to me would hear for not making it back being my only comfort.
The last thing I heard next, despite being on my last breath, chilled my body to my core as the man grabbed my leg, and the world plunged into nothingness.
“Don’t disappoint me for choosing you.”