The sun blazed down from the cloudless sky onto the vast expanse of the desert. He trudged on, each step pounding out a cadence of whispers along the sand that no one else could hear. His horse collapsed two days ago, and he was already regretting not hacking off some portions to feed his developing hunger. The horse had been the last friend he had left; he couldn’t bring himself to swing the knife. Worse than the hunger was the thirst. He raised the leather pouch once more to his cracked lips hoping to coax out a couple drops of water, but it was in vain.
This was the end of the line. Soon his tracks in the sand would be carried off with the wind along with any trace of his existence. He gave a rueful smile through cracked, bloody lips to the blinding sun wearing him down. There would be those who would remember who he was and curse his name. The knowledge of that alone was the elixir that kept him alive. Step after step after step.
His body felt heavy, the weight of the weariness and heat grew by the minute. Or was it by the second? He had lost track of time long ago. All he knew was that he couldn’t drift to sleep, for this time he would not awaken.
Maybe he could rest a while, just a small break to regain what is left of his strength. The seed of that idea festered in his thoughts. A nice relaxing break to ease the fatigue that penetrated to the very core. His foot caught on something in the sand, and he fell to his knees. It was as good a place as any to rest up. He eased his way down...
I don’t remember exactly what brought me back to my feet. The silence of the expanse gives way to the muted thump of galloping horses as they kick sand up along the horizon. One of the men shouts something to the others, and they increase their pace as they speed towards me.
As they get closer, I could see the foam and spit spew from the horses’ mouths. The horses could feel the palpable eagerness that had taken hold of the riders on their backs. I stumble as I pull the sword from the scabbard on my belt and try to hold it steady in my hands. It was heavier than I remember it being. This piece of cold dry steel was my last ally now.
The leader of the group raises a calm hand into the air, and the troupe comes to an abrupt halt. The man looks down from his horse with cold, calculating eyes. There is pity and hatred in those eyes. Maybe even a little fear. I know this man. We were friends in another life back before I had ripped off my mask of lies and threw it in his pale face. He was the man who had vouched for me.
He clears his throat and states, “Rei, as per decree of the King, you are to be taken in for public torture and execution for the murder of the King’s wife and daughter. Resistance now will only prolong the punishment you will experience until your inevitable death.”
I blink my eyes, and I see them. Hana was just a seven year old angel; only love existed in her heart. Her olive skin radiated with happiness whenever I would come back home from the trade. I always brought back a new toy or piece of fruit for her from a distant market.
Iris, her mother, was beauty itself. I loved her from the very beginning. She hated when I would go off to trade our produce in distant towns. I would always tell her that it was too dangerous for her to come with me. We lived in uncertain times after all.
Now they were both gone from the world. They had left me trapped alone in this nightmare.
Suddenly, my arms stop shaking. I feel strength flow back into them as I steady the grip on my sword. Rage fills my veins as I looked into the captain’s unwavering gaze. He seems a lot smaller now, incapable of understanding the depths of despair that gives me my strength. With every beat of the heart pounding in my chest I feel more and more powerful.
I respond with a mighty, deafening roar as I raise my arms. The soldiers circle around. They are cowards—waiting for the captain to tell them to attack. He never gets the chance. I pounce toward the mounted solder on my left and cut at his horse’s leg, slicing the tendon. All the man can manage to do is stay in his saddle as the maddened horse rears up. When the horse comes down, he meets the tip of my blade with his chest.
Another man almost impales me through the back, but I leap out of the way. He is a strong soldier with initiative and a steady spear. I had fought with him before. He was one of the best, but I was better. I pull a knife from my belt as he comes back around and whip it toward his chest. He barely deflects as he charges, but he has no response for the slashing sword that finds itself in his back as his horse canters past.
I look at the others; blood pattering from my sword into the soft ruby sand. My rage gathers in me and escapes as a bellow from my chest. I grab the spear from the man I had felled, and it feels light and balanced. This is too easy
The spear whistles away from my hand and goes through the shoulder of the captain. He wasn’t fast enough, never was. The captain shouts in agony and fear as he topples to the ground with the spear stuck in him. Hana and Iris screamed like that in my dreams every night for the last two years.
It doesn’t take long for me to deal with the rest of the scum. They are fighting on the King’s orders while I’m fighting for something more. Seven corpses in all and one dying captain. After bandaging a small nick on my arm, I walk over to the captain to put him out of his misery.
“Why did you do it?” he croaks. “You were one of the most gifted soldiers. Now you are a dead man. We are just one of many parties sent looking for you." The pale-faced captain looks so pitiful in his last moments. This man who stood by my side for the last two years deserves an explanation.
I kneel by his side. “Before I joined to be a soldier, I was a simple farmer living in a distant village. I came back one day from a far market to see my village desolated and my family dead. The King sent his force to make an example of a town which did not pay enough tribute. There was only one goal in my life after that: to see the king pay my price. You saw how hard I trained with countless nights spent perfecting my craft. Getting a position in the Royal Guard after two years was unheard of before me. I finally got my chance to make him pay. You were a decent captain to me and praised my skills to the King. I am grateful for your help, so I will give you an easy death. However, I cannot forgive you for being one of the captains who led the attack that took everything from me.
His eyes close as I slit his throat and wipe the bloody knife on my pants.
There is a long silence, and then I see sand kick up into the sky. I feel stronger than ever, ready to take care of the bigger squadron rushing towards me. I sidestep a slow moving arrow, raise my arms to the sky and roar. A roar of pain and anger that never seems to end.