Die Trying

It was hot and tireless within the cities wall that day, especially at the market square. Which finds no sleep of its own, on any good day worth noting. Vendors, with endless stamina quickly stammer out as much as they can say, in an everlasting game of attracting customers to their stalls.

Their stalls, ranging from a variety of foods and spices from far away lands to the east, clothing hand made in our own customs, not to mention the fabulous dresses from the west clutter the sides of streets. Services such as apothecaries, doctors, magic and anything you can imagine were available to all, as long as a price was paid of course.

As long as their services were needed, or the products of the merchants in demand. Money was always in demand above all else, and with that came panhandlers and beggars alike who had no trades or goods to sell. No way producing a living, meant that they could lead no lives of their own, most resorting to stealing and crime as their new task and creed.

I had my own task to do that day however, providing escort to the beautiful Lady Sara of the Province Linria.
Sara, the most beautiful woman I have ever come to know. Deep down from the earliest memories of my life, began from pretending to train with the soldiers at the barracks. While I played, she was there watching me, and I watched her as we grew together. Growing from a girl to a woman, like an ugly duckling becoming a swan, I could not dream of better honour and duty but to escort her secretly through enemy territory, to our allies across the border. Disguised as commoners, the enemy will never expect her highness to be in another kingdom.

Quickly, I catch the hint from the other 4 warriors on the same mission that something is amiss. The gestures and hand movements each of them are displaying tell me; the sky started swirling as I felt my body hit the hard stony ground... I grasp my head and roll over onto my back. My ears give a mysterious distant mute ringing, which quickly comes to me as a multitude of clear voices. Suddenly coming to life, like the enemy behind the cover of fog. I can make out in my blurred vision that many people were running in a panic, with several figures wrapped about in mortal combat. So beautiful, as each is a dancer with a weapon in hand. Parrying, striking, counter attacking, dodging, and strafing with beautiful and precise movements, leading to the conclusion of the deadly dance of swords when one of the lovers, falls to the loving embrace of the other, resisting to the very end.

That's when I heard the scream of my beloved Sara, in a blue dress I see her being swept away by two armed men. Despite my physical injury and lameness in balance, I quickly step up my pace in an effort to catch up to Sara. Running as fast as a loyal horse would into a sea of pikes, just because the master which sits on top, yearns it to, putting my safety aside I drew my sword.

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I couldn't break free of their hold upon my arms, nor could my feet get the proper angle for a good kick. It was hopeless to struggle, until I heard a warlike yell, so clear among the sounds of many people in panic. Fear compounded my heart until I heard the disturbing bone crushing and blood curdling action of a sharpened Linrian sword biting into the flesh of one of the captors, producing an equally disturbing scream.

I was quickly tossed to the ground, as my other captor drew his sword and prepared for combat. It was my dear friend Lanius here to save me, he swung his sword high above aimed towards my captors skull, though it was quickly blocked by his blade. After blocking, my captor gave a kick to Lanius's right thigh, causing him to yelp in pain and dropping his sword. This is when my captor swung his blade straight and true for poor Lanius's good heart, however it was dodged as he dropped towards the ground and rolled away from the strike.

Lanius then sprung up, despite his injury, and drawing his hidden knife, came running and leaped onto my captor. Forcing them both onto the ground with a knife into the breast of my enemy. The captor, stronger then Lanius, threw him of f his body and jerked the knife out of his body and stood captivated. Staring at the knife as if he had never seen a wound before, staring at the blood red blade which reflected the brutally hot sun.

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This is my chance, his body is within shock. My body crashing onto his body full force onto the ground, probably knocked his head a bit in addition with a blade in his chest has taking him to his limit. Quickly I picked up my sword and finished him, easy, before he even knew he was standing and holding a knife, doing nothing.

With the enemy dead, relief sets in, including a rush of pain. Finally taking notice to the pains I have suffered, I see Sara on the ground frightened and shocked at what she just saw. Innocence now stained with blood of her enemies. Almost expectantly, more enemies appeared and quickly made way towards Sara, fear of my love kicks in and I start running towards her like a race I know I will never win.

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Lanius runs towards me in blind love while an arrow pierces his side leaving me screaming, "No! Lanius no!" His pace slows, and his body lowers as he never stops looking into my eyes. Another arrow, this time pierces one of his calves.

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Two arrows... not enough to kill me yet. I struggle to stand, yet I shuffle forwards never leaving my eyes off  her defenseless body. A third arrow, this time I get on my knees. I lose strength and end up on the ground. I see her crawl towards me... my love, I cannot bear not to see! Savoring every moment, I make an effort to crawl on all fours towards her hands... almost there. I can see the grief in her eyes as my hand reaches her finger tips, and then I see her face, frozen in time as my body grows numb and is lost to impenetrable darkness.