Dragonworld: The Will For Power

Part 21: The Eastern Cities

Running from a fight

He never thought he would be the one running from a fight. Yet, here he was. Running from a fight.

But, no amount of bravery can make up for stupidity.

Pafe Tanamuse, sword strapped to his back, was moving fast along the ridge line. Fast as he could, given the fact the ground was slippery.

He wasn't alone. Several of the members of his squad were straggling on with him. The only thing on their mind was getting out. Getting out as fast as possible.

Pafe was stuck towards the back, behind a few of the guys who had decided to make a run for it early. Behind him, there was only a handful of the bigger, slower individuals.

They weren't out of the woods yet. The entire area was crawling with enemy soldiers. They were hunting for them.

As a few of the men in front of him slipped up in the loose gravel, Pafe was forced to stop. He used the chance to take a deep breath. It hadn't been easy getting to this point.

Even here, they were not safe. A man appeared out of nowhere and charged at him from higher ground. As he approached, Pafe ducked and with one flick of the shoulder sent the man flying over him into the ravine below.

"Where did he come from? That was a close one," yelled one of Pafe's fellow runners. The others, at least the ones who weren't attempting to get back up to their feet, were scanning the surroundings, trying to see whether any more attackers were hiding in the bushes.

"The coast seems to be clear," shouted a guy in front.

Pafe reflected a bit on what led them to this point.

"What a clusterfuck," he mumbled to himself.

There is a time when you face overwhelming numbers, and you still fight on. When all the odds are stacked against you, but you face the enemy head on anyways. This hadn't been it.

Pafe kept on shaking his head, wondering how he got involved in this mess.

After leaving the Forever Grass, he spent months wandering the Eastern Cities. From one, he moved onto the next.

Somehow, he ended up in the city of Kelenar. There, he found out the local ruler was raising a company of mercenaries. Out of money, and out of options, Pafe decided to enlist.

That's how he ended up here.

"Damn it guys. Watch your steps," someone in the front yelled.

"Stop yelling! We don't want them to hear us," someone else yelled in response.

"Stop yelling to stop yelling, you freaking goatherders," yelled another guy. 

Pafe stopped paying attention. His mind was again in his own world.

"How did I end up here?" He mumbled under his breath.

They had been lined up in formation, ready to engage the enemy in front of them. As the command to charge was about to be sounded, loud yells could be heard from both sides around them.

In that instant, swarms of armed men sprung up from everywhere, quickly overwhelming their position. Some of Pafe's comrades bailed straight away. Pafe stood his ground.

As a mob of enemy soldiers was bearing upon him, he knew it was of no use. Turning around, he too sprinted towards the tree line, the enemy in hot pursuit.

"The entire command chain failed, to get blindsided like that," said the man scrambling in front of Pafe. "Seriously, what were they thinking lining us up in the open."