Coalesce: The Escape

We nervously wait for the attack. The howls grow closer, longer, and more frequent with every passing minute. I glance towards Kylon when the howling grows still and the tension in the air makes it seem like an eternity.

In the short moment I am turned away, the wolves attack. A scream tears from my throat as I’m thrown off my horse, but the sound gets lost in the terrified whinnies of the horses. The howls of the wolves, and angry shouts from my companions all mix together in one discordant melody. A searing pain shoots up my arm starting at my wrist and spreading through all of my body. Kicking at the wolf, I hear a whimper and back right into my falling horse as a wolf rips into it. The horse collapses, crushing me under its weight. I wince and try to pull myself free from where I’m lodged under the body of my now lifeless steed. I can’t help feeling guilt seeing the blood spilling from its throat. If it weren’t for us, the horse would still be alive.

I hear a sharp intake of breath and the clatter of a sword on stone and turn my head towards the sound. My face pales instantly. So much blood...

Luciack lays limp beside his horse. The remaining wolves howl in unison and leap towards his body. The two living horses take off running into the woods. I give up trying to free myself as I stare at the scene unfolding before my eyes. Useless and terrified, I can only watch as Luciack’s eyes go dark.

One last howl is thrown into the cold night air then all is silent.

Kylon pushes the horse’s body off me and helps me up. His face is about as pale as my own.

“Are you alright?” He asks worriedly as he looks at me.

I slowly half nod and half shake my head holding my right wrist in my left hand. It was swollen, slightly disfigured, and full of pain. Being pinned under a horse would definitely leave its mark.

“Here,” He gently takes my wrist in his hands and wraps a piece of cloth, torn from the hem of his shirt, around it. It still throbbed and ached, but it was somewhat better at least. The adrenaline would wear off soon and the rest of my aching body would only make it worse. The cloth keeps my wrist straight and makes hand movement limited, the worst part is, it’s my sword hand. I wouldn’t be able to do much now.

I glance sadly at my now deceased husband, horse, and the wolves. “We should move them off the road...” I say half to myself. My feet carry me towards his body a few steps before Kylon stops me.

“You won’t be doing anything with that wrist,” He lifts me onto the remaining horses’ back with a stern look.

“I can walk, a broken wrist doesn’t affect my legs.” My voice comes out quiet, close to tears. He looks at me and just shakes his head. Looking at him now I can see all the spattered blood on his face and clothes. I frown, looking at his arm and the dark patch there. It’s hard to tell what it is in the light, but I’m almost certain it’s his own blood.

“It does affect your swordsmanship, though. I’m not going to let you walk while I ride the horse anyhow,” His voice has a note of annoyance in it. Seeing where my eyes are he angles his body away so I can’t see his arm.

I sigh and look to the sky. “Well, I want to at least have a proper funeral for Luciack, even if I didn’t like him all that much.” The sky was a beautiful sight to see. The moon is a silvery orb hanging in the night surrounded by endless stars on every side. Can’t forget the lights, a fantastic display of color adorning the Northern sky.

Kylon moves the horse and wolves’ bodies and I slide off the horse and walk over to him and he picks up Luciack’s body and we head into the trees just off the side of the road and gather stones to make a burial mound for him. It wasn’t much, but it was all we could do.

We place the rocks over his body and send his soul to the Deus. As we travel on the horse down the road, we sing the mourning song of Valley Forge.

Our voices are the only sound in the night.