The Last Battle

A very old short story of mine.

The weather is getting worse. I am returning to my camp with my unit. The battle that happened a few hours ago took its toll. We lost twelve brave figthers. But, this is no time for grief. We are few, and the enemy outnumbers us extensively.

Cold wind starts blowing. We have been walking through the snowy forest for half a day now. We didn't want to take the risk of going out in the open, since we could easily be spotted.

As we go deeper in the forest, one of our men drops dead. He died of cold. Poor sod. If only we had some more clothes. We're cold. Every single one of us. Even the General.

But we endure.

I spot a fire through the trees. It's our campsite.

Every soldier rejoices as we come to our destination and gets to sit by a fire. We immediately gather more wood and light more fires. Some of the men got frostbites.

After we drank some hot tea and ate our rations for the night, we went to our tents.

Four soldiers were left out to be on guard.

I went to my tent. It wasn't so warm as by the fire, but at least I had my blanket made out of elk fur. I stripped off of my torsal armor and I removed my sword. As I tucked myself into bed, I reached out with my finger and quickly extinguished the candle. The wax was hot and it had a pleasant feelin on my cold fingers.

I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

The screeching sound of the horn woke me up. I took off my blanket, and got up quickly.

I put on my armor and took my sword. I got out of the tent. It was extremely cold.

I didn't pay much attention to it. I got back in and I took my fur blanket. I wrapped it around myself as a cape. After that I went to the water tub and I washed my face. I had to break the ice that formed on the surface of the water. The washing felt refreshing and I instantly came to my senses.

The General was calling for us to gather up.

Everybody arrived to the spot. The General looked worried. His face had traces of sadness grief on it. That was strange because the general always kept a serious manner. He seemed and acted fearless, but today he looked different.

When we formed ranks, he began to talk.

„Men! Early this morning, a raven came in. It was from one of our spies that tracked the enemy's movement.“

-We looked confused.

„Well, what does it say, sir?“, asked on of the soldiers. „We're about to lose our main stronghold on the North. The enemy started is on the move from last night. They went past us and continued up North this morning. They are not far. Alas, we could reach to them in less then an hour.“. said the General, facing the ground.

„So you're suggesting...“, I said suddenly, „...that we attack them? Despite that we're smaller in number. And we're not as equipped as they are.“.

„That is exactly what I am saying lad.“, answered the general, and suddenly all the men got visibly upset. „We are few, well, forty-eight exactly. We have no horses. But neither do they. Maybe their general rides one, but that means nothing. If we don't do this...“, continued the General, „...well, we will lose our first line of defense and after that, we might lose our country.“.

Everyone was silent. We could hear the birds chirping in the distant forest.

„I will go.“, I said. Everyone looked at me. If this was the only way to stop the loss of my own country, the slaughter of my bretheren, then I will do it.

„We are soldiers, aren't we?“ I asked. Some men nodded their heads. The General was just looking at me. Listening.

„We gave oaths that we will do anything to protect our land. Our freedom! The lives of our brothers who don't fight. We gave oaths, men! And if it means that I will give my life and my blood in battle, then so be it!“. The men were now excited. They understood what I was trying to say to them.

„If today we can stop a bigger war from happening, and if today we're meant to die, then there is no way to escape it! I will go! And I will be more than glad to give in my life.“, I made a small pause, then I turned to the General. „Sir, I am yours to command. If you say we march North, I will march with you! You have my allegiance.“ I said quickly and I drew my sword and stuck it into the ground while kneeling in front of the General.

Suddenly, more and more men started drawing their swords and kneeling down with me.

Now, our whole unit was on their knees. We were in the snow, with our weapons in front of us.

„Men.“, started the General. „It will be an honor to march into the battle today. And if it is meant to be our last battle, then so be it. I promise you one thing. Today, we will not go down without a fight! Today! We will give the best of ourselves, and we will be remembered as Heroes! As Legends!“, as he said that, he drew out his sword and he held it high in the air. Everyone started cheering and chanting.

„We mobilise in ten minutes.“, said the General. „Get me a scribe. I'll send out a Raven and ask for reinforcements.“, and he walked away.

Our scribe ran past us to write the message.

Ten minutes later, we were all standing in front of the campsite. We were in our full gear.

Then, the General came infront of us.

His armor was silver, with golden detail. He had a long, red linen cape on his back. He carried his helmet in his hands. It had a small, golden dragon on top of it.

„We'll follow their path. March onward!“, the General ordered and now, our whole batallion was on the move.

We marched for some time. The air was so cold now, that I could feel it on my bones.

But, I didn't care.

Then, someone said, „I see them! I see their banners! They're right over that hill!“.

We looked there, and ther they were. A blue banner with a silver dragon was waving on the wind.

The General said, „Here we are men. The place where it all ends. They are over that hill, so we will march under that hill-pass and take them by surprise.“. I was now prepared for the assault. „Men, once again, it has been an honor to lead you. If any one of us survives, well, he will have stories to tell. I wish us all good luck, and may our swords strike as many enemies as possible!“ continued the General, and turned himself towards the hill-pass.

While we were approaching the passage, I took some time to remember the woman I loved.

She was a beautiful maiden with long, silky brown hair. Her name was Laouise Her eyes were of light brown color. Her red lips matched perfectly with her tanned face.

I loved her and she loved me. I thought of proposing to her when I come back. IF, I come back from this battle. I sighed.

Then, one of the men started a chant.

I felt something in me. I felt like I could tear down a castle all by myself.

Ah, Laouise. If I could say good-bye to you one last time.

We passed under the passage and we were behind the enemy lines.

They were ranked up. We estimated that there will be around 900 to 1000 men.

We were only forty-eight. But we were as strong as an army.

Then, all of a sudden, the General drew his sword. He screamed “ATTACK!!!” and charged forward. In a split second, the clinks and ringing of steel was now heard across the plain.

When I drew my sword, the steel crackled when it got in the cold air.

We started running forward.

The wind started blowing harder and colder than before.

Our armors were blurred from the cold.

Our hairs and beards were crystallized from the snow.

Our battle-cry could be heard all over the place. We ran forward.

We ran into battle. We ran into Death.

But yet, we were not afraid.

Today, we marched in battle as Soldiers.

As Comrades.

As Friends.

Brothers.

Two hours away from us, a large army was amassed and marching to aid us in battle.

The Lord-General received the Raven’s message.

As we were closing up on the enemy, I felt like time was slowing down. I could hear my own heartbeat. I could even hear my breath, and how the hot air from the lungs crackled when it entered the cold air. The cries of my comrades sounded like a muffled noise. Now, we were so near the enemy that I could see the faces of men that were ahead of me. As I was going back to real time, I raised my hand, pointed my sword forward and prepared to strike.

The moment came.

I launched my arm forward and the cold, steel blade found its way in my opponent’s throat. I stabbed him right above his armor neck-plate. I pushed my sword all the way in, until the hilt touched his skin. I felt a hot stream of blood flowing out where my blade was.

I could hear gargling sounds from the man. He was now laying on the ground and his eyes were slowly losing their lifelike glow. I pulled out my sword. His body twitched as he was doing some last efforts to reach for his throat with his hands. I looked at him on the ground. A puddle of blood was slowly starting to form around him. I looked up and there was a man swinging his sword towards me. I flinched back and quickly blocked the incoming hit. I pushed down with my sword trying to get to my new opponent. He managed to pull out of that parry. We were now both looking at each other with our guards raised. Then he lunged at me from above. I blocked that, but he kept on pushing down. My sword was now above my head, blocking his.

Before he could do anything, I raised my foot and kicked him in the chest as hard as I could. He was propelled back. I jumped towards him, and before he could react, I cut off his sword-holding hand near the elbow. A stream of blood was bursting out of the wound and the man was screaming. He held his elbow with his other arm, and right before he looked at me, I swung my sword at him and cut his head off. The body fell to the ground, coloring the surrounding snow red.

Now, there were two men standing in front of me, trying to land a strike.

The left one attacked. He swung at me from the left side. Before he could strike me, I moved my body to the front and I quickly grabbed his arm that was going to me. I aimed and I thrust the sword through his visor. The second man wasn’t waiting, and he launched at me while I was trying to get my sword out of the first man’s head. Right after I pulled out my sword and turned to battle the incoming foe, he was thrown to the side by the sudden arrow that had found its way in his head.

I looked from where the arrow came. My friend, Yarri was looking at me from the distance. He was smiling at me. I nodded my head back at him. Then, all of a sudden, a sword had emerged out of Yarri’s chest. He looked down and touched the bloody blade that was sticking out of him.

He was pushed off the blade by someone.

I ran to his spot.

When I got there, Yarri was already dead. I closed his eyes with my hand. Then, I stood up.

I looked around me.

The battle was raging. I could see my comrades, every single one of them was fighting. Even the General. He looked glorious in his full armor. There was a surprisingly big pile of bodies around him. His sword was red from the blood it tasted, and his silver armor had the hot liquid dripping off of it.

Not just the General, but most of the men stood their ground and fought multiple foes.

We were Vikings, so we were skilled in the art of war. Not many of them died.

Then, I saw my brother, Kroggnarr, surrounded by five men. I rushed to his aid.

When I got there, he was blocking all of the incoming attacks. I got near the man who had leather-bound armor. I grabbed his shoulder and I stuck my sword deep in his back. I quickly pulled it out and he fell down to the ground. Dead, of course. Now, I had the attention of the other enemies. Kroggnarr was brandishing his axe around. He gave me an affirmative nod, and I nodded back at him.

Then, I stood by his side, and we faced the rest of the foes together.

One of the remaining enemies raised his mace, hoping to smash my skull. As he lowered it down, I jumped to the other side, and he hit the ground. Before he could pull it up and focus on another attack, he had my sword in the back of his neck. He coughed up some blood, and while I was pulling my sword out, the next enemy began his attack. I vaulted over the mace-man’s back and the sword from my new enemy had hit the mace-man’s back. I saw my chance, and I aimed my sword towards his chest. I pushed up, and I pushed up hard. Soon, my blade had gone through his armor, and through his back. The poor sod spat some blood and I smacked him in the face, making him fall off of my sword.

Kroggnarr was finishing the other enemy. He punched him in the head and then he split his head in half with his axe.

We came to each other and shook hands. His beard was dripping with blood. I laughed to that.

Then, all of a sudden, a spear-head had pierced his body and he was lifted in the air. In front of me was an unusually large man. He had almost no body armor, so I could see his body that was consisting of pure muscle. He then shook off his spear, and Kroggnarr flew off from it, falling to the ground. I knew that he was dead. In shock, and now, mad with anger, I screamed and jumped towards the large spearman. I tried to land an attack, but he smacked me away with his large hand. I simply couldn’t believe it.

I got up, and I felt that somebody hit me on the back. I was thrown forward. I quickly turned over, and just before I was about to get up, an axe had stuck in the ground near my head.

I looked up and there was a man trying to kill me. He was holding the axe in the ground. Before he could pull it out, I grabbed the ax’s handle and I launched myself in the air using my back with my foot towards my foe’s face. I hit him so hard that he let go of his ax and he fell down on his back. I think I broke his jaw. Then, I grabbed my sword that was laying nearby, and I jumped on the man’s chest. I took off his helmet’s visor and with my sword’s hilt, I smashed his face in.

My forearm was covered with the man’s blood. He was now dead. I jumped back up on my feet and my eyes skimmed the battlefield searching for the spearman that nearly killed me earlier.

I found him. He was fighting one of our best fighters. Brunswick. I started running towards them.

I passed my dead brother, Kroggnarr, and now, even more angered, I focused on killing the spearman. When I got to him, he already had pierced Brunswick and was now getting him off the spear.

I cried with anger and then, while he was realizing that I was there, behind him, I had jumped up on his back. I drove my sword in his shoulder muscle. He now threw away his spear and started punching his back, trying to get me off. I got hold of one of his armor straps and I sprawled my sword in order to stick it in another place. I stabbed him the second time, now, under his right shoulder. And before I could try and take my sword out, he grabbed my and forcefully threw me off his back. He was screaming in pain, but he stopped when he saw me trying to get up.

I hit myself on the rock when I smashed the ground and it was a bit hard for me to immediately get up. I saw him charging towards me. I didn’t worry at all. I kneeled and I took out my hunting knife I kept on my belt. When he was close enough, I launched up and we collided in mid air, with me slamming his stomach with my shoulder. We hit the ground. While we were getting around our senses, I raised my knife and I impaled him near his ribs. I started cutting the flesh making a large, gaping wound. I could now see his entrails. He was just looking down on his opened stomach with a horrified face. I stopped cutting and I let go of the knife, that now lodged between the ribs on the other side of the body. Then, I did something what he didn’t expect. I stuck my hand inside of him. I was tearing his organs and I got hold of something hot, soft, fleshy and large. I clenched my fist around it and I tore it out with all my force. Blood spattered all over my face and the giant spearman was now screaming. I think I got his liver. I held it for a second or two and then threw it away. I pulled out my knife and I jumped back up on my feet. I saw the spearman’s spear lying in the snow. I grab hold of the spear, and then I stood upon the spearman. He was still screaming in agony, now trying to close his stomach with his hands.

The snow was getting red and it was smoking from the dark-red, gushing blood. I raised the spear in the air, and without hesitation, I stabbed him in the head. His body gave one last kick and then he died.

I tried to get my sword out, but his body was too heavy to move, and it was deep inside his back. I ended up arming myself with just my hunting knife and I was on the move again.

Again, I glimpsed the battlefield quickly. Now, the ground was stained red. Snow was melting all around, and water vapor could be seen all over the place. I tried to search for my comrades. I managed to see some of them. Well, eighteen of them. All the others were, I presume, dead. But, the pile of enemies was also quite large. If I was to give out a number, I’d say there were four hundred dead men on the battlefield. Well, Six hundred had remained. Then, I saw my General. He was still fighting. And he wasn’t on the same spot as before. He was now surrounded by three men, but he managed to kill them quickly. I armed my knife, and I went towards the General.

I closed up on an enemy and I grabbed him from behind. I stabbed his chest for a few times. When he was finally dead, I took his sword. I sheathed my knife and walked to the General.

He was happy to see me. He waved to me. I nodded back. Then, I saw an archer aiming his bow towards him. He wasn’t far away, but somehow, the General didn’t see him. I screamed, “LOOK OUT!” and I threw myself in front of the general. While I was falling to the ground, I could feel a piercing pain tearing my shoulder apart. I was hit. Then, I hit the ground. The General threw himself towards the archer and killed him on spot. I was getting myself back up. When I stood up, there were more and more enemies surrounding me and the General.

I grabbed the arrow that was sticking out of me, and I broke it off near my armor. I wasn’t hurt much, so I could still move my arm.

Me and the General were now standing back-to-back.

A group of twenty or more enemies were now forming a circle around us. I was teasing them with my sword. The general drew out his knife and he held it near the sword.

Then, two men threw themselves on me. I jumped to the side and sliced the head of one of the men clean off. Then, I kicked away the second one. The General got hold of him and pierced his body.

The attacks then began to escalate.

A man came towards me with a large, bearded axe. I ducked and I struck his leg. He fell to the ground. I came near him and I smashed his face with my iron boot.

Next, there was a man with two broad-swords running towards me. I didn’t think long, and then I took out my knife and threw it towards the incoming enemy. It thrust into his chest, thus throwing him back. He died a while later.

Four men now came to me. I quickly ducked as one of them tried to swipe me with his longsword.

I picked up a shortsword from the man that I cut his head off. Then I started to jump around so my enemies couldn’t land a successful attack.

Two of them lunged towards me, but I slipped in between their swords and when I was behind them, I swung both of my swords and chopped their heads off. The other two were now angered and jumped on me. One of them tried to get me with a sword attack from above my head but I blocked it with my sword and then I pricked his stomach with my other sword.

Then, I felt a sharp pain in the side of my body. The other one managed to stab me. I turned around and I smacked him with the back of my hand and the end of my swords hilt. He turned around to try and stab me again, but I swung my sword towards him and I cut his face in half.

He fell to his knees trying to feel the part of his head that was missing. He sunk face-forward into the snow while a stream of hot blood was just steaming from his head.

Then, in the midst of the battle, me and the General were again back-to-back. He lost his hand.

I had an open wound in the side of my torso and I was losing blood and strength by the minute.

Suddenly, we heard a horn. It was a sound that we were rejoiced to hear. Our reinforcements were coming. I smiled and I launched myself in a group of enemies, knowing that this would be over soon. I quickly killed four of them and then I saw him. The enemy general. He was walking through the battlefield with his two-handed sword. It was dripping blood.

He was coming our way.

The General ran past me and charged on the enemy general waving his sword. They started the battle. Our General tried to stab the enemy, but he smacked him away. They started a sword duel. Our General didn’t have his left hand and had a sword. The enemy general, on the other hand, had a two-handed sword and was swinging with all of his force.

I started going towards them. All of a sudden, another arrow was sticking out of my chest. I looked for the shooter, and when I spotted him, yet another arrow was piercing my chest. I ran towards him, now dodging his other arrows. I threw myself onto him and I sliced his throat.

I got up, now, really disoriented. I felt awfully weak. I somehow broke off the arrow ends that were sticking out of me and again, I started walking towards the two generals.

I was so tired now.

When I looked at the generals, I had a sudden rush of energy. I could see the enemy general taking his sword out of our General’s body. I started running, ignoring the pain that was destroying me from the inside.

But, our General didn’t go down without a fight. The enemy general had a sword sticking out of him near his shoulder. He pulled it out and made a painful frown. I was now really close to him and I screamed.

The enemy general looked at me and just as I was about to land my strike on him, he quickly blocked me out with his large sword. I backed away from him, now planning my next attack. He was incapacitated of using his left arm, so he could only swing his sword with his right arm. That gave me a slight advantage, since his sword was so heavy and large.

Now he was the one that attacked first. He flabbily swung his sword towards me. It was easy to block it out. When I threw his hand to the side, I closed in to him and I smashed his face with my sword’s hilt. When he looked at me, his nose was broken and it was bleeding all over.

“I will kill you, barbarian!”, he said to me hatefully. “Not if I kill you first.”, I mumbled and again, I attacked. When I was about to hit him with my sword, he evaded it by moving to the side and he kicked me in the ribs. He managed to kick me where I was stabbed. I immediately fell down, screaming in pain.

He then threw away his large sword, and reached down for the sword that was in him. Our General’s sword. He could now move as faster than me. He wasn’t as badly hurt as I was.

I was feeling the hot blood that was rushing inside my armor and soaking my clothes and skin. My face had several bruises and I had a few broken ribs. Now, my vision was blurring. I could not see well.

The enemy general was now raging towards me. He smote me with his sword again and again. I was managing to block every one of his strikes, somehow, and it was draining my strength with every hit he took. I knew I couldn’t hold this off for any longer, so the next swing he did, I jumped to the side. While on the ground, I managed to slice his leg. He shrieked in pain, and I knew I’ve hit the right spot. He was now limping. “I WILL KILL YOU!”, he was screaming.

I wiped the, now slightly frozen, sweat drops off of my forehead and I took my stance. I waited for him to attack. He lunged towards me. I blocked and evaded. He did it again. I blocked. Then, while I wasn’t expecting it, he threw away his sword and jumped on me. He smacked me with his fist and I backed up a bit. I was getting dizzier and dizzier. He did it again. I had my sword, but I couldn’t find an opportunity to strike at him. He was hitting me harder and harder. Then, he smacked me right in the middle of my face. That disrupted me quite a lot. While I was stunned, he grabbed my arm and tore out the sword out of my fist. He then smacked me with the sword’s hilt and I fell to the side. I was barely able to think straight. Now, my wounds were taking their toll, and my eyes were darkening.

I could feel the general standing over me, ready to deal the killing blow.

Then, I saw my General’s sword lying in the snow ahead of me. The enemy general was holding his sword above my head now. And when he started to strike, I sprung forward, grabbed my General’s sword and with all the strength and speed I had remaining in me, I turned around and I impaled the enemy general with the sword as hard as I could.

The blade went directly through his golden, scaled armor. My sword was hanging over my head. I was now pushing the sword inside of him even more. He gave me one last look. Blood started dripping out of his wide gaping mouth. His eyes seemed dead. I could feel the blood from his body streaming over my hands. I pushed him to the side. He was dead.

I was lying in the snow, looking in the sky. The last thing I remember hearing was the clear sound of the horns from my army. They were entering the battlefield and killing the remaining enemies. Now, I could see the winter sun. It shone high in the sky, giving off no heat at all. It was just there. Stinging my eyes. My eyes darken. My body is broken. I think about Laouise one last time. I see her smile, and I smile with the end of my mouth. I was dying, but yet, I was so happy.

I knew that, what I did here today, is the reason why these infidels that we were fighting won’t invade my land and kill my Laouise, alongside with my bretheren. Today, I lost a brother, I lost a lot of friends, and I lost my General. I’m slowly giving away to my pain and I can now feel my soul leaving me.

I think of an old song.

There's a place in the North, far, far away
Home for the wandering man
Dreaming fields with skies so pale
Calm is the glorious land
Flames will send the sign to the sky
The lakes are echoing with our song
Shadows are dancing on the forest wall

Enchantment of the fire and moon
Lost in the whispering night
The raven's magic enthralls the woods
Crawling in the sweet starlight
We have gathered in this distant land
Full of wisdom, secrets and tales
The morning will never rise again
Roaming wolves are howling for the dead

Time is victorious, but this land is eternal (song lyrics originally written by Ensiferum).

11