Resolve

As I lay on the ground, dropping in and out of consciousness, a figure walks up to me and helps me up before taking me somewhere. I couldn’t make out who they were, but I saw them pull out a vial and pour it down my throat. I felt my body start to twitch, it seemed they had given me a potion to dispel the poison and help stop my bleeding from my wound. The figure gently laid me down back onto the ground as they got up and left. My eyes struggled to stay open as I slowly succumbed to the darkness.

“Zero! Get up!”

Huh? Who’s calling my name?

“Zero! GET UP! NOW!”

“ZERO!”

I suddenly open my eyes and sit up, gasping for air as if I just learned to breathe again. I quickly glance around my surroundings. I was inside a house, or a basement. I wasn’t too sure.

“Kira? Ugh… What happened? My body feels sluggish.”

Kira wraps her arm around my waist as she helps me stand up.

Urlas slams into the room in a rush. “Kira, we need to get out of here. Now!”

I look at both of them, still dazed and confused. “What’s going on? Why do we need to get out of here?”

Kira looks at me, her face hardens as her grip around me tightens.

“They’re here.” she says quietly.

I shake my head, still confused. “They’re here? Who?”

Kira goes quiet for a bit, thinking of a way to put it into words. Urlas sensing her hesitation just lets it out. “The Oathbreakers. They’re here. They’ve started killing the townspeople and burning the homes. We’re on the opposite side of town so we can flee before they arrive.”

The Oathbreakers?! What are they doing here?

“What?! How long have they been here?!”

A memory flashes through my head. My jaw tightens.

“Where is Zoe?”

They don’t respond, or rather, they choose not to.

“Kira, Urlas, tell me. Where is Zoe?”

Urlas relents and sighs.

“She’s leading the attack on the town. Considering you asked about Zoe, I guess you know who she is now.”

My blood felt like it had just reached its boiling point, to where anything else I say or do will just anger me more. I decided it wasn’t worth it to say anything more. I extract myself off of Kira and walk over to pick up my sword from the ground, before walking toward the door.

Kira leaps forward, her hands turning to fists as she latches onto the back of my tunic. “Where are you going? We need to get out of here Zero, we can’t — “

As I turn to face her, she notices my eyes change, sees my posture tensing up, and can feel that nothing more she says can change my mind. She tightens her grip on my tunic one final time before slowly letting go. “I’m going with you then. I’m supposed to protect you, nothing you say will change my mind either.”

I tighten my hold on the hilt of my sword before nodding and running out of the house, followed closely behind by Kira and Urlas as we rushed to where the blaze was most intense.

Zane jumped down from the rooftops onto the ground, his bow in hand, while Gem appeared out of thin air beside me. He pants as he lands down on the ground, then breaks into a sprint beside us.

“Kira, if you got any bright ideas like usual, now would be a good time. There’s more than we can handle here. They've got most of the outer gates blocked with monsters.”

Gem just nods as she joins along, running close beside me.

Kira looks ahead,  staring at the back of my tunic.

“I’m not sure. Right now, I’m just going to stay with Zero so nothing happens to him. You guys don’t have to stay. This is going to be life or death. I wouldn’t blame you if you ran.”

Urlas lets out a loud bellow. “HA! We’ve been with you for 15 years, if you think a little fight is going to scare us off, you clearly don’t know us well enough!”

Gem nods frantically, agreeing with Urlas so intensely that no one could question otherwise.

Zane just groans. “Urlas, why are you deciding for all of us? Ugh, I guess he’s right anyway. You accepted us all at our worsts, it’s only normal if we do the same back.”

I look back as they all talk to one another, taking a glimpse at Kira, before turning to face forward again.

I guess they really look up to Kira. She really is something special. I couldn’t do that. Not even for myself.

We continue running forward, closing in on where we could hear the fighting at its loudest. As we close in toward the sound of fighting, we could see so many lifeless bodies just clustered everywhere on the roads and footpaths. It made me feel sick to my guts seeing all these bodies.

I guess no amount of deaths will ever make me used to seeing bodies just mutilated like this. I hate it.

We arrived at the center of the town, the local guards were fighting goblins, monsters and the like. Behind them, I notice two figures, both wearing some sort of uniform. I wasn’t too sure who they were until I squinted my eyes to get a better look. The smaller one was Zoe, but the taller beside her was someone I had prayed to see again. 

A deafening roar erupted in the sky, wyverns flying past the town heading in another direction, on top of them seemed to be a few cloaked figures, but I ignored them as I drew my gaze back to Zoe.

She notices us from a distance and smirks. “Oh? Zero, you’re being a bad boy tonight! Why couldn’t you just stay still and wait for me to finish? Don’t tell me you were that eager to find me! I’m embarrassed!"

Next to her was Corina, her face I clearly remember. The way she eyed me like I was just prey. It still sent chills down my spine. I tighten my grip on my sword.

My eyes flashed with fury as I glared at Zoe. “Why are you doing this Zoe? Could we not have just talked this out? Why didn’t you — “

“SHUT UP!” she shrieks and starts to pull her hair.

“YOU JUST HAD TO STAY STILL AND LISTEN TO ME! WHY? WHY DON’T YOU LET ME LOVE YOU!”

She lets go of her hair and grabs her staff, slamming it into the ground like a child throwing a tantrum that didn’t get their way.

Corina chuckles and pats Zoe on the head. “There, there dear, you don’t want to do that if you want someone to love you, you gotta persuade them the real way. Why don’t you let big sister Corina show you. Would that make you feel better?”

Zoe stops and turns to Corina with a big manic smile. “Yes please! Please show Zero that he’s wrong and that I’m right!”

Corina takes a few steps forward, twirling around to show off her curves before leaning forward to blow a kiss. I recoil in disgust,  lifting my sword up in front of me into a guard stance. She gives me a wink as she  lifts her dress up to reveal what looks like two whipswords latched onto her thighs.

She glances up at me as she unlatches them from her thighs onto each hand. “My oh my, you know it's rude to stare at a lady when she’s getting herself ready?"

I take a deep breath, tightening my hands on the hilt of my sword until my knuckles turn white.

What am I doing… I can’t fight… she’s clearly stronger than me… But I don’t have a choice. I need to fight.

Kira walks up next to me, drawing her blade alongside mine. She bumps her shoulder lightly against mine. “Zero… are you sure about this? The last I heard of you, you’re not much of a fighter.”

I chuckle softly as I turn my head to the side. “Yeah, you’re right, I never was, but I’m stubborn. That’s got to count for something.”

Beside us, Urlas, Zane and Gem each draw their weapons, stepping into line with us.

Zane sighs and mutters out. “Tch, can’t believe we’re back to fighting again. Why can we never just run away?”

Urlas bellows out loudly. “Now this is what true adventuring is! Let's show these filthy rats a hell they can rot in!"

Gem just nods along, agreeing with her own unique way.

I turn my head back to Corina, staring her down with a cold gaze as I accept my own resolve to take this into my own hands. For the first time in as long as I can remember, I won't be running anymore.