The Wait

After I went back from the walk with Ma’ik I could finally get some sleep. Rob’s peaceful breathing worked as a lullaby. Only a few hours, but still better than nothing. The day had come and there was a time to prepare for a battle. All that joyful feeling of community from the previous day gone, making the air heavy with the sound of weapons and armors being arrayed. There were a lot of smiles trying to uplift the others, but the fear about next hours quickly destroyed it. The only one who actually enjoyed that time of tension was Frank. While holding my sword I had a feeling like he was shaking out of excitement.

The herbalist was happy about seeing Rob and asked him to stay behind to be in charge of the field hospital. The half-elf wasn’t happy about it, but he also knew that his abilities could be at the most used there. I suggested he could stay in front until the battle would start, but made him promise he would go back to the hospital as soon as the battle started. Here also our horses were ready to help. The front line was me and the others heroes, then tribes leaders and dwarves' king. I didn’t expect him to join a battle himself, but respected him for that.

Among ogres and dwarves were Terminis citizen’s, who could join the battle. Some women stayed to take care of the kids and sick, some were ready to help at the hospital, some joined teenagers as couriers and helpers with dwarves' war machines, so more of their neighbours could fight in a battle. That group even got a short training. That cooperation aspect sounded beautiful, but still my mind was regretting that we needed such unpleasant circumstances for it to happen.

Staying on the field, having Terminis behind our backs and watching the mountains, the tension was just rising. The fear, anxiety mixed with a short burst of courage. The heavy atmosphere of silence no one dared to break, but there was no way for everyone to stay still for such a long time. And we were waiting and waiting and waiting… and nothing happened. That was just tiring and confusing. After a few hours all the people who weren't supposed to take part in the battle decided to start giving food, and it seemed that nothing would happen for a while.

I refused to eat, until Rob practically put a piece of bread in my hand. My eyes were still focused on the mountains and I couldn’t relax like the others started to feel. I thought that the second I looked away I would miss something important. It was just weird, and I had no idea what was going on, so when the day went and it started getting dark. The group of us gathered together to decide what to do.

“I asked directly, are we sure it was supposed to happen today?” The Bear Hero asked, waiting for me to answer, however I noticed that most of them were looking at Rob. He nodded, my body moved on its own just in case I had to protect him. But he was also aware that confirming it aloud could not be received well, so I did it instead.

“Then why nothing happened?” Someone else said what everyone must have been thinking, and I wished to know the answer.

The worst part was that even though I declared that I didn't want to take the role of the leader it was naturally coming to me. They wanted me to start, for them not to be obedient, but deliberately following me. There has to be someone who would just suggest that we are staying or not. I didn’t want to step back, I believed in Rob and I trusted my own feelings, however in her eyes I knew they expected me to do otherwise. They were tired of all the waiting and tension they had to deal with for the whole day.

“I think that we suspected that they knew about our little alliance, so maybe that would make them change their plans a bit.” The dwarves’ king said nonchalantly.

“What do you mean?” I asked faster than I thought.

“Only the sun set, but I don’t think that’s meant the day ends right? The time could still be correct for a while.” He explained and looked at the mountains.

“Their army consisted mostly of monsters, so maybe our actions made them look for advantages after all. The night is on their side.” Ma’ik mentioned. “There is natural fear before the darkness in all of us, your sight is not working well, others senses are misleading you and your mind is just going crazy.” He also reminded all of us about that.

“Making us wait could be part of their strategy,” another hero summed up. ”‘I would rather know if it’s from the old or a new one.”

“We would be tired, confused and distracted.” Someone else joined the conversation. “Scary how simple that solution is.”

We start looking at each other and discuss the situation in smaller groups, and how to respond to it. The king of dwarves called some of them and ordered them to find makeable solutions for the problem. Rob patted me on the shoulder.

“And what if I am wrong?” He whispered. “This is just my assumption. What if it all would be for nothing?”

“No, I know you are right.” I tried to calm him down, even though in this situation it couldn't be much helpful.

I understood him, my background was often the reason people looked down on me or said that I don't deserve even to get a chance to be an official hero. But it wasn't that obvious when someone met me for the first time in my glory days, they even could forget it. Rob’s situation was slightly different, because he couldn't hide being a half-elf, of course there were spells and tricks to lead people, but I knew how tormenting is not being able to live like yourself. I wish him not, I wish him to be happy as he is. The problem would be that everyone will remember that everything that happened was because of elves, and he was partially one of them, so he would always be questioned and suspected. The same goes with every elf who didn’t take part or knew about the great plan, but they would be the ones to pay the price.

Voices around me started to mix more and more, making me dizzy. I wasn’t sure who I should listen to, where to cut in, what were the conclusions. Just the confusion of what to do, what was the right choice, so many lives depended on me, even more than the time I was the greatest hero of all time. Maybe Ma’er was right about everything… Suddenly we felt like the ground started to shake and the loud thud came from the mountains.