The Duel
"Forward!"
Screamed the general, seeing that the left flank has already engaged in combat, and same about the right, he decided that striking fast at the middle will break the other two flanks.
The soldiers marched quickly with their swords, wary of the enemies' spears, but nonetheless, obedient and willing to fight and die.
"Shields, up!"
He yelled again, and we raised our shields, I raised mine just in time, a spear hit it and shattered, and I threw a knife I had on my belt, a responding scream came to the throw.
"Charge!"
He yelled, we lowered our shields again and charged at the enemy, swords up and their spears down, spears shattering at the clash of shields and spear jabbing into men all around me, and I looked around... I could not understand what had happened, I could not understand how I got here, I could not understand what I was supposed to do...
I looked at the foe, lunging a spear at me, and I felt a stinging pain in my chest, I fell to the floor, blood splattering all around me, soldiers dying... People fading, the endless darkness of battle and the weariness of war engulfed me, I felt myself starting to fade...
Someone shouted my name...
Someone shouted my name...
I felt my head rocking back and forth, and there he was, the general, looking down at me, and I finally realized, I'm the Lieutenant... How could I allow myself to become so shocked? I returned to the battle in spirit now... But not in body, I could not rise...
"Sir, I... I ca--"
"I know, just sit tight, Soldiers! DEFENSIVE FORMATION!"
He screamed and about five soldiers formed a half a circle around us, shields up and swords at the ready, battle raged all around us, but then it came.
"Skirmishers!"
A scream was heard from afar, and soon enough, stones and javelins fell all around us, the skirmishers opened fire, and three of the defensive soldiers fell, dead.
"Sir!"
One of them yelled, seeing a group of soldiers approaching, seven of them, the leader was obviously the enemy general, and my general rose, looking at him, the other six engaged in combat all around him...
The duel began...
The enemy general slashed at mine, but missed, shields clashed, swords met.
My general fell down to the floor, the other general knocking him down, but he soon got up and lunged at him, a direct hit to the shoulder, but the enemy general smiled, I could not understand, why? Why was he smiling?
As blood splattered all over my helmet and armor, I realized, that the duel which was happening right in front of me, has ended. My friend fell to the ground, his throat slashed, and the enemy general looked at his round shield, which had blades on it... And smiled. I looked at the lifeless corpse of my general and darkness engulfed me again... Why was I here, I asked myself...
The answer never came.