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The stench of blood fills me with discomfort, my nose twitching at the scent. The enveloping mist hides everything from my eyes, which I am grateful for as I am sure it would otherwise be a horrendous sight. Torrential rain soaks me to the bone, brown goo known as mud causing me to stagger forward because of the water. The sound of booming thunder rings in my ear following the blinding daggers of lightning.
The further I go, the colder it gets. The events of the last day come crashing down on me. Am I the last one left? The wind answers my unspoken question by directing my view to three dark figures. They are nothing more than that, figures, until lightning strikes behind them, acting as a spotlight.
Suddenly everything around them is clear, a circle mist evaporating in a blink. Only I and the three figures are clear in this second, their long black cloaks hiding all but a strand of auburn hair sneaking out from one of their hoods.
We stand in silence for an eternity, taking in the moment. Then, a croaky noise sounding like words comes from the figure in the middle. ‘Look what we have here, sisters.’ She says to her companions by her sides. ‘We seem to have missed one.’
‘Give up now, soldier.’ The one to the left sneers. ‘You are outnumbered.’
Difficultly, I find my voice and answer definitely, ‘I will never surrender.’
‘So be it.’ The one with auburn hair says, the sound becoming distant as the mist hides the world. I breathe deeply, trying to calm my racing heart. The cold steal in my hand brings me enough reassurance to stand my ground for what could be the last time.