She kneels before the towering shadow. She senses the others follow her lead. She keeps her head down, staring at his pitch-black shoes.
They almost fade into the pitch-black ground that is shadowed by the tall spruce wavering slightly in the pitch-black sky. There is no moon. The slight October breeze that had carried away Master’s words earlier had ceased to exist. Now only the eerie silence of shallow breath was present. It seemed an eternity that they stay kneeling, waiting for Master’s voice to ricochet through their heads like an ice bullet.
It came unexpected. “The time has come, dear children. You all know why you are here. I will skip the introduction. I need strong, healthy, brave men to stand alongside me. I need your sacrifice. I need your blood. I need everything that once belonged to you. I need those things NOW! Stand and be heard!” The giant man bellowed and stepped back. Slowly hundreds, thousands of tattered men stood and voiced their throaty growls in salute to their high master. Slowly, she stood. She kept her voice low and it growled in response. She was the only woman out there. The opposite sex is not half as strong, healthy, or brave as those men as they are believed to be, but are twice as strong, healthy, brave. Perhaps it was the men who failed behind the women. She knew that she was all of these things the Master asks, maybe more. She suddenly felt eyes on her. She turned to the Master. His eyes were curious, judging. She stood a little taller. His dark eyes passed over her from head to toe to head. He saw the sheath hanging from her waist belt.
“Draw your sword.” She widened her stance as she swiftly pulled it from her sheath, and with both hands she held it pointed to the sky. The dark red rubies glinted in the soft firelight of a distant campfire. The gold and silver detailing seemed to shimmer, but without a source of light. She heard a few men gasp. This is my pride; this is the reason I am here. He spoke. “I should take great caution in saying this, but that sword quite outshines you, my lady. I never dreamed that a lower rank such as yourself should claim such a prize. And, for it to be possessed by a… woman,” he hissed. His words meant nothing to her. Empty. Hollow. Nothing at all. “I am a little skeptical as to allowing a female to fight alongside our warriors. Might I be rewarded in saying that women are far less… capable of the grueling battles seen and participated in by my warriors. But, far be it from me to stop one more sword, and a great one at that, from adding to the thousands behind you.” That was better. She gracefully re-sheathed her sword. Her eyes were still focused on the Master, though there were the thousands behind and to each side of her. She heard shouts of anger. “Take her away!” “What are you going to do? Clean the woods for us?” “Hey, maybe she can cook and clean our clothes!” “Yeah!” “She can’t fight, she’s too weak.” None of which was a bother. Cowards, all of them. She snarled in reply. Her main focus was Master. He was her prize. She would get all she wanted from him. She would watch his final bow. TO HER! Millions shall see; millions shall rejoice. And millions shall be FREE! She, indeed, was on her own mission within this mission. And nothing would stand in her way. Not Master, nor the cowards behind her; not even the huge fleet of demons slithering their way across the open plains towards their army.
To Be Continued…
-Tiana White