Veil of Tears

Slowly, the young man crawls on all fours over the ground. He couldn't stand up because the ceiling was already close, and there was little space to the sides. The tightness of the tunnel pressed down on him as he laboriously moved forward.

His faithful companion, close behind him, was accustomed to running on all fours, although even he sometimes had to shrink to fit through the narrow tunnel.

Together, the two of them made their way through the tunnel, teeming with vermin. The darkness and the menacing sounds around them heightened the feeling of oppression and threat.

The young man continues to crawl painfully through the tunnel, his breath heavy, while the dark tightness envelops him. The faint rays of light filtering through occasional cracks cast eerie shadows on the damp walls.

With every inch he advances, the tension within him grows. Thoughts of his father, who could be somewhere in this chaos, penetrate his mind. His heart beats faster as he approaches the end of the tunnel.

When he finally reaches the end, he cautiously pushes himself out and gazes into the distance. But what he sees takes his breath away: his village, once peaceful and lively, now engulfed in flames. Smoke rises into the sky, while the cries of the inhabitants linger in the air.

His heart pounds with shock and despair as he beholds the extent of the destruction before him. Tears mingle with the dirt on his face as he realizes that his life will never be the same again.

Dazed, Conner staggers across the meadow, down the slope, further and further away from the protective castle. Although they were currently besieged by well over a hundred men, it still offered refuge for all those who could flee into it.

At this moment, he realizes just how small he really is. He understands that no matter how long he trains and no matter how skilled he becomes, he could still die by an arrow or a blade. He is alone, but his enemies are in the thousands.

/Grrrrh/

The growl of Shadow snaps him out of his dark thoughts. His friend has noticed how Conner's thoughts are drifting further and further away, to the point where he doesn't even realize that they are now on a path bordered by bushes, concealing the way.

Without these bushes, he would probably have been seen by the others, because the ruins of Skalitz were teeming with them. But even if they couldn't see him, they could still hear him if he wasn't quiet enough. That's why Shadow warned him.

Conner whispers softly, "Alright, Shadow. I understand. I can ponder my situation later. For now, we should try to save as many as we can. Do you smell anyone, and please, no enemies. At least for now."

While Shadow tracks a scent, Conner cautiously looks around. In his surroundings, he sees several men in armor, at least five of them. He also realizes that he is not too far from the mill, and therefore not too far from the mines.

"I was told he fled to the mines. So let's look there first, but first, let's check on Theresa. It's also on the way," says Conner, while Shadow listens attentively and nods in agreement.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're really a dog," he adds before they continue their journey.

In the light of dawn, Conner and Schadow move cautiously through the terrain as the first delicate rays of the rising sun illuminate the horizon. The surroundings are enveloped in a blurry light, rendering the contours of the trees and bushes around them indistinct. The anxious chirping of birds accompanies their quiet progress as they approach the mill.

Suddenly, the menacing silhouette of a group of attackers appears nearby. Conner and Schadow slow their steps to avoid detection. They duck into the shadows of the trees, observing the movements of the enemies, their hearts beating faster with tension.

As the attackers pass by, Conner and Schadow continue their journey, their senses sharpened and ready for any possible threat. They sneak further through the terrain, using the cover of trees and bushes to hide from the enemies.

Suddenly, the frightening crackle of flames breaks the morning silence as the fire erupts from the burning mill. The bright glow of the fire illuminates the sky with a eerie brilliance.

Conner and Schadow stand frozen in place as they witness the devastating spectacle before them. The mill, where Theresa lives with her family, is now a sea of flames, engulfing everything in its path. The heat of the fire hits them, and the biting smoke fills the air.

A feeling of shock and sorrow pervades Conner as he surveys the extent of the destruction, and both hope that they could bring themselves to safety but the miller's corpse squashed their hope.

Schadow expresses his grief with a soft, mournful howl, and Conner feels the pain of his loyal friend. Together, they stand surrounded by the flames, absorbing the magnitude of the tragedy.

Schatten in "Schadow" umzuwandeln, klingt gut! Hier ist die überarbeitete Passage:

"Schadow, we need to keep moving. The people who did this aren't far away; just look at the flames. They were set not long ago."

"We'll come back later when the fire has subsided to see if there were any survivors in the house. Let's head to the mines first."

-POV Soldier-

Arrow after arrow, I shoot into the mass, but it never seems to diminish; if anything, it grows. If only I could count how many I've hit. But I know one thing: it will never be enough until I have no more arrows to shoot at these bastards. Only then will I find peace.

I don't know where these sons of bitches came from, only that I lost my family to these barbarians. Oh, my little daughter, I will avenge you. May every tear from your eyes be avenged. I miss you.

/shhh/

Straining my body to continue, every muscle burns as though I'm in purgatory. Perhaps I already am. Maybe I wasn't so good, and God is punishing me for my sins, or maybe this is a test.

/shhh/

I let the next arrow fly into the ranks of the enemy. To my left and right, they try to scale the walls with tall ladders, but the brave citizens of Skalitz hack them down before one can climb the walls. But it won't be good for us much longer; with time, there will be fewer defending the walls. I try to draw another arrow, but my fingers slide over the string.

My hands were red. It takes a moment to realize that it's my blood staining them and dripping irregularly onto the ground. But I'm not injured; I'm just tired. I look at my hands more closely. The blood isn't from my hands; it flows down my entire arm. I follow it up with my gaze and see an arrow from the enemy archers almost a thumb's length embedded in my shoulder.

How can I have an arrow in me and not feel it? How can I keep going when I'm physically spent? But then the image of my daughter flashes before my eyes, how she was taken from me...

/Drip/

/Drip/

This time, it's not just blood but tears falling from my eyes, released from within.

/Ahhhhahhahaha/

With a scream mixed with tears, I raise the bow in anger and shoot the nearest bastard in the face, hearing his scream of pain.

-POV Nobody-

While brave men defend the castle and its occupants, and treacherous attackers try to storm it, Conner moves relentlessly towards the mines. Halfway there, they must surprise and kill a lone soldier to proceed.

After relieving him of his money and even finding a map, they continue on their way. Since then, they have encountered no other living person. Everyone they encounter is dead. Some Conner vaguely knew from the marketplace, others from the tavern, and others he didn't know at all. But with each one, he makes sure they are dead and in no need of help.

Suddenly, Schadow rushes off, and Conner, hoping he has found another trail, blindly runs after him. However, his joy at finding living people he knows fades quickly as he approaches the entrance of the mines and discovers more and more corpses. He notices that the bodies wear armor he doesn't recognize, likely belonging to the attackers.

Lost in his happiness, he fails to notice a person approaching him, and even Schadow, who usually notices everything, doesn't react, having dashed into the mine, following the trail, without realizing Conner hasn't followed.

"Conner, is it you? It's really you! Oh, it's so good to see you," a voice calls out behind Conner, who whirls around and nearly attacks the person with his sword before stopping the swing.

Conner, surprised and relieved, recognizes Theresa before him. He takes a deep breath and says with a hint of emotion in his voice, "Theresa, I can't believe you're here. Are you okay? What happened?"

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Thanks to

Footballhero_22