chapter 1

What is there after all in gone? When everything you have fought and lived for is gone. Then what? For many it would mean starting anew. But when you truly lose everything it is much more painful than anything you could have imagined.

Saschi looked over the field of corpses. She the lone survivor of a bloody battle. Had she won or lost? She did not know. All she had once loved was gone. This was the end. She did not know if her sacrifices had been in vein or if she had avenged the many dead. But either way she still had been left with nothing.

Saschi let her bloodied sword fall to the gowned as tears wet her dirty crimson stained face. She fell to her knees with a blank gaze. The sun was just setting over the far off hill and although to many it may appear to be the most beautiful sight to behold, it was only sickening to Saschi. The reddish hues looked only of blood to her and she could not stand it.

How far she had fallen. From being a mighty general to being the weeping girl of a dead battle field. But in the end she had never been mighty alone. It was her comrades that had given her strength and the will to go on. But just as she had lead them to victory she had also lead them to their deaths.

She took up a small knife that had laid next to her and aimed it towards her stomach. "this is the end my friends." She wept and then went to plunge the knife into her stomach when, she heard voices. They where far off voices but they were voices non the less. When she looked up she saw around ten oncoming soldiers. Then she saw one was holding a flag. "the kings men!" she thought in alarm. For that was the flag of royalty for their enemy! As they came closer she could see the king was in the front leading the few men behind him. "this is my final chance my brothers…. To avenge you." She whispered. Taking up her sword she prepared for her final battle. Waiting till she could see the face of the clearly young kings she then ran with all her might at her target. She was ready to destroy for this was her last chance.

"A survivor!?" on of the men beside the king shouted in alarm. "protect the king!" another one yelled. Saschi did not pause or hesitate. She lunged at the king who had dismounted his horse to fight. With all her remaining strength she bashed her sword into his and then quickly swung it around again to meet his sword once more. He was a strong opponent but Saschi refused to give until she had killed him. Over and over again their swords clashed and chipped away at each other. The king had stopped the rest of his small platoon to interfere with the battle. Saschi's body ached and cried out in pain and her fighting became worse but she still pressed on. Tears ran down her face like streams. The king seemed to be taking it easy on her. He could have ended this battle long ego but he didn't. he only defended himself by blocking her attacks.

Saschi new she didn't have much strength left so she took the drop she had left and raised her weapon. With one final blow she crashed her blade into his! But it was all in vein. When her old worn sword met his it shattered into millions of pieces. Falling to the ground Saschi stared wide eyed at her shattered blade. She still held the handle in the hand.

Quickly one of the kings soldiers grabbed Saschi by the hair and then held a knife to her throat. "a woman! What is this? Why is there a woman on the battle field?" the kings right hand man asked. "did you just figure out she was a woman." The king chucked as he slightly teased his comrade.

"how did I lose to such a relaxed man? Did he not just finish a heated battle?" Saschi thought enraged at the carless king. Saschi's tears still streamed down her face and now more then ever. Truly she had now let all her comrades down. Surely now they had died in vein.

"kill me and be done with it!" Saschi wept. The king looked at her and knelt down in front of her. "why would I kill a woman much less an already broken soul such as yourself?" His face no longer held a playful expression but a solemn one. "finch let the poor girl go. Ah, but tie her up we will take her back with us." The king said standing up and turning around. "no! I will die before I am taken prisoner!" she thought. It would be worse then the dying in battle when you have not fought at all. She new there was only one thing left to do.

When the soldier slightly let go of her she grabbed the knife out of his hand and jabbed it into her stomach! Falling limp to the ground she felt herself bleeding out. She could her shouts but they were all muffled . all she could see now was the sunset. It was almost over but you could still see some of the hues and it was finally beautiful. Saschi let one last tear slip out of her eyes before she shut them. "goodbye to this world. To you I owe my thanks for receiving me into you. And to my friends I will see you soon. Know that you did not die in vein but for a purpose. You did not fail but I did. Goodbye….. goodbye…"