I can see them just barely. The silhouettes of their heads against a distant fire were all I had to go on. Luck wasn't on my side, but what else was new? This was going to get real bad unless I do something. Despite the darkness, I could see the shape of their bulging eyes, and it was enough to tell where their attention was. The one to my left starts to creep closer to me, sword out and pointed at my chest. The other two were browsing my little set up. Instinctively, I wanted to knock the sword away. At this distance, I'd get run through before I even draw my weapon.

The creature eyes me up and down suspiciously. He's clearly been here before and I wasn't around last time. I had to wait for just the right moment. He stands just a few feet from me, staring down at my body. I grit my teeth and keep my eyes open enough to see, but closed enough so he doesn't see them tremble. He leans forward and looks into my helmet, his putrid breath forces me to stop breathing. The stench reminds me of a rotting animal carcass. They were lucky they didn’t have noses. I quickly find it’s even nauseating just to inhale through my mouth.

His left hand carefully reaches forward to pull off my helmet. Any second now, any second! His allies turn around for a brief moment to look behind the wall. I see my opportunity and take it. In a flash, I grab the Og Nag by the jaw and slam his forehead into my helmet spikes, then go back to being dead. His buddies turn and stare at us. I have to use every ounce of neck muscle to keep him upright. The strain feels as if my head was about to be ripped off. If I let him lean too far over, my helmet will go with him. Something is going to pull if I keep this up much longer however. I gradually reach down with my right hand and grab a small piece of debris. With them slightly off to my left, this dead Og Nag might block their sight of my right arm.

As quiet as the dead, I toss the piece of stone behind me and over the pile I’m resting against. I get lucky and it tumbles against other materials, making a huge racket. They dart past me to investigate. I reach up and gradually pull his head from off my helmet and lower his body to the ground. My eyes stay fixed on where the two Og Nag went as I get to my feet. What little noise I make, is easily excused as their former ally just rummaging through another fallen soldier.

Every step is calculated as I creep closer to the two monsters. In one smooth motion, I draw my sword and decapitate the first Og Nag. I angle my body behind his, to stop it from colliding with the ground, catching his head with my free hand. I lower both the body and the head to the ground, almost losing control a few times. His ally is still carefully peering around the corner to see what the first noise is. The monster's last meal, is a metal hand clamping over his mouth and a sword being jammed into the back of his skull. I immediately wrap my arm around his torso and look around. His body may become my shield if there's one last enemy hiding nearby. I had seen Lieutenant Bays become a human pincushion while unintentionally teaching me this lesson. At least he died quickly.

There was bound to be a patrol that noticed these three never came back. My little distraction gets set up sooner since I could get away with a bit of noise now. Anything I did could be dismissed as their units doing some digging. Every creak and snap of debris settling, is a dagger in my back as I lead the rope back to Emeris. The plan was horrible, but it was all I had.

Yank the board, wait for them to investigate, grab Emeris, and hope there’s someone to let us in. My plan was terrible. I was relying on a lot of unknown variables. There could be no one behind the gate, they might not be willing to risk letting us in, there could easily be more Og Nag to my left, anything was on the table. They could even trip over us on the way there and I wouldn't even have time to defend myself. With one last look around, I lower myself next to Emeris. The rope lays in my closed fist. My entire life was about to be decided with a single tug. My eyes snap shut and I give it a small pull.

In the silence, the wall is an explosion. I knew what it was going to sound like and when to expect it, but I still flinch. My hands clench into fists as dozens of Og Nag bolt past me. I didn’t know there were so many. At least thirty pairs of feet stomp right next to my head. I have to close my eyes to avoid getting dust in them. It takes everything not to shake with anxiety.

My training for how to keep calm, feels more like swimming in full armor. Forget about what happens if you fail, it's irrelevant. Focus on your next task and the one after that. Plan, prepare, succeed; nothing else. My cheeks quiver when I realize just how alone I am. There was no help, no hope, not even luck. This wasn't like the stories we were told when we were kids. The only thing that has saved me for my entire life, was my ability to prepare and react.

My plan gets recited in a tiny whisper over and over.

"Grab Emeris, run to the gate. Grab Emeris, run to the gate." My helmet gets kicked a few times, making my heart stop. I repeat the next steps, doing my best to drown out the fear and criticism.

The last Og Nag runs past. The stillness of the night was its own monster. There could be one last scout watching us. In fact, there probably was, but there was no telling exactly where or even how many. They usually leave one behind. There’s no point now though. They’ll might see my set up and realize it was a distraction; it was now or never. I carefully get up, and hoist Emeris onto my shoulders. As I turn around, there’s an extra straggler who hops over some debris who hasn’t quite noticed me in the darkness. I freeze not knowing what to do. He skids to a halt in front of me, eyes bulging. He reaches for his sword. I use the only weapon I have available.

Like a sack of wheat, I hurl Emeris on top of him. His frail body is nowhere near enough to take the weight. He gets crushed instantly. I pick Emeris back up with an internal groan of agony and haul it towards the gate. My brain screams at me to look over my shoulder, but I don't dare. What ever was behind me didn't matter, there was only running to the gate.

Then it hits, my wound that had barely clotted reopens in a fiery spasm. A scream forces its way out of my mouth as I do my best to climb over a small mountain of stone and wood. For a tiny moment, part of me thought I might just make it when I hear the familiar screech of Og Nag. Everything would soon be on my heels and I usually couldn't outrun them for long in my armor. Shrieks of protest bellow from my mouth impulsively.

I get another five steps as arrows begin to whistle past me.

"Please, open the door, please! I’ve come too far to go out like this!" My voice crackles as the desperation consumes me. Og Nag were weak, but there are a few vulnerable spots where my pieces of armor separate, mostly near my joints. Numerous pings echo through my suit, as I wait for the one unlucky arrow to doom us both. The noise increases in frequency and I’m beginning to lose my balance from all the impacts. One loose stone sends me toppling down the hill with Emeris rolling next to me.

"No! No, please no! Not now!" I shriek over and over like a parent pleading for their child. My back almost gives way as I lift Emeris up hopefully for the last time.

"Not like this! Not like this!" Tears streak down my face. For once in my life, I wanted to live, even if it was just for Emeris' safety. My head rocks to the side as a nasty arrow hits directly where my ear is. The sound blocks out everything as I push my legs to keep going. Up another hill and I can hear movement in every direction. Somehow, I find the strength to keep climbing. An Og Nag meets me at the top.

"Never!" I shriek, booting him off the hill. He rolls backwards, kicking up dust and rocks until he gets impaled on a jagged piece of wood. I give a small hop and slide down, my feet almost cry out in happiness as they make contact with the street. Another Og Nag runs up with a dagger while screeching. I maneuver Emeris so I’m holding him horizontally and ram his helmet spikes into the little freak’s stomach. With an agonizing wrench, I yank Emeris’ body away, pulling out his helmet from the monster’s gut, making him collapse on the ground.

The doors of heaven welcomed me in, as dozens of soldiers pour out from the gate and form a line behind me with their shields up. I almost cry as I’m greeted with the familiar glow of the torches inside the gate room. A few tables sit against the walls with their various chairs. I set Emeris down, almost ready to scream at the top of my lungs to release the anxiety.

Now that we weren't about to be stabbed and devoured, it was time to see if Emeris survived at all. Even if it was too late, I would feel better knowing he didn’t go out as a snack. I knelt down beside him and eye his chest piece. It didn't rise up and down with his breathing. I tear off my right gauntlet and put my hand over his mouth. He was barely breathing, but why was he unconscious?

Our units gradually back up inside the gate, fighting off the Og Nag with sword thrusts and kicks. As soon as Versa yells “Gai!”, they shove the rest of the Og Nag back with one perfectly coordinated shield bash, then slam the gates shut.

I stay knelt over Emeris, wondering what happened. The clank of armor behind me is startling as General Versa walks up. She stands at an intimidating 6’9. Her armor is just like ours except she had a steel horn attached to her helmet that she frequently used for head-butting enemies to death. Her mark for general was a gold trim that outlines every piece of armor she wears. She stopped wearing her cape a long time ago since she wasn’t easily mistaken for anyone else. She also has brutal spikes attached to the knuckles of her gauntlets. Her weapon of choice being hand to hand combat, and she was vicious at it. Many of us were disciplined for watching her fight instead of doing what we were supposed to do.

She stands over me, hands on her hips.

“Report.” She growls.

I stare at her in silence. She gets it; we’re the only two. She walks over and kicks a table upside down, balling her hands as she yells with anger. I know what’s eating at her, and it’s bad. Every soldier left in the city was at the castle. Besides General Versa, Emeris and I, there were about 18 soldiers standing in the gate room. That was probably all that was left.

General Versa regains her calm.

“Is he breathing?” She asks casually. I lean over him and hear raspy wheezing.

“He is, b-but barely.” I’m almost unable to stop my words from stuttering. She thinks to herself for a second, then reaches over and loosens his chest piece. She tears it off and drops it on the floor. Minutes tick by and I somehow manage to block out the sound of Og Nag pounding on the gate. Emeris sits up gasping, causing me to cry loudly in surprise. Versa looks over the chest piece. He had apparently taken one hell of a spear charge earlier, due to a massive indent in the back. He probably ignored it to keep fighting, and forgot about it. I laugh timidly, just grateful the injury wasn’t serious. Emeris looks at Versa sheepishly, almost not even wanting to know the answer to his next question.

“How many units do we have left?” He asks weakly.

She crosses her arms, trying to act like her answer doesn’t bother her in the least.

“About two-hundred and fifty.” Emeris’ face goes blank.