The Cruelty of War

The sun's rays shone into the cave and the sound of the wind howling reverberated from outside. Abruptly, the sound of a war horn drowned out the winds.

Tyrel's eyelids flung open, and his body shivered violently. His heartbeat rate and his breathing pace increased as his eyes widened. His head turned toward the entrance and back at Saphira before gently shaking her and whispering.

"Saphira. There's a battle going on outside."

Saphira's eyes partially opened, and she pulled Tyrel deeper into her embrace. Her right hand rubbed his back as she said. "Are you sure it wasn't a nightmare? Why would someone fight here? We're isolated."

The sounds of steel hitting steel, battle cries, and screams of agony echoed. The crackling of fire sounded alongside them.

Saphira's eyelids fully opened as she abruptly floated up with Tyrel in her embrace. "Tyrel. I need you to make a decision. Do you want me to hide you here and block the entrance while I fight alongside the Amorphous Knight? Or do you want me to be bound to my chest as I fight?"

Tyrel replied. "I could fight on my own, too."

Saphira shook her head. "No, you can't. You're a trap layer, not a melee fighter. Pick your choice quickly."

Tyrel shivered violently. "Bind me to you, please. I would get brutally killed by any strong warrior. Also, how do you plan to do that?"

Saphira smirked. "Well, do you remember the armor I talked about?"

Tyrel nodded.

"I can customize its appearance to a degree. I'll make it so it will hold you against my chest. However, it's going to be tight. Are you okay with this?"

Tyrel answered. "Yes. Besides, I can order the Amorphous Knight to help you however you need."

Saphira chuckled. "Okay. You won't be able to see anything, though. But don't worry, you'll be comfortable. Now, can you call the Amorphous Knight out?"

Tyrel nodded and summoned it beside Saphira. It knelt and stared at him.

"Amorphous Knight. Follow us and only kill if you're targeted."

Saphira smiled as a giant purple-plated armor and a long lance floated to her. The armor opened up and wrapped around her before covering her body and Tyrel.

Tyrel could no longer see anything as his face was buried in something soft. His back was also covered in a comfortable material.

"I hope you're comfy, Tyrel. The inside of my armor is soft. Now stay still and relax."

***

The purple-plated armor Saphira wore had a golden stripe on each limb. Spikes covered its frame. The armor covering her tails made them look like malleable greatswords. She held her lance with her right gauntlet as her face was hidden behind her helmet. She looked like a giant paladin.

She stepped out of the cave, followed by the Amorphous Knight, and they gazed upon the battlefield. To the south, many ships shot cannonballs at each other and flaming arrows.

To the north, two massive armies clashed. Above in the sky, wyvern riders fought amongst each other as their wyverns breathed fire onto groups of soldiers.

Tyrel's voice came from beneath the chest area of her armor. "Saphira. Why do you think there is a battle here?"

Saphira frowned under her helmet. "They are probably here for me. My powers are very useful in dealing with mass armies like this. I'm an asset they're willing to fight for."

"What?! Why would they exile you then?"

Saphira grimaced. "They probably wanted me to grow stronger to help them fight someday. I can restrain a Saint, although it takes a lot of essence, even for me. But I can't harm them."

"Saphira. Do you think they'll send someone powerful?"

Saphira floated toward the battlefield. "No. They value me, but they won't compromise their kingdom's safety just to get me."

Abruptly, an older man walked toward Saphira. He wore bright silver armor and white hair, a mustache, and blue eyes. He wielded a longsword and looked up at her towering silhouette.

"Saphira. You seem taller than the stories say. We need you back at the kingdom. And hurry before the other army notices."

Saphira turned toward him and growled. "Why would I come back? The vile things the kingdom does in the name of the Storm God disgusts me. The moment I learned the truth, I was done with it. You know the gods are dead!"

"Ah. I doubt that. The gods won the war against the daemons. Now we must purge their followers from existence."

Saphira sighed. "Give up. I'm not coming back. And I won't join the other kingdom either. Leave the meadow."

The older man shook his head. "I guess I'll have to kill you."

He lifted his sword and swung at Saphira's right side. The Amorphous Knight stepped before her and stopped his sword with its one.

"Get out of my way!" The older man yelled as his sword glowed an eerie crimson hue. He pulled back, and a wave of crimson energy approached the knight.

Its various metallic pebbles moved out of the way quickly before floating toward him.

"No! Stay away!" The man tried to move but he couldn't. His eyes widened as he yelled. "Let me go!"

Saphira smiled, and the man floated into the air.

The metallic pebbles flew into his face and drilled inside.

"Agh!" The man's body twitched and writhed as blood spilled from the gaps in his armor.

Tyrel yelled. "Amorphous Knight, go kill soldiers nearby and help out if needed."

The Amorphous Knight silently left and fought against many soldiers.

Saphira sighed as her armored tails moved unnaturally and cut multiple soldiers sneaking up on her from behind. They shrieked as their organs spilled out of their bodies on the ground.

Saphira sighed and lunged into combat. She spun around while hovering above the ground, slicing up soldiers with her armored tails and lance. She lifted dozens of them into the air and slammed them into the ground and each other.

***

Underneath her armor and against her kimono, Tyrel limply rested. He listened to her heartbeat and breathing. The sickening sounds of her slaughtering her opponents and the spell whispering every time the Amorphous Knight killed someone.

'I never thought I would be resting most of my nightmare. To be honest, I'm grateful for this, even though I suffered horrific things too.' Tyrel smiled and closed his eyes.

"Tyrel, are you doing okay?"

Tyrel spoke. "Yes, I am. Honestly, I never thought I would be resting In the middle of a battlefield."

Saphira growled as the sounds of organs being sliced emanated. A cry of agony followed, and the sound of the ground being hit.

'The sounds of war are horrifying. I need to get used to killing people soon. The Earth and the Dream Realm in Shadow Slave are horrifying places.' Tyrel thought before shivering a little.

Metal tearing and flesh splitting sounded, followed by blood-curdling shrieks. A second later, the sound of multiple bodies hitting the ground reverberated.

Saphira whispered. "You're shivering. Are you doing alright?"

Tyrel paused for a moment before answering. "No. The sound of people dying and crying out in agony is horrific."

Saphira sighed. "You're going to have to get used to it, sadly. This world is cruel, and in war and battle, it's kill or be killed."

Steel and flesh being cut sounded alongside a young man's voice. "A...g...h s-spare me..."

A mangled shriek sounded, followed by choking and coughing. The coughs steadily became replaced by gargling.

Tyrel's eyes widened as he trembled. 'Did a warrior just drown in his blood?! My goodness.'

Flesh being sliced emanated, followed by the sound of a fluid dripping onto the ground. A deep, hoarse groan echoed as another body slammed into the ground.

'I never knew that war was this brutal. Nightmare creatures are corrupted and evil, but these soldiers probably have families at home. War is so terrifying.' Tyrel thought as he clung to Saphira.

"Hold on, Tyrel. Once these armies give up, we can return home."

Abruptly, Tyrel felt an impact, and Saphira growled.

The sickening crack of a bone echoed. This was followed by more cracks, flesh tearing, and a snapping sound. An object impacting the ground emanated as an older woman's voice yelled. "Agh! My arm, my arm!"

Saphira spoke. "Let me give you peace, soldier."

"Wait! No! Please don't kill me! I want to see my grandchildren! Ah-"

Armor-splitting, bone-shattering, muscle-tearing, and shrieking echoed. Two thuds reverberated along with fluid splashing.

Tyrel whimpered. 'War is so horrifying. How did these soldiers even die?'

***

Saphira brutally massacred her opponents. Tears fell from her eyes within her helmet, yet she continued. For hours, she battled among the armies before she looked west. Her eyes widened as she floated into the air.

The wind howled as it brought a wall of dust forward. Saphira grimaced as visibility dropped. Sand particles accumulated on the ground as the sun's silhouette slowly faded.

"Tyrel. Unsummon your Amorphous Knight. Something abnormal is coming."

Tyrel obliged, and the Amorphous Knight disappeared.

The encroaching sands thickened as the soldiers without helmets coughed violently. They clutched their throats and fell to their knees.

"Tyrel. I think you were right. Something horrible is here."

Sand pooled around the soldiers, and when they tried to move, it turned fluid, and they were stuck. They coughed out fluid sand covered in blood.

Saphira used telekinesis to keep the sand from getting near her armor. For a minute, the visibility faded until it was almost pitch black.

A titanic crash sounded as the ground quakes. Two massive, glowing, crystalline yellow eyes opened in the darkness, bathing the stygian landscape in their eerie light.