Chapter 1 - The battle at Green River

"Are you okay?"

Jens was nervous. No, not nervous. He was on the verge of breaking. How did he end up here. He thought he had made the right move to volunteer. He was stuck in his life. He would've become a farmer, like his father, and his father, and his… He did not want that life. He had wanted to see the world. He wanted to see the sea, see the capital… and so much more.

"Kid? Are you okay?" Someone demanded next to him and bumped his shoulder. He awoke from his thoughts and noticed that the person next to him was looking concerned at him.

He nodded. "I'm okay."

He lied. The truth was that he was scared. Really, really scared. He looked at the army opposing him. Thousands and thousands of enemies were about to launch an assault.

They were from the Feyn kingdom. They had been receiving news from two neighboring kingdoms that had fallen already. They knew that they were the next kingdom to resist them. Is was hopeless. There weren't any allies left to ask for reinforcements.

They were in a pinch. The enemy had crossed the river already and gained a foothold on their side of the river. The river had been the natural border for centuries. In the past they had successfully defended against enemy attacks. This enemy was different. They had more manpower, they were more accustomed to warfare, their magic was more advanced, their gear was of a higher level. They were basically better at everything.

"I know it looks pointless, but we need to be here."

Jens knew that was true. He really tried to lift his spirit.

"You know what happened with the other kingdoms. We have to fight here and push them

back over the river."

That sounded logical. The river would protect them again. Or at least form some kind or protection, for a while. It would buy them time to get more people here. Or for the others to flee.

He had been gone from home for months. Thinking back about it, it seemed ages ago.

They had received news about the other kingdoms being captured. One day a messenger came with a recruitment order. Every family had to enlist at least one person. He had volunteered immediately. That way his father could stay with his mother. He could take care of her. He knew she would be worried sick about him. If his father would go, he would not be able to care for his mother like his father could.

A week later a caravan arrived to take everyone that enlisted away. They were brought away to receive training. He had learned how to fight. Both physically and with magic, or so was the intention. He wasn't proficient with an element. Because of that he was assigned with the leftovers. They were meatbags for the army. They would suffer the most casualties, since they were stationed at the front. He knew that, as well as the people next to him.

"We have to win." Jens whispered.

"What was that?"

Jens looked at the person next to him.

"We have to win." Jens said louder.

The man smiled. "We do. Good to see that you can still make sense of all this. I thought you had panicked and would freeze even before the fighting started."

"I almost did."

"We all do. But someone has to do this. I made peace with it, knowing my family is being moved to safety."

Jens hoped they would be okay. If they failed, how long would they be safe?

He didn't want to think about that. He needed to focus on what was happening in front of him.

"It's about to start." Someone said. Jens heard a horn being blown. There was a lot of movement within the army they were facing.

Orders were being shouted all over the place.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Jens."

"I'm Rock. Keep your eyes up front. Let me know when you're in trouble. We have to help each other if we want to survive."

Others agreed around them.

The enemy was approaching now. They were walking closer and closer.

"Shields up!" Someone behind them ordered.

Jens raised his shield as high as the shields next to him.

The shields touched to leave no gaps.

"Pour mana!"

Jens poured some mana in the shield, just as he had been taught not long ago. He could at least do this.

A faint wall magically formed in front of the shields. It was twice the height of a man. He looked closely at the enemy, who could still be seen through the magic wall.

Soon after that magic attacks flew in the air from both sides. A fireball exploded close to Jens on the magic wall. He felt the impact through his shield.

"Stay strong. No matter what, do NOT drop your shield." Rock said strict.

More and more attacks slammed into the wall.

It was the same for the enemy. The problem was that less magic attacks hit the enemy wall. They kept progressing slowly. The magic attacks slowed them down, but not enough to make them stop. Sooner or later they would reach them and he would have to fight for real.

Magic attacks kept slamming in their wall. It was hard to keep his shield up. His arm felt so heavy. The constant attacks started to make his hand feel numb.

"Just keep your shield up. I know you can continue." Rock said to motivate him. He was looking out for him, even now.

Jens felt lucky to have someone like Rock beside him. He knew many others weren't so lucky.

"I can't hold out for long." He said honest. It felt so wrong to say that. It was the truth and he was ashamed of it.

"Just a little longer. It will soon be over."

Jens was scared. He could see the enemy getting really close. He noticed that the enemy attacks had suddenly stopped. Both armies were to close to each others now. Within twenty steps the melee would start.

Around ten steps to go.

His heart was racing. He could see the brown eyes of the enemy in front of him. It was a woman. Her face could be seen over her shield. She bared her teeth. She looked vicious. She was probably experienced in war. He would die by her hands.

5 more steps.

Hell no. He would not die. He would fight for his life and kill anyone to stay alive. He would survive this battle. He would…

Both armies clashed. The magic wall disappeared quickly and someone pushed against his shield. Jens awoke quickly from his thoughts. A sword was thrust between the shields and barely missed his arm.

He stabbed his own sword forward above his shield, just like he had been thought. His sword hit something hard. He withdrew his sword and stabbed again, and again.

"Kill them all!" Someone shouted from behind.

Right after that the man beside Jens, not Rock, fell down. Jens slashed on instinct at the gap that had opened up. He felt his sword slide into something soft. He had never felt it before. It was unlike the wooden poles or targets made of straw that they had practised on.

The woman that was supposed to face him looked with horrid eyes at him. His sword was stuck in her neck. He was horrified.

He withdrew his sword and she fell down on the ground. He had no time to think because someone rushed forward to take her place and tried to swing his sword sideways.

He raised his sword to block but someone jumped in between them to block the attack instead.

Jens was getting pushed back against Rock.

He changed the position of his shield slightly to also defend him from the side. This made him stand closer to Rock, who quickly glanced at what was happening.

The enemy was dividing them. They continuously pushing them further back.

"The wall is breached. We need to retreat." He said in between breaths.

Jens knew it was true.

"Retreat!" Rock shouted. He took a step back. Jens and some others did the same. People were dying on both sides. They were being pressed. For every step that they took back, the enemy advanced a step.

Suddenly the enemy line stopped. Jens was unsure why. Their group kept stepping back until they were 20 steps away.

By now the enemy line was making way for something. Jens could see it happening from the side. On his right side, a line had opened within the enemy army. A group of four people came into view. They were riding something because they could be seen above the others. When they walked out of the line of enemies, Jens noticed the creatures that they rode resembled horses.

The person up front seemed to say something and dismounted. He pulled his sword out of its scabberd and jumped up front with a loud boom. People were flying through the air. Jens was horrified. The other three persons also moved after that. One of them was waving his hands in the air and a line of fire followed his hand movement.

"Run! Quickly, Run!" Rock shouted horrified. He turned around and tried to flee. Jens was also panicking even more now. He could hear the fear in Rock's voice. He started running, just like everyone else. This was no fight. This was going to be a slaughter.