The Broken Luna: Love or Duty

Jackia's point of view

"Jackia... You have to run..."

My brother coughed out with blood splattering around his lips as he forced a smile on his face.

"Shut up..."I whispered fiercely even as my voice shook, tightening the knot across the wound on his leg as my eyes spawn around trying to gauge the forest with only the dim moonlight to guide my eyes.

"... We are getting out of this place together..there isn't much time left..."

They were coming.

I was so keenly aware of this, that sweat began to drip down my face despite the coldness of the night that clung to my skin and another harsh cough from my brother brought my eyes snapping back to him again.

The injury on his neck was only one of the few covered ones; the rest generously oozed out blood adorning his entire body until it soaked into his clothes.

"You need to stand up, Cipher..." I said to him firmly, grabbing his wrist and pulling his hand across my shoulder. He grunted as he was pulled up to his feet and with grave reluctance followed me, while still begging me in low whispers to abandon him.

"It's no use sister even if I survive this battle I won't be able to fight again it's better that I die here..."

I gritted my teeth as I could feel the weight of his body getting heavier on me and he was struggling even more to stand and limp on his one good leg.

"Don't you dare say that... What will I say to mother and father?"

"That nobody will have to deal with my sleep howling again?"

I looked at my brother with a sort of helpless amusement. Even in the face of death where he was practically already limping on one side of it, he could still crack a joke.

Just then I heard a familiar sound that made my heart sink and I gradually turned my head to my brother.

"Cipher please don't move..."

He still had that boyish smile on his bloodstain lips.

"It's okay, Jackia..."

"No...I...I..." The tears that I have been stubbornly holding back started to run down my cheeks.

"I can still save you..."

My brother had just stepped on the salamander's throat, one of the coolest weapons that had been designed by our enemies; the Mages.

Our kingdom of werewolves have been battling against them for so long, but they were relentless...it felt like the war would never end.

But...why did this have to happen to my brother of all people...?

The moment you stepped on one it would immediately explode the moment you broke contact.

"Jackia...they are getting closer..." My Brother reminded me and I hitched my breath anxiously.

"...let me think, Cipher I can..."

He gradually and gently pushed away from me standing as firmly as his injured leg would let him.

"You have to go now..." He sighed with resignation still wearing a smile on his battered face.

I could hear the aggressive sounds of rushing feet heading to our direction, he was right....if I stayed here we would both be caught up with the Mages, and there was no way out of a Salamander's throat.

"Cipher...I'm so sorry..."

I dragged one foot in front of another until I was finally running with bitter tears running down my cheeks.

"Jackia!" He called out my name, his voice vibrating so loudly that it sent birds flapping from the trees in fright.

I turned around in one spinning movement, just in time to see his smiling face and then there was a massive ball of fire that completely swallowed him up...

He was gone...just like that

We didn't even get the chance to properly bury his body, he was supposed to be sent to the other world with at least that... So instead some of his prized belongings were placed in his casket, he wasn't recognized with any honours because he was seen as a deserter; a coward that fled from battle.

Our father didn't even attend his funeral, I was the only one there to comfort our mother... When we returned back home we only got a step in before he was crashing into our little house smelling of booze from the local tavern.

"Why are you still crying woman?!" He yelled at my mother.

"It's all your fault for giving birth to a worthless deserter!"

He yelled at her and she buried her face in her shawl and wept harder.

"Father, that's enough..." I said leading my still weeping mother to a rickety chair.

"Mother is in enough pain already..."

He turned his anger to me.

"Now you...you cursed child!"

I bit my lip, he had called me the worst names.

"Filling your brother's head with those ridiculous thoughts...now he's dead, are you satisfied?!"

I turned to him.

"They weren't ridiculous...he never wanted to be a warrior Father..."

My brother was always a gentle soul, the brutalities of war were never for him but our father, a low rank warrior, was desperate to live his dream through his son.

My father tipped back a little bit, almost losing his balance then quickly regaining it again in the next second with a anguished grit of his teeth.

"...well it doesn't matter, he's dead now...and the law states that a family needs at least two warriors..."

He saw the look of bleeding eagerness in my eyes and began to shake his head.

"No...never... you're a woman... women don-"

"One week father..." I cut in pulling up my gown and its layers to make a swift abrupt move that almost sent him stumbling again.

"I need just one week to prove myself..."

My mother was too speechless to speak, not like anything she said would make a difference until my father spoke.

"Fine, let's make a deal...if you can survive even three days in the warrior recruit camp you stay..."

I gulped.

"...and if I can't?"

He smiled wickedly.

"Then you will finally marry ANY man I choose for you..."

I smiled back bitterly.

"In three days then, Father... I'll make you eat your words."