73 A Lesson Before Dying (2/2)

”I'm sorry,” I whispered.

”It's okay,” he said, his voice sounding firm for the first time in a while. ”Finish it.”

I grasped my sword hilt with both hands, and with a strangled cry, I plunged it in deeper. As deep as it would go.

Jimmy gasped out loud. His body went rigid. Then, like he'd exhaled a long breath, his body slumped against me, lifeless.

Jimmy Jonas, the Bear Knight, General of the Magesong force's center army, was dead by my hand.

What happened next was more or less a blur although I remember bits and pieces of it very clearly despite how tired I felt and despite how my eyes refused to clear.

Seeing their general defeated, many of the Magesong soldiers encircling our duel began to scream bloody murder and vengeance. It seemed they cared about their leader enough to launch a suicide attack on me.

But that was exactly what it was, a suicide. For as they charged with their blades held high, not even caring about my own soldiers around them, a counterattack arrived from above.

Aura's voice rang loud and clear. ”Thom, now!”

A hail of arrows descended from the sky. Shot from the bows of the drows gliding beneath the clouds. Hidden from view until this exact moment. And as each arrow found its mark, more bodies dropped to the earth.

Still, our counterattack wasn't enough. The suicidal soldiers of Jimmy's center army were desperate to reach me. So desperate, in fact, that they willingly charged into the range of Luca, Edo, and Shaqs. All of whom, had come rushing to protect me while I sat there half-dazed and leaning against a dead man's body.

”No, you don't!” Luca screamed.

I heard the wind whistle as Luca swung his broadsword straight at the incoming foes. I heard metal cracking at the force of Luca's swing. Then the pained screams of a soldier whose side must have gushed out a lot of blood after Luca cut into him.

No, I didn't see the blood. But I smelled it. The metallic iron scent was widespread around me. But much closer now. Of course, this might have just been Jimmy's blood I smelled. I wasn't entirely sure. Too many things were happening at once for me to be certain.

More screams. More yelling. More death. At one point, I could smell something burning, and I knew immediately that Aura had lit someone or something on fire.

There was a shuffling of feet, and a second later, I found myself surrounded by a much smaller encirclement of soldiers. I saw the backs of their padded midnight blue vests clearly enough. Closest to me was the back of the white dress of a shieldmaiden.

”Raise shields!” Ashley yelled. ”Protect the Commander!”

Despite the numbness overwhelming me, I felt my lips twitch into a smile. It was the first time I heard Ashley call me Commander.

However, my smile quickly turned upside down as the surrounding battle grew in intensity. It was as if the death of their leader had caused the dam on their restraint to break and the Magesong soldiers were hellbent on making sure the Foolhardies commander followed their general to the grave. That, in my honest opinion, was a terrible proposition for me.

As if things couldn't get any worse, an even large commotion ensued.

I heard the thundering of hooves as riders charged into the melee of soldiers surrounding me and my shield guard. Even with the low visibility, I saw the blurry outline of swifthart mounts and armored riders.

They kicked up a tiny dust storm too. Some of which found its way to my open mouth. And I coughed hard as the coarse earthy flavor overwhelmed my tastebuds.

Once the dust had subsided and the fighting gave way to the threat of new arrivals, I heard a man order Ashley to step aside. The fact that she followed his order made me hopeful that the danger was most likely over.

”Are you still alive, Dean?” the voice of General Thors asked me.

I nodded slowly. ”Is it over, sir?”

”It's about to be,” he answered kindly. ”Well done, son.”

General Thors tapped my shoulder lightly. Then he turned around to face the gathered crowd. General Thors raised his sword high.

”Dean Dapper of the Foolhardies has slain General Jimmy Jonas of the Magesong Clan!” He proclaimed to the heavens.

The roar of victory that followed might as well have been a continuous pouring of thunders.