103 The Great Escape Part 2 (2/2)
I focused my vision back on our column of soldiers, my sight soaring over them like an eagle gliding just above their heads. The pain I felt at switching modes caused tears to streak down my face. At least I hoped they were just tears. As intense as the pain was, they might as well have been tears of blood.
Naturally, the pain combined with the uncertainty of not knowing how much longer I could maintain Fool's Insight almost made me miss the anomaly that had popped up in our vicinity.
”No freaking way,” I said out loud.
”Ah,” Darah chuckled softly. ”It seemed they didn't need to cut us off for a new head to sprout.”
An all too familiar banner had been raised right between us and the approaching Spellweaver cavalry, bringing with it renewed hope.
”It's the Flag of Fools!” I yelled excitedly.
My sight flew toward them, allowing me to see Edo's brute form holding our blue banner high. Beside him were the remaining members of Theren Everleaf's Inglorious Bastards. A good fifty to sixty of them left. All of them carrying bulwark shields they must have stolen while on their journey to follow after us.
At first, I couldn't help feel pride at the sight of them preparing themselves to block against the enemy's heavy cavalry charge. Then I realized that they were actually preparing themselves to block the enemy's heavy cavalry charge, and it was like ice-cold fingers were caressing my spine.
”Are they insane?!” I hissed.
”They're brave… don't belittle their efforts, Dean,” Darah chided.
”B-but—”
I felt Darah squeeze my shoulder. ”For many of us who trade in warfare, a heroic death is its own reward.”
”You said a senseless waste of life and talent—”
”—is not the case here,” Darah interrupted. ”Listen well, Dean Dapper. There are moments where once destiny is not to lead an army into battle but to lay down on the coals so that their allies may walk unscathed through the fire.”
”The sacrifice play,” I said in almost a whisper.
Darah's explanation might have sounded logical to me, but we were talking about Edo here. The ogre had kept me and Luca and Aura alive far too many times than I could count. Not to mention Theren and his group who had finally returned to the Foolhardies after they'd recognized my leadership. How could I abandon them now? How could I watch their fires snuffed out just so I and a few hundred soldiers might have a chance to escape?
And yet that was exactly what I did. I let it happen, and all I could do was watch as the reaper finally swung his scythe down on my fellow Foolhardies.
I watched from on high as they formed lines and locked their shields together and then stared down an enemy all too eager to ram into them. I watched as Edo continued to raise the flag, and in a roaring voice, strengthen the men with words of encouragement that should have sprung from my own lips.
Our column of soldiers had just passed behind them. Likewise, Ardeen Spellweaver's cavalry had slammed into their bulwark shields.
I watched them hold the line and break the enemy's momentum. I saw shields fly and bodies fall. I saw Edo swing his glaive to cleave one, two, and then three riders in twain. Then I watched as Ardeen Spellweaver's own spear pierce the half-ogre's muscular shoulder.
Edo cried out in pain, a low roar that reverberated down to my bones, and in my mind, I wondered what Aura would have thought if she saw her friend in pain.
As the bulk of our column passed them, I watched our banner fall only to be raised again. This time, by Theren's hand. He raised it high and called for his soldiers to rally around him. enemies approached. Theren's sword arm swung down and his shadowblade cut down an unseated rider.
But now Theren seemed alone in a sea of enemies.
I watched as four riders converged on him. I watched them pierce his lithe elven form with their lances. Then, like a discarded toy, I watched Theren Everleaf fall lifeless to the ground, the Flag of Fools falling with him.
I turned my gaze from the sight of this slaughter, and through it all, I could feel my face wet with tears.