The Age Of Legends
Recent Stories
Login
Subscribe
Your account
What do you think ?
| The Eyes of the White Wolf |
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 11 August 2007 00:00 |
|
Arinus' century entered the bridge in compact formation, their shield up to their chin, spears forward.The small march steps sounded like a macabre drum in the deep silence. Arinus wasn't fooled by the quiet day and was fearing his men, especially the new ones, would grow too courageous. The bridge was long, minutes seemed like hours and the drumming of the feet was only increasing the tension. The century passed the sign marking the middle of the bridge and Arinus started to wonder. This would be the first time the Dacians didn't attack before they passed the half bridge mark. Arinus knew they were expected... His spies in the forest saw the Dacian scouts and he was still bothered by the thought no one could be captured. The century passed the three quarter mark and he noticed an increase in pace. His men were growing restless, looking forward for action. 'May be the number of the newly arrived troops made the Dacians fear us' mumbled Arinus. It seemed reasonable although a stray thought commanded him to be cautious. He dismissed it rapidly. He desperately needed a victory after six failed attempts to cross the bridge. He commanded his men to go full speed and his confidence was growing with every step getting him closer to the end of the bridge. Arinus already saw himself reporting personally to Trajan the first successful cross of the bridge. A growl out of nowhere woke him up. 'Wolves!', he thought. 'I wouldn't mind a couple of wolf skins adorning my tent on top of the promotion" he smiled slightly. Another growl together with the terrified scream of his men prompted his attention and threw away, to his dismay, his thoughts of honor. He couldn't believe his eyes, when he saw wolves, huge wolves jumping from... under the bridge, over the shields and spears right on his men's neck. Soldiers were falling row by row and soon his century was decimated, his people running in fear. A sharp pain in his shoulder prompted him to turn his head. The sight made his heart stop for a second... not in fear but wonder. He saw the others dying at the jaws of the gray wolves but this wolf was white, huge and with deep blue eyes. 'Human eyes... ' he mumbled...' iron, full of hatred but nonetheless human...". Arinus recovered fast but a second too late. The wolf's claws left deep cuts all over his body and the the world darkened... When the light came back again, he was covered in bandages, in the common soldier's bunker. One of the caretakers swiftly looked at him and said to the other one: ' His wounds are deep, any deeper and he would be dead. This is weird, everyone one is dead but him... it is like, ' the man shrugged, ' the wolf wanted to spare his life. Wolves never spare their pray...' Arinus closed back his eyes and the memory of the white wolf came back... He shivered... 'The white wolf wasn't a wolf... at all', he said softly. Terrified he felt the urge to raise and warn the Emperor. The sharp pain and the drab look of the soldier's hospital reminded him of the disgrace... Not only the Emperor wouldn't listen but probably he would have him executed for contempt. 'He knew all of this, didn't he?" Arinus murmured slowly between his teeth. 'This is why he left me alive..." |
