WWC Song of War.
#1 of Weekly writing challenge
Just a weekly writing prompt
This Week's Writing Challenge: Listen to a song, and then write a story and included at least three lines from that song. [The Seed - Aurora]
The two armies gathered on either side of the valley, the musk of packed bodies and horses thick in the air. A sense of anxiety and anticipation was heavy. Blaze gazed out over the masses, the steel of his armor glinting in the early dawn light. He hated battles, they were a total waist of his men's lives but this time he didn't have a choice. His brother had burned one of the highest producing farms in his princedom. A large portion of his people may go hungry this winter because of it. He could see his brother on the other hill, the coal black armor standing out amongst his men. Hammond always liked to make himself obvious in battle, said it made people seek him out. Blaze knew he would have to cross swords with Hammond this day, their mother had predicted it. He just hoped it wouldn't leave either of them dead. The final ranks of men settled into place as a hush fell across the valley. Blaze twitched his tail, a nervous tick he was never able to get rid of. He was taller than most of his men, save for the battalion of Tauren. As a race of kangaroo he stood on his toes, tail pressed into the ground to help keep him balanced. He stood over seven feet tall and had a wide body, not overly muscled but just enough to be intimidating. His brother was very alike in that regard, most people had trouble telling them apart if they weren't paying attention to the mane. Blaze had a sapphire blue mane running from between his ears to the tip of his tale, where as Hammond's was bright grey. The sudden blaring of horns snapped Blaze out of his own thoughts. He could feel both armies shift into readiness. There was a second horn and with a roar of passion his men rushed down the hill, Hammond's was doing the same. The cavalry galloped passed meeting the ranks of pike men then broke through them swiftly. Hammond didn't have a very strong cavalry and they veered off to the right avoiding the spears. In moments both armies crashed together. The screams and yells of men fighting and dying filling the air. Blaze, at the head of his line laid about him with broad sweeping strokes severing limbs from bodies. His sword wide and heavy like a cleaver, almost impossible to stop once he got momentum. His honor guard kept a bubble of calm around him so as not to get in the way of his swings and to protect his flanks. Suddenly he was there, his black armor dripping crimson and his voice growling from his faceplate. "I am chasing wonder brother! I unravel myself, all in slow motion!" Blaze stumbled over a body, his breath panting through his lips as he faced Hammond. His sword raised to the ready. Hammond's blade was something to be truly frightened of, slim and long it glinted with an evil light almost like it was in flames. "Do you even understand what you have done Hammond? You can't eat money, oh no! You can't eat money Hammond! What will we do when the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned?"
A snarl escaped from his brother, and the man launched at Blaze, sword swinging in a quick ark. Blaze caught the blades edge with his own, the metal ringing in the air as they collided. "What do I care brother, I'm just here for the blood!" Hammond drew back his blade and slammed it down on Blaze's again and again. No real form to his blows just raw power. Blaze grunted from the assault but weathered it, he could tell that his brother was getting tired. After the eighth blow, he angled his sword so that Hammond's would slide down and lodge in the dirt. With the slight stumble he kicked his brother in the chest denting the breast plate and causing him to slip then fall to the ground off balance. Hammond grunted inside the armor then let out a strangled gasp, he fumbled against his chest and Blaze noticed that the dent had crushed against his brother's chest and was preventing him from breathing fully. Blaze kneeled down pulling off Hammons helmet to get at his brothers straps and release the chest plate. "Suffocate me, so my tears can be rain. I will water the ground where I lay." The big kangaroo gasped between breaths. "Are you insane? I'm not going to let you die here Hammond." Blaze grunted at his brother as he ripped the leather straps connecting the chest plate to the back. With a heave he pulled it free and Hammond let out a deep gasp as air finally returned to him. Coughing he rolled over. Blaze's honor guard had kept a bubble of calm around them, but it was obvious who was winning the battle. "Call off your men and just pay the fine for destroying my fields. There is no reason for us to fight like this." He growled in Hammond ear. "Fine." With a growl Hammond yelled "I surrender!" the men around their bubble of ceased their fighting and lowered their weapons. Like a wave out from them the armies stopped and the only sound was of me crying out in pain or death. Blaze glanced up at the sky, it felt like hours had passed during the course of battle, butt it really only must have been maybe one. He grabbed his brother by the arm and hauled him up to his feet. "Mother will hear of this; you know she won't be happy." Blaze muttered to him. "I live in a place where nothing matters, this is the only way I get any enjoyment out of life." Hammond responded fists clenched. Blaze shook his head and started leading him back to his camp. Their armies separating and going back to their separate hills. "Next time just perform in a duel, all this wasted life doesn't do anyone any good" Blaze glowered at his brother as he just shrugged. It was going to be a long few months having to deal with the upheaval this battle would cause.