Xerxes by Micheal Achonye

The escape

Breathe Xerxes, just breathe. 

Soot and ash still fell from the charred sky. 

Everything reeked of burning flesh from the dragon attack. 

Queen, the love of my life was gone.

How could I move on?

This battle was clearly over, my life was clearly over.

The cards were all up, I had lost.

There was no way we could defeat the King and his army. The King had the coven of dark magicians on his side. He also had the Vladians and their dragons. He had demi gods and demons acting on his command. There was no way a group of humans without useful weapons could attack. Even with the handful of magicians in the field, it was nothing when compared to the thousands of blood thirsty necromancers with nothing left to lose on the side of the King.

We had clearly lost.

It was time to count our losses and retreat.

Who knows, maybe I would live to see twenty five.

"All magicians on the right, the humans on the left and the Vladians in the middle!" a man announced repeatedly. 

That was the General putting us in line to take the next ship heading for Volak. It was a neighboring town and we would all hide there until the heat was over. At least, it was better than being killed by the Drakas. Our forces had been devastated by the surprise attack from the Vladian. So many people had died during the attack leaving us with no choice but to flee for our lives. If there was a first strike, there would be a second and a third. There was no telling how gruesome the battle would be if the full force of the Vladian army were to invade Capalu. It was time to leave the town and start over with a new name and a new identity. 

"You there, boy! What are you supposed to be?" he called out to me. 

"Human, Sir," I sniffled, still broken from losing the love of my life.

He scoffed at the answer. 

"Ha! No. From here on out you are nothing but dead meat. You are a poultry bird waiting to be slaughtered by the King and his Drakan army. That is what you are. Now climb on that ship and sail home to your new prison, where you shall serve your sentence as a nobody!"

He wasn't wrong. I was literally a nobody. I had no one to call my own. I had no people, no friends or family members, I was all alone. 

My entire village had been burnt down and I was the only Klax left.

Once upon a time my village was full of life, magic and godly powers. Humans, magicians and gods lived together in peace and harmony till the King of Draka got tired of peace and decided to attack his citizens. In this kind of story you would expect a hero to appear in shining armor and save the day. Unfortunately, every single hero who faced off against the King died in horrible ways. They were either killed out or they were forced to switch sides. We were in this fight alone. One way or another, we were all dead.

There was no need for us to keep fighting but give into the Kings demands. Well, where I was going there won't be any need to fight. I would join the sailing corps and live an unfulfilled life and maybe die of old age. There would be time for redemption, but it was not today. 

Everything smelled of sweat, blood and smoke as I walked into the ship. I leaned over the bow while looking out onto the field we were leaving behind. It was still in flames and there were men on the field. I guess they were going to act as decoys. The ship had started to back out from the harbour as it headed for the blue ocean. The future was...

"Hello," a feminine voice called out. 

My eyes darted over to the owner of the voice. Okay, I know I vowed never to make new friends, but she was too beautiful to not have as a friend. Her name was Ang and she was among the cooks in the field. We had met and talked a couple of times however, she was always out on errands and I had to be with my squad most of the time so there was no way to hang out. Her parents had died during the war, leaving her behind with her little brother. Where was George by the way? She seemed to read my mind. 

"Georgey is fine, He's below deck with some friends. You're that spear guy right? The one who walked around with Lady Queen," she said trying to sound cheerful.

Did she have bring up my pain? No, I would not let this pain take over my feelings anymore. I would keep on fighting to be happy and safe. Queen was gone, but she would want me to be happy and look forward without a second thought. I was going to live for me and her. 

I smiled."Yes, I am. I'm glad you're safe." 

There was a distant look in her eyes. The same look everyone on the ship had. Touching the bow of the ship she propped herself up while looking out into the vast expanse of the ocean. It was hard starting over alone, it was even harder when you had someone to protect. She bit her lower lip and tried to choke back her tears but it was no good. They ran out.

"Xerxes, why do we have wars? All this senseless violence could have been quelled a long time ago. I would still have my parents, you would have been in your hometown with magic and everything would have been — normal."

Normal, I didn't even know what was normal anymore. I had been fighting for a very long time to know what normal was. I never really understood the reason for why we fought. Everyone blindly died and lived for the nation but nobody had ever stopped to ask why they fought. What was the reason for all these wars we had been leading on for years? She was right, just like Queen who had never understood why her powers of nature were used in the most brutal ways. I knew I fought for my dead parents and to avoid getting killed, but why was the war still necessary. Somehow I couldn't help but feel like there was something that I could do to end this war, but maybe it was all in my head. Maybe it was all some big dream of me being a hero and saving the day on my dragon. Ha! I laughed, that was hilarious. I might have been the son of a war Chief but I am no warrior god or Xaj or Vladian, I was still human. I could do nothing against the elements or forces of nature. I had no brute strength or fighters skills, I was not fast enough to run like the wind or have skills that could rival that of my team mates. I was a nineteen year old with the power to read maps. I was a simple cartographer.

"Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhh! They're here! The Vladians and the Xaj are here!"

The woman who had screamed pointed out to the ocean and she was not wrong, the Kings army had us surrounded from a distance. They were taking no survivors. The magicians had begun to create hurricanes with the dragons getting ready to burn the ships to ashes. We were doomed. There was nothing anyone could do about it.

This was the end.

***

There was pandemonium on the ship with everyone jumping off to avoid getting blown to bits. Georgey came up on deck with his friends as I was too terrified to move. Was this it? Was this the end? If that was the case, then Queen wherever you are, I am coming to meet you.

Four hurricanes had been created and they were heading towards us with tremendous force. The dragons all rose into the air and we knew what was going to come next. It was time to say goodbye to the world. It was time... to bow out. 

Ang held her brother close to her as she hid behind me with his friends.

I could not protect them, the same way I could not protect my people, my parents, my friends and Queen.

The dragons blew their flames down from the heavens above. I could feel the heat on my skin. It was familiar, like the one that had killed off Queen.

The ship started to break apart from the forces of the hurricanes and flames pouring down on it. I had to do something. I was a sitting duck here with Ang. We had to get off this ship.

Something crackled and shone blue in the distance. 

Meridius.

The greatest Sorcerer to have ever walked the earth, only rivaled by the power of the late Pontius. He appeared in battles to make sure that victory was his. Little was known of him but it had been said that he was immortal and had powers that even the demigods could not access.

He had created a ball of lightning as he was going to use it on us. Hurricanes, dragon flames and now the wizard, there was no escape now. Looking back to see the horrified looks on the faces of Ang, George and his friends was heartbreaking. The ship was empty except for the six of us. Well, we would surely not be missed.

The lightning was released as it crackled into my direction.

I began to have flashbacks of everyone I had lost and I felt a rush of energy burst out of me. I was running, but not away from the lightning, I was headed for it!

I could hear screams behind me but I didn't care anymore. I had no reason to fight before, but I did now. I fight to keep the balance between humans and gods, between sorcerers and demigods. Even though it was pointless fighting in this battle I would never give in to my fears. I was the son of a warrior for a reason, I would never back down.

Stepping off the hull of the ship, I jumped towards the lightning ball. I had no idea why I was making this crazy move, but I was not afraid. I was tired of living like a slave in my own nation. I was tired of seeing orphans around towns. I was tired of seeing broken homes and shattered dreams. I knew I would not survive this, but my courage kept pushing me forward and I was tired of living in fear.

"Xerxes, Nooooooooo!" she screamed, but it was too late.

I'm sorry Ang, maybe in the next life we would be friends. Until then, we fight for balance.

I was in close proximity with the lightning but I was not scared, I was happy.

It is over Xerxes, it is over.

A bright golden light flashed before my eyes as I felt so much power rush through me.

Then it all went black. What had happened to the bright golden light? I felt at peace.

Slowly opening my eyes to see the sky above, I wondered where I was. It was different now. The skies were not stormy but calm. Am I in heaven? Looking around got me even more confused. I was in a cherry field, the field of the gods. How did I get here?

What was this new feeling? Was I dead?

So many questions but no definite answer.

I'm sorry mother and father, I could not make any difference in this world. Maybe in the next life I would.

"Xerxes?" I heard a voice call out from behind. 

What? No. It can't be.

I turned around to see who it was as my eyes welled up. 

"Mother?"