Legends of the Fall
Chapter One
His footsteps echoed off the concrete floor, noise resounding against the hard rock walls. The gentle drip, drip, drip of the water droplets greeted him as he walked, switching their residences from ceiling to murky pooled water below. His large coat swept around him, shielding his gaunt frame from the barren surroundings.
A door clicked to his left, metal sliding against cold metal, allowing the young soldier to exit into the hallways. He took a few steps before realizing that he wasn’t alone in the cramped quarters. At the sight of the higher rank, his eyes dropped to the floor, back straightening as if tied to a pole. “Sir,” he spoke as loudly as his voice would allow. The letters shot around the hall, bouncing against walls, repeating themselves in an eerie fashion.
Zemus didn’t look up as the young boy spoke, only continued walking as if there was no one there in the first place. He had nothing to say, nothing to add any hope or purpose to the soldier’s heart. Because, in his opinion, there was no more hope for anyone… Not now. They passed, the boy’s eyes still locked on his grubby boots, the man’s still staring straight ahead.
And soon enough the door loomed before him, growing larger and larger with each splash of water under his boots. Jaw set against the upcoming news, he pushed the keypad that would seal all of their fates.
Almost immediately he was assaulted by the number of voices, a stark contrast to the solitary quiet just behind him now. He heard men shouting, struggling to be heard. He heard the beating of hearts to the drums of fear and adrenaline. He heard one voice in particular, fighting to maintain composure. That was Kain’s lieutenant, was it not? So then he must have been on recon again, and at such a time as this. She was towards the back of the room, amidst a group of other ranks.
“But they must have known!” she whimpered. “They must have known what would happen!” Her voice cracked then, and a small hand shot over her quivering lips.
“Maybe they did,” another lieutenant picked up. “Or maybe they didn’t. It’s not our place, Kyale, you know that. We must not question,” he finished, lowering his head as a sob escaped her pinched lips.
All this fuss over a minor battle? He didn’t understand, couldn’t fathom why anyone would be so worked up over something so small, when the weight of the world was shadowing him at that very moment. Could they even handle the news he had come to dispense? Lamere was nothing – a meager pebble in a river next to this. His hand passed over his weary face, whether in preparation or stalling, no one would ever know.
“Eris has fallen. Jeremiah is dead.”
A door clicked to his left, metal sliding against cold metal, allowing the young soldier to exit into the hallways. He took a few steps before realizing that he wasn’t alone in the cramped quarters. At the sight of the higher rank, his eyes dropped to the floor, back straightening as if tied to a pole. “Sir,” he spoke as loudly as his voice would allow. The letters shot around the hall, bouncing against walls, repeating themselves in an eerie fashion.
Zemus didn’t look up as the young boy spoke, only continued walking as if there was no one there in the first place. He had nothing to say, nothing to add any hope or purpose to the soldier’s heart. Because, in his opinion, there was no more hope for anyone… Not now. They passed, the boy’s eyes still locked on his grubby boots, the man’s still staring straight ahead.
And soon enough the door loomed before him, growing larger and larger with each splash of water under his boots. Jaw set against the upcoming news, he pushed the keypad that would seal all of their fates.
Almost immediately he was assaulted by the number of voices, a stark contrast to the solitary quiet just behind him now. He heard men shouting, struggling to be heard. He heard the beating of hearts to the drums of fear and adrenaline. He heard one voice in particular, fighting to maintain composure. That was Kain’s lieutenant, was it not? So then he must have been on recon again, and at such a time as this. She was towards the back of the room, amidst a group of other ranks.
“But they must have known!” she whimpered. “They must have known what would happen!” Her voice cracked then, and a small hand shot over her quivering lips.
“Maybe they did,” another lieutenant picked up. “Or maybe they didn’t. It’s not our place, Kyale, you know that. We must not question,” he finished, lowering his head as a sob escaped her pinched lips.
All this fuss over a minor battle? He didn’t understand, couldn’t fathom why anyone would be so worked up over something so small, when the weight of the world was shadowing him at that very moment. Could they even handle the news he had come to dispense? Lamere was nothing – a meager pebble in a river next to this. His hand passed over his weary face, whether in preparation or stalling, no one would ever know.
“Eris has fallen. Jeremiah is dead.”