Conquer

~13~

Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash 

The mountains tower over us like shadows in a room. I force myself to look away from their overwhelming figures and instead notice the cold sweeping through our pack. Men pull their cloaks around them tighter, some - with long hair - even letting their hair down for extra warmth.

I feel the rolling thunder beneath our feet from the pressure of a hundred battalions, their artillery dragging along. Each step that takes us into the mountains, I don my mental armour. I drop the constant glances at Percy, I drop the silly conversations with my friends, and I drop any grudge against Luke.

Instead, I focus on what lies in front of me. I rake up every ounce of strength within me, and use it to bar my heart and mind against the horrors of what will proceed soon. I refuse to fail when I am so close to bringing honour home to my family.

As a lie, a voice hisses.

My fingers tighten on the horse's reins, curling around it like a vice. Wind howls through the passageway between each cliff, as we trot in. It seems to be an echo of screams, almost warning us from what lies ahead. No one else seems to hear the cries of the long forgotten but me.

That is your fate, afterall, another voice whispers.

Percy keeps his head forward, not sparing a glance for me either. He wears a grim expression, those usual bright eyes cloudy with fear? Regret? Dread? All those emotions are too mixed for me to place, and I avert my eyes.

The army around me slowly transcends into silence. Unbearable silence. We all watch the lengthy cliffs on either side with apprehension, and the curving road ahead with fear. I think of my family back home each time my heart spikes. I think of how they may miss me, and how they may regret me leaving towards death.

Or they'll wish you never come back, a vial thought swirls around in the air.

"Don't," I say to myself, the low plea being carried away by the wind.

Leo continuously taps his thigh, eyes distant and saddened - just as I feel. I recall our declaration, as we all decided to take on this journey together. But here we are, in the sorrowful solitude of our own thoughts.

No more.

My voice begins soft and faint, hesitant almost. "Though the winds may whisper, such lovely gossip to themselves." The heads of my closest friends turn to look at me. I fight the urge to clam up and stop. We need to unite, and not lock ourselves, broken hearts, and cutting thoughts away. "We need not worry about such things - "

" - for the flower cannot blossom without rain - " Leo's singing voice carries louder than mine, down the line of ragged soldiers. A breakable smile carves across my face. 

" - which'll wash us clean of regret," Jason continues, his voice deeper and choppier.

Frank then goes, "Oh, winds, oh, winds, do not let me go of your grasp - "

" - for I would love to ride away on your tide, chasing - " I let my voice join theirs.

" - every insecurity," Luke sings, surprising us all.

"And hateful memory," a random soldier in the crowd carries on.

Soon, we are all singing the bold tune against the hissing and unforgiving winds in these passages. We let our own pain lace through the words, and tell the stories of more forgiving gusts of air, such as those back home.

I catch Percy's eye and his smile is gleaming with falling tears. I then realize I'm crying too, we all are. The men around me don't bother to wipe their tear-soaked faces, but open their mouths wider to chase the snake-like voices in these cliffs.

 Our heart-felt melody rises above the cliff's edges, the trees beyond that, and settling within the clouds to pass on. A hope so bright and fierce, not even I could dream of it.

The last line of the song comes, careening as the air bites any exposed skin of ours. I relish in the feeling of letting my true voice ring true, joining everyone in a mix-matched harmony, "Our souls refute the cursed paths of life, and we follow that cleansing rain without fear." 

This is not an actual song, I wrote it though. I wrote what worked best for this scene :) 

Have a good day/night wherever you are! - The Fangirl