Dragon Rider (#Wattys2016)

A Christmas Gift

               

Sound The Bugle by Bryan Adams in the video

Third Person's Point of View

Recap:

Let us remember Ala and Igraine forever. Rolland said sternly.

Let us remember all those who have died as heroes. Storm replied.

End Recap

It was the night before the main attack on the capital, Elpride. There was a campfire but a morbid feeling held the camp captive. The feeling of uncertainty and the tension in the atmosphere didn't help anyone's mood. There was a general sense of apprehension and hopelessness was drowning everyone in the camp. Even the dragons were quiet, no songs were being sung, nor any instruments being played. Everyone was worried about what would happen soon, they had all worked so hard to get to where they were, and tomorrow would prove whether it was worth anything. Tomorrow would be the day whether they won or lost. Tomorrow they would enter battle to defeat the tyranny that held theirs land enslaved. Yet... Yet they had lost so many already in, what seems now, insignificant battles, what hope could they have? They were all going to die at the hands of Dragon Riders and Magicians...

Those who were sitting around the campfire, which seemed so small and pointless, were speaking to each other in hushed whispers. The dragons were laying nearby in groups, which was nothing new, yet none moved nor made any sound – a show of how the thought of tomorrow was effecting them. Storm was lying beside Rolland and neither were talking or moving. Storm was thinking over what could happen tomorrow. Although he knew such thoughts would not help his worries or ease his fears, they were better than thinking of other things. Yet the thought of tomorrow brought so much worry. His worry, doubled by Thea's, was only leading him into an endless pit of despair and hopelessness.

A single birdcall rang through the clearing, dragons and humans lifted their heads at the sound. To Storm the bird sounded lonely, and was almost warning what would happen if he followed through with the plan – that none would live. In the silence that followed the birdcall, Storm tried to hear any other sounds but heard nothing. It seemed that the forest was being imprisoned by the atmosphere of the camp. For a few more moments, Storm listened to the silence, and then, someone started singing.

"Sound the bugle now, play it just for me." Someone sung, their voice sounding weary and hopeless. In the small pause that followed, no one spoke or moved they all waited. "As the seasons change, remember how I used to be." The voice now sounded wistful, and Storm found himself moved and wishing for simpler times. In the small break that followed, a guitar picked up the song, the sound played softly in the background. "Now I can't go on, I can't even start." Storm and Thea both found themselves snared by the words, as they said the truth the pair could never admit.

"I've got nothing left, just an empty heart." In this line, there was a harmony as someone else joined in the singing. There was a large pause as everything fell silent, even the guitar stopped its gentle sound.

"I'm a solder, wounded so I must give up the fight." Someone new sung, their voice sounding heartbroken and tired. "There's nothing more for me, lead me away." The person's voice sounded louder now, as if it was this line that spoke to them.

A breeze ruffled the trees in the small silence. "Or leave me lying here," all the singers sung, their voices soft and in harmony. With that, someone picked up the beat by clinking a pair of daggers together as a few more instruments joined in.