War

As I lay down my quill to this scroll, many images from the previous fortnight rush into my head...memories too vivid and overwhelming to be contained by this small piece of parchment, but I will try nonetheless to relate these experiences (faithfully and accurately, as always) to you. 

The date was 22 September in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Eight. The air was cool and crisp, a hint of autumn in the breeze that grazed my face as I trekked through the Alpine wilderness. On the surface it appeared to be just another beautiful day in the Austrian countryside -- birds twittering around, woodland creatures frolicking nearby -- but there was something not right...even unnatural...about this particular day. Maybe it was the way the air seemed to contain a hint of blood and death. Maybe it was the massive fortress of war I approached known as Festung Hohenwerfen on the hill overlooking the valley. It was like nature knew what was about to take place, and it was saturated with what was inevitable on this fateful day. 

The sun glinted off our spears as we trudged wearily to what felt sure to be our doom. My intestines felt like they were tying themselves in knots I was so nervous, but my grip on my weapon was firm. The soldier next to me, literally quaking with fear, exclaimed “Why are we even doing this?? We’re only college students on a study abroad trip! I didn’t sign up to die!” I back-handed him in the face with my iron-clad hand and felt no emotion at the blood trickling down his face. I had no interest in his cowardice and useless excuses. After all, this was war. 

Shortly thereafter, we halted our march. The whole world seemed to pause for a blissful moment as we gazed up the rocky, wooded ridge which seemed to thrust the mighty fortress toward the sun, shining brightly as if unaware of the violence that was about to take place. That moment was the last peace we would ever know. I never knew how much I enjoyed breathing until confronted with the thought of it ceasing. A speck materialized at the top of the hill, growing and elongating until it embedded itself into the throat of the soldier who had been so afraid to die. Time slowed as I watched him fall to his knees with the arrow protruding from his neck, this first messenger of death followed by a cloud of them, blotting out the sun. 

Then the world sped up with all its sound and fury as a cry of sheer passion and rage filled my throat and left my lips as I raised my spear in defiance to the shower of arrows and charged Hohenwerfen with all the spirit and strength I possessed. We dodged trees and arrows as we sprinted up the hillside, every second another companion hitting the ground and breathing his last. As I neared the walls, I took a flying leap off a rocky ledge and hurled my spear with such intensity that I thought for sure my arm would separate from my shoulder. The weapon found its resting place in between the ribs of one of the fortress’s guardians. He toppled off the battlement and struck the rock below with a sickening thud. 

I only had time to draw my sword from its sheath when the gates of the fortress burst open and armored soldiers flooded out and rushed at us with pure ferocity in their eyes. I ran the first one through his torso with my sword and spun and cut the legs out from under the next one. The soldiers behind me unleashed their spears into the mass of enemies, breaking their advance and allowing us to storm the gates. Another comrade screamed as burning oil was poured on him from the wall above, his face contorted with pain and anguish. I hurtled over the dead in front of me—whether friend or foe, I did not know—and dashed up the stairs straight to the throne room of the arrogant duke of this cursed citadel. I had to end this now. 

I stabbed, kicked, and pushed my way along the parapet, but there were just so many of them. I looked at the courtyard below in dismay as I saw that only a few of my comrades still stood. All of a sudden, white hot pain erupted in my back. An enemy had brought his axe down on me from behind, sending me to my knees. My sword fell from my weak grasp, my adversary smirking as he circled me. All conflict had ceased now, my comrades bleeding on the ground…we had failed. I met the stare of my foe with veracity as he brought his weapon up to send me to peaceful death. Hohenwerfen had been just too powerful to overcome, but it had been a worthy adversary. All I felt was a respect for its majesty and gratitude that I had been given the opportunity to storm its gates. And then all went black.