Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ About Darkness ❯ Ambush ( Chapter 12 )

A rain of arrows pierced the air and came down onto the army of SeeDs as soon as it had left the ravine and marched out onto a wide field that was surrounded by hills.

 

“Charge!” Irvine's voice rose above the shocked and pained screams that followed the sudden attack. Crossbows were fired and a good amount of deadly bolts hit the enemy who was positioned on top of the rocky mounds.

 

“Attack!” Squall commanded before dashing towards the lines of archers. There was no way to find cover here, the trap was perfect. His men followed him, shields raised above their heads to shelter them from the next wave of arrows.

 

Edea's soldiers were numerous. As soon as the SeeDs had come close enough it was a battle of sword and gun.

 

Reno thrust forward, sword raised, and brought his blade down on an opponent. He looked around frantically. “Yuffie? Yuffie!”

 

The noise of the battle drowned out his words and he barely managed to duck as a blade entered his vision.

 

This was not one of Edea's troops that consisted of huge, barbaric soldiers which had entered her service long ago. These were partly regular men, Galbadians who had been forced into the army. Farmers, shoe makers and blacksmiths who did not know how to wield a sword or aim a gun.

 

It was a massacre. They did not stand a chance against the SeeDs. Reno knew that with every stroke of his sword he brought down a husband, a father or a son, and his hatred for Edea grew into a white-hot fire.

 

Xxx

 

Behind the lines of the Galbadian army Ellone stood next to Edea's field marshal, a giant dressed in rugged black leather, his heavy iron helmet covering part of his face, revealing nothing but small, red eyes and black teeth.

 

“This is no army to fight SeeDs!” she yelled, furious, as she let her eyes wander over the battle that had turned in favor for Balamb.

 

“We did not know you were coming. Your message only reached us two weeks ago. We did not have time to prepare…”

 

“Silent! I don't want to hear any excuses! Withdraw your men and head for Eringar! Rimholm is lost, the SeeDs will arrive there within two days” With that she mounted her horse and dashed West, leaving the battle field behind.

 

Xxx

 

“It was a trap” Cid's voice sounded hollow.

 

Irvine did not reply. He was tired and sore, and the stink of blood clung to his clothes and hair.

 

They had driven Edea's army away for now. //We were lucky they did not bring Brunths// he thought, shuddering at the thought of the beasts Edea's soldiers rode.

 

The SeeDs had buried their fallen comrades, built makeshift stretchers for the wounded and were heading for port Rimholm at a painfully slow pace now.

 

Cid had lost his horse to a bullet. His face was ashen and his eyes blank. Ellone had betrayed them all.

 

“Irvine!” Squall's voice sounded like an intruder, disrupting the heavy silence that lay upon the remains of Balamb's army.

 

Irvine shouldered his crossbow and cast Cid another concerned glance before heading towards the front where Squall was marching alongside Yuffie, Reno, Selphie and Rinoa.

 

“We need to go faster. I want to reach Rimholm tomorrow and head back to Balmb at once. We don't know if Edea's fleet is ready but I don't think we have any time to lose”

 

xxx