Trendil's Story part 30 - The Shout Heard 'Round the World
Entry posted by jfraser in Trendil's Story
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Trendil leaned on the heavy branch, willing her body forward. Just…a…few…more…steps. Her body had only two feelings: omnipresent pain and infant-level weakness. It was only by sheer force of will that she dragged herself through the ruined gateway of what remained of the ruined city of Solitude. Once past the gateway, she allowed herself to collapse, sucking in pained breaths as she surveyed the half-a-city that remained.
She wasn’t sure why she had bothered – there was nothing left but shattered buildings and broken bodies. She supposed it was only for her own ego – after all the years, she had arrived at her destination. Solitude was officially in the hands of the Stormcloaks. The war was over, and they had won.
A chuckle squeezed past the pain. If this was winning, she would hate to see what losing felt like!
The chuckle turned into a coughing fit that brought up thick blood. She sighed as it dripped from her lips, spattering the ground beneath her, and spared some thought for her mother.
What would the mighty Melissa Shae, youngest Ansei in history, who had manifested her y̌êz buud before her first period (so she claimed), have done differently? How would she have fared against an attack by thousands of dragons?
Trendil shook her head. Presumably her mother would face that very question soon enough. How she would respond…well, Trendil would never know. Pity. She would give anything to see the dragons versus the Shûyaa Shî Yee Y̌êz.
Her body heaved and the pain caused her to black out. When she came back to herself, the sky had grown darker. She had survived one more day but she was certain she would not see the next.
She shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position in which to die, but it was like trying to find a comfortable spot in a box of needles. No matter which way she turned, pain was the only result. She gave up as the last of her strength ebbed away and wished her body would just hurry up and get it over with. Where was a bloody dragon when you needed one?
As if in response, she heard a distant sound; a shout on the wind from long miles away. Trendil could not make out any word that she knew and strained to hear more as a sudden wind kicked up. Not just a gust, but a full hurricane-strength blast that tore through the blasted city, sweeping away bodies and debris in an instant. Trendil closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands as her aching body was buffeted. Then she felt herself lifted and blown away as darkness engulfed her.
Edited by jfraser
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