The Valliant Heart: The Black Death

The next day came very fast. I grabbed one of my spare armours that I was going to dispose after the task. The time has come. And soon enough I was riding into the battle with invisible enemy. The Operation Black Death. I was feeling awful after the events of yesterday and worse things were ahead of me still. Soon we approached the village gate and The Major ordered us to make a line and so we did. He started to assign people into groups. I knew that my task will take a lot of effort from me but even more from those who will come with me. Everyone took the masks on and grabbed the equipment prepared for the task.And then all of us listened to the commands of the Major and even more as he started to call out names. "Captain Nethillon..." - I heard the Major calling my name and so I approached as he continued. "Captain Nirna, Lanfeld and Jazam, Sarleya, Nyraewyn, Taechla and Deorlinda. You will enter the village under Captain Nethillon's lead. The others stay here." - Major Comak then spoke. We formed a group as I heard another voice coming from behind. "Major..." - Said someone and as I turned around I recognized it was Private First Class Velam's voice. Ah yes, I should have been expecting him to stand up to the major. I knew he would try to join my group. "I want to go inside too..." - He then said towards Major Comak but he wasn't pleased with it. "Request denied, you will stay here." - He said with a hard tone towards Velam. "But Sir..." - He still tried to approach the major. "That's an order private!" - Comak then shouted towards Velam and all was decided. But I could tell that he wasn't pleased with it. "Alright Captain Nethillon, the case is in your hands now. If you get illness inside pray to the light. Good Luck all." - Major Comak then said towards me and saluted our group. "Yes, Sir" - I then said before turning to the group that had to enter with me. "Alright, my friends. We move inside now. Let the light shine upon our path." - I said towards them and gave Comak one last salute. Then we entered the village. The smell of rot and sight of the dead bodies welcomed us as we came into the village. I was deeply saddened by the sight as I was hoping that we still could save most of people here. Soldiers kept telling the stories about dead bodies they have encountered before but I stayed silent and focused on the task. "We shall look for the survivors now." - I said towards my companions then I heard a voice coming from afar. "HELP US!" - The scream drew closer as we kept walking. "Did anyone hear that?" - I asked the others but it was too late for an answer. I have seen a man in front of me. His eyes were full of pain and his body rotten. He approached me really close. "Help..." - He then said once again with a weak tone before falling to the ground right in front of me. "Gods! Stay back Nethillon!" - I heard Nyraewyn's shout towards me and I knew that she was right. I took a step back alongside Taechla the Bard. The healers glanced down at the man and started to examine him as we heard another voice coming from ahead. "Don't touch him... you will get infected too..." - Another survivor was standing nearby, but keeping a safe distance from me and the others. - "Only five of us left. Why are you here?" - The man asked then. Everyone remained silent for a while but this could cause panic around. "We can't save them, Captain.." - I heard then the words of Mister Jazam, the healer. After that I've heard words of both Nyraewyn and Lanfeld which reassured me a bit and I still had a brink of hope in my heart. Another survivors approached not long ago. One of them examined me closely. "It's the army. I told you Rosdamor, they are going to kill us." - The woman said towards the man standing nearby. I then looked at her and decided to share the hope with them. "We will not kill you, Miss. We are here to save you." - I said calmly towards the woman and the others. I was trying to calm them down as we were doing our work. It came out that the Haradrim have contaminated the water source and we needed to investigate it. I sent then our Bard and one of the fiercest warriors - Taechla and Sarleya to investigate the cause as we continued to deal with the situation. It was turning hopeless with each move we did. Soon enough we found out that there was nothing we could do to save them and so the healers have decided to poison them to end their suffering. The villagers trusted me so they decided to take the poison. They've been told that it was the medicine.  They kept dying in front of me one by one. The last man looked at me. "They aren't sleeping. How could you..."  - He said and this were his last words. I was feeling terrible with it. I promised them that they will be saved and instead I was the one that allowed to take their lives from them. I was feeling so broken. But I needed to stay strong for my fellow soldiers and our safe return home. "I am sorry..." - I whispered just before we all fell into mourning. Soon enough we managed to follow Sarleya's and Taechla's footsteps to the river just to arrive in time for another situation we needed to deal with. Two men of Harad were still present there alongside our scouts. I stood beside Taechla as she tried to speak with the Haradrim in their language. "Caëm Uth-hial, Breach! (stay your hands!)" - She cried out to them. I was watching the scene as Sarleya approached me. "Captain.. permission to cut some heads off?" - She asked with her hand on the weapon. "Stay your hand yet, Sarleya." - I said calmly and remained focused on the situation. Taechla talked with those fiends for a while but with no result. Suddenly I have spotted a spear flying towards Nyraewyn that could most likely kill her. I had to react I raised my shield as soon as I could and shielded her whatever happens but I didn't manage to pu off the danger which broke me somehow. As Nyraewyn threw her spear and fell I charged towards the attacker. "Kill them!" - i shouted towards my companions and attacked the Haradrim. With such a force I managed to thrust my sword through the man's chest and then watched as he falls dead to the ground. I felt good with it as he endangered my closest friend and for that he died. Then I rejoined the others with Sarleya and charged at the other man. Soon enough both of them were slain by the army. The first thing I did afterwards was to check on Nyra. i was worried about her. They seemed to be busy with securing Taechla's wound. Ah yes... she was really a hero of today. I ventured back to the Haradrim bodies and soon Captain Nirna approached me. "Captain Nethillon, look here! I found a map" - She said and  held the piece of parchment in the air. Then I came closer as we both inspected the map. By that way soon we found the source of the Haradrim and already knew what our next task would be in the future. Soon enough I split the tasks between the soldiers and as they left the blasted village I put the fire to the bodies and buildings then ran to the gate myself. Next task for us was getting our wounded back to the Garrison. After some hours we were already back on the Island. I entered the palace in silence as I heard Taechla's voice around. "I rested on my.. er, <Abi-Naeq>, my horse. I rested on the boat. I shall require wine! - not rest" - She kept saying to the healers as they insisted on her to rest. I left my weapons by the door and looked at Nyraewyn, who entered the house not long after me. I helped her inside as I knew she was through much today. And so we approached the others to talk about the operation. We spend hours on it planning our next moves and analysing what was and could have been done back in the village. I was still feeling broken. Both because of Nyraewyn and broken trust of the villagers. So it seems that i was back home, but at what cost? What would my parents say if they learned that their son broke the innocents' trust? I needed to end the matter there as we were already heading to rest. And as I had to leave again in the morning I just went outside for a moment to enjoy the night and looked at the others talking or even arguing there. Then I just fell asleep on the porch and everything started to seem so far away for me.