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But I don't have a weapon, and there are five of them, all trying to cut me in two. I fling a handful of dirt into an orc's face and make a scrambling run. There's a small ridge. If I can get to the top of that, I'd have a better vantage point to pick out where to run next.
My lungs are already burning, and my legs feel like they're on fire, but I push past the pain and run. I skid to a halt when I see that on the other side of the ridge is about twenty feet of empty sky, followed by treetops.
I don't know how far it is to the ground. The canopy is too thick. But I'm sure it's more than enough to kill me.
I turn, and the orcs have cut off my chance of escape. They know they have me cornered, and they advance slowly. Not out of caution. No, they like the taste of fear in their meat. But I don't plan on giving them the satisfaction.
But my options here are limited. I can't fight them. I can't outrun them. But I can jump.
I had a good run. There were a lot of things I never got to do. Like, learn to read. Fall in love. Get drunk. Have kids. Raise a family. But maybe me dying here means Sasha can live to go to do those things for me. Maybe it means Mary and Joshua can figure out they're crazy for each other. Maybe it means all the others get to be free.
I feel the tears on my cheeks. At first, I hate myself for crying, for being weak, but then I realize I'm not sad. I'm happy. It's a good death.
The orcs advance towards me. The leader, an orc who's half a head taller than the rest with a big scar on his nose, says, "There's nowhere left to run, little girl. Why don't you come here before you fall? You gave a good chase. But it's over."
"Fuck. You."
As far as final words go, they are not the most eloquent, but I never learned to read, so I haven't had the chance to study up on famous last words. Oh, well.
I fling myself off the cliff, hoping that the impact is enough to kill me instantly. I deserve that, at least—a quick, painless death.
When I smash into the first branch, I realize that's not going to be what I'll get. The impact knocks the wind out of me, and I crash into more and more branches. I think for a second, I don't have to die, but I can't get a hold on anything able to support my weight and continue to fall.
The last ten feet is an unobstructed path straight to the ground. Every part of my body hurts. I'm sure I'm dead. It'll just be slow and painful. Darkness starts to creep in at the edges of my vision, and just before everything goes black, I hear a subtle hiss.
32
UZHA
"They befoul the land with their presences and must be destroyed," Kazhir shouts, full of fury. He's an excellent general, though the display isn't needed. I already agree with him. I don't like the way the orcs have harried our borders. While they haven't killed any naga in their most recent attacks, it's only a matter of time before they do.
Where Kazhir and I disagree is on the strategy of how to eliminate them.
"Yes," I say, gliding around my desk towards him. "They're pushing more into our territory every day and threatening our people. But if you attack from the east, you'll approach them from a disadvantage. It's quite literally an uphill battle."
"Then what would you suggest we do?" he asks with an exasperated hiss.
He and I have rarely seen eye-to-eye on strategy, but I find the ways we disagree have often been helpful in shaping my battle plans. While our discussions can sometimes appear rather antagonistic, I value his efforts in tearing my plans to pieces. He sees flaws and holes in my strategies I never considered.
Every leader needs a Kazhir at their side. I just happen to be lucky to have the only one.
"We attack them from the north," I say.
I do love getting him to pause like this as he tries to figure out my strategy and already pokes holes in it.
"But we need our troops in the east to defend the border, or they will sweep in and take prime grazing territory for our animals."
"Oh, I wasn't planning to leave the east completely unguarded. We position troops to the east as though we are preparing to attack, but we'll have sent an advance army across the river," I say, pointing to the map.
He looks at the map and shakes his head.
"That spreads our numbers too thin."
"No thinner than if we send all our troops charging up that hill. Just because we don't fear them, nor fear death to protect our honor or our homeland, doesn't mean we need to throw troops away needlessly."
"Either plan is a risk, but I'll carry out whatever strategy you believe is best."
"And I can trust you to carry it out in exacting detail as always."
