Single for Eternity

Unfortunately for me, the supposed adversaries never arrived. I stood in the dead center of the clearing, waiting in anticipation, my mind conjuring up all sorts of dramatic entrances they might make.

Would they descend upon me like a swarm of locusts, overwhelming me with sheer numbers? Or perhaps they would stealthily approach, lurking in the shadows before striking with precision? Yet, as the minutes stretched into hours, reality shattered my expectations. The enemy never came.

’Are they having a meal or something??’

With a resigned sigh, I plopped down near the edge of the pond, picking up small pebbles and flicking them into the still water.

Each stone sent ripples across the surface, disrupting the mirror-like reflection of the starless sky above. The night remained eerily silent, a suffocating void of darkness stretching infinitely across the heavens, devoid of celestial comfort.

Eventually, my boredom won over my patience. With a childish grin, I slipped off my boots and dipped my feet into the water, relishing the chilling sensation against my skin.

A giggle escaped my lips—an odd contrast to the grim reality of my situation. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to indulge in the simple pleasure, kicking at the water and watching the droplets dance in the air.

Then, just as the first hints of dawn painted the horizon in pale hues of orange and pink, I heard it—a rhythmic, metallic clatter echoing through the still morning air. The sound of heavy boots crushing the grass, of armor clinking with every deliberate step.

’Finally!!! Took you all long enough.’

I rose to my feet, stretching my arms, cracking my neck, and flexing my fingers in preparation. My eyes darted toward the grass path leading from the town, where the figures of my so-called adversaries finally emerged.

’They’re... straightforward, I guess?’