Through the Eyes of My Enemy

## Author

Terry

***Through the Eyes of My Enemy*** was a book written by Terry during Dragonhollow's Fifth Era.

It told the story of a miner's revelation regarding an old deceased friend while under siege in his own home.

## Content

The trip home from the mine was all but peaceful. Throughout my hike I encountered the undead. One after another I hacked away at their lifeless forms, picking up what few items they dropped. I approached my home on the top of a hill. I like it here. I can see most creatures before they see me. I walked inside and was greeted by my dog, happiness was in his eyes. I emptied my bag and retired for the remainder of the night, tired from the long day…

I woke with a start. My dog was barking and growling, his eyes locked on the door with vicious determination to protect me. Opening the door, I saw nothing. I checked outside the windows, again, nothing. I was about to return to bed when I heard a mass of bones crash to the ground behind me. I spun around, fear taking hold. Was this the end?

The first arrow struck…

Pain shot throughout my leg as the arrow pierced my flesh. I couldn’t help but let out a shout. More creatures were on their way now. I readied my shield. My attacker strafed around me. Slowed, I followed him, blocking each arrow. Every few seconds I would let down my shield to attack with my old sword. My sword has been at my side for as long as I can remember, it was a gift from a friend before he passed on. His life was taken by a skeleton that same day…

I slashed at the skeleton in front of me, knocking a limb off with each sweep. As I was about to end it, my sword broke. My adversary’s yellowed teeth formed a grin as he lay there, unable to move. I had no choice but to finish what I started with my own hands. I knelt down beside my enemy, firmly grasped his spine and skull, and twisted until I felt no resistance.

The battle was over. I had won. The skeleton’s jaw, limp. I had come by a trophy to remember this battle by. Not his bow, not his armor. I had, in my hands, his skull. Other times when I killed creatures their skulls were destroyed; crushed by whatever I had used. But this time, this time I finished the battle with an undamaged skull.

I could see the creatures approaching at the foot of the hill. On all sides skeletons, zombies, and spiders by the dozens all approached my home. I limped inside, my dog whimpering as his tail thrashed back and forth. I shut the door and dimmed the torch, thinking that if the monsters couldn’t see me I would be safe. I was not. The dead beat at my door, causing it to crack a bit every so often. Surrounded on all sides, I knew that this would be the end. In a last attempt to save my life, I donned the skull of my enemy, and for once, I saw the world through their eyes.

While I waited for the inevitable, I looked at what else the skeleton had dropped. His bow was nothing spectacular, barely more than three sticks and some string. In his armor though, in his armor I made a discovery. One that shook me to my core.

When my friend died, I was with him. We were in a mine together and had just struck gold for the first time. In our celebration we forgot to close the hole that we had opened to get where we were. Monsters began approaching, we could hear their footsteps echo throughout the caves. We grabbed what gold we could and began sprinting away. As we approached the ladder to escape, my friend took an arrow to his back. Laying on the ground, he used his shield to beat back the skeleton and his sword to crush his bones to powder. He knew that he would not make it back. Looking up at me, his eyes sad, determined, and loving all at the same time. He told me that he would keep the monsters back while I escaped. He told me to take his sword. He told me to just survive somehow.

As I climbed up the ladder I could hear his cries of pain. I couldn’t bear to look back. Within a minute, all was quiet. The only sound to be heard was the water rippling in the wind. I was with him when he died, and now he would be with me as I died.

Looking at the armor, skull on head, I found his initials carved on the front. Eyes full of tears I ripped the skull off my head and cast it aside. I had killed my friend, though he tried to kill me. Looking through his eyes I understood though. I understood why he was trying to kill me. He was trying to save me. He was trying to save me from a death like his. He wanted it to be fast with a simple arrow through my heart. I decided that I would see this out to the end. I donned his armor, picked up my shield, grabbed an axe, and prepared for the door to come down. My dog waited with me. When the door came down the monsters flowed in. I cut down as many as I could before I was overtaken.

Through my own screams I felt an odd bliss. Knowing this was the end of one life, another was ready to begin. I blacked out. My consciousness floating in an endless void. This was midway. After this I would rise again. After this I would save other humans from a cruel, slow death. After this I would pick up a bow, fill a quiver, and become a savior in the night.