Hope Renewed

HOPE RENEWED

They showed up as expected in their drab brown robes adorned with sheaves and their swords in hand.  As soon as my sword started smoking in contact with the poisonous gas, I knew they were close.  We’ve done this dance before; I would think they would have learned by now it was fruitless.  Their gas had no effect on me.  My sword, given to me by Thorin, Sharon’s father practically wielded itself.  I named it Whirl.  All I had to do was hang on. 

As the attack came, Whirl flew into action, parry, block, and thrust.  I think I might have had some control in the fight as I envisioned how it would go for them without their gas mask.  Then as quickly as the thought came to me my wrist twisted and neatly sliced the filter canister from one mask off.  The agent of despair hit the floor as almost as quickly as the filter.  In seconds, he dissolved and like sand poured through the cracks in the floor and was gone.  

The others hung back circling looking for an in so one could get by.  I knew they didn’t care about me.  I was just an obstacle to them.  They wanted Sharon.  I saw her in the corner of my eye on the roof ledge doing her thing.

I could feel the hate and frustration emanate from them as they search for an opening.  Then a couple lunged from two sides.  Whirl kicked in with a burst that cleaved one sword in half and thrust through the center of the other's chest.  He followed his comrade through the floor. 

I glanced at the clock tower glowing in the distance.  Another hour and the moon will be beyond its apex and no longer be full.  These poor wretched things will go away when they fail to stop Sharon from her entreating the spirit world that we draw our life force from.

Every full moon she captures the essence of hope, love, and charity and spreads it around the world.  These creatures come every time and try to stop her.  I’ve resigned myself to my role as her protector and when I’m unable to withstand the forces of despair and deceit Whirl will release me at which point Sharon’s father will select another.  For now, I am her protector.

I don’t know much about Sharon.  She was doing this when I got the job.  She never seems to age; I suspect she will be going on with her task after I’m gone. 

It always works this way, the closer to the shift of the moon their attack intensifies.  I drop into a squat and roll through four attackers as their swords come together in the spot I was just in.  Whirl and I twist like a storm and two masked heads roll across the floor the other two retreat.

The fighting is always the same.  But, wait.  This time is different.  Instead of attacking me again the two start to climb the wall trying to access the roof – and Sharon.  They have never done that before.  Three more put themselves between the two climbers and me. 

I have never attacked them before.  I’ve always just fended them off.  Even as wretched as the creatures are and also in their desire to kill the hope of humanity and instill despair and loathing, I’ve only felt pity for them. 

I plowed through the three like they weren’t there and struck the hilt of Whirl on the wall.  The building shook, and the two miserable attackers fell to the ground.  I raised Whirl to dispatch them when Sharon turned and waved.

I felt the renewal of hope instantly radiate through me.  I lowered Whirl as the poor creatures crawled away and disappeared into the shadows.  I sheaved Whirl and headed for the door feeling good about the fate of mankind.  She makes it all worthwhile for everyone somehow.