Monday, October 25, 2021

Sign of the Red Flag (A non-horror short story for Halloween)


This is something different from my normal post. This is not a horror story but a fantasy. It is actually a fun little story. I hope you enjoy this rough draft of.....

Sign of the Red Flag


The battle was lost. 

I couldn’t think of anything that we could do. These confused dangerous people that followed the dragons would win. Elizabeth was wore out, her power depleted. We were offered the opportunity to surrender before the battle began but after so much death, I doubted that they would be willing to accept our surrender now. 

I called over my servant and told him to run back and tell the villagers to prepare to move out. He didn’t realize how bad things were. Christy, Martin and Elizabeth had poured everything they had into this battle. My sword was available, but I was no expert. If I fell in battle the alliance would fall apart. 

I knew if they sent forward their main force we and the villagers would be slaughtered. I looked over at Elizabeth and I knew she was thinking the same thing. Maybe if we surrender it could buy the villagers time to escape. 

I looked around and there was nothing to tie my mostly white handkerchief to. I decided that my sword would do. I carefully drew it holding back the flame inside that wanted to ignite. I took the handkerchief stuck it on the end and before anyone could stop me I jumped over the rocks that Martin had moved to protect us.

I noticed the look of shock and fear on the face of the village leader. I didn’t realize why he had such a look but didn’t take time to think what it meant.

When I took the first few steps it seemed that every mental attack was aimed at me. I took a few more steps and stumbled before a small tree. I thought that maybe I should cut a branch and place the white flag of it. I quickly removed the handkerchief and brought my sword down against the tree. It took just a few seconds and the tree was ready. The handkerchief was tied to the top and I held it high in my left hand my naked sword down by my legs but a little out so that they could see where it was. 

I continued to walk slowly toward the enemy. Some of their warriors continued to send attacks in my direction but it seemed as if very thing had paused. I heard some yelling behind me. I knew it was my servant yelling out to the villagers. 

I saw a table sized rock not twenty feet in front of the stones that protected their main force. I planned to go there and lay my sword down. right before I reached the stone I saw it and my heart froze.

 A red flag came up from behind the stones right in front of me.

They meant to destroy us. I didn’t know what to do to show they they didn’t have to do this. As I looked at the stone in front of me rather than lay my sword down I jumped up on it and started waving the flag back and forth. 

I saw more red flags emerge first ten then twenty then so many I couldn’t count.

Then I heard the cheer from the ridge behind. I glanced behind me and the villager that I had sent word to move out had all come to the edge of the battle. The small group of defenders that we had been fighting with had moved from behind their defenses to stand on the open field behind me. 

In the confusion of the moment, I forgot about holding back the power of the sword and it burst into living flame. I looked forward again, now seeing a sea of red flags.

 I yelled “SURRENDER” at the top of my lungs. I meant to say, "we surrender."

Then it happened, weapons were thrown over the stones and men came from behind their defenses with their hands behind their backs (the universal sign of surrender in this world).

We had won but I didn’t know how.

It was explained to me later that the white cloth hanging on the edge of a town was a sign of health. The red a sign of sickness or injury.

Flags had never been used in battle before. The sight of me standing there taking the mental attack of the enemy, holding the white flag told them that we weren’t injured.  They thought we were about to destroy them. 

They had taken more injures than we realized and held up the red flags to show they were injured. Now they were willing to talk. 

When I yelled the word "surrender," it was the act that would make the red flag the universal sign of surrender forever.


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