"No. We have seen too many cities fall to invasions, we must not let Yew fall." Said a guard sitting upon a dead tree trunk. "Jared, I am not leaveing."

"Look around you!" Jared motioned his hands around him, "What do you see? People infested with this plauge, Duka's, bog creatures, and these armies sent by Blackthorn. It is over Darren, there is nothing left."

There was a moment of slience between the two guards, their feet sank deeper into the swamps murky ground. The sounds of battle, and screaming, could be heard off behind the trees near Yew.

"I am not leaving." Darren stood up, his leather armor gleaming with a green and brown mold. "I will stay and fight till the end."

"Then you are a fool." Jared turned around and left, walking away from the ruined city. "Prove me wrong." and with that, Jared had vanished from view.

Darren stood in the dim light of the fading sun, looking to where his companion had left. Small flies buzzed around his face and ears. Then a thought crossed his mind. Maybe he could run, leave, and forget Yew altogther. No, that would be the cowards way out, and other towns would follow with Yew.

He gripped his sword that was dangling from his hip, and started back to Yew. The ground gave way with a wet squish with each step of his boots.

"Maybe there is some hope left here..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~