Multiple authors story - write one paragraph each

[Rodion Romanovich]

3
Not much was left of the footwear by now. I could vaguely feel the remnants of it scrape my already sore, soaked feet. As I looked forward I dogmatically hoped it was only a dream, a nightmare. Soon I would wake up at home, sitting by the fire, having gone dozy in it's pleasant heat. I smiled at the thought. Would I ever have realized how wonderful that fire could be if I hadn't been here? On the other hand, it struck me, would I have needed such wonderful things if there hadn't been such pain that needed to be compensated? I was awaken from my thoughts by a distant light, that penetrated the whirling snow. It flickered once, then disappeared. I wondered if it had been a hallucination, or if it really was a sign of other human beings. I was thankful that the captains were already leading us in it's direction - my cheekbones were aching too much from the cold for me to be able to tell them about what I had seen. If it had been a real light, then we would soon all see it.

[Kraxis]

4
The winds increased once more, the snowflakes striking like razors. The breathing got heavier and the walking got slower.
The column of men and animals streching both back and ahead, all staggering forward as if some sort of automatons. All the faces sagging and the eyes near dead.
From behind a yell was followed by the sounds of thundering hoofs... "No... not again..." was the wearied thought that blanketed my mind.

[SwordsMaster]

Ok, why not?

5

I thought about the stupid repetition of the same movements over and over. The futility of the operation, evident more than ever in that particular moment: kill to stay alive. A ritual men have been performing through the ages and the generations without it never becoming obsolete. I knew there was no choice. In the place I occupied in the universe, this was my duty. And there was no point asking yourself why.

[Rodion Romanovich]

6
The thundering sound of hooves drew closer, I readied my weapon in preparation for what was to come. Parts of the column had already reacted by halting, forming smaller line segments facing the incoming cavalry, while others had still not heard the sounds. Luckily enough, the incoming cavalrymen turned out to be our own, which meant we hadn't been taken completely by surprise, caught in disarray. However, there were stains of blood on their shirts, the men were barely conscious, many of them in strange distorted poses, heads and chest resting on the necks of their horses, barely keeping them on the horseback. I suspected some of them must be dead, their horses having simply followed the other horses when their masters had died, and they had no longer received any orders. "They're coming! They're coming!" yelled one of the few cavalrymen who hadn't got any blood on his shirt, and still seemed alert despite the long march. He was pointing in the direction he had come from. In the distance, I heard one of the captains calling for the cavalryman. It sounded as if he was asking about the strength of the enemy, but the wind kept me from hearing the details. I carefully patted the tip of my weapon, touched it's simple, yet lethal, principle in my, by the cold almost petrified, hands. And then the thundering sound of hooves began once again, but this time it was a hundred times more powerful than last time. This time it was the enemy coming. I felt my pulse quickening, my petrified hands awakening and grasping the weapon firmer than was my intention. The ground was shaking, literally. This enemy is far beyond our capabilities I thought. It was the last thing I remember thinking before my instincts took control over me, mechanically making me react to the orders, preparing to kill to survive. And then I saw the first black silhouettes of cavalrymen.

[Kraxis]

7
Dread... Utter dread! And at the same time the coldness broguht nothing but carelessness. If the situation hadn't been so serious I would likely have wondered at it, but now was not the time.
I slung the tall kiteshield to my front, gripping the leatherstraps tightly, making sure it fit snugly. But no matter how long I would have worked on it, it was still half destroyed, the boards open to the elements from many cuts to the lining leather, the point cut off and a large cut into the upper edge where a sword had been stuck.
I grapped my spear, my trusty spear, tighter, at least it was still in one piece. It would become important once more.
I ran towards the raggard line of soldiers forming up to recieve the horsemen. I just hoped I would reach them before the first horsmen flowed around them, wouldn't do good to be caught alone...

[SwordsMaster]

8

"Someone bring a light!" crossed my head as I felt the shoulder of a comrade in the snow. I couldn't see. Instinctively I turned in the same direction as everyone else. Still no charge. We waited. I saw an officer's helmet very close, the horses' hair at the top blowing into my face. Then I heard a whipping sound, blood splattered my face and the hair was gone. "Arrows!" I shouted I knelt behind the shield.

[Zomby_Woof]

9

For so long we had put up with the bitter cold, wanting nothing more than heat. Some of the men got what they desired in that initial volley as warm blood spread across their freezing bodies. I doubt they saw the irony, at the time neither did I. Another volley struck down on our pathetic line of spears before the clapping of hooves could be heard again. The enemy was attempting a direct cavalry charge on our position. Under normal conditions this would seem tactically unsound, but we were desperate men and if we even managed to hold until the first sight of the mounted warriors we all would be impressed with our own bravery. Already, the men on the rear and flank were turning tail and running, it was too bad I hadn’t been fortunate enough to be back there; I was caught in the middle and wouldn’t be able to retreat, at least not until the rest of our unit fell apart and abandoned the army.