A story of courage

- "If you had to choose between freedom and beliefs, which would you sacrifice?"

Far aside from the urbanized world there was a village in the past, it was peaceful and quiet. The people were friendly and warm, they had nothing to suffer from and lived content for many years.

Yet a dark secret was kept, a tale only known by the elders but the time came when the tales promise came true, a dark army honed their weapons for death. Once the elders told this tale to the villagers they started to scatter. Fear was written in their faces, they feared death, they feared loss. Their only option was escape so it seemed to them. Run away hide from the enemy's rage who had sworn to eradicate all vermin which they deemed the humans to be. Talking was futile, negotiating did not work. Crazed by their panic they started to run away. No options were left until one voice raised itself above all others.

"We fear the death yet we hide from the inevitable, we fear to lose our precious village yet we hide." A young man spoke with blazing eyes: "Why don't we fight? Why don't we protect our precious ones? Why do we act like cowards?"

People looked at him and stopped in their tracks. Their gaze watching him carefully. A moment of silence but then all and everyone turned away continuing their escape. The young man hung is head low and sighed:

"I will not be a coward!"

Then he walked away.

Noon had approached just a few hours later the villagers had hid them in their houses or ran across the forest to reach the mountains as the dark army reached the plains in front of the small and beautiful village. All had hid, all had fear, all but one, as he stepped onto the field the grass and breeze caressed his skin. His hand wrapped around the hilt of an old sword, eyes fixed onto the dark mass in front of him.

I chose to stand in front of my enemy. I did not choose to cower away and await my death.