A Long Way To Go

I stood at the edge of the wood, looking as the sun slowly set behind the hills ahead, the moon already shone bright and beautifully. I always felt safe with the moon up, as if it was watching over me, it was always there even if it hid behind the clouds and however much the land around me changed, the sky was always fundamentally the same.
I looked down at my dirty clothes and my worn leather armour, the sword that hung from my belt was beginning to feel heavy and every step I took, my weary legs and sore feet almost burnt with pain. I wished I was back home or that I could have stayed there and rested but I couldn't.
I took a few more steps and shifted my bag's weight to my less aching shoulder. The fight was long over but the smell of blood still lingered on me, it had been several hours since then and I had half walked half staggered a long way.
The cold wind sent shivers down my back bringing back bad memories of things I wished I had never known existed.
Images of the battle filled my head, only I had survived out of five of us. I don't know why the cold fearful demon let me live but I had to keep moving.
The memory of how my companions had fought to the death. How in his last breaths Merithor had whispered to me, as I held his hand once the demon had gone “Complete the mission, finish this strange nonsense that confuses me so, protect what we love! The green summer trees and long golden grass, our friends and family! Please promise to end this once and for all.” and I did promise, I swore upon my life I would do all in my power to end it, to end it all.
A tear ran down my cheek and over my lip, leaving a sad salty taste.
I stepped on towards the hills, wishing once again that I could have stayed and rested.
The woods were deep, dark and lovely, but I had promises to keep and I had a long way to go before I could rest. And a long way to go before I could stop.