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Rated: 13+ · Short Story · Fantasy · #1861135
A soldier gives his final thoughts as he dies.

A man lies on a field, broken, ruined. His life is slowly seeping onto the ground, and the sounds of battle continue around him. His allies continue their fight, hopeless as it may be. Their battle cries echo around the valley, and the field where the soldier lies is soaked with the blood of both sides. He is tired, but some part of him keeps holding on, unwilling to submit.

The man had a wife and a child, both of them are now dead. That is why he joined the war, the Arch-magi needed able bodied men and women, and he volunteered. He wanted, no, needed revenge. And he would get it. But now, now he was dieing. He could never get his revenge. Had he failed? He had slain many, but the one who murdered his family was still at large.

This man is now crying. Tears drop to the ground, sliding off of his face. Some of sadness, others of pain. He was told once, that before you die, your life flashes before you. They lied. It is black, empty like the Void. And he is alone. He hears his allies start yelling, it seems to be out of fear, anxiety. What is happening? He wishes he could help.

This man can not believe he was dieing. No man can. And not this way. No one ever envisions such a sad and painful death. They expect one that is fast and glorious. But life isn't that way. And none of the mages would help him, they would never heal a simple soldier, he wasn't worth it.

He finally is able to fully open his eyes, and is filled with sadness at what he sees. His army, the army he was now dieing for, was being massacred. They simply couldn't fight back. The creatures would never stop. They would simply continue. A part of him cries out, to any higher powers that may exist. He has never truly believed in any higher being, but, being faced with this, he cries out for one to help his people win this war. The battle may be lost, but not the war.

Then, it finally becomes final. The army retreats, the beasts follow them, killing any who can not run fast enough. And he lies there. No one helped him. No beast killed him. He simply lies there, and waits for death. Perhaps this could of ended differently, if he had something to live for. But now, there was nothing. Nothing to help him here.

Nothing to give him hope.
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