Last Moments

I stood and watched the battle, watched my other friends fight hard. For the sake of our people. For the sake of our universe. The evil forces bite hard against our soft defenses. We are all that stand in their way of total annihilation.

One by one, we watched our homes burn, the ground torn asunder by the thundering hooves from their battle cry. Our temples crumbled from their arrival. Our hopes, no longer so.

I feel the pain of my earth’s life beneath my feet. It wants to reject the crimson that saturates its outer skin, sinking deep, felt at the heart. It screams its outrage at the unwanted invasion.

The smell of fear still lingers in the air, mixed with the aroma of panic, death, burning flesh, the metallic smell of blood. I can taste it, the air is so thick, and I gag upon the bile that rushes to my throat.

Then I am standing alone.

Covered in blood.

On a beaten battlefield.

I see him standing there. His black armor shining in the weak moonlight.

Blood-stained.

I raise my sword to meet his advance, standing firm to face his blade. I scream the victory of my people before rushing to meet him. I swing my blade, and as it pierces his flesh I feel a warmth spread down my leg. I look into his eyes, cold dark, and black, rimmed with blood. I know, just as I have dealt him a blow, he systematically dealt me one. The only one he needed to.

I clamp my jaw tight against the immediate drain of energy. I clasp my sword, and drive it hard into his side. His eyes show his reaction, yet are still so lifeless.

We sink to the ground. I allow his fall to pull the sword from my gut before landing beside him. I close my eyes, but for a moment. He reaches out a hand to caress my face. All the hatred gone from his eyes. The battle which had cost so much, robbing us of all our dreams and hopes and life, was for us, over.

The initial influence gone, he grabs my hand as our life forces drain from our shells. Once more I close my eyes, his’ the last thing I see.

And sleep.