Glenn's Anguish Part X
The Death Of A Soldier
By Hyper Angel
As you may notice, this installment is somewhat less rushed than the others; or maybe it's just the fact that I didn't wait till 2 in the morning to write this one.
And why I changed my nickname? Who knows, I guess it's one of those things were you just feel like a change =P….Besides the fact that 'Star Kitten' comes really close to sounding like a certain S & M related term; which I don't have to be reminded/misinterpreted by ----- Hyper Angel; the author formerly known as Star Kitten.
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"Cyrus!! Look out!" Glenn shrieked. The young knight dove for cover as a bolt of lightening grazed just past him. "Heh, not bad." Ozzie commented. Another pulse of energy was already forming in his scaly hands again.
This was bad. There was no way Cyrus could fight in his condition and Glenn was practically useless without his sword skills. He should have known. He should have known things were going to turn out like this. Now it was far too late to turn back, and their very lives were at stake. He uttered a low curse and shook his head hopelessly, forcing himself to turn his attention to Cyrus.
Glenn ran up to Cyrus' side, still keeping a watchful eye on the over-zealous General Ozzie. Cyrus had both his hand clutched tightly to his side, his breathing was pained and erratic as he stared back up at the young squire weakly. Glenn put his hand to the knight's shoulder, the metal plate of armor covering it felt cold to the touch. "Cyrus… there's no way you can fight now. Let's just give up." Glenn tightened his grip on the armor plate, his tone becoming more desperate as he spoke. "A-at least we'll keep our lives-!"
Cyrus shook his head weakly. "N-no Glenn…" He muttered, his voice sounding pained. "I'm going to fight this… to the end."
A cold laughter filled the air at his noble words. The two both looked up in surprise. Magus hovered above them, a mocking sneer across his face. "You should listen to the boy, Cyrus." He said in an icy tone. "For the end will be coming very soon if not…"
Cyrus stood tall despite his wounds, he sword still gleamed it the dim light that filtered through the trees surrounding the cave. He advance upon Magus defiantly, a look of determination gleamed in his eyes. Glenn's eyes widened at the site that followed. Magus actually backed away. Cyrus pursued him out from the cave and onto the rocky out cropping surrounding it's mouth. Glenn stood there for a while, simply dumbfounded. Cyrus pushing Magus back that easily? It was too odd.
He would have been amazed. He would have been proud. All up until Ozzie's muttered remark. "Like lambs to the slaughter…" The Mystic had chuckled.
The words nearly knocked Glenn over. It was a trap! He instantly ran out from the cave, fearing the worst.
The young man stopped cold no sooner had he emerged into the mid-day sunlight. There stood Magus and Cyrus. The cold, knowing grin still remained strong across Magus' face.
Cyrus glared at him with a look filled with loathing and hatred. "It ends now…" He hissed.
Cyrus lunged at the mage with full force. His sword poised and ready for a deadly blow. Yet Magus was hardly impressed by the knight's tenacity. Cyrus' blade lie only inches away from him when, in a flash, a movement almost to fast to catch landed countered the blow. And Cyrus, to careless either from his wounds, or determination to destroy Magus, failed to block it.
The sickening sound of the scythe's metal blade slicing through flesh rang through Glenn's ears. He stared at the gruesome seen with wide eyes. It wasn't until Cyrus slunk down to the ground below that he came to face the grim reality of the battle. Though a part of him still refused to except the fact that Cyrus, the one had idolized for so many years, could lose a fight so easily.
Glenn ran up to Cyrus' side and quickly knelt down beside him. "C-Cyrus-?" He whispered, his voice cracking slightly. Cyrus was trembling terribly, beads of sweat dripping down his face.
"I-it's okay Glenn…" He murmured. "I'm fine…" He insisted, gripping his hand tightly around his side. Glenn instinctively pushed Cyrus' arm away to examine the damage. He immediately cried out at the sight before him.
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<Sorry, this gets a tad graphic ---H.A>
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The slash Magus had landed was far worse than Glenn had presumed. The gash was deep in Cyrus' flesh. So deep that his very intestines lie exposed. In gripping his hand to his side, he had merely been trying to keep his insides from literally spilling out. It was all just so he wouldn't show any weakness in front of Glenn. Blood was gushing from the huge wound relentlessly, with every passing second the ground became more stained. Cyrus' clothes and armor were deeply stained by the deep crimson the ushered forth. It wouldn't belong before the loss of blood resulted in his death.
Glenn had been such a fool. He should have tried to stop Cyrus in the first place. Instead he had let his best friend walk straight into his own death. He gritted his teeth, trying desperately to hide his emotions. It was hopeless. He had known it from the start. And why? Why did he even carry on the senseless quest?
For glory…. Glenn reminded himself silently, the words rang through his mind. Yet there would be no victory in this, the two had both failed miserably when it had really mattered. He held Cyrus in his arms, his gaze vacant and unfocused, his breathing shallow. Glenn shut his eyes tight at the sight. Hoping. Futilely hoping it would all end, that he'd wake up and realize it had just been a dream.
But it had all become to real in those past few moments. The blood of his best friend covered his hands. The cold, superior gaze of the Magus that hovered over him pierced his very soul, and the mocking laughter of the general Ozzie rang in his ears.
"Why…." He muttered to Cyrus hopelessly. "Why this?"
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His dying companion forced a wan smile at the words. "Because Glenn…." He whispered, barely finding the strength to utter the two words. "This is… how it is….The very…meaning of…..a soldier…"
Glenn tighten his fists, still desperately fighting back the tears that threatened to overcome him. "What then?" He snapped, a bitter tone in his voice. "Is it just to die? Just to be known as a fool who couldn't handle a battle that really counted?!"
"No….you don't….understand…"
"Then what?"
"It's…knowing your own limits….and striving to push them… further in battle…" He winced, his head jerked back slightly in pain. "You have to…doubt yourself…hone your skills through that, forcing yourself…onward….and then…you'll know…"
"But I don't know!" Glenn sobbed. "And how can I ever know?!"
"Just….live on Glenn…strive to attain new heights….that's the way…." Cyrus slowly forced him self up to his feet, as if the words gave him strength. Again, he pressed his hand to his side firmly, his worn sword held firmly in the other. Glenn stared at the knight uncertainly. Sure he wasn't going to…
Cyrus smiled again, masking a look more pained than Glenn had ever seen Cyrus before. "Just…promise me, Glenn…" He whispered, his tone lower than ever before.
"Wh-what?"
"Take care….of Lenne for me."
In just those few final words, Cyrus jerked out of Glenn's grasp, offering a feeble smile to reassure his companion. Glenn hesitated, debating if he should intervene or not. Surely Cyrus didn't plan to… But he knew the answer before the thought had even fully formed in his mind. Cyrus stumbled forward, wheezing terribly which each pained step. Magus sneered at the knight's valiant efforts. The mage tightened the grip on his scythe, almost daring Cyrus to come at him. And Cyrus, one of his eyes half shut from the blood the trickled down his face in a thin stream, still stood defiant in the face of death. Glenn grit his teeth, he knew this was it.
Silence overtook the morbid scene, not one of the four saying a word. Ozzie's undying grin had vanished, replaced by an uncertain glower. The lizard general's eyes darted back and forth from Magus and Cyrus, his chubby fists clenched tightly with tension. Magus still hovered a few feet above the ground, his blood-stained scythe glistening in the late afternoon sunlight. He glared at Cyrus impatiently, his cold gaze not showing a hint of any fear or arrogance. There was only a simple, indifferent malice in those crimson eyes, unwavering throughout the long silent showdown.
And then it happened. Cyrus, forcing every remaining once of strength left in his battered body, thrust himself forward. The same battle cry Glenn had grown accustom to shattered the silence, his sword raised high as he had done in so many battles before. Though this was different.
Glenn realized from the moment Cyrus rushed forward, that something was different. He had left himself wide open to attack as he leapt, almost as if inviting Magus in to kill him.
Magus gave a low, disgusted scoff, Cyrus was only a few feet away when the wizard countered the attack with a swift fire spell. Though despite this, Cyrus struck. His aim was true, and he landed a sharp slash to Magus' left arm just as the flames engulfed him. Ozzie gasped, Glenn screamed, and Magus did no more than wince slightly.
Cyrus' body tumbled back to the ground, his form barely visible through the bright fire. Glenn watched on in horror, his mouth hanging agape in shock. He was helpless to stop this. All he could do was watch as Cyrus, the greatest knight Guardia had ever known, died in the burning flames. His body, already beaten and bruised, sizzled away along with Glenn's last glimmer of hope.
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To Be Continued…….
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