Left Behind
By Krazy Sam
You left me behind. You said the injuries I got in the last battle hadn’t healed yet and that I couldn’t go with you to Orbonne. You left me in Dorter and told me I was just going to be a burden because my leg was broken and even though I was alive, I still had seven partially healed stab wounds to slow me down further.
I should’ve known better than to let them get that close. I was armed with a fucking gun and my perfect eyesight. I could’ve picked them off before they even crossed the swamp. But no, I had to tend to your wounds because I value your life above mine. I had to tend to your wounds because I said I’d follow you everywhere; even to the grave. It wasn’t a good day to die that day. It was raining and a little cold. I wanted to die on a sunny day and feel the warmth of the sun as I kicked the bucket.
But you didn’t give a fuck. You took everyone away in the middle of the night while I was still asleep. I don’t even know how you got past me. We were sharing a room, after all. Hell, we were practically sharing a bed. You must’ve slipped me some extra medication to knock me out to make things easier for you to slip out. You paid an extra week’s fare, just for me, and left me the rest of your money and the care of a doctor while I recovered.
At least you did that much.
I begged you to let me come, even if I didn’t get to fight. I wanted to be there. If you fell on the battlefield, I wanted to be the one to revive you and shoot the motherfucker who forced me to revive you. I’ve done it before. The bastards seem to like knocking you out, don’t you think?
And you’ve saved my ass so many times it’s a wonder you didn’t throw me on the streets. I remember once some bastard archer shot me in the gut with a poisoned arrow, and when you came to try to patch me up, he shot you in the back. If my memory serves me correctly, Agrias had to save us both.
You didn’t seem to remember all that. You don’t remember the times we fell in combat for each other’s benefit. Sacrifices, playing decoy, or just flat-out insane rushes. I think I’ve had a sword in me at least once a day since I met you.
And for some fucked up reason, I keep following you.
It’s been a week. You said that if all went well, you’d be back in a few days. I guess that’s cause for me to be worried, eh? I heard a rumor that a stack of dead bodies showed up in Orbonne. You must’ve raised some serious hell.
But the rumors say you were one of those bodies.
You son of a bitch. You went off and left me behind, fought in the final showdown that we were all building up to for five years, and got yourself killed! You son of a bitch! You said you’d come back. You didn’t say you were going to die.
Well, I guess it all worked out. I don’t hear anything about stones anymore, and I’m hearing that both sides of the war want to talk.
All’s well that ends well, I suppose.
I’m feeling a little better now. The doctor said I could go outside, so I’m lying in the grass of the city park. It’s empty, though. Everyone’s still in their houses because they’re afraid that the Nanten will blow right through for no reason at all. But I don’t care. It’s warm and sunny and it’s a gorgeous day outside. It’s spring. My favorite season.
I don’t even hurt anymore. Well, I hurt a lot just a little bit ago, but that’s what happens when you put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger. Things are getting really quiet now, too. I can’t hear anything and now I’m too tired to care.
That day you rescued me from Bart Company at Zaland, I swore that I’d follow you everywhere you went. I just kept my promise, Ramza Beoulve.
I would’ve kept it sooner if you hadn’t left me behind.