In the end, they were too late.

A chilling wind creeps through the blood soaked field, drifting by broken spears and shattered bones. As the ashen sky rumbles on without rain, all sounds of life disappeared, grieving over the carnage of this wretched day. In this forsaken landscape, a lone figure wandered through the wreckage, over countless immobile eyes staring at the sky. A sleek black cloak hangs from his sagging shoulders, flowing and twitching with the slightest of breezes.

The figure continues forth in a calm demeanor, footsteps steady on the jagged landscape. He sees a silent, darkening field, the air so heavy with the scent of death that one could almost feel it sticking to their skin.

“Was thisss the right choiccccce?” A disembodied voice hissed, echoing yet quiet. Like a hidden spectre, it resounded from everywhere yet nowhere.

“You know full well what would happen to the town had we come here instead.” The figure retorted, his emotionless voice unnaturally calm.

“But for the ssslaughter of thiss many… wasss it worth it… should we not havvvve come here insssstead?”

Only a few hours ago, this had been 2 armies of 10 000. Fathers and brothers, husbands and friends. They all had families waiting for them, yet they were forced to die senselessly for the greed of monarchs. It was senseless, and in vain, for neither side gained victory.

“Should we have come first, Aespren would have fallen to the Fire King. It’s inhabitants killed or enslaved.”

“Five thoussssand is a meager number… compared to thisss”

The figure stopped and closed his eyes. There was a strained expression on his face.

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“We could have ssstopped thissss...”

“I didn't think I'd hear regret from you, of all people.” The figure retorted sharply. He clenched his fist and gripped it tightly, refusing to let his hands shake.

"But thisss isss your regret as much assss mine... I merely ssstate it aloud"

“I see…” It was just voicing his own insecurities out loud. Reflecting the tumultuous state that hid behind his mask of calm. He sighed, and his steely grey eyes were open once again. “But what good would it have done should we have intervened? Unless the Fire King is toppled, atrocities such as this will only continue.”

“Perhapsss it isss finally time for you to reeetake your rightful placccce at the top of thisss world. The Fire King gained hisss position by ussssurping the previous. It can mosssst certainly be done againnnn…” The voice was slowly gaining in volume, elation and glee barely hidden within its echoes. It started to throw out its own suggestions and suddenly the air around them seemed to become much colder, as if the rays of the sun no longer dared to shine upon these grounds. “You could brinnnggg about a new era… one without ssslaughter… "

“A world without murder, huh?” The figure mumbled, unclenching his fist. His hands are steady now, so steady that it's hard to believe it could have shook in the first place. A resigned smile crossed his face and he looked down, eyes seeming to gaze beyond the ground, to somewhere far away. “Unfortunately, it is impossible to save everyone.”

The turmoil within his mind disappeared as he gazed into the distance, expression calm once again. The sunset was piercing through the grey clouds, bathing the forsaken land in a dazzling orange glow.

“But the thousssandsss that died here today… shhhouldn’t the perpetrator and all of hisss buuurrrnnn?”

“Enough, Arawyn.” The figured commanded. At this, the temperature returned to normal.

He streched out his hand, feeling the sunlight slowly infuse his fingers with warmth. Somewhere in the distance, a bird called.

”What’s done is done, and no amount of vengeance will bring back the dead. We must be off now, for the sun is setting.”

“Assss you wish… Lord Fane… “

No sooner than the words were said, an unnatural smoke rushed through the landscape. The voice and the figure disappeared without a trace.

The bird called once more, and suddenly dashed through the sky. Behind it followed another bird, smaller yet just as lovely.