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Here stands a man...
The songs of the wild had often been his only companion in his otherwise silent world. He was never in stable company of others, always traveling. The songs of the wild were his only company, his only resolve as he would break. His only companion.
...At the bottom of the hole he's made...
But now even that was silent. The leaves didn't fall, the birds didn't sing, even the wind was still. His path was bare so even his footfalls made no noise, no rushed beat for everything else to sing along too.
...Still sweating from the rush, his body tense his hands they shake...
He hadn't heard the assassin's trademark laugh. The others had caused him to grow soft to sounds like that. He hadn't noticed until Time cried out, until after the arrows had pierced through Twilight's chest.
...Oh this, this is a man, boy…
He had chased them. He had killed them before he could even grab another arrow.
Here stands a man...
It couldn't undo the damage that had been done to Twilight. His friend lay there, gasping as Legend furiously searched for a potion. They set up camp then and there. No one wanted to move Twilight, not in the state he was in.
...With a bullet in his clenched right hand...
He had been a coward. He couldn't bare to see what would happen if Legend came up empty handed. He ran. He ran through the silent woods, he ran until his tears blurred his vision and he tripped over a root, tumbling down a hill.
...But don't push him son...
Choked sobs. The crushing silence was broken by his gasps for air as the tears streamed down his face. He doesn't bother to move from where he landed, curling in on himself.
...For he's got the power to crush this land...
Dark. The clouds are gathering over his head but he doesn't care. Let the rain come. Let the pounding of the water wash away this never-ending silence. Let it wash away his tears, wash the blood of his friend's attacker off his hands and shirt.
...Hear, hear him cry, boy...
The first drop lands on his cheek.
He's so afraid. He's afraid of losing them again. Of losing her, of losing anyone else. He doesn't think he could live again if he did. Because this time he would remember. This time he'd be able to mourn.
...Don't you ever leave me alone...
It was times like this when he longed for her voice to cut through his thoughts. For her golden light to shine in the distance, reminding him of a promise of warmth if he just kept going.
...My war is over…
But he had reached that goal. He had saved her, he had made it to her promised warmth. Until he had been pulled back into the dark. Not alone though, this time he had companions. He had friends. He couldn't lose them.
...Be my shelter from the storm...
He doesn't notice the old man coming up behind him, kneeling next to him, until he rests his hand on his shoulder. Wild looks up at Time with wet, broken eyes.
The man's voice is soft, barely able to be heard, but it's enough.
"He's fine."
Wild chokes back yet another sob as he's pulled into a warm embrace, and the two stay like that, in the pouring rain, until the wild starts to sing again.
...My war is over.
