Stories of the Fallen

Small Glimpse: A Boy's Leave - Cruel

A Boy's Leave

"Ignitus, please. I'll be just fine," stated a young male's voice with a sense of finality. "Not all soldiers die in war."

"But the majority do. Please don't do this to me...." Ignitus pleaded. "Why not help at your father's farm...? Or up on Olympus with your mother?"

The boy looked up at the Phoenix perched on the low windowsill above the sink. "I'll be fine, you watch. Besides, you've healed me with your tears before. Why wouldn't you be able to again?"

The Phoenix moved his beak to scratch the feathers just below his wing. "My form has become too weak to perform a task like that. And I won't be renewed for another year and a half. Please, Sedric, at least wait until then."

Sedric stared at the ground, the wind rocking a few sticking-up pieces of jet black hair. The sword at his belt yearned for blood and adventure while the shield on his arm waited for similar combat. He gave a long and unneeded sigh. "My civilization needs me, Ignitus. You know that. Ma knows that. Papa knows that. You're the only one who hasn't accepted it." He picked up the helmet from its position on the small round table and placed it onto his head.

Ignitus stared at the boy as the helmet was moved. "And I won't accept it," he declared. He did nothing, however, when Sedric started towards the door. "I'll miss you....And I await your return along with your parents...."

The boy's hand froze on the wooden door knob, his head moving to look back over his soldier. He looked quite peculiar in this position, a tear in his light blue eyes, not a speck on his Phoenix-crested shield and armor. His dark hair concealed by a leather and iron cap. This moment didn't last long as he rushed towards Ignitus, like a child to its mother, and hugged him with all the might of Roman child-warrior.

Ignitus layer his beak on the boy's shoulder, unable to produce tears with his old age. A tear would be a waisted one, anyway, as Phoenix tears have extraordinary healing capabilities. Sedric's mother had made him this way, though by accident.

The boy let go with a nod, tears still in his eyes. "I look forward to seeing you after the war...." He covered his face in shame of his tears and scurried out the door, away from his father's farm and Mount Olympus.

Ignitus had been in the process of remembering everything he and the boy had been through together when Sedric left. He stared at the door as a drunk man would stare at his empty wine glass, waiting, wanting, hoping for more. Ignitus's wine was time. Time with the child-warrior. Ironic for an immortal.

Cruel

Swords clashed. Shields shattered. Armor was crushed. Sedric had never been in such a cruel and unforgiving environment. He moved his sword hand to slash at the middle-aged man to his right while his shield protected his open left.

The Phoenix emblem on his shield had been cut at so many times that the paint forming it was starting to peel off of the wood and iron. Sedric was yet to be hit in the chest where his other emblem was, so it was still in pretty good shape. --I wish Ignitus was here to see this!-- the boy thought with glee.

The man to his right taken down, Sedric turned to his left to eliminate the soldier clashing with his shield. A slash to the abdomen had that job done, and Sedric rushed towards the town gates.

The men Sedric was serving with never had a hope of surviving. Never an inkling of doubt that they would die. No one told Sedric.

He ran with heart and mind into the village, hope that he would live running deeply through his conscience. He stayed every noble and rich citizen he came across. Every husband older than a warrior. Just like his commander had told him to do.

Sedric had just punctured the chest of a rich citizen when it happened. The reinforcements. The cavalry. The archers. The rest of the enemy infantry. They all converged in the small village, their ambush having been planned from the beginning. These weren't citizens or nobles at all. All decoys. Pawns. Traps.

Sedric's heart fell at the first volley of arrows. He began to run from the village, fear in his eyes and his boyhood at heart. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his gait took him past row after row of his fallen brethren. He dropped his sword and his shield. He, in that instant, forgot everything he had been taught. He ran as an infant.

The boy's legs flew up behind as a sharp pain entered his back. His eyes widened as his mouth gaped with a silent scream. His cheek hit the ground and his helmet rolled off his once-proud head.

"Don't do this to me...." Ignitus's voice ran through Sedric's mind over and over. It was happening. He could see himself as an infant, being healed by the Phoenix that was never supposed to exist. He could see himself running through the corn stalks on his papa's field. He then saw himself playing with some of the potions in his mama's place of stay on Mount Olympus, receiving a scold from the one who owned the potions.

"Don't do this to me..." He heard it over and over, his blood seeping into the ground and mixing with his tears. He didn't sign up to die. He just wanted glory.

"Don't do this to me...." He was aware of several enemy soldiers standing in a circle around with smiles on their faces and laughter in their throats. They sheathed their swords. "A boy is not worthy to be slain by iron," one soldier said, picking up a stone.

"Don't do this to me..." Sedric's eyes shut as the first stone was hurled at his head. --This....is cruel.....--

The other soldiers followed suit and soon they were all pelting the lifeless body of a Phoenix's only friend.