Hetalia one-shots

I'm finally free

As Romano felled another soldier he looked desperately for his brother, He had lost him in the early stages of the battle and Romano had been fighting his way to where he had last been seen with Ludwig, (Germany's human name) as he charged headlong into the battle with only a handful of men, and nothing except A BLOODY SIX BARRELLED PISTOL!. As he turned his head he heard a familiar scream coming from the left flank, where he had last seen Feliciano. (if you need any clarification this is Italy's human name)

Romano broke into a frantic and panicked sprint, as he neared the left flank he began to fear what he would find, his heart began pounding in an irregular rhythm as he fought his way through the crowd and gore, he finally reached his destination his heart froze and ice spread through his veins at the sight before him, lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood was Ludwig with a deep gash in his stomach.

Blood stained his uniform as he groaned in pain and shock, Romano rushed forward to help him, he pushed his hand against the wound in a futile attempt to quell the bleeding, as he knelt there trying desperately to help him he demanded "Where is Feliciano?, where is my brother?!", Ludwig's breathing was laboured but he managed to draw enough breath to whisper hoarsely "Left flank, third battalion", Romano's blood turned to ice in his veins, "no" he breathed, "no, no, no, no, no!" , the third battalion was the most dangerous and least trained legion in the entire army, and the in the most vulnerable place in the battle.

He had specifically told his brother not to go there, when he had told Feliciano this he had protested but then Ludwig had heard the ludicrous idea he had sided with Romano, something that no one had expected, even Feliciano had been shocked and had agreed to their wishes, but as per usual he had not listened, and now his ignorance could cost him his life.

Ludwig wheezed once again and Romano was jerked out of his thoughts, "The third Battalion was in trouble, I yelled at him not to go but he just charged headlong into the thickest part of the fighting, when I tried to follow him I was surrounded and wounded, I don't know where he is" Romano considered the situation, If he left Ludwig here his brother would never forgive him, but if he left the battle his brother could die "damn it all" he growled, he hoisted Ludwig onto his shoulder as he raced for the healers tent.

When he got there Arthur (England's human name) was already waiting, his face paled when he saw Ludwig and he said tightly "put him on the stretcher, quickly he's fading fast" Romano grunted with the effort as he stretched his shoulder while Arthur muttered something in Latin, a pale white light surrounded the room, Ludwig twitched as the wound on his stomach knitted closed, Romano watched on with anticipation as to what would happen next, Ludwig groaned and sat up holding his head asking what happened "It doesn't matter, we need to get back out there, Feliciano has gone and joined the third Battalion in the battle and I haven't seen him since the battle started" Ludwig snapped into action and leapt off the stretcher and raced outside with Romano hot on his heels.

When they found their way out of the healers encampment they paused and looked around to see the left flank in trouble once again, as they looked to the third battalion they saw Feliciano fighting gallantly to save a wounded soldier against five men, who were all heavily armed with rifles and knives, Romano bellowed his name and sprinted like hell for where his brother was, desperate to aid his brother, but his desperate cry distracted Feliciano for a fatal second he looked away giving one soldier the split second advantage he needed.

Romano screamed as the soldiers bayonet protruded through Feliciano's chest, the world stopped, started and stopped again, no sounds pierced through the fog of pain, someone was screaming it might have been him, it could have been Ludwig who was behind him, he fell to his knees in the blood and mud, Ludwig raced toward him as Romano staggered to his feet and ran the rest of the way to his brother, he reached the spot where Feliciano had fallen, he fell to his knees beside his brother as his face waned and became pale. "Feliciano, FELICIANO!, STAY WITH ME PLEASE!, I can't lose you too!, please!" .

Feliciano twitched as he held his head while blood frothed at his mouth, "Romano" he coughed, blood bubbling at his lips "I'm here" he cried, the tears slipping down his cheeks and onto Feliciano's face, Ludwig slammed into the mud beside him, tears streaming down his face, he began praying to Gods that he had never heard of to save him, Romano begged Pluto to save him, but his prayers went unanswered, Feliciano"s face grew paler and colder as the blood dripped from his wound as his body grew cold, his breath stuttered in an irregular rhythm, then finally his chest stilled and he sighed his last breath.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOO" he screamed crying he bowed his head and wept for his lost brother. Ludwig picked up Feliciano's body and staggered back to the healers camp weeping and moaning, the healers gathered around to see who this person was, and if he could be saved.

They saw that he was lost and placed him onto one of the deathbeds and covered him with a white sheet, Romano and Ludwig stayed by the bedside weeping for their lost friend and brother, there they stayed until morning, where Arthur approached them with an offer he said to them "I see that you are greatly saddened by your friend's passing, here I have an offer for you. Once a soul passes through the gates to the afterlife with the help of a sorcerer the loved ones left behind have one final chance to say goodbye, but be warned when I open the gates to the afterlife there will be no more ways to communicate with him, the portal will be closed forever, do you want to say your final goodbyes?".

Ludwig answered yes immediately while Romano considered but came to a swift yes, Arthur brought them to a dark chamber filled with only small candles and an alter. Arthur instructed them with where to stand they all out their hands on the alter as Arthur started chanting.

Suddenly a great wind came through the room sputtering the candles, Ludwig and Romano had to grab the alter to stay steady, a bright light finally came into the room illuminating the chamber "Feliciano?" he called a figure began to form from mist and Ludwig yelped and staggered back in surprise, "Romano" he heard a voice calling his name it sounded eerily familiar, the figure began to call Ludwig's name too as it slowly began to become clearer.

"Feliciano" he breathed a single tear rolling down his cheek on the floor behind him Ludwig had fallen to his knees weeping and repeating "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry" Feliciano smiled and said, his voice nothing more than an echo "don't weep for me Ludwig, I am happy here it was not your fault that I died it was my choice and my mistake" Romano fell to the ground sobbing, "it was my fault I distracted you, I am so, so, so sorry" Romano felt a warm wind like a phantom hand under his chin forcing his eyes to meet those of his brother.

"It was not your fault", "but it was I called out to you I didn't protect you when I should have" Feliciano looked at them both and smiling said softly "do not weep for me I am finally happy I am finally free" and with that he once again melted into mist.

"No" he cried "bring him back" Arthur sighed and replied " once the door to the afterlife is closed it is closed forever, be grateful that you got the chance to say goodbye, it a chance that most would kill for", and with that Arthur left the chamber, Romano left shortly after, his tears now dry but his brothers words still haunted him,

"I am finally happy, I am finally free".

Thank you to:

Thebookdragon66 for helping write this story

and to:

PkStarBound for your amazing ideas and prompts for this fanfiction