(Xia note: I wrote this last May as more as a writing exercise, as I was in an FFII mood and I had a few ideas bouncing around for a fic of a yet-to-be-determined pairing-- Possibly Firion/Maria, Leila/Ricard, and Gordon/Hilda. I never finished, of course, as I lost inspiration. Ah, writers' block...)
Twigs and dry grasses cracked and broke beneath their feet as four people-- three of them barely even adults-- rushed through the wilderness to escape their pursuers. Minutes ago, they were innocent bystanders to what seemed to be only a political issue. But now, they were victims-- casualties, perhaps, if they didn't run fast enough-- of a military raid. Poor Maria, though, could barely keep up with the other three men-- Her breaths were short and shallow, as if she could collapse any moment.
Leon, her brother, took note and turned around to see if they were still being pursued by the shadowy figures. Oh, but of course-- They were even closer to being killed now!
Firion and Guy, brainless as they were, wheeled around to combat whatever it was they were up against-- For all they knew, they could be running from fellow civilians like themselves.
But they had no such luck-- they were facing a squad of calvarymen with lances at the ready. Maria had also stopped dead in her tracks-- not because of the desperate courage the others had, but out of genuine exhaustion. She would have fallen over unaided, but, as a scream pierced the chilly air, she was struck down by a lance.
Leon's eyes widened in unconceivable shock as he saw his younger sister sprawled out face-down on the forest floor with a gaping, bleeding laceration on her back that seemed to go all the way through to the other side. He and Firion both scrambled to the ground in a frenzy to assure themselves that Maria was still alive. Each grabbed for one of her hands. Leon's lip quivered as he let go of her limp, lifeless hand.
Firion looked back to see Guy struggling against the soldiers-- outnumbered, of course, and possibly overpowered... He was unarmed, dodging charge after charge.
"Idiot, we need to help him!" Leon growled, rushing toward the scene with nothing more than a small knife in hand. Firion was paralyzed with fear. Those two were charging straight into their own demise... And Leon called him an idiot-- and poor Maria's hand was growing cold-- and the soldiers were distracted, weren't they? Was he going to run? That was the wisest path to take, but he couldn't be a coward... He had to fight, like Leon did.
Firion ran toward one of the men in an attempt to grab his leg and drag him off his horse, but he, too was hit by a lance. He fell to the ground, gasping for air, for any merciful breath he could manage to take in...
And it all went dark.