Drabble inspired by Two Steps From Hell- Forces of Destiny, and False King.
The ground met his back mercilessly, no cushioning to the blow. His pained cry was ignored by the sand and the grass. His heavy breathing was loud to his ears, but nothing to the roar of the world as it cried out in fear, determination, and rage...in war.
His eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the sky. The sun beat down relentlessly on the hard ground, and the birds that flew away squawked loudly in their own battle cries. He watched as a large hawk attacked a smaller bird that screamed out in agony as it was slaughtered.
His hands clutched at the ground, the dirt under his nails hurting. His entire body shivered as sound from long ago replayed in his heads. Words, cries, pleas, shouts, whispers...endless streams of noise all whispering the same two things. Two sides to the story; two options to choose.
Fight! Never give up! Keep going!
Die! Give up! Stay down!
Two sides, clashing violently in his head, his heart, his soul.
"Naruto!"
His name was like a burden. It was called in so many different ways now. Affection, admiration, anger, hatred, annoyance, love, scolding, encouragement, indifference...
Emotions attached; emotions that scarred.
Choices to make with no time to think on them. It was fight or die; suffer or surrender; love or hate.
His eyes burned with tears.
"Naruto!"
The blue swam with the heavy heart in his chest, the air pulled into his lungs cold and uninviting.
"Naruto! Get up! Get up, Naruto!"
Get up, get up!
Why should he get up?
What would happen if, for once, he stayed down?
"You have to get up!"
He had to get up.
He knew he had to.
But it was so hard sometimes.
"Come on, Naruto! You're strong! You are strong!"
He was strong? He didn't always feel it.
"Come now, Naruto...get up."
Hands presented themselves before him, offering him guidance. He needed guidance. He had often lost sight of what he was fighting for. He needed someone to remind him. He needed those hands to lead him down the path he needed to go, because it was becoming so hard to go down that path on his own.
"Take my hand, Naruto. Take my hand, and let's go. Never give up..."
The ground descended, his back no longer caressing its hard surface. The air became warm once again. The bird calls became welcoming.
"Never ever give up on me..."
His back straightened, his eyes opened; fires of determination lighting those crystalline orbs.
He wouldn't give up.
He would follow this path he had chosen; this path given to him by destiny itself.
He would take the hands offered, would throw himself into the darkness and search until he found that needed source of light. He would not give into the temptation to stay down.
"Never give up on me...Never stray from this path..."
His hands clenched tightly, his muscles tensed fiercely. He called for another, and another and another. The hits, the flames, the fights...He took them all on, his eyes never straying from that hand guiding him. That pale, slender hand that showed him exactly where his path was. Where he needed to be.
"Never stray from this path that leads you to me...to us."
He would reach the end of that path and find his goal. He would bring back the light he needs to be able to be happy again. He would end the fighting with that light by his side, in his heart.
He would never, ever give up.
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