A/N: This is on my dArt so yeah don't think it's stolen from somewhere else, I'm the same person. Anyway, hope you enjoy. Sorry for oocness.
Bold/Italicized - Roy's Thoughts
Bold - Wolt's Thoughts
Italicized - Lilina's thoughts
Almost Home
The sky seemed alot brighter now. Perching the back of his hand against the blue headband, the lord closed his eyes in a state of peace. It was finally over. Really, it was... He just couldn't believe it. It had't even been more than a few months and yet..
He felt as if he'd been gone a year.
The Sword of Seals was long gone from his grasp, placed back into it's seal in the temple. The same was done to the other 9 legendary items. Their power was too great, it was better if they were kept in their original places. The same could be said for their allies; many had returned to their respective homes, others had set off on journies of their own.
And here they were, returning to where it all seemed to have originated from.
Opening and closing his hand instinctively, the young lord looked up to the others up ahead. The archer and mage, his two best friends were standing next to the mounted red and green knights at the top of the hill. Pherae was in sight, home at last.
Dad would be there, waiting with relief on his wrinkled old face. His face would hold back emotions the boy could only guess from the stress and worry lines etched into his frame. Roy laughed at the thought of bringing his father's age and only recieving a harsh scolding in return. Everything else would be the same; his room, the sheets he'd left wrinkled when he departed, the scribbles in the library that got Wolt and himself punished, everything.
The smile on his face widened and he took a few steps forward, breaking into a small run. Lilina had barely turned, hearing his footsteps, and Roy already returning her small smile when his world went dark with pain.
All he could look was down; that strength he'd put in bringing Zephiel down was fading away and he could spot the speartip sticking through the cracks of his breastplate. His fingers traced the sharp edge, cutting themselves open and bleeding crimson onto his hands. ...Shit, this was real. Not one of those nightmares Lilina had talked about in her uneasiness on the way home. He spun at an awkward angle, falling to his knees with his sword stabbed into the ground as the purple haired woman withdrew her spear, eyes furrowed in anger.
"For my King!"
She shrieked, raising the weapon above her head, the son of Marquess Pherae's blood dripping from the very edge. Roy could make that much out as the streak of purple rode past him towards the others. The two knights rode forward as a merchant took shelter in his wagon, the archer supported them all from behind, sparing a glance to his milk brother every other second he wasn't firing in rage. Blue hair streamed behind the younger girl as she dashed to her friend, hugging the aircalibur tome and mend staff as if life depended on her. Actually one life did; Roy's.
He could hear all the clashing of steel, the arrows whizzing through the air, even the deafening screech of both the wyvren and it's rider as they were taken down.
Funny thing actually, during all that... he couldn't tell if it hurt like hell-- in fact, he had gone numb. A smile curved on his face and he could imagine the confusion stretched across Lilina and Wolt's faces, as well as Alan, Lance's, and Merlinus' along with panic. He could feel himself hit the ground though. There was shouting and panic in their little group and Roy felt guilt for burdening his friends once more. An orb of light engulfed him and he could feel relief then twice what the original pain had been. He could barely lift his hand as it grabbed someone; Wolt.
"...M-master...Master Roy..."
'Damnit Wolt, don't let me die like that.' He squeezed the archer's hand, grip slipping. Lord...Royal.. Noble. That rank... If he was just a normal child, one of common birth, would their friendship still be the same? Would they even have had one? He grimaced, feeling shaking hands cradle his face as Wolt let go of his hand out of reluctance.
"R-Roy... Y-You're gonna be... You're going to be fine, o-okay?!" came the harsh shriek as something struck his face lightly; tears. Lilina. He could imagine her clinging desperately to her staff, attempting to heal what was a lost cause. Trying his best to keep above the darkness, he took in a deep breath, no matter how painful it was to him. It had to be quick He could feel everything just.. shutting down.
In an attempt, he swallowed whatever was threatening to grace his outsides from the inside. "...W-Wolt..." He called for his 'brother'.
"Don't talk--" The archer dropped back to his knees, letting Lilina fall back and continue with her healing, The tears ran down her face in torrents and finally she had to be released from her stave as it broke in half.
'Darnit, not now. Don't take him away.. Please!!!' The bluenette's face twisted into emotions unknown as she stared at Roy, leaning against the broken stave. Wolt bit the tip of an elixir off, pouring it onto the wound, watching it seal but knowing the damage inside hadn't even been erased a tiny bit. Roy squeezed his hand quickly and the archer focused on him, attention only for Roy.
"Take care of Lilina for me, everyone?" Those words were the hardest to say and take. It only meant one thing Wolt really didn't want to accept. Roy... He wan't going to make it. Roy choked out before tasting the metallic and roughness of his own blood. Wolt bit back any retorts as Alan and Lance gave bows of respect to their lord along with nods of acknowledgement.
"Of course, Roy." Lance spoke before turning away, Alan mimicking the green night's actions. Wolt took in a deep breath, grabbing Roy's hand again.
"Yeah, I will Roy." Rebecca's son spoke as Eliwood's only child cracked a weak grin.
"Thanks...W-" He paused, grip on Wolt's hand tightening for a second.
"Wolt.. I'm sorry." The archer shook his head, pulling his friend into a hug and quickly letting go to let him lay against Lilina's lap. He then stood up, turning his back and breaking off into a run. Comng towards a far-off tree, he lost his footing and fell to hs knees, hands against the trunk as the archer began to cry, hiding. Unable to look at tree Wolt was behind, the blue haired girl turned towards her friend.
"Roy..Q-Quit talking like that--" She gave a bitter laugh, beginning to speak once more.
"Lilina." The girl froze in the middle of her chant to stare at her childhood friend. "Don't." Lilina's face seemed to twisted into another whole level of emotions as she clung to Roy, shoulder's heaving up and down. Roy could only stare up at the sky, feeling whatever life he was clinging to slip away. A sigh escaped his chapped lips, his eyes closing with disappointment.
'...And to think, I was almost home.'
She felt Roy hold her back, weakly, but at least he was stll there. If only... Slowly, the sun set, and she could feel him slipping away, getting colder, and colder, until he grew stiff and no breath came from him.
"...Roy?"
Tears struck both the quiet redhead and dirt as the bluenette shrieked, beating against her knees. From stone's throw away, the green and red knight stood, keeping each other strong with breaking faces. Sobs and choked hiccups poured down from behind a tree, a boy who had just lost his best friend felt a part of him die.
They are people, they are not soldiers with hearts of steel, they cannot be heroes of a nation. They are just humans who cannot help but cry. They cannot help it if their hearts hurt so badly that they must keep moving just to ignore it if only for awhile.. They are only children...
Who have lost their dear, old friend.
He said,"I just climbed out of a cottonwood tree
I was runnin' from some honey bees
Drip dryin' in the summer breeze
After jumpin' into Calico creek
I was walkin' down an old dirt road
Past a field of hay that had just been mowed
Man I wish you'd just left me alone
'Cause I was almost home"
Man I wish you'd just left me alone
Cause I was almost home.
Almost Home - Craig Morgan
Fin