A/N- So I had some reviews for Reunion about how it was kinda boring coz' in the end Will still got better. Now I thought, what's a story that's still kinda in line with the books but only bad things happen and I came up with this. I figure this happening is a much better ending for my hero than being an empty shell for the rest of his life. I cried when I wrote this, hopefully you will when you read it. :(
Chapter One-Leaving and ArrivingHe stepped left again, snapped off another shot. An arrow suddenly struck him in his stomach. Pain was all he knew for a moment, he dropped to his hands and knees.
Horace came over to shield him.
"Will, are you alright?" It was a stupid question; he'd seen the arrow go in.
"I'm fine." Said Will and he pulled the arrow out, wincing. He was bleeding a lot.
"No your not. You need a healer."
"This isn't the time, Horace." And he grabbed his bow and three arrows, stepped out of the cover of the shield and sent them off one after the other. He emptied two saddles.
They stood again, sheltering behind the shield. Then he realized something; the majority of the Temujai Archers were focusing on his position.
"Evanlyn!" He called
She glanced up at him, her eyes widening when she saw the blood.
"Relay my directions. We'll get another volley"
She waved her hand, indicating that she understood.
They relayed direction (A/N I'm lazy so just read what happens in the book from page 278-281).
Will's vision was foggy and he couldn't really see past the haze.
He saw the outline of Horace battling several Tem'uj and he stumbled forward to protect his friends back.
They fought for what seem an age to Will.
He saw Evanlyn, through the haze, about to be killed by a Tem'uj.
"Evanlyn!" he yelled and he threw his Saxe knife and killed the warrior.
Then Ragnak and Halt arrived though Will barely registered it.
He was so tired. He fell to the ground and closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Then his heart stopped beating.
Halt was shooting down the retreating Tem'uj, and so wasn't paying attention to anything behind him. When all the Tem'uj was gone from his range he turned around.
The first thing he saw was Will.
Just lying on the ground. Still. Too Still
"Will!" he shouted as he ran to his apprentice's side.
He turned him over and saw the stomach wound. He tried to check his pulse, but there was none.
"Will! No, no, no this cannot be happening. Will open your eyes!" Then he realized that his apprentice had gone. That he could not open his eyes. And a single tear ran down his face.
He hugged his apprentice, picked him up and started walking, just for the sake of doing something.
"Halt!" said Horace's voice from behind him. He stopped walking to let him catch up.
"Halt have you seen Will?" he asked
And Halt turned around.
He just stared at his best friends body.
"He's gone." Stated Halt and Horace was crying.
Evanlyn arrived and saw the body of the boy who had meant so much to her these past months and sobbed uncontrollably into Horace's chest.
They were on the boat back home. Will's body was in a casket.
When they arrived everyone cheered. No one who had known Will cheered. They all blamed themselves.
I should have paid more attention to my surroundings; maybe I could have saved him, thought Halt.
I should have protected him better, thought Horace.
I should have stayed with him in Celtica, thought Gilan.
I should have done something more, thought Cassandra.
I should have…
I should have…
I should have…
They all blamed themselves.
When the burly Skandians brought Will ashore everyone went quiet and saluted him.
He was to be buried at Castle Redmont, by now all his former Ward mates knew. They had been given special permission to travel to Castle Araluan to see him arrive they all remembered that horrid day.
They had been called to the Barons study; they had joined together at the staircase.
"Alyss! What are you doing here?" asked Jenny as they met.
"I was summoned to go to the Baron's Study urgently."
"No way! Me too!"
"Do you know what its about?" asked a new voice, George
"George you were summoned too?" asked Jenny
"Yes and I had to leave a very important document I was just finishing, too. I'm very busy of course. This must be important!"
They had arrived and knocked on the door, to see a red-eyed Baron.
"What's wrong, My Lord?" asked Alyss concerned.
"Take a seat, take a seat. I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news to tell you."
They had taken their seats and listened as the Baron told them of Will's passing and how it had happened.
They had cried, a lot.
Now, seeing Will's casket made tears spring into all their eyes.
Halt stepped on Araluan soil once more. This should have been a happy moment, the end of my banishment, thought Halt, but it isn't.
Crowley came over and gave Halt his silver Oakleaf back.
"I'm so sorry Halt." Said Crowley and he turned away
Gilan too was remembering how he had found out.
Crowley had called him to his office.
"Gilan, we have news from Halt."
"What does it say?"
Then he told of how Halt had helped the Skandians defeat the Tem'uj.
"Will…he…um…died in battle. I'm truly sorry Gilan."
"How?" he whispered
"Arrow to the stomach, he received it half-way through but kept shooting at the Kaijin it's really thanks to him that they succeeded."
Gilan was crying now, not much, just a few tears but still.
He embraced his mentor.
"Come on, Halt. Let's get a drink."