Summery: "Finally their array of sparkling eyes closed, never to see the world again, their last thoughts being hopes that maybe, in the end, their sacrifice would be worth it." - A story of the horrors faced in the final battle and how mankind would eventually deal with the outcome.

A/N: Just something that came to me when we were requested to do a creative writing piece for English. Enjoy!

An array of glittering eyes

The crescent shaped moon hung in the starless night's sky against the completely black background. Leaf-less tress swayed as the storm began to lash. But this wasn't just any storm, no, this storm was the final battle; the final battle between light and dark. Thunder began to rumble throughout the landscape sounding oddly like war drums. Electrifying lightning filled the air with static cackles imitating the tension between the two opposite sides. And then, suddenly, heavy rain poured down as the proud yet terrified soldiers sprinted forward, launching their attack.

Horrifying screams filled the once silent air, deafening those within range. Seconds turned to minutes and slowly the minutes became hours, but the terrified soldiers kept fighting. Coppery blood poured from their worn bodies. Salty tears silently ran down the bruised cheeks as their damaged hearts broke once more at the sight of yet more death. Rubble from the ancient looming castle crashed to the muddy earth, crushing yet more soldiers of both light and dark. The smell of smoke mixed with burning flesh wafted up their shattered noses as a single white-gold bolt of lighting crashed magnificently to the ground. And then, for a mere second, silence reigned, before the air was once again filled with anguish and rage. As they swallowed they could taste the gritty ground mixed with both tangy blood and salty tears, but more importantly, devastation. Their hands tightened their grip on their vicious weapons, leaving a sole finger to run down the smooth edge. Their eyes darted nervously as they watched both friend and foe slump to the grime infested ground.

They were the ones who witnessed true horrors, they were the ones who would suffer nightmares of pain and death for years to come, and they were the ones with flesh mangled with an assortment of ugly scars. But yet again they kept fighting, curse after curse, jinx after jinx. They watched as innocent children were forced to live through years of torture and anguish, never knowing if they'd see their family alive again. One by one their exhausted, battered bodies fell to the ground, quickly becoming surrounded by a pool of crimson blood. Their legs relaxed, never to walk the earth again, their broken hearts stopped beating as they took their last staggering breath, and finally their array of sparkling eyes closed, never to see the world again, their last thoughts being hopes that maybe, in the end, their sacrifice would be worth it.

Many years from such a time, people would gather at the ancient looking castle, reminiscing. They'd remember the seven years they'd called the place their home away from home, they'd remember their first embarrassing kiss and the sensation of flying. They'd think of the hilarious pranks they'd played and the distinctive grades they'd made. They'd think of the barmy superstitions they'd once had about their professors and the petty squabbles over chocolate frog cards. And finally, they'd remember the battle, the final battle, the one that decided the fate of mankind. They'd remember the pain, the sacrifices and the tears; but then, they'd look upon the grounds once more. They'd see beautiful owls soaring merrily through the vast cloudless blue skies. They'd see the first blossom of the year upon the delicate trees; they'd see young couples sitting by the sparkling lake enjoying the warmth. Finally, they'd hear the smiles and echoes of laughter filling the once haunted grounds, then they'd know; in the end, it was worth it.