Towards the End

Vastulja Sata Menton

Duo took a deep breath. He had to admit that he was afraid. He was more afraid then he had ever been in his life. Going into battle was scary, true, but you always had your life in your hands. Sure, there was always the chance that you didn't make it out alive, but there was always that chance that you would walk away. This was different. He no longer had his life in his hands. He tugged on the shackles around his wrists for what seemed like the millionth time. There was no way to get out. Duo looked around at his comrades in the dim light of the silent holding cell. No one spoke; there was nothing left to be said.

They turned against
The world we know
Now our destiny
Will be decided

Quatre was scared; that was evident from the look on his face. He was curled up into himself, holding his knees to his chest the best he could. The sweet kindness of the boy could no longer be identified, but he still looked as innocent as ever (even if he wasn't). Duo almost felt bad that the blond Arab had gotten caught up in the war. His pure soul had been stained with the blood of their enemies; all of their souls had been stained. Trowa and Heero looked as stock as ever. They showed no emotion; no indication that they knew what was about to take place. Duo had never really taken the chance to get to know them, but now he wished that he had. It wouldn't have changed anything, but maybe they all wouldn't have felt so alone. Wufei was meditating in the corner of the cell, and for what reason Duo couldn't figure out. There was no help for them, not from the gods or anyone else.

We have to send our brothers in arms
With pain in our hearts
We watched them go
Will they return?

Duo sighed. It was almost time. He had thought about praying, but realized that whatever god there was he had turned his back on them all a long time ago. They were all doomed. The door of the cell opened and five guards came in. They went to each of their prisoners, moving the shackles so that their hands were behind them. Duo wasn't really sure of the significance of this, but soon it wouldn't matter. Once the guards were finished, the five boys were led out in a line; Heero, Duo, Trowa, Quatre and then Wufei. Duo fought the rising panic within. They were led out to the center of a large outside stadium. Duo resisted the urge to look around; he knew that the stadium was filled beyond capacity with the people that had condemned the former Gundam Pilots.

The pilots stood side by side and one by one they were blind folded. Duo held his breath as darkness enveloped his sight. He couldn't help but let a single tear drop. He never thought that it would end this way.

Truth is we had no choice
We'll try to shield those we can
No better world
Let this end

"Gentlemen!" There was a shout. "Ready…" The sound of guns clicking could be heard. Duo swallowed; his heart pounded in his chest. He wasn't ready; he was too young. "Aim!" A pause, before, "Fire!" Gunshots rang through the stadium, followed by the soft thud of five bodies falling to the hard ground. There were no cries of anguish or shots of joy. Only the bustle of hundreds of feet leaving the scene could be heard.

Mothers cry
Our boys die
But we'll stand 'till the end

Many would argue the injustice for years to come, while others only triumphed in the killing of five major terrorists. The fact that they had only been teenagers would be forgotten, as would the fact that they had saved the earth and colonies from destruction. Over time, their names would be lost and it would only be remembered that five terrorists fought and were killed by the justice system.

End

AN: Ah, I don't normally do songfics. Typically, I'm strictly against them. But this song fit this story so well, and I was listening to it when I thought this story up. Um, I don't know where this came from though. Sad though.

Song: Towards the End by Within Temptation