Author's Note:

I felt like Final Fantasy X-2 and stuff.

Warnings: some kind of gore in here. you know, just some violence.

'Woe of Men'

The last blink of life I ever saw was the light of the lanterns as the soldiers ran towards the exit to the cave. I don't know if they thought to look back as they ran. Their retreating forms disappeared into the darkness and soon shrill cries echoed throughout the walls. I heard voices passing between rocks, trapped in here like I was.

On that day, we were supposed to be completing our final test to become fully fledged Crimson Squad members. Maester Kinoc had ordered us in, but I wonder. What was it all truly for? I suspect now our fate was merely that of an experimental failure. I cringed at the idea as my hand involuntarily curled on the ground, grasping a pinch of wet dirt and squeezing it between my fingers. I couldn't feel it.

My eyes...I could not see. I could no longer see. I didn't want to see. The horrors of death and the realities of frail life that we'd been given. I blinked my unseeing eyes in terror. How dark and abysmal my last glimpse had been. I quietly thanked Yevon that I could no longer see.

I heard an echo of the walls to the cave sealing shut. Softly I grunted. I laid there, still and quiet, as I allowed my situation to sink in. I was trapped here. I swore I'd never see again after that. The cave was deep. It's walls dark as night without the entrance spilling a tiny sliver of sunlight into it's yawning depths. I could hear nothing. I could feel nothing. I was entirely alone now. I had an eternity left to examine my life and wonder what had happened in the last hour that had derailed it all.

I remembered. My friends, their voices as they laughed. 'We've done it! We've done it!', they'd cried. They were so happy. I was no different. I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to make my family proud! Such is the case in most lost lives it seems.

We descended into the dark, our bodies rigid and our senses sharpened. We were ready for any fiend that may be lurking here. We were ready to pass whatever test we had left.

I had stopped walking. A small, beautifully colored light sat sparkling before my eyes. Rapidly I felt my body becoming numb and a small jolt of fear leapt up inside of me. I...

I have no idea why I reacted that way.

I jumped as I heard the unmistakable cry of a comrade back behind me further into the cave, followed by the sharp thud of a lantern dropping to the ground.

I whipped my head around to say something, only to pause. I could feel my face grow pale, my hands shaking as more lights surrounded me.

"Gods, they're everywhere! Have you ever seen so many at once?" asked another soldier nearby me. I swallowed.

It was only then that it dawned on me. I knew. I knew then what these horrible things were.

"They're...they're pyreflies." I gasped. I winced as another shout of surprise erupted from behind me. Then a scream of rage tore through my head as the sound ricocheted around the cavern.

"What the hell are you doing!?"

I looked to my right in time to see my comrade shot down. My vision blurred as chaos consumed our group. To my left, a soldier slammed his fist into the face of another. In front of me lay a bludgeoned corpse of a former ally. My heart raced as I fought to stay alert. Were there traitors among us? Were we set up?

I looked around wildly, asking Yevon and anyone else who would listen to tell me what was happening. In my delirium I panicked. I paid no mind to the carnage playing out before me. Even as I felt the cold steel of a sword plunging it's sharp edge deep into my back, I kept searching the shadowed corridors with my eyes for rhyme or reason for the madness. Nothing made sense.

"Stop it!" shouted another as he was attacked. I swallowed hard again, choking as something warm filled my throat.

I don't remember falling. All I remembered was standing upright, looking dumbly around me for a way out...and then I was on the ground.

I couldn't speak. My mouth opened and a horrible croak crawled out, but nothing discernible could be heard. For several more seconds I trembled on the ground weakly, listening to the sounds of screams and roars of hatred as my friends slaughtered each other. In my head I found no honest way of explaining what had just happened to us.

I kept digging my finger nails into the dirt, moaning softly as my heart continued to race. I didn't know how to feel. I was only shocked.

The sounds eventually stopped as hurried footsteps retreated back from whence they came. I had no idea who they were but they were lucky to have made it out alive, even if they didn't see it that way.

I gasped again, seeking another breath of air. My body jerked violently before relaxing again. I was losing blood, but had no means to disrupt it's flow. I was trapped in a cave, with no way to crawl my way out. Instead, I found myself lulled almost to sleep by it's mournful embrace.

I twitched as I noticed something in front of me. I blinked, not realizing my eyes had welled up. My vision cleared little, but I did manage to recognize what it was. Suddenly I could see again.

The pyreflies. They'd come back.

I found no joy staring at them as they blanketed the cavern floor. With their cursed guiding light, I could see a few corpses lying next to me. I parted my lips before closing them again. There was no point in even trying to speak anyway.

I watched, mildly interested, as the pyreflies danced in hypnotizing patterns. They showed me things...showed me images and painted a picture with a sad story surrounding it. My eyes could no longer tear themselves away. I was caught in a web and couldn't spring myself free from it. I laid there, watching them bob and weave through rocks and small holes. Slowly I felt a stirring in my heart as they continued their rhythmic dance. I felt sadness and pain imprinting itself on my flesh. My heart trembled as tears began to soak the dirt beneath my face.

I felt the soft, warm skin of a woman. Her beautiful hair brushed my face. I could see her big brown eyes, laughter and fire in them. Oh, how that fire burned. It desired nothing more than to burn forever.

I stretched out my fingers, reacting to the feelings. I wanted to comb my fingers through her glorious hair. I swallowed, trying to catch my breath. Slowly I drew it in, holding in the scent of her sweet perfume, then exhaled and let it leave me behind. I grunted, trying to fight back for control, but every time I tried I was swept back up into her warm spark.

I shuddered, feeling her draw near. She took my hands and then, as if coming straight out of an elaborate dream, we danced together. Our feet glided across the floor. In my insanity I'd forgotten that I was stuck to the cavern floor and alone. But the pyreflies...they...

I breathed in deeper, losing myself in all that was her. I had no idea who she was. I knew not what her name was. All I knew was that I loved her. I had seen her, felt her, and now loved her with all that I was.

I felt like my heart was about to explode as my blood raced quickly through me. My heart pounded so loud that it overpowered my ears at times. But still, I found myself unable to turn away from those pyreflies and the image they conjured for me.

I frowned as I felt the beautiful woman depart.

My mouth moved to create one soundless syllable: no. No. I could not let her leave! I had...I had to save her!

Yes! That was it! She was in danger! I'll save her! I'll save you! Lenne!

The shaking in my body continued to intensify. My jaw hurt as I kept trying to mouth the word no to her as she left me. My eyes became overwhelmed with tears but I just could not close them. I couldn't do it.

Lenne.

I knew nothing of her but her name. She never told it to me, but somehow I had learned it. In just a few minutes I went from knowing nothing to knowing her name. How had I known?

Lenne.

Gods, her name. I let it linger in my mind a moment longer as I tried desperately to remember what she felt like. What she smelled like. Just her name ignited a new passion inside of me that I had never felt before.

I pressed my cheek against the cold, wet ground, wondering if I'd ever see her again.

I felt something cold around my hands. Chains. At first I couldn't figure out how they'd gotten there, but then my delusions presented me with an explanation: the guards had done it.

Yes. Those blasted Bevelle soldiers! They'd pay for this!

I felt a horrible pang of sadness creeping around me as I tried to shake the bars holding me prisoner. I grit my teeth. My desire to see her had grown and festered inside my until I felt I could no longer stand it. I had to have her. I had to protect her!

'Let me see her!'

I gasped. Enormous pain suddenly ripped through me in every part of my body. I clutched the earth beneath me with all that I had as I wept at the pain. I felt my life leaving me and my love for her vanishing as I suddenly saw her brown eyes close for the last time. I saw her...as she died.

And so I saw it. I saw why he had to keep me here. I felt his pain. His pain. The one who had trapped us here. We'd keep him company whilst he drowned in his sorrow. I had felt his agony as the soldiers of Bevelle brutally snuffed out their lives. I had felt the complete devotion he'd harbored for her, the intensity of his promise. The heated determination and the passionate look on their faces as they embraced one another.

I relaxed, my body finally giving out at last. I watched, my eyes slow to glaze over, as his spirited form approached me. I watched as he came near, his expression sullen. As the last breath of life escaped between my lips, I watched as he began to weep bitter tears. Deep into his far away eyes was condemnation and sorrow. They watched me as I lay there dying.

How far man could travel in his search for power. How terrible his might as he slaughtered the people who served under him. How sad he would be if he found himself alone one day after he'd finally killed them all.

As I died I wondered...just what it was I really saw.

More pyreflies surrounded us as all my comrades departed from their living forms. I kept my gaze on him as I did the same, his own eyes peering down at me. Watching. Always watching. He would keep me here, drown my soul and drag me into his hell. I would serve as a part of his ire. Everything that had happened to us was because of his desire for revenge. The pyreflies had shown me everything. They showed me my fate, my end.

Why I had to die.

I closed my eyes at last, my fingers no longer twitching in the dirt and my body going still. The warmth of his spirit stayed near me. I couldn't bring myself to hate him.

I was a part of him now.

Author's Note:

Well, hope you liked it! Or you know...thought it was alright. The best way to let me know is with a REVIEW! :D