Disclaimer: NOT MINE!
Will turned his head to see Sean firing a single arrow towards a Scotti swordsman, but when he turned his head further, he saw Master- pitchfork in hand- charging at the young man. "Sean!" He called. Everything became a blur as Will loaded a single arrow into his bow. He drew back and released, allowing the arrow to fly with an amazing speed. Master laughed, and the arrow went right threw him. It didn't even seem to affect him.
Master neared Sean, and finally, wrung his pitchfork right threw him. Sean had turned to Will, watched him fire an arrow that disappeared in thin air. Now, Sean felt a pain in his abdomen, and when he looked down, he could see a deep crimson dripping down him. He didn't feel the pain, until he looked at it. "Dad…" He choked out.
Will ran to catch his falling son. He could see the young man slipping away ever so quickly. "Sean… listen to me! Listen to me!" Will yelled at the boy. Now, as Will looked at the young man, he remembered when Sean was 8 years old.
Flashback
Will lie beneath the ever green trees. Sean lie right next to him, looking up and peering at the clouds. His dad never took him outside of Redmont. "A bandit will get you!" Will told Sean every time he asked to go out. Now, it felt nice to be with just his dad.
Tug and Steed, Sean's borrowed horse, stood grazing in the fields. Will needed to speak to Sean. "Sean, listen to me. I need you to make me a promise." Will told him sternly. Sean nodded, ready to pinky swear that he won't break it. "If something happens to me, take care of your mother. Make sure she's happy." Will told him. Sean looked to his father confused. Why is he saying this? He asked himself. Is Dad going to die? He continued to ask himself.
"I promise, dad." Sean told his father reassuringly. "-Pinky promise!" Sean said as he held out his small pinky. Will laughed, took Sean's pinky in his own, and they made their sacred promise.
This was the last time Sean and Will had a true father to son moment. Three days after this, Will Treaty died of unknown causes.
End Flashback
I failed them… Will thought to himself, I promised I would return home to both of them… not one of them. Will thought. Sean was slipping away, and now he too recalled the small memory.
I broke my promise… I promised dad that I would keep mom happy… that I'd take care of her… now who will take care of her? Grandma Pauline, Halt, or Uncle Horace? Sean thought to himself. He needed to tell his dad something. "Dad…" Sean whispered. His voice was weak, and as Will listened, he couldn't help but tear up. "I… I'm sorry."
"For what?" Will asked confused.
"I promised I would take care of mom… and I promised I would keep her happy…" Sean whispered. Will shook his head and put a finger to Sean's lips.
"No, I'm sorry. I wasn't there for you two when you needed me." Will whispered. Halt came and knelt down by the father and son. He sighed as he pulled the two into a hug. Sean, Will, and Halt; three generations full of Rangers, stayed there as the youngest generation began to prepare for Heaven.
.
Will sat beneath the tree from eight years ago. Halt was next to him, a reassuring arm on his shoulder. "Will… there was nothing you could do." Halt told him. Will shook his head, as if to say "No! I could've done something!" Halt shook his head in reply and pulled Will in for another hug.
"No…" Will finally said. He released himself from the hug and stood up. "There is something I can do…" Will said. With the flick of a finger, Will's black Dark Ranger uniform transformed. The long cape transformed into the mottled Ranger cloak. The black tunic and pants changed to the green's of a Ranger. His long bow, weapons, and any other item on him transformed from the black of a Dark Ranger to the green of a Ranger. "Halt, I'll be having my Oakleaf back if you don't mind." Will said with smirk.
Halt stood up and for the second time, draped the Silver Oakleaf around his apprentice's shoulders. "Tell Alyss I'll bring Sean back…" Will said to Halt as he prepared to teleport to Master's palace. "And… if I don't come back… tell her I love her." Will finished.
"No, because you will come back. You tell her that you love her." Halt said before Will teleported his way into the palace of the devil.
.
Master knew he would come. He didn't know that he would change himself to this, though. "Tran… it's nice to see you." Master said cheerfully. Will glared at the monster he'd called 'Master' for 8 years.
"My name isn't Tran." Will said coldly. "My name is Will, and I know longer serve you. My time is up, I have served the equivalent of 13 years. I no longer call you Master, I know longer call this place home. My home is the country of Araluen, and I will return there soon." Will recited the last thing he was supposed to say. "I am free to do as I wish." Will Treaty no longer was a Dark Ranger. He'd served his time, and he could go home.
Master laughed. "You do not leave unless I say so!" Master yelled at the Ranger.
"I served 13 years, I am free." Will simply replied. "Now, before I go home, I'll be taking my son with me." Will's voice was cold.
"Your son is dead, and an idiot at that. You'd think that he would join us in the Dark Ranger Corps, but NO! He decides to go to Heaven. I'm afraid it is out of my hands." Master laughed as he spook.
"No, he is here. You think I am that stupid? He's in the dungeon… and I challenge you to single combat for him. If I win, he is free to go. If you win, you have us both for your prisoners." Will finished. Master pondered at the idea. There was no way Will would win, so it was worth it.
"Alright, you're on Ranger."
.
Alyss couldn't believe was Halt was telling her. "I'm… I'm sorry Alyss." He finished. Alyss felt nothing but heartbreak. I… I've lost them both? She asked herself.
"Sean… Sean is… no…" She couldn't finish her sentence. Pauline wrapped a reassuring arm around her. "What… what about Will?"
"He went back to get him… I don't think they'll make it back though…" Halt whispered. Alyss burst into tears. The most important people in her life were technically dead. Pauline gave Halt a look that simply said: let me talk to her.
Halt nodded and left the room. "Alyss…" The older courier whispered. She did the only thing natural for her. She put her arm around Alyss and rocked her back and forth. Finally, she sang; "Will's in the arms of the Ranger, far away from here, from this dark cold horse stable and the endlessness that he feels. He is pulled from the wreckage of his silent reverie, he's in the arms of the Ranger, may he find some comfort there."
Don't you LOVE cliffies? I love them! They are fun to torture you readers with them!
The song is supposed to be to the tune of "In the Arms of the Angel" by Sarah McLachlan. I changed a few words to apply to Rangers and such. I was going to do the entire song, but I couldn't think of a way to apply it to Will…
Oooh! Speaking of Will, he's got himself in some SERIOUS trouble…
-Sharkbait