Well this may have taken a dark turn...I'm not quite sure. I'll let you decide.

And I've upped the rating for content and some language.

Enjoy ;

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Turmoil

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Disaster. It was the only word McDohl could think of to call such a horrific massacre. He'd seen many battles, all with death and destruction but the battle for Greenhill was one of the worst he'd ever recalled. Being a soldier was different than being the leader. No one was there to whisk you away when the battle ended. Mathieu had always pulled McDohl away from these sights and now he was involved in them as deeply as any warrior could be. You were forced to see all of the horrors of limbless, crippled and dying men all screaming and crying for someone to save them though they were as good as dead.

Bodies were being piled as if discarded dolls being tossed away as the lesser wounded helped medics and doctors tend to the injured. The Greenhill citizens had come out to help yet most of them were either too old, too young or under some sort of disrepair themselves.

McDohl watched the sun rise as he mechanically lifted the next dismembered body and placed it upon the growing mound. Blood poured down his arms and onto his clothes as he lifted another and then another, each time placing them down with care for he couldn't bring himself to throw them.

"Every one of you..." He began inaudibly with a tone full of sorrow. "You all have someone who cares...They'll never see any of you again. Because of this war, they'll carry that sadness with them forever." Memories of Gremio's and his own father's death resurfaced from the hero's subconscious. He gave an uncontrollable shudder and was forced to regather himself before lifting the next body. That one was lighter than the others and the oddity forced McDohl to look down. His face began to crease with horrified distress. It was merely a boy...perhaps no older than twelve. How he got onto the field no one would know, but now he was there, disemboweled and stone dead in McDohl's arms.

"O-oh my god..." He shuddered violently. He was barely able to put the boy down before his knees buckled and he fell against the pile of dead comrades. "This isn't right!" His voice began to grow darker as he gripped the young one's hand as if to consol the dead. "Freedom's...not...worth this..."

Humans are destined to die

A snort left McDohl as he stiffly stood up and looked up to the morning twilight. "Not like this."

Here or later, they shall die eventually.

"People need to live." The staff wielder seethed as he began to move away from the mound that would forever haunt his nightmares. "That boy should have lived!"

It is Destiny

"Enough you accursed rune! Enough!" The fierce clash of emotions and his heavy exhaustion pushed his mind to nearly shut down. The cold and bitterness returned with a vengeance forcing McDohl to wish nothing but curses upon the Soul Eater and war itself.

His arrival at the Medical camp was unnoticed. Nurses and surgeons ran back and forth while magic wielders attempted to assist with Wind and Water runes. It was simple enough for McDohl to find a place to stand and stare at the sights around him.

Despite the terrible injuries, laughter was heard from one corner of the open tent. At first it sickened the young hero to hear someone laughing at such a time and in such a place. He turned his head sharply to eye the perpetrator and found himself staring at a small gathering around a cot.

Viktor stood hunched over, patting Riou vibrantly on the back. The poor boy shook with every blow and eventually ended up face down on the floor because of it. Immediately after, Nanami began to tear a thick strip from Viktor's hide which forced Flik to laugh slightly.

"You're nothing but a stupid, ugly bear! You jerk!"

"Hey watch it girly!"

Their squirmish was broken up by the bed's occupant. Always calm and cool tempered, Camus simply gave a handsome smile and gently persuaded Nanami to stop her rants. The young girl blushed and allowed for her mood to shift completely. She went from violent and angry at Viktor to concerned and caring for Camus.

Vaguely curious as to why the Knight was bed ridden, McDohl shifted himself to allow for better sight. Though it wasn't completely clear from a distance, he could see blooded bandaging around Camus torso leading to the belief his side or upper abdomen had been injured.

"Hey McDohl." Viktor's voice was an uninviting surprise. With a grave facade, McDohl looked up and complied to the large hand waving him over to join them. "There you are! Gremio was worried sick!"

"...Was?"

Viktor laughed again. "Yeah, he passed out a while ago. I guess fighting takes a lot out of him now heh."

"Looking out for you is probably what was so tiring." Flik added with a smirk, enjoying the slightly frustrated expression that overcame his partner's face.

"I was doing the protecting."

"Uh huh."

Losing interest quickly in the bickering, he turned to stare at Camus, or more particularly the wound. He was sure it was upon the right side and not lethally deep but enough to worry about. "..."

The knight noticed the steady gaze and decided to comment. "It isn't terrible Sir McDohl." Camus stated in his kind manner. "I'm only glad it was me and not someone else."

"Enough with the knightly stuff." Nanami fussed as she forced him to lie down completely. "It would have been better if no one got hurt at all! But since you did you need rest and food. I know! I'll make you some of my homemade soup!"

Viktor's, Flik's and Riou's faces all turned green. It was made obvious that Nanami's cooking was something only a fool would try willingly.

For such a reason, Camus was a fool. "Yes, thank you Lady Nanami. I would enjoy that."

She beamed until Viktor made a comment. The battle was then on once again, becoming so intense that Nanami actually chased the older man out of the tent. Worried that they would kill one another, Flik chased after them.

McDohl's narrowed eyes never once brightened, nor did his face or his posture. He stood there looking like a living mummy wrapped in wads of anger and distress. He found that Riou was now staring at him with eyes round and full of curiosity. For a brief instant, their eyes met and McDohl could see the poor boy's soul so unsettled and distraught.

"I understand how you feel." He said suddenly as he stared down at the younger boy. "Persevere...The war will end soon..." McDohl knew his words had startled and inspired Riou. It made him feel in touch with the boys emotions. The two had an unseen bond created by similar experiences within similar circumstance which had no doubt made them think the same overwhelmed thoughts.

"Thank You..." Riou said with genuine gratitude. McDohl didn't respond with anything more than a nod before moving away. He could no longer stand the presence of others, he needed to get away. Too much had happened and too many memories were resurfacing forcing his head to pound mercilessly.

Before fully exiting the tent, yet another distraction pulled for his attention.

"Mondo-sensei...Can you hear me?"

The sound of Kasumi's rueful voice weighed heavily upon his ears forcing him to look. Mondo was bed ridden and from the looks of his care, he had been horribly wounded. The ninja warrior was unconscious and hardly breathing which was Kasumi's main cause of concern. She knelt by his bedside and held his hand like a worried daughter while concerned tears slid silently down her face.

"I'm sorry Mondo-sensei...I wasn't strong enough to protect you."

Sasuke stepped up beside her and placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder. Despite his seriously set face, he was also deeply worried for his teachers well being.

Guilt began to form in McDohl's mind. I was there...why didn't I do something? Now Mondo...could die...and Kasumi...He gave his head a swift shake as self loathing began to cloud his thoughts. His fists clenched tightly at his side angrily for every tear that touched the ninja's soft cheeks drove a nail into his conscious and his heart.

A soft wind wandered through the tent, caressing all who dwelled within. Its gentle caress bid Kasumi to lift her head slightly and allow for her to see the young hero looking upon her. No more than a second did they stared at one another before McDohl turned his head away and marched from the tent. At the time where she possibly need his comfort the most, he simply walked away. Both of their hearts nearly shattered.

"M-mcDohl..."

"Kasumi..." His body heaved with a silent sob. "This all must end. No more war; no more blight...no more sadness for you or for anyone!" So vividly now, he could remember the face of every person he had seen die amidst the throws of war. Odessa, Gremio, His father, Maximillian, accompanied by so many others. The final image was of the young boy he'd just discovered that day. It lingered as if a permanent nightmare upon his mind and made his knees buckle and his stomach churn. Unable to stand it any longer, bile rose into his throat and spewed forth from his mouth.

The sickness didn't last long, however he remained upon his hands and knees for several long minutes. There didn't seem any point in getting up only to have everything happen all over again. All of the death and hatred and sorrow, as long as there was war it would never go away.

"But...if there was no war..." Thoughts began to unfurl in his mind as he pushed himself up. If the war was over, no more of this would happen. All of the despair would fade to memories and tales...But how to end the war? His pondering lead to a plan which pasted a nearly sadistic smirk upon his face. "I can end the war... I can end it for you Kasumi. You'll be free of this."

As he thought of Kasumi's happiness he became more and more sure of his plan. Even as the Soul Eater began to drown him with pain for thoughts of her, he smiled and prepared himself.

Wiping his mouth, the young hero forced his body to move away from the tents. Away from his friends and comrades back to Dunan Castle. It would begin there...The beginning of the end.

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A merciless cloud of rain hung above Dunan castle, rinsing the returning troops clean of the evidence of war. Such weather chilled the wind and forced all to run inside where they'd be free of the miserable wetness the sky had unleashed.

Clive didn't hate the weather, nor did he love it. Just as most everything else, he had no opinion on it other than it was there and he could do nothing to stop it. Thus he endured the weathers presence and remained unmoving perched upon the castle outer wall.

The war was hardly a damper upon his mind, only his failure bothered him. He'd missed his opportunity to find Elza and therefore, missed his chance to avenge Kelly's death. A frown formed across his taunt expression while he tapped his fingers against his gun, signaling slight irritation. "You've escaped me this time Elza...but I will find you. Then I'll kill you..."

"Still searching Clive?"

The hooded man lifted his head and turned it enough to catch a glimpse of the other man. "Always." Recognizing McDohl, the frown returned to its normal thin expression.

"You fought for me before Clive...and I need your help again."

"Too bad."

McDohl bowed his head slightly in a very serious nature. "I know how badly you need to find Elza...And that is how badly I need to do this. And to do it, I need your help."

A broken silence hung between them, filled with only the constant patter of rain upon the stone wall. The warriors stared intensely at one another, hung by the tension of having the question answered.

"What do you say Clive?"

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Luc stared up at the stone tablet for what must have been the millionth time. His face contorted into an angry scowl as he raised his hand with intentions of destroying the accursed rock. "I've had to watch over you for too long. Constantly being pawned off with you to these so called Hero's of destiny by will of Leknaat...I should destroy them all and be done with it."

He withdrew his hand slowly though the irritation of being a toy still burned in his eyes. "Perhaps this is my fate, but I can hate it with every part of my being. One day I'll have my vengeance upon this world and you, you damned Tablet will be the first thing I disintegrate."

Turning away from it, he crossed his arms and stared down the hall in a defiant nature. He didn't care who saw his scowl or glare. Here he was forced to remain open to the public as if he were a tourist guide describing the tablet to anyone who asked. It was humiliating and demeaning. At least with McDohl he had had seclusion and a small amount of freedom.

The large doors opened and caught the magician's attention. Most of the injured had been returned to the castle so either it was a straggler or someone forgotten. Being the bitter soul he was Luc took amusement in realizing it was McDohl and assuming he'd been forgotten.

"Its colder when no one remembers you exist." Luc said with a sneer.

"It would be easier if no one remembered."

Two things caught Luc's attention. The first was that he'd even gotten a response. His snide comments were usually met with a smirk from McDohl but no words. The second was the response itself and how dismal it had sounded. Immediately Luc was curious.

"Has the strong leader finally allowed the world to crush him?" The magician laughed quietly as if it was a personal triumph for him.

McDohl retaliated with a knowing look while smirking a bit himself. "Perhaps. But since it hasn't quite...I need your help Luc."

Luc let out a snicker, then a full laugh that echoed around in the empty room. "I have no reason to help you! You stupid mortal I'm free of your command."

"But you're still binded to this one."

A nerve was struck and Luc let his eye twitch. "Hmph. I still have no bind to you. Even if you do wield the Soul Eater..."

For a moment, their expressions were identical. Hateful, bitter and careless to the world. When McDohl spoke, his voice was very tempting, forcing Luc to hear the words. "If you help me, your binding here will be through with much sooner and you'll be free of this place."

The magician fell silent and feigned disinterest as he thought. To be rid of the tablet, the castle and the stupid children who ran it...was that better than being entertained by his former leader's fallen expression when he said no to the request?

Of course. Even for Luc.

"Fine..."

"Good..."

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Hmm, unlikely alliances there. What does our dear McDohl have planned?

Read and review please?