I know, I already updated today. But I wanted to do the resolution.
Enjoy. Or... not.
Bearing's dead eyes were still open wide, his face stretched with the last vestiges of terror as Merith knelt by his side. Ruby, alongside Trunks and Cade stood behind and watched, her soul churned with emotions she didn't understand as Merith shut his terrified eyes and mouth. It was a simple change, but he suddenly looked like he was sleeping. Merith then reached to his neck and pulled the silver tags found there free.
It was final. He was dead and he would not come back.
Merith bowed her head somberly, her lips moving in an unheard prayer, the two men bowing their heads as well. Ruby did not, her eyes blurred as she thought of her failure to help him. She would have to live with the memory for the rest of her life.
Merith stepped from the body and pulled a pouch from her waist that clinked with metal already inside. She opened the pouch and placed Bearing's tags inside, alongside dozens of other already found within. She stopped before them, her blonde hair shot with streaks of dried blood. Her uniform bore bloody handprints where dying men had gripped her. Ruby averted her eyes at the sight. But everywhere she looked, the bodies of the men she killed stared back.
The battlefield was a mangled mess of bodies and sputtering fires. The breezeless air carried with it the scent of gunpowder and iron. It smelt terribly of human waste as men lost control of themselves in the face of, or during, death. But what only made it worse were the bodies that surrounded her. The ones she had killed. There was no decency to how she had done it. Crescent Rose was not a dainty weapon. It was made to sever limbs and cut through the bony hide of Grimm. Much like Grimm, Crescent Rose left pieces of men.
Her chest felt very tight she turned away and left. She had to get away, leave the sight. For the first time in her life, Ruby was ashamed of who she was. It was all she could do to not throw aside Crescent Rose then and there. As she walked, the other caught up to her and talked quietly amongst themselves. Ruby didn't listen, her head down as she stared at the monotonous colors of the ground.
Cade came up beside her and walked with her. "You okay?" Ruby nodded, eyes trapped in a staring contest with the dirt. "Alright, let's go back and let them seal this place tight. After, I think I owe you a drink." They joined the rest of the column of men, aides packing up the equipment and gear behind them. They began the march back up into the Hive, leaving behind the blood spilt.
Following the railroad tracks, it wasn't long before they cleared the artificially lit gloom. They stepped into a rundown railyard, passing stony outcroppings and pillars. Up and down the stone walls ran wires and small dots. Techpriests and Guardsmen argued amongst each other as other worked to lay wires and place more of the dots.
"They're going to blow the entrance," Said Cade, "We bought them enough time so they can seal this entrance. We won't be back here ever again." Ruby nodded, her only emotion was relief that she wouldn't have to go back.
When they arrived back to their assigned mustering area, the Regiment was treated with a rare surprise. They had the night to themselves as a reward for their valor. But Ruby had only one thought in mind, wash the blood from her body. Her desire was to be thwarted as once the freedom had been granted, half of the Regiment was determined to talk to Ruby and Cade. In a more stable mindset, she might have found it embarrassing. Now, she was just wanting to get away.
She couldn't block out the endless tirade of questions and compliments. They stepped in at every turn to block her and Cade's path back to the barracks. They said things like, 'That was amazing! Where'd you learn to fight like that?' or 'I want to thank you. You saved us.' But it all felt wrong.
The worst of all came from a young, freckle faced Trooper, his voice filled with admiration and awe. "That was so cool what you did! By the Emperor, you just cut em all up! There were so many bodies they must have been running scared from you alone." His words struck a chord in Ruby's heart, a dissonant and dark chord. Visions of dying men and warm blood spraying over her ran through her mind. But the boy continued, "I hope I can be as good a killer as you someday."
With an emotional twang, the chord broke and ripped through Ruby's fragile psyche. Her eyes opened wide as the words repeated. 'As good a killer as you someday.' It was haunting and accusing, blaming her for the death she had wrought. She stepped back from the boy, dropping her rucksack to the floor. As she backed up she bumped into someone. She jumped and turned to whoever it was. It was Cade who smiled at her. Anxiety rising, she pushed herself away from him as her heart began to race and her breathing accelerated. She suddenly felt very warm, like a furnace was nipping at her extremities. Her chest felt like it was about to burst.
But still, they crowded around her, even as Cade said her name, each time his voice growing louder and more concerned. But to Ruby, it was another note in the cacophony that she was desperate to escape. She turned about once more, desperate for a way out when she found it, a break in the crowd. Heedless of the consequences, she ran for it, shooting through the gap and disappearing in a thin trail of petals.
She ran until her Aura was spent and she could go no further. Other still crowded the street, civilians and soldiers walking with grim faces. They spared her momentary glances, but to Ruby, their faces only bore judgement. She saw a dark alleyway ran several paces inside. It was cool within, fans rotated overhead in a quiet hum. Most importantly, it was empty.
She leaned against the wall, gripping her head tightly as memories flew through her mind. Memories of the faces of those she had killed. She dropped to her knees and vomited whatever was left in her empty stomach, her body's feeble attempt at coping. But it didn't help, the faces wouldn't stop flashing through her mind. She dragged herself a few meters away and curled up against the wall. Trying to maintain a grip on sanity that she just couldn't find.
Cade followed the trail of petals at a sprint so as to not lose sight of the disappearing trail. Guardsmen and civilians crowded the busy thoroughfare and Cade had to skirt around them deftly. As the trail grew thinner, he abandoned all pretense of tact, shoving people out of his way and ignoring the shouts that followed after him. He followed for several blocks before the trail finally cut entirely, leaving him without a map.
Frustrated, and breathing heavily from his sprint, he looked about for somewhere Ruby might have gone. His only guess was a dark alleyway twenty paces back. He shrugged and made his way towards it. He looked inside and peered through the shadows. It was a rather depressing location, narrow enough that only three persons could walk abreast. Pipes ran far overhead and the steady drip of water could be heard within alongside the soft whirring of fans. But it was quiet compared to the bustle and anxiety found out on the street.
He took a step inside and gave his eyes a few moments to adjust. As he waited he noticed the distinct smell of bile mixed with mildew. As his eyes adjusted, light from the street provided ample light for him to see, and there he found Ruby. Her back pressed up against the ferrocrete and her knees tucked up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped about her legs and her head rested on her forearms. She looked very small.
"Hey Skirts, don't take off like that. You're really hard to follow." He said, stepping towards her. She didn't answer, her face still buried. He crouched down and reached out his hand, "Ruby? What's wrong?"
Her head snapped up towards Cade, eyes running across his face. Her face was pale and her silver eyes were bloodshot. She saw his hand reaching towards him and jerked away, turning so her face was hidden and her back was presented to him. "Go away!"
"Skirts, it's okay. It's just me." He reached his hand out further and gently touched her shoulder. She recoiled again. "Ruby, it's me. It's Cade." Her shoulder's slumped ever so slightly and he reached out once more to her shoulder. This time, she didn't pull away, but she shook underneath his touch, her body trembling. He sat down next to her and gave her a gentle pull, turning her towards him. She turned slowly under his guidance, her head still buried in her arms. "Ruby, look at me." Her head rose up slowly from her arms and she turned her head towards him. As soon as her eyes met his, the silver orbs began to water.
With a hiccup, she uncoiled herself and threw herself forward, burying her head in Cade's chest. She gripped his shirt tightly as if she could disappear into the rough fabric while she again tucked her legs underneath herself. She sobbed bitterly while Cade sat stunned. After a moment's hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, gently rocking her back and forth. They sat their together for time uncounted as they held each other close. But Ruby showed no signs of ceasing, her tears and sobs an endless tirade of bitterness and regret.
At a loss of what to do, and completely out of his element Cade did the only thing he could think of. He sang a song he learned as a child. A Cadian song his mother used to sing to him. He began softly, whispering the words as if reading poetry.
"Before I left, she makes me stand
From her palm, a blossom to my hand
From her eyes, I hide my pain…"
He gave his voice more volume and began to sing softly. His voice cracked and he winced, but he continued on.
"I lie to her, that I'll see her again
With other men, other recruits,
We leave behind us all our fruits"
Ruby continued to sob, if his song was of any help, she showed no sign as she continued to hold onto him tightly.
"Though my feet are made of clay
I kiss her lips
I release her hips
Her blossom in my hand I turn about and march away."
"Glorious…" His voice grew in confidence over the seven-second note, his chest reverberating as he sang softly to her. "Oh Glorious. Glorious. Tomorrow."
"For tomorrow! A future I ensure
For tomorrow! A lifetime I endure
Far away, far from compassion's care
Oh! The shells! Exploding in the air
Far away, far from mercy's door"
He gently rested his cheek against the top of her head, feeling it was just the right thing to do.
"Beneath Emperor's eyes, I battle his war
I take His light, shone from the sun's ray
I listen to what commander has to say
I hold my gun,
I feel the sun
Blossoms over me, I fight to save the coming day.
"Glorious!
Oh Glorious!
Glorious!
Tomorrow!
It was slight, but Ruby's fingers eased from their crushing grip on his shirt. She remained with her face buried, the warmth of her tears seeping through his shirt.
"For tomorrow! A baby I will save
For tomorrow! A nightmare I will brave
The Emperor, to whom blood is gift
Underneath His gaze, I feel spirits lift
And I am called by His behest
I say goodbye
A painless die
And so I hit the ground, a bright red blossom on my chest
Glorious!
Oh Glorious!
Glorious!
Tomorrow!
He rocked her gently as he sang, his voice now rich though he sang softly to her alone. Her violent sobs slowly softened. Her head turned slightly against his chest and cheek as she returned from the darkness within her mind.
"Eternity, in afterlife, I see ancestors there!
A trillion men at his side, I see His glory bare!
He smiles at me: a faithful elite
Forever here!
I feel no fear!
And so I take my place and lay my blossom at his feet.
He let his voice drop again to a whisper, softly repeating the chorus one last time.
Glorious.
Oh Glorious.
Glorious.
Tomorrow…
He let the song fade into silence. A silence broken only by the gentle sobs of the woman he held.
I'm not a song writer. The song comes from another story called Time of Ending: the 40k Finale by nicholasakira. It's my favorite 40k story on this site. The song just felt... right.
This is just a tip of the resolution as well. I really wanted to capture Ruby's emotions while it was still fresh.