Work Text:
~You believed..~
A cold, menacing wind blows from the north, whipping at the backs of determined travelers. Dead grass and leaves crunch at their feet.
~You believed in movements none could see..~
"We're going to get him back. We're going to get him back..", is a phrase uttered countless amount of times by the gold-clad warrior, Arin, as a group of four trudges up a steep hill nearing a large foreboding castle. As they near, a red smoke becomes more pronounced, billowing from a second-story window and floating up into the sky.
~You believed in me..~
“This is all my fault- if I… If I just let Jon stay with us none of this would have happened. We would still have Dan, everything would be fine..” Arin beat down on himself.
"That’s not right and you know it! We couldn’t keep Jon around, he was no good for us. How could we have known that he’d turn on us immediately? Yes, of course, it hurt losing him, but gods we could have never foreseen that big blundering mage taking up camp with Danny’s old foe! When I find that rat I'm going to taxidermy his head on my wall. No... No, he's not worth that- I'd rather rip open his skin and burn him alive. If there is a god or higher being, I know I may undo your work.. but please, please have mercy on our lost one." Anger falling to grief in their words. This voice is of a woman, Suzy, the warrior's wife. Suzy has a gift, a gift for bringing life to the dead or taking it from the living. This stunningly beautiful woman is a necromancer, a force that is hard to match. “We will get Danny back Arin, and we’ll all be laughing again, you’ll see.”
~A passionate spirit..~
"I even miss that bastard cursing my name when I miss a target in training- which doesn't happen that often, I'll have you know!" Poor, naive Ross and his unsuccessful, but not unwanted, attempt at brightening the dim mood. His voice is distinct from the others, having a foreign quality to it. This young gunner pirate is under the tutelage of the currently missing, archer Dan. The group has a love-hate relationship with the funny fellow as you see, he was born a pirate so it was not unadvisable for them to be wary of his ways for the first few months. Yet, the young man has proven himself despite any and all protests. He may not be very quick with wit, but physically he can run circles around any person on any given day.
~Uncompromise..~
After Ross' failed attempt at boosting the mood, the silence is only broken by the clangs of metal, the scrape of shoes on the dirt path, a sharp slap of wind, and the clap of a hand on a clothed shoulder. At this, Ross peers up at his brother, Barry.
~Boundless and open..~
Barry the Bard, partnered with his mythical lute of unforetold powers, is the kindest and gentlest of the group. He is a calming necessity in a hectic group of heroes such as this. Arin and god help his soul, Dan, could easily crack jokes with each other, sometimes much to the misfortune of young Ross. Barry was always there to reassure the young lad that he was loved, even if he didn’t think it. Suzy was mostly around Arin but very close with Barry. Even though Suzy may have married Arin, she and Barry took over as ‘parents’, if you will, of the gang- definitely the most mature.
Although, Barry never was like a father to Ross, more of a brother.
~A light in your eyes..~
You see, Barry and Ross are not genetically siblings. On a fine spring day on the sunny western shores, a young boy pirate by the name of Ross stumbled off a ship right into a young man named Barry. Barry was intrigued by him, as he had visible scars, but he was much too young for any wars. Barry took pity on the young lad because of his story, which he had to coax out of him by offering him a piece of bread. Ross had not many friends, it was safe to say he never had any. He was a stowaway on a cargo ship sailing from coast to coast. He had no mother, no father, just pirates and the wide open sea. The savages on the ship beat him, mocked him, and degraded him day by day. Barry bought him from the pirates for the small price of just a pence, stayed close to him as a protector, and showed him how people could be kind and caring. Eventually, the others accepted him and Dan showed him the tricks of long-range combat, of course, Dan with his bow and Ross with some 'borrowed' guns
- and at that, the family became five.
~Then immobilized..~
Ross was knocked out of his daydream by Arin shouting a guttural battle cry.
When had they gotten over the hill so quickly? Was it already time? Were they too late? Was Dan even alive?
These thoughts were shaken from his mind at the sight of hordes of undead and living brainwashed soldiers coming at them from their front and sides.
Barry took his place beside Ross in the background.
Barry played melodies that could bring the feeling of warm sun on the skin- matched with an ethereal golden glow emitting from the five fighters. They felt invigorated- so alive, so ready!
Ross had the duty of covering Barry with the supportive fire of his guns. Praying and hoping that his training from Dan was enough. He was going to help if it was the last thing he did. 'Even if he damns my name', he thought.
Suzy was busy converting the undead back to their lifeless forms and living, brainwashed masses into the truly dead.
and lastly, Arin. Arin would swing his greatsword until his arms lay at his feet if it meant bringing his brother in arms, his best friend, and his beloved family member back to them.
~Broken, broken..~
Screams. So many screams.
Metal on metal was enough of a sound to scare you out of deep sleep.
Metal slashing and crunching through meat and bone mixed with the sounds of waves of blood hitting dirt?
That was enough to give you nightmares so you never sleep again if you are the fortunate one.
Massive mounds of bodies litter the grounds, the air reeking of blood and sweat, filled with the screams of the suffering, the dead, and the damned.
This was all mute - the heroes couldn't hear a word nor cry for help. They had to recover what they had lost. The missing piece to their puzzle, which without they would surely fall apart.
It felt like a mere moment had passed when it was anything but, as they broke through the defenses and into the main hall of the castle.
~Fell at the hands of those movements I wouldn't see..~
Arin and Suzy were at the forefront when a shout from Ross yelling for them to go ahead pushed them farther into the belly of the castle.
"We can take care of the rest out here, go, get him back for us!" Barry ushered them on.
They fought to the second floor, echoes of clashing swords and arrows on steel rip through the halls as they pass.
They're stopped by a red mist wall blocking the entrance to a large room, thin enough to be mistaken for fogged glass, strong enough to be mistaken for brick wall-
"Necromancer, please break down the mist wall that foolish mage put up. I have no need for it."
a sinister voice cackles from within, "That fat, bearded, stupid mess Jon is dead at this point, shame his magic couldn't die with his useless body. He believed we were on the same side. He believed I would help him get revenge on you for kicking him out of your little group. How pathetic is love when it is lost? How pathetic is love even when it is had? Please, break down the barrier and finally witness my only goal. Revenge on the pathetic scrawny man that thought he was better off without me, and somehow better with you. You and your stupid ideas of love.."
~Yet, it was you who prayed for me..~
Arin pounds at the mist wall with his gloved hands. Jon was dead. It gave him a sick feeling to think that it was better off that way, maybe he died peacefully, maybe not. All that mattered now was that they get Dan back. Dan with his unruly hair, Dan with jokes that made everyone's stomachs ache with the force of their laughter. Their Danny.
He looks back as he hears Barry. Loving, caring, Barry.
~ Didn't have a life, Didn't have a life~
Barry, with a face full of tears, appears carrying a limp and lifeless Ross in his arms- both soaked head to toe in blood.
~But surely..~
~Saved one..~
Arin's face is full of remorse, changing to determination and rage as Suzy breaks the barrier, causing Arin to fall slightly forward, his hand hitting the ground before him as they're shown the sight of Assassin Brian with a katana held to Dan's throat. His bow shattered, and his arrows splintered at his side. Danny looks up at the group through blood-matted hair, weakly choking out a phrase, a joke turned curse-
"God Dammit, Ross"
it’s all he can weakly mutter before he is drowned out by the screams of his friends, his family, as the sharp steel is drawn across his neck and his life pours from his body and the light fades from his eyes.
The last thing he saw was not the rally of the enemy troops herding his friends to their likely and undeniable doom.. it was not them being bound with chains and links to watch all the blood drain from his broken body as they cried,.. but knowing that the cared and loved him enough to risk all of their lives, and give them, just to save him.
Knowing that it's not the end-
After all, they will surely meet in the afterlife...
Right?
~See? I'm alright, now it's time for us to let you go..~