Something Worth Fighting for

by Blade Heart


Red Mists

He was looking at himself, after the slaughter at Azmar. He was in his armor, and it was raining, but the water was tinted red. He was watching himself look out over the battlefield, in armor wet with blood and rain. His sword was standing up from the ground just beside him.

He had no idea what was going on, because this battle happened years ago, and he was seeing himself from the past. He was beginning to think the drinks had some side effects, but his thoughts were interrupted by a voice that proclaimed caring authority.

"Thou hast nothing to fear. We are in thine dream."

Looking to his right, Orisian saw the woman he first saw in the pool he crawled out of. She stood with a posture like that of the lords from his world, and spoke with more honor, if it were possible.

"What do you mean?"

She looked him in the eyes before answering.

"The dreamscape. I am Princess Luna, guardian of dreams, and the night. I saw thine uneasiness. I am here to help thee conquer it."

She spoke as if she was telling a story about Knights of old, as if she were forming a story just now. She spoke with glory.

"And how can you help me?"

"I am here to help thee understand thine dreams. To help thee command them. To help thee explore them."

"And you can do that how?"

"Perhaps it would be simpler if I could show thee."

With that, she closed her eyes, her horn began to glow a dark blue, and everything around them began to warp. Twisting into something before the battle. It made Orisian a little sick in the stomach after he saw that even what he was standing on wasn't stable anymore. When it did stop, he saw himself, Lord Ryelon, and a fellow kinsman standing around a table, in a military tent. Large, open, and filled with weapons and armor. Lord Ryelon let out a barking laugh before turning around and moving right through Orisian.

"Get in formation boys, we're spilling blood for the King tonight!"

Orisian felt nothing as he was passed. Not a movement of air, nor the coldness a peasant claims to feel after being touched by a ghost. His former self, and the other commander followed quickly behind him, and Orisian hurriedly moved out of the way before they could touch him. He stood there for a moment before collecting himself and following them out.

Outside the tent, the troops were already in line, and it was starting to rain. Lord Ryelon mounted his horse, and Orisian drew his sword. The commander moved to the back of the company, already giving orders. Orisian knew the cavalry would go in first, because he remembered this day perfectly. It was the only day any Kingsman had been defeated.

The charge had started, and the thunder of over a hundred horses drowned out every other sound. When the cavalry hit the wall of enemies, there was a satisfying sound of screams as they were cut down, but Orisian was waiting for the dreaded moment that he knew was coming. Soon enough, it was there. Horses fell, and the screams of his kinsmen filled the air. Lord Ryelon ordered Orisian and the footman to charge, and they did. He watched as they crossed the field, a large portion of them already dead from the crossbows their opponents were using.

Orisian himself remembers taking multiple hits before he got anywhere near them, but also remembered they were very weak in close combat. Orisian felt hate rising in his chest, and adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Upon noticing his anger, Luna spoke up.

"A sad day then?"

"Filthy maggots, the lot of them."

Returning her attention to the battle, both of them saw how easily the King's enemies were overwhelmed when they were too close to shoot. Orisian himself was leaving a river of blood, carving a pathway through enemy forces. They both saw more enemies coming in on horseback, firing at both their allies and opponents.

During the middle of this, Luna decided it was a good time to speak.

"This battle reminds me of a time long past, of when I had conflicts between parts of myself. In the end, it caused me to have conflict between my sister and I. Of which, the battles were long, and bloody."

The battle below had taken a turn for the worst, Orisian's side taking massive casualties, and barely returning the damage.

"I look back at those battles now, and regret everything about them."

Orisian could hear the screams of combat.

"Not only did they cause suffering for those that fought and died, but they caused suffering for those that survived, those that watched, and those that ran."

Orisian's side was slaughtered, and even he was faultering. Lord Ryelon ordered the final charge.

"It took me over one-thousand years to realize that it wasn't worth it."

By now, Lord Ryelon had entered the fight, and was giving a slight edge over the enemy cavalry.

"And even now, after all of it is far behind me, I still regret my actions."

Ryelon's assisstance was something, but almost nothing compared to the range their opponents had.

"Those that fought for me. Those that fought against me."

Ryelon had been hit multiple times, and was hanging off his horse limply.

"I regret everything I did during those dark days."

Orisian had found his way to Lord Ryelon, and had sent the horse off away from the battle.

"In the end, it all meant nothing."

Orisian was being circled by them, and had no chance of retaliating to the attacks they gave.

"When I look back on it, I suppose I did it to get some kind of foolish revenge on my sister."

Orisian was on the ground now, seemingly dead. The enemies left him there.

"I hope you do not seek what I did."

Orisian remembered waking up after that, the rain coming down hard. It was an unholy rain, colored red with the blood of his kinsmen.

"No. We defeated them soon after this battle. But the heroes who fell here will always be remembered."

"I see."

And with that, he woke up.