Of Blades and Brothers

by ChaoticHarmony

Warrior's Lament

The sun beat down on his back, its rays throwing light over the gathered ponies and warming the day. Instead of feeling warmth, Cloud could feel only coldness gripping him. He sat at the place where they would bury his brother, looking into the deep hole where he would soon reside for eternity. Drops of water steadily made their way into the hole, dripping from Cloud’s face. He made no attempt to halt the tears, allowing all his grief to pour out of himself. He still wore his fighting suit and Slicer, which had earned him a few glares from the other ponies in attendance, but he didn’t care. He would send off his brother like he would a fighter. The suit was sweltering hot, and had more than likely burned his coat in a few places, but Cloud didn’t even acknowledge the pain.

Trumpets sounded, and four pegasi made their way down the center of the pathway with a casket between them. The casket was decorated with symbols, most of them known only to the soldiers of the pegasi army. Another symbol decorated the casket, one of a spear with a black wing curled around its shaft, the symbol of the War Wings. They were at the funeral, clad in their armor still with lances pointed over their shoulders. His tears stopped as they bore his brother closer to him. He would not cry anymore, not until he had his revenge. He watched as they set his brother down in the hole, his final resting place. The pastor pony, a close friend of Sky’s trotted up to stand before the gathering, clearing his throat.

“Friends, family, brothers and sisters, hear me please. We are here today to mourn a pegasus who we all held dear in our hearts. Sky Slicer was a pegasus like no other, always giving of himself to others, and asking nothing in return. He was one who held ties of friendship dearly, with only the ties of family having a tighter hold. We all know him as the shy and cautious pegasus, but he was much more than just that. He was a fiercely loyal friend, a strong soldier, and he was a loving brother.”

The pastor went on, but Cloud heard no more of the words. He was more than just that. Words cannot describe my brother so simply. There are no mere words that can achieve what needs to be said about him. As the pastor came to end his speech, Cloud picked up on pastor’s words again.

”Ladies and Gentlecolts, we are here today not to mourn, but to celebrate the pegasus who is before me in death. We have many tears being shed for him, but this is not what he would have wanted. He would have wanted us to have smiled at how he had lived, not think in sadness about how he would have lived.” The pastor cleared his throat again. “At the bequest of the War Wings, Iron Dancer will now speak to the gathering.”

Cloud looked up as he saw the pegasi who attacked him earlier step up to the grave, standing behind the headstone and clearing her own throat. She looked around at the gathering slowly, her eyes lingering on Cloud, before speaking.

“Now, I realize that it is not my place to speak out here, as I did not know the deceased, or his family. However, I feel the need to honor him, this valiant fighter before me. He was a strong pegasus, proud even after he lost a fight.” Emotion was leaking from her words, and Cloud found himself fighting tears once more. “We will send him off like we would any other comrade who falls in the line of duty.” With that, the gathered War Wings shot into the air and circled around the grave. With a slow maneuver, they turned over in mid-air to dive straight towards the grave. Six solid thuds echoed across the silent crowd. Breaking off their spears, the pegasi that had dived took off into the sky and flew into the horizon. Iron Dancer turned to join them, glancing back at Cloud once more before she flew away.

Cloud watched numbly as more ponies that knew sky walked up to speak words. Half of them sobbed between every word, and the other half sounded as if they were fighting tears. Everypony that went up there did nothing to grace his brother’s existence. No words that they said would have ever come close to describing him. Cloud realized that nopony else was talking, and looked around at the gathered crowd. They were all staring at him, expecting him to say words as well. Cloud slowly walked to stand where everypony else had, behind the tombstone. He turned to face the crowd with a somber expression.

“Thank you all for coming. I know that Sky would have loved to know that he had this many ponies that loved him back. You all come here to say your last thoughts and words, maybe confess something you never had the chance to do when he was alive. I am sad to say that I have no words to offer for my brother. No words can describe what I feel, towards him and towards those who had killed him.” He held out a hoof and slammed the button on the Slicer, the metallic ring washing over the crowd. “I have no words, but I do have a promise. I swear that with this blade, I will find those who took my brother away from me.”

He glared at the gathered ponies, “I will do this alone. It is for him and for him only.” With this, Cloud drew the blade across his spare hoof, drawing blood on the newly sharpened edge. Raising the blade to his mouth, he kissed the blood-stained metal. He flew into the air, and brought the blade down onto the casket, scoring a deep cut into the fine wood. For you Sky. Without a word, Cloud made his way back to his spot, watching blankly as the other ponies stood and moved back to their own lives. I have no life anymore. I have given it for you brother.

The setting sun reflected on his armor as he reflected on his brother’s life, reliving all the memories that they had made together. Absorbed in these memories, he didn’t notice as rain poured from the heavens, sparkling in the setting sun.