[center]The Children Left Behind[/center]


	A whipping crack vibrated off his vision. His enemies fist slammed into his nose, popping it in a burst of pain and sending a shockwave that blurred his mind and vision. He felt the pain black out his mind for a spare moment, only to flicker back on for him to see another fist coming for his teary eyes. 

	A resounding slam dug into his face. He felt his head rip backwards, his brian sloshing to the back of his skull and flipping his consciousness upside down. FIngers went numb and a stabbing fizzle radiated across the skin of his body. Dirt clogged his nostrils, the cobbled floor shredding his back. A flash of metal.

	A terrible clang bounced off his forehead. He felt his mind snap away from his body with the blow, leaking in an inky blackness. Another clang and he felt his presence rip away from his pained body for a moment again. A third clang but the pain gripped him tight this time, only blinking out when his mind refused to work. 

	Whack. Pain stabbing his bones. Crack. Blurry vision fading. Slam. Slam. Slam... 

[hr]

	“Renny!” A voice bellowed out over the battlefield. Soil churned to a reddened mud. Buildings reduced to cobble and splinters. A once outstanding town and small stronghold of the Order of the Golden Light, smashed to bits by their many enemies. Bronze clad enemies had torn the walls asunder and had flooded the streets. The sky had cloaked the sun from the scene with storm clouds. Swarms of soldiers pushed against each other, shield to shield, through the narrow streets of Yalin. The air was choking, flaked with dirt and hazes of blood and sweat.

	“Renny!” Hal’s voice ripped through battle screams again. The soldier was being jostled in the front lines of the battle, his shield screeching against an enemy’s in a push. His eyes peered past a restricting helmet at the lifeless body of Ren, an enemy soldier straddling the corpse and planting the end of his shield repeatedly into the boy’s malformed face.

	“Open!” The familiar voice of Talun croaked over the nasal helmets and swinging blades. A hand behind Hal pushed him forward, creating a divet in the line of the Order’s soldiers and allowing the enemy to spill in to meet their spears.

	“Close!” 

	Hal wrenched himself back into the line, nearly tripping on a fresh body. Only a good handful of the soldiers of the Order found themselves in Talun’s formation. It was quickly made and wedged between two buildings with the front taking the brunt of the enemy assault and the back bare and open for the enemy to pinch them off -- which was only a matter of time. Outside of the formation the Order’s soldiers were being ruthlessly slaughtered alongside the citizens of Yalin. Women were gutted, men were nailed to the buildings. The only mercy was the quick death of the children. Hal couldn’t help but wonder where the Golden Light had gone. 

	“Open!”

	Hal was pushed out of place, and the enemy spilled in. Strong spears thrusted forward and skewered them quickly.

	“Close!” 

	A thick hammer slammed into Hal’s ribs, launching him from his position. He landed on the ground, a sharp, sticky pain pounding in his side. His breathing was quickened as he looked down to see a spear of white bone sticking out of his broken chain shirt. His breaths turned shallow and he tried to peel his vision from it. Looking up all he saw was the enemy take advantage of his now empty spot, his brothers forced into open combat with the enemy. 

	A spray of blood painted his face as Brother Jermand’s neck was cut. Hal clenched his teeth, attempting to wiggle away from the scene, a gushing slosh dribbling from his rib and soaking his pants. He felt weak. He felt defeated. He felt his mind slipping from his body. He felt his lids slipping over his eyes.

[hr]

	Brother Talun’s throat was caked with dust and pain. It was hoarse and yet he still felt his commands roaring as he swung his blade. The enemy had broken his ranks and have swarmed him. Renny was gone. Hal was gone. Jermand was gone. The Light was gone. 

	He gnashed his teeth as he put his reserve energy into a might swing, his blade catching the chain of an enemy and pushing them to the ground. He felt the squish under his boots as he kicked down repeatedly. An elbow hit the back of his head and he tried to turn, the enemy had flanked them -- his own soldiers were being pushed into him from the front and back. 

	All was lost. He felt his spirit leak out of his chest, only to be replaced with despair. All was lost. Then a sudden roar threw him from his doubt. The clouds had parted. Rays of light beamed down -- they were brighter than the sun!

	The enemies reeled at the sudden shift in light -- nearly being blinded by the beam that collected over the remaining soldiers of the Order. Talun felt it in his stomach and he lifted his sword, “THE LIGHT IS WITH US!”

	What few brothers remained let out a whooping call, forcing what energy they had left in their bones to push their advantage. They were distracted by the fight, a confusion flooding the enemy, but Talun saw it -- a figure descending alongside the light. He pointed his sword in the direction of the shadow as it landed on the ruins of a building.

	Slowly all but the most heated of the fighting stopped to witness this shadow -- the light engulfing its features. Frightened by the implications, the enemies slowly began to recede and when a godly voice boomed in an ancient and terrifying tongue -- they ran. 

	Talun fell to his knees, his brothers alongside him. His right eye was punished shut from the fighting and his ears were cauliflowered under his helmet. Most of his brothers were bloodied and mute with exhaustion -- and in this sudden silence, Talun could hear the gurgle of Hal. His reverence for the figure was pushed aside by his care for his brother and he scrambled over the gore to his fallen companion. He lifted Hal’s head and placed it on his lap, a bloody mouth gaping up at him like a fish.

	“Hal...”

	A hand gripped Talun’s shoulder and he froze in fear. The godly presence was behind him. In his peripherals all he could see were unsullen sandals that seemed to ignore the wash of blood and bile on the ground. The soldier did not dare to turn -- and he didn’t need to.

	A gentle hand reached over to him, offering him a simple wooden cup filled with water. He took it, eyes looking down at Hal’s. Talun brought the cup to Hal’s lips and tipped it, the water pouring into the gaping mouth until the cup was empty. Hal sputtered in response and closed his eyes. A tear stung Talun’s own visage and he closed his own. 

	His eyes shot back open almost immediately, Hal’s head lifted off his lap. A brightness was in Hal’s eyes. Talun looked down at Hal’s torso, his skin uncut at the rib, his wound gone. The two looked behind them at the godly figure. He wore simple robes and a pleasant smile. His eyes were the color of the earth just like his hair.

	“Keep the cup.” The figure said.

	“Keep it, let it help you.”


[hider=Summary]

We enter a battle between the Order of the Golden Light and an unnamed enemy at the stronghold of Yalin. The Order is losing, badly and when there is only a handful left standing -- Illyd Dyll shows up and ends the fighting. He gives the Order a cup that heals one of their mortally wounded brothers and then that’s the end.

[/hider]

[hider=MP]

The Grail of Illyd Dyll: If you fill it with water and drink from it, it will heal all physical wounds. On top of this, whatever nation is in possession of it will experience legendarily bountiful harvests and pristine weather across the land.

2DP and 4MP(boosted) spent on the item



Remainder: 3DP, 1MP
[/hider]