Songs Of War Oneshots & Short Stories

(#2) flames.

    You watch the flames. You don't know how long you've been sitting there for. The moon is up now. It wasn't before. Flames... Flames are an odd thing, you think. On the one hand, they are calming, in a sense. Easy to get lost in. On the other? Even thinking about Sendaria brings tears to your eyes. They bring devastating destruction and pain. They burn you from the inside out and you can't stop the spread.

    You watch the flames. Red like your brethren. Your fallen brothers and sisters. You thought you knew them, thought you knew yourself. Now you're not so sure. Who am I? What do I want to do with the time I'm given in this godforsaken world? In the end, we all die out like the flames, reduced to ash. We are ready to be reborn, like a phoenix - a bird of the flames. Over and over.

    You watch the flames. You recall your first night out there. With the gentle giant you call your best friend. It was fun. Perhaps, we can light that fire again, one day... But for now, you must focus on your priorities. The war is burning out, running out of fuel. But not in the way you need it to. Now's the time to throw on your kindling and watch as those who wish harm to this world burn with the flames they brought with them.

    You watch the flames. You miss him with every day that passes. Sneaking off together to keep your fire from burning out. Never to throw the water on. Fires are hard to start without dry wood. It was hard to start yours again without him. But here you are. I wish you were here... You stare at the sticks. They look familiar. The more you stare, the more they look like his markings. Makes sense, you think. We all inevitably return to the earth one day, much like the remains of a fire that once glowed bright.

    You watch the flames. One gentle push over the edge was all it took to get it going. To have the flames touch the sky. You remember the burning of first connecting with your Song. It felt like fire. Searing heat too hot to bear. But then you were through. And it was worth it. Every little burn, every little scar. All of it. The smoke would take you up. Up to where you wanted, needed, to be. Hot air rises. And with it, so did you.

    You watch the flames. An unsubtle reminder of your last night at home. Your real home, with her. Don't think like that. This is your home. With these people. Having a mindset like that is like trying to strike a match with the wrong end. Futile, useless. It doesn't get the fire burning. But if you strike hard enough, maybe... just maybe... you might see her once more.

    You watch the flames. They're like a part of you. Flames like the fire you were born from. Short-lived, yes, but they burn long enough to shape the world around them. Just like you. This is what you were made for. This is where you can be you. They all accept you. All of them. A little pressure was needed for you to join them, but you gave in. Just like we will all, one day, give in to the flames.

    You watch the flames. The gold of your markings. The orange of his. You can see him dance in the fire. Everything went wrong. So, so wrong. How? Red like the flames in the merciless heat of the Nether. Red like the flames that burnt down my home, red like the flames we swore to walk through together, right til' the end.
    But where are you now? Gone, like the flames were in the morning.

    You watch the flames. Not really 'flames' any longer, little more than glowing embers now. They flicker once more then all is dark.

A/N: Alright, I know this is short and I haven't updated for months, but I really really like this oneshot (? not sure if it's technically too short to be classed as a 'oneshot' but idk). I actually wrote this one while sitting in front of the (failed) bonfire last night for Bonfire Night, so that's where I got the inspiration for this from. Somehow I wrote this in like an hour then took maybe ten minutes to polish it up xP
Also in case you didn't already realise, each paragraph corresponds to a different character in SoW, see if you can guess who lol

Aaaaaaand I just remembered a Val oneshot I wrote months ago, I forgot to post it >->