The silent homecoming pt1

Blood gushed from the gaping wound in the man's chest like a geyser, splattering against the ground in fat droplets with each desperate breath he took. His eyes rolled back into his head, his face contorted in agony, and Ronan could hear the death rattle echoing through the eerie silence of the battlefield. The scent of iron and copper mingled with the acrid stench of gunpowder and smoke, making everything around him feel surreal. Screams of pain and terror ringing out from all sides only added to the chilling symphony of chaos that surrounded him.

The battlefield was a nightmarish scene; bodies littered the ground like broken dolls, limbs twisted and mangled by shrapnel or blades or bullets. A thick fog of dust and smoke obscured everything more than a few feet away, making it difficult to see anything but vague outlines of soldiers advancing or retreating. The air was thick with the metallic tang of blood and fear, mingling with the acrid stench of gunpowder and burning flesh. Clods of earth were turned up by boots, causing tiny clouds to drift lazily through the haze.

Ronan could taste the metallic tang of fear in his mouth as he fought to keep his grip on his own nerves. His heart raced like a runaway train, thundering in his ears as he tried to focus on saving this one man's life while knowing there were countless others just like him - wounded or dying - all around them. He felt hot sweat trickle down his back underneath his armor, sticky against his skin as he leaned closer to press harder against the wound. 

a sudden bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky, striking just a few feet away. He could feel the heat and power of it even from his position on the ground, and he immediately ducked behind the nearest cover, pulling out his sword in case of any further attacks.

The battlefield was now illuminated by the bright flashes of lightning, each one bringing with it a deafening boom that shook the ground. Ronan winced in pain as he felt another strike hit close by, causing him to keep his eyes closed throughout the whole light show.

He could hear screams all around him and knew that this battle was far from over. The enemy soldiers were closing in on their position, taking advantage of the chaotic weather to advance undetected. Ronan's heart raced as he tried to come up with a plan.

Suddenly, another bolt of lightning struck close by, causing Ronan's ears to ring and his vision to blur. He staggered back as he felt a sharp pain shoot through his body. He knew he needed to keep moving or risk becoming an easy target for the enemy.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Ronan forced himself to stand and start staggering towards their camp. His armor felt heavier with every step, but he refused to let it slow him down. He had to warn his comrades and get them ready for another attack.

As he stumbled through the chaos of battle, dodging fallen soldiers and debris along the way, Ronan couldn't help but think about how surreal this all seemed. Just days ago he had been living a simple life as a farmer's son, dreaming of adventure and glory in battle. Now here he was, fighting for his life on a bloody battlefield in some strange land.

But there was no time for reflection now; only survival mattered.Looking back at the fight he could see the tell tale signs that a Tarnished entered the battlefield. Tarnished were individuals who can gather and harness the very rare resource known as shard energy It was said that they were able to perform incredible feats with this energy, making them formidable opponents in battle.

Ronan had only heard stories about the Tarnished, but now he was witnessing their power firsthand. 

The wind whipped around him, momentarily blinding him as he tried to focus on the fight at hand. Two warriors stood across from each other; the first warrior had Ronans military insignia and the wind spun and howled around him; you could see it like it had a life of its own. 

The second warrior wore a strange dark armor with no insignia, his hands crackled with the power of lightning,The shard energy swirled around them like miniature tornadoes as they circled each other warily. Suddenly, the airborne Tarnished warrior lunged forward, hands outstretched, sending a bolt of lightning towards his opponent. The ground beneath their feet exploded as the bolt found its mark, kicking up earth and debris into the air.

Ronan took this opportunity to dive for cover behind a nearby boulder, wincing as his wound protested against the movement. Peering out from behind his cover, he saw that the other warrior was still standing but had taken damage from the attack. He could see that this was no ordinary battle; the stakes were higher than ever before.

The shard-infused warrior laughed maniacally as he conjured another bolt of lightning in his hand while the wind warrior was still recovering from the previous strike. Ronan knew he had to act fast or watch helplessly as his comrade fell before him.

With a cry born of desperation, Ronan picked up a discarded sword and flung it at the back of the Tarnished warrior's head, praying to whatever gods might be listening that it would buy them both some time.

Unfortunately the gods did not answer his prayers as the wind warrior parried the bolt with a swirl of his own elemental power, causing it to dissipate harmlessly into the air. The Tarnished warrior whirled around, his eyes glowing with an unnatural light as he spotted Ronan cowering behind the boulder. 

Catching the sword in his hand he threw it to the ground Ronan's heart sank as he realized he had just sealed his fate - and maybe that of his comrade as well by drawing attention to himself. He knew there was no way he could hope to stand against such power alone or even together they would have a slim chance at best he wasn't even a player in this game he had no powers.

Ronan braced himself for the inevitable, trying to find some solace in knowing that he had at least tried to make a difference. clenched his fists in frustration as he crawled back in fear. He could feel his heart pulse in his chest. He wanted to run, he wanted to hide his body refused to move. It was like his muscles turned to stone, the sweat on his forehead trickling down in icy rivulets as dread consumed him. Every instinct screamed at him to flee, but he was paralyzed, a helpless spectator to the unfolding horror before his eyes.

In the blink of an eye the man grabbed Ronan by his arm, shaking him like a ragdoll. He held Ronan up looking down Ronan can see the shard the man possesses. It was under his palm, it appeared like someone ripped his skin open, placed the shard in and healed the injury with the shard in it. 

As the man tightened his grip, Ronan felt an electric current course through his body, as if every nerve ending had been set ablaze. It was like being struck by lightning over and over again, his muscles spasming uncontrollably in response to the intense power surging through him. His eyes widened as sparks danced across his skin, crackling with energy like a live wire about to short out. The smell of ozone filled the air, replacing the acrid stench of fear with a sharp, biting tang that made him cough. The hair on his arms stood on end, and he felt the burning sensation spreading throughout his body; every inch of him was alive with an electrifying pain that seemed to shoot through him again and again. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped his lips; instead, they were frozen open in a silent O shape as he stared at the man in utter terror.

Suddenly, with a flick of the wrist, the man released him, sending Ronan flying backward onto the cold ground. He landed with a thud that shook his bones and rattled his teeth. Stars exploded behind his eyes as he struggled to catch his breath, tasting blood where he'd bitten down on his tongue during the fall. The world around him seemed to slow down - bits of stone debris falling from the sky like rain, each piece illuminated by a small blue glow emanating from the shard-encrusted hand of the man before him. The sound of their heavy breaths echoed in the silence that followed: harsh puffs from Ronan's lungs and labored pants from the man towering over him.

The man stepped closer, looming over Ronan's prone body. Ronan's vision started to swim as he struggled to stand up again, his legs shaking under him. He tried his best not to look directly at the man, unable to tear his gaze away from the blue glow that seemed to emanate from within him. It felt as though it was seeping into Ronan's skin, making every nerve ending tingle and stand on end. The air around them crackled with electricity, snapping and popping as if it were alive. The smell of ozone filled his nostrils, making him cough violently against the bitter metallic taste in the back of his throat. Slowly but surely, he managed to rise to his feet, feeling the burn in his arms as he clutched at them desperately. His knees were weak and wobbled beneath him, but he forced himself not to fall again.

As he looked up at the man - who stood taller than ever now - he could see that his eyes were completely black, devoid of any humanity. They were like two bottomless pits of darkness staring down at him with an unholy satisfaction. The hand still held aloft sparked menacingly, ready for another strike if needed. Ronan tried desperately to remember everything he'd learned in self-defense classes just in case he had a chance to escape, but fear clouded his thoughts even more than before.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears like a drumline, drowning out all other sounds except for the man's heavy breathing which echoed ominously around them. Sweat trickled down his forehead and stung where it landed on fresh cuts on his face.

The cold air did nothing to cool the searing heat coursing through him, nor did it dull the pain that wracked his body. This wasn't how he envisioned his life ending, gunned down by some power mad mage half a world away from home.Just as Ronan accepted his imminent demise,he could hear a piercing whistling sound approaching his locations 

Ronan, feeling the burn in his arms as he clutched at them desperately, watched as the other shardbearer raised his hand again. This time, there was no pause. No hesitation. The bolt of lightning launched itself from his fingertips as if it were a living thing, hungry for flesh and bone. Ronan knew he couldn't simply stand there and accept his fate - not when there was still fight left in him. He braced himself for the impact, eyes squeezed tightly shut as the heat became unbearable and the wind howled around him once more.

But then something changed. The wind picked up around him, swirling into a torrent that threatened to tear him off his feet and send him back into the dirt. A second later, it whipped around his assailant with such force that it lifted him into the air and slammed him against a nearby tree with a heavy thud. The man in black armor staggered but remained standing, glaring at Ronan through narrowed eyes. His lips moved silently, perhaps cursing or trying to summon another burst of power to attack again.

When he switched directions and sent out a current of electricity the previously thought downed Air shard user. In response the wind bearer jumped high enough to clear over the field of electricity 

The wind-wielding warrior landed with a grunt, kicking up a small storm of dust and debris around him. His tattered cloak billowed behind him as he stared down the shard-bearer with glowing eyes.

Ronan watched with a glimmer of hope as the newcomer raised his arms, palms facing outward. The air seemed to swirl and coalesce around him, invisible currents gathering strength. With a yell, he thrust his hands forward, unleashing a powerful burst of concentrated wind.

The gale force slammed into the lightning shard-bearer, whipping his cloak back and forth wildly. He tried to brace himself, bolts of electricity arcing across his body as a shield. But the relentless onslaught of wind overwhelmed his defenses, lifting him off his feet and hurling him backwards like a ragdoll.

He crashed into the ground hard, rolling and tumbling until finally skidding to a stop. Dazed, he pushed himself up on one knee, wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

The wind warrior didn't let up, striding forward with palms outstretched as if pushing against an invisible wall. With each step, the gale surrounding the fallen shard-bearer intensified, swirling faster and faster until it formed a miniature tornado entrapping him.

Ronan had to plant his feet and lean forward just to remain standing against the powerful gusts buffeting him. He watched in awe and terror as debris, rocks, even broken branches were caught up in the vortex, pummeling the lightning wielder mercilessly.

Just when it seemed the winds would tear the man apart, the warrior punched the air with both fists. The explosive burst of air pressure caused the tornado to implode in on itself with a deafening boom.

In the sudden stillness after the cacophony, Ronan saw the shard-bearer crumpled on the ground, his body battered and unmoving. The wind warrior turned towards Ronan, holding up a hand in a placating gesture.

"Easy friend, I mean you no harm. That tornado dancer has been a thorn in my side for too long. You're lucky I got back up when I did."

Ronan could only gape in shock and nod dumbly. He had witnessed power and abilities today that his simplistic farmer's mind could scarcely comprehend...

As the adrenaline rush began to wear off, Ronan became acutely aware of the throbbing pain throughout his body from when the shard-bearer had blasted him with lightning earlier. His muscles felt like lead, screaming in agony with every shallow breath he took. The deep gash along his ribcage oozed blood that seeped through his tattered shirt.

He swayed unsteadily on his feet as a wave of dizziness washed over him. The world seemed to tilt violently as his vision blurred and narrowed into a single pinpoint of light. Ronan's knees buckled, and he collapsed bonelessly to the ground, his body's resistance to the trauma finally giving out.

The last thing he saw before the blessed blackness of unconsciousness consumed him was the silhouette of the wind warrior approaching cautiously, a look of concern etched across his weathered features. Then everything faded into murky oblivion as Ronan's mind escaped into a dreamless slumber, offering temporary respite from the waking nightmare he had endured.