The Six Sides

Slowly limping through the field after planting their dagger, just before they reached the Rangers, they felt something underneath their hoof. Neither metal nor wood, they grabbed it, and cleaned it.

Looking at the black, blood-stained dice they rolled to start this 'game', Light carefully sat down next to their planted dagger in the charred field, and stared at the dice, while the Rangers froze.

This small, magic artefact, stained with their own blood, had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. It seemed they were near the end of the game they were thrust into. But they could not see their Host.

All of this pain and suffering, their failure to protect those whom they had sworn to defend, their memory of this event had haunted them for a very long time. Now, they were at the centre of it all.

Still, they said not a single word, for they had not returned to their true selves yet. But even if they could, they knew not what to say. Their heart felt heavy, and their mind was greatly burdened.

They prepared to crush the dice, to finally be able to leave this vile and twisted game. But at the last moment, they looked towards the village, whither they were headed, then, back to their dagger.

Gritting their teeth in pain as they got up, Light breathed heavily. Every breath hurt their chest, every step pained their broken leg. But they grabbed their broken sword, and headed to the village.

They held the dice as they slowly walked to the Rangers, but they found they would not move. Waving before their eyes, shaking their shoulders, nothing worked, so Light had to make the journey alone.

Many hours later, a great distance from the Fields of the Forgotten Folk, they found their village, and headed to the infirmary, where many fellow Rangers laid, frozen and unmoving, but not yet dead.

Making their way beyond the village, to the burial grounds, Light cried in pain, but they needed to see her. Resting peacefully among many fallen Rangers, Light sank to the floor upon seeing Blossom.

They could not save her, but at least they were with her in her last moments...

They had spent many years, wondering what would have been different, had they been quicker. Knowing now that it mattered not, and that the horrible loss of life was destined to happen, it broke them.

Grieving next to Blossom's body, Light did not know how long they sat there, with the blood-stained dice in one hoof, and their broken sword in the other. A while later, they rose and wandered about.

The losses were great, and their pain felt terrible. But not a single villager was harmed, and they had defeated the enemy, without further loss of life. Not even the Scouts got so much as a scratch.

Forgetting the physical pain they felt over their broken body, it was replaced by a sharp, unending pain in their chest, whenever Light gazed upon the countless burial mounds for every fallen Ranger.

The sole point of light in this dark hour was that none of them bore any visible wounds, their eyes were closed, and they all appeared to be resting. But Light would not find any rest for themselves.

Eventually, their strength began to fade. Their mind and heart were burdened, their body ached with every step and breath they took, and they knew not what good this twisted 'game' had done for them.

Slowly but surely, Light made their way back towards Blossom's burial mound, and took a seat before it, where they put down the dice, and struck it with their dagger with all their leftover strength.

The black, blood-stained dice shattered when their dagger struck it, and everything turned dark. As a shadowy mass surrounded them, Light tried, and failed, to reach out to Blossom, one final time...

Once again, they found themselves stuck in a void of utter darkness, and they knew not whether they moved or not. Then, a growing light appeared in the distance, growing large enough to swallow them.

Opening their eyes into the dark, Light found themselves in their room, their body healed yet their heart still aching. It was a terrible dream, and perhaps they should head out for a walk outside...

That is, until they saw the blood-stained dice in the pale moonlight...

Their heart skipped a beat, and Light rubbed their eyes, hoping they were being deceived, but to no avail. As they slowly rolled out of their bed, they felt their whole body begin to quiver, in fear.

But when they picked up the dice, something felt different. No more did the dice feel burdened with magic, as they found comfort in its place instead, however painful it may have felt in their chest.

They fell to their knees, sinking to the floor, as their eyes welled up with tears. They remembered everything they had gone through, all these years ago, all of which, they hoped to never see again.

But though their tears were many, and their breaths were heavy, a small, yet bittersweet smile grew upon their face, as they held the bloodied dice to their chest, for they knew they remembered more.

Their heart felt heavy, and wounded, yet warmed and whole, when they remembered those they had lost on that fateful day. Spring Blossom, with her in her last moments, and the Stallion who saved them.

At that moment, a familiar feeling flowed over Light, and they rose to stand under the light of the Moon. They saw the window was broken when they rose, yet they did not turn around to face the Host.

As they heard the hooves of the Host tapping on the floor, Light knew they were no longer alone. As they dried their tears and breathed deeply, they turned to face Vantas, who quietly applauded them.

So much they had experienced, living through pain, the likes of which many knew not, yet they stood here, before their Host, and Light smiled, proudly, despite not knowing whether or not they passed.

Their confidence brought great intrigue to Vantas, yet he spoke not, instead looking at the armour, which he had tossed away earlier, expecting them to take up arms against him. But they only sighed.

Looking back at the dice, and the three blood-stained pips on its face, their smile brightened, and their tears flowed faster. Light put down the dice and nodded to Vantas, who smiled and nodded too.

Their Host vanished as he stepped into the shadows, and Light sat down on their bed. While they had no idea who he was, or whence he came, Vantas, their Host, had granted them an opportunity to grow.

An opportunity they would not let go to waste.