Sacrifices

Not really sure how this fits into the story. I think this is one of the causes of his insomnia.

Arccidus fought a worthy revolution, but in the middle some sacrifices were made.



He was younger then, twenty two, leading a small team of thirty in a revolution that was not his. They were winning, then the enemies got desperate and use their compassion against them -- they threw young boys to the front line to protect the few sorcerers they had left standing. He saw them coming, unsheathing the swords they could hardly hold up. No one in his team wanted to attack. No one wanted to kill children.

A battle cry sounded and suddenly everything turned to hell. Curses after curses, his men began to fall and with no where to fall back the situation looked more than grim. If he could somehow forge a path behind the boys, he could maybe save them. He began to act. Cover me, he ordered two men near him before he steered his horse toward the enemy's line. He began to act. His sense heightened as he charged toward the enemy line on his horse. His sense heightened as he dodged and blocked attacks. They would run away, he thought as he neared the line of the children. They must have sense enough to move away, he thought, no one has to die.

Most did, but to Arcchidus' horror, one did not. He tried to steer away from the boy but spells shot passed his left and right. Time slowed, he could see the fear in the boy's green eyes, he felt his heart twist as he hit him. Pain edged deep in the boy's face as he flew, as if he was weightless, to the side.

Time sped up again when he reflexively deflected a spell. He attacked along with the few of his men who followed him. The enemy surrendered soon after but the victory felt hollow.

He could not forget that somewhere on the ground an innocent boy lay lifeless, and he was the cause. He could not forget that some sins once committed could not be atoned.