The journey had been predictable, and hard, but safe. Valentine had just finished writing a letter to his parents that he would mail when they reached a town or White Castle, whichever came first.<br/>A horrible screeching made the boy jump, turning his head to see shadows of creatures larger than any human rushing about, orders being yelled and cries that only spoke of pain or worse clamoring in Valentine's ears.<br/>"Out of the way!" One of the guards yelled, tackling Valentine out of the way of a brutish-style club, and slamming down on his tent. The guard spun him around to face him, gray eyes blazing.<br/>"You'll get killed if you stand about, move! Move!" He shoved Valentine forward, his own sword slashing one of the monsters.<br/>"Who even are you? What are these things?!" Valentine screeched as one of the goblins flung itself at him, ducking and watching as it blundered off to attack one of the other guards, the man screaming as it did so.<br/>"Not important! My job's to get ya to safety and away from these hobgoblins!" the guard told him. He was older than Valentine, possibly the same age as Callum, with fluffy brown hair. Valentine swore he'd seen him before, but couldn't place it.<br/>A goblin tore out of the undergrowth, teeth gleaming harshly as drool ran down its chin. It was smaller than the others Valentine had seen, but it was probably just as vicious.<br/><br/>"Don't let it corner-" The guard was cut off as the goblin jumped. Valentine scrambled back, taking the guard's dropped sword with him. He wouldn't need it, Valentine reasoned as the goblin used its teeth to rip into the guard's neck.<br/>Valentine heard a high-pitched wail echo through the clearing, unsure of its origins. He fell onto his butt, watching in horror at the gore and blood-soaked snow before him.<br/>The goblin turned to him, growling and snuffling to itself as it stepped towards him. "Get back!" he yelled at it. "Go away!"<br/>He swung the sword feebly, like a kitten with its claws. Too small and weak to do any real damage. It flung snow at the goblin, which made it blink, but it continued to come closer. "Stay back!" Valentine spat, "I'm warning you!"<br/>Valentine glanced wildly about, still holding the sword. Shakily, he got to his feet, swinging the sword at the goblin. His form was horrendous, and he had to hold it with both hands, but he grit his teeth and closed his eyes as he slashed the sword, the metal catching the goblin across the face. It screeched, clawing at the injury. The goblin ran off, stumbling and screeching as it went. Valentine shrank back as it did, before sprinting towards the guard.<br/>"Hey!" Valentine scrambled to the guard, who shuddered. "Here's your sword!"<br/>The guard smiled, "Ya take it. I-I won't need it again." He coughed, blood bubbling out of his mouth and wound. Valentine surged his magic to his hands, laying them across the wound. "Come on, come on, come on- work! Why won't you work? Please work, he can't die- he can't die-"<br/><i>He's just doing his job. He doesn't deserve to die because he was saving me. </i><br/>"It's okay kid, Callum would be happy I protected ya. He- he really loves you." The guard smirked fondly. "My.. stupid... Callum."<br/>"No! What's your name?!" Valentine screeched. "I'll tell him in my letter! He'll know!"<br/>"Idonas... my name's Idonas," Idonas whispered, his eyes dulling. Valentine curled up beside him, crying. The sword lay in between the two, forgotten.<br/><br/><div class="bbCodeSpoiler">
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<div class="bbCodeBlock-content">Idonas is a random little guard of Lady Astera who is Callum Graylaw's bf! I wanted DRAMA and TRAGEDY. Nothing is more tragic than a lover sacrificing his life to save the little bro of the love of his life.</div>
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