Shattered Souls

They didn’t have to tell me, the day he died.  I could feel it, even from a million miles away.  I could feel it, in the hollow reaches of my soul,Where once my brother, my comrade-in-arms, had been. 

Just as they all could feel it, all the others, sworn to him, Bound in death as in life by their loyalty. We had promised to follow him always, regardless of the cost. We hadn’t thought it would come to this. 

It brought us to our knees, then, Unwounded, but dying.  We were all we had, and had nothing to live for but each other.  Where one went, so did we all. 

Never in half measures; He was not that way, in life, in death.  He unleashed his power to save us all, knowing that the cost would be himself.  He went out in glory, down in flame. 

Never could say that for the rest of us: We were too afraid, for all our promises To make the sacrifice that had been asked of us.  It cost us a friend, too young to die.