At the end of the battle, At the end of the storm (Pt. 2)

Also written by The Magician, continuing his chronicle of the man's fall and landing. Just so you know, this did happen.

I appeared beside the falling body, the wind raging at his limbs and ripping the tears from his eyes. He remained as he was, ready to leave a final dent before bowing out, understanding that he was going down but not willing to fall without a fight. Noble it all was, perhaps, or maybe it was nothing else he could do.

The effort might be perceived with valor, but it was all for the wrong place, at the wrong time.

I stuck out an arm and he collapsed right onto it, doubling over like a wet cloth wrapped around a stick. The inertia in his breath carried the air right out of his lungs and his wheezing gag echoed off the walls of the canyon.

"It's not time," I hissed at him, "Not yet, anyways. You've been given leave, at worst a rain-check."

After a minute his shattered frame begins to slowly inflate and deflate with oxygen, though the strained pants were barely above whimpering.

"I have my own problems," the words pulled themselves out from between his grit teeth, "There's no need---"

"And so do they," I curtly replied, "Don't be selfish. If you want to fall so badly, fall up there!"

I pulled my arm back and flung him up into the sky, rocketing him back up in a twisted mockery of his prior descent. I could see his limp form, riding the return, as it passed up the sheer cliff walls at terrific velocity until it finally cleared the chasm's gaping maw. Yet still he rose, flying higher and higher until he was far over the ruined landscape. I let him see what else remained, that things were far from empty. That plenty remained, far too much; far too much to leave behind.

Finally he reached his zenith, seeming for the briefest of moments to float among the clouds and swimming in the rays of the sun. I gave a grin, watching as his fantastic arc upward swiftly turned back downwards and he plunged like a falling comet back to the surface. A cloud of dust billowed out at once following the impact, but there was far from any dent in that caked earth. He lay there, on his back, looking up bewildered to the sky as if beseeching the clouds for answers.

I appeared above him, all but laughing. I could not help myself as I floated above him, my legs crossed in a seated position though I needed no seat. I peered down at him, the expression on his face maddeningly serene as if he were star-gazing. He continued to lay sprawled across the ground, his arms and legs straight and spread.

"Do not get so comfortable," I snapped at him, "You are still needed." And I left him there.

Author's Note

I usually proofread my works, however as always I'm sure there are typos and syntax errors. I appreciate any and all notices of that, and will work to correct those. If I haven't do know that I did acknowledge your notice and try implementing it, but found that it detracted from the effect I wanted and so omitted it.