Battleground

It was warm out. Bright, and sunny. Too nice considering what we were all milling around waiting to do.
A horn sounded, and the barrier holding us back was released! Surging forward we rushed toward the center of the arena weapons in hand. I cast my protection spells on as many of my compatriots as I could and continued sprinting toward the epicenter of the battle.
Renalto grabbed the waiting artifact, and turned on his heal, dashing my direction. Casting as many healing, and protection spells, as I could, as fast as I could, I followed him, praying that it would be enough to keep him alive.
My efforts, however were simply not enough. The horrific nature of the artifact was such that it siphoned his very life away faster than I could heal it, and he died.
I felt a sharp pain in my back, and whirled around to face an attacker wielding two short swords. I began to heal myself, when my spell failed. I threw a curse of deadly power into his face, and watched as he fell before me. The damage, however was too great, and before I was able to heal myself fully, I was accosted by another assailant.
The world was black for a moment... and I found myself in limbo, with my fallen companions. I rejoiced at seeing their faces again.
Abruptly, we were whole again. Alive. Smiling, we looked at each other, and ran back into the fray.