“You’re going to be okay,” says the immortal to xir dying lover “It’s going to be okay. You’ll be fine. I know little of the world of the dead. But I know it is kind.”

“To be without you is a grave cruelty indeed,” smiles xir lover weakly “I’ll come back for you. In another lifetime.”

“In my only lifetime,” xe agrees “I’ll see you again.”

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“I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“Five people are dead.

“I didn’t- I don’t know what’s happening. I just- there were those people and I wanted them to go away and-”

“You killed them.”

“No! Maybe. I don’t know what’s going on.”

The immortal gazes at the grave silently. Everyone leaves eventually. This is nothing to be sad about. It’s not.

“Goddamnit,” xe curses, brushing away tears “Goddamnit we were supposed to have another thirty years. It’s too soon.”

It’s always too soon.

“You’ll see xir again, [X].” says the immortal. They’re standing in front of a grave, one more in the immortals long life “Death isn’t my domain, but I know enough of it to know it’s not an end.”

“Is it- Will xe be… okay? Now that-”

“Yeah. Death isn’t frightening once it’s over. I’m sure xe’s met up with your parents by now, to tell stories about you.”

“I’m tired, and scared, and I’m ready to go.”

the blood pools below xir, seemingly darker now

“Please, [Y]. Let me go.”

“You’re not allowed to harm me,” says the heir.

“You think that matters? You’re just a second-born spare!” sneers the lord who was to be the heirs ally, blade held to the heirs throat “I’ll save us all the trouble and kill you here- what can you do to stop me?”

“Nothing,” says the heir “But xe can.”

The mercenary brings the weighted end of xir spear on the turncoats head. Ze does not get up.

“Bitch.” says the mercenary.

“This isn’t my fault, okay? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Thirteen people are dead, [X]. And you’re the only one who knows what happened. If you don’t tell me what it was, I can’t help you!”

“I can’t! I can’t, okay? I can’t tell you.”

“You’re here?”

“Of course. I would never leave you.”

“Liar.” xe says “You’re already gone, aren’t you? What is this? An illusion?”

“Now, you listen to me, okay? No one is going to die here.” snarls the hero “We’re all going to be okay.”

They’re not. The hero is bleeding and there’s some kind of pain coming from deep in xir chest. But giving into despair won’t save anyone.

“Follow me, okay?” says the hero, aiming for lighthearted. The civilians nod, and stagger to their feet.

One more thing. Xe can do this one more thing.

“I don’t want to die.”

“I don’t really want to kill you, either, but we don’t always get what we want. Hold still.”