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Dying feels familiar, the initial metal to flesh was a surprise though. Some innate knowledge lets you know that it’s fatal and for a second you see darkness and the flash of the gauntlet in dim lighting, holding the sword that is skewering you. You reach your hand up to touch it, but it's gone. You blink and it vaguely occurs to you that you've been stabbed in the back.
Laura.
You have to make sure she is okay, safe, that she understands it's not her fault. None of this is her fault. Lydia, she has to be safe. Who is Lydia? A small part of your brain wonders but mostly you’re distracted because Laura is saying something. Your name? You feel her reach for you and as you look up for a moment, it's not her but instead a boy with kind brown eyes. He's holding you. You catch a glimpse of blue in his eyes before he fades away to a girl covered in grime. Her blue eyes are kind but hidden within them is the strongest steel and her hair is light, something about her makes your heart break and the pain at that moment is worse than being stabbed.
In an instant Laura’s back in your vision, and you realize you’ve been betrayed. That too, is a familiar feeling. But you have no time to dwell on it, you are too busy fighting for air to say words. Your breathing is uneven and you have to rush to get any of your words out. You have to confirm that she is okay. You have to let her know. You have to let them know.
"It’s okay, it will be okay. I’m not scared", you tell Laura. "I’m not scared," you tell the boy. "I’m not scared", you tell the unnamed girl as her face contorts in grief.
And you remember for a moment before your life goes out that in this one you are Danny Lawrence, but you have been many others. And in your bones you know that you never betray your ideals, you never abandon your friends, and you are never afraid of death.
In the distance you can hear Laura weep, in the distance a wolf howls in despair, in the distance you can hear the sound of drums, and in the distance you hear a your name being screamed with such sorrow it follows you until all you know is darkness.
May we meet again.