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Diana stopped to catch her breath. She looked down at the corpses beneath her, and screamed, a bloodcurdling, victorious cry. Finally. Finally, Miquella was dead. The Age of Compassion had become naught but a dream. She pulled her sword out from Radahn’s large chest, and turned around.
“Thioller! We… we won! Ansbach!”
Diana’s happiness slowly deflated as she saw the still bodies of her compatriots lying on the ashen ground. It was almost ironic that this beautiful gate to divinity that had ascended Miquella was also littered with corpses and the site of so much blood.
Diana ran up to the bodies, leaning down a little and yelling loudly.
“Thioller! Ansbach!! Can you hear me!? Please, say something!”
Suddenly, she heard a cough from below her. It was Thioller.
She rushed to his side, kneeling next to him. Tears welled in her eyes as he spoke.
“You… you’ve granted St. Trina’s wish.”
Diana slowly pulled off his mask, setting it down on the ground.
“Yes… yes, I have. Please, stay with me.”
“I’m sorry. I… I can’t.”
“Please, please, please.”
“I’m sorry for doubting you. I should have trusted in St. Trina. Weak as a kitten and thick as two planks.”
“You… you were strong, Thioller. Stronger than anyone.”
Thioller coughed again.
“I… I love you. I love you, Thioller. Please don’t leave me. I want you. I want us to be together.”
“It’s okay, Diana. I’ll be at peace, following in her footsteps.”
“No! It’s not okay!”
Diana was sobbing. She could barely see.
“You… you’re a father! I want you to be there!”
Thiollier seemed shocked- or, as shocked as a dying man could be- and stared at the sky.
“I… see…”
“No, no, no, no, no….”
Diana grabbed the back of his head as the light faded from his eyes, and held it to her bosom. She kept repeating her rejection of his death as she broke down, like a mantra.
10 minutes later, when Diana had finished crying, she set Thioller’s lifeless body down on the ground. She closed his glazed eyes softly, and kissed the top of his head.
“I’ll bury you next to St. Trina.”
She whispered.
Diana then turned and saw Ansbach’s corpse. She walked over and sat down in front of him, trying not to cry again.
“Ansbach… thank you.”
Diana spent a long time, kneeling there, staring at the sky. She didn’t know how long she’d sat there- minutes? Hours? Did it even matter?
-
“No one comes to visit. Not Lady Leda. Not Father Dane. Not Sir Ansbach. Not Freyja. Not Thiollier. Not the hornsent. Where have they all gone?”
Diana stared down at the odd man in heavy armor.
“I’m not sure, Moore. I’m not sure.”
“Thank you. No one comes to visit. Except you.”
Diana laid down on the grass and fell asleep. Time heals some wounds, and buries others.