Shrike's Heart (#4)

[idolpro]

The woman before you is beautiful—fair of features, with lovely golden skin and luxurious long black hair, petite. You have the immediate and distinct impression that she's just let go of your hand, and she steps back, and smiles.

It's not quite a happy smile.

"I'm sorry," she says. "There's just nothing I can do, as things are. But the way is there; it just needs to be lit."

You open your mouth—maybe to say something, or to express confusion—but you have to cough, and taste something metallic, spattering black blood onto the ground in front of you. Then you realize—blood seeps from opening wounds in your arms, your chest, your stomach, your face. It rims your eyes and trails from your nose and you feel like you're dissolving—

—and you fall through the ground like it's the surface of a lake, and go down, down, down.

> Wake Up

Comments

[gigadevilbreaker]

Every one of us loves you. And that means we want you t'live.

[Griffin takes her other hand and clasps it firmly in his own, warm and solid and real for her to hang onto.]

After all... "love endures."

[softlyfalling]

...you remembered. Of course you would.

[ a few more tears squeeze out of the corners of her eyes, but it's not the despairing sort of crying that came from her before, and she holds his hand tight. ]

I just... I don't know what happens to someone who tears their own fate and their own name out of the world.

[forgottenmercy]

...whatever happens, you will not face it alone.

[softlyfalling]

[ she sniffles a little, and squeezes the tears from the corners of her eyes. ]

Mm. I'm—sorry, that it has to be like this for you, too, but...

I'm... glad. Still, that we have each other in this. I hope that's all right.

[we_meet_again]

It's going to take more than that to chase us off.

We've all been given a chance to start over, and create the kind of life we want. That goes especially for you.

If you didn't like your fate before, then tear from it with no regrets. We'll be here to support you.

[softlyfalling]

I don't want to start over, I think. That feels wrong, too, just... to be able to leave things around me... better. Somehow. To not feel like I'm an open wound in the world.

...I feel less like that around all of you, though, I think. So... thank you.

[worthathousand]

It isn't just us.

I am glad to know—honored, really—that I have made a difference to you.
But the changes you have made are the results of your own labor. [ a pause; very slightly wry ] For what other reason could I respect them?

[softlyfalling]

After all this you're going to make me blush, Amaranth.

But I... know you mean it. It means the world to me, so... I'll endeavor to do that respect proud.

[inspiteful]

[ A lot of things have been said, and a lot of them do echo Eclipse's feelings on the matter. He isn't sure if there is much of anything else for him to add. ]

Everyone already said things, so...

...I'm glad that you chose to live.

THE END

[softlyfalling]

[ she approaches him, this time without her sword, and—

ruffles his hair before wrapping him in a hug. ]

Thank you... thank for wanting me to.

So I'll do my best to keep choosing it every day, all right?

---

Once, there were...
...shadows in the window.
...footsteps at the gates of life.
...whispering at the door:
"Should I live or die? Am I living or dead?"
"To know the world is to choose it," says the Void.