My third one-shot. Much more depressing than the other two. The character should be apparent after a while. This is different from anything else I've written: it's first person, present tense; and it's dark and a bit sad. Please review.

Forgive me if there are any spelling or grammar errors in this author's note or near the end bit. I was crying so it was hard to see.

EDIT 6-4-04: Gak! I'm horrible. I didn't edit this thing before I posted. Going back through and correcting the mistakes I made, especially at the end.

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights.

Come with you

I’m dying. And there’s nothing I can do about it.

As I sit on my feather bed, with its white down comforter wrapped around my shoulders, I wonder how it came to this. I shiver with cold under my soft covering, despite how warm the blanket is. I sit helplessly somewhere in the depths of the Dragon Castle and wonder what has happened to my life.

My beloved is dead. Tintlet was killed in the dark terrain of Kainaldia, the demons’ home. She broke her neck. Killed instantly. There was nothing I could do.

I should have known that demons and fairies never mix.

I pause to process that thought and let a sad laugh escape my lips. Just look at your relationship with Rath! I tell myself.

I suppose Rath learned to accept me, eventually. As a friend and comrade, not just someone he was forced to travel with. And over time, I became close friends with Thatz as well. At least, I had thought so. How else would we have put up with each other?

I laugh as images of the three of us in drag resurface in my mind.

First, Thatz whips a dress on me and drags me to the Swamp Demon’s castle, where Rath already is, disguised as a village girl in order to go hunt more demons. Along the way, Thatz explains to me hurriedly that there’s gold in the Swamp Castle. Anything for treasure. What a weirdo.

Next, I’m “hired”, or forced to pose as the late princess Melnini, in order to draw out an invisible demon who’s looking for the princess. Unfortunately, the two very people hired to be my bodyguards are none other than Rath and Thatz. They made me wear a huge dress, too. Can you imagine me in a ballgown? In front of them? Oh, the agony.

Then there’s the time when I’m not even in drag, yet I’m still stalked down and proposed to. In public. By a guy. This Nohiro’s been following me around for days, apparently, and still hasn’t figured out that I’m not a girl. When I finally break the truth to him, he actually starts to cry. Thank goodness he isn’t one of those “nothing matters but love” types.

I keep on laughing at the once embarassing memories, then choke as I feel hot tears running down my face. Finally I break down and slump forward, letting my face hit the pillow. My once shining golden hair falls all around me, now all dirty and tangled, soaked with dirt, sweat, tears, and blood. My own blood.

It was a spell, cast by some no-name demon in Nadil’s Army. Apparently, it had been on a mission to annihilate all the important members of the Dragon Tribe. Get rid of the source, and it will dry up. That was their plan. The demons of the Army took advantage of Lykouleon’s recent death and the lack of a barrier to invade the castle. This particular demon simply decided to just kill the palace’s healer: without anyone to heal the fighters, they’ll drop like flies. And it knew that because this particular method of death was a spell, there was no way I could heal myself. So it decided to do the simple, yet effective, thing: get rid of just me.

Oh, sure, go ahead and let everyone else do all the dirty work. Only kill me.

Since then, I’ve begun to feel weaker and weaker, like all my strength is slowly bleeding out of me like sap from a tree. Or blood from a demon.

I start to shake uncontrollably as I cry into my pillow, pulling my comforter close.

I’m scared. I don’t want to die.

I don’t want to die...

I haven’t been able to fight since the spell was cast. My sword is just too heavy.

I’m useless...

I begin to laugh again at the sudden irony of it all. Here I am, sitting in my bed dying and wishing I wouldn’t, while Rath is out there fighting demons, all the while ready and willing to kill himself, and yet he’s always forced to keep on living. How ironic.

I’m scared...

I’m so afraid to die... I don’t want to leave yet...

“Stop it, Rune!”

I look up, my bright blue eyes staring in wonder. She looks all too familiar, yet impossible. My beloved...

“T-tintlet...?” I whisper.

“Rune.” She leans forward and places her transparent fingers under my chin. “You need to stop this. There’s nothing you can do about it now, Rune! It’s time to let go. It’s time for you to come with me.”

“Come with you...” I murmur. Yes, that’s what I need to do. Slowly, I get up from my bed and head into the adjourning bathroom. I strip myself of my clothes and lower myself into a steaming bath.

I’m going to die soon, and the least thing I can do is make myself look presentable.

It’s about time I cleaned up.

After my bath, I search my closet for a few minutes, finally pulling out my clothes from our adventure into Kainaldia. They’re a short, light blue vest over a long-sleeved white shirt and black pants. My friends would instantly recognize this outfit. It still has blood stains on it, from the cuts I got from Lim Kaana’s thread, but it's acceptable. Once I’m dressed, I move over to my bed and sit on the edge. With each step I move slower and slower, almost unbearably so. I know that I will be gone in a few minutes.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m still shaking. I don’t want to leave everybody behind. I don’t want to die just yet, and I’m scared. But as Tintlet said, there’s nothing I can do about it now.

Feeling my foot bump against something on the floor, I lean over and pick up... my sword. My beloved sword, which has been with me for years. Ever since I became a Dragon Knight.

I lay down on my bed in a mummy-style position, with my arms crossed over my chest and my sword held in between, and I pray to God that Rath and Thatz don’t come in right now. Right now, I’m finally at peace, and able to let go. But if I see those two again, my closest friends, I won’t be able to let go. I won’t be able to let go of them.

As my mind slows down, my thoughts drift. Soon I’ll be up in the heavens, with Tintlet, and Silk, and the Faerie Elder, and the hundreds more that were killed.

And Lord Lykouleon... the kind and somehow strange Dragon Lord, yet always ready to act at a moment’s notice.

And Alfeegi... always uptight and yelling about something, but a kind man underneath. When he ever shows the underneath.

And Kaistern... usually out on a business trip somewhere, and always running from Alfeegi when he returns to try and escape from the wrath of the White Dragon Officer and his lectures.

I’ll see you all soon...

With luck, in a few years I might even see Rath, if Cesia is finally willing to let him go.

With luck...

I can hardly see anymore; my vision is going black. These are the final moments of my life, and I’ll miss it. Especially my old friends.

But it’s time to let go.

Tintlet... I’ll come with you, don’t worry...

As my thoughts fade, I can just barely percieve the sound of doors bursting open. And two distressed voices calling my name.

“Rune!”

I close my eyes.

-OWARI-

-END-