life Goes On

I'm unsure how much time I spent there, maybe an hour, before Drevolan and Thaleia joined me. We silently observed the waves crashing for a bit. Behind us lay the Paths of the Dead and the Halls of Afterlife, from where we came. To our right, past the Cycle, a dark forest lay, marking the exit for some of us.

After a while, Thaleia broke the silence, "I won't leave without Drevolan."

"You're being foolish," Drevolan replied.

"And you're equally foolish for coming here, knowing full well you couldn't escape alive."

"I can think of another fool, Opal."

"Another pair, boss."

"Perhaps," Drevolan conceded, "but there's no need to render the journey futile."

"There is. I've decided so."

"It's senseless to die merely because—"

"That's what I'll do. No one will sacrifice their life for me. I won't allow it. We either both leave, or we both stay."