3 Deviation The Second

He lay still and unmoving.

"So this is the end. Oblivion awaits me."

His limp body lay awkwardly on the Galath's workbench.

He lay still in a pile of his own blood. The helio helm was thrown to the side.

He could hear Galath's footsteps disappear down some hallway far away, even his swearing was becoming fainter now. He lay still and he smiled victoriously.

He would have liked to kill Galath.

He would have liked to save the world.

But he had taken Galath's datapod. It was enough.

Someone was kneeling beside him.

"Jarred?"

It was him. The real Jarred, not Ashimar the faceless Deathless.

"It was my honor being your opponent, Jori. You did well."

Jori… The word he had heard Galath speak countless times. But it was Jarred. Jarred who now spoke his childhood name. Jarred, the only person who cared for him after his father left him.

Raidriar choked on the blood that came to his throat. For Jarred was gone. In his place was someone else. Someone pale and thin.

He coughed again and felt the invisible knife dig deeper into his lungs. His breath came in ragged gasps. It was getting harder to breathe. He was closer now, closer to the edge.

Raidriar strained to keep his eyes open. Uriel! Dead for thousands of years. Uriel, whom he believed he had lost forever.

"You've grown up." Said Uriel, caressing his face with trembling fingers.

Raidriar shuddered violently. I cannot go. Not yet. Not while the Worker still lives!

"You've done enough, my son." Uriel took Raidriar's hand into his own.

I tried. Raidriar thought. I tried to be a king. Didn't I….Father?

"You were a king, Jori. And I'm proud of you. I love you, my son."

All of a sudden he was wearing his hockey gear, again. He felt the pats on his back, he heard the cheering of the crowd. He heard the announcer. His team had won. He had won. And he saw his dad, whose voice was drowned out by the deafening crowd. But he heard.

I'm proud of you, Jori.

He wanted to smile but he lacked the strength. He felt his Uriel's grip on his hand tighten.

"I'll be by your side." He heard him say. Already his consciousness was drifting.

Then， there was only darkness for Raidriar.