Sweat dripping, Dorin tosses and turns in his bunk. Squeals and clacks echo in a tight cave. Behind him these sounds get closer and closer. He can’t crawl any faster. So heavy. The light ahead. The rope where’d it go. Lorphen… where are you? Save me, save me, Lorphen save me!!! Oh my god, it has me. Kick, Kick. Oh no….
Nothing but black. Nothing…
Wait, a voice. A sweet voice. Lorphen? Is that you? A light ahead. Comforting. What’s that behind me, a dark hand reaching for me.
Another voice. Dwarven. Father? It’s says “Live.” I turn toward it.
“No, Dorin…” the sweet voice from the light calls. It’s too late the black hand has me.
What have I done…
I hear the wind, the voices, my friends. I don’t feel Lorphens light. My arm hurts. What arm? What happened to my arm. Oh Lorphen, I’m, I was dead.
I got so drunk…did Ava die? Was that a dream. My room is so small, like the cave,I can’t breathe. I burst from my room, the study is roomier, blood on the floor. Ava!!! I scream through tears. These people don’t care… why bring me back! I can’t breath I find the stairs and run to the top deck. Finally I can breath. I reach the railing, taking gulps of air. I look out to the void and see a broken planet, some sort of tavern. I could use a drink.