[If only he could make it not true, Four likely would have already. Not so much his own death - he would have done that eventually, sooner or later - but the fact that it hadn't been just him. Nor can he quite manage to actually commit himself to the words 'Ril died' no matter what sort of permutations he tries to come up with.
Thankfully, the nature of Eight's question means that he doesn't have to.]
A Voidling.
[It's not quite the sort of thing Eight had been asking, he's pretty certain. But it does answer the question, and there's enough in the answer - and what he'd implied before - to suggest at what he can't quite bring himself to say.]
[Eight drags his hands over his face and remains silent for a long time. He's at an utter loss for what to say. His mind is such a jumble of shock and helplessness.
The mention of a Voidling does answer the question, and Eight knows exactly what that means. He wishes he didn't, but that's an impractical line of thought. Not knowing won't make it any less true.
[It won't. If it could have, Four would have been more than glad to forget. To let it un-be, to bring Ril back from the death that he'd tried (and failed) to protect her from. But he can't. Even the events themselves will stick with him for a terribly long time, he suspects.
He gives Eight the time he needs, though. It gives him time to not have to think quite so much about it. To brace himself for the rest of the conversation.]
I did what I could, but...
[He'd been there, had fought at her side, but he'd never been meant for that sort of fight. If he'd been better able to heal, maybe, or if he'd been himself the way he should have been... but what-ifs and maybes won't bring Ril back either. Only the gods can, now.]
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Thankfully, the nature of Eight's question means that he doesn't have to.]
A Voidling.
[It's not quite the sort of thing Eight had been asking, he's pretty certain. But it does answer the question, and there's enough in the answer - and what he'd implied before - to suggest at what he can't quite bring himself to say.]
no subject
The mention of a Voidling does answer the question, and Eight knows exactly what that means. He wishes he didn't, but that's an impractical line of thought. Not knowing won't make it any less true.
Finally he speaks, and his voice is shaky.]
She's died too often. Far too often...
no subject
He gives Eight the time he needs, though. It gives him time to not have to think quite so much about it. To brace himself for the rest of the conversation.]
I did what I could, but...
[He'd been there, had fought at her side, but he'd never been meant for that sort of fight. If he'd been better able to heal, maybe, or if he'd been himself the way he should have been... but what-ifs and maybes won't bring Ril back either. Only the gods can, now.]