The knight heard a loud noise through the dull pain and tried to ready themselves, but it was no use. Bracing for the inevitable they tried to take in their final moments with all their senses. Smell one last breath of fresh air, see one last ray of sunshine. But the air smelled strange and the light was too dull. Weren't they still on the battlefield? Wasn't this the place where they were finally bested? They expected a burnt smell, but not of candles and incense, and the sun shone brightly last they remembered and wasn't now.
Breathing didn't come easy and the knight remembered something hitting them from behind, their helmet bending, metal cutting into their face, blood blinding them even more than the sun did. They remembered taking blind swings at the echoes of enemies, missing a few, but cutting down many even though they acted on instinct alone. Then, another blow to the already battered helmet and the world turning black.
Long they drifted through the silent nothingness. Flashes of pain, impossibly bright and loud, made them scream without a sound. Suddenly there were no more flashes and the black lit up a little, slowly turning into a soothing green. Then a warmth coming from within and soon enveloping them gently. They took a deep breath, not realising they had held it for so long, eager for air. Too fast and too much, too thick even, they coughed it out. But something stayed, making them aware of their own body again and the calming silence all around.
The first thing that was able to cut through the silence was a voice. The knight barely understood the words and didn't recognize the speaker, but felt compelled to answer, and was drawn to those sounds after being alone in the silence for what felt like an eternity. Trying every muscle in their body they tried to make any sign of life and finally managed to tap one fist once.
Slowly the knight awoke and immediately wished they hadn't, because the loud bang of some doors being flung open and slamming into walls assaulted their ears. Many voices flooded their senses, many of which the knight didn't recognize, but one they knew all too well. They always thought that one of them would lie broken at the mercy of the other one day, but that he stood while they bled was unexpected.
The knight relaxed because there was no point in trying to get up anymore. Their destiny had arrived and they had sworn an oath of blood and tears to each other on what would come next. This inevitability calmed them somehow. If only they could thank the gentle voice that guided them through the pain, but this might be impossible.
