Ace didn’t want to die, but he could feel his life slipping away, so he tried to muster a few last words.

Ace felt like he was in a dirty glass casket. He could see six faces hovering over him, but they were too blurry to make out any details. Their voices were so damp that Ace couldn’t make out a single word. Despite that, Ace knew exactly who was with him in his final moments: the rest of his party, the rest of The Hangmen.

Ace realized his last words meant something now. There were people here to hear. People who mattered to him. He always figured he’d be bad at last words, but surprisingly, he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

Bubbles formed at the surface of the crimson pool in Ace’s mouth; Ace’s last words drowned in his own blood, unheard.

Ace had forgotten how apathetic the world was. He felt it would bend for him just this once, but the world wouldn’t let him have just a few words. How fucked up is that?

Before Ace could shut his eyes, he felt something hit his chest. For a brief moment, Ace’s vision cleared. He could see everyone’s faces.

Oh, they’re crying. They’re crying for me. There are still people who’ll cry for me when I’m gone.

If Ace could move his body, his lips would’ve creased into a smile.

Maybe, I didn’t need those last words after all. Seeing their faces, that's enough.

Ace’s eyelids were heavy. Even as he shut his eyes, and all his senses melted away, Ace could still feel his friend's tears hitting his body, and as he had many, many times before, as he drifted off to sleep, Ace started to count.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 …

----------------------------------------

Riven pulled her hand from Ace’s neck. She swallowed her sorrow to clear her throat before she spoke. “He’s gone.”

Everyone wiped the tears from their faces. It took a while for everyone’s breathing to normalize. A long silence came before anybody spoke.

“So, is that?” Kai asked. “He’s just gone. There’s nothing we can do.”

“Seems that way,” Draxl said.

“Come on, one of us has to be able to revive people,” Halvor said.

“None of us can do that, Halvor,” Galina said.

“We can hurry to a town. Surely they’ll be somebody who can bring people back,” Halvor said.

“Revival needs to take place within an hour of the death,” Riven explained. “Otherwise the essence vanishes and the only option left is resurrection. There’s no town other than Wishmoore within an hour, and they don’t have anybody who can help.”

“What about Arthur?” Galina asked.

“He’s a monk. He can’t bring people back,” Kai said.

“Kai’s right. There’s nobody we can get to in time,” Draxl said. “Halvor, can you help make a hole in the ground.”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Halvor shouted. “We’re not burying him here!”

“What else can we do?!” Draxl snapped back.

“We can take him to a city. Give him a proper burial,” Galina suggested.

“How are we getting through inspection with a corpse on board?” Kai asked.

“We can at least let his family know,” Galina said.

“They’re dead,” Riven said. “He’s an only child, and both his parents are gone. We talked in Kaimen, in the sewers, before we met any of you. He sorta implied he was a hollow shell for a few years before he met us. I think … there’s nobody left for him. ”

“We were all he had?” Cili asked.

Riven nodded her head. “Yeah. I think so.”

“Damn,” Draxl said with a smile, “now I really feel bad for him.”

A tiny bit of laughter broke the thick tension.

“What now?” Kai asked.

“We’ll do everything we can,” Galina said.

“Well, what can we do?” Halvor asked.

“We can bring him back.” Everyone’s heads shifted to Cili.

“I know someone who can bring Ace back,” Cili said.

“Cili, Ambition isn’t going to help,” Riven said.

“I’m not talking about Ambition!” Cili exclaimed. “I’m talking about Willow.”

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“Your friend?” Kai inquired.

“Willow is an avatar. She can bring people back to life,” Cili said.

“Are you sure it’s resurrection, not revival?” Riven asked.

“Yes!” Cili exclaimed. “I’ve seen her do it to people who have been gone for a really, really long time! She can bring Ace back, I know she can!”

“Cili, you do realize how many people in this world can resurrect?” Draxl asked. “Not revive, resurrect.”

“Like no one, I know,” Cili said. “That’s why I couldn’t say anything earlier about her. Her dad is the head of a huge criminal organization. That’s who Xavier works for. When I found out she was an avatar they told me I couldn’t tell anyone, because it would put her in danger.

“But I want Ace back, so I’m trusting you guys to keep this a secret. If anyone else learns what Willow can do, I’m scared they’ll come after her.”

“I’m sorry about pushing to tell us more earlier,” Riven said.

“It’s okay,” Cili said.

“Where is she?” Kai asked.

“The capital of this chapter. That’s where her dad’s organization’s base is,” Cili said.

“Then that settles it,” Halvor said. “We’re going to this chapter’s capital, and we’re getting Ace back.”

“Agreed,” Galina said.

“Woah, woah, aren’t we making this choice a little fast?” Kai asked.

“You not coming?” Draxl asked.

“You’re going?!” Kai exclaimed. “Since when do you help people?”

“Either I got too tired of running away or too tired to run away,” Draxl said. “Take your pick.”

Kai sighed. “Fine, I’m in. Still, there’s the problem of how we’re transporting the body.”

“I think I can handle that,” Riven said, clutching her dagger in her left hand. “But, Draxl, I'm going to need your help.”

“What is it?” Draxl asked.

Riven raised her right arm so that it was parallel to the ground. “I need to cut off my arm.”

“You sure?” Draxl asked, grabbing his sword.

“Okay, now this is definitely a choice being made too fast!” Kai exclaimed.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Riven said.

“Everybody calm down,” Halvor said.

“Why?” Cili asked. “She said she’s sure.”

“Yeah, but don’t you want to be super sure, before you cut your arm off!” Kai said.

“I’m good,” Riven said.

“Galina, please tell them to stop,” Halvor said.

“No, no, I agree with Cili. I think Riven knows what she’s doing,” Galina said.

“Looks like that 4 votes to 2,” Draxl said.

“Sound a little less happy,” Riven requested. “Make it quick.”

“I’m not looking,” Halvor said.

“I’m definitely looking,” Cili said.

“In the blink of an eye, [Quickdraw] X [Accelerate].” A flash of steel carved through the air.

Riven’s arm fell to her side; the stump left behind poured blood. She gritted her teeth and choked back her screams. Riven grabbed her severed arm and placed it onto Ace’s chest.

Riven took the dagger in her left hand and jammed it into the arm. Through heavy breaths, she managed to form a chant. “Give me the power, to preserve a life, in this blade, [Sacrifice]!”

The runes all along the blade flared into a vortex of red essence. Shadows poured out of the blade and swallowed Riven’s arm, consuming it whole, leaving nothing behind. Bits of the vortex slowly broke off, covering Ace one by one, till he was completely enveloped in essence. In an instant, the blade sucked back the red essence into the runes, along with Ace’s body.

Riven doubled over gasping for air.

“I got a blowtorch,” Kai said, rummaging through his bag. “I can cauterize the wound.”

“Don’t!” Riven shouted. “You’ll mess up the healing. I’m half-hydra. My arm”—Riven winced—”it’ll grow back. Just give it time.”

Halvor knelt next to Riven. He placed his hand over her massive wound. “Coat, then break away, [Petrify].”

A thin layer of stone formed around Riven’s wound, stopping the bleeding.

“Don’t worry, it won’t stop the healing,” Halvor said. “I did for Vivyan whenever she would get injured. Once you start to heal the stone will crumble away, but in the meantime, it should help stop the bleeding and prevent infection.”

“Vivyan made you help her?” Cili asked.

“She didn’t make me,” Halvor said. “I wasn’t just experimented on at the lab. I worked for them. Alongside Vivyan”—Halvor looked to Cili—”and your brother. I can tell you all—”

“Save it,” Kai said.

“Why?” Halvor asked.

“If you wait for us to get Ace back, you only have to tell the story once,” Kai explained.

Halvor chuckled. “Fair enough.”

“What was that?” Cili asked.

Halvor helped Riven to her feet. “This dagger grants me a skill, [Sacrifice]. It can do basically anything based on the chant, except revive people. The only restriction is it requires me to sacrifice a part of myself. It can also be crossed with another skill to amplify its effect.”

“So, Ace is in the dagger?” Draxl asked.

“Yeah,” Riven said.

“How do we get him out?” Galina asked.

Riven waved her hand dismissively. “We’ll figure it out.”

“I’m sure we will,” Galin said.

“Alright, I’m not too familiar with Chapter 7,” Halvor said. “Anyone know which direction the capital is?”

Riven smiled. “I do.” She held a single finger to the sky.

“Up?” Halvor asked.

“Do you not know what the capital is?” Draxl asked.

“No,” Halvor said

“Neither do I,” Galina said.

Kai smirked. “This should be good.”

“Oh my gods, you are going to love it!” Cili exclaimed.

Riven kept her finger pointing to the sky. “The capital of Chapter 7, the city built on the richest deposit of skystone in all of Fable, the home of the skyship, is Aethereon, The Flying City.”