"Malinatka is a kind goddess," Raven muses, still trying to calm Ilya down with simple touches as Dolemeck's body appeared to stop breathing temporarily. "But she never did understand love. This was in truth more her idea than ours. Ngukwa-Sikita simply gives her word more weight than mine."

Ngukwa-Sikita looked at his fellow god with something unreadable in his expression, then turned to Dolemeck and chose not to respond to Raven. "There is nothing to forgive. There is no selfishness in your answer. There is great potential within you, Dolemeck, for a life that brings fulfillment and comfort to many. I only ask that you live up to that potential despite the pain, if you truly desire to continue living."

He turned and is gone mid-step, though Raven lingers for a moment, silently, before stepping back and fading into the shadows.

Ilya has moved from 'fear' to 'true panic' and is sobbing openly, having not seen or heard Dolemeck's brief conversation and being unable to locate a pulse on him. His body shakes with the force of his tears.

"Dolemeck, please, please, don't do this to me... wake up..."