What had started with a dull ache in his chest had blossomed into a pain that sadly, he was all too familiar with. It didn’t surprise him as his legs gave out, and he was hacking on the ground, his lungs desperate for the air around him as the pain spread through every inch of him.
It was meant to be a simple mission. Go in, extract the prisoners, go out. But no one had expected the forces waiting for them, and Keith had foolishly gone to combat the Galran commander while his fellow paladins secured the prisoners’ release. It had been a fair match, and with his speed and experience, Keith should have been able to take the commander down. But he hadn’t expected the druid traps, freezing him in place as the giant purple fist had driven itself into Keith’s gut as he had flown back, hitting the wall with a discreet thud.
Tears trailed down his face as he gripped at the cool metal floor beneath his fingertips, and he forced himself to drag in a long breath. One more breath, and he would force himself to stand back up and fight. The people on this ship were counting on him.
Then he felt the knife jackhammer through his body.
It was almost a moment of euphoria as his body froze, impossibly slow as he looked down to see the sharp grey blade jutting out of his chest. The next cough that racked his body left his mouth with a gurgle, and Keith gripped his chest, the blood blossoming from the wound decorated his hand as he pulled it away.
The other paladins were nowhere to be seen, no doubt completing their mission. With his luck, no one would look for him yet. He was a fool for attacking alone.
Then the knife was pulled out of his chest.
The pain struck instantly and with a cry he fell flat, the sudden shock sparking pain throughout him. His vision wavered, and a distant, familiar voice called to him, but in the haze, he couldn’t recognize it.
The idea made him laugh and as blood escaped his mouth, Keith chuckled, the dark blood pooling around him blending in with his armor as he tried to push himself up. He had survived so much to reach this point, so much more than him dying pitifully on the deck of a Galran ship.
“D-damn it.” He choked out, and with the help of his bayard, he managed to force himself to a sitting position, looking down at the slit through his chest. A hand rested on his shoulder, and a quick glance at the armor in front of him put him at ease.
“Look.” Keith said with a laugh, looking up. The face in front of him was hazy but comforting, and he laughed again, the distinct feeling of blood escaping his mouth slightly unnerving. “I’m-I’m actually dying.”
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