Al-Haitham closed his eyes through the terrible, confusing haze of the dream. Nightmares like these were always the worst; without fail, they ended with loss. He knew this well.

They always begin with Kaveh. The only person that he has ever been afraid to lose.

The dream begins like this; Al-Haitham is reaching out, straining towards Kaveh’s weakening hand, thoughts consumed by crimson eyes. Al-Haitham, reaching out, praying to no gods for he believes in none. He is not screaming because he cannot waste his breath; he is not thinking because he cannot bear to. He reaches for Kaveh and finds that the gap between them is infinite.