The infinity castle was a death sentence for just about everyone you’ve ever called family. As you watched them die, you swore to fight to the end—to avenge them. And fight you did, pouring every ounce of strength into that promise until it came true.

Now, as your twitching body finally stills on the ground—blood gushing from the jagged vertical gash that split your skull like a watermelon—you can't say you have regrets.

…Well, okay, maybe a few.

You regret not saving everyone. You regret the instant that demon's attack landed. But what you really regret is never telling Kyojuro how you felt before he left for that mission. Sure, it might seem silly to think about a puppy crush while surveying the innards of your friends, but it nags at you—even now. You really thought he’d return, that you’d have infinite time to pine after him forever. But no, he’s dead. And now, so are you.

But, oddly enough, you can still see the castle. You really shouldn’t—your brain is kind of split in half, leaking a pulpy mess of gray matter. Maybe this is like when people get decapitated and their consciousness lingers for a bit… No, that’s not it—your head is cut the wrong way. Everything’s fuzzy, but… yeah, you can still see it. And feel it… was it always this warm in here? The air is breezy and light, filled with an almost enchanting aroma, like a field of flowers blooming vibrantly amidst chaos—serenity managing to pierce through the ominous stench of iron and despair.

There’s also a strange, warm light to the side—or maybe it’s just where your head leans. Who knows? Definitely not you. Your eyes flick—since when could you move those?—toward the light, watching a fuzzy figure approach. Its footsteps are gentle and soft, but you can tell it’s larger than it sounds. You should probably be scared, but for some reason, you’re not. Is it because the figure seems oddly human, or because you’re not exactly on the mortal plane anymore? Again, who knows.