Everlast

Chapter 29; When at last the thunder trembles.

It was said in tales and songs years later that Ajay fought bravely till the very end. But at the moment, Ajay felt anything but brave.

He only felt raw determination and blind fear; even as he lunged forward in one last desperate attempt, even when he felt his leg begin to give way for the final time, even when the goblin king began to beat him back ferociously once more. Never once did he feel brave, knowing that this was the end.

This was his end...

When he suddenly felt his legs fly out from underneath him, his head hitting blood-soaked soil, and he stared up at the goblin king who was preparing to give the death blow, not even then did he feel brave. Rather, he watched as his death advanced, coming closer and closer as if in slow motion, his body frozen as he lay helplessly on the ground. And as the sword came thrusting down toward him, Ajay closed his eyes silently. Waiting. Waiting...

But the blow never came.

A spray of blood hit Ajay's cheek, followed by a moan that was not his own. Slowly opening his eyes, Ajay gasped; for there at the end of the goblin king's sword was Dagon, his own blade piercing through his father's chest, connecting them.

The goblin prince looked down at the blade pierced through him and a drbble of black blood came from his lips as he and his father collapsed to the ground while Ajay looked on in horror, fighting against the unconciousness that threatened to take him.

Slumping back down, Ajay vaguely heard the voice of Jareth, loud and panicked, coming from somewhere off to his left. Then his vision faded and it all went black.

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Laying there, looking up at the stormy sky, Dagon felt nothing but a sense of peace.

In truth, he had not known why he had done what he did. He simply knew that as he looked out of the corner of his eye, Ajay was about to be killed. And thus, breaking away from his fight from Jareth, Dagon had made the split second choice to redeem himself for the final time-- to atone for his sins, some might say-- diving forward just as his father was about to thrust his weapon into Ajay and absorbing the blow himself, the sword going clean through him.

Perhaps he had done it for Jareth's sake; as a penance for Farren all those years ago.

Whatever the case, the boy was alive and Dagon... Dagon was dying.

Now, he felt someone gently turn him over, and he found himself looking straight into the piercing gaze of Jareth. He smiled weakly, feeling blood drip down his lips. "I suppose this means we won." he gasped out, hearing a distant rumble of thunder slowly coming closer. Coming as if to see him off. Coming to watch him die.

"Why would you..." Jareth's voice was filled with so many emotions; guilt, pain, sorrow, confusion, anger. "It doesn't make sense, I--"

"Shh." Dagon put a finger to his lips, "I simply did not want you to lose--" he gasped once, shuddering "--another friend. I did not want you to lose another Farren."

Tears were running down the Nightling's face, "I'm still losing one. Even now." 

Dagon grinned weakly, his lungs shuddering for breath. "Well, I couldn't just let my father win, now could I?" 

Turning his eyes to the sky once more, he let the rain soak his hair as Jareth knelt next to him, shielding Dagon as best as he could from the weather. And though the goblin prince was not sure how long they lay there as the blood drained from his body and mixed with the water dripping around them, he knew that he did not have long left.

Numbly, he felt Jareth grip his arm and whisper in a choked voice. "Farewell, namerna."

Namerna... brother...

Dagon smiled weakly, his throat tight with emotion. For Jareth had called him brother. He accepted him. He... forgave him. After what Dagon had nearly done-- after what he had done. He forgave him.

Gasping softly,  the goblin prince felt his vision begin to go dark around the edges as the gentle pull of death urged him toward a cold grave. Toward the next life. Then, with his last bit of strength, he tilted Jareth's head toward the sky. Toward the rain.

"Look," he whispered, "Even the clouds weep for me."

Then his heart beat once and stilled, the last bit of breath leave his body in a gentle sigh, his eyes fixated sightlessly on the clouds for the final time.

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