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The surgeon had done all he could for Klorpeim. When asked about Klorpeim’s chances for survival, he did not need to say anything. His look told everything.
In a moment of consciousness, Klorpeim, weak from loss of blood, looked about him as best he could from the cot where he lay.
“Amsotha,” he said feebly. “Amsotha.”
Looking over in Klorpeim's direction, Amsotha pushes himself up and limps over to Klorpeim's bed. He collapses to his knees and puts a hand on Klorpeim's shoulder.
"With you still holding on to life, it seems that we were successful in our endeavor," he says with a weak smile on his face. Realizing Klorpeim's wound, Amsotha mourns, "I was not wanting to have to pay for it with my best friend's life though."
“It seems a fitting payment. I was the one to convince them to leave the fort to go after Onerama, so I must pay with my life to get it back. But I am willing to make it if it means the overwhelming tide of the Nalshbori are held back, if not just a little longer.” Here Klorpeim paused as he struggled to catch his next breath.
"Fitting Payment?", Amsotha answered quizzingly,"My friend, for all we could have known, Onerama could have attacked us while the Nalshbori lay siege to the Fort. Don't blame yourself for today. Your actions kept the Nalshbori from taking the fort. I regret not being able to take any of the archers down." Amsotha picks Klorpeim up, trying to get him in a more comfortable position. And watching as Klorpeim's soaked bandage tried to stop the bleeding.
“I am...I am sorry about your sister.” Klorpeim said once he had regained his breath. “I know you will find her.”
Amsotha sighs, "Sister missing, best friend slipping into the afterlife, this world is a cruel place," coughing up blood he continues, "I am not positive either one of us will make it to tomorrow." Amsotha chuckles a little and asks, "Tell me my friend, is there anything you want sent back to the family?"
Klorpeim could not help a half smile. He found Amsotha’s bedside manner lacking somehow. “You may send all my things to them. I will not need them beyond the Final Night where mortals may not look.”
Laughing enough to cough again, Amsotha replies with a fool's smile, "Well, we prefer to send you clothed. Nonetheless I shall see to it that your dagger is sent back, and if you so wish, the sword by which a thousand Nalshbori fell. If it so happens that death does not favor me, I will take it to your family myself."
Klorpeim grasped Amsotha’s hand in his. “My time grows near that Death shall come and make the Sign of Death. You are a good friend. In parting from you, I part from a brother.”
With the other Amsotha holds his friend’s head, “May you find your way to the gates where all will be judged, May Nankienala find favor in you, may He take in account your bravery that turned the tide on this day, and when your name is spoken let it bring fear in the hearts of Nalshbori. Let evil remember that on this day, it found an adversary worthy of fear!!” Unable to hold the tears back Amsotha gives his last goodbye to Klorpiem.
And with that, Klorpeim breathed his last breath.
Far beyond the Northern lands, across the Plain of Ice,
Where the wintry air chokes out the sun and all is cold and white,
Across that plain he wandered and came to earth no more.
But the stories say he came at last to another sunlit shore.
And taking there a coracle, he rowed across the gulf
And passed beyond the Final Night where mortals may not look.
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