Just as Alone

One - Grian

Grian stumbled away from the spread-eagled body lying in the circle of cacti, blood dripping from his knuckles.

He felt sick.

He remembered this feeling from when he'd- no, the first time he'd - killed Scar.

Then-metaphorical blood on his hands that wasn't supposed to be there. He'd been horrified at the outcome of what was supposed to be a harmless prank. That time, he'd managed to quench the burning horror in his stomach with a kneeling promise of a life owed.

There was no one to promise his life to now, with Scar's There wasn't... anyone at all.

Grian stepped out onto the tip of Pride Rock and listened.

It was so, so quiet. It wasn't actually any quieter than it had been any other time during Third Life, but it felt like it was. Grian hadn't realised how significant the knowledge that others were out there was.

The knowledge that he could walk wherever he wanted and hear nothing was almost crushing. A valley with hobbit holes, voices of the gardeners silenced. No new Wool Fortress being built to be burnt again. No grand declarations of monarchy from Dogwarts. No lively laughter from the Crastle. No sound from any of the other factions, either.

Only the forlorn howling of Joel's abandoned wolves.

Grian was suddenly so, so alone.

Why stay in this land cursed with memories if there was no one to make new ones with?

He jumped.

~*~

Two - Scott

Scott's shoulders heaved after his chase of Ren until the zombie finally slew his opponent.

His heart pounded, slowly accelerating as the adrenaline of vengeance for Pearl and a win for his team drained.

Birds twittered in the trees, nature already cheering itself as the violent humans' unburied bodies slowly cooled.

Scott watched calmly, taking in all the different bits of nature. It was quiet, and easy to focus. No people with their factions and wars disturbing the peace of an empty world.

Well, other than him.

It was strange, being alone. He'd come into this world with sixteen others, and hadn't gotten a moment of true isolation since. It wasn't that big of an area for them to spread out in, after all.

The silence was not crushing or mournful to him, as Grian had described the end of Third Life to be. It seemed peaceful, relieved, nature finally taking a breath after spending months swallowing blood spilt by human beings who were made furious by little, fleeting things that needn't matter.

It felt like nature desperately needed this reprieve from the people's violent lives.

There was one obstacle left, one person living - Scott.

Seeing nature's plans, how it would heal this world, Scott welcomed the crackling lightning sparking down through his skull. He hoped that his decaying flesh would help in that coming rejuvenation of the world.

~*~

Three - Pearl

"Tilly death do us part, Pearl, Tilly death do us part!"

Scott dropped the lit TNT.

Pearl lunged forward, as though she could somehow prevent what was about to happen.