Tina looked up from Goldy's side. "Ryan... did you get him?" Even though she was crying, her voice was fierce. I fell to my knees by Goldy's body. "N-no. He vanished. I don't know how. Not magic mode, it was... inactivated somehow." Tina dried her eyes. "Well, we're killing him ASAP."
Ash stared around, eyes shocked. "H-how does this even happen? Why?" I leaned over Goldy, desperate to find a pulse, a breath, anything that could mean that she was alive. "Ryan," Tina said quietly. "There's nothing we can do at his point." I wheeled to look at her. "Don't say that! Don't! If you don't say it, it can't be true." I felt tears well up in my eyes. "Goldy, please. You can't be dead. Remember when I told you I'd be with you? Always? You're going to a place where I can't follow. Please, PLEASE stay with me. I can't lose you." I put a hand over her heart, desperate for the flutter of a heartbeat to resonate beneath it. Nothing. "Ryan..." Tina said again. "I need a second..." I said, staring at Goldy's eyes, which had so recently shone with the fury of battle, but now we're dull and empty. Tina nodded, and the rest of them filed out. "Goldy, you can't be dead. Please..." I sighed hopelessly. "Goldy, you told me you'd never leave me. And I refuse to believe you have. If there's some sort of boundary between the living and the dead, then I know that you'll wait for me to cross, so we can cross together. And if there are lives after this one, then I will find you in each and every other one. Because when you find someone who matches your soul, they match it always. Forever. And in this life, I know that you aren't going to leave me yet. There isn't anyone else like you in this world, or anywhere else. That's because you were meant to be with me, and nothing will get in the way of that." I stared hopefully at the dead girl.
I heard a door open behind me, and Tina filed back in with the others. "Ryan. We need to take her upstairs," She said grimly. "The other kids are fine, they evacuated, and are waiting in the daycare room." I nodded, and together we lifted the girl up and brought her to lie on a bed in the medical room. And as I let go of her, that's when I remembered it. "Guys!" I looked up excitedly. "We can bring her back!" Tina looked at me in disbelief, Sabre and Ash just knowingly. "I know that it may seem that way, but it's just hysterics and you don't want to process it. I'm sorry, Ryan," Ash said gently. I knew it was crazy, but I was running in pure adrenaline right now, and not much was processing anymore. Then Tina gasped. "Oh my god! He's right! Remember the Creators rule: 'for every death, excluding potion-making necromancy, there is a new beginning.' EVERY death! It didn't say: 'every death excluding Permanence weapons', it said 'every death, excluding potion-making necromancy'! There must be some way! Guys, what should we do?" Ash and Sabre started talking loudly, Tina started laughing in hysterical disbelief, and I just stared. We all sat down, taking seats so that we were facing Goldy. "We should get Unicorn to make a potion for her! Maybe that will work!" Ash said. "But if he messes one thing up, she might die! Well, be more dead! Let's just take her to a hospital! Maybe they'll know something about it!" Sabre protested. "And risk our freedom along the way? What if they think we did it? You're an idiot!" Ash exclaimed. "No you're an idiot!" "Do you even know what potion-making necromancy is!?!!" Sabre yelled. "No!" "Bringing the dead to life using potions!" "Oh..." "You're an idiot!" "It could still work, you're the idiot!" "You're both idiots! We need to find Notch!" Tina yelled. "And how will we find him? You're an idiot too!" "No I am NOT! You're an idiot!" "All three of you are idiots!" I pitched in. "You're an idiot too, Ryan!" This went on for a couple seconds until a voice behind us interrupted. A voice so familiar that it hurt. A voice that I could barely believe was there. "You're all idiots! Now can we just figure this out?!??!"