Warnings: Pedophilia is vaguely described. Cancer is mentioned. Lots of death stuff.
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"Have..." Daphne pauses, unsure if she should continue her question. "Have we met?" She stares at a person, dressed in dark cloaks. They stand opposite her, yet they seem to be floating above ground. Only their face and their hands are visible.
"Once before." Their voice is indistinguishable and incomparable. Vague, would be a good way to describe it. They smile kindly, slightly angling their head. "I am Death." Daphne's shoulders hang low as she stares at the being in front of her. She's actually having a conversation with Death.
"Well, I'm-"
"Daphne," Death replies for her. "I know." Daphne hugs herself. There's a strange cold feeling both inside her and around her. They're standing in what seems like an eternal darkness. The ground they're standing on can only just be distinguished from the void that is the sky.
"I was told I'd have to pass a test." Death nods.
"You were told correctly. One like you has to be pure of heart. Do you know what the test entails?" Daphne pouts as she thinks back to her conversation with Ravir.
"Reconcile with people who died?" Death floats towards Daphne. She doesn't move. She couldn't if she tried. When Death reaches her, they bring up their hand to caress a strand of hair behind her ear. All they do then is smile and suddenly, the ground under Daphne's feet disappears.
...
Daphne gasps as she opens her eyes. She's still in the same void, but Death is nowhere to be found. She expected to land on her butt, but the falling just stopped and she stood again. By herself. Like the surreal stuff you see in psychological thriller films. Daphne looks around confused, trying to find the cloaked person again. Instead, she spots two middle-aged people in the distance, holding hands.
"Hello?" Daphne calls out. The couple turns and Daphne gasps quietly.
"Daphne." The woman states her name like it's poison. Daphne's jaw tightens and she can feel the pit in her stomach grow bigger.
"Dana," Daphne whispers. She can't believe they're here. That she has to reconcile with them. The slither of hope she had of them shedding their silver fades like a dying flame. Daphne looks at the man who seems like he's ready to rip her to shreds. "Ivan..." Daphne takes a deep breath and only barely finds the courage to walk towards the couple. When she reaches them, she looks down, not daring to face them properly.
"You-" Ivan points at her accusingly. "You ruined our boy!" Daphne makes herself small and fiddles with her fingers.
"I never meant to-"
"It doesn't matter if you meant to!" Dana shouts. "My son-" Dana starts sobbing. "My beautiful David- This is all YOUR fault!"
Daphne lets them yell at her for what feels like an eternity. However, she thinks, their aggression is justified. She deserves their anger. It doesn't matter if she meant to do all of this to David. It doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter. In the end, it is her fault. She's the Zephyr. She's the drug he got addicted to. She's the one who turned David from the sweet poet with the voice of an angel into a psychopathic stalker with malicious intent. She's the reason they're dead.
"I'm sorry." Her voice cracks and she can't hide her own sobs. Tears stream down her face. "I'm so sorry."
"Sorry won't get us our son back! Sorry won't bring us back to life!" Ivan roars.
"I know-" Daphne exclaims. Suddenly, there's rage boiling inside her. They keep yelling at her, but they're not moving it forward. It's just yelling. "I know!"
"How dare you talk back at us!" Dana stomps her foot.
"I know I'm the reason David turned into who he is now and I am sorry for what happened, but I can't change it!" Daphne shouts. "I can't turn back time! I can't undo this!" Her knees buck, but she somehow manages to stand strong. "But please tell me what to do to make things right! What do I do to fix this?!"
"You can't fix this!" Dana belts.
"Then why are you still yelling at me?! You know I can't do anything about it! I'm sorry! You have NO idea how sorry I am! I never meant for this to happen! I do everything I can to be a good person!" It suddenly clicks. "It's... It's not my fault! I don't deserve to be the victim of blind anger for something I can't do anything about!"
The second she finishes her sentence, the floor under Daphne's feet disappears like it did before. Once again, she falls, but she doesn't. The void she "lands" in, is empty again. David's parents are gone and her tears feel dry on her cheeks. Death's whispers echo through the space, repeating Daphne's words to her.
"I don't deserve to be the victim of blind anger for something I can't do anything about." Daphne turns, trying to find Death, but there's no one there. "It's not my fault."
"Death?" Daphne calls out. The entity ignores her.
"We will move on to the next phase of the test."
"What do you mean?" Daphne asks. Panic rises in her chest. This isn't going the way it's supposed to go. "Shouldn't I have made up with them? I feel like I made things worse!" Daphne turns again and is startled by Death, right in front of her. Their face nearly touches hers and their soothing voice is only a whisper.
"You are not here to reconcile with them." Death smiles once more and before Daphne can reply, she falls again.
This time, Daphne immediately spots the deceased she's supposed to talk to. It's a little girl, sitting on the ground, fiddling with her dress. She notices Daphne from the corners of her eyes and turns around to sit on one knee. She cocks her head at Daphne, who holds her breath as she stares at the child.
"Who are you?" The child looks up at Daphne with big eyes and Daphne takes short, uncertain steps to the girl.
"Daphne," she says quietly. "I'm... friends with your mom." The girl perks up and twists so she can sit on both her knees, her butt bounces on her heels.
"Maman! How is she doing? I haven't seen her in a while!" Daphne smiles and squats next to the child.
"She's doing well, Amélie," Daphne sighs and can't help but stare into the bright, shining eyes. Amélie looks at her surprised.
"You know me?"
"I have seen pictures of you at the school." Daphne decides to sit down properly next to Amélie and she crosses her legs. Amélie holds her hands together. "And I know what happened to you."
Amélie looks down and frowns before making eye contact again.
"Chris?" Daphne feels a shudder through her body when Amélie mentions the name.
"Chris is behind bars for what he did to you." A soft scoff escapes her mouth. "Maman has a bat with his name engraved on it for when he gets out."
"Really?" Amélie looks at Daphne with wonder sparkling in her eyes. Her expression falters though, and she looks down. Sadness washes over Daphne and it takes a little bit for Amélie to ask a question Daphne hoped she wouldn't ask. "Why did he do it?" Daphne clenches her jaw and glances away. She can't find it in herself to lie to Amélie.
"Chris was 16 when he joined the ballet school." Daphne clears her throat, working hard to find the courage to continue. "He... Was a little sick in his head, but no one knew or noticed."
"Sick?"
"He liked to play with little kids in a way the little kids didn't like." Daphne has no idea how to phrase it so that the 8-year-old could understand without making it too vague or too explicit.
Amélie looks down again and tugs at the hem of her knee-length dress.
"The way he played with me too?" Daphne's heart sinks.
"Y... Yeah."
"Why does he like to play with kids like that?" Once again, it takes a second for Daphne to form a reply. Amélie is surprisingly disarming and it made this conversation a whole lot more confrontational.
"Because... It made him feel nice."
"It hurt me." Daphne nods, pursing her lips. "Did... Did he join maman's school just so he could play with us?" Goosebumps cover Daphne's skin.
"He's the reason Madame Touha doesn't like to accept new guys into the school. He's a bad man, Amélie."
Daphne shakes her head and hides her face in her hands.
"Are you crying?" Amélie asks naively.
"Not yet," Daphne scoffs.
"But you're sad?"
"I am." Daphne doesn't know what else to say. It remains quiet for a bit. Daphne is startled when she feels two small arms embracing her. "Amélie?"
"Maman always hugged me when I felt sad. Made me feel better. Maybe it makes you feel better too." And that does it. Daphne lets out a quiet sob as the tears start flowing again. She twists her body and reaches out to hug Amélie back.
"I don't deserve to see you." Daphne can barely breathe. Her hand rests on the girl's head. "Your maman does."
"You really like maman, don't you?"
"She's like a mother to me," Daphne replies quietly. "And that's why I'm so sad." Amélie pulls back from Daphne, leaving her small hands to rest on Daphne's shoulders. Amélie looks at her with questioning eyes.
"I don't get it." Daphne smiles through her tears and puts a strand of Amélie's hair behind her ear.
"I joined the ballet school a month after Chris murd-" Daphne interrupts herself and looks down, eating her words. "I was your age, Amélie."
"Nuh-uh," the girl says, shaking her head aggressively. "You're way older than me." Daphne chuckles through her tears.
"Back then I was just as small as you are." Amélie pouts and frowns, but nods eventually.
"Okay then." She cocks her head. Daphne can almost see the cogs turn in her head. "But... Why are you sad?"
"I'm sad because..." Daphne doesn't know how to put her feelings into words. There's so much going through her head right now. "I... I don't deserve the chances I got. You should've received the Stark scholarship. You should be at the top ranks of the school. You should be the one performing Odette in the Swan Lake performance."
"You think you took my spot?" Daphne nods slightly, taken aback by the bluntness of Amélie's comment. The girl scoffs. "Well, duh." Daphne's brows curl up into a frown.
"Duh?"
"I mean, if I leave an empty spot, someone's gotta fill it! Otherwise it will just be an empty spot! Can't have that!"
Daphne can't believe her ears. Amélie looks at this situation with the eyes of an 8-year-old and somehow, it puts everything into perspective.
"Aren't you sad that you didn't get to do all of these things?" Amélie smiles and puts her open palms on Daphne's cheeks.
"Where I live now I get to dance every day! Do you get to dance every day too?" Daphne nods, bringing the kid's hands along with her movement.
"Your maman is a great teacher," Daphne says with a smile, but it falters. "She misses you a lot."
"I miss maman too! But one day she will come here and we can dance together again!" Daphne can't keep her composure and pulls Amélie in for a hug again. Her sobs are quiet, but they're there. Amélie chuckles, but hugs Daphne back. "You don't have to be sad for me. I am happy, so you should be happy too." Amélie pulls back again and raises her eyebrows. "I'm glad you took my spot." She glares off in the distance. "And not stupid, mean Demi." Daphne sniffs and laughs. Demi is still in Daphne's class, but even back then she was a bitch, apparently. Daphne wipes her tears with the back of her hand and smiles at Amélie.
"Thank you, Amélie." Daphne takes in Amélie's soft features and kind smile and swallows. She looks a lot like her mother. Madame Touha. "I'm... I'm glad I took your spot too." Daphne blinks... And she falls.
...
Daphne needs a minute to catch her breath. This whole test thing was a lot more intense than she expected. Yet, every time she falls she forgets this is a test. That this is a thing she has to pass. It's almost like Death doesn't want her to be aware of it. Maybe because that could affect the way she approaches it. Her conversations have to be sincere. Daphne looks at her hands and takes a deep breath. She can feel Death's presence behind her and she turns when Death speaks her words again.
"I'm glad I took your spot too," Death says. Daphne looks up at Death and cocks her head.
"Can you please explain how this test works? What am I supposed to do? Am I doing this right?" Death smiles and Daphne pulls a face, anticipating the drop.
"You are not here to reconcile with them," Death repeats and the ground disappears under Daphne's feet once again.
"One more..." Death whispers in Daphne's head.
Daphne opens her eyes with a gasp. The drops are taking a toll on her. She wonders who she will meet this time. But she's tired. So tired...
"Daphne?" Daphne's eyes go wide when she recognizes the voice. She doesn't move. She doesn't turn. She doesn't want to. "Daphne, is that you?"
"No," Daphne mutters quietly. Daphne turns her head slowly. It takes her a lot of effort, like she's holding herself back.
"Oh, Daphne," the woman sighs, tears welling up in her eyes. "You've grown to be so beautiful!" She takes big steps towards Daphne, who jolts and steps away. She finally looks the woman in her eyes and Daphne can feel the weight of the world on her entire body. She shakes her head slowly.
"You don't get to say that-" Daphne mumbles. "You don't get to tell me that." The woman seems taken aback by Daphne's remark, but tries nonetheless.
"Don't you remember me?"
"Of course I fucking do." Daphne swallows and looks away. She then stomps and pulls at her hair. "Fuck. Fuck! God fucking dammit, FUCK!"
"Daphne, don't say that! Who raised you?!"
"Well, you didn't!" Daphne belts accusatory. "Mom!" Her voice echoes through the void. "If you didn't want me to say any of this shit, you should've been there!" Daphne paces around. Her mother tries to follow, but doesn't know what to say or do. "You left us!"
"I know I did, but-"
"No FUCKING buts, ma!" Daphne yells. "Do you have any idea what you put us through?! The stress?! Sadness?! And now you're here telling me how I've grown up to be pretty, well FUCK YOU, mom! Seriously, fuck!" Daphne throws her hands around as she speaks. Her mother stops walking and stands defeated.
"I left to save you so much pain and this is what I get?" Daphne stares at her mother wide-eyed.
"Ex-CUSE you?!" Daphne takes big strides to her mother and stops right in front of her. "It's been years since you left! And I still get to hear dad cry in his sleep! He says he's seeing other women to make me feel better but I know he fucking doesn't! He still loves you! And the thought that he did something wrong tortures him! You're selfish and cruel and narcissistic!"
"I left so you wouldn't have to see me ill, Daphne!" Daphne takes a step back when her mom starts yelling at her. She continues more quietly now that her daughter stopped yelling. "I didn't feel well. I went to the doctor to have him check what was up. Cancer, Daphne. In my liver. And it was bad." Daphne's jaw is clenched as she stares at her mother in disbelief.
"You left..." She starts softly. "Cause you had cancer?!"
"I was going to die." Daphne's mother pursed her lips. "And I did. Two weeks after the diagnosis."
Daphne falls to her knees and ends leans back until she sits on her butt. Staring at nothing.
"We... We could've been there for you. We would have known. We would have mourned and moved on!" She looks up at her mother. "But instead you just got in the car and went somewhere else to suffer and die. Alone. And leave us to wonder what the fuck we did to deserve this." Daphne's mother nods slowly. Daphne's lip quivers and she looks down. "I went looking for you that night." Daphne's voice shakes. "I was in that storm. I got struck. Because I went looking for you." Daphne's surprised she still has tears left to cry, but she's sobbing again. "I'm a Zephyr now. Because of that. Because of you." Her mother tries to place a hand on Daphne's shoulder, but Daphne swats it away. "Selfish," she seethes, glaring back up.
"I was scared, Daph." Her mom opts to sit down next to Daphne, which results in Daphne scooting away from her. "I didn't know how long I'd be sick for. I left to save you that agony!"
"You should've talked to us. Maybe not to me, fuck, I was eight, but at least to dad!"
"I didn't want to bother Derek with my problems." Daphne shakes her head aggressively.
"You're not a bother!" Daphne freezes when she says that and she stares at her mom wide-eyed. Death's voice still echoes in her head.
"You're not here to reconcile with them."
"I... I'm sorry, Daphne," her mother sighs. There are tears running down her cheeks now too. Daphne looks down at her hands and after a moment of silence, she scoots towards her mom. Her arm wraps around her mother's body and she rests her head on her mom's shoulder.
"I'm sorry too," Daphne sighs. "Must've been tough."
"It was." Daphne's mother takes a breath. "I... I thought it would be easier for you if I left. I didn't want you or Derek to see me in so much pain. I didn't want to haunt your dreams like that."
"Yet you haunted them anyways." Daphne bites the inside of her cheek. "I can't forgive you for what you did."
"I know you can't." Daphne's mom nods and takes a breath. "I'm not expecting you to."
"Thanks."
Daphne and her mother sit there for a bit. In the void. After a few minutes, Daphne's mom breaks the silence.
"I do still love you. Always have." Daphne doesn't reply, mulling over her own words in her head. You're not a bother. "And I didn't lie. I really do think you are beautiful."
"I wonder," Daphne mutters, only slightly ignoring her mom's compliment. "What life would have been like if you hadn't left."
"Different."
"I wouldn't be a Zephyr. Dad got the job offer for vet at the New York Zoo at the hospital when I was in coma. We wouldn't have moved to New York." Daphne takes a breath. "I wouldn't have gone to Madame Touha's ballet school, or gotten the Stark Scholarship." Daphne stares blankly ahead. "I wouldn't have been part of Art School. I wouldn't know Alice or Sarah or Tyrone. I'd still be in Orange County on that farm. I... I wouldn't have met Peter." Daphne's mom smiles slightly.
"You sounded different when you said Peter," she chuckles. "Who's Peter?" Daphne scoffs, but can't contain a blush.
"M'boyfriend," she says quietly and quickly.
"What's he like?"
"He's a hero." The corners of Daphne's mouth curl up. "My hero."
"I hope he cherishes you."
"Don't worry, mom." Daphne looks down. "He does."
"Speaking of..." Daphne's mom pulls away and looks Daphne in the eyes. "You should probably head back soon, don't you?" Daphne looks at her hands and nods.
"I'd like that."
"I don't know much about what's going on, but Death told me you needed to learn something from me." Daphne's mom frowns. "Did you?" Daphne smiles and nods slightly.
"I did." Daphne shifts to sit on her knees and hugs her mom tightly. "I still love you too, mom. I miss you." She pulls back and her mom cocks her head.
"Is that what you learned?" Daphne laughs softly and shakes her head.
"I just wanted to say that before I'd fall again."
"Thank you, Daphne. I miss you too." Daphne's mom holds Daphne's hands in her own and her thumbs rub slow circles. "I'm curious, though... What did you learn?" Daphne looks her mom in the eyes, knowing what's coming once she says it. She smiles and takes a breath.
"I'm not a bother."
She falls.
...
Death is already waiting for Daphne when she lands. They smile wide, baring their slightly pointed teeth.
"You passed the test," they say proudly. "Quite fast, too. You have been with me for less than a day."
"I was in a coma for four days last time... What did we do then?" Daphne looks up at the gender neutral face, hoping to get an answer.
"Something that hurt you so much I erased it from your mind permanently to prevent it from being shaken and broken forever. The transition is not... painless." Daphne looks at her feet, suddenly glad she doesn't remember.
"Will I forget this too?"
"No." Daphne bites the inside of her cheek and thinks for a second.
"The test..." Daphne ponders. "...I had to reconcile with myself, didn't I?" Death smiles and nods once. Daphne frowns as her mind works hard to figure things out. "Why did you say I have to be pure of heart? I'm not pure of heart."
"The Midgardian definition of being pure of heart is different than the actual definition." Death closes in on Daphne again, but this time, Daphne doesn't move away of her own accord. "You think you should not have anger. You think you should not have grudges. You think you should not wish me upon anyone." Daphne scoffs a small laugh at Death's phrasing. "Being pure of heart means you can reconcile with your own feelings. You know when they are justified. You know when you should back down. It is not about not wanting to hurt anyone. It is about acknowledging your feelings. One who is at war with themselves does not have a pure heart. One might call it inner peace. No one is truly evil. No one is truly good." Daphne recalls the conversation she had with Loki. When she said the exact same thing about being evil to him. Maybe that was something she and Death discussed when they first met. Maybe that's why she thinks that way.
"Your heart was clouded with guilt for Dana, Ivan and Amélie. You already knew the feelings you have for Beth, your mother, are justified. Yet you both lived and died with the same fear." Death smiles and repeats Daphne's last lesson, like they did all the others. "I'm not a bother." Daphne doesn't know what to say. This whole thing has been a roller coaster and she's finally out of words. Death cocks their head. "And now, you are pure of heart again. Your mind, however..."
"What about it?"
"Someone is clouding it." Daphne looks down, somehow embarrassed. She just proved she's weak. Death holds Daphne's head in their hands. "Tell me who." Daphne's jaw is locked shut. The answer won't cross her lips.
"Can't." Death's laugh echoes into the void.
"A Charon is stronger than most think." Death softly applies pressure to Daphne's head. Something about what Death said confuses her, but she can't seem to form any words. "Speak. You can do this." Ravir. The name is right there in her mind. But she was only playing a game with the sorceress, right? She wasn't actually under Ravir's power. It was just her mind playing tricks on her... Right? A small voice in her head speaks back. Wrong. That one word cleared more up than she could ever imagine.
"Ravir," Daphne whispers. "She's been manipulating me."
"Good, Daphne. Good." Death nods. "Now push her out." Daphne frowns.
"How? I- I don't know how." Daphne blinks fast. Death lets go of her and lowers their head until they look straight into Daphne's eyes.
"There is a reason why the sorcerer called Somm claims your kind." Death seems frustrated. "You have seen what you do to sorcerers with only a touch." Daphne nods slightly. "That is your power. That is why Charons exist. Balance. Charons kill immortals."
"What is a Charon?" Daphne asks. Her mind immediately wanders to her Greek mythology lessons. Just like Zephyrus has roots there, Charon does too. Charon was a being who guided souls to the Underworld.
"That is what you are." Death hums. "Somm has spread misinformation on Charons for millennia, bending the truth to his will; calling your kind Zephyrs, playing god. His main goal is to ensure you will not kill him and make everyone believe that immortals truly cannot die. The one Charon we 'know' from stories is quite harmless. A ferryman. But you, a true Charon, can kill sorcerers. You bring them to me. Figuratively speaking." Death chuckles.
"Not all sorcerers are immortals, though."
"Correct. But all immortals are sorcerers," Death says with a grin. "Somm is the greatest example. He has lived since the beginning of the universe. It might seem that he owns Charons, or Zephyrs, for the power they can provide him with. But in reality he owns them so he can live. Forever. If they love or worship him, they will not kill him."
"So, you create Charons to kill the people you can't?" Death smiles wider, nodding again.
"Sorcerers like Somm evade me skillfully. If those sorcerers were not selfish and hungry for power and eternal life, I would have no need for Charons."
"Why do magic users and sensitive people get addicted to me?"
"It is an unfortunate side effect of being a Charon. You carry a part of me with you, always. It was initially used to lure immortals to you, but as Charons and people evolved, so did that side of you." Death looks off into the distance. "You should be able to control it from now on."
"Ravir is a golden sorceress. Her brother is silver."
"I know of their curse. One day, they will turn solid, like the ones they thrust their curse upon." Death smirks playfully. "I already know what you want to ask." Daphne snorts.
"Do you?"
"You can touch them. Charons are immune to curses. Not to magic or spells, however, so please, do not be reckless." Daphne smiles, thinking back to when Loki spelled her to fall asleep in Tony's car. Fuck, shit was so much simpler back then. "Now, to return to the issue at hand: your clouded mind." Daphne looks at her feet.
"Ravir wants me to kill Somm," she mumbles. Death moves back and turns away slightly, as if they're thinking about something.
"Ravir wants Somm dead out of revenge for stealing her brother. I want Somm dead simply because he has to die. He has lived far too long."
"So, once again, I'm the pawn. To be used and tossed aside when I did my part?" Daphne groans.
"On the contrary, Daphne," Death says with a smile. "I will never force you to do anything. Ravir seems to have ordered you to end his life. That is not the way. You are to find your purpose yourself. I will not be angry, should you decide to live your life as Daphne the dancer instead of Daphne the Charon. Immortals supposedly live forever. There is no rush in killing them. If any third Charon I create decides to follow the path I set out for them, then that's more than enough." Daphne's astonished by Death's words. Daphne has her own voice. Her own choice. Not many magic-users have given her that. "It has just been a frustrating time for me, the past few thousand years Somm has gotten his hands on every Charon I created. He is... A nuisance. I will not beg. However, I will kindly ask you to kill him. But do so of your own accord. If you choose ending his life is not what you want, then I will not hold it against you if you don't do it." Daphne nods slowly.
"Thank you," she mumbles. "For not binding me to your will, or whatever."
"Freedom is one's greatest treasure." Death nods.
"Can you help me get rid of Ravir then?" Daphne points at her head and looks at Death with a hopeful look in her eye, but it falters when Death shakes their head.
"You have the power to do so yourself. Use it."
"How?"
"I am not a Charon. I could not tell you."
"But there are no other Charons to teach me!"
"Then you must teach yourself." Daphne releases a frustrated groan, making Death chuckle. "You are stronger than you think." Death takes a breath. "It is time you wake, Daphne."
"Wait-!" Daphne holds out her hands to stop Death from moving. "Aren't... You immortal too?" Death laughs audibly, understanding what Daphne means.
"I am not alive."
"Huh," Daphne says while cocking one eyebrow. "Lucky you," she jokes. Death closes their eyes and smiles.
"I like you," they say. "Be safe."
Death pans around Daphne, who shudders when she feels one long finger gently tracing the branches on her back. She frowns when Death keeps going further than she recalls her scar being. Death's finger keeps going and going and Daphne feels a dizzying spark.
"If you decide not to be a Charon, the next time we meet..." Death whispers. "...you will truly die."
"I hope I won't meet you for a while, then," Daphne chuckles with her eyes closed, still confused at how Death's finger is going even higher up, nearly curling around her shoulder. She can feel Death's cold breath in her neck and their smile is evident when they speak.
"I hope so too."
Death's finger has now passed Daphne's shoulder and is making their way down at Daphne's front side.
"Beat," Death whispers in her ear. Daphne doesn't understand what they mean until she suddenly feels her heart. Once. She didn't realize it wasn't beating this entire time. Only until Death ordered it to. "Beat," Death repeats. There's another thunk in Daphne's chest. It shakes her entire body. Death's finger reaches her collar bone, right next to her heart. "Beat." Daphne feels lightheaded. Something is wrong... "Breathe." Death murmurs and Daphne feels the fresh, beachy air fill her lungs "Breathe." Daphne takes in more. Enjoying the oxygen flowing into her through her nose. "Goodbye, Daphne," Death says quietly. Before Daphne can reply, Death smiles and says: "Wake."