"Changing opinions, hm, Points?" Deriaz sighed.

"Remember a long time ago, when I wanted to run away and get away from all my problems? You told me I was a coward. This is the exact same thing.

"Sure, life is hard. But did anyone really expect it to be easy? Sometimes you have to pull yourself back up and face the next day. Just laying down and dying just proves you're a coward.

"You say we're left alone and cold. I beg to differ. Look around for a second," Deriaz paused. "Who are all these people standing around, hm? Friends. So, you can't be serious when you say family and friends abandon us. Maybe you've got a point about family. Some of us never had one," Deriaz paused again, letting that sink in. "But you can't say that friends abandon one another. Especially when we've got one in trouble, lying on the bed, with a bunch of her friends around her, trying to help her.

"Maybe you have nothing left to live for. I don't know. But I've got a guild to live for, friends to protect, and a history that I still need to learn about myself.

"Again, maybe you don't have anything left to live for. But please, don't stick me in with that group. I've got a lot left to live for, and I'm not about to just take the easy way out."

Deriaz sighed, realizing that by now, everyone was probably staring at him. "And why shouldn't we let her go, I believe you asked? Pretty simple. Because we're her friends. Do friends just let each other die when they feel depressed? No. You help out, and you make them feel better. They've got friends to live for, if nothing else. By just. . . Letting her die, all we're doing is basically saying to her, "We don't care."

"Well, I'm not going to say that. If you don't want to help out, you don't have to. That's your decision. Just think about how that would look to the rest of us, considering we're a Fellowship and we've been helping each other out for months now. Why stop now? And why stop with Valianna?"

Deriaz looked around at everyone, and shifted nervously. "Um. . . Heh. Sorry. Struck a nerve, I guess." Deriaz forced a chuckle, and took a step back into the hall.

"FOR THE LOVE OF BUTTER! Points, this is NOT the time to make me want to slap you and then say 'just kidding'. And on top of that Deriaz beat me to my rant so I didn't get to yell at you. " Kikyo crossed her arms and pouted like a three year old while Sacien tried not to laugh. . . . . . .and failed miserably. 

Points sat beside the bed for a long while then finally spoke.

"I was thinking that you might still be able to hear me in whatever dark place you are my friend.  So I will talk, you can listen and chime in when you are ready."

Points looked around the room at those with him.

"I remember a fine time with you, Valianna, an almost perfect evening.  The dusk had come.  The fading sunlight catching highlights in your hair.  A tender touch and the musical chime of your laughter.  I hope these memories were shared and keep you company wherever you are."

     *With that intuitive touch that is integral to being a cleric Dallie can see that Val's life has ended... but in such cases there is the chance of a pause of the seperation of the incorporeal self from the corporeal shell- a suspension, if you will, of the sloughing off of the mortal coil. Since she sees no harm in Points' continued attention, she leaves his comfort undisturbed, but reaches out along her link to the divine and uses the metaphysical touch to cradle Valiana's soul in a compassionate, breakable embrace of ethereal light. Her eyes are closed, and the expression on her face is one of great effort, but she does not move from her place at the doorway- anyone watching would see that she is concentrating with singleminded determination.
     Should the elf decide that this struggle is too much for her, Dallie will not only let her go, but will help ease the spirit to the afterlife... But... In the event that Val wins the struggle against the darkness, the diminutive cleric stands ready to provide a conduit for her to return to life.
     Her will is of iron, but her touch is infinitely gentle as she pours her heart into the empathy of spirit, offering to the soul she holds the chance to continue life, or the choice to pass it by.*

A silent tear rolled down Kikyo's cheek. What could she do? Was there anything she could do? Her mind drew a blank. Damn it, there had to be something! There just had to be. Another blank. Damn it! She'd been to late. She acted sooner! But she had been so preoccupied. . . . Another tear fell.