A field of flickering flames; mauve, turquoise, scarlet. The brindlestick crunch of dry wood under his feet. The terminal crack of branches that will now not grow back. The landscape drifts by as he walks, o’er hill and dale as he vaguely recalls the phrase went. He strides with the confidence of one resigned to his lost course. No target insight, no aim to waiver from. At ease in listless freedom. A birth of another day washes by, with mist-filling valleys as the surrounding peaks spike the heights.
In orbit above, they turn electric eyes upon him and spy his way. A Berg is dropped towards him, Anti-Incident Intelligence controlling the meteoric fall through the cloying atmosphere. The hull resolves into a teardrop in the thickening air and the sound of the air tearing speeds ahead and alerts him. He sighs, stops, and looks up to watch the vessel fall until it slows as invisible technology catches and gently lowers it to the ground. It settles on a peak ahead and waits silently as he makes his way towards it. He makes his way resolutely onward and upward, approaching the now spherical craft. The thin outline of a circle appears, and a hatch retracts. From inside a stairway extrudes itself, penetrating the ground. A tall figure emerges, unnaturally precise in its movements. An Artifice, he realises. More advanced than those he was used to, but still oh, so obvious. It steps onto the ground without pausing and walks over to him. He stops, looking up at the impression of a face. As it raises an arm, he sees that in its hand it holds his blade, the blue-edged metal carefully shaped and polished to an unforgiving and inevitable edge. “Do you wish to express any feelings at your recall?”, queries the Artifice. He smiles and shakes his head. “No. No need for such niceties now. Just take me back in.” The Artifice nods acquiescence and leads him on board. There is a faint hum as the vessel powers up and the gravity drive casually slings them back into orbit where the Ship awaits. After eight centuries, Death is returning home.