As Scott exited the tent, he heard his name being called. "Hey, Scott!" Scott looked to his side and saw a young man around his age, with a fit body and the look of a proper military man.
"Oh, John, how's your leg?" Scott asked, noticing John's leg wrapped in a cast. John had been injured on a mission and had been off the field since. He stayed in the camp because his strategic mind was invaluable.
John smiled. "Better. What about you? Did you get hurt during your mission?" He then realized his mistake and laughed. "Never mind, I just realized I'm talking to the great Scott."
Scott smiled, a rare occurrence. He was always serious, but John was different; Scott trusted him and let his guard down around him. Unlike the higher-ups and generals, who were wary of Scott due to his role in every mission, John was a friend.
"Are you free for a drink? It's been a while since we just talked," John suggested.
Scott considered it and, thinking it might be his last time seeing John, agreed. "Sure."
They walked to John's tent. Inside, Scott sat down while John poured two glasses. John handed one to Scott and raised his own. "So, today's your last day?"
Scott nodded. "I'm done. Now it's time for me to go back to my family."
John silently contemplated Scott's words before raising his glass. "Let's make a toast. To a better life."
Scott took a sip, but John only pretended to drink. Suddenly, Scott felt strange. Dizziness overwhelmed him as he tried to stand. Realizing he had been poisoned, he glared at John, rage in his voice. "Why?"
John looked at him calmly. "I'm sorry, but you know too much, and the higher-ups didn't like that. You were also too powerful for your own good."
John stood up and began walking without his cane. "You're fine?" Scott asked, surprised.
John smirked. "Yes, I was never injured. Do you know the trouble I went through to act the role? I should consider becoming an actor."
Pain wracked Scott's body, and he collapsed. "My wife, my daughter... What about them? How will they live without me? You were my friend, the only one I had. Why did you do this?"
John's expression remained cold. "Don't worry about them. They're already dead."
Scott's world shattered. The pain in his heart eclipsed the physical agony. His family, dead? After everything he'd done to return to them, to live a happy life... Now, they were gone.
With every ounce of strength left, Scott stood up. John's smug expression faltered. "What are you doing? How can you even stand? Just die already."
Scott's eyes burned with hatred as he leaped towards John. He drew his dagger and, without mercy, plunged it into John's forehead. As John fell, Scott collapsed, exhausted and poisoned.
Staring at the ceiling, Scott thought, 'Is this the end? What a life I've lived. I killed and killed and followed orders. And when I finally finished, I was betrayed.' His thoughts grew dim as the poison took hold, and Scott died.
....
In an all-dark room, a single figure floated, an indistinct, cloudy white form. In front of it was the spirit of a man. Scott opened his eyes, thinking, 'Where am I? Didn't I die?'
He looked around, spotting the cloudy figure. "Hello! Where am I? Is there anyone here?"
A voice emanated from the figure. "So, you're finally awake."
"Who are you? Where am I? Was I saved? I was poisoned by that bastard," Scott demanded.
The figure replied in a calm, robotic tone, "No, you weren't saved. You're dead. And this place is the—" The name of the place was incomprehensible to Scott.
"What's happening? If I died, shouldn't there be an afterlife?" Scott asked.
"Usually, but not in your case," the figure replied. "I've been watching you your whole life. You were entertaining."
"Watch me? Entertainment? Just who the fuck are you?" Scott asked.
The figure chuckled. "You don't need to know who I am, but you should understand that everything here is under my control, so be careful how you talk to me."
Scott remained silent, sensing the truth in the figure's words. "As I was saying, you provided me with entertainment. That's why you won't die, even though you were killed."
"You mean you'll heal me so you can keep watching me?" Scott asked.
"Not quite. You'll live, but in another world," the figure explained.
"Another world?" Scott echoed, shocked.
"Yes, one you're familiar with. The series you used to watch in your free time—House of the Dragon."
Scott was stunned. He would live another life in the world of his favorite series. But he had one more question. "What about my wife and daughter? Did they get another life too?"
The figure was silent for a moment. "No," it finally said.
Scott was silent. The figure continued, "But you shouldn't worry about them. They're in a far better place now."
A bittersweet smile formed on Scott's face. Knowing they were in a better place was enough for him. "When will I go to the other world?" he asked.
"Right now," the figure replied.
As Scott's ghostly body began to vanish, a dark, mysterious shadowy energy within him dissipated as well. The figure watched, intrigued. "That's strange. What was that? I'm sure a soul shouldn't contain such a thing. It seemed destructive... and powerful."
The figure then said, "Well, if anything, it just means that watching him will be even more fun."
With that, the figure vanished, leaving the dark room empty.