dramatispersonae | sapphire

[ The hill in the Ring dissolves, leaving you alone with your team in a soft, featureless grey space. The Dog's genderless, gentle "voice" speaks into all of your minds, less anxious and more confident now; confiding. ]

My name is The Dog Who Dies At The End Of The Story. I don't remember the name I had before that, and I didn't know what this one was either, not till I chose a new Master. I don't think I was supposed to do that, but I did, so here we are.

I understand being a dog, and sometimes dogs die. But I don't understand dying, even when I know what it is. . . and in order to make a choice about it, I need to catch answers. I've died over and over and not understood yet. Maybe some of you have, too. I wanted . . . to ask what you thought. . . ?

Thank you. . . I won't be able to answer for a little while, so if you would. . . please answer for me.

[ You know instinctively that while the Dog will not answer your words for a while, once it asks you its questions you will be able to speak your answers when you've reached a consensus and be heard. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I believe it's related to the matter...but you're right that it'll take a long while to explain it and it doesn't seem everyone is able to wait that long.

On my world, death meant that your fonons would eventually join the Planet's Storm and become known as memory particles. To die meant that the individual pieces that made you would scatter across the world, to become part of something else -- several something elses all across the world.

I'd answer that at the end of the trail is "something".

I would say there's something. I don't know what, but I don't think that there would just be nothing after...everything.

I see no reason why there would be nothing.

What that something is may vary though...But for myself, I'd say the end of trail was someplace warm, but far.

[nods]

I thought "warm but far" too. Having death be far from life only makes sense, but from what you and Sage have been saying it doesn't seem empty or cold.

Mhm...It can be cold and empty, depending on where you go. There are different trails in life, so there's no reason not to believe that there would be different trails after life as well.

We can still choose which path we want to take, even now.