Pain. I had always heard before your death, you can feel nothing. Only an indescrible numbness that fills your whole body. You close your eyes as those you are asleep and your last breath is easy. Then why? Why do I feel this pain? Why does my body feel as those it has been set on fire? Blood spours from my mouth as my eyes gaze on the morning sky. I turn to my left and see the king on his knees, but it is very hard for me to determine if he is wounded. Leonidas lead us into battle, he led us right to our death! That may be one man's opinon, but my opinon is very far more in favor of my king. This battle had been brought upon us by our enemies, not by the king. He is no less to blame than we are, and how I wish others could see that. The pain has grown worse by this moment and I know that death is upon me. I want my last words to be to my wife, I long to be in her arms and feel my head fall into her lap as I take one last gasp of air. Then I look to the king, how pitiful he seems as he notices that this battle was lost before it had even begun. I take pity on him. More than ever does it seem he needs a bit of comfort, and I can only be the only one to grant it.

"My king..." I stifle out a call

Leonidas turns to me, it is obvious that his full attention is on me and not on the opposing force. Yet what can I say to him? The leader of our city and the man who had has kept us safe from harm for as long as he was able. How do I repay that kindness as I lie here unable to move? With what little strength I have left, I move my hand towards his and try to grab onto it. It is too much pain for me to endure and I fall short only a couple of inches, but Leonidas can see what I am clearly failing at and takes my hand in his. He grasps onto it and within that small grasp I can tell that the man that I knew, is absolutely terrified of what is to come. I manage to return the squeeze, be it out of comfort or sheer relifance from my own pain I can not really tell. Most likely both.

"It is an honor to die by your side..." I state while I struggle to keep my eyes open

Leonidas stares at me plainly for awhile, I fear what his reponse will be. Perhaps he will find my comment selfish. Or maybe he simply does not know how to respond and is in a bit of shock. How I only wish to hear someone's voice before I pass on. Be it words of comfort or words of spite.

"It is an honor to have lived at yours." Leonidas declares

I can only stare at him, for a king to say such a thing is a most high honor. The highest honor if there is any. My father once said to me when I was but a small boy "Die with honor." and I could never understand that statement being only six years of age when I had first heard it. Did he mean die with a sense of purpose? Or die with pride? I always believed that honor was a bit of both. I watch as Leonidas releases my hand slowly and raises to his feet. Is he accepting death? Is he giving up? Or does he finally realize what we have known all along? Whatever the reason, I can only hope that he dies with the honor that I hold in my heart. My eyes suddenly close as I draw one last breath. My body suddenly goes cold and numb as the pain suddenly leaves my body. So this is what it feels like in the final seconds of your life? I must say...This is the best feeling one can ever chose to feel.