Blood fills his mouth and he can tell he won't live much longer, but Oz is safe. Oz is alive and that's what matters. Not even Baskerville healing could save him now. At least he's dying having saved his master, though. Oz will live, and that's all that matters.
"Gil," Oz says and there are tears in it, as his master's face comes into his vision, "Why did you do that? Why get in the way? You stupid idiot! That wasn't aimed at you!"
He remembers. He remembers Jabberwock's fire and Raven's fire clashing, and Leo struggling for control and screaming at the Chain and the Baskervilles to stop it, stop it, stop it, even as Glen controlled him and egged them on. He remembers Lottie pointing at Oz's unprotected back and screeching at her Chain to destroy B-rabbit, now! He remembers Oz's scythe tearing through Cards and other low-level chains as they swarmed, and he remembers realizing that Oz wouldn't be able to turn in time. He remembered the Chain's impact, cracking a rib, and the jaws closing on his neck. He remembered Oz turning as he fell, and screaming.
He remembered his master's face becoming hard, and dozens of bladed chains rising at his command, tearing through Baskervilles and Chains and dragging Jabberwock to earth. He remembers Oz stalking forwards, the ground cracking and turning to sand, and he remembers Lottie's body disintegrating into dust as Oz decapitated her. He remembers watching Oz, and thinking that he was magnificent, and wondering how he had ever thought that this angel of death could have needed his protection, as blades aimed at him disintegrate three feet away from his body, and the shadow of a rabbit looms large behind him. He remembers the scythe growing, and striking at Jabberwock, and he remembers Jabberwock's howl of pain as it died. He remembers Leo falling, Glen's possession fading with the death of his Chain, and he remembers Oz standing in the ruin he caused, looking somehow all the more brilliant for the destruction surrounding him.
Tears were falling on his face now as his master continued, "Idiot, I would have survived it! Don't you dare die on me Gil! Don't you dare!"
He attempted a smile for Oz. The last view he has before he dies will be of his master, and that's the way it should be. "Sorry, Oz." he coughs, feeling the broken rib move, and another surge of pain from that. "I can't obey that order."
His master's face hardens, and the scythe reappears. Oz runs a hand along the blade and it comes away bleeding. He brings the bloody hand to Gil's mouth. What's he trying to do? A contract couldn't save him, and Oz knows that. But master is insistent, so Gil obediently drinks the offered blood.
A rush of power surges into him, wild, alien power that feels strongly of Oz.
His master smiles. I have you, Gil. The words are more felt than heard, and he realizes Oz's mouth isn't moving. That wild power wraps around everything that makes him Gil, seeming to almost taste him, and then releases him again. I promise, next time I'll protect you.
Gilbert Raven Nightray dies.
A.N. Before anyone comes at me with maces and tomatoes, this is just the opening. Go read chapter two. Yes, Gil is really dead, but we haven't seen the last of him. In case this isn't clear, the story is very AU after Broken Rabbit: Gil rescued Oz, Alice did not come back, they stopped Glen from changing history, and Gil died.