"Ba..."

Oh, I see, so the voices...they wish to play again.

I suppose I could humor them. A distraction may be nice in fact.

So I take my eyes off the flames. I take my mind away from the thought of myself simply jumping into the fire to save everyone else the burden.

After all, who needs tattered coat on weathered stick?

My eyebrows, they furrowed at first.

There is standing a woman I do not recognize for a moment.

But then I take closer look.

My life flashes and blurs before my eyes!

My birth...my childhood...the war... my dear wife... Mai...

All my despair...all my anger...all my sorrow...all my desires to end the pain...

Vanish...all of them...

Only then do I realize life is not over.

"Father?"

It has just begun.

"Mai...I can't believe it!"