Arthur Morgan was tired. Tired and weak.
His eyes gazed out to the rising sun. It was casting a soft glow onto him as he breathed raspy breaths, which were probably the last breaths he would ever take. He lay on a mountain, bruised and bloodied from his fight with Micah. His chest aching with heavy heaves; his tuberculosis draining him of any life. He knew his last moments were coming soon.
At least it will be a peaceful death, Arthur thought to himself.
He thought about John and prayed that he would be able to live a better life with Abigail and Jack.
He thought about the others, Sean, Lenny, and Hosea. He hoped he would see them again on the other side, wherever the other side was.
Finally, he thought about Dutch, and wondered where everything went so wrong. Would things have been different without Micah or would he still have betrayed him and John.
A soft and gentle breeze blew past ruffling his hair and leaving a cool touch to his already cold and pale skin. The noises around him began to grow louder. Birds were chirping, insects were buzzing, and wild critters around were beginning to awaken.
Though the strangest sound Arthur heard were footsteps. Footsteps that were approaching him. He assumed it was Micah coming to finish the job. Bastard couldn't even let him die in peace.
"Arthur Morgan." Arthur paused, that voice definitely didn't belong to Micah. It sounded more refined and colder. It took all of his strength and effort to roll over and face whoever owned this mysterious voice.
Arthur was facing a man wearing a two-piece suit, a grey vest, and a black top hat and tie. He also had a well-trimmed moustache and deep, pensive eyes that seemed to bore deep into Arthur's soul. For a moment Arthur thought he was seeing a familiar face.
"Trelawny?" he asked confusedly. This just caused the man to let out a small chuckle.
"No, I'm afraid I'm not Josiah, but I can see the confusion." The strange man said. He stood over Arthur, not necessarily menacingly, but not in a friendly manner either.
"Who are you then? And how do you know me?" Arthur asked with deep rasping breaths.
"Who I am should be the least of your concerns Arthur," and as if right on queue Arthur let out a nasty fit of coughing, hacking up specks of blood from his aching lungs. "And as for your second question, I've been keeping an eye on you Arthur, and I must say I'm impressed."
Arthur just scoffed, "I would say there isn't really anything impressive about a dying man coughing up his lungs." Arthur said hoarsely. "So, if you'd excuse me I'd like to die in peace mister." He let out another fit of coughs.
"Oh, there will be no dying today Arthur, not yet at least, for I have a proposition for you." The strange man began. "You see Arthur, redemption is a rare thing to see these days. However, it seems you have managed to redeem yourself in a way that I have not seen in a long time."
"Why thank you, do I get a medal and a pat on the back for my actions." Arthur replied sarcastically, which caused the man to form a small smirk.
"Even on the brink of death you still have some wit. I admire that, but I have something greater than a medal for you." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Arthur. It took all of Arthur's strength to reach and grab the paper from the man.
"What is this?" Arthur asked.
"It's a deed to a farm. A farm that will solely belong to you, Arthur." The man explained to him.
Arthur looked at the paper with a confused expression. "I don't think I'll be doing any farming anytime soon."
"I disagree Morgan, I think farming would suit you quite well." The man argued.
Arthur rolled his eyes at the man's word's and weakly pocketed the deed. "Yeah well, we'll see how well a corpse can plant seeds and plow a field."
"I believe I already told you that there will be no dying today." The man kneeled down next to Arthur, and he bore a serious expression as he looked directly into his eyes. "Here's what's going to happen Arthur, you're going to close your eyes and wake up in a small place called Stardew Valley. You are going to inherit a plot of land from your grandfather near a village called Pelican town. And you don't need to worry about that 'cough' of yours, there will be people there to help you." Arthur just looked at the man strangely as if he'd grown another head.
"What are you on about mister?" Arthur asked.
"I'm offering you a chance at a new life, an honest from vices and sin. I am offering you a second chance." The man said with either a tone of pity or sympathy in his voice, Arthur couldn't tell.
Arthur was silent for a moment pondering the strange man's proposition. A second chance? Did he really deserve it? And how was this man going to give it to him in the first place? After a moment he let out a sigh. "Fine I agree, what more could I lose anyway?"
The man smiled at Arthur. "Good to hear it friend." The man stood up and began to walk away, but then stopped short.
"I almost forgot." He turned around and produced a small satchel from somewhere Arthur couldn't see. "In this bag is a new journal, a handful of cash to get you started, and a couple of your old things from Beaver Hollow. I will also leave your weapons by the back of your new home in a chest. I'm aware that I said this life will be free of vice and sin, but it doesn't hurt to be armed. I'm sure you'll agree." The man said handing the satchel to Arthur.
"Oh, and one more final thing." The man pulled out something from behind him. It was an exact copy of the same black cowboy hat that Arthur just gave John a few moments ago. The man placed it gently on Arthur's head. "Perfect, your look is finally complete cowboy. Goodbye Arthur, enjoy the valley. Heard the weathers lovely this time of year." And with that the man walked away and out of sight from Arthur.
Arthur was beyond confused at this interaction. So, he opted to roll over and stare at the rising sun, still casting a gentle glow onto the area. His thoughts lingered on the man and the conversation he just had. He thought the man was full of shit, there was no possible way he could survive. Although Arthur had seen stranger things happen during some of his encounters in the wild, like Francis Sinclair and those strange lights at Hani's Bethel.
He let out another raspy breath before he finally closed his eyes to see if the strange man's word's had any merit. And while he closed his eyes, Arthur could've sworn he heard the call of a familiar stag.