Jin's body felt horrible. Her joints were sore, her muscles ached, her body burned. She was awake enough to feel very uncomfortable, even when the cavern's low temperature hit her skin.

Even so, when Korlash hugged her close, she found herself pressing against him, soothed by the gesture. He'd never done such a thing before, at least not in a big way. It almost hurt, but it was like the hugs back home. Tight enough to make your bones creak, but full of love all the same. The pain in his voice was palpable... but she could tell he still didn't understand. When he let her go, she lay back carefully. Licking her lips, she started speaking slowly and haltingly. 

"You... do not understand. I fight because you fight. I fight when you fight. I fight who you fight. You say I will get hurt, but... you are more often hurt than I." She reached out for him, touching her too-hot fingers to his bare chest. Her touch went from old scars to fresh scabs, marking each. "You are... too fast to draw the sword. To think you should fight alone." Her eyes narrowed, and she tried to wet her lips before speaking again. "You are stupid." Her voice was tired, her anger was weak. "You are very stupid. Do you not... understand who you are to me?" Her arm slid from his chest, to her own body. She touched the scar on her left side, the one that represented her family. "At first you were here." She lifted her hand, which was starting to shake, and lay it on her chest, just over her heart. "I was wrong. You are here." 

She did not know if he would understand, and she couldn't find all the words to explain it. "I fight because... I would like to... battle with you, share pain with you, even die with you... rather than sit and be safe and be alone. Be without you, living." Tears started to leak from her eyes, and she flinched in pain. "[i]'B'ak daer... [/i]... I..." She felt the darkness coming back, the heat was starting to increase. "I..." Her head lolled to the side as she drifted back into unconsciousness. On her chest, the black veins were slowly making their way across.