It is what brought me back. [ It's one of the things he does remember, with clarity. Perhaps it was another little laugh the daemon had at his expense, attempting to stir some kind of hatred or ill feeling towards the person who had ultimately caused its demise. ] It's not as if I can forget.

[ Another short shake of his head. ]

I did it to myself. I didn't have to argue with her, or fight with her.

So you don't have to be sorry. My fate -- wasn't your doing.

[ Apologies - guilt - is a bad look on his friend, Ekkehardt thinks. Maybe that's a bad thing to excuse, but...

It mattered more, once. Now it matters less.

All they really have in this world is each other, after all. ]