[Something claws right in the center of his chest, howling with a rage that he refuses to let escape. Of course Ren can't accept being dead. Where Akechi had always felt trapped and suspended by invisible wires, Ren always finds a way to defy his expectations and break himself free.]

You say that with such certainty, I can almost believe you.

[His voice sounds hoarse to his ears, rusted with disuse. When's the last time he even bothered to speak with the other wanderers? How long has he been here? A beat, then he steps forward again, intending to circle around the other boy in search of any lingering injuries.]

To be quite honest with you, I'd prefer that. I don't want you here in my desolate little corner of hell.

[He spits it out venomously, but at its heart, it's true. Ren can't be dead. For one thing, the idea that someone managed to succeed where he had failed is absolutely repugnant, but more importantly, Ren deserves to live. He doesn't deserve an eternity of endless nothingness. And while he's rarely honest, even to himself, he has to admit that the world is a more interesting place with Ren in it.

Also, like, Akechi had died to give him and his friends the chance to escape. Speaking of-]

So, where are the rest of your friends?