Alain hesitates. There's nothing for him beyond the portal, but the truth is, nothing is what he wants. Peace. Silence. The ending that was denied him, the Clearing he should have reached so long ago. Are his family there, waiting? His friends, his tet? He longs to find out, longs to fall back into the comforting stream of ka, to die and stay dead as was always meant to happen.

But as Ellis' hand reaches out to him, Alain sees Roland down the line. There's nothing for him beyond the portal, and here there's pain and suffering and all the aftermath of the war they've wrought. But there's a victory here, as well, an end that he never saw in his own world. And there's Roland, who is at once family and friend and tet, and the bond between them is tattered by all they've been through here, but it is still strong, still stronger than Alain's longing to be finished.

I would walk with you to the end of the road, Ro', he thinks, and his stocky fingers close around Ellis', and he closes his eyes as he reaches for the next in line. Gods help me, I guess I'd walk with you beyond it, too.

The choice is made. He exhales, long and slow, and lets it go, looking to his other side to keep the hold going.