My vision burned as I stared at the bloodied snow in front of me, unable to blink. She had destroyed my neural tract, damaging it beyond repair. As boring as I thought the class was, I actually attended the anatomy class we were required to take. It was more focused towards pressure points and weak spots, but it was still an anatomy class.

My heart was slowing, the muscle clenching harder as it tried to pump blood that was no longer there. My lungs begged for oxygen, but with no blood, there was no oxygen to be spared. My vision began to get hazy and I knew my brain was suffocating too.

All I could think of was my brother, sitting on the ground in front of the screen as usual, his eyes staring at my torn and bloodied body. I had failed him. I had broken the promise I'd made to him. The same promise that Magnus had made to me. 

I would not be coming home. The title of Victor had slipped through my fingers. So close, and yet, not close enough. 

My family had never been particularly religious. Not many people were, well, at least not in District One. The only person I knew that was was Flux. His family had always fallen in the margins. They were poorer, less well know, and of lower status. I guess being religious was just another difference between him and the rest of us.

When we were younger, before the teasing and bullying began, he used to tell me about it. About the life that waited for us after this one. He would say that we would be welcomed to the next world with trumpets and music and laughter. That the place we would go was for the good, and that there would be no more pain or suffering, only celebration and light. 

A city of angels.

I had scoffed at that. I would ask him how there could there be a place better than this one, than District One. He would just give a sad sort of smile, before turning away. Now I wished I had given his stories more of my time. Could it really have been true? Was there a second chance waiting for me?

While I didn't consider myself evil or anything, I knew that I wasn't necessarily good. Would there be a place for me in this new world? Did it even exist? As I felt my heart beat for the last time, I hoped there was.

With no more oxygen for my brain, I felt myself fade away, and all that was left was darkness.

I sat up suddenly, my heart pounding loudly in my ears and I my eyes worked to take in my surroundings. Standing slowly, I began to walk absently, trying to understand what had happened or how I had gotten here. I was no longer in my bloodied jacket and my wounds seemed to be healed. I felt like I should have been worried, suspicious, but I wasn't. There was no pain or fear or sorrow, just contentment and light.

I looked around, realizing that I was on a street, much like they had in One or Panem. As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I felt someone bump into me, rushing off in the direction I had come. Suddenly I was surrounded by people, some speeding by as if they were late, and others moving at more of my speed. Despite the fact that some were only feet away, I couldn't quite make out their faces.

A moment later, my attention was drawn back to the area right in front of me, as the crowd seemed to part. My eyes widened as I recognized the figure standing before me. "Magnus?" I breathed out, standing stock still.

He grinned widely, his arms open wide, and staring down out himself. "Looks like it, little brother."

I felt tears come to my eyes at the sound of his voice, and before I knew it, my legs were pushing me forward befor I flung my arms around him. He looked a bit older, but other than that, it was like nothing had changed. His hair still stood up here and there and his crooked grin light and jovial.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked, throwing his arm around my shoulders and ruffling my hair.