It wasn’t as clean as she expected. She had thought it would have been like when Mel put her through the shelf, instead, she found it to be the exact opposite. The seconds between the arrows piercing her skin had each felt like a small lifetime of excruciating pain. She recalled with clarity the bolts of agony shooting from her wrist, which had been broken against the pole as they strung her up. Even worse was the sharp recollection of each face, of his face.
The orders rang through her ears more than once, and each time she cringed.
Not cringing, she corrected to herself. She wasn’t even moving, or breathing. Instead, she was staring at the lifeless form she had occupied only a few moments before. Lifting a hand, her eyes widened as they passed through her own skin.
“I hope you weren’t expecting angels, or a great gate to greet you.” The voice was soft, holding a chiding, venomous purr behind every word. It came as no surprise when Iliae realized the identity of the owner.
“Of course not,” Iliae turned, her hand moving to where her daggers normally were before simply dropping her hand back to her side. “I expected you, Jaericho.”
In the light of the place of in between, the woman’s impish expression twisted further, giving her the appearance of some strange devil. Every detail about her was out of focus, no matter how Iliae tried to look at her. There was no way to gauge how long the silence lasted; just as it felt like a mere second, it also felt like an eternity.
Jaericho, unlike herself, appeared to be quite at home here, her hazy form moving jerkily around the small clearing before resting easily against the pole on which Iliae hung. “I have to say, I was rather surprised to see you meet your demise in this way. It really put a smile on my face.” She laughed, her hand waving dismissively as she stood straight. “Now, my dear, how are you enjoying the Twisting Nether?”
“Nether?” She repeated the word, her brow dipping in confusion.
“Yes, the Nether. Home of wandering spirits, where time does not truly pass, and nothing quite exists. “ Her voice dripped with exaggeration as she began to walk. “Now follow me.”
“Why should I?” Iliae glared daggers at Jaericho as the woman swayed through, unbothered by the harsh light or the roaring of the sky above them.
Jaericho looks back at her, her eyebrows raising incredulously, “Well I had assumed you wouldn’t like to be standing around like a lost pup for all of eternity, but if that’s what you’d like…” She waved her hand again before beginning to hum a tune as she made her way through the silvery grass.
Iliae watched her, her eyes narrowing for a moment before following after the other woman. She watched in near amazement- her movements seemed to flow so easily through the environment, her feet not so much as disturbing the water as she followed Jaericho across the border. “I-I think I have somewhere to be…”
“I wouldn’t worry about that, you’ll know when it’s your time to leave this place.” Jaericho answered, a tinge of spite in her words.
Iliae nodded, her discomfort subsiding with every passing step, her attention instead moving to stare up at the wonder of the place. Returning her eyes to Jaericho, she thought it a wonder that anyone could manage to feel much of anything in this place. “Why are you here?”
Jaericho stopped at this, her eyes moving around the Scorched Grove. A moment later, the scene changed to that of the graveyard outside of the Ruins. “My time isn’t up, yet.” She stated simply, her eyes moving to an unmarked grave. Her hand wavered out of place as she moved to touch the tombstone.
Standing silently, Iliae couldn’t help but notice how Jaericho’s face changed moment by moment, almost as if in a flash. Shaking her head, she cleared her throat. “So what are you meant to do?” She finally asked, her arms folding over her chest.
“Teach, impart my wisdom…Help you learn from your previous mistakes, I suppose. Like I know. They don’t really pass out instructions.” Jaericho turned to look at a man walking toward the graveyard, unlike the two women, his entire form was the same, glowing silver of their surroundings. As he moved closer, he appeared almost familiar. Reaching her hand out, Jaericho passed through his cheek unnoticed. “Hm.”
“You see, Illy, I’ve been here almost a year…Most who pass through this place remain for only a few moments before being moved on…to either life, or complete death. Then, there are those like me…While my physical body is dead…” She looked down at the grave, “My spirit is still very much alive, and while normally I would call this due to my admirable survival instincts, even I can smell a punishment.”
Iliae watched her, as Jaericho had now returned to her side, “What does this have to do with me?”
“Everything. You see, we have always been very similar creatures…We’ve always enjoyed our games, the thrill of the hunt, the taste of blood…Even our men…” Once again she looks to the man as he stared blankly at the tombstone, and in a moment Iliae realized that it was Aereyn. “What this has to do with you is that you are heading down a road that will put you exactly where I am now.”
Iliae stared blankly, trying to clear her vision as she watched Aereyn place flowers at Jaericho’s grave. “That sounds dangerously like you want to help me.”
“On the contrary. If I have to remain here for an eternity because I’m far too stubborn, then so be it. But, if I have to deal with your company as well, then it will be thoroughly miserable.” Crossing her arms, she looked out as the scene changed yet again, now showing the library in the Duskryder Estate. Before her sat Xynrael, a large tome open in front of him, which he nervously checked every few moments.
“We both play games with the balances between duty and loyalty. For you, it has become such a struggle that you have risked your life with your husband and friends out of a perverted sense of duty.” Jaericho stated. “In order to protect your Vanguard from a possibility, you have hurt the ones closest to you.” She moved to stand behind her cousin, glancing down at the book in his hands before smiling.
Iliae moved to her side, her eyes too flicking down to the pages of the Book of Endings. Looking at Jaericho, she simply nodded in response. As she did this, she found herself in Calthos’ lab- alone. Sighing, she leaned forward against her knees, her brow dipping as she considered all that had been said.
She had no concept of how long she had been sitting there, her mind locked in a constant struggle to remember the life she was to return to. Even Jaericho’s words began to wane as the sky continued to roar above her, and even as the white wolf came to her, she had barely noticed his coming and passing.
Then, in a sudden jolt, she found the world slipping past her, her eyes filling with a single bright light.
Time seemed to pass in a haze as Xynrael happily welcomed her back, and Elly pulled her into an embrace. She could hear Calthos excusing himself before having words with Drega, the shaman who had visited her. Iliae struggled to keep her mind clear as the words passed through her ears, her own actions even feeling foreign.
The orders rang through her ears more than once, and each time she cringed.
Not cringing, she corrected to herself. She wasn’t even moving, or breathing. Instead, she was staring at the lifeless form she had occupied only a few moments before. Lifting a hand, her eyes widened as they passed through her own skin.
“I hope you weren’t expecting angels, or a great gate to greet you.” The voice was soft, holding a chiding, venomous purr behind every word. It came as no surprise when Iliae realized the identity of the owner.
“Of course not,” Iliae turned, her hand moving to where her daggers normally were before simply dropping her hand back to her side. “I expected you, Jaericho.”
In the light of the place of in between, the woman’s impish expression twisted further, giving her the appearance of some strange devil. Every detail about her was out of focus, no matter how Iliae tried to look at her. There was no way to gauge how long the silence lasted; just as it felt like a mere second, it also felt like an eternity.
Jaericho, unlike herself, appeared to be quite at home here, her hazy form moving jerkily around the small clearing before resting easily against the pole on which Iliae hung. “I have to say, I was rather surprised to see you meet your demise in this way. It really put a smile on my face.” She laughed, her hand waving dismissively as she stood straight. “Now, my dear, how are you enjoying the Twisting Nether?”
“Nether?” She repeated the word, her brow dipping in confusion.
“Yes, the Nether. Home of wandering spirits, where time does not truly pass, and nothing quite exists. “ Her voice dripped with exaggeration as she began to walk. “Now follow me.”
“Why should I?” Iliae glared daggers at Jaericho as the woman swayed through, unbothered by the harsh light or the roaring of the sky above them.
Jaericho looks back at her, her eyebrows raising incredulously, “Well I had assumed you wouldn’t like to be standing around like a lost pup for all of eternity, but if that’s what you’d like…” She waved her hand again before beginning to hum a tune as she made her way through the silvery grass.
Iliae watched her, her eyes narrowing for a moment before following after the other woman. She watched in near amazement- her movements seemed to flow so easily through the environment, her feet not so much as disturbing the water as she followed Jaericho across the border. “I-I think I have somewhere to be…”
“I wouldn’t worry about that, you’ll know when it’s your time to leave this place.” Jaericho answered, a tinge of spite in her words.
Iliae nodded, her discomfort subsiding with every passing step, her attention instead moving to stare up at the wonder of the place. Returning her eyes to Jaericho, she thought it a wonder that anyone could manage to feel much of anything in this place. “Why are you here?”
Jaericho stopped at this, her eyes moving around the Scorched Grove. A moment later, the scene changed to that of the graveyard outside of the Ruins. “My time isn’t up, yet.” She stated simply, her eyes moving to an unmarked grave. Her hand wavered out of place as she moved to touch the tombstone.
Standing silently, Iliae couldn’t help but notice how Jaericho’s face changed moment by moment, almost as if in a flash. Shaking her head, she cleared her throat. “So what are you meant to do?” She finally asked, her arms folding over her chest.
“Teach, impart my wisdom…Help you learn from your previous mistakes, I suppose. Like I know. They don’t really pass out instructions.” Jaericho turned to look at a man walking toward the graveyard, unlike the two women, his entire form was the same, glowing silver of their surroundings. As he moved closer, he appeared almost familiar. Reaching her hand out, Jaericho passed through his cheek unnoticed. “Hm.”
“You see, Illy, I’ve been here almost a year…Most who pass through this place remain for only a few moments before being moved on…to either life, or complete death. Then, there are those like me…While my physical body is dead…” She looked down at the grave, “My spirit is still very much alive, and while normally I would call this due to my admirable survival instincts, even I can smell a punishment.”
Iliae watched her, as Jaericho had now returned to her side, “What does this have to do with me?”
“Everything. You see, we have always been very similar creatures…We’ve always enjoyed our games, the thrill of the hunt, the taste of blood…Even our men…” Once again she looks to the man as he stared blankly at the tombstone, and in a moment Iliae realized that it was Aereyn. “What this has to do with you is that you are heading down a road that will put you exactly where I am now.”
Iliae stared blankly, trying to clear her vision as she watched Aereyn place flowers at Jaericho’s grave. “That sounds dangerously like you want to help me.”
“On the contrary. If I have to remain here for an eternity because I’m far too stubborn, then so be it. But, if I have to deal with your company as well, then it will be thoroughly miserable.” Crossing her arms, she looked out as the scene changed yet again, now showing the library in the Duskryder Estate. Before her sat Xynrael, a large tome open in front of him, which he nervously checked every few moments.
“We both play games with the balances between duty and loyalty. For you, it has become such a struggle that you have risked your life with your husband and friends out of a perverted sense of duty.” Jaericho stated. “In order to protect your Vanguard from a possibility, you have hurt the ones closest to you.” She moved to stand behind her cousin, glancing down at the book in his hands before smiling.
Iliae moved to her side, her eyes too flicking down to the pages of the Book of Endings. Looking at Jaericho, she simply nodded in response. As she did this, she found herself in Calthos’ lab- alone. Sighing, she leaned forward against her knees, her brow dipping as she considered all that had been said.
She had no concept of how long she had been sitting there, her mind locked in a constant struggle to remember the life she was to return to. Even Jaericho’s words began to wane as the sky continued to roar above her, and even as the white wolf came to her, she had barely noticed his coming and passing.
Then, in a sudden jolt, she found the world slipping past her, her eyes filling with a single bright light.
Time seemed to pass in a haze as Xynrael happily welcomed her back, and Elly pulled her into an embrace. She could hear Calthos excusing himself before having words with Drega, the shaman who had visited her. Iliae struggled to keep her mind clear as the words passed through her ears, her own actions even feeling foreign.
She felt numb.
