Chapter XIX - Farewell

Author's Comment

Still suffering the loss from This Is Home, just what the yotz are the group meant to do now?

These three chapters are all happening within 24 hours. Their union is going to be on me soon.



Music: R.E.M. [Farscape running in background]



Chapter XXII – Farewell



“And from grace to the ground I fall,

And I am human, again.

Hold me now, until I sleep, my love,

Follow me down, follow me down,

I will not be so scared anymore.”

~ Josh Joplin Group, ‘Human’



The dark day, one that fell several days after the slaughter, empathised with the crowd on top of the hill.

A few dozen metres away, their home lay in ruins, alongside dozens of corpses.

The remaining people of the town were handling their own dead and missing back at the ruins of their home.

The group remained on top of the hill, in their own private burial.

‘He was taken too soon,’ Mihndrid, dressed in black, said sadly, head bowed, ‘He was snatched from this world by unkind fate.’

Mihndrid stood back as Kalypse stepped forwards, she sprinkled a powder over the casket, ‘Goddess, draw this soul close to your heart, and may the gods forever watch and protect him.’



‘Where are they?’ Kalypse asked, looking from the dying to the trees, ‘Where the people who did this?’

‘They’ve gone.’ Alril said disbelievingly.

‘Why?’

‘Who were they?’

‘How many of us are dead?’ Lesharn squeaked.

Faelnon stood up slowly, ‘We need to check if anyone is alive in the house-‘ Shivayon went to point out that not only was the mansion in ruins, but she did a preliminary check and couldn’t see anyone, but was halted by Faelnon’s hand, ‘-, I want to see.’

Faelnon hobbled down to the front of the house. The sun had climbed a little above the trees and was rather curious about what was going on. The fires in the mansion had died down.

The front door was non-existent. Half a plank remained attached to a hinge. There were at least a dozen bodies lain in front of him. Most had died when the ceiling rained splinters and ashes. Others probably died from smoke inhalation. Faelnon began methodically checking for pulses.

He was joined a few minutes later by Cyria, ‘This is our fault.’

Faelnon looked up briefly, he didn’t argue.

‘They wouldn’t have attacked the town if we hadn’t stayed here. So many people are dead. And it’s our fault.’

Someone groaned, ‘I… object to that… on the basis… I was unconscious.’

A hand poked through, Cyria and Faelnon rushed over and turned him.

‘Santhorpe! You’re alive.’

‘And kick- … well, alive anyway.’ Santhorpe tried to smile.

A couple of the others, a limping Varadrion and Brantax were investigate the back of the house. Something was reflecting sunlight into Brantax’s eye. ‘What’s that?’

Varadrion limped towards it, shoving a few bits of blackened timber out of his way, ‘It’s… ice?’

Brantax moved closer. The floor from upstairs had fallen through and was at a 45 degree angle, there was a section of wall intact surrounding a window which had been destroyed. Brantax clambered through the window and onto the still-hot wood. The ice was through a hole in the floorboards. Varadrion and Brantax moved closer.

Inside the ice, they saw the form of a very annoyed gnome.

‘Mihndrid?’

Brantax reached towards the ice, but burnt his hand on the timber next to it.

Faelnon and Cyria moved over to the two as Santhorpe limped under his own power towards the others.

The four managed to haul the sphere of ice up, it rolled along the floor and hit the remaining wall, which tipped over.

‘That hurt!’ came a muffled shout from the sphere. It had cracked along the centre, and Mihndrid had kicked out enough space to speak through. She continued kicking until she was free.

‘What happened?’ Brantax asked.

‘Oh I just needed a break from it all, a little quiet place to read,’ Mihndrid said calmly before shouting, ‘What do you think happened? I was caught by the fire after Death kicked me through a wall, so I created an ice bubble around me with this,’ she presented a lump of twisted and tarnished metal, ‘This used to be my flute.’

Brantax nodded slowly. Two people alive in two minutes, there was a good chance that Silvan was fine.

Faelnon and Cyria entered the remains of the kitchen mournfully, a friend lay dead in here. Faelnon moved silently to Kath’elftras, a small body in the corner, and lifted him. In a solemn procession, he carried Kath’elftras out and laid the gentle body down on the top of the hill, in what he had designated as the burial area.

The daughter, Kiara, rushed over to Faelnon, ‘Don’t, don’t bury him.’

Faelnon looked at her with a rather confused face, ‘Why not?’

‘He gave me this, before he…’ Kiara left the sentence unfinished and lifted a small blue gem which she had been clutching to her chest, ‘He said that a full moon’s light, channelled through this, would revive him.’

Faelnon took the gem reverently, he shook his head, nearly smiling, ‘Cat’s got to have his nine lives. Thank you.’

Kiara nodded and disappeared.



A few hours passed, Shandor awoke rather befuddled, he got up and went to make himself some coffee in a blurry daze and ended up rolling down the hill.

At about midday, a few twigs snapped. Brantax looked up and his mouth fell agape at the sight.

‘Guys?’ Silvan mumbled, he reached his hand out towards them, as if trying to indicate something before falling over.

Brantax, Faelnon and Shandor rushed over to him, ‘He’s alive!’ Brantax yipped.



The dragon continued bathing the street in flames, just metres away from Silvan.

The air was suddenly disturbed, but not by the heat. A figure appeared out of nowhere, grabbed Silvan by the neck, lifted him to his feet and both of them disappeared as the flames reached where Silvan had lain.

Silvan groggily opened his eyes. When he realised he was in a bed, he prayed everything had just been a horrible dream. That’s when his eyes landed on Siae who was standing in the corner watching him like a hawk.

Silvan tried to move.

Siae took a step forward.

Silvan felt a desperate need to fight, run, hide, do anything just to get away from her.

Siae reached towards him.

She lifted a cup of tea and took a sip, she set it down on the bedside locker. ‘It’s about time you woke up.’

‘Wh-‘

‘Where – my home. Who – I’m Siebonté, remember? What – Shandor calls me Siae. Why – that’s a longer tale. Truth is, I don’t particularly hate you. Or any of the group, well, most of the group. Unfortunate circumstances conspired against me. And a hefty chunk of gold. As you may know I’ve been working with a group of charming people-‘

‘Murderers.’ Silvan interjected.

‘Quite. Anyway, we were working together to kill you all. If I refused, the Council would lock me in a dimensional box, that even I couldn’t escape from. If I comply, I get a nice chunk of gold, and rid of Shandor-‘

‘Wh-‘

‘Later, kid, momma’s telling a story.

‘I’m not a kid.’ Silvan muttered darkly.

Siae shook her head and continued like he had said nothing, ‘You might also be aware that one of my charming companions stuck a scythe through me. My deal with any of them is done. So I thought I might as well try and screw them a bit more, i.e., saving your hide. It was… unfortunate about the cat.’

‘Kath’elftras?’ Silvan said with surprise, he struggled to get up again.

‘Yes, poor creature attacked me, instincts just took over. I apologise less for the old man. He isn’t such a gentle creature. And I apologise nothing for Shandor’s demise.’

Silvan tried comprehending everything while struggling to get up, ‘elftras, Graxlin and Shandor were all dead?

Siae helped Silvan to his feet, and he tried to swing a fist at her. She caught it easily, ‘Whoa there, kid, I just saved your life. There’s nothing you could have done for your friends, and chances are you would’ve been killed elsewhere if not in the main street. You are also welcome for me healing your otherwise fatal head wound. Now, it’s about midday at your house – or what’s left of it. I’ll set you down nearby. Good luck, kid.’

Silvan tried to say something but was shoved into a swirling mist that had appeared beside the bed.



Siae finished her tea and returned it to the kitchen. This house, fortunately, was not the same one she had ‘donated’ to the others, and was safe in a dimensional limbo.

Well, safe apart from-

‘Hello, my dear.’ Death grinned appearing behind Siae and striking her over the head with the blunt end of his staff.

Siae was knocked to the ground where a steel boot cracked her around the face.

‘Goodnight, my dear.’ Death grinned, giving her another swift kick to the head.



‘Please tell me my concussion made that up.’ Shandor said, reminded of his head wound.

‘No, Siae took me to her … house, I guess. She healed me.’ Silvan said.

Faelnon looked to Shandor, ‘You mean Siae isn’t bad?’

‘Well… all bad. Y’know, on a scale of one-to-evil she’s not, erm, as evil. I, well- she did, er, help a little bit, er, back on Tarkna.’

Faelnon just looked at Shandor.

‘Okay, she’s maybe a little bit more good than ‘Evil’.’ Shandor admitted.

‘Great, we may have a potential ally.’

‘Not while I’m around.’ Shandor said simply.

Varadrion snorted. Now that immediate death was over, he could get back to the important things, like hating Shandor.

Shandor glared at Varadrion and the conversation stifled. Shandor disappeared on a walk.



Death appeared at Siae’s other residence, he dragged her by the arm, when he reached the living room, he lifted her up and threw her like a rag doll into the opposite wall.

Bryon, Quixlar and Richard jumped to their feet, ‘What the hell are you doing?’

‘She’s not all that she’s cracked up to be.’ Death stated, ‘She killed Ariea and Ka’eil, and when I went to get her, I found her looking after one of the group, the kid.’

‘Impossible,’ Bryon said.

Richard looked at Death, then at Siae, ‘Ka’eil and Ariea are missing. You and Siae were the only people who could bare witness.’

‘Think about it,’ Death said, ‘She never wanted to join this party anyway, they had to threaten her, you think she wouldn’t jump at a chance to kill us all?’

‘He’s got a point.’ Quixlar stated.

‘Good, now that’s settled, we need somewhere to hold her.’ Death said, sitting down on a couch.

‘Hold her? Why not kill her.’

‘If she is helping the group,’ Richard said, ‘Then she may be use as bait.’

‘Ah, we share great minds,’ Death smirked in a subtly threatening manner, ‘I was just thinking how one kills a snake.’

Quixlar chuckled darkly, ‘Set it on fire and watch it writhe.’

‘Well,’ Death said, frowning at Quixlar, ‘That’s one way. I was going more for the head.’

‘Ah, but in this case.’ Richard said, ‘If we remove one head, another forms.’

‘Yes, however, it will weaken them further. They are notoriously loyal – well, until recently – if anyone of them is in danger, the others will follow.’

‘Do continue,’ Richard said quietly.

‘My plan is simple, I will take the guise of one who has died last night, sneak up on Shandor, knock him out. I will also steal the kid Siae was trying to save. This benefits us later. We hold them hostage, keep them alive for a bit, but kill them shortly after. We will leave Siae with their corpses, and the group will assume Siae killed them.’

‘I know just the place to put them,’ Bryon added.



Shandor continued his walk undisturbed for several minutes until several branches broke. He turned to face- ‘Kath’elftras?’

The cat-creature smiled at him, ‘Shandor,’ he stated in his standard, airy voice.

‘But you were dead?’

‘They told you of my resurrection?’

‘Yes, but they said that would take until the full moon.’

‘A… minor confusion. I am afraid I am not as clear as normal when,’ he smiled, ‘dying.’

Shandor nodded silently. He turned and continued walking, he asked over his shoulder, ‘So, which life are you on n-‘

Crack. A club of a branch hit Shandor on the exact spot his head had collided with the corner of a cupboard last night. Shandor slumped to the ground.

‘Too easy.’ Death smirked.’



Silvan looked at the group. He was watching the group from a slight distance. A hand grabbed him from behind, covering his mouth. He tried to scream, some slight noise escaping. Before he could confront his attacker, Silvan had a black sack placed over his head and he and the attacker disappeared.

Isondil looked up at the sound and saw Silvan disappear, he rushed over, followed by Kalypse.

On the ground where Silvan stood was a delicate paper note. Isondil picked it up and opened it, equally delicate writing filled it:



Terrible shame about him and Shandor. If you want to see them again, wait for further instructions. If you try and find them, I will kill them.

~ Siae



Isondil brushed his thumb against the black writing, then the red ‘Siae’ something knocked him slightly back. Kalypse took the letter, the group were crowding around.

‘I knew she was evil!’ someone cried.

‘Wait, why return Silvan to us if she was just going to kidnap him again?’ Shivayon asked.

‘Maybe to build up credibility?’ Santhorpe suggested.

‘For the ten seconds we believed her? Not worth it.’

Isondil was no longer listening to the conversation. He couldn’t even see the group, the only thing he could see darkness. But he wasn’t passing out. He tried to decipher the image. Rock, there was a wall of rock in front of him. The viewpoint moved and went through the rock. A giant boulder was sealed over the cave. Nearby, Quixlar and Bryon talked quietly.

Death and Richard were talking more loudly, the voices, however, were muffled and distant. ‘Fools’ll come running… blame Siae…’

Suddenly the view jerked upwards, they were at a short cliff face, located in the midst of a forest. Isondil recognised it, the view rushed above the tops of trees, locked onto a road and chased it along before twisting at the group’s house and careening into Isondil.

Isondil dived backwards in surprise. The others looked at him in annoyance.

‘What are you doing?’ Faelnon asked.

‘I know where they are.’ Isondil said quickly.

‘What?’

‘I saw- I saw them, I know where they are.’ Isondil said.

‘Isondil that’s impossible.’

‘It must have been the letter, I touched the red Siae and I saw it,’

Kalypse looked at the letter, ‘The Siae is black, Isondil.’

‘Look, I know what I saw.’ Isondil said sharply, ‘I know where they are.’

Everyone looked at everyone else.

Isondil struggled for any evidence to convince them of anything, ‘Siae isn’t the kidnapper, she’s the kidnapped. Why did she sign it as ‘Siae’, she hates the name!’



Siae had been forced to write the letter when she woke up. Hopefully they didn’t investigate it too carefully otherwise they would have detected the simple enchantment on it which, for a moment, shared her view point with that of whoever touches it. The viewpoint would then return to whoever touched the Siae, which hopefully would be enough for the group to come get them.

Shandor looked at her, then at Silvan, then back to Siae, ‘Do you think he hates S?’

Siae looked at the two and shrugged.

‘What’s going on?’ Silvan asked.

‘We’ve been shanghaied by pirates, Silvan, you can go back to sleep.’ Shandor smirked. He looked towards Siae, ‘Shouldn’t you be trying to kill me?’

‘Meh,’ Siae replied, ‘I can’t really be bothered right now. Feel free to kill yourself without me.’

Shandor smiled, ‘Ah come on, Siae, you used to be nice.’

‘I’m still nice.’ Siae grumbled, ‘Ask the kid.’

‘Seriously, right before you tried murdering me ruthlessly, you weren’t half a bad person.’

‘You tried to kill me first!’ Siae shouted, indignant.

‘No I didn’t?’ Shandor stated unsurely.

‘Oh, well, Ka’eil did. Dammit, why do you two have to be identical?’

‘Identical? Didn’t you notice the minor fact that he’s Evil?’

‘He was evil, at any rate. I see you polished him off nicely.’

‘Fluky really. Although Fate will want to screw with me a bit more, I probably just displaced his soul rather than destroy it.’

‘No, I feel that he’s dead.’ Siae half-smiled.

‘You’re one sick puppy.’ Shandor shook her head.

She went silent for a few moments, ‘You know, aside from that minor detail-‘

‘The fact that we’re mortal enemies trying to kill each other?’

‘- okay, slightly less minor detail, you’re someone I could tolerate a little more, Shandor.’

‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’

‘We’re wasting time,’ Silvan interrupted.

‘True. All you need to do is shove that really big rock out of the way and we’ll be home free.’ Shandor smirked. Siae smiled.

‘Hey, she can make portals, and stuff.’

‘Could make portals, and stuff, kid. There’s a field around the cave preventing all magic.’

‘Bit of a crappy cave,’ Shandor commented, from what he could see in the dark, it was only a few metres in any direction.

‘Yeah, you’d think Death would’ve put us in a nicer establishment.’

‘Siae,’ Shandor said, randomly thinking, ‘Do you remember what Death’s name is?’

‘Nah, I think he always passed under Death. Well, he was into the whole black-robe thing before I met him.’

‘He was a blue kid, y’know.’ Shandor informed.

‘Blue?’

‘Yeah, bright blue. An accident during his first morph.’

‘How’d you find out?’

‘I just researched last summer when he was pretending to be Ariea.’

‘Ah. What else?’

‘Well, he didn’t realise he was Death until he died, and is still rather shy about his youth.’ Shandor smirked.

‘Death’s an embarrassed little boy?’

‘Yeppers,’ Shandor grinned.

‘This seems oddly familiar.’ Siae said slowly.

‘From a time when you were an embarrassed little boy?’ Shandor gave a half-smile.

Siae gave a mocking glare, ‘No, I mean this, sitting around laughing. I swear we’ve done it before.’

‘Well, I do enjoy the good sit down, and I do enjoy a good laugh, but I don’t remember doing either with you.’

‘Didn’t think you would.’ Siae paused for a second, then had a distant look on her face.

‘Are they coming?’ Silvan asked quietly.



They were. Arguably.

Only some of the group were in a fit state to go to battle, so they sat and had a cup of tea sending out the useless to fight.

Isondil led the charge, half-limping along. Faelnon and Shivayon followed behind. Behind them was Varadrion, alongside Lesharn, Graxlin, Cyria and Brantax. They were nearly upon the hill leading to the cave.

‘Okay… plan?’

‘We fight. We die. We dance in heaven, hell, purgatory or wherever fate wants to land us.’ Faelnon said.

‘Any better plans?’ Shivayon asked.

‘I’ll go first,’ Isondil said, ‘Get in position, try and take someone out with arrows.’

Graxlin spoke up, ‘According to Isondil, the three are trapped in a cave with a large boulder blocking the entrance, so I’ll clear the path.’

‘I’ll slice and dice.’ Varadrion stated simply.

‘I’ll try and help.’ Lesharn said, ‘Although, I think I’ll just try and help Shandor and Silvan.’

Cyria and Brantax both decided just to do what they could.



Isondil crept ahead, he spotted all four of them. He motioned at the group before firing an arrow at the base of Richard’s head.

The arrow hurtled through the air, Richard couldn’t dodge it.

Didn’t have to.

The arrow stopped in midair a few inches from Richard’s head. He turned around and smirked.

‘Aw crap,’ Faelnon said, he jutted his staff upwards in signal for the group to charge. Or limp feebly towards the enemies.

Graxlin shuffled over to the cliff face and tried lifting the boulder with a quick spell. The boulder jostled slightly.



A crack of light shone into the cave.

Siae grinned, ‘Party time.’

Shandor grabbed her arm gently, he looked at her with genuine concern, ‘Stay safe out there.’

Siae nodded and added with equal concern, ‘You too. After all, you die more.’

Siae looked at the boulder, the magic field was disrupted. She sent the boulder barrelling away. The trio had to blink several times to adjust to the bright light outside.

Quixlar and Bryon charged at them.

Varadrion threw two daggers at Death as he drew his sword. Isondil launched another few arrows, all but one was stopped by Richard in midair. The final one shot through Death’s hood, just going above his head.

Cyria ran towards Bryon, Brantax sprinted past Varadrion and dived at Death.

Faelnon and Shivayon ran to confront Richard.

‘Faely, my good pal, how are you?’

‘All things considered, I’d rather be on holiday.’ Faelnon said coldly.

‘I’ll make sure of that,’ Richard grinned.

Faelnon flicked the bottom of the staff at Richard, who went to catch it. Suddenly he was sprawling backwards.

Shivayon lowered her foot, ‘Not a bad tag-team, really.’

Silvan and Siae took turns distracting Quixlar while trying to get the occasional hit in.

Cyria and Shandor were busy trying to subdue Bryon.

Brantax was caught in midair by Death, spun round and thrown away. Death himself had to duck to avoid being decapitated by Varadrion.

Varadrion swiped again, drew a third dagger and swiped with it, also.

Death parried with his scythe before kneeing Varadrion in the stomach. Varadrion doubled over in pain as the wounds that were beginning to heal burst open.

Silvan slapped Quixlar over the back of the head as he clambered onto of the assassin. Quixlar spun wildly trying to shake Silvan off. Siae ripped Quixlar’s sword out of his hand.

‘Kid, get off!’ Siae shouted as she lunged forward.

Silvan dived as Quixlar got skewered.

Bryon doubled over in pain before Shandor got his manly slap in.

A disk, lodged in Bryon’s abdomen started bleeping. He looked over to the corpse of his twin. With no words, he dived at his brother’s killers. In a few moments, he would be engulfed by flames, and would take the killers with him.

Silvan tried to dodge, but Bryon caught his leg and dragged him to the ground, Siae rushed in.

Graxlin detected the device getting stronger, a magical explosive, he rushed forward to save the two.

Shandor and Cyria, unaware of this, charged towards Bryon to attack him.

‘He’s going to explode,’ Graxlin shouted at the group.

Shandor looked at Graxlin, then at Bryon. Bad guys didn’t normally explode. Wither to dust, maybe, but not explode, ‘Are you sure?’

‘Wait ten seconds and we’ll see!’ Graxlin rolled his eyes.

‘He’s sure.’ Cyria stated.

Siae brought Bryon to his feet as Silvan kicked away from him.

‘Where?’ Siae asked, securing her choke hold on Bryon.

‘The cave,’ Shandor suggested.

Siae began dragging Bryon towards there when he released a frenzy of hand movements, cumulating in a palm to Siae’s face. She stumbled backwards.

Cyria came forward and delivered a quick blow to Bryon’s stomach. He tipped over as Cyria drove her knee into his face. He stumbled towards the cave.

Graxlin gave a token-strike on the head with his staff as Bryon entered the cave, still sprawling wildly. Another levitation spell moved the rock back in place.

Bryon begin howling and screaming like a wild dog.

‘I think we should still get down,’ Siae recommended.

The four near her had no time to ask about loyalties and obeyed.

From the sliver of a gap that had been left, the group could see a bright orange beam shoot out. The boulder shook before taking off on a new, possibly more exciting, trip. The cave suddenly became five times bigger than it had been.

The boulder headed straight for Death, Brantax and Varadrion.

‘Get out of the way!’ Silvan screamed.

A little hard to do when lying on the ground in pain, Varadrion would’ve replied if he could have.

The boulder was mere inches from Varadrion when it fragmented into thousands of smaller stones.

Graxlin lowered his staff, ‘You’re welcome.’

Death swung his scythe at Varadrion, who rolled out of the way.

Brantax leapt onto Death’s back and pulled his hood over his face.

Faelnon tried to sweep Richard’s feet from under him.

Shivayon tried to simply kick Richard.

The result was that Richard fell over, Shivayon fell over, and Faelnon received a foot to the face.

Siae got to her feet and ignored the much larger cave. Her eyes were set on Death.

Faelnon and Shivayon helped each other up as Richard leapt upwards.

‘He’s going to do his dragon impression,’ Shivayon said suddenly.

A spinning, nicely crafted, bit of wood with gold tips cracked into Richard’s face and sent him back to the ground. ‘I’d rather he didn’t,’ Faelnon replied coolly, while heading to fetch his staff.

Siae lunged at Death, hands ready to pop his head off. Death caught her in midair, rolled and threw her away.

Silvan and Shandor went to attack next, Graxlin waited, looking for a time to strike.

Death parried Shandor’s fist, grabbed Silvan by the throat and hurled him into the unsuccessful elf.

Cyria and Brantax took their cue to attack. Or more correctly, they would have, if a giant club hadn’t struck Death and smushed him against the cliff wall.

The two turned to look at the wielder of the club, a giant. Or a troll. A troll giant. Easily five times bigger than the average troll.

The troll shrunk and became Siae again.

Death disappeared, then reappeared in front of the cave, a group of black wisps coalescing to form the charming scythe and familiar robes of Death.

Siae barged past Shandor to get to the dark creature.

Richard saw that perhaps things were going to get a tad nasty and disappeared in a cloud of flame.

The group turned towards Death. Varadrion clambered to his feet and gave Death a nasty look.

Death cowered in fear.

… He didn’t. Who are we kidding?

Graxlin continued watching.

Death swiped the scythe at Siae and missed.

Siae launched her fists.

Death produced a dagger from his sleeve and lashed out, cutting Siae’s left arm.

Siae winced for just a second.

Cyria and Shandor both saw the motion of the scythe, too late to call out.

The scythe sliced through Siae’s chest like it was tissue paper.

Siae’s eyes widened.

The blue eyes of the decorative goat on the joint of the scythe glowed.

Siae slid of the scythe and collapsed to the ground. She went limp.

Death went to decapitate her, to be sure, when Siae simply turned to dust.

The group rushed towards Death.

He merely grinned broadly, looked at his scythe and threw it towards the closest person.

Cyria dived, tackling Shandor to the ground, as the scythe whirled over head.

‘Watch out!’ Shivayon screeched to someone nearby.

The blade made contact.



It was a rather odd sensation. Not like any pain he had experienced before. Although, he couldn’t say for certain that it was pain. It was … a rather odd sensation.

It was the feeling of the certainty of death.

His arm lifted half-heartedly, and made a motion to try and remove the blade. He surrendered and merely collapsed to the ground. The world was becoming blurry. Still, there was no definite pain. In fact, all his sensations were numbing. He couldn’t feel his legs, he briefly thought that the blade might’ve severed his spine, but it didn’t really matter at the moment.

His friends were around him, not all of his friends, sadly, and some he didn’t really care whether they were there or not. Shivayon was there. Brantax and Silvan both had horrified looks on their faces. He thought that he must look a mess, he probably had a dopey look on his features. Isondil was also there, he didn’t know what to do. He thought he saw Graxlin a little further away.

He relaxed a bit, and gave up trying to work out who was there. They were calling to him, ‘hold on’, ‘it’ll be alright’, the usual things the group said when someone was fatally wounded.

It had been a rather bad twenty-four hours, he thought, all things considered.

He would have rather died sacrificing himself for the greater good. Or at home, with a family.

He began feeling cold. And alone, crowded by friends and allies, and completely alone. I suppose that’s how everyone dies, he thought sadly, All alone. From nothing, to nothing, with nothing. And no-one.



The dark day, one that fell several days after the slaughter, empathised with the crowd on top of the hill.

A few dozen metres away, their home lay in ruins, alongside dozens of corpses.

The remaining people of the town were handling their own dead and missing back at the ruins of their home.

The group remained on top of the hill, in their own private burial.

‘He was taken too soon,’ Mihndrid, dressed in black, said sadly, head bowed, ‘He was snatched from this world by unkind fate.’

Mihndrid stood back as Kalypse stepped forwards, she sprinkled a powder over the casket, ‘Goddess, draw this soul close to your heart, and may the gods forever watch and protect him. May he find in death, all joy, warmth and happiness that was not his in life. His life was a troubled one, he suffered much, but he remained a good man, a man with friends, whom he loved, and love is cherished most highly with the Goddess, so we beseech you, keep his soul safe, and let him rest.’ Kalypse stepped backwards.

Isondil took a step towards the casket and laid his bow atop it, ‘Rest, dear Varadrion.’