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Honor Guard, Cemetery
Ao'drial Relvas
Day 1, Late Morning
Day 1, Late Morning
Collab with @Themerlinhawk
The day was bright, and the wind was strong, in the cemetery. Ao'drial stood alone, walking among the graves. The dark-haired elf knew each and every one of those buried here. From graves hundreds of years old, to ones much more recent, it was a catalogue of friends he had failed to save. Sometimes, he came here to simply remember each one, to make sure their faces and names didn’t get lost to the ocean of time. However, today was a special day. It was the anniversary of the day he had lost his oldest, and best friend. ‘Livvy…. the poor Human who had first accompanied him on his travels. Neither of them knew what they were getting into, or what would happen. Now that he was much, much older, Ao could only look back at the past, and wish for change.
Heading over to her weathered tombstone which stood in unusually sharp relief, he placed his hand on the top of it, and murmured, ”Dearest Olivia… My only hope was ever that you found some measure of peace before you passed.” Sighing, he tossed a single white rose on the ground in front of the stone, and turned to walk away.
The flapping of dark feathered wings heralded Crow’s arrival. Standing further back he observed Ao’s movements among the tombstones. The cemetery was one of Crow’s least favorite places. It was a place for memories as opposed to a place of learning. Leaving Ao long enough to finish his walk Crow took note of the name on the tombstone. Approaching as Ao walked away Crow caught his attention. “I hate it out here. Were you close to her?” The statement was direct and lacked tact but it was to the point.
Ao looked at the… interesting individual in front of him, golden irises scanning the man’s form. Definitely a bit of djinni in him, with something else he couldn’t identify. Maybe orc or something. Anyway, the man had asked him a question, and Ao would respond. Ao couldn’t stand people dancing around the point, but this question was one he could answer.
”Can’t see why you’d hate it, to each his own, I guess, but yes, I was. It was centuries ago that she died, but I like to come out here in honor of her and all the others who lay on this plot,” Ao waved his hand at the gated-off section of the cemetery, and continued, ”I knew them all. And they all died. So I feel as if, over the centuries, I owe them this much, at least.”
Slowing his walk, until he stood in front of the slightly shorter man, Ao looked deep into his eyes, the golden irises a mark of his heritage of the djinni. ”You’ll find, man, that when you get to be as old as me, you’ll have a lot more regrets than you think you will. So, what can I help you with? I can only assume it isn’t for a social call.”
“I’m looking for people to join the Honor Guard for Shard and Raven’s wedding. I’ve recruited the Knights who can fly but we still need a few dozen for the ground and onboard Blackwing. You are on the list of people who Shard wanted me to ask. So I’m asking.”
Ao looked at the man intently at the mention of Shard’s name. Whatever it was, Ao could almost certainly spare time for it. ”Well, if the man himself asked for me, then I could hardly refuse, no? Not that I would in the first place, but… damn. I’m actually pretty honored that I’ll be there in the first place, much less being a part of the honor guard. So count me in.”
It was odd realizing that Ao was older than him. It seemed strange but he was actually a relatively new addition to the Tower’s Knights even though he’d been there for a few centuries. The cemetery was really starting to grate on his nerves. He could hear the dead just out of earshot. The veil was thin here unlike the morgue. It was odd to say such a thing since the morgue was practically the center of death in the Tower but for some reason the study of death seemed to dilute its effect on thinning the veil.
Looking up Crow watched as Vulture circled in the air above him. “Its because I can hear them. I’m a Necromancer, and I’m a Ghost Walker which means that I can usually see the ethereal dead and I can hear them most of the time. Even the ones who have passed through the veil. Cemeteries have thin Veils so it's easier to hear them.”
Ao listened to the necromancer’s statement silently. ”I have met one of your kind, once. She was absolutely mad after three hundred years of living in the remains of a fallen people. She said something about the screaming dead. So I can understand why you’d not enjoy this place.” Nodding at the graves he had just walked through, he said, ”However, that brings me a modicum of peace. I don’t know if they can hear me or not, or if they blame me, but I’m glad there’s a chance at all that they might hear.”
“Do you want to know?” Crow cocked his head at Ao as he surveyed the tombstones. “I could part the Veil if you wished to speak with them.” It was an unusual offer but it was part of why Yishreenok had given him the power for that purpose after all. To deal with the dead was the reason.
Ao was startled by the offer. Talk with his long-dead friends? His comrades, his family? He…. wanted that, but he wasn’t quite sure if it was such a good idea, disturbing them. ”Well, only if they’re willing, and it wouldn’t disturb them, but yes, I would.” How many times had Ao wished that he had gotten one last chance to speak with them? How many times had Ao suffered under the fist of Unvaris, unable to find closure? He had found it, but it still left a hole, an empty feeling. If… if he could just speak to them one last time, then he could find true closure.
“Who do you want to speak to?” Crow held out his left arm and Vulture landed on it. It was all but a crash landing as the large awkward bird was not good on the landings. “Its easier if its just one person but I can call up as many spectres as you wish to speak to so long as Yishreenok doesn’t object.” Reaching into his bag he produced a single silver bell. Tarnished from age the item was strange to look at it seemed to tug at the strings of the soul pulling at the edges of life. “Probably best to start with one. As for objections we won’t know until I pierce the veil. Probably best to stay away from calling up someone you have your doubts about.” With that Crow tilted his head questioningly.
Ao stopped breathing for a second. This was really happening. Who did he want to talk to, most of all, out of all of them? Without question, it was Olivia.
”Her name is Olivia Alibester. If- if you could let me talk to her….” Normally he wouldn’t be this emotional, but… this was ‘Livvy he was talking about.
Crow pointed at her tombstone. “That’s her right?” Crow walked over to the tombstone and pointed. It had the name but he wanted to be sure before he lifted the veil for Ao. “I can bring her across for a little bit, but something more permenant would require more setup. An anchor. Other things like that. Add then of course there are matters of paying for her to come to this side permanently…” Crow trailed off as he looked at Ao. “You’ve never met a real Necromancer have you?”
Ao nodded. ”That’s her grave.” Then, he shook his head. ”I don’t want her back forever. She deserves her rest. I just… want to talk to her again. And I have met plenty of Necromancers. Just none as powerful as you. Remember, it’s a big world, and there are more Death Wardens than there will ever be Ghost Walkers at any given time.”
Crow raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t know, you’d have to ask Lazarus. He’s Yishreenok’s Avatar. Frankly I’ve only ever done what Vulture tells me to do; so I don’t know all that much about the other Necromancers.” Ringing the bell over the grave he pulled on the veil parting it. Crow’s eyes blazed with black fire he suddenly sprouted wings of black fears and dark fire. “The Croweater demands an audience with the dead. Return and face the world you left behind. Plunging both hands forward Crow peeled back the veil slowly before stepping back. “If she comes she will appear shortly if she doesn’t then she either doesn’t wish to come or she is not on the other side of the Veil. If that is the case she is trapped somewhere on this side of the Veil.” Stepping back Crow walked a polite distance away.
At first, nothing happened. Ao was confused, didn’t he say she would appear- Suddenly, she faded into his vision, and Ao gasped. ”L-Livvy?” Falling to his knees, Ao gaped as she appeared before him, just as he remembered her in life. Long brown hair, perfect face, cute freckles, deep brown eyes.... He had forgotten how beautiful she was.
”Ao, I know why you wanted me to come.” She shook her head and smiled, leaning in close. ”It wasn’t your fault. It never was. So stop blaming yourself, darling, for my choice. Go on with your life. Stop coming here every year, while I enjoy your voice, you’re not truly living while you hold on.
Ao’s heart was breaking, but he managed to nod, choked up as he was. ”But- but-.... I understand, ‘Livvy. I will still miss you, you know.”
The smile she gave in return was absolutely heartrending, but she said, as she faded into the great beyond, ”I wouldn’t expect anything else, Ao. Live a good life. I’ll be waiting for you.”
The spirit of the woman passed through again, leaving Ao alone, kneeling on the ground, in a well-maintained graveyard, with a Necromancer of unknown origin. While he was shaken up by the appearance of his first love, he stood, determined look on his face. Turning to Crow, he said, ”Thank you. Now probably wasn’t the most appropriate time for that, but I really needed that. Now, if I’m right, which I usually am, we both have something to do right now. Thank you, and good day, sir.” Ao quickly walked off, and when he reached the gate to the cemetery, he turned and said, ”Let us never speak of this again.”
Crow nodded. “As you wish.” Turning to the grave again The Croweater reached out and closed the veil. With another wave of his hand he sealed the veil. “I’m sorry you lost her.” With that Crow turned and walked away letting himself peel away into a Murder of Crows returning towards the Tower.
Outside the cemetery, a black motorcycle waited in the street, parked exactly where Ao had left it. Pushing a button on his keychain, he unlocked the brakes, allowing the wheels to move, and hopping on, he put the keys in the ignition, and turned them, feeling the purr of his bike between his legs. Grabbing the handlebars and leaning low behind the windshield, he ripped off down the streets, driving towards the Tower of Stars, weaving in and out of traffic, people, and other road hazards.
He wished that he could always feel this free, as he did when riding the ‘Beast.