Magic's Promise

Strong arms closed about him, supporting him, holding him against a comforting shoulder, as Death held him with all the sensitivity of the lover that He could be.

Vanyel yielded to the greater strength, and crumpled in his arms, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Gentle hands caressed his hair, and gentle words came to his ears.

'Not yet, beloved,' Death murmured, breath moving against his ear, lightly stirring his hair. “There is no time here, while I will it so. You need not take up your burden until you feel ready to meet your life again.'

So he wept out his weariness, his longing for respite. He wept, and then he rested on Death's shoulder.

'Vanyel, is it only duty that calls you back?'

'No.' He found another tiny crumb of strength and slowly straightened in the Power's arms. 'No - it's more than that. Moondance said it a long time ago. I lost my own hearth-fire, but that's no reason why I can't warm myself at the hearths of my friends, not when they've offered that warmth.' He blinked, and realized that he was smiling. 'Not so many friends,' he said, half to himself, 'But all of them - good friends.'

'Worth returning for, Vanyel?'

'Yes,' he replied simply.

Death actually laughed softly. 'So long to learn what Moondance meant?'

'Sometimes I'm a bit dense.' He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “For some reason I never had any trouble figuring out what death was all about; but life - that's taken me until now.'

The Power held him for a moment longer, then let him go. He met the compassionate, luminous blue eyes for one final time, and saw them flare with a strange mixture of pride, grief, and joy. 'Vanyel,' Death whispered. 'One thing more - there is one who would make his farewell to you.'

Vanyel felt someone behind him, a lesser presence than the Shadow-lover, and turned.

'Hello, Vanyel,' said Jaysen, holding out his hand. 'Or - I guess it's good-bye.'

'Jays?' Vanyel took the hand, momentarily stunned. 'Oh, Jays, no - I didn't -'

'No, you didn't. Don't go all guilty on me.' Jaysen actually smiled, ruefully. 'It was my own stupid fault for being so distracted by the fact that you went and fathered our little pet that I gave those things of Vedric's a chance to get at me.'

Tears burned his eyes. 'But -'

“Stop that. I knew you'd take it that way, that's why I asked - Her - Lady Death - to let me see you. It's not your fault. Now listen to me, neither of us have much more time.'

'The Web - you're the Northern Guardian -'

'Exactly. You'll have to take my place. More than that, remember what you were thinking earlier? About making all the Heralds the power source? Do that, Van. Figure out how.' Jaysen squeezed his hand urgently. 'It's important. Figure out how to change the Web-spell so that it doesn't need Guardians anymore, just the Heralds themselves. You're the only one of us that can do that. I'm charging you with that, Van.'

He nodded, and met Jaysen's eyes evenly. 'I promise.'

'I -' Jaysen's eyes softened for a moment. 'There's something else. She told me I could tell you. Maybe it'll help. She said you won't be alone.'

He released Vanyel's hand, and stepped backward, already beginning to fade.

'She promised, Van. And I promise.'

Then he was falling, falling -

For a confused moment after he opened his eyes, he thought that the slumped form in Whites in the chair beside his bed was the Messenger -

But his hiss of pain as he tried to move woke the other, and he saw that it was a mortal and a friend, after all.