To the Old Kingdom

[mogget_cat]

(From here.)

The door he gallantly opened for her opened out into gently lapping waters, lit from overhead by a multitude of stars uncountable. So many together, they give off a glow stronger than the light of the full moon, singing softly of promised rest for those below. The insubstantial spirits of the dead rise from the waters, some quickly, eager for their eternal rest, and some slowly, fighting the pull even as they rise, foot by foot.

The two of them step down slightly into the water that only rises to their ankles, and Yrael closes the door behind them.

"As you can see," Yrael smiles. "I have been practicing even when not at the Milliways lake."

Despite the fact that the waters of Death aren't exactly the same as other water.

Comments

[futures_of_ash]

"I see" she noted softly, hooking her arm in his...and then. Then? She looked up.

And there were Stars. So very many stars, and each with the starsong that threaded through her own soul, but in different keys...

Shining Brightly, every one...

She didn't rise, she didn't float upward, for the song heard was not for her, but she smiled until her jaw ached. "Well..our adventure will be hard pressed to top the first entrance..."

[mogget_cat]

"I have always held that first impressions are the most important," he says, smiling to see her smile so.

"This is the Ninth Precinct of Death, the last. We'll need to go through the other eight to reach Life, and Belisaere."

[futures_of_ash]

"That first impression being why you didn't warn me about stepping into Death?" she teased. Not that she minded...much like Time, Death had little sway upon her.

"Anything I should know about in the other eight?"

[mogget_cat]

"Exactly," he leans against her shoulder, grinning as they walked through the ankle-high water.

"Just that you should watch your step, mind the current for it can be tricky, and stay close to me."

Not that Rachel couldn't probably handle any Dead that thought to try somehing, but Yrael would rather she not have to go through all that trouble.

[futures_of_ash]

Well, Dead were in her job description somewhere, but this trip wasn't about work so...she happily stuck close to him. She couldn't help one last glance over her shoulders at the Stars, but she would always remember the music...

"Is this the only welcoming part of Death?" she asked as they headed for colder, and mistier places.

[mogget_cat]

"Yes. The rest is not near as nice." He speaks the words that opens the gates as they come to them. The other precincts are much colder, with hazards such as ghostly, moving fires, treacherous holes and eddies, uncertain footing, strong currents, all seeking to pull them back, farther into Death. More than once, eyes from the darkness can be seen, watching them but unwilling to come close to the two bright figures. Yrael, against the shadows of Death, seems almost to glow white.

The Fourth Precinct is almost reminiscent of the Ninth, shallow and with very little current. The air is dim, misty and full of shadows.

"This next precinct is going to be interesting. The Third has waves, and if we are caught, we'll be thrown back the way we came, and it will be very hard to regain our footing after that. We shall need to run."

[futures_of_ash]

At that, something kindled in Rachel's eyes. Flame, yes, but aside from that the cheerful willingness to face a challenge. It didn't even enter her mind to ask about flying, nope, she could race...

That did not mean she did not watch the shadows though, aware and wary, but not afraid. It took a great deal to frighten her...

"Last one through buys lunch?" she suggested.

[mogget_cat]

He laughs, a strange sound in the twilight of Death. "Deal," he grins.

Spreading out a hand, he speaks the Words of Power that will open the gate.



And dashes through, swift and lightfooted as one who will never be out of breath.

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel was no breathless creature. Nor, no creation of will and music she, but of flesh and blood...flame, music, void, and Life!

His starting dash may have taken her by surprise, but her own feet were sure and swift in catching up, a laugh flying from her lips to echo his in the grey wrapped place...

Sounds far to bright for Death to accept kindly.

It mattered not though, she was intent on tagging the bag of his shirt.

[mogget_cat]

He leaps through the splashing water like a cat trying not to touch it, his bare feet barely touching the surface before it is up again, pulling him forward. Yrael races, grinning, sped on more by Rachel's laughter than by the approaching rumble of the wave.

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel had watched walls of water in the past, and they had as much impact know as then...

Which was...little. She was usually busy when she noted such an onrush. She managed to brush fingers across his back, her own feet loving water, any water, enough to leave star like trails in the air at each pounding step...

[mogget_cat]

Yrael calls aloud the Words of Power for the next gate, and it opens for them just as the great wave crashes upon it, heard but unseen in the Precinct they had just left.

"I want grilled salmon with lemon and a glass of milk to go with it," he laughs as they slow from their run.

[futures_of_ash]

"I'll try to remember" though, luck willing, maybe she'd win that lunch back from him during the trip...

Her feet kicked up water more playfully as they slowed, though she was careful to splash just to the side of her companion.

[mogget_cat]

He is quietly thankful for the care she takes, smiling lopsidedly. "Careful through here. There are holes," he says as they make their way against the deeper, stronger current.

There is something dark in the water off to their left. It splashes once and is gone from sight.

Hopefully it will be smart enough to stay away.

[futures_of_ash]

Considering how unkind the two of them together could be to something that intended harm...well, yes. It's best bet is to stay away. Far away. Because...there were certainly far worse things than death.

Then she looked own at the waters and obligingly started walking on top of them before slipping an arm around Yrael's waist again.

[mogget_cat]

He leans his head against hers as they walk, chuckling.

"Show off," he says softly, affection in his voice.

[futures_of_ash]

"Coming from you? I think I can live with that" she chuckled "After all...I can always claim I learned to show off from you, hence the best, and I can be proud of it?" she teased.

It wasn't showing off in her book really, it was just as normal to walk on water as below it...but teasing was still good.

[mogget_cat]

He grins, sticking his tongue out at her, briefly. "Be proud. You are just lucky that Milliways does not have rules beyond the three. I would catch you for copyright infringement, otherwise."

Not that he'd ever really do that. Showing off is a natural reaction to being able to do something that others can't, in Yrael's opinion. It means that he can cite it as out of his control when he shows off, being oh so snarky and smug. It also means that he forgives others when they show off. But still, teasing is good.

[futures_of_ash]

"Copyright infringement would never hold up in court, after all, we're very different types of bright and shiny" she pointed out helpfully.

Then she turned her head slightly, flame colored hair rasping quietly against white as she glanced around "Hmmm, company." the shadow it seemed had gone off t inform other, larger ones...

[mogget_cat]

"Using what you have learned from me about showing off, however, would mean-" He looks up.

And sighs, smile fading into a look of vague irritation. "Uninvited guests are always so rude."

His brightness flares slightly, only slightly, against the darkness: a small warning. Dead of the Second Precinct should be able to tell what he is, if not specifically what he is.

The two of them keep walking towards the nearing sound of rushing water that marks the First Gate.

[futures_of_ash]

"Well, you can't quite help the fan club" she noted easily, her own flames flickering out under the water in great wings. No doubt it confused the hell out of the dead, but that didn't matter to her in the least.

"After all, it's what showing off is for, having people come stare at you..." the sound of roaring water was near deafening but they could always hear one another. It worked like that.

[mogget_cat]

"Showing off is to make people stare at you, but it is just annoying to be stared at when you do not wish for them to stare at you."

Incandescent green gaze still resting upon the Dead creatures, Yrael reaches out a hand and says the Words that will stop the rush of water so they may pass into the First Precinct.

[futures_of_ash]

"Well, you're worth staring at in most cases" she pointed out. And it was true, he was an interest catching person...

The waters stopped and something screamed, bubbly and water logged as a shadow attempted to dart past the pair and through the opened gate. It never surfaced, just floated painfully away as the rest of the shadows checked their forward movement.

[mogget_cat]

The others get to watch their peer be carried off by the swift current, into the Third Precinct where it is sure to be caught by the wave and thrown far, far into Death if not to the Ninth Precinct, itself.

He takes on an air of mock-belligerent surprise. "What? Only most cases?" he says as they step through the Gate and away from the now-considerably more wary Dead creatures. The First Precinct is lighter, its waters shallower and its current no more than moderately treacherous.

[futures_of_ash]

"Well, I wouldn't suggest the staring for most one you're in a bad mood" she pointed out "Or shining enough to melt eyeballs or something"

As for the shadow? It wouldn't certainly hit the ninth...perhaps even seek it...for there were worse things than Stars.

She let her feet sink back into teh water once past the gate and looked around "Well, this seems almost tame compare dto most of the precincts. I guess we're almost out huh?"