Chapter 6

The next few days in the northernmost reaches of planet earth were spent in almost complete silence. Every citizen spoke in lowered tones, a hush falling over the bright city. Even the glow that illuminated each street and building was duller somehow. Everyone had loved Phil in this remote place. He had been an unofficial figurehead to many of them even though he had never taken on any actual title or office.

And it truly did sound like him -  all the stories they told.

Despite the betrayal we all still felt from his actions, it was clear that most of what he did throughout his life was not for his own benefit. When he had almost brought about the apocalypse, it was not because of his own selfish desires. He had simply tried to protect his son, make up for his unintentional abandonment by telling him of the strange and wonderful world that existed right alongside the human world. But his love as a father had meant that Phil was blind to the cruelty that had lingered within his own progeny. He could only stand back and watch as chaos bloomed all around him.   

And now, he had paid the price.

For stepping in and saving the world when he was one of the few who had the power to do so he had made a powerful enemy. One who would not cower and hide. An enemy that would never be permanently defeated – could not be defeated lest it upset the balance of the world.

Looking into the ghostly white face surrounded by the equally white hair, I felt my heart give another painful jab. Phil had quite literally been put on ice since his death. His body cleaned and clothed in preparation for his final departure from this world.

It was bizarre to look upon him. He was so still and yet if you did not know the truth, Phil’s body would look nothing more sinister than an elderly man taking an afternoon nap. His gaunt features still remained but the pain that had tightened the corners of his eyes and the strain that brought his lips into a grim line had disappeared. All that was left behind was the absolute peace of death.  

I smiled sadly, stretched out a hand towards his cold and motionless form. However, before I could actually touch his cold skin, I brought it back and clutched my hand to my chest. One lone tear formed at the corner of my eye and dripped down on to my cheek. How sad and lonely his life must have been that it took death to finally give the man what had striven for his entire life.

Phil finally looked content.

I shivered and turned away. It was too strange to be looking at a body, to be alone with a body.  There were no mortal wounds apparent on his corpse just an old man who had died of supernatural causes. Another shudder ran up the length of my spine. It was terrifying that if death should wish it my life would just be extinguished. No wound would even need to be inflicted. If death decreed your life was at an end, not mortal blade or defensive training would protect from that magic.

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I reached into the small wooden crate at my feet and pulled out the white tulle. It glittered and glimmered. The women of the sewing house had worked tirelessly the past three days, fashioning the thin netted fabric from the threads of finest silk. It was produced by small magical beings with wings. Apparently they weren’t fairies through.

Shaking out the delicate material, I draped it over Phil as a knock sounded on the door.

I jumped backwards, whirling around just in time to see it swing open. My breath whooshed out between my lips as startling blue eyes met mine.

“Lucius,” I whispered, stepping around the table that held the body so I could wrap myself in his arms.

“It’s time.”

Those two words brought forth the torrent of tears I had barely been keeping hold of since I had learned of his death only a few short days ago.

“Okay.” I murmured, unwilling to let go now that I was in the warm comfort of his arms.

Footsteps and low voices could be heard out in the hallway growing steadily louder as they approached. From my position buried against my boss’s chest, I peeked up just as several sombre figures entered through the doorway. They were dressed in some of the brightest clothing I had ever seen. Every person I had come across since waking from another fitful sleep had been dressed similarly. The funeral customs that I knew - where everyone mourned together and wore black did not apply here. In the farthest reaches of the world they celebrated the life that had been lost by sending the spirits up into the atmosphere in a blaze of colour and light before partying until dawn.

Silently, with only the whisper of fabric revealing their movements, the four men - at least I thought they were men- grabbed a corner of the pallet each. With effortless strength, they lifted the body off of the table and balanced the pallet on their shoulders. Then with a grave nod to us both the funeral party stepped back out into the hall and drifted away.

The room was strangely empty without Phil there to occupy it. The paintings hanging on the walls and the opulent furniture and plush carpeting did nothing to dispel the fact that everything was bereft of life now that the master of the house was no longer there to fill it with warmth. The heart was missing and I wondered if the house would ever recover. The walls groaned around me in a mournful whine and it felt like the building was wondering the exact same thing.  

“Come on.”  

I patter Lucius’s chest and nodded towards the door but he just held me tighter.

“Lucius?” 

It came out as a question but the man simply held me tighter.

“Just give me a few more minutes.” He sighed and buried his nose in my hair. “I just need a few more minutes before I can say goodbye. “

I squeezed him tighter in response and held on like he was my only lifeline in the ferocious sea that our lives had led us in to. While in his arms I tried not to think how comfortable and safe he made me feel. I reminded myself as inhaled the distinctive scent of him, that ‘us’ was something that was better left for when the world was not in danger. But if things continued on the current trend then there would never be time to look into it.  

Drumbeats sounded outside. I drew away from Lucius’ firm chest and gave him a watery smile. Then, standing on my toes I pressed my lips gently to his stubbly cheek before pulling away. The look in his eyes as I pulled away caused a deep ache in my chest. My fingers massaged the place directly over my weary heart while I smiled as bright as I could. The strain of the gesture caused my face to twitch uncomfortably.

“Come on, Phil would be disappointed in us if we missed his going away party.” I offered softly when Lucius made no move towards the door.

Linking his fingers with mine, I pulled him gently from the room.

After several days of mindless moping about the premises, I had become somewhat of a professional at navigating the hallways. With the taller and stronger form at my side, I kept my head leant against his shoulder as I led us through the service passages. We passed several of the household staff but there were considerably less people here than elsewhere in the house. All of the main passages would be filled with well-wishers by now who had gathered at the big house for the final farewell.

I could hear the cheerful voices from the floor below. The sound of loud and overly happy singing filtered through the floors and despite the fact that my heart was heavy, pain for losing a friend and also the weight of Lucius’ heartache weighing heavy on my shoulders, the sound of these mourners together managed to give me some relief. The words were indistinguishable but there was something in the tone and the rhythmic beat that made some sense. It simply resonated with something deep inside.

“It’s beautiful.” I murmured squeezing Lucius hand.

We wandered down several sets of winding stairs and concealed passageways before coming to a door. On the other side I could hear the clatters and bangs as the kitchen staff worked busily to ensure that the entire funeral party was catered to.

I lifted my hand and pressed it against the door but did not push. For some reason, in the dimly lit corridor just listening to the sounds of life only a few feet away with the warm presence it felt safe. No one could see us and with just Lucius at my side I knew who he was, and it was a comfort. It was a comfort to know that he was him and not the enemy.

“Do you think he is still here?”

Lucius gulped and as I lifted my head I noted his eyes were closed and his jaw was clenched so tightly that I could actually hear the sound of his teeth grinding together.

“Death?”

I nodded.

“I don’t know.” He sighed and opened his eyes. “How will I do it Savannah? I have lived a long life and fought in many battles but Phil fought in more, was more powerful than even I and yet he could not defeat death.”

I squeezed his hand and said nothing. What was there to say? I was as clueless as he was.

Finally, after several minutes of silence he squeezed my hand. Taking it as directions I pushed open the door and pulled Lucius into the warm light of the kitchen.

The large space was a hive of activity. Pots clanged and people dressed in plain but hardy clothes shouted to each other across the space. There was a mixture of old and new technology blending within the large space. Copper pans hung from the metal wrack in the centre of the country styled kitchen. An Aga, larger than any I have seen before, dominated one wall. A huge pipe connected from the top of it and disappeared through the wall. 

The floors were black slate tiles which radiated warmth and the work surfaces were made from old polished woods that looked as new as they day they were cut from the tree and yet there was something very old fashioned about it all. I closed my eyes and breathed in the scent of baking bread and the comforting scent of good old-fashioned home cooking.

“Come on,” Lucius muttered, tugging my hand and pulling me reluctantly from the room.

After a few more minutes of dodging crowds, we emerged in what appeared to be an oasis.. Trees with huge fanning leaves and brightly coloured birds stood proudly in their branches stood along the edge of a soft fluffy looking lawn, bowing gracefully around an idyllic little patch of heaven in the middle of the arctic tundra.

What truly captured the eye however was the huge wooden structure in the centre of the long rolling lawn. Jewels embedded in the wood glinted brightly in the last remaining light of the day while beautiful pictures in the wood told stories - tales of the man whose limp form now lay atop of it all. 

The blue man who had presided over the protection ceremony only days before was one of the few who were less garish in their clothing choices. Decked out in a dark green that made the man look at if he were the meeting between land and sea, he stood with his bare toes curled into the grass just a few feet away from the pyre.

“Ladies, gentlemen and magicfolk, we are gathered here to celebrate the treasure life of Mephistopheles.” He paused and smiled serenely at the crowd while his blue hands were clasped across his middle. “Each of us will remember him differently, but by being here today we all stand together to celebrate the soul which has sadly departed this life and moved onto the next.  Just as surely as with life there comes death, from death life always follows. It is why from the very beginning of creation, life has swelled but never has it overwhelmed. The balance is always up kept.”

The sun which had slowly been descending in the sky now gave its final bright flare, sending bright rays of gold flashing along the horizon.

“As the sun disappears and darkness descends, we light the pyre and send the body of our friend back to the air that fills our lungs, the earth that holds our feet and the spirit that feeds our heart. We bless his body with the cleansing power of the fire and send his soul on to the next life free of the burden of his mortal form and his mortal sins. Sleep well brother. Blessed be.”

The crowd around me murmured the final words back in a loud joyful cry that filled the air with a spark. It grew stronger and stronger as the energy of the crowd grew more enthusiastic until the hairs at the back of my neck stood on end. Within seconds the pyre became engulfed in flames and embers broke away with a crackle and a pop, drifting merrily up towards the darkening sky.

In the true spirit of the isolated reaches, drinks flowed and soon dancing and laughter filled the air.

Lucius and I stood off to the side, his arm firmly around his waist while my fingers were clutching tightly to his shirt. The heat of the fire fanned across my face but I was not paying attention to that, merely the words that the speaker had uttered before.

“With life comes death and with death comes life.”

“What’s that?” Lucius murmured distractedly, his hand having moved from my waist so he could twirl the ends of my hair around his fingers.

There was a crack and a bang drawing our attention for a moment. Castiel and the other fallen were stood in the midst of a particularly raucous group of brightly dressed people. They were trying and failing to stay apart from the merriment and were one by one being dragged off to participate in the drinking and the dancing.

Lucius did not return to his line of enquiry, content to just play with my hair as he observed everything with a sorrowful detachment. My mind was not as restful, my eyes examined each face in the crowd with suspicion and yet my thoughts could not stop coming back to those words. Was there truly something there? Was the answer to death … life?