'Death is Only the Beginning', Chapter 8.4 from the Irish Fantasy novel: We Come Back: Vol. 1
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Death is Only the Beginning
Both men saw this look of realization come across his face,
causing them both to exchange glances as well.
“This is Prince Hossane Cahil of Iran, Lord Mason Tempton of England and Lord Beathan Hamish Mackintosh of Scotland. If you two would like to follow me, I will take you to see her.”
He nodded to Hoss and together the three headed back downstairs, though they weren’t too happy about it. When Jack let them into his room, my father was the first to rush to my side.
“My dearest, you are growing weaker by the minute,” he kissed my head, and sung in Etherian, “Leya lcrs anaigz r grwa zob ent eppov rl lo urpp zob, eppov rl lo meya zob sliongai.”
“Hey! What is the meaning of this?”
Jack spoke frantically, trying to push him away from me, but Aubrey stopped him, calmly stating, “It’s alright; he’s trying to help her.”
Jack stopped and watched as my skin tone grew brighter, and my lips redder. I opened my eyes and smiled saying, “Oh Papa, thank you. Some of the darkness has cleared,” I squeezed his hand.
“Raea, you know the energy won’t last long. You need to use it to come home, now.”
“What?” Jack intervened.
His voice was steady, as if a storm were brewing,
ready to destroy the next person to suggest we separate.
“Papa, I can’t go home. I can’t bear to leave Jack. I can’t explain it but it’s like, it’s like I have lost him before, and I know I can’t go through it again,” I sat up and looked at Jack.
“Do you really think we would let you disappear from our lives without putting up a fight?” Aubrey shouted.
As I sat up to argue with Aubrey, Jack interrupted saying, “Jon, may I speak to you alone in the hall?”
Everyone stopped and looked at him with surprise.
Jon nodded and with a brief glance at the others stepped out into the hall.
“Jack!” I whipped my hand out and grabbed his arm.
I didn’t know what he was going to ask, but the fear of losing him was still too fresh to be comfortable with him leaving the room. I still felt as if I was losing control, as if I were on the edge of a knife, and at any moment I would slip and it would severe my world in half.
“Rae, I will be right back, I promise,”
he leaned over and kissed me.
“Don’t forget either of your promises,” I held the front of his shirt collar in each of my hands, before kissing him again.
“I won’t,” he looked at me lovingly, and then pried himself away to the hall, where my father was waiting.
He closed the door behind him.
They walked a little ways down the hall away from earshot.
“Sir, she told me about who she is, where she is from, and I believe her, and that’s why I am asking you to tell me that I am right, and that this “illness” isn’t just from the cold rain.”
My father eyed Jack with a slightly bigger amount of respect than fifteen minutes prior.
“Are you sure you want to know? Once I tell you, there is no not knowing, there is no more ignorance.”
Jack nodded, keeping a deadly serious gaze on Jon.
Jon walked with him a little farther down the hall where some sofa chairs were seated on either side of an end table. He gestured for Jack to take a seat, and when they had, he took a deep breath before beginning.
“Jack, an Etherian is measured by our color, in other words, your “soul” radiates energy and that energy has a color. For example, Astraea’s color is a light blue. Are you with me so far?”
Jack nodded, half insulted.
“When a human makes a bond with another human, such as love, they share each other’s energy. When a human sacrifices their life for another human that they love, their energy leaves their body, and goes to the human that lived. So when a human forms a bond with an Etherian, who is made of untamed energy, instead of sharing their energy together, the human slowly takes all of the Etherian’s energy, leaving the Etherian drained, and trapped on Earth, not quite a human but not enough of an Etherian to return home. She needs her energy to convert to light in order to travel between worlds.”
“Astraea is draining because of my love for her…” Jack whispered putting his hand to his head and rubbing it slightly.
“Exactly.”
“Will she die?”
“No, she won’t die. She will appear to die for a moment or two, and then she will get better the way one does when they have a fever and it breaks. She will live a healthy life with you as a human here, she’ll love you and spend her days with you, and eventually you will die, and she will live for nigh a hundred years more. Then, when she does die she will come home, though she will no longer be allowed to paint in the meantime. She would not be able to come home to us until then. That is what she is giving up for you, her home, her family, her life’s work, everything.”
Jack was pacing now.
“Is that the only path? Is it too late to change anything?”
“Well, no. If you stopped loving her, within the next forty-five minutes that would work as well, as it would cut the bond and restore her.”
“I can’t stop loving her, even to save her, I cannot stop loving her.”
He was shaking his head, whilst still pacing. He would lift his arm up and rub his neck, showing obvious signs of inner torment. As he did this, Jon noticed a small familiar mark on his ear.
“Other than convincing Raea to leave with us, and this must be her choice mind you, which thus far is not likely to occur, cutting the bond with her is the only way to change the outcome…”
Jack stopped suddenly. He was fidgeting with his hands, and stared out across the hall. Like a robot he asked what he feared to ask.
“A human bond only disconnects with an Etherian when the bond no longer exists, on this planet?”
“Exactly,” Jon knew what he was asking, and stood up.
“Jack, I would never ask you to make any of these decisions, I am merely answering your questions.”
Jack snapped out of his thoughts,
and turned to face him. Everything felt as if it was in slow motion. He nodded and shook Jon’s hand saying, “Thank you. I mean it, I would much rather know,” they walked back towards the room, as Jack thought of a plan.
“Jon, I am sure you and Aubrey are hungry. Dinner is about to be served, and I would appreciate it if you and Aubrey would join my guests downstairs, and allow Raea and I to eat on trays together in my room, while I find the words to say goodbye to her. She will return with you,” hesitation spread across Jon’s face, but only briefly.
“That would be fine, Jack, thank you,” he laid his hand on Jack’s shoulder.
He wasn’t sure what decision Jack would make, but he had a feeling it would be soon.
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