It wasn’t supposed to be hard. Fighting was supposed to be easy, a way to keep herself safe. The job was meant to be a simple escort mission that she was to do alone, and it had gone horribly wrong. She’d done her best, and now Neri didn’t know where she was. Looking around, things seemed hazy and dark, though in the distance there appeared to be a large cathedral. Seeing nowhere else to go, she hugged herself against the fear that threatened to overwhelm her and began to walk for what felt like ages, the ground crunching under her feet and kicking up a light dust that made her cough. She walked and walked, until she saw a figure in the distance. Upon approaching it, it made its way toward her, until they were only a dozen or so feet apart.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” the figure said. It was tall and humanoid for sure, though it was difficult to make out any other features, as they were partially bathed in shadow. There was something about the voice though.
“Do I know you?” she asked, trying to get a better look, leaning this way and that to get a better angle.
“Always could make me smile.” the figure said, slowly stepping into the light.
“Tamryn?” she cried, and ran forward to give him a tight hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever! Where have you been? Where are we? How did we get here? How do we go home?” she paused for a long moment. “How are you even alive?”
Tamryn smiled for a moment, then became serious again. “We’re dead, Neri.”
“Dead?” she asked, looking around. She didn’t want it to be true, but hearing him state it, she could feel that it was. Turning back to look at him, she bit her lip. “Now what?”
“Now I escort you.” he said.
“To where?” she asked.
He moved to the side, and with a slight flourish, held his arm out toward the cathedral. “The Lady of Graves is waiting.”
They moved on in silence, until they got to the doors before they spoke again.
“Tamryn?” she asked.
“You’re wondering how I ended up here, aren’t you?” he replied, and she nodded. He simply opened the door, and ushered her inside. “We can’t keep the Lady waiting.”
Neri sighed at his non-response, but headed into the cathedral, in awe of the place, more so when she stood in front of the throne. Seated there was a female figure, clad in black and trimmed in red; her pale skin, white eyes and silver hair contrasting with her clothes. Next to her was a large hourglass filled with red sand – nearly all of it in the bottom half.
She took note of Neri then, and studied her, before making a slight nod of the head toward Tamryn. With a simple motion, she casually tuned the hourglass, nodding again to Tamryn, who took Neri by the arm and led her out.
“What was that all about?”
“It’s not yet your time. She’s sending you back.” he said, and Neri wondered if perhaps there wasn’t a little of bitterness in his voice.
“Why?” she asked, needing to know.
Tamrynmerely shrugged. “I only know what she told me – that it isn’t your time, and that you are to walk a more fated path.” he said, emphasizing part of the end of the sentence. He stopped just short of opening a door for her. “When you go through this door, you’ll no longer be in the Boneyard. You’ll be alive, and might feel different, due to your new path. You’ll understand more when you sleep…and perhaps…well, I might find a way to say hello now and again.”
Neri reached over and hugged him. “Good-bye Tamryn. You were the best brother. I hope you know that.” she said. He just smiled, and opened the door, gently pushing her through. Brightness enveloped her for a moment, and then she woke up, groggy, her head full of fog and unable to remember anything just then. Sleep – she needed to get back and sleep. Collecting her things, she began making her way back to the adventuring hall.