AN: I've just finished reading Ptolemy's Gate and I felt like there's still something that needed to be written (even though the ending was absolutely amazing and Jonathan Stroud is a great writer). I started with Nathaniel's point of view, obviously, since Stroud had provided us with Bartimaeus and Kitty's thought at the end. It came off good-ish, but then I just couldn't stop. I started to wonder, 'What if Nathaniel met Ptolemy in the after life?', and I turned that thought into this piece. Chapter two is done, but I figured I'll publish it sometimes this week, if possible. Enjoy! :)
At first, he saw Nouda screaming. Well, that was obvious. The full power of Gladstone's Staff was released and the building above him came rushing down. The creature must be in pain. Then, Nathaniel started to notice that he was no longer standing, but kneeling on the ground, weak and helpless. Yes, he had thought of that too: with Bartimaeus gone, he'd have no energy at all. He wondered whether he would die out of exhaustion or because of the power of the Staff, or perhaps, due to the Glass Palace crushing in on him. He hoped it was the first; it would be easier and less painful that way.
Unfortunately, he was still breathing when Nouda was down. It looked like a slow-motion movie to him; the iron and glass coming down to the hideous monster under it, entwining him, not letting him escape despite all the pleading and cries. Nathaniel wished the noise would stop. He was in so much pain already, with his side injured and his whole energy used. Regardless of his silent pleas, Nouda kept screaming. He closed his eyes and felt the building collapsing, chunks and bits of it falling to his side.
A rather large piece of glass fell on top of him.
It was unbearable pain. He shrieked for help, yet he knew no one would come. In a fraction of seconds, he wished he hadn't dismissed Bartimaeus, just because he'd have company. In another fraction, he thought of Kitty, and how safe she was, despite all the chaos and blinding lights. The thought made him feel better. At least she was all right. Maybe, when this was all over, she could forgive him.
Suddenly, the pain stop. Everything was still black, but the weight of the building had escaped him. In fact, he felt much lighter than ever. He tried to stir, but he wasn't even sure that he had a body. He couldn't feel anything; not his limbs, not his torso, not even his heartbeat. By this time, though, he'd found out what happened. He was dead, as he knew he would.
Nathaniel supposed it could went worse. He could have died in a slow, painful death, or––even the thought disgusted him––as one of the demons' host. At least he had his body to himself, even if it was so broken and bloody. Besides, it was a noble death; he had saved Kitty and Bartimaeus and numerous other people when he died. Surely that counted for something. He wondered whether his last act of heroism would pay for all the mistakes he made. For being John Mandrake. For lying and deceiving his people. For turning into the magician he once loathed.
Nathaniel was at ease. The peace, the solitude; they were all what he needed. The blackness slowly turned to a bright light. He felt he had a body again, but his clothes were not the ones he was wearing when he shot Nouda. Nathaniel was a child again; the same one who had sketched pentacles with Ms Lutyens in his old master's home, who had fearfully summoned Bartimaeus for the first time, who had saved most of the government when he defeated Ramuthra.
Come, a voice appeared out of no where. It was both beautiful and terrifying, and Nathaniel couldn't say if it was a man or a woman's.
Where, though? Nathaniel thought desperately.
No one answered for a while. Then, there was a door. Reluctantly, he walked to it with extreme caution, though he knew the feeling was really unnecessary; he was, after all, dead and gone. The door opened when he touched the handle. Nathaniel shrugged. Might as well go. He didn't have something better to do anyway. He was scared, of course, but he guessed it would not do to linger here for long. He needed to go to the land of the dead, where everyone he killed––Mr and Mrs Underwood, Simon Lovelace, and who knows who else?––were waiting.
The second he walked through the door though, he saw Bartimaeus.
But that wasn't right. Bartimaeus was alive; he had dismissed him at the right moment. Then, he realized, this wasn't really Bartimaeus. It was always how Bartimaeus looked like when he was not a beast, but this was the real Egyptian boy, not the guise he used. This was Ptolemy of Alexandria himself.