Will rose slowly to his feet. He could not believe he was doing what he was doing, but it was clear that he was, clear as the silver rim around the black of Jem's eyes. "If there is a life after this one," he said, "let me meet you in it, James Carstairs."
"There will be other lives." Jem held his hand out, and for a moment, they clasped hands, as they had done during their Parabatai ritual, reaching across twin rings of fire to interlace their fingers with each other. "The world is a wheel," he said. "When we rise or fall, we do it together."
Will tightened his grip on Jem's hand, which felt thin as twigs in his. "Well, then," he said, through a tight throat, "since you say there will be another life for me, let us both pray I do not make as colossal a mess of it as I have this one."
London 2009
After attending Tessa's wedding to Jem on Blackfriars Bridge, William Herondale glided restlessly over the streets of London, taking in all of the beautiful landmarks which he had grown to love so dearly in his youth. He was happy for the two of them indeed, as to that, there was no question. However he did admittedly feel a bit empty now. There was not much for him to do here, in his ethereal form. Not, since he needn't watch so diligently over Tessa any longer, for she had Jem now. And so, when it came to pass that a little light appeared within the Limehouse Link tunnel as he floated past it, it caught his attention.
It could have merely been a reflection of some sort, but it seemed so much brighter than any of the other lights in London. So he went towards it. And as he entered the eastern portal of the tunnel, he came to notice that it truly was no ordinary light. It glowed in a very unearthly way, flickering brilliantly as if to say 'Look at me! Pay attention! Come and learn my secrets! I can give you knowledge and show you things that London cannot offer'. And so William went, slowly and cautiously at first, toward the light. Yet soon he was caught up in it and found that he no longer controlled his progress. The light had drawn him in and now was all around him, enveloping William in its heavenly beauty. And soon enough the heavenly beauty that met his eyes, was no longer that of the brilliant light that engulfed him.
He found himself standing in a meadow with a beauty all its own. The grass was more emerald than the greenest meadow he had ever seen in life. The sky was not blue nor grey but white, shining and brilliant. It carried with it its own light, though there was no sun. There was a star, at least William thought it was a star. It flicker even more brightly than the white of the sky or even the light in the tunnel had (Though the tunnel was, in fact, long since forgotten.). Presently, the light or the star or whatever it was, began to descend.
As it grew in the sky as it came closer to William, he could make out its shape and realized it was something much more beautiful than a star. It was an angel with long hair of silver and gold. And angelic runes that moved, shimmering golden on its skin. Its eyes were uniformly gold in all parts and its golden wings were also adorned with golden eyes on every feather. All the eyes were turned on William now and he knew instinctively at once that this was the angel Raziel.
Since you are here, I must assume you are finally done dallying on the mortal plane, my son? The voice of the angel spoke to William in his mind.
"Yes, I believe so. I've had my closure and the two people whom I love most in the world are happy and they have each other. My business is no longer unfinished." He replied while looking at his own feet, for Raziel's beauty was too overwhelming to be witnessed directly.
Well then, I suppose you do have the option to dilly dally here for your eternity. It might be rather nice and pleasant. However as one of my children, I do wager you go for something more than nice and pleasant. Something tells me you might like to have another go at things, am I right?
Raziel spoke to William with both the wisdom of the ages and with a familiarity that implied he had known Will from the beginning, which was rather likely true. Will took time to think about the question, he thought long and hard about the question. It was true that he could stay here in this beautiful meadow, basking in the warmth of it. And maybe there were people here he knew, people who had come here at the end of their own lives just as he had. Maybe others like him had chosen to stay. Cecily could be here, Gabriel, their children. Charlotte and Henry and theirs, maybe Sophie and Gideon, for all Will knew, his own children could be here, and their children. It was quite the decision. Almost everyone that William had loved was dead and gone. But had they chosen to stay? Or had they moved on?
And suddenly, as if the knowledge were imparted to him from some outside source, Will became aware of one simple fact. It didn't matter where any of them were right now. Everyone comes back here in the end. He would eventually meet all of his loved ones in this meadow. However, the two people who meant the most to him were not here. They could not be here yet, for they were still living. One of them will be living for a long, long time. So his decision was made. He could not sit idly by, frolicking in a meadow, when the two people he loved most where elsewhere. Life without Jem and Tessa by his side was no life at all.
"Will I see them, if I chose to be reborn?" He asked, knowing he would not be allowed the answer.
I cannot tell you that, my son. But odds are better down there than they would be here, don't you think?
William nodded. "Send me back, please." He asked.
Before I do, there are things that you should know. I cannot make you Nephilim. That is not to say you couldn't ascend, you could. But you will be born mundane. You will have no knowledge of the Shadowworld and no memory of your loved ones. Don't look horrified, your memories will not be wiped completely, just suppressed. You could regain them, but of course you won't know what you're missing, you'll be completely in the dark about your old life. So, are you still interested?
"Well, you seem to know me pretty well. I'm sure you know, I quite fancy a challenge. Send me back please." He asked again, though this time with a little more trepidation. And in the blink of an eye, William found himself in a rather unlikely place…
…As a zygote. You would think that might be remarkably unpleasant, but it's not quite so. At this juncture in time, Will is still operating as soul with the knowledge of heaven. It won't be until he has developed a new brain that he forgets himself and everything else he knows.
And he has another shocking ability. He's able to read his own genetic coding. That means that until Will becomes an embryo he can occupy himself with interpreting his 46 brand new chromosomes. He now knows exactly what he will be like in his new body. Hmm, thank you Raziel, this may not be such a challenge after all.
