Dauhieh padded softly over to I'haach's still form. His blood was leaking out onto the floor slowly, from several deep gashes in his side. He was breathing, though just barely.
"I'haach," she said softly.
"Dauhieh? What are you doing here?" he asked, pausing once or twice to cough up his own blood.
"I got here through the gate."
"Are you kidding me?" he asked, managing to sound quite annoyed through his weakness. "You mean I had to blow a life to power a shield to get through here, and you just waltz through like it's nothing?"
"Oh, I'm sorry if it offended you," Dauhieh said. "I guess that I'll just go on back now, then, and leave you here to die."
"Hey, since you're already here, why don't you stay? I want somebody here to witness my death."
"Oh, come on, don't be so vhai'd melodramatic," she muttered. "You're not going to die. I can cast a healing spell, all I need is…"
"Dauhieh, even if you could heal my wounds, all it would buy me is a couple more seconds to live before this shield spell killed me. Besides, I need to cast one more spell which is going to burn off the remainder of this life."
"But you can't go! We still need you."
"No you don't. Dauhieh, you're a better leader than I'll ever be, you just don't realise it. Besides, I didn't have much of a use on this team…"
Dauhieh hesitated a moment, before she finally whispered, "But I still need you."
I'haach didn't answer for a moment. "You know that I want to stay with you. But I can't. In a different time, it might've worked, but right now…"
"I know. I know, it's just so… so…" Dauhieh was at a loss for words. "I don't know. What do you think?"
In response, all I'haach did was put his whiskers forward a bit, and then begin speaking the first parts of his spell. Dauhieh, having heard every word of it in Arhu's visions, softly began reciting them with him.
As they spoke, the words began hanging litterally in the air, glowing and glimmering. Their deepness and resonance constantly became more and more dramatic, until the very earth began shaking. Even as Zach, Sihm and the New York team leapt out of the gate on Banhofstrasse they could feel it, rumbling beneath and around them.
I'haach and Dauhieh began speaking the cost portion, and as they listed off each of the sixteen lives' component, a separate glowing circle of words in the speech would materialize themselves. The final, sixteenth life component was somewhat dimmer than the other fifteen, however, as I'haach continued to grow weaker and his blood continued pulsing away from him, its luminance increased. The words continued shaking the earth, and the circle continued getting brighter as they continued, increasing in tempo and power.
Finally, the words ended, and a great silence ensued. It was a calm after a storm, a general deafness and muteness of everything in the world. The entire world had paused for a moment to wait for the ending of this great spellcasting. Waiting, just waiting…
And then it came. I'haach's breathing stopped, and his eyes glazed over. In his own mind, however, just as he was about to leave his body forever, a voice said to him, You have done well, son.
My Queen, I'haach instantly responded in his thoughts.
Tell me, do you have any regrets?
Other than the obvious? he asked, staring at Dauhieh. None.
I'm sorry that it had to be this way.
I'm not. It was the only way it could have been. I wouldn't have been the same Person if it hadn't been for all the responsibility You placed on me.
So, tell me, as the ehif say, is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?
Honestly? I'haach said simply, still staring at the older calico cat looking down at him as he died. I can't even put into words how much I agree with that sentence.
I'm glad you've had some pleasure, then. Now rest. You've earned it, and besides, you'll have enough work to do soon enough.
Just one thing before I go.
Alright, I'll allow it.
Putting his whiskers forward, I'haach lunged forward and, with his last breath, gave Dauhieh a quick lick on the ear.
He was gone, then.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Four months later
Dauhieh stretched and got up, groaning as she got off of Chraih's bed and began crawling down the long set of stairs down to the main floor of the shop. She opened the door with a quick spell, and stepped out into the early morning light. She quickly sidled herself, and began making her way towards metro station several blocks away.
It was all she could do to keep her eyes open as she walked, what with how late she'd been working the night before. Patching the gate after what I'haach had done to seal it four months before had taken a very long time. He knew what he was doing.
Maybe he's had to hold people back while he went on a suicide mission before… she thought, stepping casually around a newspaper stand. Or, maybe, he wasn't concerned about how much energy he threw into it, seeing as he knew he was going to die in a couple hours.
The possibilities wandered through her head as she wandered along the street. She hoped that Zach would show up soon. She hated walking alone down the street. She had been used to it, before I'haach came, but then she'd gotten used to having somebody to tease and to talk with. Now that he was gone, it was weird.
All of a sudden, she stopped. What was that? she thought, working her ears to try and listen a bit harder. She was sure that she'd heard something…
"Good morning, Dauhieh."
The voice stopped her in her tracks. Slowly, she turned herself around until she faced him. I'haach. Or, at least, the new I'haach. The only thing which identified this cat as the grey tabby kitten she used to know was the voice. Besides that, everything was different.
The fur which, to the tom's eternal annoyance, had always before been grey and striped, was now a beautiful, long, marmalade coat which blew softly in the breeze. When he moved, it was with a grace and confidence which seemed impossible for a young kitten of his age, only about two months. Whenever he lifted a paw from the ground, one could see the barely concealed claws which were blinding to the sight. Finally, and the most impressive of all were his eyes, their piercing, deep gold colour. Behind them was a fire which didn't appear to be possible to be quenched.
"I'm on errantry," he told her, his long whiskers far forward at her stunned expression, "and I greet you."
"You are well met on the errand," she muttered, an automatic response. "Though I must ask you, what the vhai are you doing here?"
I'haach let out a long, hearty laugh. "Sihm and Zach said the exact same things when I went to see them. Don't be afraid if they're a bit shaken up when you get to the gates. They have reason to be. Seeing the One's Champion can have that effect."
"Without a doubt, it's having that kind of an effect on me right now. But seriously, why are you here?"
I'haach approached her, and a strange humming feeling filled her head. "Sorry about the sound, it comes with my new claws here." He lifted a paw, letting out one of the long claws. It burned with a brilliance which was painful to behold for one moment, before he put it back in his paw. "I've tried, and I can't get it to stop. Just bear with it; I can't stay here long."
"Which brings me back to my question. Why are you here?"
"I've got some spare time. Odds are I'll never see the three of you again, and I wanted to tie up some loose ends before things got hectic again."
"Again? You've only been alive for, at most, four months!"
"Two, actually," I'haach corrected. "Even though I was born with the Champion in my mind, I had to become a wizard again, which meant taking the Oath, which meant having an Ordeal. Let me tell you, a Champion's Ordeal is not fun. Seriously, did you know that the melting point of skin can…"
"I don't even think I want to know, if you don't mind. Hey, by the way, the next time you try to override and seal a gate, don't overdo it so much that it takes four months to repair."
"Ah, sorry about that. I wasn't thinking too much about the future."
"Apparently not."
They continued walking along for a time, simply enjoying each other's presence. It was the way it used to be, it seemed, back when they had both been members of the Zurich gating team. It seemed a long time ago to both, years rather than months. Finally, each felt that they had to say something, and said,
"Look, I'm—"
"I never meant to—"
They stopped, and then they both laughed.
"Alright, this is awkward," I'haach said.
"That it is."
"Okay, well, my kind co-inhabitant of my body is telling me that we're needed. I'll see you around, then," I'haach said, turning away.
"Wait one second."
"What?" He said, turning back to her.
She leaned forward and licked his ear, then put her whiskers forward. "I owed you that one for when you left. Hunt's luck."
With that, she turned away and ran down the street, beginning to fill with early morning shoppers.
I'haach, left behind with himself and his Partner, put his whiskers slowly forward. I deserved that.
I hate to agree with a host, but yeah, you did. Now let's get back to work.
I'haach, taking one last look at the retreating cat, turned around, and disappeared with a banging noise, just one more noise in the busy street, on just one more day.
The End