Afterlife
Author's Note: Okay, this is my first Garth Nix fic ever. It's gonna be really hard, and slow going (since I have yet to think up a reasonable plot line) I will be editing more every week, so please review!
9/05/03: I just re-wrote the first half of the story, so it merges into dialogue at the end. Don't worry, that will get re-written as well. The free school day just wasn't long enough to get it finished.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by Garth Nix, such as the Disreputable Dog and Lirael. Kirel is my own creation.
Ch 1: Summoning
Kirel shivered as her mother lead her through the deepening cold. They had been traveling through Orchyre and Aunden all day before reaching the Great Sickle Wood around three in the afternoon. They had stopped only once for food and water. Kirel swore her mother had said they'd be home by dusk, but she very much doubted that now.
As Kirel sifted through her thoughts, Lirael gave her a shifty glare. "I know what you're thinking, Kirel. I'm just having difficulties. We'll get there eventually."
Lirael knew that her daughter was getting tired. They were, admittedly, quite lost. At one point in her life, Lirael would have known the wood like the back of her hand. Years after, without having plotted a map, Lirael had lost all sense of where she could find her lost object.
A few steps later, Lirael felt the faint tinge of Free Magic. She dug into the ground with her hands, pulling out a smooth soapstone statuette. It was still white, despite its many years buried deep within the soil.
Lirael watched as her mother began to cry uncontrollably, clutching the statuette to her chest. "Kirel.please hold her for me." Lirael stood up, mumbling about some Clayr moment, and brushed off her tears as she spoke. "Mother, what is it?" Kirel asked. She knew that the statuette was a tall, dangerous looking dog. Howver, she could also tell, because of the stench of Free Magic, that it was something more.
"The Disreputable Dog.we.have to call her again."
Kirel shuddered with the thought. Going into Death and using the bells, even just to call this creature was not her idea of a Saturday night out. She knew, though, what Lirael would say. 'the Clayr have Seen it, I have Remembered it, and you must Bind it beyond the Ninth Gate.' Kirel had no doubts that it was true, so she put her fear in the back of her mind and plunged headfirst into Death.
The water was black as night without stars, and it flowed up to her knees. The current may have pulled her under even then- but Kirel stood fast in the riverbed. As her body in life frosted over and Lirael appeared behind her, Kirel unfastened the pouch that lay at her side, removing the Kibeth pipe from its hiding place. Holding the soapstone statuette tight, she blew hard and strong into Kibeth, letting the pipe ring across the wide expanse of Death.
At the same time, a dark figure could be seen walking at the border of Life and Death. As it came into view, Kirel could see that it was a large dog, the clone of the statuette she held in her hands. As the dog got closer, Lirael screamed in joy and ran over to greet her old friend. Kirel stared in amazement, not noticing that the statuette had disappeared in a flash of charter marks.
"Dog.I'm so glad I got to see you again! And walking sideways along the border? You'll never cease to amaze me."
The Dog barked and nuzzled Lirael's leg, begging for a scratch around her collar. Lirael obliged willingly and hugged her faithful companion.
"Mistress, why did you call me? I thought you understood."
"The Old Kingdom needs you. Kibeth." Lirael whispered the last part.
The Dog knew that Lirael must have summoned her on behalf of the Clayr. The Dog was actually quite excitied- number one, she was partially famous again in the Glacier. Secondly, she would finally be able to catch living rabbits again. How fun.
"You know, Lirael, the blood price."
"Of course"
Lirael Remembered this slight flaw in calling the Dog back from Death. She handed her bell bandolier to Kirel, as well as her sword, the one Nehemia. Now it was called Aunden, named after the great mountain city. Forever the inscription read, 'Remember Nehemia'.
"Go, Lirael. Do not let anything bring you past the Ninth Gate. Rather the river than the bright stars."
Lirael shivered. She had seen the Ninth Gate before, been ever-drawn upwords toward the stars. She never wanted to see them again. She hugged the dog one last time and knelt down in the river. The Dog barked a loud and sorrowful note, charter marks flying out of her open mouth. The current picked up, tugged at Lirel's knees, and she fell unconscious. A smile spread over her face as her spirit floated down the river towards the First Gate.
"Mother! I can't do this without you. Please!"
Lirael didn't answer, and she soon drifted out of sight. The Disreputable Dog grabbed Kirel's hand in her mouth and pulled her out of the river towards Life.
Note: Okay, please, please review! If I got any of my facts mixed up or anything, please tell me. Thanks for reading!
Author's Note: Okay, this is my first Garth Nix fic ever. It's gonna be really hard, and slow going (since I have yet to think up a reasonable plot line) I will be editing more every week, so please review!
9/05/03: I just re-wrote the first half of the story, so it merges into dialogue at the end. Don't worry, that will get re-written as well. The free school day just wasn't long enough to get it finished.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters created by Garth Nix, such as the Disreputable Dog and Lirael. Kirel is my own creation.
Ch 1: Summoning
Kirel shivered as her mother lead her through the deepening cold. They had been traveling through Orchyre and Aunden all day before reaching the Great Sickle Wood around three in the afternoon. They had stopped only once for food and water. Kirel swore her mother had said they'd be home by dusk, but she very much doubted that now.
As Kirel sifted through her thoughts, Lirael gave her a shifty glare. "I know what you're thinking, Kirel. I'm just having difficulties. We'll get there eventually."
Lirael knew that her daughter was getting tired. They were, admittedly, quite lost. At one point in her life, Lirael would have known the wood like the back of her hand. Years after, without having plotted a map, Lirael had lost all sense of where she could find her lost object.
A few steps later, Lirael felt the faint tinge of Free Magic. She dug into the ground with her hands, pulling out a smooth soapstone statuette. It was still white, despite its many years buried deep within the soil.
Lirael watched as her mother began to cry uncontrollably, clutching the statuette to her chest. "Kirel.please hold her for me." Lirael stood up, mumbling about some Clayr moment, and brushed off her tears as she spoke. "Mother, what is it?" Kirel asked. She knew that the statuette was a tall, dangerous looking dog. Howver, she could also tell, because of the stench of Free Magic, that it was something more.
"The Disreputable Dog.we.have to call her again."
Kirel shuddered with the thought. Going into Death and using the bells, even just to call this creature was not her idea of a Saturday night out. She knew, though, what Lirael would say. 'the Clayr have Seen it, I have Remembered it, and you must Bind it beyond the Ninth Gate.' Kirel had no doubts that it was true, so she put her fear in the back of her mind and plunged headfirst into Death.
The water was black as night without stars, and it flowed up to her knees. The current may have pulled her under even then- but Kirel stood fast in the riverbed. As her body in life frosted over and Lirael appeared behind her, Kirel unfastened the pouch that lay at her side, removing the Kibeth pipe from its hiding place. Holding the soapstone statuette tight, she blew hard and strong into Kibeth, letting the pipe ring across the wide expanse of Death.
At the same time, a dark figure could be seen walking at the border of Life and Death. As it came into view, Kirel could see that it was a large dog, the clone of the statuette she held in her hands. As the dog got closer, Lirael screamed in joy and ran over to greet her old friend. Kirel stared in amazement, not noticing that the statuette had disappeared in a flash of charter marks.
"Dog.I'm so glad I got to see you again! And walking sideways along the border? You'll never cease to amaze me."
The Dog barked and nuzzled Lirael's leg, begging for a scratch around her collar. Lirael obliged willingly and hugged her faithful companion.
"Mistress, why did you call me? I thought you understood."
"The Old Kingdom needs you. Kibeth." Lirael whispered the last part.
The Dog knew that Lirael must have summoned her on behalf of the Clayr. The Dog was actually quite excitied- number one, she was partially famous again in the Glacier. Secondly, she would finally be able to catch living rabbits again. How fun.
"You know, Lirael, the blood price."
"Of course"
Lirael Remembered this slight flaw in calling the Dog back from Death. She handed her bell bandolier to Kirel, as well as her sword, the one Nehemia. Now it was called Aunden, named after the great mountain city. Forever the inscription read, 'Remember Nehemia'.
"Go, Lirael. Do not let anything bring you past the Ninth Gate. Rather the river than the bright stars."
Lirael shivered. She had seen the Ninth Gate before, been ever-drawn upwords toward the stars. She never wanted to see them again. She hugged the dog one last time and knelt down in the river. The Dog barked a loud and sorrowful note, charter marks flying out of her open mouth. The current picked up, tugged at Lirel's knees, and she fell unconscious. A smile spread over her face as her spirit floated down the river towards the First Gate.
"Mother! I can't do this without you. Please!"
Lirael didn't answer, and she soon drifted out of sight. The Disreputable Dog grabbed Kirel's hand in her mouth and pulled her out of the river towards Life.
Note: Okay, please, please review! If I got any of my facts mixed up or anything, please tell me. Thanks for reading!