Disclaimer: All materials of the Old Kingdom, including characters, objects, places, aspects, powers, possessions, events, themes, bloodlines, concepts, and everything else, belongs to Garth Nix.

This begins after Abhorsen, after Lirael and the other seven defeat Orannis.

Please do not use any part of text without explicit permission from author or original author Garth Nix, be it ideology, plot, character, objects, places, aspects, powers, possessions, events, themes, bloodlines, concepts, etcetera.

Here's the third part, absab. Enjoy. (:

Incapacitating Sacrifice

Lirael could sense it. The Dead walked somewhere nearby. It was getting stronger, as Lirael headed toward Roble's Town. It came from north of Edge – her finely honed senses told her as much – but she did not know whether it was Uppside or Ganel. She truly hoped it was the former – for if it was Ganel then it had to be a significantly larger number of Dead for her to sense it so far away – but she was grimly prepared to face as many Dead as necessary to take down the necromancers.

She neared Roble's Town, and saw that the villagers had already boarded up all the shops and houses. It was a good sign that they did not let their guard down, for that particular saga on Orannis had sparked off more courage in the necromancers than she thought possible. Many petty necromancers now had an inflated opinion of themselves and carelessly practiced their arts. However, there was something strange about that last three, and she would sniff it out. Thinking that last thought nearly broke Lirael's heart again, for that would have been what the Dog would have done. But the Dog was gone, sacrificed for Lirael to go on, and Lirael would ensure that that sacrifice would not have been for naught. Whatever it took, Lirael promised to herself – and to her memories of the Dog – that she would eradicate the opposition from the necromancers, and rebuild the Charter stones, to pave the way for a brighter Age.

Lirael saw the Paperwing, and this encouraged her to break into a run. She had no time to dawdle about – there were people who might be falling to an army of Dead right now. Hurriedly, she whistled the marks for the Paperwing to ready itself, and the eyes lit up, in a knowing fashion. After two years with the Paperwing, Lirael still couldn't help but shudder every time she saw that. Lirael sighed. Maybe she wasn't cut out for Paperwings after all.

She strapped herself in, and the Paperwing, who was impatient and eager by that time, gracefully lifted off. It was as if it truly was comprised only of light paper, which, Lirael supposed, it was. Her Death sense twitched – someone had died, perhaps five or six leagues away. Lirael hesitated – then, deciding to place trust in the Paperwing like she had done with the Finder, she whistled marks to increase the gale. The Paperwing soared serenely, happy to be free in the wide skies. Her Death sense had just gotten more acute, and she knew there were Dead very very close by. It was Uppside, after all.

The Paperwing landed near the lake, and she got out, one hand fumbling with her bandolier. Saraneth's strap was loosened; she flipped the big bell and rung it. Although she couldn't yet see the Dead, she had other senses, and she was eager to get this over with so she could finally get a good sleep. Saraneth's voice boomed across the region, and she felt one, two, three, five, ten, then as many as twenty two Dead spirits in her grasp. Then, another bell cried out – Belgaer, she noted. Lirael cursed – of course there would have been another necromancer nearby. Why had she been so foolish and rushed head-on into things? She also noticed that her mental faculties seemed to be affected somewhat, for any thoughts straying in her mind seemed to be fuzzier.

With a snarl, Lirael bound all the Dead in her mental grasp, sending them into Death quickly, then reached out for Thyme with her free hand. A general Charter mark for warding and protection flowed easily, then the four cardinal marks for a Diamond of Protection flew out onto the soil. Marks for healing, rejuvenation and clarity flowed into her. Her mind cleared, and she fought the spell that had gotten a hold on her whilst she had been distracted by the Dead.

"Goldenhand, it's no use, dear. My spell has just been sealed by Belgaer. Although it was meant for strays, I'm glad you fell into it. It simplifies my revenge for Valkos. And, by the way, the bells do permeate through your little diamond." His words ended just as he stepped out of the shadow of a tree.

"You! Do you really think you can hold me with – urgh – this measly spell?" Lirael's sword shimmered as more marks flowed into her, fighting the spell. With her other hand, she hurriedly replaced Saraneth, though it was quite a chore maintaining her spells, fighting the necromancer's spell, fighting Belgaer, looking out for the necromancer, and keeping her bell. She managed it, and seized Belgaer, which rang true. Her mind cleared and the Charter marks thundered through the dark spell victoriously before sputtering to the ground.

"No, actually, I don't." The necromancer had already drawn two bells, which were obscured by the darkness, and raised them. Lirael could see a dark nexus surrounding his hand – a spell prepared while Lirael had been battling the other spell. No wonder she had broken through so quickly. That spell wasn't the real deal.

"You see, I've been expecting you, and this trap has been planned for ages. It was a tough choice."

As Lirael started to gather the marks to strike the necromancer down, trying desperately to distract the necromancer, saying, "What choice! You won't complete you spell in time", the necromancer rang the two bells, in complete accord. To Lirael's horror, she recognized that one of them was Astarael, and the other Saraneth – the one she had just used. She spat, "Anet", and a Charter mark sprang forth to the forefront of her mind, but the spell took hold then.

Lirael was now in a familiar setting – Death. "Well, what is your plan? You can't get me to die like that, you know – it's before my time, and I have Astarael's power in me." She sneered at the necromancer, in desperate hopes that he would not see through her and call the spell off.

"Oh, you're lying, even I can see that. But your words hold the truth, ironic as it may be. Your intention was to lie, and the outcome was that you told the truth. But this is all discussion for another day." He gave a slight smile as the bells continued tolling. "Not a discussion with me, unfortunately."

Lirael tried to summon her power, but failed, and the Charter marks on Thyme could only light up feebly. "Don't even think about it. In Death, we necromancers have a significant advantage, especially since you're bound with Saraneth and Astarael. The true binding will come in conjunction with the spell, soon."

Lirael had always wondered how Astarael worked, and now she saw. The bell had forced her through the precincts quickly, and they were already in the Third Precinct. However, the sound of the bell wrapped both their spirits, and it acted as a barrier to both external and internal influences as it sped its charges towards the Ninth Gate. Lirael remembered the scene, but the last time she'd been that far had been with… "No!" Lirael muttered. "Now's not the time for grieving, it's the time to make what Dog did stand for something."

With a renewed purpose, she mentally battled the sounds of Saraneth and Astarael, even though it was not easy. She was already weak from battling the last necromancer, lack of sleep, constant usage of Charter magic and her random, sudden night flights. The diamond and all the other marks had taken more out of her than she would have liked to admit. Her mouth had ceased working, otherwise she could have screamed a discordant note – and sent both of them to die. As it was, the future looked bleak – they were already in the Fourth Precinct, and nearing the Fifth.

"You know, I always admired that will of the Abhorsens. A will of iron, even without Saraneth, was how it was described by lesser necromancers. Although I have Saraneth and you are bound, it is amazing how you can resist."

Her battling finally drew some results, and Lirael felt some moisture about her mouth. Even as she started sputtering, she still gave the intense battle most of her will. "W-hy u-se Sar-ane-th i-f yo-u are going to kill me anyway?"

"Believe me, if I could, I would, and I should." Briefly, a dark shadow passed his face. "You killed Valkos, that is reason enough. But I cannot. Astarael, even mine, would rather serve you than serve me, and when it rebels I cannot take the both of you. Saraneth here keeps you in check. Besides, it is better to be safe. And, your words were correct – I cannot kill you, not with Astarael at any rate, even if Astarael here were fully loyal to me. You see, you were right – Astarael's blood and power is in you, watered and thinned as it is, and you are one of the few powers that warp Death. I could not hope to kill you via Astarael. It would be like using the bell Saraneth to try and defeat the Bright Shiner Saraneth herself. It would be like using Charter marks to unmake the Charter. It simply will not work."

"However, what I plan to do will make you wish you were dead. My Master, Master Helmfro, Tsar Helmfro, has plans. And those plans will bear fruit."

They were passing through the Seventh Precinct. Saraneth's domination over Lirael's hands were failing, and, as they reached the Seventh Gate, they failed. Lirael moved quickly, grabbing Saraneth and Kibeth, but then they stopped.

"It is truly amazing. I did not expect you to do that so quickly. Very well, since this has happened…" Suddenly, a guttural cry sprang from the necromancer's lips, in a language unknown to Lirael, and Astarael and Saraneth seemed to pick up a new tempo. Lirael struggled to ring Saraneth, but failed, as the dark spell took effect and she found herself going into the Seventh Gate.

"A variation of what Kerrigor did to your father. It works just as well, though."

Lirael had not noticed that the necromancer had drawn Ranna. Astarael had stop crying her mournful cry. "How did you do that?" Curiosity overpowered her for the moment, for Lirael's true calling had always been in the Great Library.

"Controlling Astarael? It is simple, as long as one knows how to ring it properly, and have sufficient will to carry it through and still it when necessary. I presume you have a specific incident in mind. Abhorsen's father, the Abhorsen Terciel, had neither the will nor the knowledge of Astarael, for it was not recorded in the Abhorsen's book. His time was up anyway, and he knew it. Astarael is not widely used, and this is not common knowledge even amongst the necromancers. But the Master knows. The Master always does."

"When you get out, perhaps you'd like to record this in your Book, the Abhorsens' Book." The necromancer was clearly mocking Lirael, and Lirael started to rage.

Then, Ranna tinkled, and Lirael tried to scream but couldn't – the necromancer did what she had sought to do to him. She had been distracted, and now the binding had spread all over again. In horror, she found that Saraneth and Ranna now seemed to be draping invisible chains over her, and those chains were chaining her to the gate. A last, desperate notion occurred to her. She did not know if she would be able to see it through, but it was necessary.

Utilising a technique only Sameth had tried before, Lirael placed the entirety of her indomitable will into seeing one bright Charter mark, and she stared at the necromancer, willing the Charter mark to strike him down. It worked, after a fashion, for Ferhan did appear, and fly through the necromancer, but it seemed to have no effect.

"You represent one of the Seven, Goldenhand. For me to attempt such magic like this on you would require a terrible sacrifice. It was truly a waste of effort, though I commend you for having managed that, in Death, yet. I am already dead, after I complete the spell Astarael will see to it that I go to the Ninth Gate and past it. But it was worth it – for Valkos, and for my Master. You will know how I felt when I heard about Valkos, but by then it will be too late. How long you will remain chained here will depend on how long it takes the Abhorsen to come and free you, like how she freed her father so many long years ago. Waker and Walker. But I will not see that."

With a final hint of a smile, Balthos disappeared through the Seventh Gate. Lirael struggled, but the spell held through. She was in the Gate, and Ranna and Saraneth and the spell would bind her for as long as no one interfered.

Lirael could only stare fearfully at the Seventh Precinct and wonder what it was that the necromancers had planned.

What do the necromancers want to do? Trapping Lirael to remove her interference from what?

Thanks for the review, absab! Well, yes, here's the third part. I now understand why SanaRyelle was desperate for reviews.

SanaRyelle, I'd like to say you're really good. How did you find the time for over 120K words? X)