From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(63)

Despite how much the man had changed, Finn still recognized him. “Lord Veirasha,” Finn gasped, his hand still stretched outward in appeal. He had been barely more than a child the last time he had seen Damon Veirasha. Then the man had been full of life and clad in shining silver with a smile on his handsome face. Now he seemed a shadowed mockery of his former self.

“Well now that you mention it, he does seem to be having a bit of difficulty beyond the normal change,” the first man said with a frown. He chewed on his lip for a breath and then kicked the body of Death once more, forcing it over onto its side. Pulling his gauntlets free he tucked them carefully into his belt and knelt beside the body. Finn struggled to see what he was doing but his body refused to move. The man rose again after only a few moments and moved quickly to Finn’s side. Grasping him by the jaw he forced Finn’s mouth open and poured something in. Gasping Finn tried to wrench his head away as his mouth was coated with a sickeningly sweet flavor. The agony inside him redoubled as the liquid trickled down his throat. His arms collapsed beneath him as his stomach clenched and he found himself curled on the floor moaning softly.

“That should do it,” the red-haired man muttered leaning back on his heels and watching Finn with interest.

“Are you sure you didn’t just kill him?” Damon asked in his flat monotone voice that suggested he could care less if the man had.

“No, he is ascending. It can be a bit traumatic I suppose. Lutheron’s ascension was worse than this.” The first man spoke quietly, his gaze locked on Finn’s eyes. The man’s eyes were dark purple, Finn realized, and nearly laughed at the fact. It seemed absurd to be in such agony and still noticing such details. The pain began to ease gradually and he forced his body to uncurl. His breath slowed and he shakily pushed himself to a sitting position. Both men watched him as if they were children that had discovered an interesting new bug.

“Thank you for whatever you did,” Finn mumbled and wiped his hand across his sweaty face. His body still felt wrong but it no longer hurt. Now it was simply coiled as if every muscle was eager for release. “Lord Veirasha, I have to get out of here. I have to get to Jala. Do you know how to escape the Darklands?” His voice was frantic as he clambered to his feet but Damon Veirasha simply watched him silently.

“A bit thick isn’t he,” the red-haired man muttered as he stood as well. “I don’t think you want to see Jala right now young man,” he said with a faint smile motioning slowly around the empty throne room.

Finn stared at him a moment and then glanced around the room, before looking back at both of them in confusion. “Why wouldn’t I want to see Jala? Death is gone. I killed her. There is nothing here to threaten either of us anymore.”

Damon stood slowly and dusted his plate mail lightly before looking directly at Finn. “Do you know what the word ascension means, Finn?” he asked quietly.

“Rise. To, uh, move upwards?” Finn asked dumbly.

“Yep, thick,” the red-haired man said with a nod and began pulling his gauntlets back on.

“Who in the hell are you?” Finn snapped, his rage rising once more. Neither of them seemed to realize how important it was that he reach Jala. Either that or they simply didn’t care. They hadn’t heard the pain in her words though. They didn’t know how the memory of those words was ripping through him just as the tendrils had. He had to reach her; nothing else mattered. All it would take to silence that pain would be wrapping his arms around her. His throat clenched at the thought and his frustration grew.

“He is War, Finn, and I haven’t been called Veirasha in years. I know what it is you are feeling right now. I know how your heart is twisting in your chest with the ache to see her face. Why do you think I keep myself as I do? Why else would I sacrifice all emotions other than to silence that ache. Every time I thought of my sons or my home I felt that twist of agony like a blade in the chest. There is no going back, though, Finn. That isn’t the way it works.” Damon’s eyes flickered with a hint of sadness as he shook his head slowly. “You killed her. Now you must take her place. You have ascended. You are Finn Sovaesh no longer. Now you are Death.”

“What? No, how do I take it back? I can’t be Death. For one bloody thing, I’m alive. Jala raised me,” Finn stammered and then thrust his arm out between them. “Look! See, there is a pulse!”

War looked down at the offered arm and chuckled faintly. “You scarcely needed to show us your arm for that. Did you not realize you are butt naked at the moment?”

Finn withdrew his arm quickly and glanced down at himself then back at them. Shrugging he motioned around the throne room. “Do you see anything that resembles clothing here? I am how I was sent. When that bastard sent me through the shadows I was naked.”

“When that bastard stopped you from killing your best friend and then your wife, you mean?” War asked with a raised eyebrow.

Finn’s arm dropped once more to his side and he stepped back away from them, guilt washing over him like a flood. “Death was controlling me,” Finn said quietly and then nodded. “But yes, when he stopped me from killing them,” he added as he covered his face with both hands and rubbed at his eyes. Slowly he pulled his hands down across his face and let out a long breath. “So, I’m Death now,” he muttered. Nodding slowly he resisted the urge to scream in frustration and simply paced the room instead. Anger, desperation, shock, and grief warred inside him as the full implications of his new role in life began to settle in his mind.