Hangman's hill

[raihnstar]

The Night was perfect, and Jamie had gone to bed (with a little help from Neil's friend 'sleeping pill in cup of tea'), the children were sound asleep and Neil was outside, grinning like only a madman who could see his death over the horizon could. He felt a slow rumble in the earth and a wave of hot air rush towards him. Laughter echoed in its wake, and Neil got up to meet it.

Then he was on a hill, and the other man, Belosus, was on a cliff above him. "Come down, Belosus! Surely you'll want a closer view of my death!" Neil called with a laugh, and the man had smiled a mirror smile, mad as well. His end was coming, too, perhaps. But Neil had ceased caring. He stopped his life from flashing before his eyes by counting to ten, instead focusing on the wind that blew around him. For the past few days his powers had felt whiped out but now-- now he could feel everything. It was intoxicating, what this sort of power could do. It could change the world.

For better or for worse. Another rumble deep in the oceans and Neil felt a tug on all the oceans currents. He almost threw up, feeling sick and feverish. And then he stopped it. It went on like that for hours. Neil would take a step forward each time he stopped another of Belosus's great changes, and then he was on the top of the hill, staring at the man that looked just like him-- but he was hard, and cold, and Neil was warm and bright and soft.

Their smiles were identically mad. "Hile, Neil of Us." Belosus rumbled in a voice that seemed to echo of deep cold. Neil raised his hand and tapped his forehead, "Hile, Belosus. It is time we meet our ends, I think."

A laugh. Not Neil's. The other man threw his head back, "I think not. It is time to meet yours-- but I-- I have not lived long enough, yet. You've sucked away the prime of my youth-- what Ishould have had! All those women-- Should have been mine. Yet I could not taste them. You shut me out. Aye, shut me out. And you'll pay. Your children will pay and continue paying the debt. As it was writen."

Neil shook his head and this time Belosus feared him-- he hadn't flinched. "No, old friend. It is over."

The words blew over the wind and twenty five children woke at once and held their breaths. The cliff on which Neil and Belosus stood cracked and crumbled. Neither of them fought. They freefell through the air until they met cold, solid death on the hard, stone ground bellow. Their necks broke in the same direction, but the demon was crushed beneath a rock.

A rock which would remain yet for many years. For now, though, there was only Neil, curled up, and looking out into the ocean with a blank stare. Looking as if he was dozing-- but for the odd angle of his neck. Mayhap he were still warm, but the wind cooled him quickly, and all was still.

[ßlue]

<sub>Jamie felt something wrong, deep in her dreams she floated, unnoticed in the sky above a great battle. There were two men, each facing the other, one climbing a hill and the other laughing at the efforts of the other. They both looked identical, but Jamie knew, deep down that Neil was the one climbing and the evil man above was Belosus. Jamie called out, but the wind whipped her words into the sky and went unheard. Panic started nibbling away the smooth calm that floated over her and she watched them meet on the hill, exchanging words. A flicker of fear over Belosus' face and Jamie knew it was the end. A terrible scream tore from her lips and she watched them fall, clawing at the air around her as she felt her heart tearing and ripping it's way out of her chest, trying to plummet with him. There was a pain that stung through her hands and then a loud thump and more pain as she awoke, screaming and thrashing, caught in a blanket as she fell off the bed. She bolted up. No Neil. She searched frantically, breathing hard. no. NO!

She managed to slip on pants, somehow she'd already been wearing a bra, and with a speed she hadn't known she'd had she burst from the room, ignoring everything as she smashed through the door and outside in the shape of a gazelle. Long swift legs carried her, but she could already see it. It seemed endlessly far away, the now crumbled hill still seeming to shiver as it fell in the distance. She raced harder, going faster than any legs had ever taken her. Her muscles screamed in protest, her mind still whispering 'No, no, no' in disbelief. Then her legs went from long and thin to thin and strong, a cheetah as she raced, leaping, trying to fly towards it, then she was a rhino, still gaining speed as she rumbled across an endless sea between them. Then she leapt, the air carrying her as she changed to an eagle. Her wings beat at the air, begging with each rasp to propel her faster. Her heart sped at an impossible pace, if she could go as fast as her heart felt she would be by his side now. The achingly horrible thump in her chest not only seemed to pump faster, but loud, the sound like a drum to keep her going as it thundered in her ears. She could see the dawn and screeched, the feathers giving way to scales as a dragon of blue and red and black, the colors not seeming to be able to pick a definite pattern as light glittered off of her. She let out a mourning roar, a sound so filled with saddness she felt the world could hear her and trembled. She was nearly there and in the few moment before she saw his body she changed again, tired of changing so many times and having run and flown so fast. She swooped down, chirping in a sing song voice as tiny black claws clicked on the rock nearby. Not the big one crushing the demon, but a small white rock next to her beloved. She chirped, blue feathers fluttering. She was a blue jay. The small bird hoped down, hopped forward again, seeming to inspect in disbelief the body that lay before the small pure creature. Jamie formed, sitting on her knees in the dirt, the rocks under her biting into her skin. But she didn't feel it. She didn't know if she could feel anything. All she was aware of was sitting by Neil's body, a seemingly endless stream of tears slipping from her lashes and crawling broken heartedly down her face as if trying to cleanse her form any pain she felt. She breathed in unsteadily, her face finally crumpling as she leaned forward and cried onto his chest.</sub>

[raihnstar]

Janine woke up to the sound of unbroken screaming. Her face was wet with tears and her chest hurt. She felt like somebody had stuffed a pillow on the inside of her head and everything hurt. I've missed something. I'm missing something. was the first thing she thought as she headed to Yuli's room, where she was sure the screaming was coming from. Her mind searched for it idly and she opened the door, tuning into the screaming. Sleepily she walked over towards Yuli and then slapped the girl as hard as she could. There was a short crack and then Yuli gasped. This short period while she took breath in was broken again by another piercing scream.

"Yuli stop-- STOP! What are you screaming about? STOP SCREAMING!" Janine started to shake her and slapped her again, but the girl wouldn't stop screaming. Rorr came into the room quietly and Janine turned, "I don't know what the heck is wrong with her--" she muttered, sniffing. It took her a moment to realize she was crying. "What--" she stopped to whipe the tears off her face, feeling a profound sense of loss.

Rorr shook his head, "Da's dead." he finally said, his voice cracking in an almost comical way. Janine looked thunderstruck, "Mom's gone. I'm going to go find her." he said, looking pathetically small in his footsie pajamas. Janine was still staring at him when he left, before turning to Yuli, who had taken another deep breath. Before the girl could start screaming Janine pulled her very close to her chest and held on tight. They didn't let out another cry, simply shivered together without moving, silent tears streaming down their faces.
--

Rorr walked almost in a trance until he found Jamie, lying next to his fathers body. He payed the body no mind, instead reaching out tentatively and touching Jamie's shoulder. "Mom." he said for the first time, "Mom we have to bring him home." he said gently, pulling her away from the man's body. "Yuli doesn't feel well, and neither does Janine." He bent down and gave her a dry kiss on the cheek, another first. "The end if just another beginning." he said in a very unsixyearold way. "And Kira's hungry and I can't reach the food." he added.

That said, he bent down and looked at the rock pinning down Neil's body. Without another word he took out a small knife and began to saw at the edge of his hand. Red blood gushed out, joining the already drying blood that had spilled before on the ground. It took him twenty minutes to cut the limb off. He sprinkled earth on it, blew on it, set fire to it and splahsed it with water quickly, and it stopped bleeding quickly. "He's too big for me, mom. You'll have to carry him." he said quietly, gazing at the mammoth rock that had crushed Belosus.

[ßlue]

<sub>Jamie didn't know how long she sat crying on Neil's body, but she was hiccuping and shivering when a small gentle hand touched her. She felt numb, like she would never feel anything again and thats when she heard it. She sat up, looking at the boy next to her. What? As she looked at him he said it again. Mom. Jamie tried to drag forth memories of her own mother, but all she could remember was the scent of sweet pea and a warm embrace with golden hair tickling her nose. She was snapped shockingly fats into the moment, feeling all the pain that she had numbed before, but she felt another feeling as he told her Yuli didn't feel well. She felt the icy cold fear and pain in her heart, but she also felt a warmth starting to surround her heart, protecting her from the hurt. Rorr kissed her on the cheek and she felt her lips twitch, smiling at him. And he couldn't reach the food. That brought a glimmering smile to her face, a sorrow still swimming in her pin and crystaling blue eyes. The sorrow may never leave those eyes. You could read everything in Jamie's eyes, and now she didn't think they would ever be healed. She sniffed, whipping at her nose but finally starting to stand. She struggled, her muscles sore and crying out in revolt. She forced them to straighten though and stretched a little, feeling slightly glad that she had cried and screamed so much before Rorr had gotten here. She had to take care of the kids now, they would depend on her. She had to be strong. Neil would hate to see her cry and mourn over him forever. She sniffed again, looking back to see what Rorr was doing. He was... cutting off Neil's hand. One of his hands was stuck under the boulder and she hadn't noticed through her tears and he image of his dead eyes burned into her mind. She paused, feeling sick and like she might cry again, but she bit it back, her throat hurting with the effort as she waited, watching all the while, forcing herself to watch.

He finally finished, doing some sort of ritual or some thing Jamie did not know, but did not question. Rorr finally urned to her again, using her name. She smiled sadly, nodding.

"I know, I know... Don't worry, I'll get us back quick."

She pondered for a moment. Horse or Elephant? She decided on horse, a long soft muzzle forming and darkly black fur covering her. Long elegant legs that looked powerful and strong and she stood ready, black main fluttering mournfully in a breeze as she snorted, kneeling close by Neil's body and giving a whickering sound. Her teeth bit carefully to Neil's shoulder, pulling him up some. She needed a bit of help, but in no time Neil was over her back, and Rorr held him to her. She rose, turning and giving out a loud wail of a neigh as she bolted back towards the house. The journey didn't seem so long this time. They were back in what seemed a flash, and Jamie's delicate horse instincts told her something was wrong. She felt it in her heart, a wave of sadness. Those poor girls. Poor Rorr. But no, she had lost him. He was gone. If horses could cry Jamie might have been crying again, but she did not, running on till they got to the house. She changed quickly from horse into herself, grabbing Neil under the arms as he almost fell and she dragged him inside. She finally tripped, getting him inside, and he landed laying in her lap. He was still warm from the sun and the thought stabbed at her heart. Why did he have to die? F,uck prophecies, maybe they could have hidden, they could have stayed happy and quiet in the world. Maybe she could have taken his place instead? She shudderd, but not from the thought of dying, but from holding back sobs. Tears fell silently from her eyes again and she hiccuped, sniffling as she struggled to get up again and bring him to the couch.</sub>

[raihnstar]

Upstairs Yuli started screaming again. It was interrupted by several cracks in the room. Four of them, to be exact. From the entrance of the room four bedraggled children in their pajamas. One of them, a small asian girl of twelve that was very dark skinned started backing away, leaned against the wall and slid down onto the floor, trembling. The other three seemed shocked into silence. Finally, the tallest of the three, a medium skinned boy with trademark blue eyes stepped forward, "I didn't think it had actually happened." He paused, "Nay, that's a lie. I knew well enough." His voice broke and his knees gave and he hidd his face, his shoulders shaking. "Kwi'it Robert." Said the next, bending down and wrapping her too skinny arms around the english boy. She murmured something in a different language into his ears and rocked him, then switched to english, "Sai-- stop yer tears. You heard him as well as I."

Rorr started at this, "What? What did he say?"

Reeta looked at Rorr as if he were a different species, "Did you not hear then? It warn't my place to tell on. Ask anuther if it does ya'."

The fourth child shook his head and turned to the unknown woman who looked like she might collapse, "Comper miso, seniora, que somos los hijos de nuestro padre. Vendran mas-- ya." He blinked and tried again, "Escuse me ma'am. We are childrens of her. She is our father. There is more to be coming very quick. I sorry but you must be to making some rooms." he looked abashed, ordering this woman around and turned around toward the Asian girl. He murmured something and she nodded, getting up and popping out of existance. "Ah-- Roberto-- Robert-- if you could--" Robert nodded, as if they were all in on something the rest of the people in the room didn't know about. "Aye, it is well. Reeta you must as well. Good day, madam. We shall be back-- with others, no doubt. Transformers, who shall make the house larger...although I see our father chose a good house. It is large...still, a larger one is needed. And a bind of silence. Our siblings can provide those."

Rorr gaped at the four with utter confusion, "Uh...Excuse me, /what/?" he sputtered, and Robert turned towards him, again with confusion. "...It is odd you have not heard. Sorrow troubles all our hearts. Perhaps you have forgotten. Goodbye, then." he murmured, and all four disappeared at once.

Yuli stood at the foot of the steps and screamed upon seeing her fathers corpse again. Janine stood, silent as a ghost behind her, "Mum, I can't get her to shut UP." she moaned in a miserable voice. "She keeps sc-screaming and screaming!" she sounded worn out, and she stumbled towards Rorr, "And what did our siblings know that we do not? Why did they not know us?"

Rorr shrugged, and sat down in an exhausted manner.

[ßlue]

<sub>Jamie got to sit for a few seconds before realizing there were other kids there. She stared at them, the pain in her heart throbbing so much she just couldn't work up the nerve to be shocked about this. She nodded, something about getting rooms ready. More people were coming. Somehow she felt she knew what was happening even though nothing was really explained to her. Janine said Yuli wouldn't stop crying and Jamie nodded, figuring she should get to Yuli first. She had to deal with her kids before taking care of the rooms. They were more important to her right now. She stood, dusting herself off, jeans and bra and walked over to Yuli, leading her away. When she finally got the screaming girl into the other room she wrapped her arms around her, tears blurring her eyes.

"It's okay Yuli. You scream as hard and loud as you want. I know... I want to scream too. I really wish I could. But... grown ups have to be strong. I am so proud of you all for everything. But we have to go on. Okay? So I want you to scream as much as you want, but Yuli. Please, when you are done. Stop screaming... I'll be here. So will Rorr and Janine. We love you..."

She hugged the girl to her, tears dancing one her lashes, twirling and making the dark colors in the room spin with them before slipping from her eyes, rolling and pirouetting down her soft cheeks. They ended their sorrowful ballet as they tumbled through the air and splashed elegantly onto Yuli or the floor or Jamie's arms. They touched everything with their salty warmth. She patted Yuli's back, rocking her a little as she shrieked, Jamie's ear drums taking in the sharp punishment without flinching. She hoped Yuli would understand she needed to be strong. She hoped Yuli would soon stop screaming, but if she didn't want to there was nothing Jamie could do. It was up to her. She'd just lost her father. Just as Jamie had lost the one she'd loved for years. Rorr and Janine lost their dad too. Everyone lost someone important today. The entire world...</sub>

((o0o0o should we bring Kass and Dax in at the funeral too? ))

[raihnstar]

((yay yes!))

"And the rest of your siblings." Janine added to Jamie's speech, feeling rather sick. Yuli stopped screaming then, and sobbed into Jamie's shirt until she quietly fell asleep. Janine took her in her arms and carried up to the bedroom, quietly sobbing herself. Rorr got up this time and curled up in Jamie's arms. "He's really gone. And my brothers and sisters all know something that I do nt. But it doesn't matter-- Not really. He's gone." Rorr's vocal chords shut off, then and he gasped. His blue eyes clouded over with tears as well and he reached a dark hand to his fathers, as if he could bring it back to life.

[ßlue]

<sub>Jamie watched, smiling and letting a few tears go as Yuli stopped screaming and just cried into her for a while. She felt all the motherly vibes in her rushing around, her heart puffing up and feeling so proud of them all for being such good kids. Janine finally took her, she had stopped crying and was now asleep and Janie let the two girls go, a little surprised when Rorr climbed into her lap but she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close as he finally started crying. Jamie nodded, letting her cheek rest on his head as she nodded, cooing to him and rocking him slightly. There was a glow outside. It was getting dark, had the day already passed so quickly? But the door opened and two dark-skinned fairy children ran inside. Familiar faces came in with them and Jamie wiped at her tears, seeing Dax looking worried and spotting Neil's body. Dax went to the body, his fingers stopping just over Neil's chest. Damn, so it was true. Neil was dead. Dax felt his heart ache for him. He had been there so long ago when he'd first decided he was in love with Kassidy, and he had helped so much in the end when Dax killed Victor. He straightened, looking over at Jamie who looked like a mess, rocking one of Neil's kids in her arms. This must be hard on her, she was really hopelessly in love with the guy.

"Well this really sucks..."

He didn't know what else to say, but Jamie looked up and smiled at him and with a broken voice that signaled more tears to rush to her eyes she nodded, still having a funny smile on her face and tears plummeted down her cheeks.

"Yeah... It really does doesn't it?"

She hiccuped lightly, head going down to put a kiss on Rorr's head as she got up, carrying him back to the room with janine and Yuli and letting Janine have him so she could go direct traffic of people who'd be coming. She had a feeling form what one of the kids said that in the end she wouldn't remember which way the bathroom was anymore, but she looked down at Neil's body again and fought a fresh wave of tears. She looked back to Dax and Kassidy.

"So *sniff* does anyone know whats going on yet? *hiccup* I mean, I hear there's *sniff* people coming... I don't--*hiccup* I don't know whats going to happen..."

She smiled again, liek this was funny, but her heart was broken in her chest and she really didn't know what was happening around her too much other than Neil was dead. This really did suck..</sub>

[raihnstar]

Kassidy almost screamed when she saw Neil with his severed hand laying on the couch without any seremony. Instead she grabbed Dax's hand and covered her face at the same time, trying to keep the pain away from her face. Jamie had enough for the both of them, and she didn't want to disrespect her by only showing a fraction of what she was feeling. "He's really gone." she whispered, and pressed her hand to her mouth again, her eyes filling despite her efforts to stop them. "Oh my god." The two fairy children were on their knees with their eyes closed, a white glow surrounded them.

"They-- I'm sorry I don't know what's going on-- they told us that-- Bastian told us that their father was dead, and then Faywin came out of nowhere and told us that her father was dead too...and I thought-- the eyes--- all of his children have-- have his eyes." She moved forward, gracefully as always and gave Jamie a quick hug. "I know what you must feel." she whispered into her ear. "I hurt for you." Kassidy pulled away and Faywin got up, "Queen, the rooms. They have to be bigger."

The Queen nodded absently and made themselves a room. That done, Faywin knelt again and this time there were tears in her eyes.

"I...I don't think they had ever met-- I don't think he even knew about them. Bastian was shocked when he told me that he had-- that he'd-- ... It really doesn't seem real." She'd known Neil for so long...and now he was gone... How did that even happen?!