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Death came for everyone, it was inevitable, some were taken too soon from the mortal realm, their candle snuffed out either from tragedy or sickness while others lived far into their lives, seeing things change, their families growing before drifting away as the last of their wick fades. It was just something that came with living, of being brought into the world, even the oldest of beings had a candle burning somewhere, wax melting, dripping until there was no more. Kremy knew this, his Ma always spoke of it when they would walk around the swamp, collecting things for their meals. She would soothe his worries, promising that the Lady of Death was not to be feared, that she was kind and merciful once within her grasp, it was those that used her for fear that sullied her name. He had listened, nodding along with her words of wisdom and believed that Death was kind up until meeting with those that dealt with shadow, dealt with the darker beings of that world. Lady Death was kind and merciful but she held powers far more dangerous, gifted those powers to beings that used them for their own gain and Kremy found himself making deals, promises with beings of shadow, of that domain that dealt with the dangers that came with Death.
Death was normal, it happened always but there were aspects of it that even Kremy dared not to venture to, already dipping his clawed toe into her shadows, into the darkness. His magics came from one of her followers, deals being made in exchange for those gifts, but Kremy knew that it was just a taste, a taste of what was given to the Baron, that she was the true source of his magic and Kremy thanked her often enough, drawing upon the Baron and his own patrons magic when time called for it.
It wasn’t enough, all those powers couldn’t stop what had happened, the Baron’s gifts doing nothing against the magic of the fey, of Gideon and Torbek. He knew that his patron tried, bargained and whispered, the beat of the drums, of chanting echoing within his mind, purples and greens and dancing shadows surrounding him, whispering the secrets of shadows, giving him the power that he sought but it wasn’t enough. Lady Death called for him, and nothing could stop her when she set her gaze upon those that were already fated to be in her grasp. He watched as Frost and Gricko were torn down, viscera spraying, the nightmare of the slaughter and he held back his retching, seeking out his flame, his fire. The whole reason they were here to begin with, Gideon had been taken, snatched away by the very same cretins that had experimented on Torbek, that were hunting him down. Kremy knew that Gideon had been protecting Torbek, the two of them surrounded by what the bugbear could explain between panic and tears, that the fire genasi fought and when things went south he had sent Torbek to find them.
He was long gone by the time they got there, the evidence of the fight clear and Kremy had been furious. They searched and searched, following leads and seeking everything that even whispered that was where his flame was, they were running out of time and in a desperate move they sought out the queen of the fey, the whole damn reason they were even there. Zablina. They did everything that they had too, fought everyone that stood in their way and they were right there, their final push, their final fight…things had gone south fast. Torbek had been dragged off at some point, suddenly gone from their group and Kremy knew that something was wrong at that, but they went forward anyway, the queen could help, she had to help. They ended up in some room, the sleeping queen just ahead of them, a familiar figure on his knees, arms limp and head bowed just beside her, as if sleeping and Kremy yelled out for his flame, moved forward to go grab the fire genasi as Frost and Gricko went to wake the sleeping queen.
Death called for them all as soon as they stepped into that room. Their missing companion appeared suddenly but it wasn’t the bugbear that Kremy loved, but the thing that fed off of him, claws swiping, magenta glowing and a fight broke out. Frost and Gricko managed to fight and do the spell at the same time as Twig raced towards Gideon while Kremy fought Torbek, begging that the bugbear woke up, ignoring the animalistic sneers and snarls. Blood flew, magic spiraled and Kremy was on his last legs, his back was on fire, agony at every move until a familiar heat seemed to warm the area, attention snapping towards the fire genasi, his eyes staring at them as he stood unsteady on his feet and Kremy almost cheered. The beat of drums loud in his ear, the chanting and the shadows lighting at his joy but beneath all of that was Lady Death calling for him.
Kremy can’t fully remember what happened, those fiery eyes flickering to magenta instead of the glow of flames, Twig racing back to Gideon, to snap him out of it and Kremy moved, yelling over his shoulder for Torbek to kindly snap out of it as his claws grabbed onto the brownie, burying her into his arms, and turning away as flames engulfed them.
Everything went dark.
That was everything that he could properly remember as he stood beside the healing fire genasi, unable to be seen, glancing sadly towards Torbek who was hunched over, alive and well still but looking haggard, refusing to move from Gideons side even when those of the kingdom tried to get him to rest. Kremy wished he could send Torbek to sleep, to have him rest, especially after all of that machinery had been removed from him, making the already scrawny bugbear smaller but he was gone, Kremy felt no pain, no nothing anymore other than the gentle whisper of the Lady urging him to go outside, to come to her and rest. He refused, staying beside his husband and their darling, watching them and Hootsie heal, and he remained even through the grief induced rage that took over Gideon, trying to pull him back from the cowering Bugbear, pleading that they not fight, that they remain together. Staring at the magenta tinged eyes glaring at the goblinoid with sadness. Kremy couldn’t stop this, could only watch as Gideon sent Torbek running, watch as he crumbled and screamed, flames bursting from him and as people came rushing in to restrain him.
He watched it all, sat beside Gideon as he relearned how to control his rage, learned that whatever that drug was that had been forced upon Torbek and Gideon still ran through their veins, that they were still at risk of losing control to the Witchlight and he watched as Gideon realized that Torbek had gone, taking his words to heart. The heartbreak that had been. It hadn’t taken long for Gideon to take Hootsie and leave the feywild, as soon as he could control that rage, grieved enough he was walking back to the Witchlight Carnival, through the mirrors and Kremy followed. He followed as they traveled, smiled softly at the days that were good, sat beside the fire genasi when days went bad but each day he felt himself fade a little. Lady Death had been generous in letting him remain this long but he can hear her calling.
—-
They ended up in the plains, the familiar dusty roads and sun beating down on them almost unlikeable but it’s here that Kremy heard a whistle of a train, brows furrowing as he turned to look at Gideon. His flame hadn’t heard it, and Kremy frowned, turning to take another look as the sounds of a moving engine got closer, a chill racing down his spine as a cold mist moved in. This was it, he knew this, understood this and Kremy took a glance towards his husband, his niece still walking forward, Gideon chatting to the owlbear and Kremy gently caught up. Stepping in front of them, taking in his flames looks, the smile on his face, gently moving to hold his face as the train got closer.
“Hey Gid, this is my time, I got a train to catch now but I want you to know that I love ya and I’ll be waiting for you. Don’t blame yerself anymore, and find our bugbear.” Kremy smiled, brushing a claw down his husband's cheek, closing his eyes as Gideon walked through him, unseeing and Kremy watched them continue on. Tracks getting closer, another horn of a train and Kremy watched as the train passed him slowing down as a lantern hung out, illuminating the mist that suddenly swallowed him. He waits, peering up at the bullywug that was peering down at him from the step, jumping down onto the ground below and Kremy nodded his head gently at him.
“Seems to me yer ready to catch yer ride.” A smooth voice with an accent Kremy couldn’t place spoke, “I’ll let ya on once I’ve seen that ticket in your suits jacket Mr.Lecroux..”
Used to the magic of this world, the gentle urge of Lady Death in his ear, Kremy pulled out a ticket, a greenish blue piece of paper that showed a train upon it, the very one that he was standing before and Kremy saw his name and that of the trains before passing it to the Stranger. Watching him look over it, whistling softly as he did so before grinning slyly up at him, “Looks like yer part of the group, they’ve been waiting for ya fer a bit now. The Lady made sure that you all got a compartment together…this way.”
Kremy blinked, glancing once to peer where Gideon had gone, wishing his husband once last goodbye before climbing aboard, following after the bullywug that was gently explaining things to him, leading him deeper into the train before pulling one sliding door open and Kremy peered inside to see his friends. Gricko and Frost peering at him, smiles on their faces, Twig cheering and calling him to join them, food was scattered around on the table, drinks and Kremy shifted to thank the bullywug only to see him gone.
“Come on Kremy!!” Twig demands, waving her hands to hurry him in and as he sits the door slides shut behind him, a loud slam before the whole thing moves once more, chatter suddenly surrounding him, his friends chatting and telling him of what was happening and what he had missed. His heart was swelling and Kremy simply leaned back, smiling at everyone.
Lady Death was inevitable, but she was merciful and Kremy knew that he’d see Gideon and Torbek again, knew that everyone here beside him now would be cheering them on and waiting for them whenever their candle lights decided to fade.