Chapter Text
The years will pass on and on. All of them will, in their time, come to their own ends. The passing of ages.
These words had echoed in Adaine’s head for centuries. The familiar voice of a nightmarish version of herself rang through her mind once more as she walked to the place she had been avoiding for hundreds of years.
Cravencroft Cemetery was very still in the morning sun. The green grass was unfathomably soft under Adaine’s feet in the mild spring air, and birds chirped merrily overhead. The faintest breeze tickled her neck, ruffling her thick mass of curls.
Adaine took a deep breath, leaning on her cane. Nearly 400 years after she had fled Elmville, finally, she was home.
Adaine stood at the entrance of Cravencroft Cemetery, not daring to move. Atop the hill that bordered Cravencroft, Mordred Manor stood tall and serene. Adaine had often wondered what became of Mordred after she deserted it, and was somewhat surprised to see it still standing. Did Aelwyn still reside there? Or had she too fled Elmville, returning to Fallinell or some other far off place? Perhaps later she could muster the courage to knock on the door and greet the inhabitants.
Adaine closed her eyes, taking one more deep breath, and stepped into the graveyard.
She walked slowly, surveying the gravestones. There were plenty of familiar names, but she was struck by just how many names were unfamiliar. 400 years was quite a long time. She turned away from their headstones quickly.
The scent of flowers grew stronger as Adaine neared the back of the graveyard, which dizzied Adaine slightly. She paused, and plucked a flower from her own hair. It was light blue, and she clutched tightly.
Out of all the headstones in Cravencroft, the Gukgaks probably had both the simplest and the most well-decorated. They stood plainly, with no engraved decorations, but all manner of flowers and ferns grew over them. Flowers of pink, white, yellow, and purple burst over and around their graves, striking green moss and vines curling around the headstones.
Adaine’s eyes felt heavy as they locked onto the gravestones. Two stones read Sklonda Gukgak and Pok Gukgak, and she laid the blue flower in her hand atop Sklonda’s. She closed her eyes, inhaling steadily, and opened them to see next to her a smaller stone, reading: Riz Gukgak.
Adaine stared at that name, surrounded in decorum of moss and flowers. Her cane fell from her grasp, and she dropped to her knees.
Riz - 17 years old
“How’s it looking back here?”
Riz jumped slightly as Adaine poked her head into the AV club room.
“Oh, Adaine! Yeah, everything’s in order. Skrank set up most of the lights, so I was a bit nervous, but it seems he hasn’t fucked them up.” He adjusted his hat. “Yet.”
Adaine slid into a rolling chair next to Riz, scanning the computer monitors rolling on the gym. Technicolor lights pulsed cheerily, and even from the AV room, Adaine could feel the bass pumping through the walls.
“It looks great. Honestly. And I already tested the lights, so don’t stress about them,” Adaine said, popping an elbow onto the desk and placing her chin into her palm. “Thank you so much for coming, Riz. You look great, by the way.”
He really did. Adaine had practically dragged Riz to prom fighting tooth and nail. He was in the middle of a big case and truly couldn’t bear to be separated from his work. But here he was, in a tuxedo, bowtie, and his classic hat. He looked dapper.
“Oh, uh— thanks,” Riz replied, clearly unaccustomed to receiving looks-based compliments. “You, uh… look nice too.”
Adaine snorted and rolled her eyes. “Don’t strain yourself. But thank you.” Adaine wore a simple blue gown with a sweetheart neckline and delicate silver jewelry. It wasn’t anything special, but it was comfortable and it had pockets.
The two surveyed the cameras for a moment in silence, watching people dance. The beat slowed dramatically, and a slow dance came on. People coupled up, and began swaying together. Out of the corner of her eye, Adaine saw Riz pull a face.
“Too bad Baron couldn’t make it,” she teased lightly. Riz’s face dropped into a scowl, and he scoffed, looking away.
Adaine bit her lip. “Sorry. I know you don’t like to talk about them.”
Riz shook his head. “It’s not, like, Baron is the problem, or whatever. I don’t really care about Baron anymore.” He scuffed the floor beneath him with his shoe. “It’s just, like… I don’t know. It’s complicated. Sorry.”
Adaine paused, pursing her lips. Then, she stood, taking Riz by the hand. “Come on,” she said, tugging on him. “Let’s go dance, nerd.”
Riz began shaking his head. “Ad—“
Adaine tugged him to his feet. “We’re gonna go out there and dance. It’s senior prom! The monitors can watch themselves, I promise.”
Riz hesitated, fidgeting with his pocket. “I don’t know…”
Adaine reached out and adjusted his crooked bow tie. “Come on Riz. I wanna dance with my best friend.”
Riz relented, letting Adaine drag him out of the AV room and into the gym. Slow guitar and a crooning voice filled the large room, and the lights swept them in through the balloon arch around the doors.
Adaine spotted Ayda and Fig, entangled in one another. Fig’s head was pressed against Ayda’s chest, and Ayda’s eyes were filled with a smile that swept her whole face. She spotted Tracker, her arms wrapped around Kristen’s neck, both of them laughing. Something in Adaine’s gut twisted, and she looked away.
“Uhh. How do you..?” Riz questioned, looking lost.
Adaine giggled. “Your hands go here,” she said, taking his hands, and placing them on her waist, “and mine go here.” She placed her slender hands on Riz’s slight shoulders. “And now we just… sway.”
Riz looked down at his feet, making sure he wasn’t stepping on Adaine’s dress. His grip on Adaine was tentative, and he surveyed the gym like a hawk, moving side to side with unpracticed rhythm.
“Riz,” Adaine said softly, locking his attention onto her. “Relax. Nothing’s gonna happen.”
Riz seemed unconvinced. “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”
“You’re not prepared, you’re paranoid. Aguefort hired extra security. Kalvaxus is gone. We’re not freshmen anymore. It’s okay, I promise.”
Riz sighed, but his gaze stayed settled onto Adaine’s face. His speckled yellow eyes searched her face, tracing the outlines of her features, as if trying to memorize what she looked like.
Around them couples held each other close, kissing and clutching each other and being disgustingly in love. Adaine kept her eyes locked on Riz, determined not to notice them.
“Do you ever feel like we’re the third wheels in the group?” Riz asked quietly, ears flattening.
Adaine dropped Riz’s gaze, sighing. “Yes.”
They danced together gently. The music swelled, and Adaine pushed closer to Riz. She could feel his cold hands through the satin of her dress. His ears twitched as the music moved, and he caught Adaine’s eyes once again.
It had always been easy with Riz. The two of them moved together in tandem, often falling into step with each other because they were… different than their friends. They shared eye contact during movies, when everyone cuddled up to their partners. They stayed up chatting over an empty dinner table after everyone else had made their excuses in pairs. They sat together when their friends had insisted on going through the Tunnel of Love at the theme park. They walked side-by-side on the sidewalk.
“You know… we can always be third wheels together.” Adaine said. “And then we won’t be third wheels anymore.”
Riz stared into Adaine’s stark blue eyes. His hands tightened on her waist. “Yeah?”
Adaine nodded. “Yeah. We make a good team, you know? We can look out for each other.” She smiled. “What do you say?”
Riz smiled, and the permanent creases between his eyebrows seemed to fade for a moment. In the technicolor lights, Adaine couldn’t see the bags under his eyes. “Yeah. Alright.”
Adaine smiled, and wrapped her long arms around his back, hugging him tightly. “You’re my best friend, Riz Gukgak.”
The song ended, and a quick tempo filled the air. Couples disentangled from each other, and a crowd of jumping people began to reform.
Kristen finally tore herself from Tracker and looked around, spotting them. “Guys!!” she yelled, beckoning. “Come dance!”
Riz and Adaine shared a smile, and Riz took Adaine’s hand. “You’re my best friend, too, Adaine Abernant.” He turned towards the rippling crowd of people. “Let’s fucking dance.”
Riz - 48 years old
After college, Adaine moved out of Mordred Manor into a new apartment, one she shared with Riz, and she fell in love with it. Sure, the kitchen was small, the dining space practically non-existent, and they had to share one bathroom, but the living room was spacious, their rooms had great views, it was always warm, and Riz had his very own office. Adaine made him prop the door open when he was working so she could keep an eye on him, and spent many quiet evenings curled up on a beanbag in the corner of his office, listening as he chattered away about the latest clue he’d uncovered.
Lifespan was something the Bad Kids dwelt on more and more as they grew. It was no secret to them that they all had different lifespans, some much more drastic than the others. Goblins and half-orcs usually lived to be about 60, humans could live from 80-100, werewolves could get up to 120, half elves 180, or more if they were lucky. But high elves? Archdevil tieflings? High elves could get to 750, or maybe even more, and archdevils… well, they might just live forever.
Adaine knew it wouldn’t last forever. But she thought she had more time.
In the end, it was a foolish thing.
Riz Gukgak, Solace’s premiere private investigator, was known for his efficiency on the job. When he put his mind to something, he would refuse to rest until his body literally gave out. Most nights Adaine would find him in his office at 3 am, snoring into a cup of coffee, sprawled atop mountains of paperwork and red string. She would shake him awake, and lead him to his bed.
“You’ve got to take care of yourself, Riz,” she would chide. “You’re no good to anyone if you’re too exhausted to function.”
It was one such night when it finally happened.
Riz wasn’t as young as he once was, once again burning the candle from both ends to finish a case. Adaine had gone to bed many hours before.
“Go to bed soon,” she’d chided, bumping his shoulder as she walked from his office.
“Uh huh,” he’d replied, not looking up from his work.
She’d rolled her eyes. “I’m serious, Riz.”
“Mm hmm. Love you.”
She’d sighed and kissed the top of his head. “Love you, too. Goodnight.”
Adaine startled awake in the darkness of early morning. Her nightmares were infrequent nowadays, but still, some nights she woke in a cold sweat, gasping for air, still feeling like her lungs were filling with seawater.
She rolled over to check the time, 4:30 am, ugh, when she saw an hour old notification from Riz on her crystal. Big break. Gone to finish up a case. Will be safe. Don’t worry.
Adaine groaned, shutting off her crystal. 'Goddamnit, Riz,’ she thought. Even though it was still early spring, her ceiling fan spun lazily, and she stared at the blank ceiling, unable to shake her gnawing sense of unease at the pit of her stomach. She was trying to recall her nightmare— was it the cliffside again? Was she falling? When all of a sudden, her stomach dropped as if she was cresting a roller coaster, and her vision went totally white.
Images began rapidly flashing in her minds eye. They were going too fast to make most of them out, the pictures blurry. She heard wailing, saw the back of Kristen’s head, saw her leaning over something, screaming, hands bloody. Flashes of purple light filled her mind, the acrid scent of death on the air, light flashing so fast it was nauseating. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move, when she saw it: Riz on the ground, bloodied and unmoving.
Adaine’s vision cleared, and she flew out of bed, desperately tugging her shoes on as she sprinted down the hallway. She called Riz’s phone frantically, all of the calls going straight to voicemail. She checked his location to see his icon flashing in Cravencroft Cemetery, next to Mordred Manor.
Adaine grabbed her spell book and orb and slammed the apartment door behind her, desperately dialing Kristen and Gorgug, who both lived nearby Cravencroft. After a few rings, they both picked up groggily, before quickly agreeing to meet Adaine at the cemetery.
Riz had taken their car, and Adaine cursed him as she ran, using teleportation and haste spells to run across town. The night air was chilly as she ran, and pricked at her skin. She had to go faster, run harder, arrive sooner.
After what seemed like hours (though it couldn’t have been more than a few minutes) she arrived at Cravencroft. She heard the commotion before she saw it, rumbling rocks and crashes and gunshots.
”Riz!” Adaine cried, leaping towards the commotion. She crested a hill and finally saw it: a shadowy monstrosity three times her size, and at its feet, Riz Gukgak. Even from this distance, Adaine could see he was bloody, his movements sloppy, fatigue clouding his steps. He shouldn’t be out this late. He shouldn’t be fighting something this strong by himself. What was he thinking??
Adaine spotted Kristen and Gorgug fighting alongside Riz, both clearly tired. Gorgug’s motions were sluggish, and Kristen’s magic lacked its usual oomph. But Adaine could see clearly, her vision sharp. She charged towards the creature, raising her hands as magic began to pool between her fingers.
But it was too late.
The shadowy monster bellowed at Gorgug, and time seemed to slow almost to a standstill. A jet of inky black magic hurled itself towards Gorgug, who was caught off guard. It was going to hit him.
Without hesitation, Riz shoved Gorgug aside, and absorbed the crackling magic with his own body. He instantly went limp, and fell to the ground with a sickening crack, smacking his head against a gravestone.
He lay very still.
Adaine’s vision went red.
The next few moments were a blur. A scream tore itself from Adaine’s throat as she flew at the monster. Her magic exploded out of her, bubbling and contorting as Adaine’s Furious Fist vaporized the monster on impact. Her ears rung, and she turned around in slow motion, blood dripping from her nose and ears.
Kristen knelt over Riz, screaming. She cast spell after spell, bellowing words Adaine had never heard before. Her magic was so strong that it buffeted both Adaine and Gorgug back as they tried to move forward, to help, to comfort, to do anything.
Kristen’s voice was ragged, and she clutched Riz’s body frantically. Blood dripped from her nose onto Riz’s clothing. She screamed the words of Revivify, Resurrection, and Raise Dead, over and over again, but nothing happened. No soul or movement returned to Riz’s body. Whatever this monster had done, nothing was bringing Riz back.
Kristen’s shoulders heaved, and from the depths of her chest, thundered one more desperate scream, and Kristen pushed all the magic she had left into Riz’s body. There was no spell behind it, just pure magical energy. The grass and dirt of the cemetery rippled, and a supernova of starlight blasted out of Kristen, knocking Adaine and Gorgug to the ground. Shielding her eyes from the blinding light, Adaine watched as Kristen and Riz levitated into the air. Riz was bathed in violent purple light, body hanging limp. Adaine could see the face of her best friend, the face she knew better than her own, and saw there was not a blemish left on it. His face was soft, untouched by worry or stress, and Adaine hardly recognized him. Even in sleep, his forehead creased, even over a quiet dinner, his eyebrows furrowed. His permanent eyebags had been wiped away, and he lay in the air, serene.
The price for Riz’s peace, it turned out, was utter, profound, death.
There was a thundering BOOM, and at once Kristen rag-dolled, and the purple light blinked out. Adaine blinked stars out of her eyes, and Cravencroft Cemetery fell into deathly silence. Not even the bugs chirped, not even the wind rustled the trees. Adaine and Gorgug crawled towards Kristen and Riz’s crumpled forms, and they clung to each other with white-knuckled desperation. For a moment, all the world was still, and Adaine could smell only grief and violence. She turned her head to the side and saw the grave Riz had fallen onto, the name Pok Gukgak splattered with his son’s blood.
Slowly, the animals of the night resumed their gentle noise-making, the moon’s serene light fading in and out behind the sky’s clouds, and Adaine wept bitterly. Did not the crickets know what had transpired? Did the frogs not understand the gravity of this moment, a gravity which demanded harsh silence? Did the clouds know that in this moment, time stood still? Did the moon not understand that now was not a time for soft, sweet moonbeams, but frigid, desolate night?
Adaine carried Riz’s ice-cold body home in her arms. She wept for his loss, unable (or perhaps unwilling) to be comforted.
Riz died in the spring. It rained at his funeral.
Adaine knelt at Riz’s grave for a long time, tracing his name with her fingers. She shifted off of her heels and adjusted her skirt as she pressed her back against his headstone. She dug her fingers into the familiar moss that nested his gravestone, and a small vine began to wrap itself around her wrist, settling against her skin familiarly. She watched with bemusement as it curled around and around, like a bracelet, and once it finally stopped moving, sweet-smelling purple flowers blossomed from it.
From the ground, Adaine surveyed Cravencroft. The flowers that now began to weave her into the Gukgak’s gravestones used to cover the whole cemetery. She could still see them, in her mind’s eye, gorgeous blossoms whose scent was so strong she could smell it from Mordred’s front lawn, when the wind blew right. Adaine remembered plucking handfuls of them each time she visited Riz, taking them home to Mordred, thoroughly irritating Aelwyn by the sheer mountains of flowers their house held.
Adaine settled her head against the stone, and exhaled a long breath. “I miss you, Riz,” she uttered weakly. She still had trouble speaking sometimes, after spending so long in silence. She coughed and continued, stronger. “I miss you so fucking much.” Before she knew it, she was talking, and couldn’t stop. She told him about her life after he had passed, about how she’d moved back into Mordred with Tracker and Kristen and Aelwyn. She spoke of birthdays, weddings, and funerals, of laughter, tears, and terror.
She spoke of her flight from home. She spoke of the years she’d lost. The years in the forest. The years by the seaside. The years in the mountains.
She spoke more to Riz’s than she’d spoken to anyone in 400 years.
When she looked up, the sun had shifted in the sky, and the noises of daytime had grown louder. The world was awake, and in the distance Adaine could hear the chatter of families, the rush of wheels on pavement, the honking of car horns.
Adaine inhaled deeply, and began to pick herself up. As she moved, there was a slight tug around her head, and she heard the familiar noises of grass fibers ripping. She reached up, and felt on her head a thin flower crown, woven by the flowers that decorated Riz’s grave.
Adaine removed the crown from her head, and placed it atop Riz’s grave. She plucked another flower, one that grew from her own head, and set it on his headstone. She brushed off her skirt and stepped back.
“Thank you,” she said, softly. “I hope the afterlife has been good to you. I love you.”
She brushed Riz’s headstone with the tips of her fingers as she walked away, and it was warm to the touch.
Steadying herself on her cane, she approached the next headstone.