Mission Accomplished

The Frau and Cerrdywen, now dressed and back to their normal selves in every observable way, came over to where Naomi lay next to me. In a few short, semi-coherent sentences I told the story of my meeting with the elven lady and the choice she offered me.

Cerrydwen nodded as I described her, clearly agreeing with my choice of words, but her demeanor had shifted back to her normal, dour self--few words and even fewer smiles.

The Frau sat down heavily in the soft grass and began fretting over Naomi as I spoke, only half listening to my words. She was far more interested in Naomi herself and how she seemed.

Naomi was still unconscious, but was clearly breathing. She appeared to be wholly healed of the grievous wounds that I had seen that creature inflict on her in New Orleans. Her face was small, smooth, and beautiful. She looked much as I had seen her when she had been waiting for me at the Tree.

As the Frau settled in close and began checking for less obvious injuries, Naomi began to stir. I had finished my short tale, so I got up and gave way for Cerrydwen to settle in my spot. I was pretty sure that she and the Frau would be a far gentler sight to wake-up to than I would be.

I moved away from the ladies and closer to where I had met the elven woman, over by the stone table. Everything seemed dark and still here now, especially compared with the vibrant colors and and singing faery circle of that other place. Unconsiously, one hand moved up to my inner jacket pocket, as if to assure myself that the ring containing Drake was still there. It was.

As I contemplated everything that had just happened, I noticed some things laid out on the top of the table that hadn’t been there before I had looked into the Spirit world. Our weapons, from Cerrydwen’s sheathed athame to the Frau’s cane were all laid out in a neat row on the table top. Diego was there in his sheath, as were my batons. Next to my weapons however, there was a long, narrow sheathed sword that was easily a foot longer than Diego was.

I strode over to the table and looked at the arrayed weapons. Despite my curiosity as to the new blade, my eyes kept falling on Diego. I could feel the sadness coming from him. I reached over and picked him, unsheathing the blade in one smooth motion. I let the black leather sheath fall to the ground.

I felt a surge of sadness, frustration and resignation through the hilt. He was disappointed that Drake had been killed and that he had no part in making that happen.

“Diego, I know how much you wanted to be a part of Drake’s demise, but I am not sorry that you had no part in spilling his blood. I think you have seen enough killing in your time in this world.”

In one swift move, before I had time to reconsider, I reached up with my left hand, wrapped my thick, mechanical fingers around the blade near the tip, and snapped the flat of the blade over my knee. With that blow, the last of the Witchbane Blades passed from this world.

I felt an immediate sense of relief and joy flash from the shattered blade as Diego’s spirit was finally freed to resume it’s journey through the Cosmos. I heard a soft tinkling of ghostly laughter and a softly whispered ‘Thank you, Senor Bones’ from Herlinda as she had returned to wait for her brother’s release.

An image of Diego running through the clearing, chasing after laughing faeries before landing in the arms of his sister. I could sense a feeling of strong approval from the unseen presence of the elven lady.

I felt Cerrydwen’s arm on my shoulder as she came up behind me. “You’ve done well, Rusty. The world is a safer, better place with the last of those blades now destroyed. You’ve seen a Being this night that no mortal man has ever seen before, you were the first to do. I hope you understand the significance of her choice to reveal herself to you without an intermediary.”

I nodded, looked at the broken pieces of a blade that had taken far too many innocent lives. The metal of the blade seemed to be deteriorating quickly as rust spots appeared and quickly spread. I let them fall to the ground and watched as they dissolved into two small piles of rusty dust and then blew away in the breeze in a matter of a few moments.

I looked into Cerrydwen’s eyes, noticed that there did seem to be an inner peace that may have been missing before. “I will never forget...Her. Maybe someday you can tell me more about her.”

She nodded. “Maybe.” She walked over to the table and recovered her athame without further comment, sticking the sheath back into the top of her heavy boot.

I looked over to see the Frau fussing over the now conscious and sitting Naomi, who was staring at me intently.

I walked over and knelt down in front of her. “Do you remember me?”

She kept her eyes locked onto my face, nodded, and managed to speak. “I do. She told me that you would look different than when i met you by the Tree.”

“Who told you that?”

“That Shining Lady, she had called me back from far away with her beautiful song.” Naomi shook her head, fnally glancing away before continuing. “She said that I would have an opportunity to be with my daughter again and that you had given up your life to make it happen. I didn’t understand what she had meant by that, but I think I am beginning to see what she meant.”

Somewhat self conscious of my rather frightful appearance, I looked away. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to scare you.”

She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around my neck and sobbed into my ear. “Oh no, Mr. Bones, you don’t scare me none at all. I have you to thank for saving Alexa during that storm, and now I have you to thank again for giving up something I had thought I had lost forever. I could never be afraid of you.”

A surge of emotion welled up within me, but I had no outlet for it, other than to hug her back and say, “Call me Rusty.”