Of Ashes and Wind

Nix and Eiri - Final Part

It was peaceful.

After one hundred and ninety-two years, Eiriell's passing was peaceful.

She looked down below at her children who still mourned for her. She was grateful to be able to kiss them goodbye. Eiriell smiled when caught sight of the Werenluna that had healed, the elven people were stronger than ever since the wretched war.

Grand gates that shined with the intensity of the mid-day stood before Eiriell. Below her, she could see through the cosmos and the clouds to the mortal plane below. She looked once more at her beloved children before turning her attention back to the Gates of the Great Beyond.

Tentatively, she pushed her hand through the gate which easily gave way for her.

She could feel the rush of something much bigger than magic, much more soothing than the Werenluna, and stronger than any spell she had ever casted.

A song seemed to float around her, a gentle tune that was a lot slower than she remembered.

"Hey." Eiriell snapped her eyes to the source of the sound.

Phoenix Stroud, dressed in simple tunic and trousers leaned casually on the gates behind her with her arms crossed and an easy smile on her lips.

Eiriell looked down, she wore a casual dress she hadn't put on since her carefree youth.

She didn't know what to say.

Other than this, "You stand at the Gates of the Great Beyond and all you can do is lean so casually on it as if it were any other stone column?"

Phoenix laughed, she got off the golden gates and walked closer to Eiriell, "I've seen it before and it kind of loses its charm the second time around." She looked back at the entrance to the Heavens.

She was within arm's reach of Eiriell.

"Told you I'd wait for you."

Eiriell launched herself forward into Phoenix's waiting embrace. Erasing any distance they possibly could while breathing the scent of the other in.

"I can't believe you're here with me again." Eiriell let out.

Phoenix smiled against her hair, placing her lips firmly to the elven woman's temple, "I never left you to begin with."

Eiriell sighed exasperatedly, she didn't dignify the playful jest with a response and chose to taste Phoenix's heavenly lips against her own.

They were together once more on a plane that Eiriell could freely be with Phoenix.

When Eiriell leaned back, they were children again, Phoenix wore a carefree smile on her face.

Their tiny hands clutched together while Phoenix ran ahead leading the two through Paradise. Rushing past so many things that Eiriell had questions about.

But the questions died when she heard the tremor of a screech she had not heard in so many years.

A great gryphon descended down, and with it two more.

Lionheart landed easily in the center, with Liona and Duke on either side of him.

Eiriell let out a shudder, her small hand disappearing into the great gryphon's plume like it had so many times all those years ago.

"By the gods..." Eiriell let out.

Phoenix tugged at her, "Come on, Lionheart's been waiting the longest time you know."

The human child easily swung her leg up on to the great beast, Duke nudged at the child playfully before taking off into the Heavens.

Liona bent down low to rub her head against Eiriell's tiny form, "I've missed you too." Eiriell whispered out.

Liona nodded, and then took off to follow Duke.

"Ready?" Phoenix reached down.

Eiriell eagerly grabbed Phoenix's hand.

Lionheart took to the Heavens while Phoenix held onto his plume and Eiriell clutched her hands around the human's child waist.

With both of their hearts beating in time with one another.

Something magnificent came into the distance, a structure of marble and white stone that stood out above the rest of the Heavens.

"Where are we going?" Eiriell looked ahead, Duke and Liona on either side of them.

Phoenix held one of Eiriell's hands with her own. She took note that their forms were different again.

They were young lovers again in their seventeenth and eighteenth summer.

"I told him he'd get to meet you as soon as you got here." Phoenix's voice had its timber once more which easily carried to Eiriell's ears.

"Who is he?" Eiriell's question came out in an elegant lilt. What she could only describe as the Throne Room of the Gods and Goddesses came closer and closer.

"Algernon, you'll like him" Phoenix replied simply.

Eiriell nodded, her chest swelled in anticipation to meet the Hero King.

The man who sent Phoenix back to her.

Together, they soared across the Heavens.

Together they stayed till the end of time itself.

Their hearts beating wildly in time like the endless blue sky.

Behind the curtain of the cosmos their souls were entwined in the deep comforts of forever guarded by the Moon.

The Earth sang songs that carried through the wind about these two lovers.

Nix and Eiri.