The Farland Files

The Sound of Silence

A/N: Who's ready for some explanations, some betrayal, and some witty banter? :} Not me :}

~~~

There was... nothing.

Shouldn't I be going to see Jack? Ares? James Potter? What's left of my Tom?

A voice echoed back at her, soft and sounding like her own. "...why would you be going anywhere?"

Isn't that what happens when people die? They go somewhere? Or is this a version of hell, being here without any sort of feeling, unable to do anything but drive myself insane?

"Do you want to be dead?"

Lena made a snorting sound, even as she knew logically she didn't have a body to do so with (or one she could feel at the moment). I don't think it matters what I want- I'm dead.

"Then why can you still think? And if you are dead, then who am I?"

That made her pause for a moment. I... don't know.

"I do."

...So? Are you going to tell me?

"No."

She really really wanted hands right now, if just to punch someone.

You sound like the Guide from the Temple, annoying little-

"Hello, Lena."

Oh no. No no no- If you tell me this has all been some sick dream, I'm going to drop-kick you into the next century.

The voice laughed softly. "I am the Guide- I don't believe I ever specified what I guide people to. The void, the veil, the afterlife... Is mastery over the void not just accepting and realizing what is truly important in your life, living life to the fullest so when death comes you accept it peacefully?"

I'm not amused.

"Yes, I can feel that."

Lena huffed softly when they were both silent for a moment. So? Guide me to the afterlife.

"There is no afterlife."

You just said you guided people to a place- show me this place, lady, or I swear on Ares, I'm going to-

"To what?"

If she'd had a body, her eye would have twitched. Gods above, I really want to strangle you.

The Guide just hummed. "Perhaps I should phrase it this way- for you, there is no afterlife. You would normally have gotten into many of them- Valhalla had their eyes on you, same with Elysium, though I suspect you would have like d A'aru if you had not chosen to end up with your 'Jackson Farland' on the other side of the veil... but you collected the Hallows, so you are barred entry. You cannot die, just as Mother Magic cannot lose her magic."

You're kidding.

"I am not."

I thought that the Hallows were a choice! I thought that you had to want immortality or- or whatever!

"Real immortality is a product of evolution and not a choice or an act designed by humans. Just as the Phoenix evolved into their long fiery rebirth without a choice, the Hallows chose their master- not the other way around. Had you known, you surely would not have been chosen."