Blinding light filled Hershel's vision. All that encompassed his entire view was the whiteness that seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions.
"Am I..." He began and then gulped. "Dead?"
"No." Hershel span quickly, shocked to hear this new voice. Although it wasn't new. It was all too familiar.
"It can't be..." He cried, rubbing his eyes, believing himself to be hallucinating. Standing in front of him was the love of his life. "Claire..."
Claire, or whoever this woman was had said he wasn't dead, but that must have been the only possibility, for how else could Claire be there?
"Hello, Hershel. It is good to see you. Almost..."
Claire bowed her head and then wiped locks of hair away from her eyes. She was smiling, although there was a hint of something else. She looked like she was hiding a terrible secret.
The white light was gone and instead Hershel found himself standing on a cliff top overlooking a vast ocean. It was extremely windy and he went to grab for his hat.
"There is no need for that, Hershel." Claire beamed. "It won't fall off. At least, not here.”
"I must truly be dead. How else could I be seeing all this? How could I see... you?"
He felt hot tears form in his eyes, but he didn't wipe them away. He embraced them.
"Look at what you've become, Hershel." She grinned, reaching towards him. She was standing right at the cliff edge and Hershel only a foot away. When her gentle hand found his cheek, he felt a great sensation rise through his body. Her touch was like a distant memory suddenly clawing its way back out.
"W-what do you mean?" He asked, not caring that she had changed subjects.
"You've grown, Hershel, and although you may not realise it, you still have more growing to do. The events of your life. From when you told me of your friend's death; all the way up to the events of the past few days... It has been a most difficult time, but.... But you've grown so much and I'm so proud..."
"Claire... I don't understand..."
"What I said is true. You are not dead. Your time is not now. You have a long life ahead of you. You will find more love in the world and the people you meet will provide you with the love that..." Tears began to form in her eyes as well and Hershel could see that she had been holding them back the entire time. "The love that I could not continue giving..."
"Claire... I... I don't know what to say... I..."
"You don't have to say anything!"
She pulled him in close and when their lips touched it was the most incredible moment. Hershel knew that once the kiss ended only sad news would follow. He had to be sure that it would never end, but end it surely did and when she pulled away - much to his protest - he found himself gripping onto her tighter, willing himself to never let go, lest he said good bye once again.
"I..." He began, the tears reaching his lips. "I said I would not lose you again.... I can't lose you now... How can I not be dead?!"
Hershel had shouted; just as he had shouted the last time she had departed.
"Your time is not now. Perhaps you should have paid more heed to what Oliver said before the castle began to fall. I don't suppose you would remember dear Oliver though."
"You mean... I've met him before..."
"Oh but Hershel... You stole me from him..."
"I... I did not mean..."
"Oh not in a bad way, of course." She was giggling and the Professor felt his heart twinge as he once more heard the divine voice that he could not once remove from his head. It was beautiful to hear it again, but it was a double-edged blade as he knew that for the joy it brought, misery also came. How could he hear that elegant voice once more and not frown knowing that he could never once hear it again in the flesh.
"Then... how did I steal you from him?"
"You have a tendency to forget things... Repressed memories as I am aware you harbour..." She smiled as she saw his mouth fall open. "I know of all your adventures since I... left. They are all full of wonder... Such incredible adventures that leave the mind boggled, and yet it touches you so... You live the most remarkable life, Hershel..."
"Not as remarkable as when I lived it with you..."
His voice cracked and Claire gripped his hand, comforting the Professor from his self-inflicted grief.
"Hershel... You must not say that... You can move on with your life. You must! You have others to look out for and I know that they need you. But that can't happen if you mourn for me the rest of your life. We live fleeting lives, Hershel. You are aware of that more than most and you know that you must not dwell on the past, but-"
"Look to the future, for the future holds true wonders... You always did love that quote from Donald Rutledge..."
"And I'm glad you remembered. But I see that you did not repress this memory. Of Oliver that is. You stole me from him not through vile intent, but through the act of a hero. He loved me, but I did not feel the same way about him. I told him so often. but he was so persistent. And he was very patient. You can see that through the lengths he has gone through to achieve his plan."
"So Oliver harboured feelings for you, just as Don Paolo, Dimitri and I did..."
"Oh, but Hershel. You loved me for who I was. I can't say the same about those three... Looks have always tainted men's minds..."
"This whole act... It is to get revenge for stealing you?"
He took a small step forward so that their bodies were even closer. He just wanted to feel her warmness. One more time. Who would not die for a chance to see their loved ones again?
"That is a part of it, but the rest I cannot say..."
"Why not?"
"As I told you, you are not dead."
"I must be if I am talking to you. How else could-"
"I do not know how it is we are speaking, but all I can say is that you will figure it out. After all, that's what you are best at, isn't it, Hershel?" She smiled, a wide smile that filled Hershel with feelings he could not name. "Figuring out the impossible."
"I love you, Claire... Please don't leave me... I would happily be dead just to be with you..."
"Oh but Hershel," She said, wiping the tears from his eyes as the Professor wept into the breeze. "too many are counting on you. You will save the world now and you will save it again and again. You must go back and be Professor Layton. That charming man who I fell in love with who always did the right thing, not expecting any reward. That's the Hershel Layton who will save the world this time and for the rest of your days. You will find the love in the world to protect. You will have a child to raise who will grow to continue your legacy. You will be Hershel Layton!"
"But if I am not dead, and I will wake up in the real world, all that will be awaiting me is the Gatherers. I simply cannot stop them!"
"Oh, but Hershel, you simply can!"
Claire beamed at Hershel and then pushed him. He had not realised, but she had managed to make his back face the Cliffside.
As he fell, he did not think of what was below. He kept his eyes skywards at the figure of Claire, looking down at him with those warm eyes.
He kept his gaze there until right at the end before he hit the sea below.
******
Hershel opened his eyes once more and found himself laying down to face a starlit night sky unlike any he had seen before.
He expected to feel great pain. Else how could he have survived a castle falling on top of him?
He sat up slowly, expecting the pain to start any time soon. But it did not.
He kept his eyes cast downwards but he gasped as he realised he was not lying amongst the remains of a castle. He was still in the spot the castle had fallen towards him and he saw Katia and Flora lying next to him - breathing, thankfully - but everything else was the same. Even...
"Oliver..."
The handsome man turned on the spot, the same spot the group had last seen him standing, cackling as the castle fell. They had assumed he had perished, but then how could he be there?
None of this made sense.
"Good morning, Hershel. That's right, it's three in the morning, a bit early to be waking up, mind you, but who am I to speak..." Hershel's eyes narrowed as a mad look fell over Oliver's face. "I never sleep."
"You are truly mad, Oliver. How did you pull this off?"
"Oh it was quite the feat, wouldn't you agree?!" He laughed into the cool night air and Hershel stood slowly, quite unsteady on his feet. "I would love to tell you, but all in due time. We'll wait for your friends to wake up first. The effect really is quite magnificent!"
Hershel went to say something else, but he just couldn't. This night was impossible. How could he possibly do anything...?
After all, that's what you are best at, isn't it, Hershel? Figuring out the impossible.
Hershel started as he heard Claire's voice ring through his head.
"I will stop you, Oliver." He stated, taking a firm step towards the villain.
"Ooh and how will you do that?! A bit of an impossible task for someone in the position you are in now. You simply cannot stop me!"
Hershel smiled and when he spoke, he felt as if two voices spoke as one. And maybe they just did.
"Oh, but I simply can!"