we are not truly immortal

[dark_light]

After Glass's party is over with, Amariah and Kas go home.

Amariah fetches down their alethiometers.

"It's about time I took care of Alethia's afterlife, whatever it may be," she says quietly. "What can the alethiometer tell you about what I'll find?"

Comments

[pythbox]

The fog thins, and thins, and at the end of the tunnel there is a room, and in the middle of the room there is a - thing.

It is made of transparent crystal that catches the dim light and sparkles brilliantly, and it is absolutely without a gap or break of any kind, and there is an angel inside, small and old and wrinkled and faded almost to nothing.

[dark_light]

"...Hello," tries Amariah.

[pythbox]

No reaction.

[dark_light]

[Hello.]

[pythbox]

He shivers, startled.

[What? Who are you?]

His voice, even over brainphone, is as faint and old and faded as the rest of him.

[dark_light]

[I'm Isabella Amariah. Who are you?]

[pythbox]

[I'm - I'm - ]

...he's falling asleep, apparently.

[dark_light]

[I am on an important errand. Please pay attention.]

[pythbox]

Nope. Sleeping.

[dark_light]

Amariah taps on the crystal that surrounds the angel.

[pythbox]

The crystal rings like a bell. The angel startles awake, shuddering violently, and... swirls, like the other angel did when he began to dissolve.

[dark_light]

Amariah floats back, startled. [Sorry!]

[pythbox]

Slowly, he swirls back together. The ringing fades. He blinks in confusion.

[dark_light]

[Sorry,] Amariah repeats. [You must be terribly fragile.]

[pythbox]

Also slowly, he nods.

[dark_light]

[Is that why you're in there?]

[pythbox]

Another nod.

[dark_light]

[Who are you?] she asks again.

[pythbox]

Slowly, sadly, he shakes his head.

[dark_light]

[You don't remember?]

[pythbox]

A helpless shrug.

[dark_light]

[Kas, can you check if he's fixable if I decide to do that - maybe not wishing, but an enchantment, witch magic -]

[truthwright]

[You... probably don't want to do that,] says Kas, after consulting his alethiometer. [This is the Authority.]

[dark_light]

[He is a shriveled angel who can't withstand someone tapping on the glass in his tank. What happened to him?]

[truthwright]

[It doesn't know. But - he's the oldest angel there is.]