During the Invasion

Katarina had never felt more conflicted in her life, or unlife, whatever her existence was to be called. What she longed for was just at the tips of her fingers, the woman she had chased after for so many years teetering on the edge of falling into her eternal embrace, yet…

Part of her didn't want it.

Not when she was clearly in so much pain, shedding silent tears into her pillow as the siren song of death blared around them.

"Oh, my Queen," she whispered softly, running gentle fingers through Ashe's blonde hair, which had remained completely unaffected by the march of time and the strain of stress, as if her body had been frozen in that moment she was brought back to life. "My chest aches to see you suffer so."

Ashe turned to look up at her, reaching out for her with outstretched arms like a child seeking comfort. Katarina obliged, pulling her warm body flush against her, guilt squirming in the pit of her stomach. It was her fault that Ashe was suffering so, she was the one who had taken her beloved son's life away. She should have known better than to let Asger take the knife, even though by the law of death, it was his right to have.

She could have stopped him, but would that have done anything in the long run? The shadows in Asger's heart had been planted shortly after he was born, and they were choking at him every single day. From the day she met him, Katarina knew it, that this boy was a soul that could not escape the shackles of his agony. Death had been release for him, a safety blanket for him to escape from a world that had never shown him kindness, yet...

Yet…

"Don't blame yourself," Ashe croaked, as if she had read Katarina's mind, "None of this was your fault."

"Oh, but it was," she said softly, "For if I had not broken the law and returned you to this world, you would not have had to suffer for as long as you have."

"But I asked for it, did I not?" Ashe made a weak, watery laugh, "I can hardly blame you for honoring a wish I made."

What a strong woman she was, Katarina thought as she looked into those burning eyes, even when everything was crumbling, she refused to crack and fall. She took tragedy on with the refined aura of the Queen she was, refusing to let it change her, twist her into a monster.

"I…"

Ashe laughed again, a little stronger this time, "To think you were after my death for so many years, yet when the time comes, you flounder and reconsider."

"I… did not want things to turn out this way," she admitted hoarsely, pressing her forehead against Ashe's, savoring the difference in temperature for what might be the final time. "All I wanted was for you to love me…"

For a moment, Ashe had only stared at her incredulously, before bursting out in riotous laughter. It sounded almost as if she had lost her mind, and Katarina was stunned into frozen silence as she tried to figure out what was so funny about her words.

"Idiot," Ashe murmured, leaning so close that her breath fanned out over Katarina's lips, "I have loved you from the day you inspired me to save my son."

Before the stunned god could process her words, or find an appropriate reaction, Ashe's lips were warm against her own, gentle and loving and apologetic at the same time.

"I've made you wait," she whispered as she pulled away, "And what for? A life I did not want, a life of pain and suffering."

Suddenly, Katarina felt a hard tug at her soul, as if someone had taken something that belonged to her. Ashe smiled, holding out a hand to her, and to her surprise, the blade of death appeared in the palm of her hand.

That was not supposed to happen, a human was not supposed to be capable of wrenching the knife from her grasp. It was for her to give, to leave out waiting for the soul that played the siren song of death and despair, not one that could be stolen out from under her nose like a trinket.

What did this mean, had Ashe been granted a firmer grip on the world of darkness and its ruler merely because she had once visited it? No mortal had ever died and returned from the depths during Katarina's reign, so she had no experience to fall back on.

"Will it be alright if I say yes now, my love?" Ashe asked, the words soft and sweet and apologetic, scrambling Katarina's insides in a way that only she could.

"If that is what you wish for," she said hoarsely, leaning closer so their noses were brushing, "The gates of my kingdom will always be open to you."

Everything I have is yours, she wanted to say, but would Ashe want any of it? She was the Emperor of Darkness, ruler over a land of shadows and regrets, a dark land where the broken roam in tears, where the sinful are punished, and only those who were kind in life bask in the warmth and light. It was a sad land, one with a dedicated endless playground for the children who had died young, full of adventures for them to eternally embark on, forever denied the chance of growing up…

It was not a kingdom anyone would fight to lay claim to, its throne weighted down with dark, painful jobs.

The Emperor was to welcome the dead at the kingdom's gates, to judge their soul and to choose where they would be sent. The Emperor was to answer the cry for death's arms made in the world of the living, to judge their sincerity and to leave them the knife, a key to the kingdom they longed for. The Emperor was to abandon their names and titles from whatever life they might have had before, and to take on the name of Death.

Would Ashe really be alright with this?

"Don't look so worried," Ashe scolded, bringing her out of her thoughts, "I will stay with you, no matter how tough times may get. Haven't you already done so for me?"

Katarina blushed; had she really been that obvious? "Death is a different sort of hardship, one that will never end."

"Then I will support you for eternity," Ashe replied, without missing a beat.

How did she do that, Katarina wondered, rendering people speechless by saying such meaningful things as if they were nothing at all? Was it because she was a human, a finite existence, that had never once been forced to grapple with the concept of eternity?

Death was more than just immortal, it was infinite, it was endless, and if Katarina did not fail in her job in a way that demanded she be destroyed, she would be escorting the dead for the ages to come. Kingdoms would rise and fall, the oceans and seas would divert their flow, the land would warp and twist, yet she would remain there, the constant in an ever-changing world.

Though, she supposed, should Ashe ever express regret or exhaustion in the eternity that stretched ahead, Katarina would have the power to grant her rest…

"Really," Ashe scolded, tapping her nose, "I never knew you were such an overthinker."

Katarina laughed at the annoyance in her voice, "I apologize, Ashe. I just… really want you to be happy."

"Then let me stay with you," she whispered, slowly unsheathing the knife.

Forcing herself to keep her gaze steady, Katarina watched as Ashe pressed the blade into her own chest, eyes never once leaving hers.

"Your wish shall be granted."

The blade bit deeply, and Katarina heard the sigh of relief Ashe's soul made as it slipped back into the world of darkness.

Asger sat quietly at the gate to the kingdom, watching as more unwilling souls were shuffled through. It did not surprise him any longer to see multiples of his friend - a god with as many duties as Death surely had enough magic to create illusions of herself.

He knew they were illusions, not clones, because they lacked that soul-chilling cold that she emanated whenever she was near. If he tried to reach out for her, he was sure that his fingers would phase through her skin.

As each face passed him, he scanned them carefully, recognizing a few too many among them. Servants and guards of the palace, revolutionaries he had secretly watched, all these familiar ghouls were marched past him, giving him an idea of what was going on in the kingdom he hated. War, all out war - had it been brought about by his death? He longed to approach them, to ask them, but he refused to shift from his post.

What was he doing, scanning the faces of the dead instead of enjoying the afterlife he had so desperately longed for? The warm, endless fields of adventure that awaited him were tempting, but… there were some people whose unknown fates were eating away at him.

His father, his grandmother, what had happened to them? Had the revolution failed, or had they been captured and were being made to stand in some sort of trial? Would they come through those gates at any moment, judged sinners and hauled screaming to their eternal punishment?

A sudden, familiar cold descended over the gates, the illusions slipping out of existence just as they swung open. An eerie, hauntingly beautiful song began to spiral into the sky - announcing the homecoming of their Emperor.

Asger sprang to his feet as his friend approached, but froze in place as he saw the woman trailing behind her.

His mother.

She was more radiant than he had ever seen her, smiling in a way he never knew she could, hanging off Death's arm with more intimacy than he ever imagined they shared. And though he was sad to see that his mother was dead, he knew… that she had been saved, just as he had, by the welcoming arms of darkness.

"Mother!" he called out, "Oh, Mother!"

The expression on her face softened as she ran to him, wrapping him up in a fierce hug that brought him back to the early days of his childhood.

"My son," she whispered, "I am so sorry for failing you, for causing you so much pain…"

Shaking his head, Asger said, "It wasn't your fault, Mother. You did what you could, and I am grateful for that."

Shifting his gaze to the woman behind her, he added, "And I am grateful to you, too, my old friend. You have done what I asked of you and more."

Death's smile was almost shy, like that of a young child that was not accustomed to receiving praise or gratitude. Pulling away, his mother was carefully looking him over, obviously delighted to find him unharmed.

"Where are you headed?" she asked him, one hand lingering on his, as if she could hardly believe he was there. Turning to Death, she asked, "Can he join us?"

"It is up to him, my love," Death replied, "For he has already been granted an eternity of respite in the fields of the young."

"That…" his mother looked torn, looking back at him with sad eyes, "That sounds wonderful, Asger. You would be able to roam the way you never could in Trelleborg."

"But, Mother-"

She cut him off, gripping his shoulder firmly, "I have asked enough of you, my son. I am sure you have had enough of palaces. Chase the sun to your heart's content - we are still in the same world. We could always meet again."

Death nodded in agreement, "You could show her your discoveries in the fields, if it would please you. There are many wonders there that even I do not know."

Asger swallowed, wondering what he should do. His mother was right, he had long tired of the suffocating nature of palaces, with their endless stone walls and rules. If they could easily meet again, then it would be fine for him to… to try and do what he wanted, right?

There were thousands of other children in the fields, and many of them welcomed him without a second thought. He no longer had to be lonely, and he would still be able to meet his mother - what else could he ask for?

"Alright," he nodded, taking his mother's hand, "I will see you again soon, Mother. I wish you well."

"I wish you well," she echoed, her eyes shining with unshed tears, "I hope that you will find your happiness."

Death had moved over to wrap an arm around his mother's shoulders, and he smiled as he watched her lean into the touch.

"And it seems you have found yours."

Smiling, she nodded, "Indeed, I have."

What a strange story this was, Asger thought, as he watched them enter the gates to the palace of darkness. Despite ending in death, it was overflowing with joy, with relief, with warmth; it was a happy ending concealed in the depths of shadows.

A/N: If anyone is interested, I was thinking of hosting an Elisabeth stream, but I'm not sure anyone really is...

I hope that this story was enjoyable, and thank you for joining me on this journey! I treasure all your reviews dearly.

Haruka